Hands-On Bible Sampler - Flipbook - Page 51
page 21
CHAPTER
20
Abraham Deceives Abimelech
Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for
a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he
moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, 2Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by
saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of
Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him
at his palace.
3But 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!”
4But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so
he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’?
And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I
acted in complete innocence! My hands are
clean.”
6In 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. 7Now return the woman to her husband, and
he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you
will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you
can be sure that you and all your people will die.”
8Abimelech got up early the next morning
and quickly called all his servants together.
When he told them what had happened, his
men were terrified. 9 Then Abimelech called for
Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that
deserves treatment like this, making me and my
kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should
ever do what you have done! 10Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”
11Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me
to get her.’ 12And she really is my sister, for we
both have the same father, but different mothers.
And I married her. 13 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.’”
14 Then Abimelech took some of his sheep
and goats, cattle, and male and female servants,
and he presented them to Abraham. He also returned his wife, Sarah, to him. 15 Then Abimelech said, “Look over my land and choose any
place where you would like to live.” 16And he
said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your ‘brother’
1,000 pieces of silver in the presence of all these
witnesses. This is to compensate you for any
wrong I may have done to you. This will settle
any claim against me, and your reputation is
cleared.”
... Genesis 21
17 Then
Abraham prayed to God, and God
healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children. 18For the
Lord had caused all the women to be infertile
because of what happened with Abraham’s wife,
Sarah.
CHAPTER
21
The Birth of Isaac
The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. 2 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. 3And Abraham named their
son Isaac. 4Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.
5Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was
born.
6And Sarah declared, “God has brought me
laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with
me. 7 Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham
a son in his old age!”
Hagar and Ishmael
Are Sent Away
8 When
Isaac grew up and was about to be
weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion. 9 But Sarah saw Ishmael—
the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant
Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac. 10So she
turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of
that slave woman and her son. He is not going to
share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t
have it!”
11 This upset Abraham very much because
Ishmael was his son. 12But 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. 13But I will also make a nation of the
descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your
son, too.”
14So Abraham got up early the next morning,
prepared food and a container of water, and
strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he
sent her away with their son, and she wandered
aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15 When the water was gone, she put the boy in
the shade of a bush. 16Then she went and sat
down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I
don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she
burst into tears.
17But God heard the boy crying, and the angel
of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar,
