22
The Binding of Isaac
1Now it was after these things that God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham.” “Hineni,” he said.
2Then He said, “Take your son, your only son whom you love —Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains about which I will tell you.”
3So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split wood for the burnt offering, and got up and went to the place about which God had told him.
4On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
5Abraham said to his young men, “Sit yourselves down here with the donkey. As for me and the young man, we’ll go over there, worship and return to you.”
6Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on Isaac his son. In his hand he took the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.
7Then Isaac said to Abraham his father, “My father?” Then he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Look. Here’s the fire and the wood. But where’s the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself a lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” The two of them walked on together.
9Then they came to the place about which God had told him, and Abraham built the altar there, laid out the wood, bound up Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.
11But the angel of Adonai called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” He said, “Hineni!”
12Then He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the young man—do nothing to him at all. For now I know that you are one who fears God—you did not withhold your son, your only son, from Me.”
13Then Abraham lifted up his eyes and behold, there was a ram, just caught in the thick bushes by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
14Abraham named that place, Adonai Yireh,—as it is said today, “On the mountain, Adonai will provide.”
15The angel of Adonai called to Abraham a second time from heaven
16and said, “By myself I swear—it is a declaration of Adonai—because you have done this thing, and you did not withhold your son, your only son,
17I will richly bless you and bountifully multiply your seed like the stars of heaven, and like the sand that is on the seashore, and your seed will possess the gate of his enemies.
18In your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed—because you obeyed My voice.”
19Then Abraham returned to his young men and they got up and went together to Beer-sheba. Then Abraham dwelled in Beer- sheba.
20Now it was after these things that it was told to Abraham, “Look, Milcah has also borne sons to Nahor your brother:
21Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
22Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Yidlaph and Bethuel.”
23Then Bethuel fathered Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maacah.