Genesis 22:10 kjv

And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

Genesis 22:10 nkjv

And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

Genesis 22:10 niv

Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

Genesis 22:10 esv

Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

Genesis 22:10 nlt

And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.

Genesis 22 verses

Genesis 22 10 Meaning

Genesis 22:10 depicts the climactic moment of Abraham's obedience, where he stretches out his hand and takes the knife, intending to sacrifice his son, Isaac. This verse captures Abraham's resolute submission to God's command, demonstrating a profound act of faith and a willingness to surrender his most beloved possession to the Lord. It signifies the point of no return for Abraham, showcasing his readiness to complete the divine instruction.

Genesis 22 10 Context

Genesis 22:10 marks the terrifying culmination of God's supreme test of Abraham's faith, commanded in Gen 22:2. Prior to this, Abraham had already journeyed three days to Mount Moriah, built an altar, arranged the wood, and bound his only son, Isaac, laying him on the altar. Isaac himself, though capable of resistance, showed quiet submission, even questioning his father about the missing lamb for the sacrifice (Gen 22:7). This context amplifies the tension of verse 10, highlighting Abraham's unhesitating obedience against human logic, emotional agony, and the very promises of God regarding Isaac's descendants. Historically, child sacrifice was a detestable practice among some pagan nations in the Ancient Near East (e.g., Moabites, Ammonites, Canaanites to gods like Molech, though God vehemently prohibited it for Israel in Lev 18:21, Deut 12:31). God's command to Abraham can be seen, in part, as a polemic against such practices, demonstrating that while pagan gods demanded literal human sacrifice, the true God tests loyalty but ultimately provides a substitute, seeking surrender of the will rather than literal death. This establishes a precedent for faith and a model for God's ultimate provision.

Genesis 22 10 Word analysis

• וַיִּשְׁלַח (vayyishlaḥ) – and he stretched out/extended

  • From the Hebrew verb "שׁלח" (shalakh), meaning "to send, stretch forth, extend, dispatch."
  • Significance: This verb denotes a deliberate, purposeful action. It's not a hesitant movement but a resolute extension of the arm, indicative of resolve and intent to act. Abraham's will is fully engaged.

• אַבְרָהָם (Avraham) – Abraham

  • The covenant patriarch, whose name means "father of a multitude."
  • Significance: His identity underscores the gravity. The "father" is about to kill his "son," challenging the very essence of his blessing and identity, demanding supreme faith.

• אֶת יָדוֹ (et yado) – his hand

  • "Yad" (יָד) means hand, often signifying power, agency, or intent.
  • Significance: The hand is the instrument of action. Its extension indicates the imminent execution of the command. The physical act confirms mental and spiritual commitment.

• וַיִּקַּח (vayyiqaḥ) – and he took/grasped

  • From the Hebrew verb "לקח" (laqaḥ), meaning "to take, seize, grasp, receive."
  • Significance: This verb shows active engagement. Abraham physically picked up the instrument. It is an intentional grasp, not a fumbling or uncertain action.

• אֶת הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת (et ha'ma'achelet) – the knife/slaughtering knife

  • "Ma'achelet" (מַאֲכֶלֶת) specifically refers to a knife for slaughter or sacrifice. It comes from the root "אכל" (akal), "to eat," suggesting its purpose for preparing meat for consumption (sacrificial meal).
  • Significance: Not just any blade, but an instrument designed for ritual killing. This reinforces the sacrificial intent. The definite article "the" indicates it was the specific knife brought for this purpose.

• לִשְׁחֹט (lishḥoṭ) – to slay/to slaughter

  • From the Hebrew verb "שחט" (shaḥaṭ), meaning "to slaughter for sacrifice," often applied to animals for ritual offering.
  • Significance: This is not merely "to kill" but specifically to perform a ritual slaughter, highlighting the act as an offering. The word is precise and weighty, describing the ultimate step of sacrifice.

• אֶת בְּנוֹ (et b'no) – his son

  • "Ben" (בֵּן) means son. Coupled with "et" and the possessive "his."
  • Significance: The emphasis on "his son" heightens the tragedy and the magnitude of Abraham's sacrifice. This is Isaac, the child of promise, Abraham's only son born of Sarah, highlighting the intensely personal cost of this test.

Words-group analysis

• וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְרָהָם אֶת יָדוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת – And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife: This sequence of actions portrays a man of unwavering resolve. The combination of "stretching out his hand" and "taking the knife" reveals the definitive and irreversible nature of his commitment to fulfill God's command. There is no implication of hesitation or doubt in the verbs; rather, a clear, decisive progression towards the act. It visually represents the full alignment of Abraham's will and physical action.

• לִשְׁחֹט אֶת בְּנוֹ – to slaughter his son: This phrase is the shocking culmination. It states the purpose plainly and brutally. It’s the final, horrifying detail of Abraham’s intent, conveying the absolute extremeness of the obedience demanded and delivered. The verb "lishḥoṭ" (to slaughter for sacrifice) applied to "his son" transforms a general act of killing into a sacred, though dreadful, ritual act commanded by God, underscoring the deep paradox Abraham faces.

Genesis 22 10 Bonus section

The profound silence leading up to this verse (after Isaac's question in Gen 22:7 and Abraham's answer) builds immense dramatic tension, highlighting Isaac's silent acquiescence to his own binding. While the verse focuses on Abraham's actions, Isaac's implicit cooperation (he was a young man, capable of resisting an elderly Abraham) is significant, foreshadowing Christ's voluntary submission to sacrifice. The setting of Moriah later becomes the location for the Temple (2 Chr 3:1), establishing a typological link where the willing sacrifice on that mountain foreshadows the ultimate atonement to be provided there through Christ. This act by Abraham represents the highest form of hesed (covenant loyalty/love) towards God, demonstrating that nothing, not even his dearest possession, superseded his devotion to the Almighty.

Genesis 22 10 Commentary

Genesis 22:10 is the apex of Abraham's test on Mount Moriah, a moment of agonizing yet absolute obedience. The spare, stark language conveys Abraham's utter resolve; he stretches out his hand, grasps the very knife designated for sacrifice, and prepares to slay his unique, promised son. This single verse captures the depth of Abraham's faith—a faith so profound that he was willing to nullify God's prior promises through Isaac, trusting God implicitly to reconcile the seemingly contradictory command with His faithful character, even by resurrection (Heb 11:19). This scene stands as a towering example of total surrender to God's will, where personal love and future hope were laid bare before divine authority. It anticipates God's own supreme act of not sparing His Son (Rom 8:32) and perfectly illustrates that true worship involves an unfathomable willingness to give everything for God, who ultimately provides a substitute and redeems His promise. It teaches that faith is not merely intellectual assent but costly, radical obedience.