Bereshis 22:10

10 And Avraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

Bereshis 22:10 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 22:10

And Abraham stretched forth his hand
All things being ready for execution, the altar built, the wood laid on it, the sacrifice bound and laid on that, nothing remained but to cut the throat of the sacrifice; and in order to that, the instrument for it laying by him, he put forth his hand, one would think in a trembling manner, for it is enough to make one tremble to think of it:

and took the knife to slay his son;
with a full intention to do it, which was carrying his obedience to the divine will to the last extremity, and shows he was sincere in it, and really designed to complete it; and this was taken by the Lord as if it was actually done. He had his knife in his hand, and was near the throat of his son, and just ready to give the fatal thrust; in another moment, as it were, it would have been all over; but in the nick of time God appeared and prevented it, as follows:

Bereshis 22:10 In-Context

8 And Avraham said, My son, G-d will provide Himself a seh (lamb) for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

9 And they came to the place which G-d had told him of; and Avraham built a mizbe’ach there, and laid the wood in order, and made the akedah (binding) of Yitzchak his son, and laid him on the mizbe’ach upon the wood.

10 And Avraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the Malach Hashem called unto him out of Shomayim, and said, Avraham, Avraham: and he said, Hineini.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the young man, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest G-d, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine ben yachid from Me.