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22 ¶ Y aconteció después de estas cosas, que probó Dios a Abraham, y le dijo: Abraham. Y él respondió: Heme aquí.

Y dijo: Toma ahora tu hijo, tu único, Isaac, a quien amas, y vete a tierra de Moriah, y ofrécelo allí en holocausto sobre uno de los montes que yo te diré.

¶ Y Abraham madrugó muy de mañana, y enalbardó su asno, y tomó consigo dos criados suyos, y a Isaac su hijo; y cortó leña para el holocausto, y se levantó, y fue al lugar que Dios le dijo.

Al tercer día alzó Abraham sus ojos, y vio el lugar de lejos.

Entonces dijo Abraham a sus criados: Esperaos aquí con el asno, y yo y el muchacho iremos hasta allí, y adoraremos, y volveremos a vosotros.

Y tomó Abraham la leña del holocausto, y la puso sobre Isaac su hijo; y él tomó en su mano el fuego y el cuchillo; y fueron los dos juntos.

Entonces habló Isaac a Abraham su padre, y dijo: Padre mío. Y él respondió: Heme aquí, mi hijo. Y él dijo: He aquí el fuego y la leña; mas ¿dónde está el cordero para el holocausto?

Y respondió Abraham: Dios proveerá a sí mismo cordero para el holocausto, hijo mío. E iban juntos.

Y cuando llegaron al lugar que Dios le había dicho, edificó allí Abraham un altar, y compuso la leña, y ató a Isaac su hijo, y le puso en el altar sobre la leña.

10 Y extendió Abraham su mano, y tomó el cuchillo, para degollar a su hijo.

11 ¶ Entonces el ángel del SEÑOR le dio voces del cielo, y dijo: Abraham, Abraham. Y él respondió: Heme aquí.

12 Y dijo: No extiendas tu mano sobre el muchacho, ni le hagas nada; que ahora conozco que temes a Dios, pues que no me rehusaste tu hijo, tu único;

13 entonces alzó Abraham sus ojos, y miró, y he aquí un carnero a sus espaldas, trabado en una mata por sus cuernos; y fue Abraham, y tomó el carnero, y lo ofreció en holocausto en lugar de su hijo.

14 Y llamó Abraham el nombre de aquel lugar, YHWH-jireh (el SEÑOR-verá). Por tanto se dice hoy, en el monte del SEÑOR será visto.

15 ¶ Y llamó el ángel del SEÑOR a Abraham la segunda vez desde el cielo,

16 y dijo: Por mí mismo he jurado, dijo el SEÑOR, que por cuanto has hecho esto, y no me has rehusado tu hijo, tu único;

17 bendiciendo te bendeciré, y multiplicando, multiplicaré tu simiente como las estrellas del cielo, y como la arena que está a la orilla del mar; y tu simiente poseerá las puertas de sus enemigos:

18 En tu simiente serán benditos todos los gentiles de la tierra, por cuanto escuchaste a mi voz.

19 Y se tornó Abraham a sus criados, y se levantaron y se fueron juntos a Beerseba; y habitó Abraham en Beerseba.

20 ¶ Y aconteció después de estas cosas, que fue dada nueva a Abraham, diciendo: He aquí que también Milca ha dado a luz hijos a Nacor tu hermano:

21 A Uz su primogénito, y a Buz su hermano, y a Kemuel padre de Aram.

22 Y a Quesed, y a Hazo, y a Pildas, y a Jidlaf, y a Betuel.

23 Y Betuel engendró a Rebeca. Estos ocho dio a luz Milca a Nacor, hermano de Abraham.

24 Y su concubina, que se llamaba Reúma, dio a luz también a Teba, y a Gaham, y a Tahas, y a Maaca.

Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”(B) he replied.

Then God said, “Take your son(C), your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.(D) Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering(E) on a mountain I will show you.(F)

Early the next morning(G) Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.(H)

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,(I) and he himself carried the fire and the knife.(J) As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb(K) for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide(L) the lamb(M) for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

When they reached the place God had told him about,(N) Abraham built an altar(O) there and arranged the wood(P) on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,(Q) on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife(R) to slay his son.(S) 11 But the angel of the Lord(T) called out to him from heaven,(U) “Abraham! Abraham!”(V)

“Here I am,”(W) he replied.

12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,(X) because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.(Y)

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns.(Z) He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.(AA) 14 So Abraham called(AB) that place The Lord(AC) Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.(AD)

15 The angel of the Lord(AE) called to Abraham from heaven(AF) a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself,(AG) declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,(AH) 17 I will surely bless you(AI) and make your descendants(AJ) as numerous as the stars in the sky(AK) and as the sand on the seashore.(AL) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,(AM) 18 and through your offspring[b] all nations on earth will be blessed,[c](AN) because you have obeyed me.”(AO)

19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba.(AP) And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

Nahor’s Sons

20 Some time later Abraham was told, “Milkah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor:(AQ) 21 Uz(AR) the firstborn, Buz(AS) his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel.(AT) 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.(AU) Milkah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor.(AV) 24 His concubine,(AW) whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 22:13 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text a ram behind him
  2. Genesis 22:18 Or seed
  3. Genesis 22:18 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)

Chapter 22

Sacrifice of the Son.[a] Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham, Abraham!” He replied, “Here I am!”

God said, “Take your son, your only son, the one you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah[b] and offer him as a burnt offering on the mountain that I will show you.”

Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled a donkey, and took two servants and his son Isaac with him. He also took the wood for the burnt offering and set out toward the place about which God had spoken. On the third day, Abraham looked up and saw that place from a distance. Abraham said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey. I and the boy will go over there. We will worship and then we will return to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and loaded it upon his son Isaac. He himself carried the fire and the knife. They then set out together. Isaac turned to his father Abraham and said, “My father!”

He answered, “Here I am, my son.”

He continued, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son!” And the two of them went on together.

They then arrived at the place of which God had spoken. There Abraham built an altar and piled up the wood. He tied up his son Isaac and placed him upon the altar so that he was lying upon the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!”

He answered, “Here I am.”

12 The angel said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy! Do not harm him in any way! Now I know that you fear God and you have not even withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram that had its horns caught in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14 Abraham called that place, “The Lord will provide,” for he said, “On the mountain the Lord provided.”

15 The angel of the Lord called Abraham from heaven again 16 and said, “I swear by my own self, thus says the Lord: because you have done this and did not withhold your son from me, your only son, 17 I will bless you with every blessing and I will make your descendants very numerous, like the stars of the heavens or the sand on the shore of the sea. Your descendants shall take possession of the cities of your enemies. 18 All the nations of the earth shall be blessed through your descendants, because you have obeyed my command.”

19 Abraham returned to his servants, and together they set out toward Beer-sheba, where Abraham made his dwelling.

20 Children of Abraham’s Brother.[c] Afterward, Abraham received this news: “Behold, Milcah has borne sons to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah gave birth to these eight sons for Nahor, the brother of Abraham. 24 His concubine, Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 22:1 This story is likewise from the Elohist tradition. After successes there is an unexpected new test. Trusting in God’s word, Abraham has left everything, reached the land promised to his descendants, and waited patiently for the birth of a son. His sole treasure to this point has been his faith; it is only because of this that God has blessed him. Now he receives the order to sacrifice his very faith and hope, but he does not allow these to waver. The inexplicable thing is not that God should ask him to sacrifice a son, even though this is a harsh blow to his fatherly heart; for the religious outlook of that country allowed this deplorable form of worship (Jdg 11:30-39; 2 Ki 3:27; 16:3; 21:6). The apparent absurdity is that he must sacrifice the very thing for which he heretofore lived, the son for whose sake God had asked him to sacrifice every other good.
    God himself has supplied the victim for the sacrifice. The ram given to Abraham was only a temporary victim. Another Father really sacrificed his own Son for the sake of humankind (Rom 8:32), perhaps on the very same mountain (2 Chr 3:1); then he won him back in the resurrection. It is only in virtue of this divine sacrifice, rather than of the faith of Abraham, that the Lord can give the Patriarch his great promises.
    The conclusion of the incident prepares the way for a firm condemnation of the Canaanite practice of sacrificing children (see Deut 12:29-31; 18:10-12; Jer 7:31-33; 19:1-13). Above all, however, it exemplifies the result of every true sacrifice: God restores to his faithful, as the fruit of their faith, the freely given gift that they had surrendered in order to show that the Lord came first for them.
  2. Genesis 22:2 Moriah is also the mountain on which the Temple of Jerusalem will be built (2 Chr 3:1).
  3. Genesis 22:20 The passage is Yahwist. This genealogy is in continuity with Gen 11:29 and introduces the events that follow.