Abraham

1The LORD appeared to Abraham at the plains of Mamre. It was the hottest part of the day. Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent.

And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

NoteThe LORD in big letters is God's own special name. Abraham lived in tents, not in a house. He moved his tents to find grass for his animals. Mamre was a place with big shady trees.

2He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them. He bowed down low, with his face toward the ground.

And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

NoteBowing down low was a way to show great respect. People did it when an important guest came.

3He said, "My lord, if you are pleased with me, please do not pass by. Please stop here with me, your servant."

And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

NoteAbraham calls himself "your servant" to be polite. It was a kind way to talk to a guest.

4"Let a little water be brought. You can wash your feet and rest under the tree."

Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

NotePeople wore sandals and walked on dusty roads. Washing a guest's feet was a kind thing to do.

5"I will bring a piece of bread, and you can feel strong again. After that you can go on your way. This is why you came to your servant." They said, "Yes, do as you have said."

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

Note"A piece of bread" was a polite way to say a meal. Abraham then made far more food than that.

6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, "Quick! Take three measures of fine flour. Mix it and make bread on the hot stones."

And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

NoteThree measures was a lot of flour, about twenty pounds. There were no ovens then. Flat bread was baked on hot stones by the fire.

7Abraham ran to his herd of cows. He picked a young calf that was tender and good. He gave it to a young servant, who hurried to get it ready.

And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

NoteA calf is a young cow. Cooking a whole calf was a special treat for guests.

8He took curds, which is thick milk, and he took milk. He brought the calf that was cooked and set it all before them. He stood by them under the tree while they ate.

And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

NoteCurds are milk made thick and soft. They are a little like yogurt.

9They said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He said, "She is there, in the tent."

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10The LORD said, "I will surely come back to you about this time next year. Then Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.

And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old. They had lived many years. Sarah was past the age when women have babies.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12So Sarah laughed to herself. She said, "I am worn out and old. Will I really have this joy? My husband is old too."

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

NoteSarah laughed where no one could hear her. Later her son was named Isaac. That name means "he laughs."

13The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? She said, 'Can I really have a baby when I am old?'"

And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14"Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will come back to you, about a year from now. And Sarah will have a son."

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

15Then Sarah said, "I did not laugh." She said this because she was afraid. He said, "No. You did laugh."

Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

16The men got up from there and looked toward the city of Sodom. Abraham walked with them to send them on their way.

And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

NoteSodom was a city not very far away. Abraham's nephew Lot lived there. Walking part of the way with guests was polite.

17The LORD said, "Should I hide from Abraham the thing I am going to do?"

And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18"Abraham will surely become a great and strong nation. All the nations of the earth will be blessed through him."

Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

NoteA nation is a very big group of people. They all come from one family long ago. Blessed means God would be good to them.

19"I know him. He will tell his children and his family after him to keep the LORD's way. They will do what is right and fair. So the LORD will bring to Abraham what he promised him."

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

NoteTo keep the LORD's way means to live the way God says.

20The LORD said, "There is a great cry against Sodom and Gomorrah. Their sin is very bad."

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

NoteSodom and Gomorrah were two cities near each other. Sin means doing wrong things on purpose. A "cry" means people there were being hurt. Their crying for help came up to God.

21"I will go down now and see. Have they done all that the cry against them says? If not, I will know."

I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

22The men turned away from there and went toward Sodom. But Abraham still stood before the LORD.

And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23Abraham came near and said, "Will you destroy the people who do right along with the people who do wrong?"

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24"Maybe there are fifty people in the city who do right. Will you still destroy it? Will you not save the place for those fifty?"

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25"You would never do such a thing. Killing those who do right along with those who do wrong is far from you. Treating the good and the bad the same is far from you. Will the Judge of all the earth, who decides what is right, not do right?"

That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

NoteA judge is someone who listens and decides what is fair.

26The LORD said, "If I find fifty people in the city of Sodom who do right, I will spare the whole place for them."

And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

NoteTo spare a place means to leave it alone and not destroy it.

27Abraham answered, "See, I have dared to speak to the Lord. I am only dust and ashes."

And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:

Note"Dust and ashes" was a way to say, "I am small." Abraham means he is only a person, talking to God.

28"Maybe the fifty who do right will be five short. Will you destroy the whole city because five are missing?" He said, "If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it."

Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

NoteAbraham asks again with a smaller number each time. Asking little by little was a polite way to ask.

29Abraham spoke to him again. He said, "Maybe only forty will be found there." He said, "For the forty, I will not do it."

And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

30He said, "Please do not be angry, Lord, and I will speak. Maybe only thirty will be found there." He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31He said, "See, I have dared to speak to the Lord. Maybe only twenty will be found there." He said, "For the twenty, I will not destroy it."

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

32He said, "Please do not be angry, Lord. Let me speak just this one more time. Maybe only ten will be found there." He said, "For the ten, I will not destroy it."

And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

33As soon as he finished talking with Abraham, the LORD went his way. And Abraham went back to his place.

And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Note"Went his way" means left and went on. Abraham's place was his tents at Mamre.

27Abraham got up early in the morning. He went to the place where he had stood before the LORD.

And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:

NoteThis is the same spot from the day before. Abraham had stood there talking with God about these cities.

28He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah. He looked toward all the flat land. He saw smoke going up from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

NoteA furnace is a very hot oven. People used one to melt metal or bake clay pots. Its smoke was thick and dark.

29When God destroyed the cities of the flat land, God remembered Abraham. He sent Lot out from the middle of it. That is how Lot got out when God destroyed the cities where he had lived.

And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

Note"God remembered Abraham" does not mean God had forgotten. It means God acted because of Abraham.

1Abraham traveled from there toward the south country. He lived between Kadesh and Shur. Then he stayed for a while in a town called Gerar.

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

NoteKadesh, Shur, and Gerar were real places in a dry, sandy land. Abraham lived in tents and moved his animals from place to place.

2Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech, the king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

NoteA king could send for anyone he wanted. People were afraid to say no to a king. Abimelech thought Sarah was not married, so he took her to be one of his wives.

3But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night. God said, "Listen. You are going to die because of the woman you took. She is another man's wife."

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.

NoteLong ago God sometimes spoke to people while they were asleep. A dream like this was not a mixed-up dream. It was a real message.

4But Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill a nation that has done no wrong?

But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

NoteA nation means all the people who live in one land. Abimelech is afraid God will punish his whole country, not just him.

5Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' My heart was honest and my hands were clean when I did this."

Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

Note"My hands were clean" does not mean washed hands. It is a way of saying, "I did nothing wrong."

6God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know your heart was honest when you did this. So I kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.

And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7Now give the man his wife back. He is a prophet, someone who speaks for God. He will pray for you, and you will live. If you do not give her back, know this: you will surely die, and so will everyone who belongs to you."

Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

NoteA prophet was someone God spoke to. The prophet then told other people what God said.

8So Abimelech got up early in the morning. He called all his servants and told them everything that had happened. The men were very afraid.

Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

NoteServants were people who worked for the king. They lived in his house and did his work.

9Then Abimelech called Abraham and said, "What have you done to us? What wrong did I do to you? You have brought a great sin on me and on my kingdom. You have done things to me that should not be done."

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

NoteA kingdom is all the land and people a king rules over. Sin means doing something wrong against God.

10Abimelech also said to Abraham, "What did you see that made you do this thing?"

And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11Abraham said, "I thought, 'Surely no one in this place fears God. They will kill me because of my wife.'

And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.

Note"Fears God" does not mean being scared of God. It means caring what God wants and not daring to do wrong.

12And she really is my sister. She is my father's daughter, but she is not my mother's daughter. And she became my wife.

And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

NoteSarah and Abraham had the same father but different mothers. That made her his half sister. Long ago, families sometimes married relatives like this.

13God had me leave my father's house and wander from place to place. So I said to her, 'Here is the kindness you can show me. Everywhere we go, say about me, "He is my brother."'"

And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

NoteAbraham had no house of his own. He carried tents and moved wherever God led him.

14So Abimelech took sheep and cattle, and men servants and women servants. He gave them to Abraham. He also gave Sarah, Abraham's wife, back to him.

And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

NoteBack then sheep and cattle were like money. Giving away this many animals was a very big way of saying sorry.

15Abimelech said, "Look, my land is right in front of you. Live wherever you like."

And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

NoteThe king is telling Abraham he may pick any spot in the whole country to live.

16To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It shows everyone with you, and everyone else, that you did nothing wrong." So her name was cleared.

And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

NoteSilver pieces were used as money before there were coins. A thousand of them was a huge amount. The gift showed everyone that Sarah had done nothing wrong.

17So Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his women servants. They had children.

So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

18No woman in Abimelech's house could have a baby. The LORD had closed every womb because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.

NoteA womb is the safe place inside a mother where a baby grows. LORD in big letters is God's own special name.

1The LORD came to help Sarah, just as he had said. The LORD did for Sarah what he had promised.

And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

NoteThe word LORD is printed in big letters here. It stands for God's own special name.

2Sarah was going to have a baby. She gave Abraham a son when Abraham was old. It happened at the very time God had said it would.

For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

3Abraham named the son that Sarah gave him. He called him Isaac.

And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

NoteThe name Isaac means "he laughs" in their language. Both Abraham and Sarah had laughed when God promised this baby.

4When Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. God had told him to do this.

And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

NoteCircumcised means a tiny bit of skin was cut off a baby boy. Abraham's family did this to show they belonged to God. It was always done when a boy was eight days old.

5Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born.

And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

6Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me."

And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

NoteSarah had laughed before because she thought she was too old. Now she laughs again, this time because she is happy.

7She also said, "Who would ever have told Abraham that Sarah would feed babies with her own milk? But I have given him a son when he is old."

And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

NoteThe King James says "given children suck." That is an old way to say feeding a baby milk from her own body. There were no baby bottles then.

8The child grew. He stopped drinking his mother's milk. On that same day Abraham made a big feast.

And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

NoteLong ago babies drank their mother's milk for two or three years. When a child stopped, the family had a party. It meant the child was growing strong.

9Sarah saw the son that Hagar the Egyptian had given Abraham. He was making fun.

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

NoteHagar was Sarah's servant from Egypt. Years before this, Sarah told Abraham to have a baby with Hagar. That baby was a boy named Ishmael. He is the boy in this story.

10So Sarah said to Abraham, "Send this slave woman and her son away. The son of this slave woman will not share what is yours with my son Isaac."

Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

NoteBack then a father's animals and land went to his sons when he died. Sarah did not want Ishmael to get any of it.

11This made Abraham very sad, because of his son.

And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

12But God said to Abraham, "Do not be sad about the boy and about your slave woman. Listen to everything Sarah says to you. Your family line will be counted through Isaac.

And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

NoteThe King James says "thy seed." Seed here means children, grandchildren, and all the family after them.

13I will also make the slave woman's son into a whole nation. I will do this because he is your son too."

And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

NoteA nation is a very big group of people living together. God says Ishmael's family will grow that big.

14Early in the morning Abraham got up. He took bread and a bag of water. He put them on Hagar's shoulder. He gave her the child and sent her away. She left and wandered in the wild, empty land near Beersheba.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

NoteThis bottle was a bag sewn from animal skin. People carried water in it. There was no glass or plastic then. The wild, empty land was dry, with few plants and almost no water.

15The water in the bag was all gone. She laid the child under one of the bushes.

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

16Then she went and sat down across from him, far away. It was about as far as an arrow flies. She said, "Let me not watch the child die." She sat there across from him and cried out loud.

And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

17God heard the boy's voice. The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. He said, "What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid. God has heard the boy's voice right where he is.

And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

NoteAn angel is a messenger. God sends angels to bring people his words.

18Get up. Lift the boy up and hold him by the hand. I will make him into a great nation."

Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

19Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the bag with water. She gave the boy a drink.

And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

20God was with the boy. He grew up and lived in the wild, empty land. He became an archer, someone who shoots with a bow and arrows.

And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

21He lived in the wild, empty land of Paran. His mother got him a wife from the land of Egypt.

And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

NoteParan was a dry, sandy land far to the south.

22At that time Abimelech came to Abraham. Phichol, the leader of his army, came too. They said, "God is with you in everything you do.

And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:

NoteAbimelech was a king who ruled land nearby. Phichol was the leader of the king's soldiers.

23So promise me here, with God as your witness. Promise you will not cheat me, or my son, or my son's son. I have been kind to you. Be that kind to me and to the land where you are living."

Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.

NoteTo swear here means to make a very serious promise. People asked God to listen while they promised.

24Abraham said, "I promise."

And Abraham said, I will swear.

25Abraham told Abimelech he had done wrong about a well of water. Abimelech's servants had taken the well by force.

And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.

NoteWater was hard to find in that dry land. Digging a well took many days of hard work. The person who dug it had the right to use it.

26Abimelech said, "I do not know who did this. You did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today."

And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.

NoteThe King James says "I wot not." That is an old way to say "I do not know."

27So Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made an agreement.

And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.

NoteA covenant is a strong promise between two people. They agree to treat each other well and keep their word.

28Abraham set seven young female sheep apart from the rest of the flock.

And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

NoteA ewe is a girl sheep. These were seven young girl sheep from Abraham's flock.

29Abimelech asked Abraham, "Why have you set these seven lambs apart by themselves?"

And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?

30Abraham said, "Take these seven lambs from my hand. They will show everyone that I dug this well."

And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

NoteThe lambs worked like a receipt. Taking them showed everyone that the well was Abraham's.

31So he called that place Beersheba. He called it that because there the two of them made their promise.

Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.

NoteBeersheba sounds like the words for "well of the promise." It can also mean "well of seven."

32So they made their agreement at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phichol, the leader of his army, got up. They went back to the land of the Philistines.

Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.

NoteThe Philistines were a people who lived near the sea. Their land was close to where Abraham stayed.

33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba. There he called on the name of the LORD, the God who lives forever.

And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

NoteA tamarisk is a tree that grows in dry places. It gives good shade. Planting one means you plan to stay a long time.

34Abraham lived in the land of the Philistines for many days.

And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.

1Some time later, God tested Abraham. God said, "Abraham!" Abraham said, "Here I am."

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.

NoteThe King James says God did "tempt" Abraham. In 1611 that word just meant test, like a hard question. It did not mean trying to make him do wrong.

2God said, "Take your son. Take Isaac, your only son, the one you love. Go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering, on one of the mountains. I will tell you which mountain."

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.

NoteA burnt offering was a gift given to God. An animal was killed and burned on a pile of stones. The smoke going up was the gift. People did this long ago to say thank you and sorry.

3Abraham got up early in the morning. He put a saddle on his donkey. He took two of his young men and his son Isaac. He chopped the wood for the burnt offering. Then he set out for the place God had told him about.

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.

NoteThe "young men" were servants who worked for Abraham. They helped him carry things and care for the animals.

4On the third day, Abraham looked up. He saw the place far away.

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

5Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there and worship. Then we will come back to you."

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

NoteTo worship means to tell God he is great. People bowed down and gave gifts to God.

6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering. He put it on his son Isaac. He carried the fire in his hand, and a knife. The two of them walked on together.

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.

NoteAbraham did not carry a flame in his bare hand. He carried hot coals in a pot. There were no matches then, so people brought fire with them.

7Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. He said, "My father." Abraham said, "Here I am, my son." Isaac said, "Here is the fire and the wood. But where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

And 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?

8Abraham said, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for the burnt offering." So the two of them walked on together.

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

9They came to the place God had told him about. Abraham built an altar there. He laid the wood on it in rows. He tied up his son Isaac. He laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

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

NoteAn altar is a pile of flat stones built like a table. People burned their gifts to God on top of it.

10Then Abraham reached out his hand. He took the knife to kill his son.

And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11The angel of the LORD called to him from heaven. He said, "Abraham, Abraham!" Abraham said, "Here I am."

And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

NoteAn angel is a messenger sent from God. When you see LORD in big letters, it stands for God's own special name.

12The angel said, "Do not put your hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God. You did not hold back your son, your only son, from me."

And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

NoteTo "fear God" does not mean to be scared of him. It means to treat God as great and to listen to him.

13Abraham looked up and saw a ram behind him. Its horns were caught in a bush. Abraham went and took the ram. He offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

NoteA ram is a full grown male sheep. Its horns got stuck in the branches of a bush, so it could not run away.

14Abraham named that place Jehovahjireh. That is why people still say today, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be seen."

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

NoteJehovahjireh is Hebrew, the language Abraham spoke. It means "the LORD will give what is needed." People named places after things that happened there.

15The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time.

And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

16The angel said, "The LORD says this: I have made a promise, and I swore by myself. You have done this thing. You did not hold back your son, your only son.

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

NoteWhen people made a big promise, they swore by someone greater than themselves. There is no one greater than God. So God promised by himself.

17So I will surely bless you. I will give you as many children and grandchildren as the stars in the sky. They will be as many as the sand on the seashore. Your family will take the gates of their enemies.

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Note"Your family will take the gates of their enemies" sounds strange to us. Long ago, towns had a big wall with strong gates. Whoever held the gates held the whole town. So this means the family will be safe and strong.

18All the nations of the earth will be blessed through your family. This is because you obeyed my voice."

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

NoteNations means all the different groups of people on earth.

19So Abraham went back to his young men. They got up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.

So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

NoteBeersheba was a town in the dry land in the south. Abraham lived there with his sheep and goats.