Genesis 22:2

Context

These events take place after Isaac, the son of promise whom Abraham received at the age of one hundred, has grown up. At the outset the text states that "God did tempt Abraham" (22:1), that is, put him to the test, so the reader knows in advance that this is a trial. God commands, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest," and go into the land of Moriah. Abraham sets out early in the morning and reaches the place on the third day. When he has bound Isaac and laid him on the altar, the angel of the LORD stops him. Abraham offers a ram in Isaac's place and names the place "Jehovah-jireh" ("the LORD will provide") (22:14).

In Jewish tradition this narrative is called the Akedah ("the binding"). In 2 Chronicles 3:1, the place where Solomon built the temple is identified as "mount Moriah," which links this site with the location of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Interpretation

• As a test of faith: The command to sacrifice the heir of the promise is understood as a test of whether Abraham would trust the One who gave the promise to the very end. Hebrews 11:17–19 interprets Abraham as believing that God was able to raise even the dead, and James 2:21 cites the episode as an example of faith demonstrated through works.
• As a type of Christ: Since the time of the Church Fathers, the church has read Isaac, the "only son" who carries the wood up the mountain, and the ram offered in his place as foreshadowings of Christ's cross and substitutionary atonement. The passage is often read together with John 3:16 and Romans 8:32: "He that spared not his own Son."
• As a rejection of human sacrifice: Against the background of child sacrifice in the ancient Near East, some interpreters hold that the narrative shows that the God of Israel does not desire human offerings (compare Jeremiah 7:31).

Controversies and Issues

Whether God can command a father to kill his son, and whether obeying such a command is right, is a classic question concerning the relationship between faith and ethics. The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard treated the narrative at length in Fear and Trembling, discussing the paradox of a faith that transcends the ethical. Many interpreters emphasize that the text identifies the episode as a "test" from the beginning and that God ultimately spared Isaac.

In interfaith dialogue, it is also noted that many in the Islamic tradition hold that the son who was to be sacrificed was Ishmael.

In the Korean Church

The phrase "Offer up your Isaac" is frequently used in sermons calling believers to surrender what they hold most dear, and its use to encourage building-fund and pledge offerings has drawn criticism. "Jehovah-jireh" is widely used in church names, worship songs, and framed inscriptions.

Related Passages

• Genesis 22:12–14
• Hebrews 11:17–19
• James 2:21–23
• Romans 8:32
• 2 Chronicles 3:1