The Bible — World English Bible

Genesis 22

In brief

Genesis 22 tells of the hardest test of Abraham's life. God asks him to offer Isaac, the son of the promise, on a mountain in the land of Moriah. Abraham rises early, walks for three days, then climbs the mountain with his son. As he raises the knife, the angel of the Lord stops him and a ram is provided in Isaac's place. Abraham names the place Jehovah Jireh, and God renews his promise to bless all the nations. Christians see here a foreshadowing of the Father giving his only Son, and the story also raises hard questions by its severity.

The chapter in 4 parts

  1. v. 1-8God's command and the journey to Moriah
  2. v. 9-14The altar, the ram and the name of the place: the Lord provides
  3. v. 15-19God's oath and the blessing for all nations
  4. v. 20-24News about the family of Nahor

1After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”

2He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”

3Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.

4On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.

5Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and come back to you.”

6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together.

7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

8Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together.

9They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.

10Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.

11Yahweh’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”

12He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

13Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.

14Abraham called the name of that place “Yahweh Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.”

15Yahweh’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,

16and said, “ ‘I have sworn by myself,’ says Yahweh, ‘because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,

17that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.

18All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.’ ”

19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.

20After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:

21Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,

22Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”

23Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Key verses

Verse 1
After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”

From the very first sentence, the reader knows this is a test, which Abraham does not. The text also says that God is the one testing: it is not a trap meant to make him fall, but a test that reveals what Abraham loves and whom he trusts.

Verse 5
Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and come back to you.”

Abraham speaks of worshipping and announces that he and the boy will come back. Many see here the expression of his faith: he does not understand, but he expects God to keep his promise. The New Testament comments on this in Hebrews 11:17-19.

Verse 8
Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together.

Abraham's answer to Isaac's question about the lamb. Without knowing it, he announces what is about to happen: God himself will provide what is needed. Verse 14 confirms it in the name given to the place.

Verse 12
He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

The angel stops Abraham's hand: God does not want the child's death, he wanted Abraham's heart. The phrase about fearing God says that Abraham's trust in God comes before even his attachment to his own son.

Verse 14
Abraham called the name of that place “Yahweh Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.”

Abraham gives the place a name that becomes famous: the Lord will provide (Jehovah Jireh in Hebrew). The verse anchors in history a conviction: God sees the need and answers it, often at the moment when we reach the end of our resources.

Characters in this chapter

What the sermons say

Frequently asked questions about Genesis 22

What is the message of Genesis 22?

Genesis 22 teaches that Abraham's faith is revealed in obedience and trust, even without understanding. God does not demand a child's death here: he stops Abraham and provides a ram. The chapter also says that God provides, and many Christians read in it a foreshadowing of the only Son given by the Father, Jesus.

Why did God ask Abraham to offer Isaac?

The text gives the reason in the very first verse: God was testing Abraham. The sacrifice never took place. Commentators differ on how to understand this difficult story, but all note that God stops Abraham's hand and elsewhere condemns child sacrifice. What is being tested is Abraham's love for God.

What does Jehovah Jireh mean?

It is the name Abraham gives the place in Genesis 22:14. In Hebrew it means the Lord sees or the Lord provides. It recalls that God knows the needs of his children and answers them, often at the last moment, like the ram caught in a thicket.

Articles quoting Genesis 22

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World English Bible translation — public domain.