when abraham went to sacrifice isaac why did he say my only son?

Question

abraham had more than isaac why did he say my only son

Answer 1

God had commanded Abraham to send Hagar(the bondwoman )and her son (Ishmael) away because they mocked his wife (Sarah). God said, "for in Issac shall thy seed be called" which means that he was the "chosen" son by God. This is fair because what God says is law. God also promised to make "another nation" with Ishmael, so, he was not left out. Simply put, he was not the "chosen" son. God had promised Abraham and Sarah that they would bear a son. This promise did not take place until they were really old. Hagar was brought about because they didn't "wait" on the promises of God.

Answer 2

Isaac age 25, and with him 20 years, was his son by Sarah his wife, Ishmael was his son by Hagar, had been gone with Hagar 20 years.

Abaham loved both, he loved Ishmael and God took care of him, they were both together to bury Abraham by Sarah Gen.25:7,9; Ishmael was age 89 and Isaac was age 75 [ When Isaac was born Abraham was age 100 Gen.21:5; Isaac died at age 180 Gen.35:28,29 ];
Gen.16:16 [ Abraham was age 86 when Ishmael was born, so he was 89 when they buried Abraham, he was age 137 at death Gen.25:17 ];

Answer 3

Many people have used this example to say that the Bible contains contradictions. The Bible does not contradict itself, we merely do not understand nor take the time to investigate the "differences" that may at first appear to be contradictions.


If any book is to be understood correctly, it is imperative that recognition be given to the different senses in which words may be employed. Normally, terms are used literally, but they sometimes can be employed figuratively as well. On occasion, two or more biblical passages may appear to be in conflict because they employ language in a different way. Such is the case with Hebrews 11:17: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.” When this verse is compared to Abraham’s history as recorded in the book of Genesis, we immediately notice that Isaac was not the “only begotten son” of Abraham. In fact, we read that Abraham fathered Ishmael by Hagar (Genesis 16:16) more than a decade before the birth of Isaac. And later in his life, Abraham took Keturah as a wife, by which he begot at least six more sons (Genesis 25:1-2). How then could it be said that Isaac was Abraham’s “only begotten son”?

The answer to the problem is quite simple. The term “only begotten son” is used by the writer of Hebrews to indicate something other than the number of Abraham’s children. It is used in a different sense. In the Greek text of Hebrews 11:17, the word translated as “only begotten son” is monogenes. While this word often was used to refer to an only child, it was not limited to such a usage. The Jewish historian Josephus used the word monogenes to refer to a man named Izates who had an older brother and several younger brothers (20.2.1). The well-respected Greek-English lexicon by Arndt, Gingrich, and Danker explains that the word can be used to denote something that is “unique (in kind) of something that is the only example of its category” (1979, p. 527). This meaning fits perfectly into Hebrews 11, where the Hebrews writer is explaining that Abraham offered up his “only promised son.” Abraham had no other children that fit in the category of being promised by God. Isaac was the only “example of a category,” that category being a son who was promised to Abraham and Sarah. Although Abraham had many other children, by other women, he had no other child of promise. Isaac was his unique son, the only one of promise: the “monogenes.”

Answer 4

Abraham never really wanted to have Ishmael to begin with.

Isaac was his SON that he had and wanted, with his wife who he loved.

Ishmael was a son he had with a slave-woman, that he didn't really want to have, with a woman who he didn't care about, because sarah insisted that he had to have an heir.

once Isaac came along, Ishmael really just didn't compare.

Answer 5

Issac is the son of the covenant the lord made with Abraham, and god only recognizes the son of the covenant, but he still blessed Ishmael.

Answer 6

Because he went to sacrifice Ishmael not Isaac, who was his only son.

Answer 7

he didn't say that. In fact, he didn't say anything. God said "the son that you love".