Study Desk

But a man escaped and reported all this to Abram, the Hebrew, who was living near the sacred trees belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his brothers Eshcol and Aner were Abram's allies.

The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Keep the loot, but give me back all my people."

I will take nothing for myself. I will accept only what my men have used. But let my allies, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, take their share."

But Abram answered, "Sovereign Lord , what good will your reward do me, since I have no children? My only heir is Eliezer of Damascus.

But Abram asked, "Sovereign Lord , how can I know that it will be mine?"

Abram brought the animals to God, cut them in half, and placed the halves opposite each other in two rows; but he did not cut up the birds.

Vultures came down on the bodies, but Abram drove them off.

But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and when they leave that foreign land, they will take great wealth with them.

Abram's wife Sarai had not borne him any children. But she had an Egyptian slave woman named Hagar,

But your son will live like a wild donkey; he will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will live apart from all his relatives."

Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I am making you the ancestor of many nations.

Abraham bowed down with his face touching the ground, but he began to laugh when he thought, "Can a man have a child when he is a hundred years old? Can Sarah have a child at ninety?"

But God said, "No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will name him Isaac. I will keep my covenant with him and with his descendants forever. It is an everlasting covenant.

But I will keep my covenant with your son Isaac, who will be born to Sarah about this time next year."

Then the two men left and went on toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham.

But perhaps there will be only forty-five innocent people instead of fifty. Will you destroy the whole city because there are five too few?" The Lord answered, "I will not destroy the city if I find forty-five innocent people."

Abraham said, "Please don't be angry, Lord, but I must speak again. What if there are only thirty?" He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty."

and said, "Sirs, I am here to serve you. Please come to my house. You can wash your feet and spend the night. In the morning you can get up early and go on your way." But they answered, "No, we will spend the night here in the city square."

Look, I have two daughters who are still virgins. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do whatever you want with them. But don't do anything to these men; they are guests in my house, and I must protect them."

But they said, "Get out of our way, you foreigner! Who are you to tell us what to do? Out of our way, or we will treat you worse than them." They pushed Lot back and moved up to break down the door.