6. Abraham

A man called Abraham, who was a descendant of Noah's son Shem, lived in a big city with plenty of food and water for everyone. Abraham and his wife Sarah liked the many comforts there. They worked alongside their neighbors, but they did not worship with them. Abraham believed in God. He did not go to the temples to worship idols like the others did.

God spoke to Abraham one day. God told him to leave the city for a new land with his wife Sarah.

"This land is called Canaan," God said. "I will bless you and give you this country and it will belong to you and your offspring forever."

Abraham trusted God. He knew the trip would be long and hard. They would have to leave most of their possessions behind in order to make the journey. But Abraham gathered together what they could pack on the donkeys and set out for Canaan. He trusted God.

Abraham, Sarah, Lot his nephew, and their many servants traveled very far to reach the land of Canaan. Once they reached it, Abraham and Lot began to let their many cattle and sheep graze on the green fields. Soon their herds were so big that the servants who cared for the animals began to argue with one another over the water supply in the well.

"This is a very big country," Abraham said to Lot one day. "We should divide our flocks and use separate areas so there will be plenty of water and land for us both."

God had given Canaan to Abraham so he could have taken first choice and picked the best place to settle. But Abraham was not selfish. He let Lot choose first.

Lot was not generous like Abraham. He picked the best land down near the river Jordan. Abraham said good-bye to Lot and walked off in the opposite direction. Abraham thanked God and praised him for bringing them to the Promised Land.

Soon after Lot settled in the city of Sodom near the Jordan River, a war broke out. Lot was taken prisoner along with some other people of the city. Abraham heard about Lot's troubles and hurried to his rescue.

The chiefs of Sodom thanked Abraham and offered him a reward. Abraham did not want their riches. He wanted something that was much more important. Sarah and Abraham had never been able to have any children. Now Abraham was afraid they were too old.

That night God called to Abraham to come out of his tent. "Look at the stars in the sky," God told Abraham. "I promise that you will one day have as many offspring as there are stars."

God told Abraham that he and Sarah would soon have a son. Even though it didn't seem possible, Abraham had faith that God would keep his promise.

Many years went by after God made the promise to Abraham and still no child had been born. Sarah had a servant girl named Hagar so she gave Hagar to her husband. In those days a wife could give her servant to her husband as a second wife. If Abraham and Hagar had a child, it would become Abraham's heir.

Abraham went along with the plan to please Sarah. But when Hagar did become pregnant with a child, she was so proud that Sarah did not want to be around her any more. Sarah was mean to Hagar, and Hagar finally had to run away.

It was not God's plan for Hagar to have Abraham's baby. The promise was that Abraham and Sarah would have a child of their own. Still God took pity on Hagar.

"Go back to your mistress, Hagar," God said. "I will keep you safe."

Hagar listened to God and did what he told her. Soon she gave birth to a son and named him Ishmael.

God spoke to Abraham again after Ishmael' was born. He reminded him of the covenant, the special agreement, that he and Abraham had.

"I will bless your child," God told Abraham.

Abraham thought God meant his child Ishmael. But God told him again that Sarah would have their baby, a boy they would name Isaac.

As he sat at the door of his tent one day, Abraham saw three men walking toward him. Abraham welcomed the men and invited them to stay for dinner. The men agreed, for they were very tired and hungry. They all sat down to a meal of fresh-baked bread and tender meat.

One of the men said to Abraham, "By next year, Sarah will have the son you have been promised."

Abraham was shocked. How could the visitor know such things? Sarah heard the man also. She thought he was making a joke and laughed to herself.

"Why did Sarah laugh?" asked the man. "The Lord can do anything, even the impossible."

"I didn't laugh," said Sarah. She was afraid.

Abraham suddenly understood what was happening. The man who spoke was really God himself. He only disguised himself as a man so he could come to Abraham and tell him that the promise would come true very soon.

(end of section)