This is an episode from the Old Testament. To test Abraham's faith, God commanded him to sacrifice his son Isaac and, without hesitation, Abraham did as he was told. As he readied to plunge the knife into Isaac's throat, God sent an angel to stop him and a lamb was sacrificed in the boy's place. The story becomes a prefiguration to God's willingness to give up his own son so he may bring salvation to humankind. The Sacrifice of Isaac was the stipulated topic for the entries in the competition for the east doors of the Baptistery of Florence (1401). Caravaggio depicted the subject in 1601-1602 (Florence, Uffizi) and Rembrandt in 1635 (St. Petersburg, Hermitage Museum).
Historical dictionary of Renaissance art. Lilian H. Zirpolo. 2008.