Genesis 22:8-18

8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide one." And the two of them walked on together.

9 When they came to the place which God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹

10 Then he picked up the knife to kill him.

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" He answered, "Yes, here I am."

12 "Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him," he said. "Now I know that you honor and obey God, because you have not kept back your only son from him."

13 Abraham looked around and saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. He went and got it and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14 Abraham named that place "The Lord Provides." And even today people say, "On the Lord's mountain he provides."

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time,

16 "I make a vow by my own name - the Lord is speaking - that I will richly bless you. Because you did this and did not keep back your only son from me, ²

17 I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies. ³

18 All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants - all because you obeyed my command." ⁴

Genesis 22:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 22

In this chapter we have an account of an order given by God to Abraham to sacrifice his son, Ge 22:1,2; of his readiness to obey the will of God, he immediately preparing everything for that purpose, Ge 22:3-10, of the order being reversed, and another sacrifice substituted in its room, which occasioned the giving a new name to the place where it was done, Ge 22:11-14; upon which the promise of special blessings, of a numerous offspring, and of the seed in whom all nations should be blessed, is renewed, Ge 22:15-18; after this Abraham returns to Beersheba, where he is informed of the increase of his brother Nahor's family, Ge 22:19-24.

Cross References

• 1. 22.9James 2.21.
• 2. 22.16, 17Hebrews 6.13, 14.
• 3. 22.17Hebrews 11.12.
• 4. 22.18Acts 3.25.

Footnotes

• [a]. Provides; [or] Sees.
• [b]. provides; [or] is seen.