Abraham Tested

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

“Here I am,”^(B) he replied.

² 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)”

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about,^(A) Abraham built an altar^(B) there and arranged the wood^(C) on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,^(D) on top of the wood.

¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife^(A) to slay his son.^{(B) 11} But the angel of the Lord^(C) called out to him from heaven,^(D) “Abraham! Abraham!”^(E)

“Here I am,”^(F) 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,^(G) because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.^(H)”

¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^[a] caught by its horns.^(I) He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.^(J)

¹⁵ The angel of the Lord^(A) called to Abraham from heaven^(B) a second time ¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself,^(C) declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,^{(D) 17} I will surely bless you^(E) and make your descendants^(F) as numerous as the stars in the sky^(G) and as the sand on the seashore.^(H) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,^{(I) 18} and through your offspring^[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,^[b](J) because you have obeyed me.”^(K)