Hebrew-English TextI. Summary
Yahweh commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and Abraham lifts the knife in readiness. Yahweh stops Abraham and blesses him with powerful and numerous offspring. The descendants of Abraham’s brother Nahor are listed.
II. Photo
Abraham is prepared to sacrifice his son: “He bound his son Isaac; he laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Abraham picked up the knife to slay his son.” (vv. 9-10)
III. Select Verses
1-2: Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test. He said to him, “Abraham,” and he answered, “Here I am.” And He said, “Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.”
6-8: Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. He himself took the firestone and the knife; and the two walked off together. Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he answered, “Yes, my son.” And he said, “Here are the firestone and the wood; but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “God will see to the sheep for His burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them walked on together.
9-13: They arrived at the place of which God had told him. Abraham built an altar there; he laid out the wood; he bound his son Isaac; he laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to slay his son. Then an angel of the LORD called to him from heaven: “Abraham! Abraham!” And he answered, “Here I am.” And he said, “Do not raise your hand against the boy, or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your favored one, from Me.” When Abraham looked up, his eye fell upon a ram, caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.
15-18: The angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I swear, the LORD declares: Because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your favored one, I will bestow My blessing upon you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands on the seashore; and your descendants shall seize the gates of their foes. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My command.”
IV. Outline
1-19. The test of Abraham
1a. Introduction to Abraham’s test
1b-2. Yahweh tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in Moriah
3. Abraham prepares for the sacrifice and journey
4-6. On the third day of the journey, Abraham and Isaac arrive
7-8. Isaac asks where the sheep is, Abraham replies that Yahweh will provide
9-10. Abraham binds Isaac to an altar and prepares to slaughter him
11-12. A messenger of Yahweh tells Abraham to stop; it is now known Abraham fears Yahweh
13. Abraham sacrifices a ram that appears in the thicket
14. Abraham names the site “Yahweh appears”
15-18. Yahweh blesses Abraham via a messenger with numerous, powerful, and blessed descendants
19. Abraham returns to Beersheba
20-24. The genealogy of Nahor, Abraham’s brother
20-23. The children of Nahor and Milcah
24. The children of Nahor and his concubine Reumah
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
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