Mount Moriah

Mount Moriah is a hill or mountain mentioned throughout the Hebrew Bible, most notable in the book of Genesis. According to ancient sources it is located outside present-day Jerusalem. According to Genesis 22, it is the location of the binding of Isaac, i.e., the site where God commanded Abraham to travel and sacrifice Isaac. Kierkegaard’s de Silentio mentions it throughout the book as the place where Abraham’s status a knight of faith was finally solidified.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is the most populous city and Denmark and is its capital. It was Soren Kierkegaard’s place of birth. It is also the city in which Fear and Trembling was written. Kierkegaard spent the vast majority of his life in Copenhagen and died there in 1855 at the age of 42.

The Knife

The knife referred to in Fear and Trembling and the Genesis 22 passage is the instrument...