The Sacrifice of Isaac

22 After these things God tested Abraham(A) and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

“Take your son,” He said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love,(B) go to the land of Moriah,(C) and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

So Abraham got up early in the morning,(D) saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. On the third day(E) Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac.(F) In his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife,[a] and the two of them walked on together.

Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”

And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”

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

Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide[b](G) the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac[c] and placed him on the altar(H) on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

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

He replied, “Here I am.”

12 Then He said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me.”(I) 13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram[d] caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide,[e] so today it is said: “It will be provided[f] on the Lord’s mountain.”

15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn,”(J) this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son,[g] 17 I will indeed bless you(K) and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky(L) and the sand on the seashore.(M) Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies.(N) 18 And all the nations of the earth will be blessed[h] by your offspring(O) because you have obeyed My command.”

19 Abraham went back to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beer-sheba. And Abraham settled in Beer-sheba.

Rebekah’s Family

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

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 22:6 The same word is used in Jdg 19:29 and Pr 30:14.
  2. Genesis 22:8 Lit see
  3. Genesis 22:9 Or Isaac hand and foot
  4. Genesis 22:13 Some Hb mss, Sam, LXX, Syr, Tg; other Hb mss read saw behind [him] a ram
  5. Genesis 22:14 Or Yahweh-yireh
  6. Genesis 22:14 Or He will be seen
  7. Genesis 22:16 Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg add from Me
  8. Genesis 22:18 Or will bless themselves, or will find blessing

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)