Who did Abraham sacrifice. Ishmael, his eldest Son or Isaac?
According to the Hebrew Bible, God commands Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Islam teaches a different version; that Abraham was commanded to offer his only son Ishmael as a sacrifice.The table below lists the Bible verses with explanations.
1. Arabs a 'Great Nation'
After Sarah drove out Hagar and baby Ishamel, God assured Hagar to lift up baby Ishmael as he would become a 'Great Nation'.The 'great nation' is that of the Arabs and from whom, Muhammad traces his lineage back.
And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation
[GENESIS 21:15-18]
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation
[GENESIS 17:20]
2. A Nation of Great Multitude
Throughout the Book of Genesis, God promises Abraham that his descendants will be of great multitude.It is known that Isaac struggled to find a suitable wife. Isaac was 40 years old and unmarried, so Abraham who was now 140 years old, sent a servant out to find a wife for Isaac.
Eventually the dutiful servant found Rebecca, who went onto become Isaac's first and only wife.
It took Isaac another 20 years before he was able to make his wife, Rebecca pregnant. Eventually, Rebecca gave birth to twins: Esau and Jacob when Isaac was 60-years old and Rebecca was about 36.
This late start to marriage, family life, and offspring should be contrasted with other patriarchs of the Bible, who had no trouble finding women, getting married and conceiving children.
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor
And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian
And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them
[GENESIS 22:17]
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
[GENESIS 12:1-2]
But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
[GENESIS 24:4]
And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor
[GENESIS 24:10]
And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.
[GENESIS 24:26]
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian
[GENESIS 25:20]
And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them
[GENESIS 25:26]
3. Number as Stars in Sky
The descendants of Abraham shall be as numerous as the dust of the Earth.Abraham will be a father to many nations. Hagar's descendants shall be a great multitude
God tells us that Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael and Isaac will be of great nations. Therefore, Muslims are obliged to believe in the greatness of all of these characters and openly accept Ishmael and Isaac went on to fulfil God's promise and established great nations.
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered
Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations
And the angel of the Lord said unto her (Hagar), I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude
[GENESIS 13:16]
Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be
[GENESIS 15:5]
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations
[GENESIS 17:4]
And the angel of the Lord said unto her (Hagar), I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude
[GENESIS 16:10]
Did You Know?
Today, Arabs vastly outnumber Jews. There are 365 million Arabs in the world, compared to 14 million Jews
Today, Arabs vastly outnumber Jews. There are 365 million Arabs in the world, compared to 14 million Jews
4. Land of Canaan
God promises Abraham that the land he sees, north to south; east to west will be given to his seed forever.The Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael have occupied Canaan ever since.
An alternative viewpoint claims Canaan is the valley on the banks of the Jordan River. Again, this land is 90% Arab-controlled.
So who are the descendants that God says will have the land of Canaan?
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
[GENESIS 17:8-10]
Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
[GENESIS 13:14-15]
Did You Know?
The 'Land of Canaan' corresponds roughly to present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel
The 'Land of Canaan' corresponds roughly to present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel
5. Your Only Son
In numerous verses, God refers to Abraham's son as his "only son".Ishmael was 14-years older than Isaac. When Abraham took his "only" son to be sacrificed, his son appears to have been about 13 years old.
Has God made a mistake?
Did God not know Abraham had two sons: Ishmael and Isaac?
Obviously, God does not make mistakes. What really happened was Isaac was not even born when Abraham took his only son to be sacrificed.
Ishmael, at 13-years old, was Abraham's only son and was therefore the one Abraham took to sacrifice.
God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me
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
Take now your son, your only son, Isaac
[GENESIS 22:12]
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 22:16]
Take now your son, your only son, Isaac
[GENESIS 22:2]
This biblical verse names the "only son" as Isaac, and contradicts earlier Bible verses. This is a deliberate Bible forgery by early Christian scholars to support their Christian narrative.
| Author: Guest • Updated: 14 Aug 2026 |
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