Year of the Bible
Genesis 22
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Commentary on the Book of Genesis, Chapter 22:
After setting up Abraham for peace with his neighbors and a son from Sarah, God visits for a seventh and final time to test Abraham. Biblical testing is not a case of pass/fail or receiving a grade, but rather an opportunity for growth in faith. God commands Abraham to sacrifice his only-begotten, beloved son. While this would be common in ancient pagan religions, it does not match the character of God displayed thus far to Abraham. Abraham obeys and just as he is about to slaughter his son, an angel appears to stop him. The angel explains that because Abraham has been faithful and did not withhold his son from God, God is going to bless Abraham and his descendants.
The Book of Genesis, Chapter 22:
God Tests Abraham
1 After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only-begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only-begotten son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will provide; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only-begotten son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.
The Children of Nahor
20 Now after these things it was told Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz the first-born, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Lord, help me to hear and respond to your promptings in my life. Are there any things (relationships, shows, activities, etc.) that I've prioritized above you? Give me the courage to first seek after you, and then to trust that good things will be granted.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc, or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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Después de estos sucesos, Dios
puso a prueba a Abrahán. Y le llamó:
–¡Abrahán!
Éste respondió:
–Aquí estoy.
2 Entonces le dijo:
–Toma a tu hijo, a tu único hijo, al
que tú amas, a Isaac, y vete a la región de
Moria. Allí lo ofrecerás en sacrificio, sobre
un monte que yo te indicaré.
3 Muy de mañana Abrahán se levantó,
aparejó su asno, se llevó consigo
a dos siervos y a su hijo Isaac, cortó
la leña del sacrificio, se puso en camino
y se dirigió al lugar que le había dicho
Dios. 4 Al tercer día, Abrahán alzó la vista
y divisó el lugar a lo lejos. 5 Entonces
dijo Abrahán a sus siervos:
–Quedaos aquí con el asno mientras
el muchacho y yo vamos hasta allí
para adorar a Dios; luego volveremos
con vosotros.
6 Tomó Abrahán la leña del sacrificio
y se la cargó a su hijo Isaac, mientras él
llevaba en la mano el fuego y el cuchillo;
y se pusieron en marcha los dos juntos.
7 Isaac dijo a su padre Abrahán:
–¡Padre!
Él respondió:
–Sí, hijo mío.
Y el muchacho preguntó:
–Aquí está el fuego y la leña, pero
¿dónde está el cordero para el sacrificio?
8 Respondió Abrahán:
–Dios proveerá el cordero para el
sacrificio, hijo mío.
Caminando juntos 9 llegaron al lugar
que Dios le había dicho; construyó allí
Abrahán el altar y colocó la leña; luego
ató a su hijo Isaac y lo puso sobre el altar
encima de la leña. 10 Abrahán alargó
la mano y empuñó el cuchillo para inmolar
a su hijo. 11 Pero entonces el ángel
del Señor le llamó desde el cielo:
–¡Abrahán, Abrahán!
Él contestó:
–Aquí estoy.
12 Y Dios le dijo:
–No extiendas tu mano hacia el muchacho
ni le hagas nada, pues ahora he
comprobado que temes a Dios y no me
has negado a tu hijo, a tu único hijo.
13 Abrahán levantó la vista y vio detrás
un carnero enredado en la maleza
por los cuernos. Fue Abrahán, tomó el
carnero y lo ofreció en sacrificio en vez
de su hijo. 14 Abrahán llamó a aquel lugar
«El Señor provee», tal como se dice
hoy: «en la montaña del Señor provee».
15 El ángel del Señor llamó por segunda
vez a Abrahán desde el cielo 16 y
le dijo:
–Juro por mí mismo, oráculo del Señor,
que por haber hecho una cosa así, y
no haberme negado a tu hijo, a tu único
hijo, 17 te colmaré de bendiciones y multiplicaré
tu descendencia como las estrellas
del cielo y como la arena de las
playas; y tu descendencia se adueñará
de las ciudades de sus enemigos. 18 En tu
descendencia serán bendecidos todos
los pueblos de la tierra porque has obedecido
mi voz.
19 Abrahán volvió al lado de sus criados;
emprendieron la marcha y fueron
todos juntos a Berseba; y Abrahán residió
en Berseba.
20 Después de estos sucesos, le fue
anunciado a Abrahán:
–También Milcá le ha dado hijos a
Najor, tu hermano: 21 Us, el primogénito;
Buz, su hermano; Quemuel, padrey Betuel.
23 Betuel engendró a Rebeca. Estos
ocho hijos dio Milcá a Najor, hermano
de Abrahán. 24 También su concubina,
que se llamaba Reumá, dio a luz a Tébaj,
Gajam, Tajas y Maacá.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
Señor, ayúdame a escuchar y responder a tus señales en mi vida. ¿Hay cosas (relaciones, eventos, actividades, etc.) que he puesto por encima de ti? Dame el valor de buscarte primero, y confiar en que cosas buenas me serán concedidas.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).