God Commands Abraham to Offer Isaac
“Some time later God tested Abraham; he
called to him, "Abraham!" And Abraham answered, "Yes, here I
am!" 2 "Take your son," God said, "your only son,
Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Moriah
“God had said to him, "It is through
Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised." 19 Abraham
reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death—and, so to speak, Abraham
did receive Isaac back from death.” Heb 11:18-19 (TEV)
Isaac (Gen 21:1-12)
“At Isaac's birth, his parents, Abraham and
Sarah, were beyond childbearing age. God had promised Abraham a son (15:4-6), but no son had come. Ishmael had
been born through Hagar (16:1-16), but he was not the promised son.
Isaac means "he laughs,"
reflecting the circumstances of his birth. When God promised that Isaac would
be born, both Abraham and Sarah first laughed in disbelief (17:15-19; 18:9-15). When he was born, they laughed
for joy (21:6-7).
During Isaac's adolescence, God tested
Abraham by telling him to sacrifice Isaac (22:1-19). Abraham's faith remained firm; he
obeyed, and Isaac submitted to his father. God then intervened to provide a
sacrificial ram in Isaac's place. Abraham's faith in God was rewarded with the
promise of great blessings (22:15-18).
Isaac married Rebekah and was ready to
carry on the chosen line, but Rebekah was unable to bear children (25:21). Rather than take matters into his
own hands as his father had done (see 16:1-16), Isaac "pleaded with the
Lord" and Rebekah bore twin sons. Isaac favored Esau, the older son, while
Rebekah preferred Jacob. Favoritism remained a problem among Isaac's
descendants (see notes on 29:30; 33:1-2; 37:4) and led to Isaac's being deceived by
his son Jacob when he was old and blind (ch 27).
Isaac followed his father Abraham's example
in relating to surrounding nations. When visiting another kingdom during a
famine, he fearfully claimed that his wife was his sister (26:1-11; cp. 12:10-20; 20:1-18). Like his father, Isaac became
prosperous in that land and was asked to leave (26:12-16; cp. 12:16-20); he experienced conflict over
water and land with other herdsmen (26:17-22; cp. 21:25-31); and he made a treaty with the
king of the Philistines (26:26-31; cp. 21:22-31). When Isaac worshiped the Lord at
Beersheba
Isaac continued God's covenant with Abraham
and linked Abraham with Jacob (see Acts 7:8; Heb 11:9-20). As the child of promise,
Isaac represents all who are children of Abraham by faith in Christ and are
thereby free to live as God's children rather than as slaves (see Gal 4:21-5:1).” —NLT Study Bible
“But Abraham bowed before the Hittites
13 and said to Ephron, so that everyone could hear, "May I ask you,
please, to listen. I will buy the whole field. Accept my payment, and I will
bury my wife there." 14 Ephron answered, 15 "Sir, land
worth only four hundred pieces of silver—what is that between us? Bury your
wife in it." 16 Abraham agreed and weighed out the amount that Ephron
had mentioned in the hearing of the people—four hundred pieces of silver,
according to the standard weights used by the merchants. 17 That is how
the property which had belonged to Ephron at Machpelah east of Mamre, became
Abraham's. It included the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees
in the field up to the edge of the property. 18 It was recognized as
Abraham's property by all the Hittites who were there at the meeting.
19 Then Abraham buried his wife Sarah in that cave in the land of Canaan
“Genesis 23:7-16 Abraham wanted to buy Ephron's cave
at Machpelah, but Ephron wanted him to buy the entire field.
23:9 This would be a permanent burial place
for Abraham's family. The site was near Mamre (23:19), where Abraham lived (see 13:18; 14:13; 18:1). Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and
Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah would all be buried in this cave (23:19; 25:9; 35:27-29; 49:29-31; 50:13), their permanent place in the
Promised Land.
23:11 Ephron did not intend to give the
cave to Abraham; Abraham was expected to "give" the full price in
return. Ephron wanted to sell as much as he could to avoid responsibility for
caring for the cave and to receive as high a price as possible.
23:12-13 Abraham didn't want the whole
field, but he was willing to take it to get the cave.
23:15 400 pieces (Hebrew 400 shekels, about
10 pounds or 4.6 kilograms in weight; also in 23:16) of silver was a very high price.
Ephron's politeness was typical of the bargaining process.
23:16-20 Abraham paid the amount and
finalized the transaction, avoiding indebtedness by accepting no gifts from the
people (cp. 14:21-24). The Hittite elders witnessed the
transaction, ensuring that no one could challenge Abraham's full ownership of
the land. The transaction took place at the city gate, where public legal and
business dealings were conducted (cp. 19:1). The land became Abraham's permanent
possession, a down payment on God's promise to give him the land. Abraham knew
that God's promise was not fulfilled (12:7) by this acquisition, so he planned
for the future. By buying land for his dead, he declared that God's promises do
not end with this life. This is the hope of all who die in faith.” —NLT Study Bible
Chapter 24
A Wife for Isaac
“Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had
blessed him in everything he did. 2 He said to his oldest servant, who was
in charge of all that he had, "Place your hand between my thighs and make
a vow. 3 I want you to make a vow in the name of the Lord, the God of
heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the people
here in Canaan . 4 You must go back to the
country where I was born and get a wife for my son Isaac from among my
relatives." Gen 24:1-4 (TEV)
“Isaac's marriage to Rebekah ensured that
God's plan would continue into the next generation. God showed covenant
faithfulness by working through his faithful people (24:12, 27, 49).
24:1-9 Confident in the Lord's promise,
Abraham had his chief servant (probably Eliezer, 15:2) swear to find a wife among Abraham's
relatives in his homeland, some 450 miles away. Abraham was faithful to the
covenant by preparing for Isaac's future.
24:2 Putting his hand under Abraham's thigh
(cp. 47:29), the servant took a very solemn
oath, assuming the burden of completing this mission.” —NLT Study Bible
23:11 Ephron did not intend to give the
cave to Abraham; Abraham was expected to "give" the full price in
return. Ephron wanted to sell as much as he could to avoid responsibility for
caring for the cave and to receive as high a price as possible.
23:12-13 Abraham didn't want the whole
field, but he was willing to take it to get the cave.
23:15 400 pieces (Hebrew 400 shekels, about
10 pounds or 4.6 kilograms in weight; also in 23:16) of silver was a very high price.
Ephron's politeness was typical of the bargaining process.
23:16-20 Abraham paid the amount and
finalized the transaction, avoiding indebtedness by accepting no gifts from the
people (cp. 14:21-24). The Hittite elders witnessed the
transaction, ensuring that no one could challenge Abraham's full ownership of
the land. The transaction took place at the city gate, where public legal and
business dealings were conducted (cp. 19:1). The land became Abraham's permanent
possession, a down payment on God's promise to give him the land. Abraham knew
that God's promise was not fulfilled (12:7) by this acquisition, so he planned
for the future. By buying land for his dead, he declared that God's promises do
not end with this life. This is the hope of all who die in faith.” —NLT Study Bible
Chapter 24
A Wife for Isaac
“Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had
blessed him in everything he did. 2 He said to his oldest servant, who was
in charge of all that he had, "Place your hand between my thighs and make
a vow. 3 I want you to make a vow in the name of the Lord, the God of
heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the people
here in Canaan . 4 You must go back to the
country where I was born and get a wife for my son Isaac from among my
relatives." Gen 24:1-4 (TEV)
“Isaac's marriage to Rebekah ensured that
God's plan would continue into the next generation. God showed covenant
faithfulness by working through his faithful people (24:12, 27, 49).
24:1-9 Confident in the Lord's promise,
Abraham had his chief servant (probably Eliezer, 15:2) swear to find a wife among Abraham's
relatives in his homeland, some 450 miles away. Abraham was faithful to the
covenant by preparing for Isaac's future.
24:2 Putting his hand under Abraham's thigh
(cp. 47:29), the servant took a very solemn
oath, assuming the burden of completing this mission.” —NLT Study Bible
Genesis 24:10.
“The servant, who was in charge of
Abraham's property, took ten of his master's camels and went to the city where
Nahor had lived in northern Mesopotamia .
11 When he arrived, he made the camels kneel down at the well outside the
city. It was late afternoon, the time when women came out to get water.
12 He prayed, "Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today
and keep your promise to my master. 13 Here I am at the well where the
young women of the city will be coming to get water. 14 I will say to one
of them, 'Please, lower your jar and let me have a drink.' If she says, 'Drink,
and I will also bring water for your camels,' may she be the one that you have
chosen for your servant Isaac. If this happens, I will know that you have kept
your promise to my master." Gen
24:10-14 (TEV)
“The servant faithfully carried out the
mission, and he glorified God for displaying faithful covenant love for
Abraham's family by bringing all the details together. God sovereignly worked
behind the scenes to accomplish his will through the circumstances of those
acting responsibly in faith.”—NLT Study Bible
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