Genesis 22

God Tests Abraham

1Later God tested Abraham and called to him, “Abraham!”

“Yes, here I am!” he answered.

2God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you.”

3Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place that God had told him about. 4Two days later Abraham saw the place in the distance. 5Then Abraham said to his servants, “You stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go over there. We’ll worship. After that we’ll come back to you.”

6Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to his son Isaac. Abraham carried the burning coals and the knife. The two of them went on together.

7Isaac spoke up and said, “Father?”

“Yes, Son?” Abraham answered.

Isaac asked, “We have the burning coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8Abraham answered, “God will provide a lamb for the burnt offering, Son.”

The two of them went on together. 9When they came to the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied up his son Isaac and laid him on top of the wood on the altar. 10Next, Abraham picked up the knife and took it in his hand to sacrifice his son. 11But the Messenger of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes?” he answered.

12“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you did not refuse to give me your son, your only son.”

13When Abraham looked around, he saw a ram behind him caught by its horns in a bush. So Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide. It is still said today, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

The LORD’s Seventh Promise to Abraham

15Then the Messenger of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, “I am taking an oath on my own name, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not refused to give me your son, your only son, 17I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities. 18Through your descendant all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

19Then Abraham returned to his servants, and together they left for Beersheba. Abraham remained in Beersheba.

Abraham Learns of Nahor’s Descendants

20Later Abraham was told, “Milcah has given birth to these children of your brother Nahor: 21Uz (the firstborn), Buz (his brother), Kemuel (father of Aram), 22Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23Bethuel is the father of Rebekah. Milcah had these eight sons by Abraham’s brother Nahor. 24Nahor’s concubine,#22:24 A concubine is considered a wife except she has fewer rights under the law. whose name was Reumah, had the following children: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.”

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Berĕshith (Genesis) 22

1And it came to be after these events that Elohim tried Aḇraham, and said to him, “Aḇraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

2And He said, “Take your son, now, your only son Yitsḥaq, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriyah, and offer him there as an ascending offering on one of the mountains which I command you.”

3And Aḇraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Yitsḥaq his son. And he split the wood for the ascending offering, and arose and went to the place which Elohim had commanded him.

4And on the third day Aḇraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from a distance.

5So Aḇraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go over there and worship, and come back to you.”

6And Aḇraham took the wood of the ascending offering and laid it on Yitsḥaq his son. And he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.

7And Yitsḥaq spoke to Aḇraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “See, the fire and the wood! But where is the lamb for an ascending offering?”

8And Aḇraham said, “My son, Elohim does provide for Himself the lamb for an ascending offering.” And the two of them went together.

9And they came to the place which Elohim had commanded him, and Aḇraham built a slaughter-place there and placed the wood in order. And he bound Yitsḥaq his son and laid him on the slaughter-place, upon the wood.

10And Aḇraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son,

11but the Messenger of יהוה called to him from the heavens and said, “Aḇraham, Aḇraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

12And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy, nor touch him. For now I know that you fear Elohim, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

13And Aḇraham lifted his eyes and looked and saw behind him a ram caught in a bush by its horns, and Aḇraham went and took the ram and offered it up for an ascending offering instead of his son.

14And Aḇraham called the name of the place, ‘יהוה Yireh,’ as it is said to this day, “On the mountain יהוה provides.”

15And the Messenger of יהוה called to Aḇraham a second time from the heavens,

16and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares יהוה, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son,

17that I shall certainly bless you, and I shall certainly increase your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore, and let your seed possess the gate of their enemies.

18And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.

19Then Aḇraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Be’ĕrsheḇa. And Aḇraham dwelt at Be’ĕrsheḇa.

20And it came to be after these events that it was reported to Aḇraham, saying, “See, Milkah too has borne children to your brother Naḥor:

21“Uts his first-born, and Buz his brother, and Qemu’ĕl the father of Aram,

22“and Keseḏ, and Ḥazo, and Pildash, and Yiḏlaph, and Bethu’ĕl.

23And Bethu’ĕl brought forth Riḇqah. These eight Milkah bore to Naḥor, Aḇraham’s brother.

24And his concubine, whose name was Re’uwmah, also bore Teḇaḥ, and Gaḥam, and Taḥash, and Ma‛aḵah.

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