Study Desk

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

Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and arrayed for battle in the Valley of Siddim

The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself."

I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share for the men who went with me-Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. They may take their portion."

Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own; they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

So after he had lived in Canaan for ten years, his wife Sarai took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to Abram to be his wife.

The Angel of the LORD proceeded: "Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son. And you shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your cry of affliction.

So Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "Here I have seen the One who sees me!"

"As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.

No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you the father of many nations.

God also said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep My covenant, you and your descendants for the generations to come.

Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.

But God replied, "Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you-in about a year-and Sarah will have a son."

But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh." For she was afraid. "No," replied the LORD, "but you did laugh."

For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised."

What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?

suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for the lack of five?" He replied, "If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it."