CHAPTER 22
“Take
your son,”
God said,
“your only
son Isaac,
whom
you love,
and go
to
the land
of Moriah.
Offer him
there
as a burnt offering
on
one
of the mountains
I will show
you.”
So Abraham
got up early
the next morning,
saddled
his donkey,
and took
along
two
of his servants
and his son
Isaac.
He split
wood
for a burnt offering
and set out for
the place
God
had designated.
“Stay
here
with
the donkey,”
Abraham
told
his servants.
“The boy
and I
will go
over
there
to worship,
and then we will return
to you.”
Abraham
took
the wood
for the burnt offering
and placed
it on
his son
Isaac.
He himself carried
the fire
and the sacrificial knife,
and the two
of them walked on
together.
Then Isaac
said
to
his father
Abraham,
“My father!”
“Here I am,
my son,”
he replied.
“The fire
and the wood
are here,”
said Isaac,
“but where
is the lamb
for the burnt offering?”
Abraham
answered,
“God
Himself
will provide
the lamb
for the burnt offering,
my son.”
And the two
walked on
together.
When they arrived
at
the place
God
had designated,
Abraham
built
the altar
there
and arranged
the wood.
He bound
his son
Isaac
and placed
him on
the altar,
atop
the wood.
Just then, the Angel
of the LORD
called out
to
him from
heaven,
“Abraham,
Abraham!”
“Here I am,”
he replied.
“Do not
lay
a hand
on
the boy
or do
anything to him,”
said the Angel,
“for
now
I know
that
you
fear
God,
since you have not
withheld
your only
son
from Me.”
Then Abraham
lifted up
his eyes
and saw
behind him
a ram
in the thicket,
caught
by its horns.
So he
went
and took
the ram
and offered
it as a burnt offering
in place of
his son.
And Abraham
called
that
place
The LORD
Will Provide.
So
to this day
it is said,
“On the mountain
of the LORD
it will be provided.”
saying,
“By Myself
I have sworn,
declares
the LORD,
that
because
you have done
this
and have not
withheld
your only
son,
I will surely
bless you,
and I will multiply
your descendants
like the stars
in the sky
and the sand
on
the seashore.
Your descendants
will possess
the gates
of their enemies.
And through your offspring
all
nations
of the earth
will be blessed,
because
you have obeyed
My voice.”
Abraham
went back
to
his servants,
and they got up
and set out
together
for
Beersheba.
And Abraham
settled
in Beersheba.
And Bethuel
became the father of
Rebekah.
Milcah
bore
these
eight sons
to Abraham’s
brother
Nahor.