The Sacrifice of Isaac

22:1 Some time after these things God tested1 Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham2 replied. 22:2 God3 said, “Take your son—your only son, whom you love, Isaac4—and go to the land of Moriah!5 Offer him up there as a burnt offering6 on one of the mountains which I will indicate to7 you.”

22:3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey.8 He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out9 for the place God had spoken to him about.

22:4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of10 the place in the distance. 22:5 So he11 said to his servants, “You two stay12 here with the donkey while13 the boy and I go up there. We will worship14 and then return to you.”15

22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand,16 and the two of them walked on together. 22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham,17 “My father?” “What is it,18 my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said,19 “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 22:8 “God will provide20 for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.

22:9 When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there21 and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up22 his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 22:10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter23 his son. 22:11 But the Lord’s angel24 called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 22:12 “Do not harm the boy!”25 the angel said.26 “Do not do anything to him, for now I know27 that you fear28 God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”

22:13 Abraham looked up29 and saw30 behind him31 a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he32 went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.”33 It is said to this day,34 “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.”35

22:15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 22:16 and said, “ ‘I solemnly swear by my own name,’36 decrees the Lord,37 ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 22:17 I will indeed bless you,38 and I will greatly multiply39 your descendants40 so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession41 of the strongholds42 of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me,43 all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another44 using the name of your descendants.’ ”

22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together45 for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed.46

22:20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah47 also has borne children to your brother Nahor—22:21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram),48 22:22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 22:23 (Now49 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) These were the eight sons Milcah bore to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 22:24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore him children—Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.