Study Desk

Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram, and so they expelled him, along with his wife and all his possessions.

So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot.

But the land could not support them while they were living side by side. Because their possessions were so great, they were not able to live alongside one another.

So there were quarrels between Abram's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen. (Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.)

Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled toward the east. So the relatives separated from each other.

And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted.

So Abram moved his tents and went to live by the oaks of Mamre in Hebron, and he built an altar to the Lord there.

The Lord took him outside and said, "Gaze into the sky and count the stars—if you are able to count them!" Then he said to him, "So will your descendants be."

So Abram took all these for him and then cut them in two and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not cut the birds in half.

So Sarai said to Abram, "Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her." Abram did what Sarai told him.

So after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram's wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband to be his wife.

Abram said to Sarai, "Since your servant is under your authority, do to her whatever you think best." Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, so she ran away from Sarai.

I will greatly multiply your descendants," the Lord 's angel added, "so that they will be too numerous to count."

So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "Here I have seen one who sees me!"

So Hagar gave birth to Abram's son, whom Abram named Ishmael.

Let a little water be brought so that you may all wash your feet and rest under the tree.

And let me get a bit of food so that you may refresh yourselves since you have passed by your servant's home. After that you may be on your way." "All right," they replied, "you may do as you say."

So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Take three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread."

So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?"

I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him."