Genesis 22

1 After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”

2 He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”

3 Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.

4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.

5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and come back to you.”

6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together.

7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

8 Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together.

9 They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.

10 Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.

11 The LORD’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”

12 He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.

14 Abraham called the name of that place “The LORD Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On the LORD’s mountain, it will be provided.”

15 The LORD’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,

16 and said, “‘I have sworn by myself,’ says the LORD, ‘because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,

17 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.

18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.’”

19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.

20 After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:

21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,

22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”

23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Around Genesis 22

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

Genesis 22 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

The chapter begins with a sentence that stops the breath: God tested Abraham. He is to take his son, his only son, Isaac, whom he loves, and offer him as a burnt offering in Moriah. Abraham says, “Here I am,” and rises early. For three days he walks, then leaves the young men behind, saying he and the boy will worship and come back. Isaac carries the wood. Abraham carries the fire and the knife.

Isaac asks where the lamb is. Abraham answers, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” At the altar Abraham binds Isaac and takes the knife. The LORD’s angel calls his name twice and says, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him.” A ram is caught in a thicket, and Abraham offers it instead. He names the place The LORD Will Provide, and the LORD repeats his promise of blessing for all nations.

Background

Jewish tradition calls this story the binding of Isaac. Christians have often seen in it a foreshadowing of Christ, while others read it first as a test of Abraham’s trust; the New Testament mentions it in Hebrews 11 and James 2. The Law elsewhere forbids child sacrifice, as in Deuteronomy 12, and in the story the child is spared. Tradition links Moriah with Jerusalem; see 2 Chronicles 3.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 21 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes