Genesis22

God tested Abraham by commanding him to offer his beloved son, Isaac, as a burnt offering in the land of Moriah. Abraham faithfully obeyed, preparing to sacrifice Isaac, but an angel of the Lord intervened at the last moment. A ram was provided as a substitute sacrifice, and God reaffirmed His covenant promises to Abraham for his obedience.

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God Tests Abraham

¶ And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

The Journey to Moriah

¶ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

The Lord Provides

¶ And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Covenant Confirmed by Oath

¶ And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

Nahor’s Descendants

¶ And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;

Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,

And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

Study Notes for Genesis 22

Verse 1

The Hebrew word for 'tempt' (*nissah*) means to test or prove, not to entice toward sin. This event, known as the Akedah ('the binding'), is the supreme test of Abraham's faith and obedience.

Verse 2

The command is emphasized by listing the relationship four times (thy son, thine only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest), highlighting the agonizing nature of the demand. Moriah is traditionally identified with the future location of the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chr 3:1).

Verse 3

Abraham's immediate and silent obedience contrasts sharply with the magnitude of the command, demonstrating his complete submission to God’s will.

Verse 4

The journey lasted three days, providing ample time for Abraham to reconsider or doubt the command. This detail emphasizes that his obedience was sustained and deeply resolved, not merely impulsive.

Verse 5

Abraham’s statement, 'we... will come again to you,' reveals his profound faith, as he believed God would raise Isaac from the dead to keep the promises of the covenant (cf. Heb 11:19).

Verse 6

Isaac carrying the wood for the sacrifice is often interpreted typologically, foreshadowing Christ carrying the cross to the place of his own sacrifice.

Verse 7

Isaac’s innocent question heightens the dramatic tension of the narrative, forcing Abraham to confront the impending reality of the sacrifice.

Verse 8

Abraham’s response, 'God will provide himself a lamb,' is a statement of prophetic faith that is immediately fulfilled, leading to the naming of the place.

Verse 9

The binding (*akedah*) and placement of Isaac on the altar mark the completion of Abraham’s obedience in action, demonstrating his willingness to sacrifice the heir of the promise.

Verse 11

The intervention of the Angel of the LORD (often interpreted as a Christophany or divine messenger) occurs at the absolute last moment, confirming the test was about commitment, not execution.

Verse 12

The purpose of the test is revealed: 'now I know.' Abraham’s willingness proves his 'fear of God,' meaning his profound reverence, loyalty, and obedience, which validates his status as the father of the faithful.

Verse 13

The provision of the ram 'in the stead of his son' establishes the principle of substitution—that God accepts a substitute offering for the life required—a foundational concept in biblical theology.

Verse 14

Abraham names the place 'Jehovahjireh' (The LORD will provide). The concluding phrase, 'In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen,' suggests this location will forever be a place where God's provision and revelation occur.

Verse 16

Because Abraham obeyed the ultimate command, God swears an oath 'by myself,' making the covenant promises absolutely irrevocable and binding.

Verse 17

The covenant promises (seed, blessing, victory) are restated and magnified. Abraham's faith secured the covenant not only for himself but also for all his descendants.

Verse 18

The universal scope of the covenant is confirmed: 'all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in your seed.' This links the promise back to Genesis 12:3 and points forward to Christ (Gal 3:16).

Verse 20

This genealogical interlude serves a crucial narrative function, introducing the family line of Abraham's brother, Nahor, specifically identifying the lineage from which Isaac's future wife will come.

Verse 23

The mention of Bethuel begetting Rebekah establishes her as a key figure. Her introduction sets the stage for the next major covenant event: securing Isaac's marriage and the continuity of the promised line (Gen 24).

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Genesis22

God Tests Abraham

The Journey to Moriah

The Lord Provides

Covenant Confirmed by Oath

Nahor’s Descendants

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