In what year did Abraham offer to sacrifice Isaac?

Answer 1

We can't know from scripture exactly what the date was of Abrahams test of faith. But we can get close.

If you use the genealogies of The Bible* (ignoring the distinction of BC AD) Abraham was born in 1946. His son Isaac was born in 2046 when Abraham was 100.

In Genesis 21 Isaac is weaned and Abraham throws a big celebration in honor of the event. It was not uncommon for children to nurse for several years. Obviously a later nursing date is more for comfort and attachment than for sustenance. But we can safely say that Isaac's at least one, perhaps two or even older.

In Genesis 22 we find the story of Isaac being sacrificed. At this point Isaac can walk (Gen 22:2-4), talk and reason (Gen 22:7). In verse 12 the angel, in stopping Abraham, refers to Isaac as a "lad". This word comes from the Hebrew "na`ar" which means a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence.

Therefore it is safe to say he must be older than 1, for he had been weaned and probably older than 5 or even 6 as he could travel for three days and reason from cause to effect. And he was most likely younger then 14 for Jews did not have the artificial distinction of adolescence for at 13 you were a man.

So the year of Isaacs sacrifice was between 2052 and 2060. Strong Jewish tradition maintains that Isaac was old enough to resist his father's desire to bind him and place him on the alter. Instead Isaac encourages his father to obey and even helps his father bind him. If this tradition is true then I'd put Isaac's age at 13 or the year 2059.

* see Genesis 5, 7:11, 8:13, 9:28-29, 11:10-32, 21:5, 25:7, 35:28