Isaac

15God said to Abraham, "About Sarai your wife: do not call her Sarai. Her name will be Sarah."

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

NoteSarai and Sarah are two forms of one name. Both names mean "princess." God gave her a new name, like he did for her husband.

16"I will bless her. I will also give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."

And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17Then Abraham lay down with his face to the ground and laughed. He said inside himself, "Can a man who is a hundred years old have a child? Can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety?"

Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

18Abraham said to God, "Oh, let Ishmael live his life in front of you!"

And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

NoteIshmael was Abraham's older son. His mother was Hagar, who was Sarah's servant. Abraham loved him and wanted good things for him.

19God said, "Sarah your wife will really have a son. You will name him Isaac. My promise with him will last forever. It will be for his family after him too."

And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

NoteThe name Isaac means "he laughs." Abraham had just laughed at the news. The baby's name would always remind the family of that.

20"As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Look, I have blessed him. I will give him many children. His family will grow very, very big. He will be the father of twelve princes, who are rulers of people. I will make him a great nation."

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

NoteThe King James word "beget" means to become the father of someone. A prince here means a leader of a large family group.

21"But I will keep my promise with Isaac. Sarah will have him at this same time next year."

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

22God finished talking with him. Then God went up away from Abraham.

And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

NoteThe King James says "he left off talking with him." That just means God stopped talking. The visit was over.

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.

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.

1Abraham was now very old. The LORD had blessed Abraham in everything.

And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

NoteThe LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. To be blessed means God gave him good things.

2Abraham had an oldest servant who took care of all he owned. Abraham said to him, "Please put your hand under my thigh."

And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

NotePutting your hand under someone's thigh was an old way of promising. It showed the promise was very serious.

3"Swear to me by the LORD, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth. Promise you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites. I live among those people."

And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

NoteTo swear means to make a promise with God listening. The Canaanites were the people already living in that land.

4"Instead, go to my own country and to my own family. Get a wife there for my son Isaac."

But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

NoteAbraham had moved far away from the place he was born. His own family still lived back in that old country.

5The servant said, "Maybe the woman will not want to come back with me to this land. Should I then take your son back to the land you came from?"

And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

6Abraham said to him, "Be careful. Do not take my son back there."

And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

7"The LORD, the God of the heavens, took me from my father's house. He took me from the land of my family. He spoke to me and made a promise to me. He said, 'I will give this land to your children and their children.' He will send his angel ahead of you. You will get a wife for my son from there."

The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

NoteAn angel is a messenger God sends to help people.

8"If the woman will not come with you, then you are free from this promise. Only do not take my son back there."

And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

9So the servant put his hand under Abraham's thigh. He swore to his master about this matter.

And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

NoteHe swore, which means he made a very serious promise.

61Rebekah and her servant girls got ready. They rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.

And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

NoteThe trip back was hundreds of miles across dry country.

62Isaac had come from the way of the well called Lahai-roi. He was living in the south country.

And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

NoteLahai-roi was the name of a well out in the dry land. The south country had few towns and little rain.

63In the evening Isaac went out to the field to think quietly. He looked up and saw camels coming.

And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

64Rebekah looked up too. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.

And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

65She had asked the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?" The servant had said, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself.

For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.

NoteA veil is a cloth a woman wore over her face. A bride covered her face before she met the man she would marry.

66The servant told Isaac everything he had done.

And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.

67Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother died.

And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

NoteAbraham's family lived in tents, not houses. They moved from place to place to find grass for their animals.

5Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac.

And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.

NoteIn those days a father left his land and animals to one main son. Abraham chose Isaac.

6Abraham also had women who were like wives but had a lower place. He gave their sons gifts. While he was still alive, he sent those sons away from his son Isaac. They went east, to the land in the east.

But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

NoteOne of these women was a servant who lived with Abraham like a wife. She did not have the same place as a full wife. Her sons did not get the family land.

7Abraham lived for 175 years.

And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.

NoteThe people in these very old family stories are said to live much longer than people live now.

8Then Abraham took his last breath and died. He was very old, and he had lived a full life. He was gathered to his people.

Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

Note"Gathered to his people" is a gentle way of saying he died. It also means his body was laid where his family was buried.

9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him. They laid him in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre. The cave was in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite.

And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;

NoteA cave could be used like a grave. A whole family was often buried together in one cave. The Hittites were a group of people who lived in that land.

10Abraham had bought that field from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there, and so was his wife Sarah.

The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

NoteAbraham had bought this field long before, when Sarah died. It was the only piece of land he ever owned.

11After Abraham died, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived near the well called Lahairoi.

And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

NoteA well is a deep hole dug down to water. The name of this well means "the Living One sees me."

19This is the family story of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham was the father of Isaac.

And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:

20Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. She was the daughter of Bethuel, a man from Syria, from Padanaram. She was the sister of Laban the Syrian.

And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

NotePadanaram was far to the north, in the land called Syria. Rebekah's family lived there. Her brother Laban will come into the story again later.

21Rebekah could not have children. So Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife. The LORD listened to him, and Rebekah became pregnant.

And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

NoteIsaac was forty when he married. He was sixty when the twins came. So they waited about twenty years for a baby.

22The babies inside her pushed and struggled with each other. She said, "If it is like this, why is it happening to me?" So she went to ask the LORD.

And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.

NoteTo ask the LORD meant to pray and then wait for God to answer.

23The LORD said to her, "Two nations are inside you. Two kinds of people will come from you and be split apart. One people will be stronger than the other. The older one will serve the younger one."

And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

NoteA nation here means a big group of people who come from one family. The older son was usually the leader of the family. God is saying the younger one will lead instead.

24When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins inside her.

And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25The first baby came out red. Hair covered him all over, like a fur coat. They named him Esau.

And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

NoteIn their language, the name Esau sounds like their word for hairy.

26After that his brother came out, holding on to Esau's heel. So they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

NoteIn their language, the name Jacob sounds like their word for heel. It also means someone who grabs, or who takes another person's place.

27The boys grew up. Esau was very good at hunting, a man of the open fields. Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents.

And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

NoteFamilies like theirs lived in tents and moved with their sheep and goats. Staying among the tents means Jacob stayed close to home.

28Isaac loved Esau, because he ate the wild meat Esau brought him. But Rebekah loved Jacob.

And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.