Abraham’s Faith Confirmed(A)

22 Now it came to pass after these things that (B)God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”

And he said, “Here I am.”

Then He said, “Take now your son, (C)your only son Isaac, whom you (D)love, and go (E)to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a (F)burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the [a]lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will (G)come back to you.”

So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and (H)laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”

And he said, “Here I am, my son.”

Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the [b]lamb for a burnt offering?”

And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the (I)lamb for a (J)burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and (K)laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

11 But the (L)Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

So he said, “Here I am.”

12 And He said, (M)“Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for (N)now I know that you fear God, since you have not (O)withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, [c]The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: (P)“By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son 17 blessing I will (Q)bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants (R)as the stars of the heaven (S)and as the sand which is on the seashore; and (T)your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 (U)In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, (V)because you have obeyed My voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to (W)Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

The Family of Nahor

20 Now it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, “Indeed (X)Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 (Y)Huz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father (Z)of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 And (AA)Bethuel begot [d]Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 22:5 Or young man
  2. Genesis 22:7 Or goat
  3. Genesis 22:14 Heb. YHWH Yireh
  4. Genesis 22:23 Rebecca, Rom. 9:10

God Tests Abraham

22 Later God tested Abraham and called to him, “Abraham!”

“Yes, here I am!” he answered.

God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you.”

Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place that God had told him about. Two days later Abraham saw the place in the distance. Then Abraham said to his servants, “You stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go over there. We’ll worship. After that we’ll come back to you.”

Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to his son Isaac. Abraham carried the burning coals and the knife. The two of them went on together.

Isaac spoke up and said, “Father?”

“Yes, Son?” Abraham answered.

Isaac asked, “We have the burning coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God will provide a lamb for the burnt offering, Son.”

The two of them went on together. When they came to the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied up his son Isaac and laid him on top of the wood on the altar. 10 Next, Abraham picked up the knife and took it in his hand to sacrifice his son. 11 But the Messenger of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes?” he answered.

12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you did not refuse to give me your son, your only son.”

13 When Abraham looked around, he saw a ram behind him caught by its horns in a bush. So Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide. It is still said today, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

The Lord’s Seventh Promise to Abraham

15 Then the Messenger of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I am taking an oath on my own name, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not refused to give me your son, your only son, 17 I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities. 18 Through your descendant all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and together they left for Beersheba. Abraham remained in Beersheba.

Abraham Learns of Nahor’s Descendants

20 Later Abraham was told, “Milcah has given birth to these children of your brother Nahor: 21 Uz (the firstborn), Buz (his brother), Kemuel (father of Aram), 22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 Bethuel is the father of Rebekah. Milcah had these eight sons by Abraham’s brother Nahor. 24 Nahor’s concubine,[a] whose name was Reumah, had the following children: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.”

Footnotes

  1. 22:24 A concubine   is considered a wife except she has fewer rights under the law.