Study Desk

For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord , God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share."

But Abram said, "Sovereign Lord , what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"

Then the word of the Lord came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir."

But Abram said, "Sovereign Lord , how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"

Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar;

Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year."

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I did not laugh." But he said, "Yes, you did laugh."

The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord .

Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,

Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."

But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.

Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof."

But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door.

So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.