Genesis 22 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Genesis 22

The Sacrifice of Isaac

22:1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He 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 of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose 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 from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy¹ will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”;² as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”³

15 And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his⁴ enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

20 Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah 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 fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Footnotes

[1] 22:5 Or young man; also verse 12
[2] 22:14 Or will see
[3] 22:14 Or he will be seen
[4] 22:17 Or their

Commentary

v1-2: Abraham's greatest test; of obedience, of love and of loyalty to God. Is Abraham prepared to give up what is most precious to him? How will God's promises through Isaac be fulfilled?

Isaac is "your only son", see Heb 11.17, picturing Christ; God does the same some 2000 years later; the precious, beloved, son is offered, releasing all God's blessings. The promises of God are "in Isaac," (21.12); now the promises of God are "in Christ."

Isaac to be offered as a burnt offering, being consumed as an act of worship; in fact this chapter marks the first place where the Bible uses the word "worship" in v5. Even Sarah is not involved, for God's command demands separation and sacrifice; some aspects of our relationship with God are specifically personal and individual.

v3: Simple obedience from Abraham; we are not told of any doubts or questionings. Isaac, probably the stronger of the two, can rebel; but he too submits to God's command. Two servants attend them for a distance, but they too are left behind, leaving only father and son to ascend the mountain.

v4: Mount Moriah, the place commanded by God; see 2 Chr 3.1.

v5: We will come back to you; Heb 11.19. Abraham believes that God will raise the dead; he is right! Here is total confidence in God the omnipotent. Here is life from death; Acts 26.8; Rom 4.19; Heb 11.12.

v6: Abraham go together in agreement; united in doing what is right.

v7-8: Isaac, perhaps less confident than Abraham, asks his question concerning the burnt offering. Abraham has confidence in God, and prophecies concerning the lamb, even Christ; John 1.29, not Lev 1-5, for he looks beyond the levitical law to the age of grace through Christ.

Again, they continue on together.

v9: The sacrifice; in the time and place chosen by God.

v10-11: Abraham clearly would sacrifice his son; he is ready to do it, utterly trusting in God.

The angel intervened to prevent Abraham taking Isaac’s life. Centuries later, on the same mountain, David's sacrifice prevented the angel's judgment (2 Sam 24). Centuries later, Christ chose not to call for angelic intervention (Matt 26.53) - only His sacrifice would suffice!

v12: Abraham proves beyond question that he fears God; he did not withhold even his own son, Rom 8.32. No wonder God gives "all things;" the harvest reward for a complete and costly sacrifice.

In contrast, how little we are willing to give up for Him.

v13: Abraham offers the ram, indicating his consecration to God. Christ is also pictured here, for He too has thorns around His head.

v14: Jehovah-Jireh; the Lord will provide; He has proved Himself perfectly reliable.

v15-18: The reward; God does not withhold from Abraham;

in blessing I will bless you, see also 27.33, "indeed he shall be blessed;"
in multiplying I will multiply your descendants;
as the stars in the heavens, the church;
as the sand on the sea shore, Israel;
your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies, the inheritance of the kingdoms of the world, for ultimate victory will come to Abraham's families;
in your seed all nations shall be blessed, esp. in Christ.

All this blessing is because he obeyed the voice of God.

The scope of these blessings goes beyong what God had previously promised Abraham. This is because the blessing follows Abraham 'not withholding' his son. In the same way, the immearuable blessings of God flow because the Father gave the Son at Calvary.

v19: Abraham returns to Beersheba, the well of the oath, 21.31. God had promised, and what was predicted occurred.

v20-24: Abraham has a concern for his family, and is informed of Milcah's children. This is important, since Milcah's granddaughter is Rebekah.