Patriarchs · around 2000-1880 BC
Isaac in the Bible
The son of the promise. Name meaning: “He laughs”: a name chosen by God in response to the laughter of Abraham and Sarah (Gen 17:17-19; 21:6)
The long-awaited son of Abraham and Sarah, born when his father was a hundred years old, Isaac is the heir of the covenant. Bound on the altar on Mount Moriah, he foreshadows the only Son offered by the Father. A quiet man, more low-key than his father and his son Jacob, he passes on the blessing of Abraham and lives a hundred and eighty years, longer than any other patriarch of Israel.
Key moments
- The birth of Isaac, son of the promise Genesis 21:2–3
- “Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Genesis 22:7
- Bound on the altar, replaced by a ram Genesis 22:13
- He marries Rebekah and loves her Genesis 24:67
- He prays for his barren wife Rebekah Genesis 25:21
- He reopens the wells of Abraham Genesis 26:18
- He blesses Jacob instead of Esau Genesis 27:27
- Dies at 180 Genesis 35:28–29
Strengths
- Submission
- Gentleness and a peaceful spirit
- Prayer
- Meditation
- Faithfulness to his inheritance
Weaknesses
Like his father, Isaac lies out of fear by passing Rebekah off as his sister (Gen 26:7). He favors Esau for a fleshly reason, a taste for game, and tries to bless him despite God’s oracle, which divides his family (Gen 25:28; 27:1-4).
Lessons for today
- A spiritual inheritance has to be received and reopened: Isaac clears out his father’s wells before digging new ones (Gen 26:18).
- Giving way instead of fighting can open up a space for blessing: after Esek and Sitnah comes Rehoboth (Gen 26:22; Rom 12:18).
- Parents’ favoritism wounds and divides a family for generations (Gen 25:28).
- A husband’s persistent prayer for his wife is heard by God (Gen 25:21).
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
People around Isaac
Stories with Isaac
Quiz: how well do you know Isaac?
What did Sarah say when Isaac was born?
“Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.” The other statements are from Rachel, Eve, and Leah. Genesis 21:6
Who was Isaac’s wife?
Isaac brought Rebekah into Sarah’s tent; “he took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her.” Genesis 24:67
What was offered on the altar in Isaac’s place?
Abraham “looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns” and “offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.” Genesis 22:13
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