Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 40
34
Genesis 22
PG 28
DIRECT
PG 32
SCENIC
22:1-18
22:1-24
12
16
ABRAHAM’S FAITH TESTED
Isaac grows up and becomes a young man. God continues to bless Abraham just
as he had promised decades earlier. Now God speaks to Abraham again and asks
him to do something very unusual. This request will challenge everything Abraham believes about God’s goodness, love, and justice. And Abraham will watch
as God’s promise and blessing begin slipping from his grasp.
and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders.
Then he sent her away with their son, and
she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of
Beersheba.
15
When the water was gone, she put the boy
in the shade of a bush. 16 Then she went and sat
down by herself about a hundred yards* away.
“I d
on’t want to watch the boy die,” she said,
as she burst into tears.
17
But God heard the boy crying, and the
angel of God called to Hagar from heaven,
“Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God
has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Go
to him and comfort him, for I will make a great
nation from his descendants.”
19
Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she
saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her
water container and gave the boy a drink.
20
And God was with the boy as he grew up
in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer,
21
and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His
mother arranged for him to marry a woman
from the land of Egypt.
ABRAHAM’S COVENANT
WITH ABIMELECH
About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol,
his army commander, to visit Abraham. “God
is obviously with you, helping you in every
thing you do,” Abimelech said. 23 “Swear to me
in God’s name that you will never deceive me,
my children, or any of my descendants. I have
been loyal to you, so now swear that you will
be loyal to me and to this country where you
are living as a foreigner.”
24
Abraham replied, “Yes, I swear to it!”
25
Then Abraham complained to Abimelech
about a well that Abimelech’s servants had
taken by force from Abraham’s servants.
26
“This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Abime
lech answered. “I have no idea who is respon22
sible. You have never complained about this
before.”
27
Abraham then gave some of his sheep,
goats, and cattle to Abimelech, and they made
a treaty. 28 But Abraham also took seven additional female lambs and set them off by themselves. 29 Abimelech asked, “Why have you set
these seven apart from the others?”
30
Abraham replied, “Please accept these
seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug
this well.” 31 Then he named the place Beershe
ba (which means “well of the oath”), because
that was where they had sworn the oath.
32
After making their covenant at Beersheba,
Abimelech left with Phicol, the commander of
his army, and they returned home to the land
of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted
a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he
worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God.* 34 And
Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine
country for a long time.
ABRAHAM’S FAITH TESTED
22
Some time later, God tested Abraham’s
faith. “Abraham!” God called.
“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
2
“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac,
whom you love so much—and go to the land
of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will
show you.”
3
The next morning Abraham got up early.
He saddled his donkey and took two of his
servants with him, along with his son, Isaac.
Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt
offering and set out for the place God had told
him about. 4 On the third day of their journey,
Abraham looked up and saw the place in the
distance. 5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abra
ham told the servants. “The boy and I will
21:16 Hebrew a bowshot. 21:33 Hebrew El-Olam.
