Genesis 22: Abraham Offers Isaac
God tests Abraham by commanding him to offer Isaac, then provides a ram and renews his great promise.
Genesis 22 (WEB)
1 After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
3 Abraham 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.
4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you.”
6 Abraham 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.
7 Isaac 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?”
8 Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together.
9 They 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.
10 Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
11 Yahweh’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
12 He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy, neither do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
13 Abraham 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.
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.”
15 Yahweh’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,
16 and said, “I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your seed greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies.
18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your seed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20 After these things, it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”
23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
Genesis 22 (KJV)
1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
9 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.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 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.
13 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.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah–jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 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:
17 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;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer–sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer–sheba.
20 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;
21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
Genesis 22 (ASV)
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Here am I.
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, 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.
3 And Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and come again to you.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together.
7 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?
8 And Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son: so they went both of them together.
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of Jehovah called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, behind him a ram caught in the 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.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of Jehovah it shall be provided.
15 And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven,
16 and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son,
17 that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.
20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she also hath borne children unto thy brother Nahor:
21 Uz his first-born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
22 and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she also bare Tebah, and Gaham, and Tahash, and Maacah.
Summary
God tests Abraham, telling him to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a burnt offering in the land of Moriah. Abraham rises early and journeys three days with Isaac and two servants. When Isaac asks where the lamb is, Abraham answers that God will provide. At the place, Abraham builds the altar, binds Isaac, and stretches out his hand with the knife. Yahweh's angel stops him, declaring that now it is known Abraham fears God, since he has not withheld his only son. Abraham sees a ram caught in a thicket and offers it instead, naming the place Yahweh Will Provide. The angel calls again, and God swears by himself to bless Abraham, multiply his seed like the stars and sand, and bless all nations through him because he obeyed.
Main Characters
- Abraham — The father whose faith and reverence for God are proven as he obeys the command to offer Isaac.
- Isaac — The only son carried up the mountain, who asks about the lamb and is bound on the altar before God spares him.
- Yahweh's angel — The voice from heaven who stops Abraham's hand and renews God's covenant promise to him.
- God — The one who tests Abraham, provides the ram, and swears by himself to bless all nations through Abraham's seed.
Key Verse
Genesis 22:14 (WEB)
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.”
Lessons Learned
- Genuine faith holds nothing back from God, even our most treasured gifts.
- God provides for the needs his commands create, often at the last moment.
- Obedience tested and proven deepens our relationship with God and his promise to us.
- God points beyond this story to his own provision of a substitute on the mountain.
- True faith withholds nothing. God commands Abraham to offer his only son whom he loves, calling for total surrender of the dearest gift (Genesis 22:2, WEB).
- Faith expects God to provide. When Isaac asks about the lamb, Abraham answers that God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering (Genesis 22:8, WEB).
- Reverence is proven by obedience. The angel says now it is known that Abraham fears God, since he has not withheld his only son (Genesis 22:12, WEB).
- God provides a substitute. Abraham sees a ram caught in the thicket and offers it up instead of his son (Genesis 22:13, WEB).
- God meets us at the place of provision. Abraham names the place Yahweh Will Provide, declaring that on Yahweh's mountain it will be provided (Genesis 22:14, WEB).
- Obedience opens the floodgates of blessing. Because Abraham obeyed, God swears to bless him and to bless all nations of the earth through his seed (Genesis 22:18, WEB).
- What makes God's command to Abraham so costly, and how does Abraham respond (Genesis 22:2-3)?
- How does Abraham's answer about the lamb reveal his faith (Genesis 22:8)?
- Why does God provide the ram, and what does the name Yahweh Will Provide teach us (Genesis 22:13-14)?
- What is something precious that God may be calling you to hold with open hands?
- How does God's provision of a substitute on the mountain point you toward his deeper provision?
- God asks Abraham to give up Isaac, the only son he loves and the very child of promise through whom God's word was to be fulfilled. Yet Abraham rises early the next morning and sets out, showing a faith that obeys God even when the command seems to contradict the promise.
- Abraham tells Isaac that God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering. His words express a trust that God will make a way, and they prove true when God supplies the ram, revealing a faith that rests in God's character even amid the unknown.
- As Abraham raises the knife, God stops him and provides a ram caught in the thicket to be offered instead of Isaac. Abraham names the place Yahweh Will Provide, teaching that God supplies what his people need at the point of obedience and that he himself furnishes the substitute.
- Personal: invite members to name a relationship, ambition, or security they are tempted to grip tightly. Encourage them to surrender it in trust, confident that God can be trusted with what is most precious to them.
- Personal: lead the group to reflect on God providing a substitute so Isaac was spared. Encourage them to see how this anticipates God providing the ultimate sacrifice, and to respond with worship and gratitude.