🔽 Click here to read the KJV 🔽
¹ 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.
² And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
³ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
⁴ Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
⁵ And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
⁶ And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
⁷ And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
⁸ And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
⁹ And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
¹⁰ And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
¹¹ And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
¹² And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
¹³ And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
¹⁴ And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
¹⁵ And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
¹⁶ And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
¹⁷ That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
¹⁸ And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
¹⁹ So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
²⁰ And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also borne children unto thy brother Nahor;
²¹ Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
²² And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
²³ And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
²⁴ And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
🛖 A Mountain of Surrender and a Promise of Provision 🐏
“And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest… and offer him there for a burnt offering.” – Genesis 22:2
Genesis 22 is one of the most profound and theologically rich chapters in all of Scripture. Here, Abraham is called to offer up his promised son, Isaac, in a test of faith that foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This chapter unveils the raw obedience and unshakable trust Abraham had in God, even when the command seemed impossible to bear.
This story is a cornerstone of faith—not just for the Jewish people, but for all who walk with God. It teaches us about total surrender, divine provision, and the foreshadowing of the cross. Abraham’s willingness to obey, and God’s merciful intervention, speak volumes about the character of both man and Maker. This chapter also reveals how God tests the heart to refine it and provide a deeper revelation of His purposes.
📜 Structure of Genesis Chapter 22
Verses 1–2: God Tests Abraham
God calls out to Abraham and instructs him to take his beloved son, Isaac, to Mount Moriah and offer him as a burnt sacrifice. This is a divine test—not a temptation—to see the depth of Abraham’s faith. The wording, “thine only son… whom thou lovest,” amplifies the emotional weight of the command.
Verses 3–5: Abraham’s Immediate Obedience
Without delay, Abraham rises early, saddles his donkey, and brings two servants and Isaac. His silence is powerful. He tells his servants, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,” suggesting his faith in God’s plan—possibly believing God would raise Isaac again (Hebrews 11:19).
Verses 6–8: The Walk to Sacrifice and Prophetic Words
As they ascend the mountain, Isaac carries the wood while Abraham carries fire and knife. Isaac questions where the lamb is for the burnt offering, and Abraham replies prophetically, “God will provide himself a lamb.” This verse echoes down through time as a messianic prophecy.
Verses 9–10: The Moment of Testing
Abraham builds the altar, lays the wood, binds Isaac, and places him upon it. Just as he lifts the knife, we see a level of faith-driven obedience that is unmatched—a full submission to God’s will.
Verses 11–14: God Intervenes and Provides a Ram
The Angel of the LORD calls out and stops Abraham, declaring he has proven his fear of God. A ram is seen caught in a thicket—a substitute sacrifice. Abraham names the place Jehovah-jireh, “The LORD will provide.”
Verses 15–19: God’s Covenant Confirmed Again
Because of Abraham’s obedience, God reaffirms His covenant, promising blessings, countless descendants, and that through his seed all nations shall be blessed—an ultimate reference to Christ.
Verses 20–24: The Lineage of Rebekah Introduced
The chapter closes with a list of Nahor’s descendants, highlighting Rebekah—Isaac’s future wife—thus continuing the covenantal line.
💡 Key Themes
✨ Faith Under Fire
Abraham’s unwavering faith teaches that obedience must come before understanding. Trusting God even when the road is unclear is the heartbeat of biblical faith.
✨ Foreshadowing the Cross
Isaac carrying the wood and willingly laying down his life mirrors Jesus carrying the cross and laying down His life. The substitute ram represents the Lamb of God.
✨ God’s Provision
“Jehovah-jireh” isn’t just a name—it’s a promise. God always provides exactly what is needed, often at the very last moment.
👤 Key People
- Abraham – A father of faith, demonstrating ultimate obedience.
- Isaac – A willing participant and type of Christ.
- The Angel of the LORD – A manifestation of God, possibly Christ Himself.
🔥 Why This Chapter Matters
Genesis 22 shows us that God honors faith that is proven by action. Abraham didn’t just believe—he obeyed. It reveals the heart of God, the foreshadowing of the Gospel, and the trustworthiness of divine promises.
💭 Let’s Reflect
- Would you be willing to surrender the thing you love most if God asked?
- How do you see Jesus foreshadowed in Isaac’s story?
- Where has God shown up in your life as Jehovah-jireh—your Provider?
❓Ready to Go Deeper?
👉 Click here to begin reading Genesis Chapter 23
Or, if you’d like to jump to a specific chapter in Genesis, simply click the chapter number below:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43| 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50