The Beginning:
God tests Abraham and commands him to take his son Isaac—called his “only son” whom he loves—to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering. Early the next morning Abraham sets out with Isaac, two servants, and wood for the offering. After traveling three days, Abraham sees the place from afar.
The Middle:
Abraham tells the servants to remain behind while he and Isaac go to worship, and Isaac carries the wood as they ascend the mountain. Isaac asks where the lamb is for the offering, and Abraham replies that God will provide. Abraham builds an altar, arranges the wood, binds Isaac, and lays him on the altar, then reaches out to slaughter his son.
The End:
An angel of the LORD calls out and stops Abraham, saying that Abraham has shown he fears God by not withholding his son. Abraham sees a ram caught in a thicket and offers it instead of Isaac, naming the place to reflect God’s provision. The angel reaffirms God’s promise that Abraham’s offspring will be multiplied and become a channel of blessing to the nations, and Abraham returns with Isaac.
This account presents God as the covenant Lord who tests Abraham’s trust, not to destroy the promise, but to confirm Abraham’s fear of God and wholehearted allegiance. The stopping of the sacrifice and the provision of the ram highlight that God rejects the taking of Isaac and supplies what is needed for acceptable worship. The reaffirmed blessing links the event to God’s wider covenant purpose: through Abraham’s offspring, blessing will extend beyond one family to “all nations of the earth” (Genesis 22:18).
In the ancient Near East, child sacrifice was known in some surrounding cultures, making the story’s outcome significant: the narrative climaxes with God preventing Isaac’s death and providing a substitute offering. The setting on a mountain aligns with the common biblical pattern of elevated places associated with worship and divine encounter (Genesis 22:2, 14).
“The LORD will provide.” — Genesis 22:14
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. How long did Abraham travel before he saw the place from afar?
2. What did Abraham see that he offered instead of Isaac?