An irrefutable Old Testament error?

Question

I was looking for the scripture where Abraham beat up the stranger but instead found the part where Abraham put Isaac on the altar to be sacrificed. I didn't plan on reading it but the opening part caught my eye:

Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac....." Genesis 22:2

The "only son" part is the problem. Genesis 17:23, an earlier passage, says "Abraham took his son Ismael"

I've been able to refute most alleged errors in the Bible, but this one seems obviously an error unless the English translation is wrong and the Hebrew word means "unique" or something to that extent. So anyone who can prove to me that Genesis 22:2 is not an error will get the best answer, and I look forward to it. If no one can, then I'll just have to wait till I learn Hebrew.

Answer 1

Well, I'm no Hebrew scholar either -- but it appears that the word "son" in the translated phrase "your only son" is absent in the Hebrew, so what's there literally is "your only Isaac". The word "only" is in Hebrew "yachid" which may also be translated "unique" or "darling", for instance. Hence, the original Hebrew text would support "your unique and dear Issac". God's covenant was with Isaac (Gen 17:21), and through Isaac would Abraham's offspring be named (Gen 21:12).

By the way, "blueletterbible.org" is an excellent resource for us Hebrew/Greek amateurs ;-)

Answer 2

I believe you are skipped or overlooked some major facts that occurred between the two verses you mentioned.

Ishmael was born before Isaac because Sarah told Abraham conceive a baby with her Egyptian maidservant Hagar found in
Genesis 16:1-16.

God's promise to Abraham was foretold twice in Genesis 17 and Genesis 18:1-15.

The miracle birth of Isaac was announced in Genesis 21:1-6

Hagar and Ishmael were sent away by the urging of Sarah is found in Genesis 21:8-20.

These details would leave only Isaac as the Abraham's only son in his household as you mentioned in Genesis 22:2.

Answer 3

No error. This simply means that God only recognizes Isaac as his "only" son because Isaac is the son that God promised Abraham and Sarah before Ishmael was born.

Yes. Abraham did have two sons, but God only recognizes one as being legitimate. God was being specific when told Abraham to take his "only" son. Or else why did he have to say "only" if he said Isaac. God was making a point that Isaac was to be sacrificed because he was promised to Abraham by God. Ishmael was not.

Read all of the chapters.

Answer 4

Actually this is very simple. Ishmael was Abrahams son through His wifes maidservant. Isaac was His and His wife Sara's son.
God said Ishmael would be great, but Isaac would be the greater of the two. Isaac was a blessing to Abraham and Sara, a promise from God that they would conceive their "Own" child even at such an old age. Isaac is more blood related to Sara and Abraham than Ishmael was.
Good Question....God Bless You.....Peace.

Answer 5

At that point Issac is Abraham's only son, because Ishmael is not in the picture. Hagar and Ishamel had been sent away just a chapter or two before.

You could also argue that Issac is Abraham's "only son" because God said the promise that God gave to Abraham would be extended through Issac to many generations on ahead.

The episode with Issac on the mountain causes Abraham's faith to be tested and could be mirrored to God's need to give up His One and Only Son for all mankind, the same descendents who would be blessed through Issac.

Hope that helps some

Jesus Loves You

Answer 6

Isaac was Abraham's only legitimate son.
Ishmael was born earlier. God had promised Abraham a son who would bring blessings to all the nations of the earth, but, as Abraham and Sarah grew older and older, and Sarah remained barren till she finally went through her menopause and was technically unable to bear children, they decided that Abraham should sleep with Sarah's maid, Hagar, and have a son with her.
I believe Ishmael was about twelve when Sarah surprised everyone and produced an heir in her old age. Evidently, he thought the sight of such an old lady nursing a baby was funny, and made rude remarks, so Sarah had her husband Abraham kick him and his Mom, a foreign woman named Hagar, who was a slave woman, out of the camp. When appealed to, God told Abraham to listen to the voice of his wife. He sent the girl and the child away, and, as far as we know, he had nothing further to do with either of them again, although I believe the Bible does say that the brothers buried their father together.
So, from Abraham's perspective, when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac, Isaac was, indeed, his "only son".
Ishmael, being the son of a slave girl, illegitimate, and long gone, didn't count.

Answer 7

Although I am not a scholar, I will try to answer, at this time Sara had asked Abraham to banish Hagar and Ismael and so at this time they were no longer considered part of the family, also Isaac was God's choice to carry the lineage of Israel and Hagar was just a slave to the family, now I am not sure of the culture of the time so this is just my educated guess.

Answer 8

The strongs shows that the Hebrew word used for only son is :
et yechidecha. et is usually before a word for emphasis
:
OT:3173
yachiyd (yaw-kheed'); from OT:3161; properly, united, i.e. sole; by implication, beloved; also lonely; (feminine) the life (as not to be replaced):

KJV - darling, desolate, only (child, son), solitary.

But what you must remember is that Ishmael and Hagar had been sent away before that because he was mocking.
God then told Abraham that in Isaac shall he seed be called.

So it was if he only really had one son.

His number one son.

Answer 9

Genesis 21:12

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.

I don't know if anything was lost in translation, but its my best educated guess this is a translation error. I think that Isaac was his "legitimate" son and Ismael was not. God refers to him as a lad, not son. So to kill your son in sacrifice, your only (might have meant legitimate) is far greater a sacrifice. Remember, Ismael was the son of Abraham and Hagar, which was Egyptian. Seed and race were everything then. He sent them away.

God Bless

Answer 10

Ismael was born of one of Abraham's maidservants because Sarai couldn't bear a son for him (his wife)...

Before Ismael's birth, the lord promised her a son. Isaac.

I guess 'only son' means only son born of Abraham and his wife, much like God's 'only son', Jesus was born of God and a woman, yet we are all adopted through Christ as sons of God.

I just discovered an awesome similarity.