Genesis 22

God Tests Abraham

1 God hollered at Abraham, like, ‘Listen, Abraham!’ And Abraham was like, ‘Here I am, Lord.’

2 God said, ‘Take your son, your one and only, Isaac, the one you love so much, and roll out to Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will point out to you.’

3 Early the next morning, Abraham got up, saddled his donkey, and took two of his crew along with Isaac. He chopped the wood for the offering and started heading to the spot God told him about.

4 On the third day, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

5 He told his crew, ‘You all stay here with the donkey. Me and the boy are going to go over there, worship, and then we will come back.’

Abraham and Isaac on the Move

6 Abraham had Isaac carry the wood for the offering, while he carried the fire and the knife. The two of them walked together, side by side.

7 Isaac looked at his father and said, “Pops?” Abraham replied, “Yeah, son?” Isaac asked, “We have got the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the offering?”

8 Abraham said, ‘Do not worry, son, God is going to provide the lamb for the offering.’ Then they kept it moving.

9 When they got to the spot God showed him, Abraham built an altar, arranged the wood, tied up Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood.

10 Then Abraham reached out, grabbed the knife, and was about to do the unthinkable.

The Angel Stops Abraham

11 Outta nowhere, the angel of the Lord called out, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ And Abraham said, ‘I am here!’

12 The angel said, ‘Stop! Do not lay a hand on the boy. Now I know you are down for God because you did not even hold back your son, your one and only.’

13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. He grabbed the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of Isaac.

14 Abraham named that spot ‘The Lord Will Provide.’ That is why people still say, ‘On the mountain of the Lord, it will be provided.’

God Doubles Down on His Promise

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham again from heaven.

16 He said, ‘The Lord says this: Because you listened and did not hold back your son, your only son,’

17 ‘I am going to bless you big-time. Your descendants will be like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. They will take over their enemies’ cities.’

18 ‘And through your family, all nations on earth will be blessed, because you listened to Me.’

19 Abraham and Isaac headed back to the crew, and they all went back to Beersheba, where Abraham stayed.

Nahor’s Family

20 Later, Abraham got word that Milkah, Nahor’s wife, had some kids too.

21 Uz was the firstborn, then Buz and Kemuel (who was the father of Aram).

22 Then came Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

23 Bethuel had a daughter named Rebekah. These were the eight sons Milkah had with Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

24 Nahor’s side chick, Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maakah.