Abraham and Isaac
God will provide the lamb
God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son. This is one of the most difficult passages in the Bible.
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- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Abraham: A man God called to leave his home and follow him. God promised him a family that would bless the whole world. His name was Abram at first, until God changed it (17:5).
- Isaac: Abraham's son. He was born when Abraham was 100 years old (21:5). Genesis calls him "the boy" but does not give his age.
- The angel of the LORD: A messenger who speaks for God. LORD in capital letters stands for God's personal name. Jewish readers traditionally don't say it aloud, out of respect.
- Two servants: Young men who worked for Abraham. Genesis does not give their names.
Setting
- Beersheba, a town in the dry south of the land. Then a three-day trip to the land of Moriah, and a mountain there.
When
- Very long ago, about 4,000 years ago by many people's count. Genesis does not give a date we can match to our calendar.
Before the Story
God made Abraham a promise. God said, "All the families of the earth will be blessed through you" (12:3).
Abraham and Sarah waited a very long time for a child. Isaac was finally born when they were very old. God said the promised family would come "through Isaac" (21:12).
This is a hard story. A father is told to offer his son as a sacrifice. If this story brings up big feelings, talk with a parent, pastor, or trusted adult.
Here's what you know that almost nobody in this story knows: This is a test. God will stop Abraham. Isaac will not be hurt.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. God tests Abraham | 22:1-2 | God tells Abraham to offer Isaac |
| 2. Three days of walking | 22:3-5 | Abraham, Isaac, and two servants travel to Moriah |
| 3. "Where is the lamb?" | 22:6-8 | Isaac carries the wood and asks a question |
| 4. The angel stops Abraham | 22:9-12 | God stops Abraham's hand |
| 5. The ram in the thicket | 22:13-14 | God provides a ram in Isaac's place |
| 6. The promise | 22:15-19 | God repeats his promise. They go home |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 6God Tests Abraham
Abraham was living in Beersheba with his son Isaac.
Genesis tells the reader something first. "Some time later God tested Abraham" (22:1). Abraham did not know this was a test. But you do.
God called him by name. "Abraham."
Abraham answered, "Here I am" (22:1).
Then God said something very hard to hear. "Take your son," God said, "your only son Isaac, whom you love" (22:2). God told Abraham to go to the land of Moriah. There, on a mountain God would show him, Abraham was to offer Isaac as a burnt offering.
A burnt offering was a gift to God, burned whole on an altar. Usually it was an animal.
God knew Abraham loved Isaac. God said so.
Years before, God had told Abraham to go to a land "I will show you" (12:1). Now God used almost the same words again.
The Bible does not tell us what Abraham felt. It tells us what he did.
Scene 2 of 6Three Days of Walking
Abraham got up early the next morning. He saddled his donkey. He took two of his servants and his son Isaac.
Abraham split wood for the fire. Then they set out for the place God had chosen.
They traveled for three days.
On the third day, Abraham looked up. He saw the place far away.
Abraham said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey" (22:5).
Then he said, "The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you" (22:5).
Abraham said "we." He said they would both return. The Bible doesn't say what Abraham was thinking. But remember, God had promised that the family would come through Isaac (21:12).
Scene 3 of 6"Where Is the Lamb?"
Abraham put the wood for the offering on Isaac. Isaac carried it.
Abraham carried the fire and the knife himself. The two of them walked on together.
Isaac spoke up. "My father."
"Here I am, my son," Abraham said.
Isaac asked a question. "The fire and the wood are here," said Isaac, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" (22:7).
Isaac could see what was missing.
Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son" (22:8). To provide means to give what is needed.
"And the two walked on together" (22:8).
Scene 4 of 6The Angel Stops Abraham
They came to the place God had chosen.
Abraham built an altar. An altar is a raised place for giving offerings to God. Abraham laid the wood on it.
He tied up Isaac. He laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
Abraham reached out. He took the knife.
Right then a voice called from heaven. It was the angel of the LORD. "Abraham, Abraham!" (22:11).
"Here I am," Abraham answered (22:11).
"Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him," said the angel (22:12).
God stopped Abraham. Isaac was not hurt.
The angel said that now he knew Abraham feared God. To fear God means to trust and honor God above everything. Abraham had not held back his only son.
Scene 5 of 6The Ram in the Thicket
Abraham looked up. Behind him was a ram, a grown male sheep. It was caught by its horns in a thicket. A thicket is a tangle of bushes.
Abraham went and took the ram. He offered it as a burnt offering "in place of his son" (22:13).
Back on the road, Isaac had asked where the lamb was. Abraham had said God would provide. Now God had provided.
Abraham gave the place a name. "The LORD Will Provide" (22:14).
When Genesis was written, people still said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided" (22:14).
Scene 6 of 6The Promise
The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time.
God made a promise and swore by himself. "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD" (22:16).
God said this was "because you have done this and have not withheld your only son" (22:16).
God said he would surely bless Abraham. His family would grow to be as many as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. This is an exaggeration. It means more people than anyone could count. God also said Abraham's family would win against their enemies.
Then God repeated his oldest promise. "And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed" (22:18). Offspring means children, grandchildren, and everyone after them. God said again that this was because Abraham had obeyed God.
This was the same promise God first made long before, when Abraham had done nothing to earn it. Remember, it was a free gift (12:3). Now God said it again, with an oath.
Abraham went back down to his servants. Together they set out for Beersheba. Abraham settled in Beersheba.
At the start, Isaac asked where the lamb was. At the end, the mountain had a new name: The LORD Will Provide.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "God tested Abraham" (22:1) | Genesis tells the reader from the start that this is a test. Abraham did not know. The reader does. |
| "Your only son Isaac, whom you love" (22:2) | God knew how much Abraham loved Isaac. God named that love. Isaac was also the son of the promise (21:12). |
| "We will return to you" (22:5) | Abraham said "we." The Bible doesn't say what he was thinking. The letter to the Hebrews says Abraham "reasoned that God could raise the dead" (Hebrews 11:19). |
| "God Himself will provide the lamb" (22:8) | Abraham did not know how. He trusted God to give the answer. The story shows God giving what was needed. |
| "Do not lay a hand on the boy" (22:12) | God stopped Abraham. God did not want Isaac killed. |
| "In place of his son" (22:13) | The ram died instead of Isaac. Isaac lived because God gave something in his place. |
| "The LORD Will Provide" (22:14) | The place is named for what God did, not for what Abraham did. |
| "All nations of the earth will be blessed" (22:18) | God's promise to Abraham was bigger than one family. It was for the whole world. |
Back Then
Some peoples near Israel sacrificed their own children to their gods. God's law for Israel forbids it. God called it something "the LORD hates" (Deuteronomy 12:31). Later, through the prophet Jeremiah, God said child sacrifice was "something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind" (Jeremiah 7:31).
Mount Moriah. Much later, King Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem "on Mount Moriah" (2 Chronicles 3:1). Many readers think this is the same place as the mountain in Abraham's story. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Beersheba was in the far south of the land. Its name was connected with an oath, a serious promise, that Abraham and King Abimelech made there (21:31). Abraham had been living there (21:33). (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Jewish readers call this story the Akedah. It is a Hebrew word that means "the binding," from the moment Abraham tied up Isaac (22:9). Jewish communities read it every year on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Jewish teachers have struggled with this story for many centuries too.
Literal Reader Alert
Did God really want Abraham to kill his son? No. God stopped it. Isaac was not hurt (22:12). Genesis told us from the first verse that it was a test (22:1). Christians have struggled with this passage for a long time. So have Jewish readers. It's okay to feel upset, confused, or afraid when you read it. Careful readers have asked about it for centuries.
Does God ever want a parent to hurt a child? No. Never. The Bible forbids child sacrifice (Deuteronomy 12:31, Jeremiah 7:31). Jesus welcomed children and said, "Let the little children come to Me" (Mark 10:14). God never wants any parent to hurt a child. If anyone says God wants them to hurt you, that is not from God. If a parent or any adult hurts you, it is not your fault. Please tell a trusted adult today, like a teacher, school counselor, pastor, or relative. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 any time, day or night. Outside the U.S., findahelpline.com lists free helplines. In the U.S., you can also call or text the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
Were you hurt by a parent in the past? What happened to you was wrong. It was not your fault. God stopped Abraham's hand. God is not on the side of anyone who hurts a child. It can help to talk with a pastor or counselor you trust.
What does "test" mean here? It means God was showing what Abraham truly trusted. It does not mean God was trying to make Abraham sin. The letter of James says God does not tempt anyone (James 1:13). The Bible doesn't fully explain why God tested Abraham this way. It does show how the test ended. God provided.
Did God not already know what Abraham would do? The angel said, "Now I know that you fear God" (22:12). The Bible uses human words to tell about God. Genesis does not say God was missing information. It shows Abraham's trust becoming plain to see.
Why did Abraham obey? The Bible doesn't say. Genesis never tells us his feelings. The letter to the Hebrews gives one answer. God had promised the family would come through Isaac. So Abraham believed God could raise the dead (Hebrews 11:18-19).
How old was Isaac? Genesis doesn't say. He was old enough to carry the wood up the mountain (22:6).
Where is Isaac at the end? Verse 19 does not name him. It says Abraham went back to his servants and "they" set out for Beersheba. It's okay to notice things like this. Careful readers have asked about it for centuries. Isaac was not hurt (22:12). Later in Genesis, Isaac is alive and grown, and he marries Rebekah (24:67).
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Abraham | The Bible doesn't say | Genesis tells us what he did, not what he felt (22:3) |
| Isaac | Puzzled | He saw the fire and wood but no lamb (22:7) |
| Isaac | The Bible doesn't say | Genesis never tells us how he felt on the altar (22:9) |
| Readers today | Upset or afraid | A father was told to offer his son (22:2) |
| Abraham | Likely thankful | He named the place for what God provided (22:14) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
What do you feel after this story? Tap one.
It scares me
That makes sense. It is a scary story. God stopped it, and Isaac was safe. God never wants any parent to hurt a child.
I don't understand it
You are not alone. Christians and Jewish readers have struggled with it for centuries. You can bring your questions to God and to a pastor.
Where is the lamb?
Isaac asked that. God provided a ram on the mountain. Later, John called Jesus "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29).
It reminds me of being hurt
What happened to you was wrong, and it was not your fault. God stopped Abraham's hand. God never wants a child hurt. Please talk with a pastor, counselor, or trusted adult.
It's really bad right now
You don't have to carry it alone. Please tell a trusted adult today. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 any time, day or night. Outside the U.S., findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
You Might Have Heard
"Abraham was willing to give up his son. If you really love God, you must be ready to give up anything, even your own child."
What's true: The letter to the Hebrews praises Abraham's faith (Hebrews 11:17). Abraham trusted God's promise when he could not see how it would come true.
What the story is mainly about: What God does. God stopped Abraham's hand. God provided the ram. The mountain is named for God, not for Abraham. This story is not a pattern to copy. God does not ask anyone to hurt a child, ever. The Bible forbids it (Deuteronomy 12:31, Jeremiah 7:31). And Abraham's faith did not earn God's promise. God made the promise long before (12:3). God later said the oath was "because you have done this" (22:16). God was confirming a promise he had already given freely, not paying Abraham for it. Abraham's faith was a gift from God too (Ephesians 2:8). Lutherans teach that the Holy Spirit creates faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).
Where Jesus is: Isaac carried the wood up the mountain. Many Christians have seen a picture of Jesus here. Jesus went out "carrying His own cross" (John 19:17). But on the mountain, God spared Isaac. At the cross, God gave his own Son.
Good News
Isaac asked, "Where is the lamb?" (22:7). Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb" (22:8).
Many centuries later, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming. He said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
On the mountain, God stopped Abraham's hand and spared Isaac. Paul wrote that God "did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all" (Romans 8:32). Jesus was not forced. He said, "I lay it down of My own accord" (John 10:18). Paul wrote that Jesus "loved me and gave Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20).
God did not take Isaac's life. Instead, God gave his own Son.
The God who provided the ram for Isaac provided Jesus for you.
Big Idea
God stopped Abraham's hand and provided the ram, and later God gave his own Son for the whole world.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Luther taught on this chapter in his Lectures on Genesis (given from 1535 to 1545). He said Abraham's test was not about gold or silver. It was about God's word. God's command seemed to go against God's own promise that the family would come through Isaac (21:12). Luther wrote, "Here God is clearly contradicting Himself" (Luther's Works, vol. 4, p. 92). He taught that Abraham kept trusting the promise anyway. Abraham trusted that God could raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:19, Luther's Works, vol. 4, p. 96).
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It is a shared list of Bible readings for Sundays and holy days. The lectionary reads Genesis 22:1-14 in late June or early July of Year A (Lectionary 13, also called Proper 8). Every year, Genesis 22:1-18 is also one of the readings at the Easter Vigil, the night service before Easter morning.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.
How did that feel?