A famine forced Abram into Egypt where he deceived Pharaoh. His deception led first to gifts, then to plagues on Pharaoh, and finally to Abram’s expulsion from the country (12). After returning to Canaan Abram and Lot separated to their own territories, but the Lord reiterated the promise of the entire land of Canaan and numerous descendants to Abram (13). When war broke out Lot was captured in battle, but Abram rescued him. When Abram returned from war Melchizedek, the king of Sodom, blessed him with bread, wine, and words. Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils (14). Some time later the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, promising the old man that he would have a son of his own and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abram believed the Lord and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. A terrifying darkness came upon Abram that night and the Lord told him that his descendants would be slaves in Egypt for four hundred years, but the Lord also reiterated the promise that the land of Canaan would be given to Abram’s descendants (15). Years passed without a son. One day Sarai told Abram to sleep with her servant Hagar so that Sarai might have a child through her. When Hagar became pregnant, the two women feuded and Hagar ran away. The angel of the Lord found Hagar in the wilderness, promised her a son named Ishmael, and encouraged her to return. Hagar called the the Lord who spoke to her El-Roi, the One Who Sees. Abram named the boy Ishmael. Finally, at eighty-six years old, Abram had a son (16).
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord renamed him Abraham and made a covenant that required the circumcision of the males in Abraham’s household forever. God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah and promised Abraham that she would bear a son named Isaac. When Abraham laughed, God reiterated the promise (17). Three men arrived in Abraham’s camp, so he and Sarah fed them. They announced that Sarah would have a son. When Sarah laughed, the Lord reiterated the promise. After the men left, the Lord told Abraham about the plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham pleaded with the Lord to spare the righteous living there (18). Two angels warned Lot and his family about the coming destruction, and as they left the cities were destroyed. Lot settled in a cave with his daughters; desiring children, the daughters tricked Lot into having sex (19). Meanwhile, Abraham settled in Gerar where he deceived the king. His deception led first to plagues on the king, then to gifts of livestock and land (20). But the Lord was faithful to Sarah and gave her a son. Abraham named the boy Isaac.
As Isaac grew up Sarah perceived Ishamel to be a threat, so Abraham expelled Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness. God comforted Hagar there and promised to make Ishmael into a great nation (21). Meanwhile, God tested Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice his son, his only son, his beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering. Abraham was prepared to comply; he took Isaac to the top of a mountain, bound him, and had his knife in the air when the Lord called out to stop him. Because of Abraham’s obedience, God reiterated the promise that Abraham would have many descendants and be a blessing to all nations (22). Sarah died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven and was buried in a cave that Abraham bought from the Hittites (23). Then Abraham sent his oldest servant back to the homeland to find a wife for Isaac. He was adamant that Isaac should neither marry a Canaanite nor return to the homeland himself. When the servant arrived in Aram, where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled, he stopped at a well to pray for the Lord’s help. As he was praying Rebekah, Abraham’s great-niece, greeted him. Her family agreed to send her to Canaan where she married Isaac (24). Abraham married Keturah and had six more sons before he died. Isaac and Ishmael buried their father in the cave that Abraham had bought from the Hittites (25).
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