Abraham

Abraham
1. God Calls Abram
2. During The Famine Abram Goes To Egypt
3. Abram Goes Back Up To Bethel
4. Abram And Lot Part Ways
5. God Promises The Land To Abram's Descendants
6. Lot Is Taken Captive
7. Abram Recuses Lot
8. Abram Pays Tithe To Melchizedek
9. God Make A Covenant With Abram
10. Hagar Gives Abram A Son
11. Abram's Name Changed To Abraham
12. The Lord Visits Abraham On His Way To Sodom
13. Destruction Of Sodom
14. Abraham Lies To Abimelech
15. Sarah Bears A Son
16. Hagar Has To Leave
17. God Tests Abraham
18. Sarah Dies
19. Abraham Sends For A Wife For Isaac
20. Abraham Dies
21. The Book Of Hebrews Talks Of Abraham Patience
22. Abraham's Faith
23. Even Greater Evidence Of Abraham's Faith

1. God Calls Abram - Back to Page Index
Genesis 12:1-9
The LORD said to Abram, "Leave your country and the relatives in your father's house. I want you to go to a land I will show you. I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great. And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and if anyone curses you I will curse him. Through you all the people of the world will be blessed."

So Abram followed the LORD's command. He left Haran for Canaan taking Lot went with him. Abram was seventy five years old when he left Haran. He took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. They took all of their possessions and the people they had acquired in Haran and they traveled to Canaan. Abram passed through the land as far as the oak of Moreh at Shechem. The inhabitants of the land were Canaanites.

The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I am giving this land to your descendants." So Abram built and alter to the LORD who had appeared to him there.

Then he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel. There he pitched his tent between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He built an alter to the LORD and called upon His name. After that Abram journeyed toward the Negev.

2. During The Famine Abram Goes To Egypt - Back to Page Index
Genesis 12:10-20
There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt where he stayed for a while because the famine was severe. Before reaching Egypt Abram said to his wife Sarai, "You are a beautiful woman. The Egyptians will say, 'She is his wife,' and they will kill me but keep you alive. Please say that you are my sister so that they will not kill me in order to have you."

So it was that when Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful. Pharaoh's officials told him of her great beauty and they brought her into Pharaoh's house. And because of her, Pharaoh treated Abram well. He giving him sheep, oxen, donkeys and camels, and male and female servants. But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his house with a great plague on account of Sarai, Abram's wife. Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say she was your sister? Because of that I took her as my wife. Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go." And Pharaoh commanded his men to escort Abram away with his wife and all of his belongings.

3. Abram Goes Back Up To Bethel - Back to Page Index
Genesis 13:1-4
Abram left Egypt with his wife and all that he had. Lot went with him into the Negev. Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold. He went from the Negev up near Bethel where he had first pitched his tent between Ai and Bethel. This was where he had formerly made an alter and called on the name of the LORD.

4. Abram And Lot Part Ways - Back to Page Index
Genesis 13:5-13
Lot had followed Abram with his own flocks and herds. There was not enough pasture for both of their herds in that place because their possessions were so great. Strife arose between their herdsmen. And they were sharing the pasture land with the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Abram said to Lot, "There shouldn't be any strife between us or our herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. The whole land is before you. Choose wherever you wish to dwell and I will go to a different place." Lot looked toward the valley of the Jordan and saw that it was well watered. This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It was like the garden of the LORD. The land of Egypt as you travel towards Zoar was also like this.

So Lot chose the valley of the Jordan and journeyed east. Thus they were separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan and Lot settled in the cities of the valley not far from Sodom. The men of Sodom were very wicked. They were sinning greatly against the LORD.

5. God Promises The Land To Abram's Descendants - Back to Page Index
Genesis 13:14-18
After Lot had left, the LORD said to Abram, "Look in every direction from where you are standing. Everywhere you look I will give to you and your descendants forever. I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, more than anyone can count. Arise, walk anywhere in the land. Wherever you go, what you see is what I will give to you."

Abram moved his tent to the plain of Mamre in Hebron and there he built an alter to the LORD.

6. Lot Is Taken Captive - Back to Page Index
Genesis 14:1-12
In the days of Amraphel the king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. All these came as allies to the valley of Siddim, which is now the Salt Sea. For twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer. But in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and his allies came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-Karmaim, the Zuzim in Ham and the Emim in Shaveh-Kiriathaim, and the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as Elparan by the wilderness. Then they came back to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and conquered all the country of the Amalekites and the Amorites who lived in HazazonTamar. The king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela, that is Zoar, came out to battle against them in the valley of Siddim, against Chedorlaomer, Elam, Tidal, Amraphel, and Bela, four kings against five.

The valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. As the kings and their men from Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell in these pits. And some survived by fleeing to the hill country. The invaders took all of the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, including their food supply. And they took Lot, Abram's nephew, along with his possessions, because he was now living in Sodom.

7. Abram Recuses Lot - Back to Page Index
Genesis 14:13-16
Someone escaped and came and told Abram, who was living by the oaks of Mamre which belonged to the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner. These were allies with Abram.

When Abram heard that Lot had been taken captive, he led three hundred and eighteen of his trained men and pursued the invaders as far as Dan. Dividing his forces, he attacked them at night and defeated them. He then pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

Abram brought back Lot and his possessions, and the people with him.

8. Abram Pays Tithe To Melchizedek - Back to Page Index
Genesis 14:17-24
As he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him at the valley of Shavah known as the King's Valley.

And Melchizedek king of Salem and priest of God Most High, brought out bread and wine. He blessed Abram saying, "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Just give me back my people and keep the goods." But Abram said, "I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take anything that belongs to you, not even a thread or sandal thong, lest you should ever say that you made Abram rich. I ask for nothing except what the young men have eaten and the share belonging to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share."

9. God Make A Covenant With Abram - Back to Page Index
Genesis 15:1-21
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Fear not Abram. I am your protection. Your reward shall be very great." Abram said, "O LORD God, what will You give me? I am childless and the heir of everything I own is Eliezer of Damascus. For You have not given me a child to be my heir."

The LORD said, "Your servant shall not be your heir. Your heir shall be a child from your own body." Then the LORD took Abram outside and said, "Look to the heavens. Can you count the stars? That is how many descendants you shall have." Abram believed the LORD and He counted it to him for righteousness, and He said to Abram, "I am the LORD Who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to possess this land." Then Abram said, "O LORD God, how may I know that I will possess it?"

So the LORD said to him, "Bring Me a three year old heifer, a three year old female goat, a three year old ram, a turtle dove and a young pigeon." Abram brought each of these animals to the LORD and cut them in two, laying each half opposite the other half. However, he did not cut the birds. When birds of prey tried to eat the carcasses Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down Abram fell into a deep sleep and felt a great terror of darkness coming over him. God said to Abram, "Know and understand that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own. They will be oppressed as slaves for four hundred years. After I have judged the nation they are serving, they will come out of that place with many possessions. But you, Abram, shall go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a ripe old age. It will be the fourth generation of your descendants that return home. As it now stands, the Amorite's iniquity is not yet complete."

When the sun had set and it was very dark, there appeared a smoking furnace and a burning torch which passed between the animal pieces. And on that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the River of Egypt all the way to the River Euphrates. I will give them the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Rephaim, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Girashite and the Jebusite."

10. Hagar Gives Abram A Son - Back to Page Index
Genesis 16:1-16
Sarai had never given any children to Abram, and she had an Egyptian maid named Hagar. So she proposed to Abram that since the LORD had prevented her from bearing children, perhaps she could obtain children through Hagar. And Abram listened to Sarai. It had been ten years since Abram had come to Canaan and now Sarai decided to give Hagar the Egyptian to her husband as his wife. When Hagar became pregnant by Abram she no longer had any respect for Sarai. Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong you have done to me come back upon you. May the LORD judge between you and me." So Abram said, "She is your maid and it is within your power to do to her as you think best." So Sarai treated Hagar harshly and she fled from Sarai's presence.

The angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring in the wilderness on the way to Shur. He said to her, "Hagar, Sarai's maid. Where have you come from and where are you going?" She answered, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai."

Then the angel of the LORD said to Hagar, "Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that there will be too many to count." The angel of the LORD then added, "See, you are now with child and it will be a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your troubles. He will be wild and untamable, and his hand will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will live to the east of his brothers."

Hagar called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God Who sees, for I have looked at Him and I am still alive."

The name of that well was BeerLahaiRoi. It is between Kadesh and Bered.

So Hagar bore a son to Abram and he named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty six years old when Ishmael was born.

11. Abram's Name Changed To Abraham - Back to Page Index
Genesis 17:1-27
When Abram was ninty-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless. I will establish My covenant with you, and multiply you exceedingly." Abram fell on his face while God continued speaking. He said, "As for Me, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations." You will no longer be known as Abram. Your name shall be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. "I will make you exceedingly fruitful. Nations will come from you and kings will come out of you. I will establish My everlasting covenant with you and your descendants throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants. I will give the land where you are sojourning to you and your descendants. All the land of Canaan will be your everlasting possession. I will be the God of your descendants." And God continued, saying to Abraham, "You and your descendants are to keep My covenant throughout their generations. Here is the covenant which you and your descendants shall keep: every male shall be circumcised. You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between you and Me. When a male is eight days old he shall be circumcised. This is to be done throughout all your generations. This includes the servants born in your house or those bought with money from any foreigner. Those born in your house or purchased are to be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any male whose foreskin is not circumcised shall be cut off from his people because he has broken My covenant."

Then God said to Abraham, "Your wife's name shall no longer be Sarai. Her name shall be Sarah. I will bless her and through her give you a son. Through him she shall be the mother of many nations. Kings of peoples will come from her." Abraham fell on his face and laughed to himself, thinking, "Can a child be born to a man who is an hundred years old? Is it possible for Sarah, who is ninety years old to bear a child?" Then Abraham said to God, "Couldn't Ishmael be the one to live before you?" But God said, "No, Sarah your wife will bear a son and you shall name him Isaac. With him I will establish My everlasting covenant, both for him and his descendants. I have heard your request for Ishmael, and I will bless him. He will be fruitful. I will multiply him very greatly. He will be the father of twelve princes and I will make him a great nation. But I will establish My covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you around this time next year."

When God had finished talking with Abraham, He went up from him. Then Abraham took his son Ishmael, and all the male servants born in his house and those who had been purchased, every male in his household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on the same day that God had spoken to him. Abraham was ninty-nine years of age when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen. Both of them were circumcised on the same day, as were all the men of his household, whether purchased from a foreigner, or born in his house.

12. The Lord Visits Abraham On His Way To Sodom - Back to Page Index
Genesis 18:1-33
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre. He was sitting at the door of his tent during the heat of the day. Looking up, he noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them he ran to them and bow down before them, and said, "My Lord, if I have found favor with You, please do not pass by Your servant. Please, let a little water be brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree. And I will bring some bread for Your refreshment. After visiting for a while You can be on your way." and they agreed to his offer. So Abraham hurried inside and asked Sarah to quickly prepare enough fine flour to make some loaves of bread. Then he ran to the herd and took a tender young calf and asked his servant to quickly prepare it. Taking butter and milk along with the rest of the food he had prepared, he placed everything before them, and stood by while they ate.

Then they said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" He answered, "Inside the tent."

The Stranger said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year, and Sarah, your wife, will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind Him.

Now Abraham and Sarah were both advanced in age. Sarah was past the age when she could bear children. She laughed to herself, saying, "After I am old, shall I then have this pleasure, since my lord is old also?" Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say that she is surely too old to bear a child? Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you. At this time next year Sarah will have a son." Sarah was afraid and denied having laughed. And He said to her, "Yes, you laughed."

The men got up and looked toward Sodom. Abraham walked with them to send them on their way. The LORD said, "Shall I keep from Abraham what I am about to do? He will surely become a great and mighty nation and through him all the nations will be blessed. For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD, doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to pass all that He has spoken concerning Abraham."

Then the LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great because their great sin. I am going down and see if they are as bad as I have been told." Then the other two men turned and went toward Sodom while Abraham stood by the LORD. Abraham came near to Him and said, "Will You actually destroy the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city. Will you sweep away everyone, including the fifty righteous in their midst? Can it be right to destroy the righteous with the wicked, treating both the same. As the Judge of all the earth you will surely deal justly." So the LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous in the city I will spare the whole place for their sake." Then Abraham replied, "I am but dust and ashes and yet I am speaking to the LORD. Maybe there aren't fifty righteous in the city, but only forty-five. Will you destroy everyone, because only forty-five are righteous?" And He replied, I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous. Abraham spoke once more, saying, "Suppose there are only forty to be found?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the forty." The Abraham said, "O may the LORD not be angry with what I say next. Suppose only thirty are found there?" And He said "I will not destroy it if thirty are found there." Then Abraham said, "I will ask the LORD again, suppose twenty are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the twenty." Then Abraham said, "Please do not be angry with me for speaking only one more time. What if there are ten found there?" And the LORD said, "I will not destroy it on account of the ten." When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham He departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

13. Destruction Of Sodom - Back to Page Index
Genesis 19:1-29
As evening drew on, two angels came to Sodom. Lot was sitting at the gate of the city. When he saw them he rose to meet them and bowed his face to the ground. He said, "My lords, please come to my house, wash your feet and spend the night. In the morning you may rise early and be on your way." But they replied, "No thank you. We will spend the night here in the square." But Lot continued to urge them until they consented to go with him to his house where he prepared a good meal for them, even baking unleavened bread, and they ate. Before they had lain down, the men of Sodom surrounded the house. There were young and old from every part of the city. They called to Lot saying, "Where are the men you took home with you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may misuse them." Lot went outside shutting the door behind him. He said to the men, "Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. You know that I have two daughters who are virgins. Let me bring them out to you to do with them as you please. But, please, do nothing to my guests who have come under my roof." But they said, "Stand aside. You are not one of us, so why are you acting like a judge toward us? Take care, or we will treat you worse than them." They pushed so hard against Lot that they nearly broke the door in.

The two men inside reached out and brought Lot back into the house and shut the door. And they struck everyone of the men outside with blindness, so that they grew weary as they tried to find the door. Then the two men asked Lot, "Who else do you have in this city? Get your family and in-laws out of the city. For we are about to destroy this place because what they are doing has become so offensive to the LORD."

Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, saying, "Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy this city." They treated him as though he was a joke.

As morning came the angels urged Lot to take his wife and his two daughters living with them, and leave immediately, lest they be swept away in the punishment of the city. Lot hesitated, so, taking him, his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the two men led them out of the city, for the LORD had compassion on Lot. When they were outside the city, one of the men said, "Escape for your life. Do not look behind you and do not stay anywhere in this valley. Escape to the mountains, lest you be swept away in the destruction." But Lot said to them, "Oh no my lords! Behold, if I have found favor in your sight and you want to show me kindness, understand that sending me to the mountains is like a death sentence. Over there is a small town. Please let me go there so that I will not die." And the angel granted his request promising not to overthrow that little town. He said, "Hurry and go there, for I cannot do anything until you get there." The name of the town was Zoar.

The sun had risen when Lot got to Zoar. Then the LORD rained fire and brimstone out of heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah, overthrowing those cities and all the inhabitants of the valley.

But Lot's wife lagged behind, and looking back, she became a pillar of salt.

Abraham got up early the next morning and went to the place where he had stood with the LORD. As he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, he saw smoke ascending as from a furnace. But when God destroyed the cities of the valley, He remembered Abraham and sent Lot away from the destruction of the place where he had been living.

14. Abraham Lies To Abimelech - Back to Page Index
Genesis 20:1-18
Abraham journeyed from where he had been living down to the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur, sojourning in Gerar. He told Abimelech, the king of Gerar, that Sarah was his sister. So Abimelech sent and took her. But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night, saying, "You are a dead man because the woman you have taken is married." Abimelech had not yet come near her. He said, "Lord, will you slay a nation even when it is blameless? He told me she was his sister? And she said, 'He is my brother.' I was innocent in doing this." God said, "Yes, I know you did this in the integrity of your heart. This is why I have kept you from sinning against Me by warning you before you touched her. Now restore the man's wife to him, for he is a prophet. He will pray for you and you will live. However, if you do not restore her, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you." So Abimelech got up early the next morning and called all his servants together. The men were very frightened when they heard what had happened.

Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, "How have I sinned against you that you should cause me to sin? You should not have treated me this way. Why did you do this?" Abraham said, "I did not think that anyone would fear God in this place. I thought that I would be killed because of my wife. And in truth, she is my sister, my father's daughter but not my mother's, and she became my wife. So wherever God has caused me to travel, I have asked her to do me the kindness of referring to me as her brother." Abimelech gave Abraham sheep and oxen, men and women servants, and he restored Sarah to him. Abimelech said, "My land is before you. Settle wherever it pleases you." And to Sarah he said, "I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. This will be your vindication before any who might question how you have been treated. Before all men you are cleared." So Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his maids, so that they could have children. For the LORD had closed up their wombs because Abimelech had taken Sarah, Abraham's wife.

15. Sarah Bears A Son - Back to Page Index
Genesis 21:1-7
Then the LORD visited Sarah and did for her as He had promised. She conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the very time God had appointed. Abraham named him Isaac. He circumcised his son when he was eight days old, just as the LORD had commanded. At Isaac's birth Abraham was one hundred years old. Sarah said, "God has given me laughter and everyone within hearing will laugh with me. Who could have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse a child. Yet, I have borne a son to him in his old age."

16. Hagar Has To Leave - Back to Page Index
Genesis 21:8-21
When the child had grown and been weaned, Abraham made a great feast. Sarah saw Hagar's son mocking Isaac. So Sarah told Abraham, "You must drive this maid and her son out of the camp. He must not be an heir along with Isaac." This greatly troubled Abraham. But God said to Abraham, "Do not be concerned for the lad of your maid. Do as Sarah has asked. Your descendants are to come through Isaac. Because the son of your maid is your descendant, I will make of him a nation, too." So Abraham got up early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and put these on Hagar's shoulder. He then sent her and the boy away to wander in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes in that place, and went about a bow shot away so she would not have to see him die. Then she lifted up her voice and wept.

God heard the lad crying. Then the angel of God called from heaven to Hagar. He asked her, "What is the matter? Do not be afraid. God had heard the lad's voice. Get up. Take the child by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him." Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went to it, filled the water skin and gave water to her boy.

God was with the lad and he grew and became an archer, and lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

17. God Tests Abraham - Back to Page Index
Genesis 22:1-19
It was after this that God tested Abraham, saying to him, "Abraham!" And he answered, "Yes Lord. I am listening." God said, "Take Isaac, your only son, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will direct you to." So Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young men and Isaac his son, and prepared the wood for the burnt offering. And they started out for Moriah.

On the third day out, Abraham looked up and saw the place from a distance. He told his young men to wait by the donkey while he and Isaac went to Moriah to worship and then return. Abraham laid the wood for the burnt offering on his son Isaac, and taking the fire and the knife, he and Isaac walked on together.

Isaac said, "My father!" And Abraham said, "Yes?" Isaac said, "I see that we have the fire and wood. Where is the Lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for this requirement." And they continued walking. When they arrived at the place God had indicated, Abraham built the alter. After arranging the wood on it, he then bound his son Isaac and laid him on the alter on top of the wood. As he reached for the knife to take his son's life, the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven saying "Abraham, Abraham!" And he answered, "Here I am." And the angel said, "Do not raise your hand against the lad. I now know that you fear God because you have not held back your only son from Me." Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram was caught by his horns in a bush. He took the ram and offered him as the burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named that place, "The LORD will provide." And it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."

Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time, and said to him, "I promise that because you have not held back your only son, I will greatly bless you, multiplying your descendants as the stars of the heavens and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies. All the nations of the earth shall be blessed through your seed because you have obeyed My voice."

Abraham returned to where his young men were waiting and together they returned to Beersheba where he continued to live.

18. Sarah Dies - Back to Page Index
Genesis 23:1-20
Sarah had lived one hundred and twenty-seven years. She died in KiriathArba which became Hebron in Canaan, and Abraham mourned for her.

Abraham got up from mourning for Sarah and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, "I am a stranger and a sojourner among you. Give me a burial site so that I may bury my dead." The sons of Heth answered him saying, "You are a mighty prince among us. You may use the best of our grave sites. No one will refuse you this." Then Abraham stood up and bowed to the sons of Heth. He said, "If you want me to be able to bury my dead, hear me out. Ask Ephron, the son of Zohar for me, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he owns, the one at the end of his field. I will pay the full price for it in your presence, so that I may have it for a burial site."

Ephron the Hitite was sitting among the sons of Heth. He answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, and everyone else sitting at the gate of his city. He said, "I will give you the field and the cave on it. Let all who are here today witness that I have given it to you so that you may bury your dead." Abraham bowed before the people of the land. He said to Ephron while everyone listened, "Please hear me out and accept what the field is worth so that I may bury my dead." Ephron answered Abraham, saying, "My friend, consider this. What is a piece of land that is worth four hundred shekels of silver between you and me? Bury your dead."

Abraham listened to what Ephron said in the presence of the sons of Heth and gave Ephron four hundred shekels of silver according to the commercial standard.

So Ephron's field in Machpelah which faced Mamre, along with its cave and all its trees were deeded over to Abraham, and he became its owner with the sons of Heth as witness. Everyone in the area knew of the purchase.

So Abraham buried his wife in the cave of Machpelah which faces Mamre, and it was later known as Hebron in the land of Canaan. He was given a deed to the field and its cave by the sons of Heth, and from that time it was recognized as his burial site.

19. Abraham Sends For A Wife For Isaac - Back to Page Index
Genesis 24:1-67
Abraham had become very old. The LORD had blessed him in every way. Speaking to his oldest and most trusted servant, he said, "I want you to make a binding agreement with me by placing your hand under my thigh. Swear to me by the LORD, the God of heaven, that you will not take a wife for my son from among the Canaanites. Instead, you are to go to my relatives to get a wife for him." His servant said, "Suppose the woman is not willing to come back with me? Should I then take Isaac to the land you came from?" Abraham said, "Be sure that you do not take him back there." The LORD God of heaven brought me here from my father's house in the land of my birth. He has sworn to me that He will give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you to help you find a wife in that place for my son. "But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you are free from this oath. But do not take my son back there." So his servant placed his hand under Abraham's thigh and swore to carry out Abraham's wishes on this matter.

Taking a variety of choice things from his master's household the servant placed them on ten camels and set out for the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia.

Arriving at Nahor he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well. It was evening and women were coming out to draw water. He prayed, "O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today and show kindness to my master Abraham. As I am standing by this well and the daughters of the city come out to draw water, let it be a sign that the girl I ask for a drink of water will not only give me a drink, but also offer to water my camels as well. Then I will know You have appointed this one to be the wife of Isaac. This is how I will know that you have shown loving kindness to my master."

While he was speaking to the LORD, Rebekah, who was born of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor, came from the city with her water jar on her shoulder. She was very beautiful and had never been married. She came to the spring and filled her water jar. Hurrying to meet her, the servant of Abraham said, "Please let me have a little water from your jar." She said, "Drink my lord," and quickly lowered the water jar so he could have a drink. When he had finished drinking, she said, "I will draw water for your camels as well until they have finished drinking." She quickly emptied the jar in the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.

As this took place, the man watched her in silence, eager to know if the LORD was making his journey successful.

When the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a half-shekel (one fifth of an ounce, $824 at today's value) and two gold bracelets for her wrists, each weighing ten shekels (four ounces, $13,184 at today's value). He then asked her, "Whose daughter are you? Would it be possible for us to stay at your father's house?" She answered."I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor." Then she added, "We have plenty of straw and feed, and room for you to stay the night." Then the man bowed down and worshipped the LORD. He said, "Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham. He has not forsaken His loving kindness and His truth toward my master. The LORD has guided me to the house of my master's brothers." Then the girl ran and told everything to those in her mother's household.

Rebekah had a brother by the name of Laban and he ran to meet the man at the spring. Having heard Rebekah's account of all that had happened and seeing the ring and the bracelets on her wrists, he went to see this man who was standing by his camels. Laban said to him, "Come. You are blessed of the LORD. There is no need to remain here for I have prepared a place for you and your camels." So the man went into the house while Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and feed. After that he brought water and wash the man's feet and the feet of the men with him.

When food had been set before him, the man said, "I will not eat until I have told you why I have come." They said, "Please tell us."

He began by saying, "I am Abraham's servant. The LORD has greatly blessed my master, making him very rich. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, servants and maids, camels and donkeys. His wife Sarah bore him a son in her old age and Abraham has given everything to his son. My master made me swear to not take a wife for his son from the Canaanites in the land where he lives. He told me that I must go to the house of his relatives and get a wife for his son Isaac. I said, 'What if the woman is not willing to come back with me?'" He answered me, saying, "The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful. You will find a wife for my son from among my relatives and my father's house. But if my relatives do not agree to give her to you, you will be free from my oath. So I came to the spring today and said to the LORD, 'If you will make my journey a success. Then let it be that as I stand by the spring and a maiden comes to the spring to draw water, when I ask her for a little water to drink from her jar, and if she offers me a drink and then offers to also water my camels, let her be the woman you have appointed for my master's son.' Before I had finished praying, Rebekah came with her water jar and filled it at the spring. And I asked her for a drink. She offered me a drink and said that she would also water my camels. After I drank she immediately began drawing watering them as well. I asked her whose daughter she was. She said she was the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him. I then put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. And I bowed down and worshiped the LORD and blessed the LORD God of my master, Abraham, because He had guided me to the daughter of my master's kinsman that I might find a wife for his son. Tell me, are you going to deal kindly with my master? If not, let me know so that I may decide what to do next."

Then Laban and Bethuel said, "The matter has come from the LORD. We cannot say good or bad. Here is Rebekah. Take her and go. Let her be the wife of your master's son."

After Abraham's servant heard these words, he bowed himself before the LORD. He then gave articles of silver and gold, and garments, to Rebekah. He also gave precious things for her brother and mother.

He and his men ate, drank and stayed the night. In the morning he said, "Send me back to my master." Her brother and mother said, "Let Rebekah stay with us at least ten days. After that she may go." But he replied, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has given me success. Send me away that I may go to my master." They said, "We will ask the girl what she thinks about going immediately." They asked Rebekah if she would go immediately, and she said, "I will go."

So they sent Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham's servant, and they blessed Rebekah, saying, "May you be blessed, our sister. May you be multiplied to thousands and ten thousands. May your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them." Then Rebekah arose with her maids and mounted the camels. And following the man they departed.

Isaac was coming back from BeerLahaiRoi to where he lived in the Negev. He was in the field meditating in the cool of the evening. As he looked up, he saw camels coming. Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and seeing Isaac she got down from the camel. She asked the servant, "Who is that man walking toward us?" The servant said, "He is my master." She then covered herself with a veil.

The servant then related to Isaac everything that had happened. And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent. And she became his wife. He loved her and was comforted after his mother's death.

20. Abraham Dies - Back to Page Index
Genesis 25:1-11
Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim and Leummim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah's children. Abraham gave all that He had to Isaac. But He also gave gifts to the sons of his concubines while he was still living, and sent them away to the east, away from his son Isaac.

Abraham lived one hundred and seventy five years. Then he breathed his last breath having lived to a ripe old age and satisfied with life. So he was gathered to his people. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah facing Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite. Abraham had purchased the field from the sons of Heth and buried Sarah there.

God blessed Isaac after Abraham's death. He was living by BeerLahaiRoi.

21. The Book Of Hebrews Talks Of Abraham Patience - Back to Page Index
Hebrews 6:15
And so, after patiently waiting, Abraham obtained the promise.

22. Abraham's Faith - Back to Page Index
Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance, obeyed. He went without knowing where he was going.

23. Even Greater Evidence Of Abraham's Faith - Back to Page Index
Hebrews 11:17
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, who was his only begotten son,

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