Abraham Story Line

Story Line

God held out the promise of a homeland and a large family, Abram migrated from Ur in southern Mesopotamia (see Figure 2.3) to Palestine (Genesis 12). Because of a famine, he and his wife Sarai sought refuge in Egypt. Abram and Lot had competing claims to Canaan and finally separated (13). God made a covenant with Abram as an assurance that he would fulfill his promise of offspring (15). When many years had passed and yet they had no son, Abram and Sarai arranged to have a surrogate son by Sarai's servant, Hagar (16), and Ishmael was born. God reaffirmed the covenant promise of offspring, founded the ritual of circumcision, and gave new names to Abram and Sarai (17).
    When Abraham was almost one hundred and Sarah almost ninety, God announced that they would have their own son (18-19). After the promised son, Isaac, was born, Ishmael and Hagar came into conflict with Sarah and were driven away (21). Then God tested Abraham's faith by commanding him to slaughter and sacrifice Isaac. At the last moment God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac (22). Sarah died shortly thereafter and was buried in a plot purchased by Abraham (23). Abraham arranged a wife for Isaac, Rebekah from the Terah clan back in Aram (24). So Abraham passed away knowing his line would continue (25).