Abraham

At this Avraham fell on his face and laughed - he thought to himself, "Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah give birth at ninety?"

Avraham said to God, "If only Yishma'el could live in your presence!"

With that, God finished speaking with Avraham and went up from him.

Avraham took Yishma'el his son, all the slaves born in his house and all who had been bought with his money, every male among the people in Avraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin that very day, just as God had said to him.

Avraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin,

Avraham and Yishma'el his son were circumcised on the same day;

Avraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, three measures of the best flour! Knead it and make cakes."

Avraham ran to the herd, took a good, tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it.

Avraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years; Sarah was past the age of childbearing.

ADONAI said to Avraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and ask, 'Am I really going to bear a child when I am so old?'

The men set out from there and looked over toward S'dom, and Avraham went with them to see them on their way.

ADONAI said, "Should I hide from Avraham what I am about to do,

inasmuch as Avraham is sure to become a great and strong nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by him?

For I have made myself known to him, so that he will give orders to his children and to his household after him to keep the way of ADONAI and to do what is right and just, so that ADONAI may bring about for Avraham what he has promised him."

The men turned away from there and went toward S'dom, but Avraham remained standing before ADONAI.

Avraham approached and said, "Will you actually sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Avraham answered, "Here now, I, who am but dust and ashes, have taken it upon myself to speak to Adonai.

ADONAI went on his way as soon as he had finished speaking to Avraham, and Avraham returned to his place.

Avraham got up early in the morning, went to the place where he had stood before ADONAI,

But when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Avraham and sent Lot out, away from the destruction, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.

Avraham traveled from there toward the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. While living as an alien in G'rar,

Avraham was saying of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister"; so Avimelekh king of G'rar sent and took Sarah.

Then Avimelekh called Avraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you to cause you to bring on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that are just not done."

Avimelekh went on, asking Avraham, "Whatever could have caused you to do such a thing?"

Avraham replied, "It was because I thought, 'There could not possibly be any fear of God in this place, so they will kill me in order to get my wife.'