📜 Abraham’s Promise of Many Nations: A Reconsideration of Genesis 17 and 22

Introduction

The biblical narrative of Abraham is foundational to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Central to his story is the divine promise that he would become the “father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4–7). However, the sequence of events between Genesis 17 and Genesis 22 raises theological and logical questions.

How could God promise Abraham numerous descendants in Genesis 17, only to command him later in Genesis 22 to sacrifice his son—the very means by which that promise would be fulfilled? A reconsideration of the chronology suggests that Genesis 17 may actually be a consequence of the events in Genesis 22, and that the promise of “many nations” is tied more closely to Ishmael than to Isaac.

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The Tension Between Genesis 17 and Genesis 22

In Genesis 17:4–7, God tells Abraham:

“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations. … I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.”

Yet in Genesis 22, Abraham is commanded to sacrifice his son. If this son is Isaac, as traditionally held in Judaism and Christianity, then the sequence seems illogical: Why promise descendants through Isaac in Genesis 17, only to nearly eliminate that line in Genesis 22? From an Islamic perspective, the son in Genesis 22 is not Isaac but Ishmael, which changes the framework of interpretation.

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Genesis 22:17 as the Key Promise

After Abraham demonstrates his obedience in the near-sacrifice narrative, God reaffirms His covenant with new force:

“I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 22:17).

This promise comes after Abraham’s supreme test of faith. It is therefore reasonable to see Genesis 22:17 as the pivotal moment where Abraham earns the covenant of multitude. Genesis 17, in this view, is not a precursor but rather a retrospective affirmation rooted in Abraham’s proven faithfulness (Genesis 22).

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Ishmael as the Fulfillment

If Ishmael is the son in Genesis 22—as preserved in Islamic tradition—the flow of the narrative becomes more coherent. God’s promise in Genesis 22:17 directly leads to Ishmael’s great destiny, as also stated earlier in Genesis 21:18:

“I will make him a great nation.”

Thus, Abraham’s role as “father of many nations” is logically connected to Ishmael’s posterity. Through Ishmael, vast nations arise—Arab tribes and, ultimately, the universal message of Islam through Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This interpretation removes the apparent contradiction of God’s promise followed by the command of sacrifice.

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Rethinking the Chronology

If Genesis 22 is placed before Genesis 17 chronologically, the progression becomes logical:

1. Genesis 22: Abraham proves his loyalty through the sacrifice test.

2. Genesis 22:17: God rewards Abraham with the promise of innumerable descendants.

3. Genesis 17:4–7: God formalizes this covenant, affirming Abraham as the father of many nations.

In this arrangement, according to this reconstructed chronology of events, Genesis 17 flows naturally from Genesis 22: the covenant of “many nations” becomes the direct consequence of Abraham’s demonstrated obedience, rather than an isolated or unexplained divine declaration.

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Isaac’s Name and the Logic of the Narrative

Adding to this reconsideration is the meaning of Isaac’s very name. Yitzḥaq (“he laughs” or “laughter”) reflects the joy, relief, and divine humour surrounding his unexpected birth to elderly parents. His name symbolizes delight, celebration, and the fulfillment of long-awaited hope. This semantic field stands in tension with the notion that Isaac is the son of trial, burden, and sacrificial testing. A child whose identity is built upon laughter, promise, and joy does not naturally align with the role of the son through whom Abraham faces his greatest ordeal. By contrast, Ishmael—already associated with hardship, exile, and survival—fits more coherently within the narrative framework of testing, trial, and divine assurance. Thus, Isaac’s name itself subtly reinforces the view that he is not the son intended in Genesis 22, further supporting an Ishmaelite-centered interpretation of the sacrifice narrative.

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Conclusion

By reordering the relationship between Genesis 17 and Genesis 22, the narrative tension is resolved. The promise that Abraham would be the “father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4–7) can be seen as the consequence of the divine oath in Genesis 22:17. Within this framework, Ishmael—rather than Isaac—emerges as the key figure through whom Abraham’s covenant expands into multitude and universality. This reading aligns with the Islamic tradition, while also offering a coherent solution to the logical paradox in the biblical text.

— Azahari Hassim

Founder, The World of Abrahamic Theology