the verb to precede the subject; hence we would expect: “tested Elohim Abraham.” But the placing of the subject first, as here, draws special attention to it: “the Elohim—he tested Abraham!” Since the “he” is already contained in the verb, “the Elohim” must be taken as a casus pendens.15 The text clearly makes the point that what follows is a divine testing, not a demonic temptation. This particular verb, with God as the subject, does not occur again until Exod. 15:25 (and cf. Exod. 16:4; Deut. 8:2,