Yahweh Promises to Abraham and Sarah That They Will Have a Son

18:1-15

18 Then one day Yahweh appeared again to Abraham at the oak trees on Mamre’s land, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw that there were three men standing a short distance away. As soon as he saw them, he jumped up and hurried to them to greet them. Then he bowed before them with his face to the ground to show respect, 3 and he said to them, “Sirs, if you consider me worthy to be your host, please do not leave here without letting me serve you as my guests. 4 Please let me bring you some water, so that you all can wash the dust off your feet, and then rest under the shade of this tree. 5 Since you are here with me, let me also bring some food for you to eat. That way you can regain your strength before you continue on your way.” They replied to him, “Okay, do what you have proposed.”

6 So Abraham quickly went to Sarah inside their tent and told her, “Quickly get three batches of our best flour and bake some bread.” 7 Then he ran outside to his herd of cattle and chose one of his best calves that would be good to eat. Then he took it to one of his servants, and the servant quickly butchered it and cooked it. 8 Then Abraham brought some yogurt and milk and the meat that his servant had prepared, and he put it all before his three guests to eat. Then he stood nearby them where they were sitting under the tree and served them while they ate.

9 Then one of the men asked Abraham, “Where is your wife Sarah?” Abraham answered, “She is there in the tent.” 10 Then the man said to Abraham, “I will definitely come back here to visit you at this time next year. When I do, your wife Sarah will have a baby son.” Now Sarah was listening inside the entrance of the tent, which was behind the man. 11 She and Abraham were already very old, so that Sarah was far past the age that she could have children. 12 So she laughed to herself in disbelief and said to herself, “It doesn’t seem possible that I could experience the pleasure of having a child now that I am too old to conceive. Besides that, my husband is also very old!” 13 But Yahweh asked Abraham, “Sarah should not have laughed and said to herself that she is too old to have a child! 14 Nothing is too difficult for Yahweh to do! At the time that I have set, I will return to you here. Yes, I will come at this time next year, and Sarah will already have a son.” 15 When Sarah heard that, she was afraid, so she lied to him and said, “I did not laugh.” But Yahweh replied, “That is not true. You did laugh.”