24. "Now I know" (22:1-19)

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God tested Abraham

22

1 AFTER that, God put Abraham to the test:
Abraham!
he said to him
here I am!
said Abraham
2 he said:

now take your child
who you dearly love, Isaac
travel as far as the land of Mori-Ya
offer there Isaac as an offering
on a hill
that I’ll tell you

3 in the morning Abraham prepared his donkey
he took two men with him
and Isaac his son
split wood for the offering
and set out on foot
to where God told him

4 on the third day Abraham looked up
saw the place where they were heading in the distance, 5 and told the men:
stay here with the donkey
I and the boy are going over there
we shall worship
and come back

6 Abraham took the wood
needed for the offering
and put it on the back of Isaac his son
he took in his hand the fire and the knife
and off
they both went

7 Isaac said to Abraham his father
he said: father; he said:
here I am, my son
he said: here are the fire and the wood, but
where is the sheep
we’re to offer?

8 Abraham said:
God will provide
the sheep to be offered
my son
and the two
walked on together

9 they reached the place God had told him
Abraham built an altar there
and prepared the wood
he tied up Isaac his son and laid him down
on the altar
upon the wood

10 Abraham stretched out his hand
and grasped the knife
to kill his son
11 a messenger in heaven called:
Abraham Abraham
he said: here I am

12 he said: do not lay your hand on the boy
do nothing to him
now I know that you are obedient to God
because you would have sacrificed to me had I asked you
your child
who you dearly love

13 Abraham looked up
and look! a ram
caught in the bushes by the horn!
Abraham went and fetched the sheep
and offered it to God
instead of his child


14 Abraham named the place where he was: "Our Lord Provides". And until this day they say: On Our Lord’s mountain it will be seen.

15 the messenger of Our Lord called to Abraham again:
16 he said: by me I swear
says Our Lord
that because you did that and were willing to sacrifice
your child
who you dearly love

17 I am going to bless you
I am going to make your offspring many
like the stars in heaven
like the sand by the sea
your children will become masters
of the towns of their enemies
18 and all the peoples of the world
will be blessed on account of your children
because you obeyed me

19  Abraham returned to his servants. They rose and went together to Beer-Sheba and Abraham remained in Beer-Sheba.