Abraham and Sarah
Abraham was a rich farmer who lived with his wife Sarah, in the city of Haran. They were growing old and, to their great sadness, they had no children.
One day, God said to Abraham. 'I want you to leave this city and go to the land of Canaan. I will show you where you are to live, and I will make you the founder of a great nation. I will bless you and you will become famous.
Abraham was a good man, and always did what God told him to do. He prepared for the journey and soon left Haran with his wife, Sarah, his nephew Lot and Lot's wife his many servants and his herds of sheep and cows.
The journey was long and hard but, at last. they reached the new land, and set up their tents. For a while. they all lived happily together. But as the years passed, the herds of sheep and cows grew bigger and bigger, until there wasn't enough grass and water for them all.
Abraham's herdsmen argued with Lot's men about where they should graze their animals. Abraham decided it was time for he and Lot to separate. He said to Lot. 'We mustn't have these arguments. We must part. You choose where you want to live with your family, and your herds.
Lot looked at the land. 'I'll move down to the valley of the River Jordan where is plenty of lush grass and fresh water, he said. Then I'll stay here in the hills, said Abraham, although he knew the grass was thin and dry, and there was little water.
Lot and his wife, his servants, and herds of animals said goodbye to Abraham and Sarah, and made their way east down to the valley.
Abraham watched them go. Then God again promised that He would give Abraham all the land he could see and would make his family into a great nation. Abraham moved to the Plain of Hebron and lived there with Sarah, his servants and herds.
Dicky's Tent
Unknown Painter
One hot afternoon, when Abraham was sitting in the shade, he saw three men crossing the hills making their way to his tent.
Abraham ran out to meet them. 'Come to my tent', Abraham said to the strangers. There you can wash, and rest and eat with us.
Sarah and the servants hurried to get a meal ready. They gave the three men bowls of milk and cheese, made fresh bread, and roasted a calf over the fire. When they had eaten. the men explained why they had come.
'We have brought you a message from God, they said.
You and Sarah will have a son.
Sarah laughed, we are both much too old to have children, she said. But the months went by, and she gave birth to a baby boy. She called him Isaac.
She and Abraham were delighted that at last, they had a child. Abraham also remembered then that God had told him he would be the founder of a great nation.
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