Genesis 22:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

NIV: Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

NASB: So Abraham returned to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived in Beersheba.

CSB: Abraham went back to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beer-sheba. And Abraham settled in Beer-sheba.

NLT: Then they returned to the servants and traveled back to Beersheba, where Abraham continued to live.

KJV: So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

NKJV: So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

This is the final verse in the story of Abraham's obedience in his willingness to sacrifice his only son at God's command. Abraham has seen God's goodness proven over and over, so he trusts that God has some good outcome in mind. And, as expected, God intervenes to stop Isaac from being harmed, while providing an animal sacrifice (Genesis 22:11–13). When the ritual is completed, Abraham and Isaac go back down the mountain, to meet Abraham's two servants. The small company travels together back to Abraham's home in Beersheba.

Though Abraham might not have known exactly what would happen when he left these two servants to go up the mountain, he was right: "I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you" (Genesis 22:5).

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.

Accessed 5/3/2024 9:44:47 PM