Genesis-Chap-22
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Note: Some
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of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Foreword:
In this study
we will explore the ‘Akedah’ (the Binding of Isaac). This narrative stands as the ultimate
testament to the soul’s devotion and the complex dialogue between Divine
command and human love!
Introduction:
Genesis
Chapter 22 presents the climax of Abraham’s spiritual journey. Having journeyed
from his father’s house and endured decades of uncertainty, he faces his tenth
and most harrowing trial. This chapter is not merely about a test of obedience;
it is a profound exploration of the transition from ancient sacrificial norms
to a refined faith that prioritises life and ethical devotion. It establishes
the site of the future
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Genesis Chapter 22,
verses 1 to 24: Whilst below the verses are the Explanation’s. (The Chapter is from JPS-1917 version
of the Torah).
Verse 1: “And it came to pass after
these things, that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God) did prove Abraham, and said unto him:
‘Abraham’; and he said: “Here am I”.
Explanation
Verse 1.
The phrase “after these things” suggests a connection to the previous peace
treaty with Abimelech. The text clarifies that the
request is a “test”, ensuring the reader understands the Divine intent is not
actually the destruction of Isaac, but the manifestation of Abraham’s inner
resolve.
Verse 2: And He said: “Take now thy
son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac,
and get thee into the
Explanation
Verse 2.
The repetitive, rhythmic nature of the command “thy son, thine only son, whom thou
lovest” builds emotional weight. By specifying Moriah, the text points toward the future spiritual heart
of the world.
Verse 3: And Abraham rose early in the
morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he cleaved the wood for the
burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which אֱלֹהִים - Elohim had told him.
Explanation
Verse 3.
Abraham’s immediate action at dawn reflects zerizut (spiritual alacrity). He does not delegate the preparation; he saddles
his own donkey and splits the wood himself, showing total personal investment.
Verse 4: On the third day Abraham
lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
Explanation
Verse 4. The “third day” signifies a period
of deliberation. This was not a move made in a moment of religious frenzy, but
a calculated, conscious walk toward a destiny he did not yet fully grasp.
Verse 5: And Abraham said unto his
young men: 'Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad
will go yonder; and we will worship, and come back to you.'
Explanation: Verse 5. Abraham tells his servants that
“we” will return. This is often viewed as a prophetic slip or a profound moment
of faith, he trusts that somehow, the promise of a
future through Isaac will remain intact.
Verse 6: And Abraham took the wood of
the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the
fire and the knife; and they went both of them together.
Explanation: Verse 6. The phrase “and they went both of
them together” emphasises the unity of purpose between father and son. Isaac is
no longer a passive child but a willing participant in the walk toward the
altar.
Verse 7: And Isaac spoke unto Abraham
his father, and said: ‘My father’. And he said: ‘Here am I, my son’. And he
said: ‘Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a
burnt-offering?’
Explanation
Verse 7. Isaac’s question is poignant and
direct. He notices the absence of the lamb, indicating he is fully aware of the
ritual requirements.
Verse 8: And Abraham said: ‘אֱלֹהִים - Elohim will provide Himself the lamb for a
burnt-offering, my son’. So they went both of them together.
Explanation
Verse 8. Abraham’s response, “אֱלֹהִים - Elohim will provide Himself the lamb”, serves as both
a literal answer and a prayer. It maintains the “togetherness” of the two as
they approach the summit.
Verse 9: And they came to the place
which אֱלֹהִים - Elohim had told him of; and Abraham built the altar
there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the
altar, upon the wood.
Explanation
Verse 9.
The building of the altar is a deliberate act. The binding (Akedah) of Isaac ensures he remains still, representing the total
sanctification of the human will.
Verse 10: And Abraham stretched forth
his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
Explanation
Verse 10.
The climax of the physical trial. Abraham reaches for
the knife, proving that his love for the Creator transcends even his deepest
biological and emotional bonds, and he trusted and had faith in Elohim.
Verse 11: And the angel of יְהוָה - the LORD
called unto him out of heaven, and said: “Abraham, Abraham”. And he said: “Here
am I”.
Explanation
Verse 11.
The double call “Abraham, Abraham” signifies a change in state and an urgent
intervention to halt the act, as the internal transformation has already been
achieved.
Verse 12: And he said: “Lay not thy hand
upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou art a
אֱלֹהִים - Elohim -fearing man, seeing thou hast not withheld
thy son, thine only son, from Me”.
Explanation
Verse 12.
The Angel confirms that Abraham “fears אֱלֹהִים - Elohim”. In this context, fear is not terror, but a
total awe that allows no room for ego or self-interest.
Verse 13: And Abraham lifted up his
eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his
horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a
burnt-offering in the stead of his beloved son.
Explanation
Verse 13.
The ram caught in the thicket serves as the physical substitute. It teaches
that while the intent of total self-sacrifice is
required, the act must be channelled into symbolic
service rather than human destruction.
Verse 14: And Abraham called the name of
that place ‘Adonai-Jireh’; as it is said to this day:
‘In the mount where יְהוָה - the LORD is
seen’.
Explanation: Verse 14. Abraham names Adonai-Jireh (יהוה
יִרְאֶה - the LORD
will see/be seen). It acknowledges that this mountain is a place of constant
Divine oversight and human revelation.
Verse 15: And the angel of יְהוָה - the LORD
called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven,
Explanation
Verse 15.
The second call from the Angel shifts the focus from the trial to the eternal
reward.
Verses 16-18: and said: “By Myself have I
sworn, saith יְהוָה - the LORD,
because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying
I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is
upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast hearkened to My voice”.
Explanation Verses
16-18. Because
Abraham did not withhold his “only son”, the blessing becomes unconditional and
expansive. The “sand on the seashore” and “stars of the heaven” represent a legacy that is both grounded in the world and
spiritually transcendent.
Verse 19: So Abraham returned unto his
young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba;
and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.
Explanation
Verse 19.
Abraham returns to the young men, but Isaac is not explicitly mentioned as
being with him. This underscores the transformative nature of the event; Isaac
had been “offered” in spirit and emerges as a changed being.
Verse 20: And it came to pass after
these things, that it was told Abraham, saying:
'Behold, Milcah, she also hath borne children unto
thy brother Nahor:
Explanation
Verse 20.
The transition to the news of Nahor’s family provides
a bridge to the next stage of the narrative, finding a wife for Isaac.
Verses
21-23: Uz his first-born, and Buz his
brother, and Kemuel the father of
Explanation Verses
21-23. The
genealogy lists the children of Milcah and Nahor. The specific mention of Bethuel
and his daughter Rebekah is the crucial detail here, signalling that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim has already prepared the “answer” to the need
for the next generation.
Verse 24: And his concubine, whose name
was Reumah, she also bore Tebah,
and Gaham, and Tahash, and Maacah”.
Explanation
Verse 24.
The mention of Reumah and her children completes the
picture of the extended family, showing the growth of the Abrahamic
kin in the periphery while the core covenantal line is secured through Isaac.
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My Closing Message:
Genesis 22
remains the foundational narrative of Hebraic devotion. It teaches us that the
highest form of service is not the loss of life, but the dedication of life.
Abraham proved that he was willing to give everything back to the Source; in
return, the Source gave him back a son, a future, and a legacy that would
weather all history. The ‘Akedah’ serves
as a reminder that even in our darkest “Moriah”
moments, there is a “ram in the thicket”, a way to transform our trials into a
lasting blessing for ourselves and the world!
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