Abraham

Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”

And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”

When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or purchased with his money—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised them, just as God had told him.

So Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,

Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.

So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”

Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.

And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’

When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.

And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

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.”

And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.

Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—

When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.

Early the next morning, Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD.

So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham, and He brought Lot out of the catastrophe that destroyed the cities where he had lived.

Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,

Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”

Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”

Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’