When they came to the place of which God had told him: the place is the one mentioned by God to Abraham in Gen 22.2. For discussion of altar see 8.20.

Laid the wood in order: that is, arranged or stacked the wood so that it would burn well. In some cases it may be necessary to say “Abraham took the wood Isaac had carried and stacked it for burning on the top of the altar.”

And bound Isaac his son: this sentence may require a transition such as “then,” “after that.” Bound translates a verb found only here in the Old Testament. In later times it was used “especially to bind the bent fore- and hind-legs of an animal for sacrifice” (Driver). In translation it may be necessary to render bound Isaac as “tied Isaac’s arms and legs.”

Laid him on the altar, upon the wood: the picture given is of Isaac laid out on the wood that is on the top of the altar. In translation it may be necessary to say, for example, “Then Abraham laid Isaac on top of the wood that was on the altar.” Readers should not be given the impression that the wood is already burning when Isaac is placed on it.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .