Genesis 22:9

which God had told him of See Genesis 22:1.

built the altar there Possibly referring to the altar of some well-known spot. Cf. note on the word "place," Genesis 22:3; Genesis 12:6. For the definite article, see Genesis 8:7. The altar needed rebuilding.

laid the wood in order The technical phrase for arranging the wood on an altar of sacrifice. See Numbers 23:4; 1 Kings 18:33.

bound LXX συμποδίσας. Another technical word, for binding the limbs of the sacrificial animal, only found here in O.T. Amongst the Jews the sacrifice of Isaac was known as "the binding (-akêdah) of Isaac." See Special Note at Genesis 1:19. The submission of Isaac is not expressed, but implied. Isaac's age, according to the narrative of E in this chapter, appears to be that of a mere lad. Without the necessary recognition of the different sources from which the patriarchal narrative is derived, it has been supposed, on the strength of Genesis 21:34 and Genesis 22:1, that Isaac was now a young man. The note of Calvin, to whom the analysis of Genesis was unknown, is therefore justified: "atqui scimus tunc fuisse mediae aetatis, ut vel patre esset robustior, vel saltem par ad resistendum si viribus certandum esset.… Mira quidem est Mosis in narrando simplicitas, sed quae plus vehementiae continet quam si tragice omnia exaggeret."