Genesis 22:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

NIV: Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.

NASB: Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.'

CSB: After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he answered.

NLT: Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. 'Abraham!' God called. 'Yes,' he replied. 'Here I am.'

KJV: And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

NKJV: Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

The words "after these things" indicate that some time has passed since the events of Genesis 21. We will learn that Abraham is still living in Beersheba, but that Isaac has grown some. The last direct statement about Isaac's age referred to his being weaned (Genesis 21:8), which would have been around the age of two or three. In the upcoming verses, however, we see that Isaac can travel without his mother (Genesis 22:3–4), can converse in an adult manner (Genesis 22:7), and can carry wood for the sacrificial fire (Genesis 22:6). Later verses indicate that Isaac will be around 36 or 37 when his mother, Sarah dies at the age of 127 (Genesis 23:1). Most likely, he is at least a teenager when he climbs the mountain with his father.

Genesis chapter 22 will describe God's terrible test of Abraham's faith. The word "test" is to be understood as something clearly different from a "temptation." God will never tempt His people to do evil (James 1:13). We see God test His people in Scripture, though, asking them to trust Him and obey in spite of their difficult circumstances (Exodus 15:25; 20:20; Deuteronomy 8:2; 13:3; Judges 2:22). This is the key element missing when people misunderstand this part of Abraham's story. His obedience is based, not in blind faith, but in an experienced, established trust based on what he has already seen God do.

God began this test by calling Abraham, and Abraham responded appropriately, ready to hear what God would say to him.

Genesis 22:1–19 takes place over the course of a few days, when Isaac is perhaps a teenager. God commands Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son as a burnt offering. Abraham sets out to obey without hesitation, acting in complete trust that God, somehow, will make all things right. Abraham stops the sacrifice only when the Lord intervenes. For his deep trust and obedience, the Lord renews and emphasizes His blessing on Abraham and his offspring, as well as promising to bless all nations through Abraham's descendants.

In a test of Abraham's faith and obedience, God commands Abraham to do a terrible thing: kill and offer his son Isaac, whom he loves, as a burnt offering. Abraham sets out to obey without hesitation, having finally learned to trust God's goodness over his own misunderstandings. Instead of allowing the boy to be sacrificed, the Lord calls out to Abraham moments before he kills Isaac, laying bound on an altar. Because of Abraham's obedience, God renews and emphasizes His promises of blessing, multiplied offspring, and victory over future enemies.

In the previous chapter, the long-promised Isaac was finally born to Sarah and Abraham, while Abraham's other beloved son, Ishmael, was sent away to be cared for by God apart from them. Now God tests Abraham's faith and obedience by commanding him to offer his precious son Isaac as a burnt offering. Abraham sets out to obey without hesitation, stopping only when the Lord cries out to him. For Abraham's obedience, God renews and emphasizes the blessing on him and his offspring. This marks the beginning of the end of Abraham's story, as the book of Genesis transitions to focus on Isaac and his descendants.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.