Hands-On Bible Sampler - Flipbook - Page 48
Genesis 18 ... page 18
bless her richly, and she will become the mother
of many nations. Kings of nations will be among
her descendants.”
17 Then Abraham bowed down to the ground,
but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How
could I become a father at the age of 100?” he
thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when
she is ninety years old?” 18So Abraham said to
God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”
19But 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.
20As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you
have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful
and multiply his descendants. He will become
the father of twelve princes, and I will make him
a great nation. 21But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and
Sarah about this time next year.” 22 When God
had finished speaking, he left Abraham.
23On 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. 24Abraham was ninetynine years old when he was circumcised, 25and
Ishmael, his son, was thirteen. 26Both Abraham
and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that
same day, 27along with all the other men and
boys of the household, whether they were born
there or bought as servants. All were circumcised
with him.
CHAPTER
18
A Son Is Promised to Sarah
The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the
oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during
the hottest part of the day. 2He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw
them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them,
bowing low to the ground.
3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here
for a while. 4Rest in the shade of this tree while
water is brought to wash your feet. 5And since
you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let
me prepare some food to refresh you before you
continue on your journey.”
“All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”
6So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to
Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your
best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some
bread.” 7 Then Abraham ran out to the herd and
chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who
quickly prepared it. 8When the food was ready,
Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the
roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As
they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade
of the trees.
9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors
asked.
“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.
10Then one of them said, “I will return to you
about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah,
will have a son!”
Sarah was listening to this conversation from
the tent. 11Abraham and Sarah were both very
old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age
of having children. 12 So she laughed silently to
herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman
like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my
master—my husband—is also so old?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did
Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman
like me have a baby?’ 14Is anything too hard for
the Lord? I will return about this time next year,
and Sarah will have a son.”
15Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I
didn’t laugh.”
But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
16Then the men got up from their meal and
looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham
went with them to send them on their way.
17 “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the
Lord asked. 18 “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the
nations of the earth will be blessed through him.
19 I have singled him out so that he will direct his
sons and their families to keep the way of the
Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will
do for Abraham all that I have promised.”
20So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard
a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. 21I am going down
to see if their actions are as wicked as I have
heard. If not, I want to know.”
22 The other men turned and headed toward
Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham.
23Abraham approached him and said, “Will you
sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?
24Suppose you find fifty righteous people living
there in the city—will you still sweep it away and
not spare it for their sakes? 25 Surely you wouldn’t
do such a thing, destroying the righteous along
with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the
righteous and the wicked exactly the same!
