Devine Scripture

Genesis 22:8

What does Genesis 22:8 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 22:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 22:8 means

Abraham's response to Isaac is both reassuring and profoundly prophetic: "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son." This statement shows Abraham's absolute trust in God's provision, even when he doesn't know how it will unfold. It is a declaration of faith that God is capable of supplying the sacrifice, or even raising Isaac from the dead, to fulfill His promises. This phrase also foreshadows the ultimate provision of God the Father, who would indeed provide His own Son, Jesus Christ, as the pre-eminent sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son: so they went both of them together.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son: so they went both of them together.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And Abraham said, God himself will give the lamb for the burned offering: so they went on together.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and Abraham saith, `God doth provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son;' and they go on both of them together.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And Abraham said: God will provide himself a victim for an holocaust, my son. So they went on together.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And Abraham said, My son,God will provide himself with the sheep for a burnt-offering. And they went both of them together.

Context

This verse contains Abraham's crucial answer to Isaac's question, immediately following their poignant exchange. Abraham's words express his deep faith in God's provision and propel the narrative towards the actual site of the sacrifice. This prophetic declaration is central to the chapter's theme of God's provision and sets the scene for the dramatic events at the altar, emphasizing both Abraham's trust and God's eventual intervention.

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?

v.8This passage

v.9And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

Cross references

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

  • Revelation 13:8

    And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.

  • Matthew 19:26

    And Jesus looking upon them said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

  • 2 Chronicles 25:9

    And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, Jehovah is able to give thee much more than this.

  • John 1:29

    On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!

  • Revelation 7:14

    And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

  • Revelation 5:12

    saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing.

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