Genesis 22
22
1 After these things occurred, God tested Abraham, and he said to him, "Abraham, Abraham." And he answered, "Here I am."
2 He said to him: "Take your only begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of vision. And there you shall offer him as a holocaust upon one of the mountains, which I will show to you."
3 And so Abraham, getting up in the night, harnessed his donkey, taking with him two youths, and his son Isaac. And when he had cut wood for the holocaust, he traveled toward the place, as God had instructed him.
4 Then, on the third day, lifting up his eyes, he saw the place at a distance.
5 And he said to his servants: "Wait here with the donkey. I and the boy will hurry further ahead to that place. After we have worshipped, will return to you."
6 He also took the wood for the holocaust, and he imposed it upon his son Isaac. And he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. And as the two continued on together,
7 Isaac said to his father, "My father." And he answered, "What do you want, son?" "Behold," he said, "fire and wood. Where is the victim for the holocaust?"
8 But Abraham said, "God himself will provide the victim for the holocaust, my son." Thus they continued on together.
9 And they came to the place that God had shown to him. There he built an altar, and he set the wood in order upon it. And when he had bound his son Isaac, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood.
10 And he reached out his hand and took hold of the sword, in order to sacrifice his son.
11 And behold, an Angel of the Lord called out from heaven, saying, "Abraham, Abraham." And he answered, "Here I am."
12 And he said to him, "Do not extend your hand over the boy, and do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, since you have not spared your only begotten son for my sake."
13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw behind his back a ram among the thorns, caught by the horns, which he took and offered as a holocaust, instead of his son.
14 And he called the name of that place: 'The Lord Sees.' Thus, even to this day, it is said: 'On the mountain, the Lord will see.'
15 Then the Angel of the Lord called out to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying:
16 "By my own self, I have sworn, says the Lord. Because you have done this thing, and have not spared your only begotten son for my sake,
17 I will bless you, and I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies.
18 And in your offspring, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you obeyed my voice."
19 Abraham returned to his servants, and they went to Beersheba together, and he lived there.
20 After these things occurred, it was reported to Abraham that Milcah, likewise, had borne sons for his brother Nahor:
21 Uz, the firstborn, and Buz, his brother, and Kemuel, the father of the Syrians,
22 and Chesed, and Hazo, likewise Pildash, and Jidlaph,
23 as well as Bethuel, of whom was born Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore for Nahor, the brother of Abraham.
24 In truth, his concubine, named Reumah, bore Tebah, and Gaham, and Tahash, and Maacah.
Genesis 22
22
The Command to Sacrifice Isaac
1After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 3So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” 6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
9When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill#22.10 Or to slaughter his son. 11But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12He said, “Do not 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.” 13And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”;#22.14 Or will see; Heb traditionally transliterated Jehovah Jireh as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”#22.14 Or he shall be seen
15The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.
The Children of Nahor
20Now after these things it was told Abraham, “Milcah also has borne children, to your brother Nahor: 21Uz the 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. 24Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.