12 Bible Verses about Abraham, In Society

About that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, told Abraham, "God is with you in everything that you're doing.

"Listen to us, sir. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial tombs. None of us would refuse you his tomb for burying your dead."

Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks of sheep, herds, and tents. But the land could not support them living together, because they had so many livestock that they could not stay together. There was strife between the herdsmen in charge of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen in charge of Lot's livestock. Also, at that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.read more.
So Abram told Lot, "Please, let's not have strife between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives. Isn't the whole land available to you? Let's separate: If you go to the left, then I will go to the right; if you go to the right, then I will go to the left." Lot looked around and noticed that the whole Jordan plain as far as Zoar was well-watered like the garden of the LORD or like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan plain. Then Lot traveled eastward, and they separated from each other. So Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent in the vicinity of Sodom.

But then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized. "I don't know who did this thing," Abimelech replied. "You didn't report this to me, and I didn't hear about it until today." So Abraham took sheep and oxen and presented them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. read more.
Then Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs, so Abimelech asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set aside?" He replied, "You are to accept from me these seven ewe lambs as a witness that I have dug this well." Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba, because the two of them swore an oath.

"The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become wealthy. He has provided him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.

Now Abram had become quite wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold.

Now Abraham had grown old, was well advanced in age, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way.

Someone escaped, arrived, and reported what had happened to Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, whose brothers Eshcol and Aner were allied with Abram. When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken prisoner, he gathered together 318 of his trained men, who had been born in his household, and they went out in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night, Abram and his servants divided his forces, conquered his enemies, and pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. read more.
He recovered all the goods and brought back his nephew Lot, together with his possessions, the women, and the other people. After Abram's return from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with them, the king of Sodom went out to meet with him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King's Valley). King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine, since he was serving as the priest of God Most High. Melchizedek blessed Abram and said, "Abram is blessed by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your control." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. The king of Sodom told Abram, "Return the people to me, and you take the possessions for yourself."

But Abram answered the king of Sodom, "I have made an oath to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you won't be able to say, "I made Abram rich.' I will take nothing except what my warriors have eaten. But as for what belongs to the men who were allied with me, including Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, let them take their share."

Abraham rose and bowed before the Hittites, the people of the land, and addressed them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me and make a request of Zohar's son Ephron on my behalf. Give me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him, at the end of his field. He should sell it to me in your presence at full price for a burial site."read more.
Now since Ephron the Hittite had taken a seat there among the Hittites, he responded publicly to Abraham where the Hittites and everyone who was entering the gate of his city could hear him: "No, sir. Listen to me! I'll give you the field, and I'll give you the cave that's in it. I give it to you publicly, in the sight of my people. Bury your dead." Abraham bowed before the people of the land and then addressed Ephron so all the people of the land could hear him: "Please listen to me! I'm willing to pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, so I may bury my dead there." So Ephron answered Abraham, "Sir, listen to me! The land is worth 400 shekels of silver, but what's that between us? You may bury your dead." Abraham agreed with Ephron, so he weighed out to Ephron the money to which he had agreed publicly while the Hittites were listening: 400 shekels of silver at the current merchant rate.

Now Abraham had grown old, was well advanced in age, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, "Make this solemn oath to me as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won't acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I'm living. read more.
Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac."

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, 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. "My lords," he told them, "if I have found favor with you, please don't leave your servant. read more.
I'll have some water brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree. 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." Abraham hurried into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick! Take three measures of the best flour, knead it, and make some flat bread." 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. 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.