King James Version

What Does Genesis 22:2 Mean?

Genesis 22:2 in the King James Version says “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer h...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 22 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”

Genesis 22:2 · KJV

Context

1

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. Behold: Heb. Behold me

2

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

4

Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

Read Genesis 22 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of... This passage is part of the Abrahamic narratives which shift from universal human history to God's particular covenant people. The Abraham cycle (Genesis 12-25) demonstrates God's sovereign election, covenant faithfulness, and the development of faith through testing and promise fulfillment.

Central themes include God's unconditional covenant promises (land, descendants, blessing to nations), the call to faith and obedience, the testing of faith through delays and impossibilities, the contrast between divine promises and human schemes, and God's gracious persistence despite human failures. Abraham emerges as the father of faith whose trust in God's promises becomes the model for all believers (Romans 4, Galatians 3, Hebrews 11).

Theologically, these narratives establish: (1) salvation by grace through faith rather than works; (2) covenant as God's gracious initiative binding Himself to His people; (3) the necessity of patient trust when promises seem impossible; (4) the consequences of attempting to fulfill God's promises through human effort; (5) the pattern of divine testing producing mature faith. The Abraham cycle foreshadows Christ as the ultimate seed through whom blessing extends to all nations (Galatians 3:16).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse deepen our understanding of God's character and His relationship with creation?
  2. How should this truth about Covenant Reaffirmation shape our daily decisions and priorities?
  3. How does this verse fit into the broader biblical story culminating in Christ?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 25 words
אֹמַ֥ר1 of 25

“And he said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

קַח2 of 25

“Take now”

H3947

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

נָ֠א3 of 25
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

אֶת4 of 25
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

בִּנְךָ֙5 of 25

“thy son”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

אֶת6 of 25
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

יְחִֽידְךָ֤7 of 25

“thine only”

H3173

properly, united, i.e., sole; by implication, beloved; also lonely; (feminine) the life (as not to be replaced)

אֲשֶׁר8 of 25
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙9 of 25

“whom thou lovest”

H157

to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)

אֶת10 of 25
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

יִצְחָ֔ק11 of 25

“son Isaac”

H3327

jitschak (or isaac), son of abraham

וְלֶךְ12 of 25
H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

לְךָ֔13 of 25
H0
אֶל14 of 25
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אֶ֖רֶץ15 of 25

“into the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

הַמֹּֽרִיָּ֑ה16 of 25

“of Moriah”

H4179

morijah, a hill in palestine

וְהַֽעֲלֵ֤הוּ17 of 25

“and offer him”

H5927

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

שָׁם֙18 of 25
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

לְעֹלָ֔ה19 of 25

“there for a burnt offering”

H5930

a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke)

עַ֚ל20 of 25
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

אַחַ֣ד21 of 25

“upon one”

H259

properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first

הֶֽהָרִ֔ים22 of 25

“of the mountains”

H2022

a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)

אֲשֶׁ֖ר23 of 25
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

אֹמַ֥ר24 of 25

“And he said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֵלֶֽיךָ׃25 of 25
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 22:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 22:2 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

John 3:16Romans 8:32Hebrews 11:171 John 4:9-10Genesis 17:19Genesis 22:12

Places in This Verse

MoriahRegion · Modern: Mount Moriah · 31.78°N, 35.24°E1 verse across 1 book
View all places in Genesis 22 →

Test Your Knowledge

Genesis 22 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterGenesis Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Genesis 22 with CommentaryAll Genesis ChaptersComplete Genesis QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes