Bible Strands
Genesis 22:11
Just then the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The angel of the LORD calls out to Abraham from heaven at the exact moment Abraham raises a knife to slaughter his son. Abraham immediately responds with a declaration of presence.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יִּקְרָא (va/i.yik.Ra') means "and he called," while אַבְרָהָ֣ם ('av.ra.Ham) repeats the name "Abraham" for emphasis. This double naming signals an urgent interruption rather than a routine summons.
The thread — Divine interruptions using repeated names and heavenly calls appear in Genesis 21:17, Exodus 3:4, and Genesis 16:9. These passages establish a pattern where God halts human action through direct, vocal intervention.
Why it lands — The text records a sudden halt to violence followed by a demand for obedience. A reader must recognize that the narrative prioritizes divine command over human initiative before drawing conclusions about faith or testing.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
Cross-references
- Genesis 21:17 Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies.
- Exodus 3:4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered.
- Genesis 16:9 So the angel of the LORD told her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.”
- Genesis 22:16 saying, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son,
- Genesis 16:7 Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur.
- Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered.
- Genesis 22:12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”
- 1 Samuel 3:10 Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
- Acts 9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
- Acts 26:14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’