Study Desk

Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord , who had spoken to her. She said, "You are the God who sees me." She also said, "Have I truly seen the One who sees me?"

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.' Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.

At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him,

"I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God."

Then God said to Abraham, "Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility.

Then God said to Abraham, "Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah.

So Abraham said to God, "May Ishmael live under your special blessing!"

But God replied, "No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.

When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

On that very day Abraham took his son, Ishmael, and every male in his household, including those born there and those he had bought. Then he circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, just as God had told him.

But God had listened to Abraham's request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.

But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, "You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!"

In the dream God responded, "Yes, I know you are innocent. That's why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her.

When God called me to leave my father's home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.'"

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children.

She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would.

Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.

And Sarah declared, "God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.

But God told Abraham, "Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.