Genesis 22:2 kjv

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Genesis 22:2 nkjv

Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

Genesis 22:2 niv

Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, whom you love?Isaac?and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you."

Genesis 22:2 esv

He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

Genesis 22:2 nlt

"Take your son, your only son ? yes, Isaac, whom you love so much ? and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you."

Genesis 22 verses

Genesis 22 2 Meaning

Genesis 22:2 records God's unparalleled command to Abraham, a divine test of ultimate obedience and faith. It demands the surrender of Isaac, the long-awaited son of promise, Abraham's "only son," the child of his profound love. This specific and emotionally charged instruction to offer Isaac as a burnt offering on a divinely designated mountain in the land of Moriah underscores the extraordinary nature of Abraham's faith and serves as a profound prefigurement of God's ultimate provision in His own Son.

Genesis 22 2 Context

Genesis chapter 22 begins by stating directly that "God tested Abraham." This immediately frames the ensuing command, ensuring the reader understands its divine origin and purpose. This critical event, often called the Akedah ("binding") in Jewish tradition, follows a long and arduous journey of faith for Abraham. He has previously faced the challenge of leaving his homeland (Gen 12), the long wait for a son through Sarah (Gen 15, 18), the birth of Ishmael through Hagar, and the eventual birth of Isaac, the promised child (Gen 21). The command in Gen 22:2, therefore, does not come to a novice believer but to one who has walked with God for decades, whose faith has been cultivated through various trials and revelations.

Historically, Abraham lived in a Canaanite milieu where child sacrifice, particularly to gods like Molech, was a horrific, albeit real, practice among surrounding cultures. God's command to Abraham in this verse stands in stark contrast to such pagan rituals. While the instruction appears to mimic these pagan practices, its unique unfolding and ultimate conclusion demonstrate God's clear condemnation of child sacrifice and His righteous nature, distinguishing Him profoundly from the bloodthirsty deities of the nations. It is a profound test of trust that ultimately reveals God's faithfulness and provision, not His desire for human sacrifice.

Genesis 22 2 Word analysis

• He said: Refers to God, highlighting the divine source of this difficult, imperative command. It implies absolute authority.
• "Take" (לֶךְ-לְךָ, lekh-lekha): An emphatic, repeated form of "go" in Hebrew, meaning "go forth for yourself" or "get going." It conveys urgency and decisiveness, mirroring the same intense command used in Gen 12:1 when Abraham was first called. It emphasizes a deeply personal journey initiated by divine instruction.
• "your son" (אֶת-בִּנְךָ, et-binhka): Begins the escalating emphasis. It points to the direct and undeniable familial relationship. This is not an animal or a servant.
• "your only son" (אֶת-יְחִידְךָ, et-yechidkha): Hebrew yachid, meaning "unique," "only one," "solitary." This term profoundly heightens the command's difficulty. Isaac was Abraham's only son from Sarah, the one through whom the divine covenant was explicitly promised to continue (Gen 17:19; 21:12). This word conveys not merely numerical singularity but preciousness and unparalleled value, magnifying the sacrifice God demands.
• "whom you love" (אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ, asher ahavta): Directly appeals to Abraham's deepest paternal affection. This emotional qualifier ensures Abraham fully grasps the personal cost of obedience. God identifies the profound emotional attachment Abraham has to Isaac, making the test excruciatingly precise. It also parallels God the Father's love for His own "only begotten" Son.
• "Isaac" (יִצְחָק, Yitzchaq): The name itself means "he laughs" or "laughter," recalling the joy and divine promise associated with his miraculous birth. Specifying his name after the previous phrases leaves no doubt as to the identity of the required offering, removing any ambiguity and further intensifying the test for Abraham.
• "go to the land of Moriah" (אֶל-אֶרֶץ הַמּוֹרִיָּה, el-eretz haMoriya): Moriah likely means "seen by Yahweh" or "chosen by Yahweh," perhaps derived from "Yireh" (provide). It specifies the destination, implying a deliberate, purposeful journey. This geographical location later becomes highly significant, traditionally identified with the site of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chr 3:1), establishing a symbolic link to ultimate divine sacrifice and worship.
• "and offer him there" (וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם, veha'alehu sham): The verb 'alah (raise up, go up) used in the Hiphil stem ha'alehu means "cause to ascend," referring to the act of bringing a sacrifice up onto the altar.
• "as a burnt offering" (לְעֹלָה, l'olah): 'Olah (burnt offering) denotes a sacrifice that is wholly consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God. It leaves nothing for the one offering it, signifying total surrender and the absolute nature of the dedication. This specifies the type of offering required, the most extreme form of sacrifice.
• "on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you" (עַל אַחַד הֶהָרִים אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ, al achad heharim asher omar elekha): Adds an element of mystery and continuous dependence on God. Abraham is given a general location (Moriah) but not the precise spot, requiring him to walk by faith, receiving ongoing revelation and trust God's leading at every step of the journey until the final, specified mountain.

Genesis 22 2 Bonus section

• The Akedah: In Jewish tradition, this event is known as the "Akedah," meaning "the binding," emphasizing Isaac's passive cooperation and Abraham's act of tying him to the altar. This highlights a tradition of Isaac as a willing participant in the divine test, prefiguring Christ's submission to the Father's will unto death.
• Type of Christ: The parallels between Isaac and Jesus are striking: the only beloved son, a miracle child, carrying the wood for his own sacrifice, offered on a mountain near Jerusalem, and, importantly, God providing a substitute in one case, and being the substitute Himself in the other (John 3:16, Rom 8:32). The three-day journey to Moriah can be seen as foreshadowing Christ's resurrection on the third day.
• The Purpose of the Test: The purpose of the test was not to find out what Abraham would do (God already knew), but to demonstrate and confirm Abraham's faithfulness both to himself, to future generations, and to God Himself, as a testament of devoted obedience. It cemented Abraham's legacy as the "father of faith."
• Theological Foundation: This passage forms a foundational biblical truth: that true faith will be tested, that God provides for those who trust Him, and that obedience, even costly obedience, is deeply valued by God. It fundamentally redefines sacrifice, moving it from the appeasement of gods to a testament of loving trust in the One true God.

Genesis 22 2 Commentary

Genesis 22:2 is one of the most poignant and ethically challenging verses in all of Scripture. God's command to Abraham tests his ultimate allegiance. The carefully crafted progression—"your son," "your only son," "whom you love," "Isaac"—builds to maximize the emotional impact and underscores the immensity of what is being demanded. This is not just a command for sacrifice; it is a command to sacrifice the very vessel through which God's foundational promises to Abraham regarding numerous descendants and blessing to all nations (Gen 12:3) were to be realized.

The verse is pivotal in demonstrating true faith as expressed through obedience, even when understanding is lacking and the command seems contrary to prior promises and moral sensibilities. Abraham's journey to Moriah (which implies a three-day journey) also allows time for internal struggle and persistent choice. This event sets Abraham apart not for blind compliance to an unrighteous command (God never intended for Isaac to be sacrificed, Gen 22:12), but for profound, unwavering trust in God's character and ability, even to raise the dead (Heb 11:19). The God of Abraham is radically different from pagan deities; He demands obedience, not human sacrifice for His own need, but a tested heart that believes in His provision and ultimate goodness. This event foreshadows the ultimate divine sacrifice of God's own "only Son" for the redemption of humanity, making it a profound and multi-layered prophecy of Christ's passion.