ABC:Genesis 22

Verse 1 (American Atheists)
American Atheists claims the Bible is wrong about the passage (and makes the following comments (italicized).

Temptation James 1:13 ¶ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: Genesis 22:1 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

God tests Christians to see what is in their hearts, not to tempt them to do evil, but to make them stronger for His kingdom and ensure they are loyal to Him. For a description of the difference between testing and tempting in the Bible, see the Scofield Study Bible III's note for James 1:14, which reads as follows: "1:14 Test/Tempt, Summary: The concept of testing or temptation is expressed in both the OT and NT not only by the words translated 'test' or 'tempt,' but also by the words rendered 'provoke,' 'snare,' 'trials,' etc. (e.g. Gen. 22:1; Ps. 7:9; 11:5; Luke 22:28; James 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:5; compare Job 31:27; Prov. 22:25; Is. 3:8.) The primary meaning is usually that of proving by testing, or testing under trial. Less frequently the sense is that of enticement or solicitation to evil (e.g. 1:13-14; Gen. 3:1-6; 2 Cor. 11:3-4)."

Verse 1 (Infidels)
Jim Meritt of Infidels.org claims a contradiction exists and asks "[God] tempts?"

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham.

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.

The explanation here is pretty straightforward, the KJV just chose a bad word for Genesis 22:1 in 'tempt,' the Hebrew word nacah is usually translated elsewhere as 'prove' meaning to test, try, or prove without the negative connotation of "tempt." The Hebrew Interlinear of the original text is as follows:

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after <'achar> these things, that God <'elohiym> did tempt Abraham, <'Abraham> and said <'amar> unto him, Abraham: <'Abraham> and he said, <'amar> Behold, here I am.

Nacah as seen from how it's used elsewhere in the Old Testament would be better translated as 'prove,' 'test,' or 'try.' The same word is most often translated by the KJV as 'prove' and had it been translated that way here would have removed the confusion. Definitions of the word according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and Thayer's are as follows:

"05254. hon nacah,  naw-saw' a primitive root; to test; by implication, to attempt:--adventure, assay, prove, tempt, try." -Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

"Strong's Number:  05254	  Transliterated Word: Nacah Definition: 1) to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test a) (Piel) 1) to test, try 2) to attempt, assay, try 3) to test, try, prove, tempt King James Word Usage - Total: 36 prove 20, tempt 12, assay 2, adventure 1, try 1" -The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon

The following is a list of the Interlinear for all 36 times in the Old Testament where nacah is used showing that its meaning is test, try, or prove; not tempt:

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after <'achar> these things, that God <'elohiym> did tempt Abraham <'Abraham>, and said <'amar> unto him, Abraham <'Abraham>: and he said <'amar>, Behold, here I am. Exodus 15:25 And he cried  unto the LORD ; and the LORD  shewed him a tree <`ets>, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet : there he made for them a statute and an ordinance , and there he proved them, Exodus 16:4 Then said <'amar> the LORD  unto Moses , Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people <`am> shall go out  and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law , or no. Exodus 17:2 Wherefore the people <`am> did chide with Moses , and said <'amar>, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses  said <'amar> unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD ? Exodus 17:7 And he called  the name of the place Massah , and Meribah , because of the chiding of the children of Israel , and because they tempted the LORD , saying <'amar>, Is the LORD  among us, or not? Exodus 20:20 And Moses  said <'amar> unto the people <`am>, Fear <yare'> not: for God <'elohiym> is come <bow'> to <`abuwr> prove you, and that his fear <yir'ah> may be before your faces, that ye sin <chata'> not. Numbers 14:22 Because all those men <'enowsh> which have seen <ra'ah> my glory, and my miracles <'owth>, which I did <`asah> in Egypt <Mitsrayim> and in the wilderness , and have tempted <'eth> me now these ten <`eser> times <pa`am>, and have not hearkened <shama`> to my voice ; Deuteronomy 4:34 Or hath God <'elohiym> assayed to go <bow'> and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations , by signs <'owth>, and by wonders , and by war , and by a mighty hand , and by a stretched out arm <z@rowa`>, and by great terrors <mowra'>, according to all that the LORD <Y@hovah> your God <'elohiym> did <`asah> for you in Egypt <Mitsrayim> before your eyes <`ayin>?

Deuteronomy 6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD <Y@hovah> your God <'elohiym>, as ye tempted him in Massah <Maccah>. Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD <Y@hovah> thy God <'elohiym> led thee these forty <'arba`iym> years <shaneh (in pl. only),> in the wilderness, to humble <`anah> thee, and to prove thee, to know <yada`> what was in thine heart , whether thou wouldest keep his commandments , or no. Deuteronomy 8:16 Who fed <'akal> thee in the wilderness with manna , which thy fathers <'ab> knew <yada`> not, that he might humble <`anah> thee, and that he might prove  thee, to do thee good at thy latter end <'achariyth>; Deuteronomy 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken <shama`> unto the words of that prophet <nabiy'>, or that dreamer of dreams : for the LORD <Y@hovah> your God <'elohiym> proveth you, to know <yada`> whether ye love <'ahab> the LORD <Y@hovah> your God <'elohiym> with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 28:56 The tender and delicate <`anog> woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground <'erets> for delicateness <`anag> and tenderness, her eye <`ayin> shall be evil <yara`> toward the husband <'iysh> of her bosom , and toward her son , and toward her daughter ,

Deuteronomy 33:8 And of Levi <Leviy> he said <'amar>, Let thy Thummim <Tummiym> and thy Urim <'Uwriym> be with thy holy one <'iysh>, whom thou didst prove at Massah <Maccah>, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah <M@riybah>; Judges 2:22 That through them I may prove Israel <Yisra'el>, whether they will keep the way of the LORD <Y@hovah> to walk therein, as their fathers <'ab> did keep it, or not. Judges 3:1 Now these are the nations which the LORD <Y@hovah> left, to prove Israel <Yisra'el> by them, even as many of Israel as had not known <yada`> all the wars of Canaan <K@na`an>; Judges 3:4 And they were to prove Israel <Yisra'el> by them, to know <yada`> whether they would hearken <shama`> unto the commandments of the LORD <Y@hovah>, which he commanded their fathers <'ab> by the hand of Moses <Mosheh>. Judges 6:39 And Gideon <Gid`own> said <'amar> unto God <'elohiym>, Let not thine anger <'aph> be hot against me, and I will speak but this once <pa`am>: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once <pa`am> with the fleece ; let it now be dry only upon the fleece , and upon all the ground <'erets> let there be dew. 1 Samuel 17:39 And David <David> girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed <ya'al> to go ; for he had not proved it. And David <David> said <'amar> unto Saul <Sha'uwl>, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David <David> put them off him. 1 Kings 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba <Sh@ba'> heard <shama`> of the fame <shema`> of Solomon <Sh@lomoh> concerning the name of the LORD <Y@hovah>, she came <bow'> to prove him with hard questions. 2 Chronicles 9:1 And when the queen of Sheba <Sh@ba'> heard <shama`> of the fame <shema`> of Solomon <Sh@lomoh>, she came <bow'> to prove Solomon <Sh@lomoh> with hard questions at Jerusalem <Y@ruwshalaim>, with a very <m@`od> great company, and camels that bare <nasa'> spices , and gold in abundance , and precious stones <'eben>: and when she was come <bow'> to Solomon <Sh@lomoh>, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 2 Chronicles 32:31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon <Babel>, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land <'erets>, God <'elohiym> left <`azab> him, to try him, that he might know <yada`> all that was in his heart. Job 4:2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved <la'ah>? but who can withhold <`atsar> himself from speaking ? Psalms 26:2 Examine me, O LORD <Y@hovah>, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. Psalms 78:18 And they tempted God <'el> in their heart by asking <sha'al> meat <'okel> for their lust. Psalms 78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God <'el>, and limited the Holy One of Israel <Yisra'el>. Psalms 78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high <'elyown> God <'elohiym>, and kept not his testimonies <`edah>: Psalms 95:9 When your fathers <'ab> tempted me, proved me, and saw <ra'ah> my work <po`al>. Psalms 106:14 But lusted <'avah> exceedingly <ta'avah> in the wilderness, and tempted God <'el> in the desert <y@shiymown>. Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said <'amar> in mine heart, Go to now , I will prove thee with mirth , therefore enjoy <ra'ah> pleasure : and, behold, this also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 7:23 All this have I proved by wisdom : I said <'amar>, I will be wise ; but it was far from me. Isaiah 7:12 But Ahaz <'Achaz> said <'amar>, I will not ask <sha'al>, neither will I tempt <'eth> the LORD <Y@hovah>. Daniel 1:12 Prove thy servants <`ebed>, I beseech thee, ten <`eser> days ; and let them give us pulse <zeroa`> to eat <'akal>, and water to drink. Daniel 1:14 So he consented <shama`> to them in this matter, and proved them ten <`eser> days.

Many of the verses clearly show the word's correct translation is test/try, not tempt. See e.g. Exodus 16:4, 20:20; Deuteronomy 8:2,16, 13:3, 28:56; Judges 2:22, 3:4, 6:39; 1 Samuel 17:39; 2 Chronicles 32:31; Psalms 26:2; Ecclesiastes 2:1, 7:23; Daniel 1:12,14. The Scofield Reference Bible makes a similar point, see e.g. the notes for Genesis 22:1 and James 1:14.

At any rate, God was just testing Abraham to see what was in Abraham's heart, and whether Abraham would trust Him unconditionally. This is evident from v. 12:

Genesis 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

God is said to do this same kind of testing repeatedly all through the Bible, see Exodus 16:4; Deuteronomy 8:2; Judges 2:22, 3:4; 2 Chronicles 32:31; Psalms 26:2.

Verse 2
The ReasonProject lists the following as a Bible contradiction with the headline "How many sons did Abraham have?"

Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Genesis 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

Genesis 21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

Genesis 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

It is very odd first of all that Genesis 4:22 is included here as a contradiction, I can only assume the chart designer made a typo here as the passage is entirely unrelated. They must have intended another passage but I can't figure out which one.

Regardless, the usage of the word "son" each time was in reference to an heir. This is apparent throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Sarah, because she was originally infertile, made the somewhat ill-advised decision to ask her maid to bear Abraham's children, which she quickly recognized had been a mistake afterward. (Genesis 16:1-6) Abraham had multiple children, but only one he considered "son" in the sense of being an heir. The other sons of Abraham were not considered sons but servants. (Galatians 4:30, Genesis 21:10) Thus, Abraham sent the illegitimate children away with gifts but the overall inheritance went to Isaac alone. (Genesis 25:5-6, 24:36)

Genesis 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. 10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

Genesis 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

Galatians 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Galatians 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

Genesis 24:36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.

It should also be pointed out that James does not say Abraham had only one son, and the book of Hebrews uses the phrase "only begotten" (Greek word monogenes ) to reference inheritance specifically.

As for Genesis 22:2, at the time Abraham had only two children, Isaac and Ishmael, and Ishmael had been sent away with Hagar for mocking Isaac (Genesis 21:9-21), effectively disinherited. Thus in Genesis 22 God referred to Abraham having only one son, given the disassociation of the other, and the fact that Isaac alone was considered an heir, the other a servant. Paul in Galatians 4 points to all of this, drawing a distinction between two covenants, the Law and that of faith, as symbolized by Ishmael and Isaac respectively.

Verse 12
The EvilBible claims a contradiction exists here, and makes the following comments.

God knows the hearts of men

Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

Psalms 139:2-3 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

God tries men to find out what is in their heart (sic)

Deuteronomy 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Genesis 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

Why the critic thinks there is a contradiction here I'm not sure. Yes, God knows the hearts of men, but this is because God tests them to find out what's in their hearts. They are compatible, not contradictory concepts. In fact, the quoted Psalms 139:2-3 even specifically indicates this by explaining that God knows our thoughts because He examines our paths while acquainting Himself with our ways.

Verse 14
Don Morgan's list at Infidels claims this is a contradiction and makes the following comments (italicized).

God was already known as "the Lord" (Jahveh or Jehovah) much earlier than the time of Moses.

Genesis 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

Genesis 4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. 15 ¶ And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

Genesis 26:25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.

God was first known as "the Lord" (Jahveh or Jehovah) at the time of the Egyptian Bondage, during the life of Moses.

Exodus 6:2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

The Scofield Study Bible III makes some excellent points on this passage:

(1) The statement, 'by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them' can also be translated as a rhetorical question, 'By my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them?' (2) In the O.T. the verb 'to know' generally means far more than to have an intellectual knowledge. There are many instances of this, such as Amos 3:2: 'You only have I known of all the families of the earth.' (3) The patriarchs were familiar with the name Jehovah, but their experience of God was largely that of Him as El-Shaddai (compare Gen. 17:1, note), the One who provided for all their needs. Here in Ex. 6:3 God tells Moses that He is now about to be revealed in that aspect of His character signified by Jehovah - that is, His covenant-relation to Israel as the One who redeems her from sin and delivers her from Egypt (compare vv. 6-8). (4) Actually there is no contrast in Ex. 6:3 between Elohim and Jehovah, the names in this text being El-Shaddai and Jehovah.

-The Scofield Study Bible III, Oxford University Press

As pointed out by the Scofield, the key passage Exodus 6:3 can be translated from the original Hebrew as a rhetorical question, thus removing all claims of a contradiction here. Henry M. Morris of ICR concurs with this explanation: "The easiest resolution of the apparent contradiction is to regard the last clause as a rhetorical question (quite permissible in the Hebrew)– 'by my name JEHOVAH was I not (also) known to them?'" The second possibility mentioned, that the expression "know Jehovah" referred to more than a simple awareness of His existence but rather an experiential relationship is argued by Apologetics Press apologist Eric Lyons.