Study Desk

So the king told his men to let Abram and Sarai take their possessions and leave.

Abram moved from place to place in the Southern Desert. And finally, he went north and set up his tents between Bethel and Ai,

Lot, who was traveling with him, also had sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as his own family and slaves.

Abram stayed in the land of Canaan. But Lot settled near the cities of the valley and put up his tents not far from Sodom,

Abram took down his tents and went to live near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar in honor of the Lord .

King Chedorlaomer and his allies had ruled these last five kings for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year the kings rebelled and came together in Siddim Valley, which is now covered by the southern part of the Dead Sea.

A year later King Chedorlaomer and his allies attacked and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, and the Emites in Shaveh-Kiriathaim.

They also captured Abram's nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom. They took him and his possessions and then left.

At this time Abram the Hebrew was living near the oaks that belonged to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his brothers Eshcol and Aner were Abram's friends. Someone who had escaped from the battle told Abram

that his nephew Lot had been taken away. Three hundred eighteen of Abram's servants were fighting men, so he took them and followed the enemy as far north as the city of Dan.

That night, Abram divided up his troops, attacked from all sides, and won a great victory. But some of the enemy escaped to the town of Hobah north of Damascus,

and Abram went after them. He brought back his nephew Lot, together with Lot's possessions and the women and everyone else who had been captured.

The Lord replied, "No, he won't! You will have a son of your own, and everything you have will be his."

and Sarai gave him Hagar to be his wife. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years.

But your son will live far from his relatives; he will be like a wild donkey, fighting everyone, and everyone fighting him."

Abram bowed with his face to the ground, and God said:

Any man who isn't circumcised hasn't kept his promise to me and cannot be one of my people.

Abraham bowed with his face to the ground and thought, "I am almost a hundred years old. How can I become a father? And Sarah is ninety. How can she have a child?" So he started laughing.

But God answered: No! You and Sarah will have a son. His name will be Isaac, and I will make an everlasting promise to him and his descendants.

I have heard what you asked me to do for Ishmael, and so I will also bless him with many descendants. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make his family a great nation.