16
and said,וַיֹּאמֶר“By myselfבִּיI have sworn,נִשְׁבַּעְתִּיdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH,יְהוָהbecauseכִּי יַעַן אֲשֶׁרyou have doneעָשִׂיתָthis thingאֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּהand have not withheldוְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּyour son,אֶת בִּנְךָyour only one,אֶת יְחִידֶךָ
Genesis 22:16
Study it in the app“and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares YHWH, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only one,”
Abraham is promised offspring through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessedWho Jesus IsAbraham did not withhold his only son and received the blessingObedience
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 22:16, word by word
- and saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- I have swornנִשְׁבַּעְתִּיnishbati
swear
To promise with God as witness.
Where else “nishbati” appears- declaresנְאֻםneum
declaration
Solemn words God himself speaks: "oracle of YHWH".
Where else “neum” appears- YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- you have doneעָשִׂיתָasita
do
To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.
Where else “asita” appears- this thingדָּבָרdavar
thing
A matter, a thing; with "not", nothing.
Where else “davar” appears- and have not withheldחָשַׂכְתָּchasachta
hold back
To refuse to give something and keep it for oneself.
Where else “chasachta” appears- your sonבִּנְbin
son
The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.
Where else “bin” appears- your only oneיְחִידֶyechide
only
The only child of his parents, the most beloved.
Where else “yechide” appears
The context
15The angel of YHWH called to Abraham a second time from the heavens
16 · This verse (above)
17that I will surely bless you and will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the shore of the sea; and your offspring will possess the gate of its enemies.
To study Genesis 22 in a group
1. What it says
What did Elohim ask of Abraham, and what provision appeared on the mountain (vv. 2, 12-13)?
2. What it means
What does this account teach about trusting Elohim and his provision (vv. 12-14)?
3. How I live it
What is hard for you to place in Elohim’s hands, and how can you talk with him about it?