Genesis 22

1Sometime later God tested Abraham. He called out to him, “Abraham!”

“I'm here,” Abraham replied.

2God told him, “Go with your son, your only son, the one you love, to the land of Moriah and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll tell you about.”

3Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled up his donkey. He took two servants and Isaac with him and went to cut firewood for the burnt offering. Then he left with them to go to the place God had told him about.

4After traveling for three days Abraham could see the place in the distance. 5He told his servants, “Wait here with the donkey while I go with the boy and worship God. Then we'll return.”

6Abraham had Isaac carry the wood for the burnt offering, while he carried the fire and the knife, and they walked up together.

7Isaac said to Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“Well, we have the fire and the wood, but where's the lamb for the burnt offering?” Isaac asked.

8“God will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied, and they went on walking up together.

9When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and placed the wood on it. Then he bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10Abraham picked up the knife, ready to slaughter his son.

11But the angel of the Lord shouted to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes, I'm here,” he replied.

12The angel said, “Don't touch the boy! Don't do anything to him, because now I know that you truly do what God tells you. You didn't refuse to give me your son, your only son.”

13Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in some bushes. He brought the ram over and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14Abraham called the place “The Lord will Provide.” That's still a saying people use today: “the Lord will provide on his mountain.”

15The angel of the Lord shouted again to Abraham from heaven, 16“I swear by myself, says the Lord, that because you have done this and didn't refuse to give me your son, your only son, 17you can be sure that I will bless you and give you many descendants. They will be as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sand of the seashore, and they will conquer their enemies.#22:17. “Conquer their enemies”: literally, “take possession of the gates of their enemies.” 18All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your descendants because you did what I told you.”

19Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they went back together to Beersheba where Abraham was living.

20Sometime later, Abraham was told, “Milcah has had sons for your brother Nahor.” 21Uz was the firstborn, then his brother Buz, Kemuel (who became the ancestor of Arameans), 22Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23(Bethuel was Rebekah's father.) Milcah had these eight sons for Abraham's brother Nahor. 24In addition, Reumah his concubine had Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Genesis 22

1After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!”

“Yes?” answered Abraham. “I’m listening.”

2He said, “Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.”

3-5Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”

6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.

7Isaac said to Abraham his father, “Father?”

“Yes, my son.”

“We have flint and wood, but where’s the sheep for the burnt offering?”

8Abraham said, “Son, God will see to it that there’s a sheep for the burnt offering.” And they kept on walking together.

9-10They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

11Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

12“Don’t lay a hand on that boy! Don’t touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn’t hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me.”

13Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”

15-18The angel of God spoke from Heaven a second time to Abraham: “I swear—God’s sure word!—because you have gone through with this, and have not refused to give me your son, your dear, dear son, I’ll bless you—oh, how I’ll bless you! And I’ll make sure that your children flourish—like stars in the sky! like sand on the beaches! And your descendants will defeat their enemies. All nations on Earth will find themselves blessed through your descendants because you obeyed me.”

19Then Abraham went back to his young servants. They got things together and returned to Beersheba. Abraham settled down in Beersheba.

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20-23After all this, Abraham got the news: “Your brother Nahor is a father! Milcah has given him children: Uz, his firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (he was the father of Aram), Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” (Bethuel was the father of Rebekah.) Milcah gave these eight sons to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

24His concubine, Reumah, gave him four more children: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

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Genesis 22

Genesis 22