Genesis 22:16 kjv
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
Genesis 22:16 nkjv
and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son?
Genesis 22:16 niv
and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
Genesis 22:16 esv
and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
Genesis 22:16 nlt
"This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that
Genesis 22 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2-3 | "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you..." | Original promise, basis for Abrahamic Covenant |
| Gen 13:16 | "I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth..." | Promise of numerous descendants |
| Gen 15:18 | "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram..." | Initial covenant cutting, confirming land promise |
| Gen 17:7 | "I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring..." | Covenant as eternal, with offspring and circumcision |
| Ex 32:13 | "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self..." | Moses appealing to God's oath to Abraham |
| Deut 6:10 | "...the Lord your God swore to your fathers to give you..." | God's oath as basis for possessing the land |
| 1 Sam 2:30 | "...the Lord declares: ‘Those who honor me I will honor...’" | Principle of honoring God through obedience |
| Ps 89:35 | "Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David." | God's oaths are immutable |
| Ps 105:9 | "the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac..." | God's promises are confirmed by an oath |
| Jer 22:5 | "But if you will not listen to these words, I swear by myself, declares the Lord..." | God swears by Himself for both blessing and judgment |
| Amos 6:8 | "The Lord God has sworn by himself..." | Divine oath signifying certainty of His declarations |
| Mic 7:20 | "You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old." | God's promised faithfulness and love |
| Heb 6:13-14 | "For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself..." | Explains the nature and certainty of God's oath |
| Heb 6:17-18 | "So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath..." | Oath as a double guarantee of God's promise |
| Heb 11:17-19 | "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son..." | Abraham's faith demonstrated in the sacrifice |
| Jas 2:21-23 | "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ...and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'—and he was called a friend of God." | Faith perfected by obedience/works, not works for salvation |
| Jn 3:16 | "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son..." | Thematic parallel: God's ultimate giving of His "only Son" |
| Rom 4:18-22 | "In hope he believed against hope... no unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith..." | Abraham's unwavering faith as an example for believers |
| Rom 8:32 | "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not graciously give us all things with him?" | The Father not withholding His Son for humanity |
| Eph 1:4-5 | "...he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy... according to the purpose of his will." | God's eternal plan and predestination of adoption |
| Titus 1:2 | "in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began..." | God's character as truthful and promise-keeping |
Genesis 22 verses
Genesis 22 16 Meaning
Genesis 22:16 marks a pivotal declaration from God, an unbreakable divine oath sworn upon His own being, reinforcing His covenant with Abraham. This oath is the direct consequence and affirmation of Abraham's unparalleled obedience and profound faith in his willingness to offer his son, Isaac, as commanded. It signifies God's ultimate validation of Abraham's loyalty, confirming the certain fulfillment of the promises made to him and his descendants, secured by God's own unwavering character.
Genesis 22 16 Context
Genesis chapter 22 recounts one of the most profound and challenging narratives in the Hebrew Bible: the "Akedah," or "binding" of Isaac. Following Abraham's covenant with God, including the promise of countless descendants through Isaac, God tests Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice this "only son." Abraham's immediate and unquestioning obedience, demonstrated by his journey to Moriah and preparation to perform the act, culminates in God's intervention at the last moment, providing a ram as a substitute. Verse 16 immediately follows God's intercession and the provision of the ram. It represents the divine ratification and reiteration of God's covenant blessings, now affirmed by an unshakeable oath. Historically, this narrative stands in stark contrast to the surrounding Canaanite practices of child sacrifice, explicitly condemning such acts while simultaneously elevating the concept of sacrificial obedience and trust in a God who provides. The test was not for God to discover Abraham's heart, but for Abraham to outwardly demonstrate his already established faith.
Genesis 22 16 Word analysis
- By myself I have sworn (בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי - bi nishbati):
- By myself (בִּי - bi): Literally "in Me" or "by Me." This preposition, indicating agency or the person by whom an action is performed, is emphatically placed first in the Hebrew. It highlights God as the supreme authority, unable to swear by anyone greater than Himself. This concept is foundational to understanding the absolute security of divine promises.
- I have sworn (נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי - nishbati): From the root שׁבע (shava), "to swear an oath." The use of the Hithpael stem indicates a reflexive or reciprocal action, meaning God has taken an oath upon Himself. Such an oath is inviolable and irreversible, signifying the highest degree of certainty and divine commitment.
- declares the Lord (נְאֻם יְהוָה - ne'um Yahweh):
- Declares (נְאֻם - ne'um): A common prophetic formula meaning "utterance" or "declaration." It signals a direct oracle from God, authenticating the divine source of the preceding words. It distinguishes divine speech from human narrative.
- The Lord (יְהוָה - Yahweh): The personal, covenantal name of God, emphasizing His relationship with His people and His role as the ever-present, self-existent One who keeps His promises.
- because you have done this thing (יַעַן אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה - ya'an asher asita et ha-davar ha-zeh):
- Because (יַעַן אֲשֶׁר - ya'an asher): Connects God's oath directly to Abraham's preceding action, indicating a causal relationship. God's response is directly contingent on Abraham's obedience, demonstrating the principle of divine blessing following faith-driven action.
- You have done this thing (עָשִׂיתָ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה - asita et ha-davar ha-zeh): Refers specifically to Abraham's readiness to sacrifice Isaac, showing absolute trust in God's word above all natural affections or reasoning. This "thing" encompasses not just the act but the obedience of faith that motivated it.
- and have not withheld (וְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּ - v'lo khasakhtha):
- Have not withheld (וְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּ - v'lo khasakhtha): From the root חָשַׂךְ (chasakh), meaning "to keep back," "to spare," or "to restrain." The negative (לא - lo) emphatically states that Abraham did not hold back or keep anything from God. It highlights the completeness and self-giving nature of Abraham's surrender.
- your son, your only son (אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידֶךָ - et bincha et yechidekha):
- Your son (אֶת בִּנְךָ - et bincha): Simply "your son." The repetition of "your son" and the addition of "your only son" underscore the profound and singular value of Isaac to Abraham.
- Your only son (אֶת יְחִידֶךָ - et yechidekha): From the root יָחִיד (yachid), meaning "only one," "unique," "solitary." This phrase emphasizes that Isaac was Abraham's unique and sole heir through whom the divine promise was to be fulfilled. This intensified phrasing accentuates the depth of the test and the magnitude of Abraham's sacrifice, foreshadowing God's own ultimate giving of His "only Son" (Jn 3:16).
Genesis 22 16 Bonus section
The narrative of Genesis 22 is profoundly Christological. Abraham's willingness to offer his "only son" prefigures God the Father’s not sparing "his own Son" (Rom 8:32) to bring salvation to humanity. Isaac carrying the wood for his own sacrifice mirrors Christ carrying His cross. The substitution of the ram on Moriah points to Jesus as the ultimate substitute sacrifice. This oath sworn by God to Abraham ensures not only the earthly blessing of Abraham's physical descendants but, more significantly, the spiritual blessings that extend to all who believe by faith (Gal 3:6-9), establishing Abraham as the father of all who believe. This makes Gen 22:16 not just an end to Abraham's test, but a powerful promise that underlies God's entire redemptive plan, anchored in His unchangeable character.
Genesis 22 16 Commentary
Genesis 22:16 encapsulates the zenith of Abraham's faith and the unshakable nature of God's covenant promises. When God swears by Himself, it is the strongest possible assurance, for there is nothing greater by which He can swear (Heb 6:13-14). This moment is a solemn declaration that because Abraham fully surrendered what was most precious to him—his promised son Isaac, through whom his future depended—God in turn bound Himself absolutely to bless Abraham. This was not a test God imposed out of ignorance, but rather to reveal the depth of Abraham's heart to Abraham himself and to subsequent generations. Abraham’s obedience, demonstrating that his faith was living and active (Jas 2:21-22), brought the Abrahamic covenant into full certainty. It also foreshadows God the Father not withholding His "only Son," Jesus Christ, for the redemption of humanity, making Abraham's experience a profound prophetic type. The "because" is critical, linking the covenant's certainty directly to Abraham's obedient trust, validating that genuine faith expresses itself in costly obedience, thereby ensuring the immutable character of God's pledged word.