Genesis 22:16

Genesis 22:16

 

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:

 

a. NLT: “This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that.  [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

 

b. NIV: and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

 

c. YLT: and saith, 'By Myself I have sworn -- the affirmation of Jehovah -- that because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only one -- [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

 

d. Amplified Bible: And said, I have sworn by Myself, says the Lord, that since you have done this and have not withheld [from Me] or begrudged [giving Me] your son, your only son, [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

e. Septuagint: I have sworn by myself, says the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and on my account hast not spared thy beloved son, 

 

f. Stone Edition Chumash: And he said, “By Myself I sware—the word of HASHEM—that because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only one, [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

 

1. “And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD…”

 

a. [And] said [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

b. [By myself] I have sworn [Strong: 7650 shâbaʻ, shaw-bah'; a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from H7651; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times):—adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for H7646), take an oath, × straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.]

c. saith [Strong: 5002 nᵉʼum, neh-oom'; from H5001; an oracle:—(hath) said, saith.]

d. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

1). The Apostle Paul quotes this passage in Hebrews 6 when warning us about being spiritually lazy.

 

a). Hebrews 6:13-18 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could sware by no greater, he sware by himself,

6:14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

6:15 And so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise.

6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

 

b). Exposition of Hebrews, Arthur W. Pink; Thirteenth printing, 1986. Baker Book House. P341. “The assurance which was given to Abraham was the greatest that Heaven itself could afford: a promise and an oath. We say the greatest, for in v. 16 the apostle declares that amongst men an “oath” is an end of strife; how much more when the great God Himself takes one! Moreover, observe He swear “by Himself”: He staked Himself; it was as though He had said, I will cease to be God if I do not perform this. The Lord pledged His veracity, declared the event should be as certain as His existence.”

 

2. “…for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:”

 

a. for [Strong: 3588 kîy, kee; a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:—and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. because [3282 * ya’an] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to pay attention; properly, heed; by implication, purpose (sake or account); used adverbially to indicate the reason or cause:--because (that), forasmuch (+ as), seeing then, + that, + wheras, + why.]

 

b. [thou hast] done [Strong: 6213 ʻâsâh, aw-saw'; a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application:—accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, × certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, feast, (fight-) ing man, finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, hinder, hold (a feast), × indeed, be industrious, journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, × sacrifice, serve, set, shew, × sin, spend, × surely, take, × thoroughly, trim, × very, vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.]

c. this [Strong: 2088 zeh, zeh; a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that:—he, × hence, × here, it(-self), × now, × of him, the one...the other, × than the other, (× out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, × thus, very, which.]

d. thing [Strong: 1697 dâbâr, daw-baw'; from H1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:—act, advice, affair, answer, × any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, chronicles, commandment, × commune(-ication), concern(-ing), confer, counsel, dearth, decree, deed, × disease, due, duty, effect, eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, glory, harm, hurt, iniquity, judgment, language, lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, × ought, × parts, pertaining, please, portion, power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, × (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, sign, so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, song, speech, × spoken, talk, task, that, × there done, thing (concerning), thought, thus, tidings, what(-soever), wherewith, which, word, work.]

e. and hast not [Strong: 3808 * lo’or lowi or loh] [Strong: a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

 

f. withheld [Strong: 2820 châsak, khaw-sak'; a primitive root; also interchangeable with H2821 to restrain or (reflexively) refrain; by implication, to refuse, spare, preserve; to observe:—assuage, × darken, forbear, hinder, hold back, keep (back), punish, refrain, reserve, spare, withhold.]

g. [thy] son [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, + spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

h. [thine] only [son] [Strong: 3173 yâchîyd, yaw-kheed'; from H3161; properly, united, i.e. sole; by implication, beloved; also lonely; (feminine) the life (as not to be replaced):—darling, desolate, only (child, son), solitary.]

1). The phrase “thine only son” was used for Covenant purposes. We know that Abraham fathered Ishmael by Hagar and so did God. Galatians 4:22 recognizes that Abraham had two sons.