Genesis 22:4

Genesis 22:4

 

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

 

a. NLT: On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. [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: On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. [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: On the third day -- Abraham lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the place from afar; [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: On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

e. Septuagint: on the third day; and Abraham having lifted up his eyes, saw the place afar off.

 

f. Stone Edition Chumash: On the third day, Abraham raised his eyes and perceived the place from afar. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

 

1. “Then on the third day…

 

a. [Then on the] third [Strong: 7992 shᵉlîyshîy, shel-ee-shee'; ordinal from H7969; third; feminine a third (part); by extension, a third (day, year or time); specifically, a third-story cell):—third (part, rank, time), three (years old).]

b. day [Strong: 3117 yôwm, yome; from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb):—age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, × required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.]

1). At this time in Abraham’s life he was living in Beersheba.  

 

a). Genesis 21:33, 34 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

21:34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.

 

b). Moody Atlas of Bible Lands, Barry Beitzel, p.65. “…we possess numerous texts and military annals from all parts of the ancient Near East: from Egypt, Babylonia, Assyria, and Asia Minor…The evidence is uniform and mutually corroborated that one day’s journey in the Biblical world incorporated between 17-23 miles, with slightly higher average milage when traveling downstream by boat…Abraham cited Mt. Moriah on the third day of his trip from Beersheba, and the two sites were separated by approximately 50 airline miles.”

 

2). The use of the phrase “third day” in Scripture in a prophetic sense is found many times in the Old and New Testaments. Here is just a few examples.

 

a). Exodus 19:11  And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

 

b). Hosea 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

 

c). Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

 

d). Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

 

2. “...and Abraham having lifted up his eyes…”

a. [And] Abraham [Strong: 85 ʼAbrâhâm, ab-raw-hawm'; contracted from H1 and an unused root (probably meaning to be populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of Abram:—Abraham.]

b. [having] lifted up [Strong: 5375 nâsâʼ, naw-saw'; or נָסָה nâçâh; (Psalm 4:6 [7]), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative:—accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ( man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, × needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, swear, take (away, up), × utterly, wear, yield.]

c. [Strong: 853 ʼêth, ayth; apparent contracted from H226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):—[as such unrepresented in English].]

d. [his] eyes [Strong: ʻayin, ah'-yin; probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):—affliction, outward appearance, before, think best, colour, conceit, be content, countenance, displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), × him, humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), × me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, regard, resemblance, sight, × thee, × them, + think, × us, well, × you(-rselves).]

3. “…and saw the place afar off.”

 

a. and saw [Strong: 7200 râʼâh, raw-aw'; a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):—advise self, appear, approve, behold, × certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, × indeed, × joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, × be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), × sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, × surely, × think, view, visions.]

 

b. [Strong: 853 ʼêth, ayth; apparent contracted from H226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):—[as such unrepresented in English].]

c. [the] place [Strong: 4725 mâqôwm, maw-kome'; or מָקֹם mâqôm; also (feminine) מְקוֹמָה mᵉqôwmâh; or מְקֹמָה mᵉqômâh; from H6965; properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind):—country, × home, × open, place, room, space, × whither(-soever).]

d. afar off [Strong: 7350 râchôwq, raw-khoke'; or רָחֹק râchôq; from H7368; remote, literally or figuratively, of place or time; specifically, precious; often used adverbially (with preposition):—(a-) far (abroad, off), long ago, of old, space, great while to come.

1). This is no doubt literal in meaning but there is also a spiritual. In the very next verse Genesis 22:5, this is very clear.

 

a). 2 Peter 1:5-8 lists virtue, knowledge temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. Then in 2 Peter 1:9 it says, But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

 

b). Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.