--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As for me, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are…" description: "\"As for me, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are now only the subtlest imaginable essences, which would not stain the morning sky.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/henry-david-thoreau-20_abraham_as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-no_1090661.jpg" --- # As for me, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are now only the… ![“As for me, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are now only the subtlest imaginable essences, which would not stain the morning sky.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/henry-david-thoreau-20_abraham_as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-no_1090661.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/henry-david-thoreau-20_abraham_as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-no_1090661.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/henry-david-thoreau-20_abraham_as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-no_1090661.jpg) > “As for me, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are now only the subtlest imaginable essences, which would not stain the morning sky.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sees biblical patriarchs as abstract, intangible ideas that barely affect the physical world. **In simple terms:** Biblical figures are mere concepts, not tangible. Key Takeaway Recognize the difference between ideas and reality. Themes spirituality abstraction perception Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - theology studies - literary analysis - personal reflection Key Concepts existentialism symbolism Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish between symbolic meaning and practical influence? - Can abstract concepts guide real decisions? A Different Perspective Ideas may lack concrete impact on daily life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Morning sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning-sky/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) ## Related quotes > [“Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Here, the focus is not on the irrevocable covenantal promises so prominent in Genesis but rather on the proven record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-d-levenson/abraham-isaac-and-jacob-here-the-focus-is-not-on-the-irrevocable/) Jon D. Levenson > [No clouds are in the morning sky, The vapors hug the stream, Who says that life and love can die In all this northern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clarence-stedman/no-clouds-are-in-the-morning-sky-the-vapors-hug-the-stream-who-says/) [Edmund Clarence Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clarence-stedman/) > [“Thank you for the sun you brought this morning even though the sky was full of clouds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-mckuen/thank-you-for-the-sun-you-brought-this-morning-even-though-the-sky/) [Rod McKuen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-mckuen/) > [“During the night a fine, delicate summer rain had washed the plains, leaving the morning sky crisp and clean. The sun shone warm—soon to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-campbell-beatty/during-the-night-a-fine-delicate-summer-rain-had-washed-the-plains/) [Cate Campbell Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-campbell-beatty/) > [“How are you feeling?” “Your eyes look like chocolate,” I mumbled. He smiled. “And yours look like the morning sky.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/how-are-you-feeling-your-eyes-look-like-chocolate-i-mumbled-he-smiled/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [“tone of colour in a room or a morning sky, a particular perfume that you had once loved and that brings subtle memories with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/tone-of-colour-in-a-room-or-a-morning-sky-a-particular-perfume-that/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The coming together of a man and woman was a holy thing, after all. God had chosen this way of replenishing the earth. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/the-coming-together-of-a-man-and-woman-was-a-holy-thing-after-all-god/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [“And if you wish to receive of the ancient city an impression with which the modern one can no longer furnish you, climb--on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/and-if-you-wish-to-receive-of-the-ancient-city-an-impression-with/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The sun never sets on the British Empire. But it rises every morning. The sky must get awfully crowded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/the-sun-never-sets-on-the-british-empire-but-it-rises-every-morning/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“Afghan Girl Ice blue eyes that look to the morning sky as I knit the pieces and remnants of my life. I have No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-stewart/afghan-girl-ice-blue-eyes-that-look-to-the-morning-sky-as-i-knit-the/) [Edna Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-stewart/) > [“The morning sky is a thought of the stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/the-morning-sky-is-a-thought-of-the-stars/) Will Advise > [“I go to the window of my top floor hotel room and gaze out, not at the glittering city, but at the stars fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/i-go-to-the-window-of-my-top-floor-hotel-room-and-gaze-out-not-at-the/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [“Your eyes look like chocolate,” I mumbled. He smiled. “And yours look like the morning sky.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/your-eyes-look-like-chocolate-i-mumbled-he-smiled-and-yours-look-like/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [Ascend beyond the sickly atmosphere to a higher plane, and purify yourself by drinking as if it were ambrosia the fire that fills and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/ascend-beyond-the-sickly-atmosphere-to-a-higher-plane-and-purify/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [“He grimaced and went after her. “I’m not a trainer. Just spent a lot of time working out.” “Misspent youth, clearly.” She held the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rose-black/he-grimaced-and-went-after-her-i-m-not-a-trainer-just-spent-a-lot-of/) [J. Rose Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rose-black/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Abraham quotes > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Hebron is a bone of contention between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians in part because Abraham is buried there, in the Tomb of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/hebron-is-a-bone-of-contention-between-israeli-settlers-and-the/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“Never you look down on your Abraham because of your Sarah because the blessing is not in the womb of Sarah but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-izuakor/never-you-look-down-on-your-abraham-because-of-your-sarah-because-the/) [Ikechukwu Izuakor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-izuakor/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [Moses was a great leader, right? But he wasn't a great communicator. And so God sent him Aaron so he could, let's say, communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/moses-was-a-great-leader-right-but-he-wasn-t-a-great-communicator-and/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [“king of Heshbon. 6 b Moses, the servant of the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/king-of-heshbon-6-b-moses-the-servant-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the end, thought Sol, past logic and hope, it is dreams and the love of those dearest to us that form Abraham’s answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/in-the-end-thought-sol-past-logic-and-hope-it-is-dreams-and-the-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [It was psychobabbler Abraham Maslow who wrote of the phenomena of self-actualization. What Maslow failed to grasp is that reaching true self-actualization can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/it-was-psychobabbler-abraham-maslow-who-wrote-of-the-phenomena-of/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [Someone asked me...how it felt and I was reminded of a story that a fellow townsman of ours used to tell--Abraham Lincoln. They asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-asked-me-how-it-felt-and-i-was-reminded-of-a-story-that-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) [Browse all 484 Abraham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As for me, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are now only the subtlest imaginable essences, which would not stain the morning sky.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-now-only-the-subtlest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abraham" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-now-only-the-subtlest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/henry-david-thoreau-20_abraham_as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-no_1090661.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/henry-david-thoreau-20_abraham_as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-no_1090661.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/henry-david-thoreau-20_abraham_as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-no_1090661.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As for me, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are now only the subtlest imaginable essences, which would not stain…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As for me, Abraham, Isaac, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-now-only-the-subtlest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-me-abraham-isaac-and-jacob-are-now-only-the-subtlest/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```