Genesis 22
22
God Tests Abraham’s Faith
1Some time later, God tested Abraham. # 22:1 See Heb. 11:17–19. A new revelation (seeing God as El Olam) will always bring a new test. There is no indication that Abraham knew he was being tested. The word for “tested” is most commonly translated “proved.” The purpose of God’s tests are not so that we will fail, but that he will prove that we are faithful. The Midrash shows the word for “tested” is derived etymologically from a word that means “[elevated] banner,” like a flag flying high above a ship or a victory banner elevated over an army. This means that God elevated Abraham and made him great by testing—test upon test, greatness after greatness. He does the same thing today with the spiritual seed of Abraham. We all want Abraham’s faith, but do we want Abraham’s trial to perfect our faith? Tests are God’s vote of confidence in our future. The budding qualities of Christlikeness are brought forth in every test of our faith. Someday, you may call a “blessing” what you once called a “burden.”
He said, “Abraham!” # 22:1 God had spoken many, many times to Abraham. Perhaps this time he spoke by an audible voice or by a dream.
“Yes, I’m here,” Abraham answered.
2God said, “Please # 22:2 “Please (Hb. na’) take your son.” God’s merciful, understanding heart is seen by the word “please.” take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom I know you dearly love, # 22:2 As every detail of God’s instruction was revealed, Abraham’s task became more and more challenging. Ishmael was his only son with Hagar, but when God spoke Isaac’s name, Abraham’s heart sank. Then, God added “whom I know you dearly love.” What a test this was of our father of faith, Abraham! Early Jewish tradition holds that Abraham concealed this encounter with God from Sarah so that she would not hinder him from doing as God commanded. See Josephus, Ant. 1.12.2. and go to the land of Moriah. # 22:2 Moriah means “chosen by Yahweh” and comes from a root word meaning “sight” or “vision.” Abraham was told to go to the mountain of Clear Vision. Moriah is inside the city walls of modern Jerusalem and is part of the historic site of the Temple Mount. The temple of the Lord will always be built at the place of sacrifice. Offer him up to me as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will show you.” 3Early the next morning, Abraham cut the wood for the burnt offering, loaded it on his donkey, and set out for the distant place God had shown him. He took with him two of his servants, and his son Isaac.
4On the third day, # 22:4 So many wonderful things happen “on the third day.” See Hos. 6:2; Matt. 12:40; Luke 18:33; John 2:1; 1 Cor. 15:4. Keep in mind, a journey like this would have been difficult for an aged man. Think about what heart-breaking agony he must have endured for these three days. Truly, Abraham is “the father of faith” (Rom. 4:11–24). Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the young men. “Isaac # 22:5 Or “The boy,” a noun that encompasses a wide age range from infancy to young adulthood. Scholars speculate Isaac’s age at this time as around twenty; however, Josephus, the Jewish historian, has his age at twenty-five (Ant. 1.13.2), while others calculate he was thirty-seven. and I will go up and worship; # 22:5 This is the first use of the Hebrew word for worship (shachah) in the Bible. Abraham freely offered his beloved son to God and called it worship. True worship always involves a sacrifice. The first reference in the New Testament to worship is found with men bowing down before a child and offering sacrificial gifts to Jesus—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The biblical concept of worship includes freely bowing down before God, bringing our gifts (sacrifices of praise) to honor and adore him. The Hebrew language has meaning attached to every letter, not just every word. Often, the meaning of the word is the combination of the meaning of each individual letter. For example, the Hebrew word for “worship” (shachah) means “to bow down in adoration.” It’s the combination of only three letters in Hebrew: shin-chet-hei. Shin = “fiery passion.” Chet = “joining with God in a secret place or bridal chamber.” Hei = “in the presence of God.” Thus, worship could be defined as “experiencing God’s fiery passion as we come into his presence in the bridal chamber.” See Scherman, Nosson/Zlotowitz, Meir, Rabbis: Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet, 1988, p. 88. then we # 22:5 Notice the faith of Abraham. He knew that God, if he had to, would resurrect Isaac so that both Isaac and his father would return to where they left the servants. See Rom. 4:20–21; Heb. 11:17–19. will return to you.” 6So Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on Isaac’s back. # 22:6 Isaac carrying the wood foreshadowed Christ carrying his cross. See John 19:17; Phil. 2:5–8. Abraham carried the knife and the fire, # 22:6 That is, a “fire [stone],” most likely a flint rock to strike and build a fire. and the two of them walked up the mountain together.
7“Father?” Isaac broke the silence.
“Yes, my son,” Abraham replied.
“We have the wood and the fire,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8Abraham answered, “My son, God himself will provide # 22:8 Or “God will see for himself.” the lamb for an offering.” So they went on together.
9When they arrived at the place on Mount Moriah that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar and stacked the wood on it. He tied up his son Isaac and laid him on top of the wood on the altar. 10Then Abraham took the knife in his hand to plunge it into his son, 11but the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven, saying, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes, I’m here,” he answered.
12“Do not lay a hand on the boy or harm him,” he said, “for now, I know you are fully dedicated to me, # 22:12 Or “that you fear God.” since you did not withhold your son, your beloved son, # 22:12 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “your only son.” from me.”
13As Abraham looked up, his eyes fell upon a ram caught by its horns in a nearby thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it on the altar as a burnt offering in Isaac’s place. # 22:13 The ram caught in the thicket is a picture of Christ, who was “caught in the thicket” of our sins. Here we have the doctrine of substitution. Christ became our Substitute, just as the ram became a substitute for Isaac. See Isa. 52:13–53:12; Matt. 20:28; John 6:51; 10:11–18; 11:50–52; 15:13; Rom. 4:25; 5:6–8; 14:15; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:14–21; Heb. 2:9–18. 14So Abraham named that place Yahweh Appears. # 22:14 Or “Yahweh Sees [to it]” or “Yahweh Provides.” However, the verb in the descriptive clause is pointed, or can be translated as a passive, reading “Yahweh Appears.” Also, the Septuagint renders it “On the mount the Lord appears.” Even to this day, it is said, “On Yahweh’s Mountain there is vision.” # 22:14 Or “On Yahweh’s mountain there is vision.” On Yahweh’s mountain (Golgotha) we see clearly the vision of God placing our sins upon his Son. Our salvation is already provided for us through the blood of Jesus’ cross. Solomon’s Temple was built on Moriah (see 2 Chron. 3:1). This was also the site where David purchased Araunah’s threshing floor (see 2 Sam. 24; 1 Chron. 21).
15Yahweh’s angel spoke a second time from heaven:
16-17“ ‘I solemnly promise you,
by the glory of my own name,’ decrees Yahweh,
‘because you have obeyed my voice
and did not withhold from me your son—your beloved son # 22:16–17 There is a hint in the test of Abraham offering his son that one day God would require a human sacrifice to take away the sins of the world. See Rom. 8:32. —
I will greatly bless you!
I will make sure your seed becomes as numerous
as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the seashore.
Your offspring will take possession of the city gates of their enemies. # 22:16–17 “Tak[ing] possession of the city gates of their enemies” is a figurative expression that refers to conquering, defeating, and taking possession of the enemy’s city. Here, it means simply that the seed of Abraham will have great authority to conquer cities.
18Because you have obeyed me,
the entire world will be blessed through your seed.’ ” # 22:18 The “seed” has his life, his life of faith.
19So Abraham and Isaac returned to the waiting servants, and they departed for Beersheba, where Abraham had settled. # 22:19 Behind the testing of Abraham lies the wisdom of God. Notice these four divine principles of God’s tests: (1) When God tests us, his requirements of us often make no sense at the time. Therefore, faith is needed. Faith yields to God, even when it does not make sense. (2) Faith is never brought to maturity without a measure of suffering attached. Even Jesus was made perfect through sufferings (see Acts 14:22; Heb. 2:10; 5:8). Faith will carry you through even the most severe trial. (3) We must obey the Holy Spirit even before we know all the details of what is involved. We must be willing to not know where God is taking us. Obedience is always one moment, one step at a time. (4) Others may not be permitted to know what God is doing with us. Abraham left the two servants behind, he left Sarah behind, and only he, Isaac, and God would see this test. Often, God will bring you to a lonely place where others cannot intrude; they wouldn’t understand anyway!
The Children of Nahor
20-23Some time later Abraham heard the news, “You’re an uncle! Milcah and your brother Nahor have eight sons: Uz, their firstborn, Buz # 22:20–23 Buz means “contempt” and is mentioned in Jer. 25:23. Elihu, Job’s fourth friend, was called a “Buzite” (Job 32:2). his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, # 22:20–23 Aram was the ancestor of the Syrians. Chesed, # 22:20–23 Chesed means “increase” and is thought to be the name from which his eponymous ancestors, the Chaldeans (Hb. kasdim), got their name. Hazo, # 22:20–23 The name Hazo means “vision” and was found in an ancient inscription. Hazo possibly represents the Hazu region in northern Arabia, known from the records of Esarhaddon’s campaigns. Uz, Buz, and Hazo likely settled in the land north of Edom. Phildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel the father of Rebekah.” # 22:20–23 Rebekah was the wife-to-be of Isaac. Her name is derived from a Hebrew root meaning “to loop a cord over the head of a lamb or kid”; thus, some etymologists define the meaning of her name as “captivating [beauty]” or “beauty that ensnares.” 24Moreover, Nahor had another wife, # 22:24 Or “concubine,” a term referring to a wife with secondary status in the family. She may have been either taken as a captive in war or purchased. Wives taken as captives in war were given certain protection from exploitation (see Deut. 21:10–17). This list contains the names of twelve Aramaean tribes traced to Nahor, the same number associated with Ishmael (see Gen. 25:13–15) and Jacob (see Gen. 49). Reumah, who also had four sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
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Genesis 22: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationGenesis 22
22
The Sacrifice of Isaac
1 Some time after these things God tested#sn The Hebrew verb used here means “to test; to try; to prove.” In this passage God tests Abraham to see if he would be obedient. See T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 44-48. See also J. L. Crenshaw, A Whirlpool of Torment (OBT), 9-30; and J. I. Lawlor, “The Test of Abraham,” GTJ 1 (1980): 19-35. Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity. replied. 2 God#tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity. said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac#sn Take your son…Isaac. The instructions are very clear, but the details are deliberate. With every additional description the commandment becomes more challenging. – and go to the land of Moriah!#sn There has been much debate over the location of Moriah; 2 Chr 3:1 suggests it may be the site where the temple was later built in Jerusalem. Offer him up there as a burnt offering#sn A whole burnt offering signified the complete surrender of the worshiper and complete acceptance by God. The demand for a human sacrifice was certainly radical and may have seemed to Abraham out of character for God. Abraham would have to obey without fully understanding what God was about. on one of the mountains which I will indicate to#tn Heb “which I will say to.” you.”
3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey.#tn Heb “Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.” He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out#tn Heb “he arose and he went.” for the place God had spoken to him about.
4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of#tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.” the place in the distance. 5 So he#tn Heb “And Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons. said to his servants, “You two stay#tn The Hebrew verb is masculine plural, referring to the two young servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac on the journey. here with the donkey while#tn The disjunctive clause (with the compound subject preceding the verb) may be circumstantial and temporal. the boy and I go up there. We will worship#tn This Hebrew word literally means “to bow oneself close to the ground.” It often means “to worship.” and then return to you.”#sn It is impossible to know what Abraham was thinking when he said, “we will…return to you.” When he went he knew (1) that he was to sacrifice Isaac, and (2) that God intended to fulfill his earlier promises through Isaac. How he reconciled those facts is not clear in the text. Heb 11:17-19 suggests that Abraham believed God could restore Isaac to him through resurrection.
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand,#sn He took the fire and the knife in his hand. These details anticipate the sacrifice that lies ahead. and the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham,#tn The Hebrew text adds “and said.” This is redundant and has not been translated for stylistic reasons. “My father?” “What is it,#tn Heb “Here I am” (cf. Gen 22:1). my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said,#tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here is the fire and the wood.’” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here and in the following verse the order of the introductory clauses and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 “God will provide#tn Heb “will see for himself.” The construction means “to look out for; to see to it; to provide.”sn God will provide is the central theme of the passage and the turning point in the story. Note Paul’s allusion to the story in Rom 8:32 (“how shall he not freely give us all things?”) as well as H. J. Schoeps, “The Sacrifice of Isaac in Paul’s Theology,” JBL 65 (1946): 385-92. for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.
9 When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there#sn Abraham built an altar there. The theme of Abraham’s altar building culminates here. He has been a faithful worshiper. Will he continue to worship when called upon to make such a radical sacrifice? and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up#sn Then he tied up. This text has given rise to an important theme in Judaism known as the Aqedah, from the Hebrew word for “binding.” When sacrifices were made in the sanctuary, God remembered the binding of Isaac, for which a substitute was offered. See D. Polish, “The Binding of Isaac,” Jud 6 (1957): 17-21. his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter#tn Heb “in order to slaughter.” his son. 11 But the Lord’s angel#sn Heb “the messenger of the Lord” (also in v. 15). Some identify the angel of the Lord as the preincarnate Christ because in some texts the angel is identified with the Lord himself. However, see the note on the phrase “the Lord’s angel” in Gen 16:7. called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 12 “Do not harm the boy!”#tn Heb “Do not extend your hand toward the boy.” the angel said.#tn Heb “and he said, ‘Do not extend…’”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the context for clarity. The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. “Do not do anything to him, for now I know#sn For now I know. The test was designed to see if Abraham would be obedient (see v. 1). that you fear#sn In this context fear refers by metonymy to obedience that grows from faith. God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”
13 Abraham looked up#tn Heb “lifted his eyes.” and saw#tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to what Abraham saw and invites the audience to view the scene through his eyes. behind him#tc The translation follows the reading of the MT; a number of Hebrew mss, the LXX, Syriac, and Samaritan Pentateuch read “one” (אֶחָד, ’ekhad) instead of “behind him” (אַחַר, ’akhar). a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he#tn Heb “Abraham”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.”#tn Heb “the Lord sees” (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, yÿhvah yir’eh, traditionally transliterated “Jehovah Jireh”; see the note on the word “provide” in v. 8). By so naming the place Abraham preserved in the memory of God’s people the amazing event that took place there. It is said to this day,#sn On the expression to this day see B. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until this Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92. “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.”#sn The saying connected with these events has some ambiguity, which was probably intended. The Niphal verb could be translated (1) “in the mountain of the Lord it will be seen/provided” or (2) “in the mountain the Lord will appear.” If the temple later stood here (see the note on “Moriah” in Gen 22:2), the latter interpretation might find support, for the people went to the temple to appear before the Lord, who “appeared” to them by providing for them his power and blessings. See S. R. Driver, Genesis, 219.
15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “‘I solemnly swear by my own name,’#tn Heb “By myself I swear.” decrees the Lord,#tn Heb “the oracle of the Lord.” The phrase refers to a formal oracle or decree from the Lord. ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you,#tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form (either an imperfect or cohortative) emphasizes the certainty of the blessing. and I will greatly multiply#tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).sn I will greatly multiply. The Lord here ratifies his earlier promise to give Abram a multitude of descendants. For further discussion see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 35-54. your descendants#tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context. so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession#tn Or “inherit.” of the strongholds#tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. To break through the gate complex would be to conquer the city, for the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”). of their enemies. 18 Because you have obeyed me,#tn In the Hebrew text this causal clause comes at the end of the sentence. The translation alters the word order for stylistic reasons.sn Because you have obeyed me. Abraham’s obedience brought God’s ratification of the earlier conditional promise (see Gen 12:2). all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another#tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 26:4). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.) using the name of your descendants.’”
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together#tn Heb “and they arose and went together.” for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed.#tn Heb “and Abraham stayed in Beer Sheba. This has been translated as a relative clause for stylistic reasons.
20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah#tn In the Hebrew text the sentence begins with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to the statement. also has borne children to your brother Nahor – 21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram),#sn This parenthetical note about Kemuel’s descendant is probably a later insertion by the author/compiler of Genesis and not part of the original announcement. 22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 (Now#tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is important but parenthetical to the narrative. Rebekah would become the wife of Isaac (Gen 24:15). Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) These were the eight sons Milcah bore to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore him children – Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
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