Pensée juive sur Isaïe 29:22

The Midrash states that Abraham was saved from the fiery furnace through the merit of Jacob (Bereshit Rabbah 63). It quotes as its source for this strange statement Isaiah 29,22, "Thus said the Lord to the house of Jacob who redeemed Abraham." The meaning is that although Abraham did not pray for deliverance at the time he was thrown into the furnace, the fact that he was destined to have a grandson who would know how to pray prompted G-d to save Abraham, in order for such a grandson to make his debut in history in due course. This is also what Solomon meant when he said, "The crown of grandfathers are their grandsons" (Proverbs 17,6). All of the foregoing testifies to Abraham's personality developing gradually and to the fact that his eventually attaining great spiritual stature was helped by all the trials and tribulations he underwent during his lifetime.