221 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.
221 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
221 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I."
221 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, "Abraham!" "Yes?" answered Abraham. "I'm listening."
221 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
221 Some time later, God tested Abraham's faith. "Abraham!" God called. "Yes," he replied. "Here I am."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 22:1
Commentary on Genesis 22:1-2
(Read Genesis 22:1-2)
We never are secure from trials In Hebrew, to tempt, and to try, or to prove, are expressed by the same word. Every trial is indeed a temptation, and tends to show the dispositions of the heart, whether holy or unholy. But God proved Abraham, not to draw him to sin, as Satan tempts. Strong faith is often exercised with strong trials, and put upon hard services. The command to offer up his son, is given in such language as makes the trial more grievous; every word here is a sword. Observe, 1. The person to be offered: Take thy son; not thy bullocks and thy lambs. How willingly would Abraham have parted with them all to redeem Isaac! Thy son; not thy servant. Thine only son; thine only son by Sarah. Take Isaac, that son whom thou lovest. 2. The place: three days' journey off; so that Abraham might have time to consider, and might deliberately obey. 3. The manner: Offer him fro a burnt-offering; not only kill his son, his Isaac, but kill him as a sacrifice; kill him with all that solemn pomp and ceremony, with which he used to offer his burnt-offerings.