Genesis 21 Birth of Isaac

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Dorothy

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was 8 days old, Abraham circumcised him as God commanded him. Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have born him a son in his old age.” The child grew and was weaned. And on the day Isaac was weaned, Abraham held a great feast. Sometime later, God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham.” “Here I am.” He replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” Early the next morning, Abraham got up and settled 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. One the third day, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 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.” 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, 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’s the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. 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. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son but the Angel of the Lord called up to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am.” He replied. “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.” Abraham looked up and there in the thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 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. The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself declares the Lord that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 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 procession of the cities of their enemies and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me.” Then Abraham returned to his servants and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.