Abraham had another son, by Sarah's slave Hager. So why does Genesis 22:16 say "says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son..."?
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=22&version=50
2007-09-20 02:55:29 · 11 answers · asked by kimmyisahotbabe 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Lots of answers by people that haven't read the bible as carefully as I have.
Created2worship, you're wrong, Isaac was Abrahams second son.
mzJakes and odds10to1, Abraham married Hager, although she was still Sarah's "servant"
2007-09-20 07:08:46 · update #1
This is an exert from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2007-09-20 03:01:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Paul referred to Isaac as Abraham’s “only-begotten son” (Hebrews 11:17), even though Abraham also fathered Ishmael by Hagar as well as several sons by Keturah. (Gen. 16:15 - 25:1, 2; 1 Chron. 1:28, 32) God’s covenant, however, was established only through Isaac, Abraham’s only son by God’s promise, as well as the only son of Sarah. (Gen. 17:16-19) Furthermore, at the time Abraham offered up Isaac, he was the only son in his father’s household. No sons had yet been born to Keturah, and Ishmael had been gone for some 20 years—no doubt was married and head of his own household.—Gen. 22:2.
So from several viewpoints in regard to the promise and the covenant, the things about which Paul was writing to the Hebrews, Isaac was Abraham’s only-begotten son. Hence, Paul parallels “the promises” and the “only-begotten son” with “‘your seed’ . . . through Isaac.” (Hebrews 11:17, 18.) Whether Josephus had a similar viewpoint or not, he too spoke of Isaac as Abraham’s “only son.”—Jewish Antiquities, I, 222 (xiii, 1).
Insight on the Scriptures, Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, "Only-begotten."
Bible -
2007-09-20 13:43:08 · answer #2 · answered by Mr. Cal 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Paul referred to Isaac as Abraham’s “only-begotten son” even though Abraham also fathered Ishmael by Hagar as well as several sons by Keturah.God’s covenant, however, was established only through Isaac, Abraham’s only son by God’s promise, as well as the only son of Sarah. Furthermore, at the time Abraham offered up Isaac, he was the only son in his father’s household. No sons had yet been born to Keturah, and Ishmael had been gone for some 20 years—no doubt was married and head of his own household.—Ge 22:2.
2007-09-20 10:04:00 · answer #3 · answered by conundrum 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Issac was the only PROMISED son from God to Abraham and Sara. Ishmael was born to Abraham and Hagar, Sara's maidservant, who Sara asked Abraham to have a child with because she didn't trust and have faith in Gods promise to her.
God didn't forget about Ishmael, he told Hagar he would bless him and Ishmael would have a great Nation. Issac was the PROMISED child who would inherit the earth, in other words, bloodline of the birth of Jesus.
This was Abraham and Sara's only son together and in a spiritual sense of Gods promise.
Joe Athiest - Wrong story, about cheating the birth right. That was Esau and Jacob.
2007-09-20 10:02:33 · answer #4 · answered by Gardener for God(dmd) 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
God recognized only Isaac as Abraham's only son. God gave Isaac to Sarah as well as Abraham.
2007-09-20 10:13:01 · answer #5 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Isaac was the legitimate son, born of Avraham's wife, and the son of G-d's promise.
Look at the beginning of that story. There, too, G-d refers to Isaac as the 'only' son. He says, "Take your son, your only one, whom you love--Isaac."
Jewish tradition holds that this was part of a conversation between G-d and Avraham, with Avraham's comments unspoken but understood:
"Take your son--"
"Which son?"
"Your ONLY son."
"I have two sons."
"Take the son you love."
"I love both my sons."
"Avraham--take Isaac."
Obviously Avraham didn't want to take EITHER of his sons. I'm sure he loved them both--but there was another factor at work. Avraham had, for years, been teaching a belief in one G-d AND telling people that they should not perform human sacrifice. He had a lot at stake here--besides loosing a son, there was a huge loss of face in committing the same action he'd condemned for so long.
But of course, the most important factor was the loss of Isaac. Isaac WAS the son of the promise--the son from whom was to come the nation that G-d had promised him. Isaac was the son whose birth was miraculous. In asking Avraham to sacrifice HIM, G-d asked Avraham to give up absolutely everything.
Still, Avraham woke up early and saddled his donkey.
It's interesting to note that Isaac wasn't a child when this happened, as so many believed, but a full-grown man of 37. He perfectly capable of fighting off his father if he'd wanted to.
The place where this happened had been called Salem--peace. After this occurred, Avraham renamed it "Hashem Yireh," which means "Hashem will be seen". The two names were eventually combined to form "Yerushalayim", or Jerusalem, which therefore, comfortingly enough, means "will see peace."
2007-09-20 10:49:23 · answer #6 · answered by Tehilla V 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
True...Ishmael was Abraham's son by Hagar. However, Hagar was his concubine, Sarah, Isaac's mother, was his wife. As such, for the purposes of inheritance, both spiritual and property, Isaac was his only son.
2007-09-20 10:00:32 · answer #7 · answered by mzJakes 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
Because Hagar was from a slave and not Abraham's wife.
2007-09-20 10:02:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Evidently Hagar's son, the FIRST born, was not considered a son until later when Issac cheated him out of his birthright.
The caps as a previous answer indicated that Issac was born first.
2007-09-20 10:02:09 · answer #9 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋
At that time it was HIS only son!
2007-09-20 09:59:24 · answer #10 · answered by created2worship12 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋