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Genesis 22
The binding of Isaac
The twenty-second chapter tells of Abraham's greatest test: God asks him to offer his son Isaac on a mountain in the land of Moriah. Abraham obeys, but at the last moment the LORD's angel stops him, and a ram caught in a thicket is offered in Isaac's place. God then renews his promise of countless descendants.
Text: World English Bible (public domain). Titles, introduction and illustrations: Imago Biblia.
Verses 1–5
Departure at dawn
After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and come back to you.”
Verses 6–8
“God will provide the lamb”
Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together.
Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together.
Verses 9–12
The angel stops Abraham
They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.
Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
The LORD’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
Verses 13–14
The ram in the thicket
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
Abraham called the name of that place “The LORD Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On the LORD’s mountain, it will be provided.”
Verses 15–19
Like the stars and the sand
The LORD’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,
and said, “‘I have sworn by myself,’ says the LORD, ‘because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.
All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.’”
So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Verses 20–24
News of Nahor
After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”
Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
