By Elimu Assistant Team 
Narrate Abraham’s attempt to sacrifice his son Isaac. (Genesis 22:1—19)
Genesis 22:1-19 New International Version (NIV)
ABRAHAM TESTED
22 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring[b] all nations on earth will be blessed,[c] because you have obeyed me.”
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.
NARRATE ABRAHAM’S ATTEMPT TO SACRIFICE HIS SON ISAAC in summary
- God told Abraham to take his only son to the land of Moriah / offer him as a sacrifice,
- Abraham took his son, two servants, and wood for the burnt offering,
- They arrived at the place after a three day’s journey,
- Abraham commanded his servants to remain behind as he and Isaac went up to worship.
- He took Isaac, the firewood, and the knife and went up.
- Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the offering would come from,
- Abraham told Isaac’ that God would provide the lamb for a burnt offering.
- When they arrived at the place God had commanded, Abraham built an altar.
- He bound Isaac and laid him on the altar upon the wood Abraham took the knife to slay his son but the angel of the Lord stopped him.
- Abraham saw a ram, which he offered instead of his son.
- He called the name of the place. The Lord will provide.
- The angel appeared to Abraham a second time and gave him promises because of his obedience.
- Abraham returned with his men to Beersheba.
