Genesis 22:1–3
Abraham rises early to obey the hardest test
Study it word by word1After these things Elohim tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2He said, “Take, please, your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you.”
3Abraham rose early in the morning, 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 he rose and went to the place that Elohim had told him.
In its context
…
4On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.
5Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. I and the boy will go over there; we will bow down and come back to you.”
Its words in the original
- יְהִיyehi· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- דְּבָרִיםdevarim· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- נִסָּהnisa· test
Test: find out what someone is truly like. When God tests a person it is to bring their faith to light, not to make them fall. Also try, attempt.
- אַבְרָהָםavraham· Abraham
Abraham, the name God gave to Abram; it sounds like "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5). The father of the people of Israel, to whom God promised the land and blessing for all the families of the earth.
- יֹּאמֶרyomer· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- קַחkach· take
Take: seize, take along, receive. Also "take a wife" (marry).
- בִּנְbin· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- יְחִידְyechid· only, only one
Only, alone; from there "dearly loved"; also one's life, which cannot be replaced.
- אָהַבְתָּahavta· love
Love, have affection for someone: a parent for a child, a husband for a wife, a friend for a friend, a person for God; also like, desire.
- יִצְחָקyitschak· Isaac
Isaac, the son promised to Abraham and Sarah, father of Esau and Jacob. His name means "he laughs" (Genesis 17:17, 19; 21:6).
- לֶךְlech· go, walk
Go, walk, depart; in the causative form, lead or bring.
- אֶרֶץerets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- מֹּרִיָּהmoriya· Moriah
Moriah: the region to which Abraham went with Isaac. Mount Moriah is the place in Jerusalem where Solomon built the temple.
- הַעֲלֵhaale· go up, offer up
Go up, ascend, climb. It is also used for "offering" a sacrifice (making it go up), and for coming up from Egypt.
- עֹלָהola· burnt offering
Burnt offering: a sacrifice in which the animal is burned whole on the altar, as a total gift to God. The Hebrew word means "what goes up" (in smoke).
- אַחַדachad· one
One; only, the same. Also "first" in a series.
- הָרִיםharim· mountain, hill country
Mountain, hill; hill country.
- יַּשְׁכֵּםyashkem· rise early
Rise early, get up early in the morning.
- בֹּקֶרboker· morning
Morning, dawn.
- יַּחֲבֹשׁyachavosh· bind; saddle
Bind, tie on; saddle an animal; bandage a wound.
- חֲמֹרchamor· donkey
Donkey, male donkey.
- שְׁנֵיshene· two
Two.
- נְעָרָיnearay· young man, servant
Boy, young man; also a servant or attendant.
- יְבַקַּעyevaka· split, break open
Split, cleave, break open; tear apart. Said of splitting wood, dividing the sea, springs bursting out, and cities being breached.
- עֲצֵיatse· tree, wood
Tree; also wood and what is made of it (a stick, a pole).
- יָּקָםyakam· rise, stand, establish
Rise, stand up; also stand firm, establish or fulfill something. "Rise against" is to attack.
- מָּקוֹםmakom· place
Place, spot; the space someone or something occupies; also a home or a holy place.