The Meaning of Genesis 22:13 Explained

Genesis 22:13

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Abraham lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, a ram behind, seized in a thicket by its horns; and Abraham goeth, and taketh the ram, and causeth it to ascend for a burnt-offering instead of his son;

Darby: And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt-offering instead of his son.

ASV: And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 22:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 22:1-13 - Abraham Ready To Offer Isaac
Faith must be proved. Only in trial does she put forth her strength or dare the impossible. Satan tempts to bring forth the bad, God to call forth into exercise our highest and best. God went every step of the way with His servant, who was called into closer fellowship with himself than any other of the human race. Moriah was a miniature of Calvary, where God spared not His only Son. Abraham's obedience was immediate. He arose early in the morning. It was exact. It was performed in the spirit of worship. It was contagious, for Isaac used the same expression to his father, as he to God-"Here am I." Apparently he had no need to acquaint Sarah with the object of his journey; he was so sure that the divine promise could not fail. He said to his young men, "We will come unto you." If it were necessary, he knew that God would raise him from the dead. See Hebrews 11:19. Isaac asked, "Where is the lamb?" John the Baptist answered in John 1:29. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 22

1  Abraham is tested with the command to offer Isaac
3  He gives proof of his faith and obedience
11  The angel prevents him
13  Isaac is exchanged for a ram
14  The place is called Jehovah-jireh
15  Abraham is again blessed
20  The generations of Nahor unto Rebekah

What do the individual words in Genesis 22:13 mean?

And lifted up Abraham - his eyes and looked and behold a ram behind [him] [was] caught in a thicket by its horns So went Abraham and took the ram and offered it for a burnt offering instead of his son
וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־ עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּה־ אַ֔יִל אַחַ֕ר נֶאֱחַ֥ז בַּסְּבַ֖ךְ בְּקַרְנָ֑יו וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אַבְרָהָם֙ וַיִּקַּ֣ח הָאַ֔יִל וַיַּעֲלֵ֥הוּ לְעֹלָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת בְּנֽוֹ

וַיִּשָּׂ֨א  And  lifted  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אַבְרָהָ֜ם  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֵינָ֗יו  his  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וַיַּרְא֙  and  looked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְהִנֵּה־  and  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אַ֔יִל  a  ram 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.
אַחַ֕ר  behind  [him] 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
נֶאֱחַ֥ז  [was]  caught 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָחוּז 
Sense: grasp, take hold, seize, take possession.
בַּסְּבַ֖ךְ  in  a  thicket 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סְבַךְ  
Sense: thicket.
בְּקַרְנָ֑יו  by  its  horns 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶן 
Sense: horn.
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ  So  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אַבְרָהָם֙  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
וַיִּקַּ֣ח  and  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הָאַ֔יִל  the  ram 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.
וַיַּעֲלֵ֥הוּ  and  offered  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
לְעֹלָ֖ה  for  a  burnt  offering 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
תַּ֥חַת  instead  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
בְּנֽוֹ  his  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.