Add parallel Print Page Options

The Binding of Isaac

22 Now it was after these things that God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham.”[a]

Hineni,” he said.

Then He said, “Take your son, your only son whom you love[b]—Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains about which I will tell you.”

So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split wood for the burnt offering, and got up and went to the place about which God had told him. On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from a distance. Abraham said to his young men, “Sit yourselves down here with the donkey. As for me and the young man, we’ll go over there, worship and return to you.”

Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on Isaac his son. In his hand he took the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.

Then Isaac said to Abraham his father, “My father?”

Then he said, “Here I am, my son.”

He said, “Look. Here’s the fire and the wood. But where’s the lamb for a burnt offering?”

Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself a lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”

The two of them walked on together. Then they came to the place about which God had told him, and Abraham built the altar there, laid out the wood, bound up Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. [c] 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 But the angel of Adonai called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!”

He said, “Hineni!”

12 Then He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the young man—do nothing to him at all. For now I know that you are one who fears God—you did not withhold your son, your only son, from Me.”

13 Then Abraham lifted up his eyes and behold, there was a ram, just caught in the thick bushes by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham named that place, Adonai Yireh,—as it is said today, “On the mountain, Adonai will provide.”

15 The angel of Adonai called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I swear—it is a declaration of Adonai—because you have done this thing, and you did not withhold your son, your only son, [d] 17 I will richly bless you and bountifully multiply your seed like the stars of heaven, and like the sand that is on the seashore, and your seed will possess the gate of his enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed—because you obeyed My voice.”[e]

19 Then Abraham returned to his young men and they got up and went together to Beer-sheba. Then Abraham dwelled in Beer-sheba.

20 Now it was after these things that it was told to Abraham, “Look, Milcah has also borne sons to Nahor your brother: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Yidlaph and Bethuel.” 23 Then Bethuel fathered Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maacah.

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