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After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
Verse 1. God tempted, and so forth God tempteth no man to evil, James 1:13. But by trial and experiment, maketh known to the world and to ourselves, what we are; as here by this trial the singular faith and obedience of Abraham was made manifest. Challoner.
He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
Verse 2. Thy only begotten, or thy most beloved, as if he had been an only child; in which sense the word is often taken, 1 Chronicles 29:1. Ismael was still living; but Isaac was the only son of Sara, the most dignified wife.—Lovest. Hebrew “hast loved” hitherto; now thou must consider him as dead. He has been to thee a source of joy, but now he will be one of tears and mourning.—Of vision. Septuagint “high,” being situated on Mount Moria, by which name it was afterwards distinguished, ver. 14. Menochius.—Every word in this astonishing command, tended to cut Abraham to the heart; and thence we may the more admire his strength and disinterestedness of his faith. He could hope, in a manner, against hope, knowing in whom he had trusted, and convinced that God would not deceive him, though he was at a loss to explain in what manner Isaac should have children after he was sacrificed. Bible.
Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.
Verse 3. In the night: de nocte, Hebrew “very early in the morning.”—His son, 25 years old, without perhaps saying a word to Sara about the intended sacrifice; though some believe, he had too great an opinion of her faith and constancy, not to reveal to her the order of God. The Scripture is silent. Calmet.
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and come back to you.”
Verse 5. Will return. He hoped, perhaps, that God would restore Isaac to life: (Hebrews 11:19) and he could not well express himself otherwise to the men, who were not acquainted with the divine decree. Calmet.
Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together.
Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Verse 7. Holocaust. These were probably the only sacrifices yet in use. Calmet.—The conversation of Isaac could not fail to pierce the heart of his father. Menochius.
Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together.
They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.
Verse 9. The place. Mount Moria, on part of which the temple was built afterwards; and on another part, called Calvary, our Saviour was crucified, having carried his cross, as Isaac did the wood for sacrifice.—His son: having first explained to him the will of God, to which Isaac gave his free consent; otherwise, being in the vigour of his youth, he might easily have hindered his aged father, who was 125 years old, from binding him. But in this willingness to die, as in many other particulars, he was a noble figure of Jesus Christ, who was offered because it was His will. Bible.
Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
Verse 10. To sacrifice; a thing hitherto unprecedented, and which God would never suffer to be done in his honour, though he was pleased to try the obedience of his servant so far. The pagans afterwards took occasion, perhaps, from this history, to suppose, that human victims would be the most agreeable to their false deities: ( Calmet.) but in this misconception they were inexcusable, since God prevented the sacrifice from being really offered to him, in the most earnest manner, saying, Abraham, Abraham, as if there were danger lest the holy man should not hear the first call. Bible.
The LORD’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
Verse 12. Hast not spared. Thus the intentions of the heart become worthy of praise, or of blame, even when no exterior effect is perceived. Bible.
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
Verse 13. He took; God having given him the dominion over it. Calmet.
Abraham called the name of that place “The LORD Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On the LORD’s mountain, it will be provided.”
Verse 14. Will see. This became a proverbial expression, used by people in distress, who, remembering how Abraham had been relieved, endeavoured to comfort themselves with hopes of relief. Some translate the Lord will be seen, which was verified when Christ was crucified. Menochius.—Or, he will provide, alluding to what was said, verse 8.
or, the LORD Jireh, or, the LORD Seeing
The LORD’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,
and said, “‘I have sworn by myself,’ says the LORD, ‘because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
Verse 16. Own self; as he could not swear by any one greater. Hebrews 6:13. Jeremiah 22:5.
that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.
Verse 17. Stars and dust, comprising the just and sinners.—Gates, shall judge and rule. Bible.
All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.’”
So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
Verse 20. Children. These are mentioned here, to explain the marriage of Isaac with Rebecca, the grand-daughter of Nachor and Melcha.
Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
Verse 21. Hus, who peopled Ausitis in Arabia, the desert, where Job lived.—Buz, from whom sprung Elihu the Busite, the Balaam of the Jews. S. Jerom—Syrians, called Camiletes, to the west of the Euphrates; or father of the Cappadocians. Calmet.
Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”
Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
Verse 24. Concubine, or wife, secondary in privileges, love, and dignity. Though Nachor did not, perhaps imitate the faith and virtue of his brother Abraham, but mixed various superstitions with the knowledge of the true God; yet we need not condemn him, for having more wives than one. Bible.