1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife. 4He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May Yahweh judge between me and you.”
6But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.
7Yahweh’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur. 8He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?”
She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”
9Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.” 10Yahweh’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.” 11Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction. 12He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers.”
13She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?” 14Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Gen 22:2 “offer him there for a burnt offering” - The sacrifice of Isaac (Gen 22:2)
Genesis 22 is known as the Akedah ("binding") account. Just as God called Abraham and gave him a mission in Gen 12:1-3, God again calls Abraham in Gen 22:1-6 to give him a mission. God's call on Abraham in Gen 12:1-3 includes the promise of future descendants if Abraham will obey God's command. In Gen 22:1-6 the command is that Abraham has to offer his son, the fulfillment of God's previous promise, as a burnt offering.
At the onset of the Akedah account, it is clearly spelled out that the motif of this command is to test Abraham. The motif of divine "test" is popular throughout the Old and New Testaments. God tested people individually and collectively. Deut 8:2 says that God tested the people of Israel multiple times during their journey to the promised land. The Tyndale Bible Dictionary defines "test" as follows: "The process of proving one’s worth. When ascribed to God in His dealings with people, it means that God tests the faith and moral character of His people" (Elwell, "Test"). By not withholding his son to safeguard his own future, Abraham proved both to God and to himself his total trust in God. The outcome of Abraham's test was much bigger than just securing his son's life. The patriarchal blessing God initially promised to Abraham in Gen 12:1-3, which was repeatedly reassured (Gen. 13:14-16; 15:4-6, 18-21; 16:10; 17:1-8, 19-21) was ensured (Gen 22:16-18).