Bible HebrewTake Your Son Genesis 22:2–8
Genesis 22: God tests Abraham. A long chain of story verbs, a son's question, and one sentence that comes back twice.
Genesis 22:2
וַיֹּאמֶר קַח־נָא אֶת־בִּנְךָ אֶת־יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַבְתָּ אֶת־יִצְחָק וְלֶךְ־לְךָ אֶל־אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם לְעֹלָה עַל אַחַד הֶהָרִים אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ
Wayyōmer qaḥ-nā ʾeth-binkhā ʾeth-yəḥīdhəkhā ʾăsher-ʾāhavtā ʾeth-yiṣḥāq wəlekh-ləkhā ʾel-ʾereṣ hammōriyyā wəhaʿălēhū shām ləʿōlā ʿal ʾaḥadh hehārīm ʾăsher ʾōmar ʾēlekhā
“And he said, “Take your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you.””
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| קַח | qaḥ | take |
| נָא | nā | please |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| בִּנְךָ | binkhā | your son |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| יְחִידְךָ | yəḥīdhəkhā | your only one |
| אֲשֶׁר | ʾăsher | whom |
| אָהַבְתָּ | ʾāhavtā | you love |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| יִצְחָק | yiṣḥāq | Isaac |
| וְלֶךְ | wəlekh | and go |
| לְךָ | ləkhā | (for) yourself |
| אֶל | ʾel | to |
| אֶרֶץ | ʾereṣ | the land of |
| הַמֹּרִיָּה | hammōriyyā | Moriah |
| וְהַעֲלֵהוּ | wəhaʿălēhū | and offer him up |
| שָׁם | shām | there |
| לְעֹלָה | ləʿōlā | as a burnt offering |
| עַל | ʿal | on |
| אַחַד | ʾaḥadh | one of |
| הֶהָרִים | hehārīm | the mountains |
| אֲשֶׁר | ʾăsher | which |
| אֹמַר | ʾōmar | I will say |
| אֵלֶיךָ | ʾēlekhā | to you |
- קַח: קַח, “take!”: a command of לָקַח. Its first letter ל drops out, the way the נ of I-nun verbs does.
- נָא: נָא softens a request: “please”. Translations often leave it out.
- בִּנְךָ: בִּנְךָ = בֵּן “son” + ־ְךָ “your”. The objects pile up, each with אֶת: your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac.
- וְלֶךְ: וְלֶךְ־לְךָ, “and go (for) yourself”: the same words God says to Abraham in Genesis 12:1 (see the Abraham reading).
- וְהַעֲלֵהוּ: וְהַעֲלֵהוּ = וְ + a Hiphil command of עָלָה, “go up”, so “make go up, offer up”, + ־הוּ “him”.
- אֹמַר: אֹמַר, “I will say”: an imperfect with the prefix א, “I”.
Genesis 22:3
וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת־חֲמֹרוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת־שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו אִתּוֹ וְאֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיְבַקַּע עֲצֵי עֹלָה וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־אָמַר־לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים
Wayyashkēm ʾavrāhām babbōqer wayyaḥăvōsh ʾeth-ḥămōrō wayyiqqaḥ ʾeth-shənē nəʿārāw ʾittō wəʾēth yiṣḥāq bənō wayvaqqaʿ ʿăṣē ʿōlā wayyāqom wayyēlekh ʾel-hammāqōm ʾăsher-ʾāmar-lō hāʾĕlōhīm
“And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place that God had told him.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיַּשְׁכֵּם | wayyashkēm | and (he) rose early |
| אַבְרָהָם | ʾavrāhām | Abraham |
| בַּבֹּקֶר | babbōqer | in the morning |
| וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ | wayyaḥăvōsh | and (he) saddled |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| חֲמֹרוֹ | ḥămōrō | his donkey |
| וַיִּקַּח | wayyiqqaḥ | and (he) took |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| שְׁנֵי | shənē | two of |
| נְעָרָיו | nəʿārāw | his young men |
| אִתּוֹ | ʾittō | with him |
| וְאֵת | wəʾēth | and (object marker) |
| יִצְחָק | yiṣḥāq | Isaac |
| בְּנוֹ | bənō | his son |
| וַיְבַקַּע | wayvaqqaʿ | and he split |
| עֲצֵי | ʿăṣē | the wood of |
| עֹלָה | ʿōlā | a burnt offering |
| וַיָּקָם | wayyāqom | and (he) arose |
| וַיֵּלֶךְ | wayyēlekh | and (he) went |
| אֶל | ʾel | to |
| הַמָּקוֹם | hammāqōm | the place |
| אֲשֶׁר | ʾăsher | which |
| אָמַר | ʾāmar | (had) said |
| לוֹ | lō | to him |
| הָאֱלֹהִים | hāʾĕlōhīm | God |
- וַיַּשְׁכֵּם: וַיַּשְׁכֵּם, “and he rose early”: a Hiphil story verb. It starts a chain of six: rose early, saddled, took, split, arose, went.
- וַיִּקַּח: וַיִּקַּח, “and he took”, from לָקַח. The ל behaves like the נ of I-nun verbs: it disappears, and the ק is doubled.
- שְׁנֵי: שְׁנֵי, “two of”: the “of” form of שְׁנַיִם (see the Numbers lesson).
- וַיְבַקַּע: וַיְבַקַּע, “and he split”: a Piel story verb. The doubled ק is the Piel clue.
Genesis 22:4
בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת־עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת־הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק
Bayyōm hashshəlīshī wayyiśśā ʾavrāhām ʾeth-ʿēnāw wayyar ʾeth-hammāqōm mērāḥōq
“On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from far away.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| בַּיּוֹם | bayyōm | on the day |
| הַשְּׁלִישִׁי | hashshəlīshī | the third |
| וַיִּשָּׂא | wayyiśśā | and (he) lifted |
| אַבְרָהָם | ʾavrāhām | Abraham |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| עֵינָיו | ʿēnāw | his eyes |
| וַיַּרְא | wayyar | and he saw |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| הַמָּקוֹם | hammāqōm | the place |
| מֵרָחֹק | mērāḥōq | from far away |
- הַשְּׁלִישִׁי: The adjective repeats the article: בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, “on the day, the third”, which is how Hebrew says “on the third day”.
- וַיִּשָּׂא: וַיִּשָּׂא, “and he lifted”, from the I-nun root נשׂא: the נ is gone and the שׂ is doubled (see the Weak Verbs lesson).
- וַיַּרְא: וַיַּרְא, “and he saw”: the short story form of רָאָה.
Genesis 22:5
וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל־נְעָרָיו שְׁבוּ־לָכֶם פֹּה עִם־הַחֲמוֹר וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד־כֹּה וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם
Wayyōmer ʾavrāhām ʾel-nəʿārāw shəvū-lākhem pō ʿim-haḥămōr waʾănī wəhannaʿar nēləkhā ʿadh-kō wənishtaḥăwe wənāshūvā ʾălēkhem
“And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and we will come back to you.””
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and (he) said |
| אַבְרָהָם | ʾavrāhām | Abraham |
| אֶל | ʾel | to |
| נְעָרָיו | nəʿārāw | his young men |
| שְׁבוּ | shəvū | stay |
| לָכֶם | lākhem | (for) yourselves |
| פֹּה | pō | here |
| עִם | ʿim | with |
| הַחֲמוֹר | haḥămōr | the donkey |
| וַאֲנִי | waʾănī | and I |
| וְהַנַּעַר | wəhannaʿar | and the boy |
| נֵלְכָה | nēləkhā | let us go |
| עַד | ʿadh | as far as |
| כֹּה | kō | over there |
| וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה | wənishtaḥăwe | and let us worship |
| וְנָשׁוּבָה | wənāshūvā | and let us return |
| אֲלֵיכֶם | ʾălēkhem | to you |
- שְׁבוּ: שְׁבוּ, “stay, sit”: a plural command of the I-yod verb יָשַׁב. The first root letter has dropped.
- נֵלְכָה: נֵלְכָה, “let us go”: the prefix נ “we” + an ending ־ָה that makes it an intention, “let us”.
- וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה: וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה, “and let us bow down, worship”: from the verb for bowing low to the ground.
- וְנָשׁוּבָה: וְנָשׁוּבָה, “and let us return”: again נ “we” and ־ָה, on the hollow verb שׁוּב. The verb is plural: “we”.
Genesis 22:6
וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָהָם אֶת־עֲצֵי הָעֹלָה וַיָּשֶׂם עַל־יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיִּקַּח בְּיָדוֹ אֶת־הָאֵשׁ וְאֶת־הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו
Wayyiqqaḥ ʾavrāhām ʾeth-ʿăṣē hāʿōlā wayyāśem ʿal-yiṣḥāq bənō wayyiqqaḥ bəyādhō ʾeth-hāʾēsh wəʾeth-hammaʾăkheleth wayyēləkhū shənēhem yaḥdāw
“And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. And the two of them went on together.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקַּח | wayyiqqaḥ | and (he) took |
| אַבְרָהָם | ʾavrāhām | Abraham |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| עֲצֵי | ʿăṣē | the wood of |
| הָעֹלָה | hāʿōlā | the burnt offering |
| וַיָּשֶׂם | wayyāśem | and (he) put (it) |
| עַל | ʿal | on |
| יִצְחָק | yiṣḥāq | Isaac |
| בְּנוֹ | bənō | his son |
| וַיִּקַּח | wayyiqqaḥ | and he took |
| בְּיָדוֹ | bəyādhō | in his hand |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| הָאֵשׁ | hāʾēsh | the fire |
| וְאֶת | wəʾeth | and (object marker) |
| הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת | hammaʾăkheleth | the knife |
| וַיֵּלְכוּ | wayyēləkhū | and they went |
| שְׁנֵיהֶם | shənēhem | the two of them |
| יַחְדָּו | yaḥdāw | together |
- עֲצֵי: עֲצֵי, “wood of”: the “of” form of the plural עֵצִים, “pieces of wood”.
- וַיָּשֶׂם: וַיָּשֶׂם, “and he put”, from the hollow root שׂים.
- שְׁנֵיהֶם: שְׁנֵיהֶם, “the two of them”: שְׁנֵי “two of” + ־הֶם “them”. The whole phrase comes back in verse 8.
Genesis 22:7
וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל־אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּנִּי בְנִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הָאֵשׁ וְהָעֵצִים וְאַיֵּה הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה
Wayyōmer yiṣḥāq ʾel-ʾavrāhām ʾāvīw wayyōmer ʾāvī wayyōmer hinnennī vənī wayyōmer hinnē hāʾēsh wəhāʿēṣīm wəʾayyē haśśe ləʿōlā
“And Isaac said to Abraham his father, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?””
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and (he) said |
| יִצְחָק | yiṣḥāq | Isaac |
| אֶל | ʾel | to |
| אַבְרָהָם | ʾavrāhām | Abraham |
| אָבִיו | ʾāvīw | his father |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| אָבִי | ʾāvī | my father |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| הִנֶּנִּי | hinnennī | here I am |
| בְנִי | vənī | my son |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| הִנֵּה | hinnē | look |
| הָאֵשׁ | hāʾēsh | the fire |
| וְהָעֵצִים | wəhāʿēṣīm | and the wood |
| וְאַיֵּה | wəʾayyē | but where (is) |
| הַשֶּׂה | haśśe | the lamb |
| לְעֹלָה | ləʿōlā | for a burnt offering |
- אָבִי: אָבִי, “my father”: אָב + ־ִי “my”.
- הִנֶּנִּי: הִנֶּנִּי, “here I am”: the same answer Moses and Samuel give (Exodus 3:4, 1 Samuel 3:4), spelled a little differently.
- וְאַיֵּה: וְאַיֵּה, “and where?”: the question word אַיֵּה (see the Questions lesson). Here וְ is best read “but”.
Genesis 22:8
וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה־לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה בְּנִי וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו
Wayyōmer ʾavrāhām ʾĕlōhīm yirʾe-lō haśśe ləʿōlā bənī wayyēləkhū shənēhem yaḥdāw
“And Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and (he) said |
| אַבְרָהָם | ʾavrāhām | Abraham |
| אֱלֹהִים | ʾĕlōhīm | God |
| יִרְאֶה | yirʾe | will see / provide |
| לּוֹ | lō | for himself |
| הַשֶּׂה | haśśe | the lamb |
| לְעֹלָה | ləʿōlā | for a burnt offering |
| בְּנִי | bənī | my son |
| וַיֵּלְכוּ | wayyēləkhū | and they went |
| שְׁנֵיהֶם | shənēhem | the two of them |
| יַחְדָּו | yaḥdāw | together |
- יִרְאֶה: יִרְאֶה, “he will see”, from רָאָה. With לוֹ, “see for himself”, it is usually translated “provide”.
- בְּנִי: בְּנִי, “my son”, is usually read as Abraham speaking to Isaac. Translations punctuate the sentence in different ways.
- וַיֵּלְכוּ: The same words as verse 6: וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו, “and the two of them went on together”. The repetition frames their conversation.
← What Is GoodThrough the Sea →
Bible Hebrew teaches this with practice questions and reviews that come back right before you forget. The alphabet, the lessons, the vocabulary and the guided readings are recorded in the biblical pronunciation. Free, no ads, and it works offline.
Practice this lesson free