11 And the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 called H7121 unto him out of heaven, H8064 and said, H559 Abraham, H85 Abraham: H85 and he said, H559 Here am I.
12 And he said, H559 Lay H7971 not thine hand H3027 upon H413 the lad, H5288 neither do thou H6213 any thing H3972 unto him: for now H6258 I know H3045 that thou fearest H3373 God, H430 seeing thou hast not H3808 withheld H2820 thy son, H1121 thine only H3173 son from me.
13 And Abraham H85 lifted up H5375 his eyes, H5869 and looked, H7200 and behold behind H310 him a ram H352 caught H270 in a thicket H5442 by his horns: H7161 and Abraham H85 went H3212 and took H3947 the ram, H352 and offered him up H5927 for a burnt offering H5930 in the stead H8478 of his son. H1121
14 And Abraham H85 called H7121 the name H8034 of that place H4725 Jehovahjireh: H3070 as H834 it is said H559 to this day, H3117 In the mount H2022 of the LORD H3068 it shall be seen. H7200
15 And the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 called H7121 unto Abraham H85 out of heaven H8064 the second time, H8145
16 And said, H559 By myself have I sworn, H7650 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 for because H3282 H834 thou hast done H6213 this thing, H1697 and hast not H3808 withheld H2820 thy son, H1121 thine only H3173 son:
17 That in blessing H1288 I will bless H1288 thee, and in multiplying H7235 I will multiply H7235 thy seed H2233 as the stars H3556 of the heaven, H8064 and as the sand H2344 which is upon the sea H3220 shore; H8193 and thy seed H2233 shall possess H3423 the gate H8179 of his enemies; H341
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 22
Commentary on Genesis 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Ge 22:1-19. Offering Isaac.
1. God did tempt Abraham—not incite to sin (Jas 1:13), but try, prove—give occasion for the development of his faith (1Pe 1:7).
and he said, … Here I am—ready at a moment's warning for God's service.
2. Take now thy son, &c.—Every circumstance mentioned was calculated to give a deeper stab to the parental bosom. To lose his only son, and by an act of his own hand, too!—what a host of conflicting feelings must the order have raised! But he heard and obeyed without a murmur (Ga 1:16; Lu 14:26).
3. Abraham rose … early, &c.—That there might be no appearance of delay or reluctance on his part, he made every preparation for the sacrifice before setting out—the materials, the knife, and the servants to convey them. From Beer-sheba to Moriah, a journey of two days, he had the painful secret pent up in his bosom. So distant a place must have been chosen for some important reason. It is generally thought that this was one the hills of Jerusalem, on which the Great Sacrifice was afterwards offered.
4. on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, &c.—Leaving the servants at the foot [Ge 22:5], the father and son ascended the hill, the one bearing the knife, and the other the wood for consuming the sacrifice [Ge 22:6]. But there was no victim; and to the question so naturally put by Isaac [Ge 22:7], Abraham contented himself by replying, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." It has been supposed that the design of this extraordinary transaction was to show him, by action instead of words, the way in which all the families of the earth should be blessed; and that in his answer to Isaac, he anticipated some substitution. It is more likely that his words were spoken evasively to his son in ignorance of the issue, yet in unbounded confidence that that son, though sacrificed, would, in some miraculous way, be restored (Heb 11:19).
9. Abraham built an altar, &c.—Had not the patriarch been sustained by the full consciousness of acting in obedience to God's will, the effort would have been too great for human endurance; and had not Isaac, then upwards of twenty years of age displayed equal faith in submitting, this great trial could not have gone through.
11, 12. the angel … called, &c.—The sacrifice was virtually offered—the intention, the purpose to do it, was shown in all sincerity and fulness. The Omniscient witness likewise declared His acceptance in the highest terms of approval; and the apostle speaks of it as actually made (Heb 11:17; Jas 2:21).
13-19. Abraham lifted up his eyes … and behold … a ram, &c.—No method was more admirably calculated to give the patriarch a distinct idea of the purpose of grace than this scenic representation: and hence our Lord's allusion to it (Joh 8:56).