Genesis 22:12-14

Context

In Genesis 22, God "did tempt" (that is, tested) Abraham (Genesis 22:1) by commanding him to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering (a sacrifice in which the animal is wholly consumed by fire) on a mountain in the land of Moriah. In Judaism the story is called the Akedah ("binding"), after the binding of Isaac (22:9). As Abraham raises the knife, "the angel of the LORD" calls to him from heaven and, in verse 12, stops him. In verse 13 Abraham offers a ram caught in a thicket by its horns in place of his son. In verse 14 he names the place "Jehovah-jireh." The name echoes Abraham's earlier answer to Isaac's question, "where is the lamb for a burnt offering?": "God will provide himself a lamb" (22:8). In Hebrew the name means "the LORD will see," with "see" used here in the sense of "see to" or "provide."

Interpretation

• As a test of faith: This reading focuses on the words "now I know that thou fearest God" and understands Abraham as trusting God so fully that he was willing to give up even the son of the promise. Hebrews 11:17-19 describes this as faith that God was able to raise the dead.
• As a type of substitutionary atonement: Since the early church, many Christian interpreters have seen in the ram that died in the son's place the principle of vicarious death, that is, substitutionary atonement. They also see in the father who did not withhold his son a picture of God, who "spared not his own Son" (Romans 8:32).
• With attention to the place: 2 Chronicles 3:1 calls the site where Solomon built the temple "mount Moriah." On this basis, both Jewish and Christian traditions include readings that connect "the mount of the LORD" with the later Temple in Jerusalem.
• As a response to human sacrifice: Some scholars read the passage against the background of child sacrifice in the ancient Near East and interpret this scene, in which an animal is accepted in place of a child, as a repudiation of human sacrifice.

Debates and Issues

• "Now I know": Whether this means that God did not know the outcome is a longstanding question. Traditional interpretation holds that God foreknows all things and understands the phrase either as an anthropomorphic expression or as meaning that Abraham's fear of God was confirmed when it was displayed in action. By contrast, some theologians who advocate open theism (the view that the future is not entirely settled) cite this verse in support of their position.
• The angel of the LORD: The angel speaks as though he were God himself, saying "from me." Many interpreters in the Reformed tradition regard this as a preincarnate appearance of Christ. Others regard him as an angel speaking God's words on God's behalf.
• Faith and works: James 2:21-24 cites this event in saying that Abraham was "justified by works." How this statement fits with Paul's understanding of justification is debated. Most Protestant interpreters understand works as the visible fruit of genuine faith.
• Translation of verse 14: The expression rendered "it shall be provided" in some translations can also be read in Hebrew as "it shall be seen" (as in the KJV) or "he shall appear," so the wording varies among translations.

In the Korean Church

"Jehovah-jireh" is widely used as a confession that God provides for needs in advance. It appears frequently in worship song lyrics and testimonies and is also used in the names of churches and organizations. However, some point out that what was provided in this passage was a sacrifice offered in place of the son, and that using the expression solely as a promise of material provision departs from its context.

Related Passages

• Genesis 22:8
• Hebrews 11:17-19
• Romans 8:32
• James 2:21-24
• 2 Chronicles 3:1