Study Desk

But the Lord sent terrible diseases on the king and all the people in his house because of Abram's wife Sarai.

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived among the cities in the Jordan Valley, very near to Sodom.

They had served Kedorlaomer for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year, they all turned against him.

There were many tar pits in the Valley of Siddim. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and their armies ran away, some of the soldiers fell into the tar pits, but the others ran away to the mountains.

But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I make a promise to the Lord , the God Most High, who made heaven and earth.

I will keep nothing but the food my young men have eaten. But give Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre their share of what we won, because they went with me into battle."

But Abram said, "Lord God , what can you give me? I have no son, so my slave Eliezer from Damascus will get everything I own after I die."

But Abram said, "Lord God , how can I be sure that I will own this land?"

Abram brought them all to God. Then Abram killed the animals and cut each of them into two pieces, laying each half opposite the other half. But he did not cut the birds in half.

Later, large birds flew down to eat the animals, but Abram chased them away.

But I will punish the nation where they are slaves. Then your descendants will leave that land, taking great wealth with them.

Sarai, Abram's wife, had no children, but she had a slave girl from Egypt named Hagar.

But Abram said to Sarai, "You are Hagar's mistress. Do anything you want to her." Then Sarai was hard on Hagar, and Hagar ran away.

You live in the land of Canaan now as a stranger, but I will give you and your descendants all this land forever. And I will be the God of your descendants."

But I will make my agreement with Isaac, the son whom Sarah will have at this same time next year."

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I didn't laugh." But the Lord said, "No. You did laugh."

So the men turned and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood there before the Lord .

Then Abraham said, "Lord, please don't be angry with me, but let me ask you this. If you find only thirty good people in the city, will you destroy it?" He said, "If I find thirty good people there, I will not destroy the city."

Then Abraham said, "I have been brave to speak to the Lord. But what if there are twenty good people in the city?" He answered, "If I find twenty there, I will not destroy the city."

Then Abraham said, "Lord, please don't be angry with me, but let me bother you this one last time. What if you find ten there?" He said, "If I find ten there, I will not destroy it."