Genesis 17:15-Genesis 18:21 - Isaac's Birth Promised
15 God told Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are not to call her Sarai any longer, because her name is to be Sarah. 16 I will bless her. Furthermore, I will give you a son from her. I will bless her, so that nations, kings, and people will come from her."
17 Abraham fell to the ground, laughed, and told himself, "Can a child be born to a 100-year-old man? Can a 90-year-old Sarah give birth?" 18 So Abraham responded to God, "If only Ishmael would live in constant awareness that you're always with him!"
19 But God replied, "No, but your wife Sarah will give birth to your son, and you are to name him Isaac. I'll confirm my covenant with him as an eternal covenant for his descendants. 20 And as for Ishmael, I've heard you. I'll bless him, and he'll have many descendants. I will multiply him greatly, he'll father twelve tribal leaders, and I'll cause his descendants to become a great nation. 21 Now as to Isaac, I'll confirm my covenant with him, to whom Sarah will give birth as your son at this time next year." 22 With that, God finished talking to Abraham, and ascended, leaving him.
23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the servants born in his house or purchased with his money every male among the men of his household and circumcised them that very day, just as God had spoken to him. 24 Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. 26 Both Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on that very day. 27 Every man born in his household as well as those who had been purchased with money from a foreigner was circumcised with him.
1 Later, the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks belonging to Mamre. As Abraham was sitting near the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day, 2 he glanced up and saw three men standing there, not far from him. As soon as he noticed them, Abraham ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground. 3 "My lords," he told them, "if I have found favor with you, please don't leave your servant. 4 I'll have some water brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree. 5 I'll bring some food for you, and after that you may continue your journey, since you have come to visit your servant." So they replied, "Okay! Do what you've proposed."
6 Abraham hurried into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick! Take three measures of the best flour, knead it, and make some flat bread." 7 Next, Abraham ran to the herd, found a choice and tender calf, and gave it to the young men, who went off in a hurry to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds, milk, and the calf that had been prepared, placed the food in front of them, and stood near them under the tree while they ate.
9 The men asked him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" "There, in the tent," he replied.
10 Then one of them said, "I will certainly return to you in about a year's time. By then, your wife Sarah will have borne a son."
11 Now Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Abraham and Sarah were old really old and Sarah was beyond the age of childbearing. 12 That's why Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "After I'm so old and my husband is old, too, am I going to have sex?"
13 The LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and think, "Am I really going to bear a child, since I'm so old?' 14 Is anything impossible for the LORD? At the time set for it, I will return to you about a year from now and Sarah will have a son."
15 But Sarah denied it. "I didn't laugh," she claimed, because she was afraid. The LORD replied, "No! You did laugh!"
16 After this, the men set out from there and looked out over Sodom. Abraham went with them to send them off. 17 "Should I hide from Abraham what I'm about to do," the LORD asked, 18 "since Abraham's descendants will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him? 19 Indeed, I've made myself known to him in order that he may encourage his sons and his household that is born after him to keep the way of the LORD, and to do what is right and just, so that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what he has promised." 20 The LORD also said, "How great is the disapproval of Sodom and Gomorrah! Their sin is so very serious! 21 I'm going down to see whether they've acted according to the protests that have reached me. If not, I wish to know."