Genesis - 22:8



8 Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they both went together.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Genesis 22:8.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And Abraham said: God will provide himself a victim for an holocaust, my son. So they went on together.
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself with the sheep for a burnt-offering. And they went both of them together.
And Abraham said, God himself will give the lamb for the burned offering: so they went on together.
And Abraham said: 'God will aprovide Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.' So they went both of them together.
But Abraham said, "God himself will provide the victim for the holocaust, my son." Thus they continued on together.
Et dixit Abraham, Deus prospiciet sibi pecudem in holocaustum, fili mi. Itaque perrexerunt ambo pariter.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

So they went both of them together. Here we perceive both the constancy of Abraham, and the modesty of his son. For Abraham is not rendered more remiss by this obstacle and the son does not persist in replying to his father's answer. For he might easily have objected, Wherefore have we brought wood and the knife without a lamb, if God has commanded sacrifices to be made to him? But because he supposes that the victim has been omitted, for some valid reason, and not through his father's forgetfulness, he acquiesces, and is silent.

My son, God will provide himself a lamb - Here we find the same obedient unshaken faith for which this pattern of practical piety was ever remarkable. But we must not suppose that this was the language merely of faith and obedience; the patriarch spoke prophetically, and referred to that Lamb of God which He had provided for himself, who in the fullness of time should take away the sin of the world, and of whom Isaac was a most expressive type. All the other lambs which had been offered from the foundation of the world had been such as Men chose and Men offered; but This was the Lamb which God had provided - emphatically, The Lamb Of God.

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a (d) burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
(d) The only way to overcome all temptation is to rest on God's providence.

And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering,.... In which answer Abraham may have respect to the Messiah, the Lamb of God, John 1:29, whom he had provided in council and covenant before the world was; and who in promise, and type, and figure, was slain from the foundation of the world, Revelation 13:8; and whom in due time God would send into the world, John 10:36, and make him an offering for sin, Isaiah 53:10, and accept of him in the room and stead of his people: and this was a provision that could only be made by the Lord, and was the produce of his infinite wisdom, and the fruit of his grace, favour, and good will and of which Abraham had a clear sight and strong persuasion, see John 8:56; though as the words may be considered as a more direct answer to Isaac's question, which related to the sacrifice now about to be offered, they may be regarded as a prophecy of Abraham's, and of his faith in it, that God would, as in fact he did, provide a lamb or ram in the room of that he was called to offer; or he may mean Isaac himself, whom he was bid to take and offer, and so was a lamb of God's providing; though he did not choose directly to say this, but puts him off with such an answer, suggesting that it was best for him to leave it with God, who, as he had called them to such service, would supply them with a proper sacrifice; and in speaking in this manner he might give room for Isaac to suspect what was intended, and so by degrees bring him to the knowledge of it. Some Jewish writers (e) say, that Abraham to this answer added in express terms,"my son, thou art the lamb:"
so they went both of them together; they proceeded on in their journey until they came to the place they were directed to go. The Targum of Jonathan says,"they went both of them with a perfect heart as one;''the Jerusalem Targum is,"with a quiet, easy, and composed mind or heart;''and Jarchi,"with a like heart;''all intimating that Isaac was thoroughly acquainted with what was to be done, that he was to be the sacrifice, and that he heartily agreed to it, and that he and his father were of one mind in it, and that he went with the same will to be offered up, as his father did to offer him; and indeed the expression being repeated from Genesis 22:6, seems to suggest something remarkable and worthy of attention.
(e) Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 31.)

My son, God will provide himself a lamb - This was the language either, Of his obedience; we must offer the lamb which God has appointed now to be offered; thus giving him this general rule of submission to the divine will to prepare him for the application of it to himself. Or, Of his faith; whether he meant it so or no, this proved to be the meaning of it; a sacrifice was provided instead of Isaac. Thus, Christ the great sacrifice of atonement was of God's providing: when none in heaven or earth could have found a lamb for that burnt - offering, God himself found the ransom. All our sacrifices of acknowledgement are of God's providing too; 'tis he that prepares the heart. The broken and contrite spirit is a sacrifice of God, of his providing.

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