05-00

The Son of Promise

This title can also be translated as: “About how God promised Abraham that he would have a son” or “How did God promise to give Abraham a son?”

05-01

they still did not have a child

Without a child, Abram had no descendants to become a great nation.

So Abram’s wife, Sarai, said to him, “Since God has not allowed me to have children and now I am too old to have children, here is my servant, Hagar. Marry her also so she can have a child for me.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “So Abram’s wife, Sarai, said to him that since God had not allowed her to have children and now I am too old to have children, Abram should take her servant, Hagar, and marry her also so she could have a child for Sarai.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

Marry her also

Abram would take Hagar as a second wife, but Hagar would not have the full status of a wife as Sarai did. She was still Sarai’s servant.

have a child for me

Since Hagar was Sarai’s servant, Sarai would be considered the mother of any children that Hagar bore.

05-02

married

Hagar became Abram’s concubine–a second wife of lower status. Hagar was still Sarai’s servant.

became jealous of Hagar

Sarai was jealous of Hagar because Hagar could have children and Sarai could not.

05-03

God also told Abram, “You will be the father of many nations. I will give you and your descendants the land of Canaan as their possession and I will be their God forever. You must circumcise every male in your family.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “God also told Abram that Abram would be the father of many nations. God would give him and his descendants the land of Canaan as their possession and would be their God forever. Abram must circumcise every male in his family.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

the father of many nations

Abram would have many descendants, and they would have their own lands and rule themselves. They and others would remember that Abram was their ancestor and would honor him.

I will be their God

Another way to say this is: “I will be the God that they will worship.”

every male in your family

This could be translated as: “every boy and man in your family.” This included Abram’s servants and his descendants.

05-04

General Note

God continues to speak to Abram.

“Your wife, Sarai, will have a son—he will be the son of promise. Name him Isaac. I will make my covenant with him, and he will become a great nation. I will make Ishmael a great nation, too, but my covenant will be with Isaac.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “His wife, Sarai, would have a son—he will be the son of promise. He would name him Isaac. God would make is covenant with Isaac, and he will become a great nation. God would make Ishmael a great nation, too, but his covenant would be with Isaac.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

the son of promise

Isaac would be the son that God promised to Sarai and Abram. He would also be the son that God would use to give Abram many descendants.

I will make my covenant with him

This would be the same covenant that God made with Abram.

father of many

As God had promised, Abraham would become the ancestor of many people who would even become many nations.

princess

A princess is a daughter of a king. The names Sarai and Sarah apparently both meant princess. But God changed her name to signify that she would be the mother of many nations, and some of her descendants would be kings.

05-05

all the males in his household

This means all of the men and boys that Abraham was responsible for, including his male servants, young and old.

05-06

God tested Abraham’s faith by saying, “Take Isaac, your only son, and kill him as a sacrifice to me.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “God tested Abraham’s faith by telling him to take Isaac, his only son, and kill him as a sacrifice to God.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

God tested Abraham’s faith

God wanted Abraham to show that he was completely submitted to God, that he would obey whatever God told him to do.

your only son

It is implied that God knows that Abraham has another son, Ishmael. This emphasizes that Isaac is the son that God promised to give Abraham. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. Alternate translation: “your only son whom I have promised” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-explicit/01.md]])

kill him

God did not want human sacrifice. God wanted to see that Abraham loved God more than he loved his son and would obey God even when God told him to give his son back to God.

prepared to sacrifice his son

Abraham got ready to sacrifice his son. God stopped him before he killed his son.

05-07

walked to the place of sacrifice

God had told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on a special high hill that was about three days’ walk from where they lived.

Isaac asked, “Father, we have wood for the sacrifice, but where is the lamb?”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “Isaac told his father that they had wood for the sacrifice, but he did not know where the lamb was.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

wood for the sacrifice

For a sacrifice, normally the lamb was killed and then placed on top of wood so that the wood and the lamb could be burned up with fire.

the lamb

A young sheep or goat would be the normal animal for a sacrifice.

Abraham replied, “God will provide the lamb for the sacrifice, my son.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “Abraham replied to his son that God would provide the lamb for the sacrifice.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

will provide the lamb

Abraham may have believed that Isaac was the lamb that God provided, although God fulfilled Abraham’s words by providing a ram to sacrifice in Isaac’s place.

05-08

to kill his son

God did not want human sacrifice. God wanted to see that Abraham loved God more than he loved his son and would obey God even when God told him to give his son back to God.

God said, “Stop! Do not hurt the boy! Now I know that you fear me because you did not keep your only son from me.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “God told him to stop, and not to hurt the boy! God now knew that Abraham feared God because he did not keep his only son from him.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

you fear me

Abraham feared God, which included respect and reverence for God. Because of those things, he obeyed God.

your only son

Ishmael was also Abraham’s son, but Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah. God’s covenant was with Isaac and it was through Isaac that God would fulfill his promise. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. Alternate translation: “your only son whom I have promised” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-explicit/01.md]])

05-09

a ram

A ram is an adult male sheep.

God had provided the ram

Just at the right moment, God caused the ram to be stuck in the bush.

05-10

Then God said to Abraham, “Because you were willing to give me everything, even your only son, I promise to bless you. Your descendants will be more than the stars in the sky. Because you have obeyed me, I will bless all the families of the world through your family.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “Then God said to Abraham that because Abraham was willing to give God everything, even his only son, he promised to bless him. His descendants will be more than the stars in the sky. Because Abraham had obeyed him, God would bless all the families of the world through Abraham’s family.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

your only son

See explanation in 05:08.

the stars in the sky

See explanation in 04:08.

all the families of the world

Here, families refers to the larger distinct groups of people on earth, rather than to each set of parents and children.

your family

Here, family refers to the many descendants that Abraham would have. The future generations of the world would be blessed through Abraham’s descendants. The greatest blessing would come many generations later through God’s chosen servant, the Messiah.

A Bible story from

These references may be slightly different in some Bible translations.