Devine Scripture

Genesis 22:6

What does Genesis 22:6 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 22:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 22:6 means

Abraham prepares for the offering by placing the wood on Isaac, symbolizing Isaac's participation in carrying the burden for the sacrifice, much like a sacrificial lamb would. Abraham himself carries the essential elements: fire to ignite the offering and the knife to perform the slaying. This image of father and son walking together, with the tools for the sacrifice in hand, creates a powerful and tragic scene, emphasizing the solemnity and the impending, dreadful act they are about to perform, unaware, from Isaac's perspective, of the true victim.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And Abraham put the wood for the burned offering on his son's back, and he himself took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them went on together.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And Abraham taketh the wood of the burnt-offering, and placeth on Isaac his son, and he taketh in his hand the fire, and the knife; and they go on both of them together.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he took the wood for the holocaust, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. And as they two went on together,

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and the knife, and they went both of them together.

Context

Following Abraham's instruction to the young men, this verse vividly depicts Abraham and Isaac's solitary ascent. It sets the immediate scene for the most intimate and challenging part of their journey, providing tangible details of their preparation for the sacrifice. This moment directly precedes Isaac's crucial question, thereby building the emotional tension and foreshadowing the ultimate act of faith to come.

v.5And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and come again to you.

v.6This passage

v.7And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold, the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 53:6

    All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

  • 1 Peter 2:24

    who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

  • John 19:17

    They took Jesus therefore: and he went out, bearing the cross for himself, unto the place called The place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha:

  • Matthew 8:17

    that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases.

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