Study Desk

The Angel of the LORD continued, "Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall name him Ishmael (God hears), Because the LORD has heard and paid attention to your persecution (suffering).

Then Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh"; because she was afraid. And He (the LORD) said, "No, but you did laugh."

"See here, I have two daughters who have not known a man [intimately]; please let me bring them out to you [instead], and you can do as you please with them; only do nothing to these men, because they have in fact come under the shelter of my roof [for protection]."

for we are destroying this place, because the outcry [for judgment] against them has grown so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy and ruin it."

But Lot hesitated and lingered. The men took hold of his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, because the LORD was merciful to him [for Abraham's sake]; and they brought him out, and left him outside the city [with his family].

"Please listen, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness (mercy) to me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, because the disaster will overtake me and I will be killed.

So they gave their father wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father; and he did not know when she lay down or when she got up [because he was completely intoxicated].

But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night, and said, "Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken [as your wife], for she is another man's wife."

Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely there is no fear or reverence of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.'

for the LORD had securely closed the wombs of all [the women] in Abimelech's household because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

The situation distressed Abraham greatly because of his son [Ishmael].

God said to Abraham, "Do not let it distress you because of Ishmael and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her and do what she asks, for your descendants will be named through Isaac.

"And I will also make a nation of [Ishmael] the son of the maid, because he is your descendant."

Therefore that place was called Beersheba (Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven), because there the two of them swore an oath.

"Through your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have heard and obeyed My voice."

Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was unable to conceive children; and the LORD granted his prayer and Rebekah his wife conceived [twins].

Now Isaac loved [and favored] Esau, because he enjoyed eating his game, but Rebekah loved [and favored] Jacob.

and Esau said to Jacob, "Please, let me have a quick swallow of that red stuff there, because I am exhausted and famished." For that reason Esau was [also] called Edom (Red).

because Abraham listened to and obeyed My voice and [consistently] kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, "See here, Rebekah is in fact your wife! How did you [dare to] say to me, 'She is my sister'?" And Isaac said to him, "Because I thought I might be killed because of her [desirability]."