Commentary on Genesis 22:1-14

The fourth and final lectionary reading, Genesis 22:1–14, in the Abraham saga is preceded by the banishment of Ishmael and Hagar (Genesis 21:8–14) and an unrelated episode about a dispute over wells between Abraham and a captain of King Abimelech in the land of the Philistines (Genesis 21:25–34). The opening transitional phrase, “After these things” (Genesis 22:1), or “And it came to pass,” denotes a passage of time. It also sets up yet another divine encounter between God and Abraham.

The narrator reveals that what came after these things was God putting Abraham to the test (Genesis 22:1). The reader is made aware of God’s plan before it is made known to Abraham. This passage is the only one in Genesis that mentions God testing an individual. God, however, was known to test Israel (for example, Exodus 15:25; 16:4). “Why test Abraham?” one might ask. If the test was intended to demonstrate the degree of Abraham’s faithfulness to God, might his willingness to cast out his son Ishmael have been proof enough?

God calls, “Abraham!” and with unquestioning obedience Abraham responds, “Here I am” (verse 1). God instructs Abraham to take Isaac and go to the land of Moriah—the second and final occurrence of the Hebrew phrase lekh lekha, literally translated as “go forth, yourself” (verse 2). The first occurrence of lekh lekha is in Genesis 12:1, where God commands Abraham (then called Abram) to leave his birthplace and kin behind for a place that God would show him. In Genesis 22:1, God again instructs him to go forth—but this time to take Isaac and offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that God would show Abraham.

The stakes could not be higher. God commands Abraham to sacrifice not only the long-awaited promised heir to the covenant, but his “only son,” whom he loved (verse 2). As mentioned above, Isaac is not Abraham’s only son. The phrase “only son” can also be translated as “favored son.” Perhaps, in the absence of Ishmael, Isaac had become Abraham’s favored son. Either way, Isaac’s sacrifice would derail God’s promise to establish the covenant through Isaac to make Abraham a great nation (Genesis 17:19–21).

With unflinching dedication, Abraham rises early the next morning and sets out with two young servants, Isaac, and his donkey laden with the wood for the burnt offering, heading toward the place that God would show him (Genesis 22:3).

After a three-day journey, Abraham sights the place. He orders the servants to remain behind with the donkey, explaining that he and Isaac will continue alone to worship and that they will return afterward (verses 4–5). The passage of time implied in the opening verse suggests that Isaac would now be an adolescent. The same term, na’ar (boy), that God used for Ishmael in Genesis 21 is used for the two servants (Genesis 22:3, 5) and for Isaac (verse 5). Thus, he would have been old enough to be trained in how to sacrifice to God in worship.

Inviting comparison with Genesis 21:14, just as Abraham placed provisions and young Ishmael on Hagar’s shoulders, Abraham places the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carries the fire and the knife (verse 6). After a while, Isaac’s familiarity with making a burnt offering to God leads him to ask where the lamb for sacrifice is (verse 7). Abraham responds that God will see to the lamb for the burnt offering (verse 8). And they walk on.

When they arrive at the place where God has told Abraham to go, Abraham builds the altar, places the wood atop it, binds Isaac, and lays him on the wood (verse 9). This passage is known in Jewish tradition as the Akedah—the “binding of Isaac.” Isaac acquiesces without protest. Did Isaac have knowledge that child sacrifice was an acceptable practice in worshipping God? 

Abraham picks up the knife and extends his arm to kill Isaac, but a divine messenger calls out to him from heaven (verse 10). Abraham answers, “Here I am” (verse 11), just as he did when God called to him in verse 1 (see also verse 7, in response to Isaac). The messenger commands Abraham to refrain from harming Isaac, for he has demonstrated that he fears God through his complete obedience (verse 12).

Abraham looks away from Isaac and sees a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. He retrieves the ram and slaughters it, offering it as a burnt offering in place of Isaac (verse 13). Abraham names the place “The LORD will provide,” which is literally “The LORD will see” (verse 14), a play on Abraham’s response to Isaac in verse 8. There is an editorial addition that to this day, the place was called “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided,” or “On the mount he shall be seen.”

The transliteration “Jehovah Jireh” for the Hebrew Yhwh Yireh is popular in certain Christian communities as a name for God, meaning “The Lord my provider” rather than a place name. This interpretation misses the intertextual relationship of the verb “to see” in Hebrew between God’s seeing in Genesis 16:13–16 and in Genesis 22:14. Hagar names God “El Roi”—“God who sees”—after her divine encounter in the wilderness (Genesis 16:13), and she names the well where God met her “Beer-lahai-roi” (“Well of the Living One who sees me”). Abraham names the place where he encounters God “The LORD will see [to it].” In each instance, God’s seeing provides rescue for Abraham’s sons. 

Isaac replaces Ishmael as the favored son, yet the abjection of Ishmael does not erase him from the final chapter of the Abraham saga. Ishmael’s presence reverberates throughout Genesis 22:1–14, suggesting that he found favor with the biblical writers.