Sarah

29Abram and Nahor each took a wife. Abram's wife was named Sarai. Nahor's wife was named Milcah. Milcah was the daughter of Haran, and Haran was also the father of Iscah.

And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

NoteLong ago, people often married someone from their own big family, like a cousin. Milcah married her uncle Nahor.

30But Sarai could not have babies. She had no child.

But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

31Terah took his son Abram. He took his grandson Lot, the son of Haran. He took Sarai, his daughter-in-law, who was Abram's wife. Together they left Ur of the Chaldees to go to the land of Canaan. But they came to a place called Haran, and they lived there.

And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

NoteCanaan was a land far to the west, near the sea. Careful: Haran here is a town, not the brother who died. The man and the town have names that look the same in English.

10There was a famine in the land. Food was very hard to find. So Abram went down to Egypt to stay there for a while, because the famine was very bad.

And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

NoteA famine is a long time when the rain does not come and food will not grow. Egypt had a big river, so food still grew there when other lands went dry.

11When he was almost in Egypt, he spoke to his wife Sarai. He said, "Look, I know you are a beautiful woman.

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

12So when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.

Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

NoteIn those days a king could take a woman he liked to be his wife. If she already had a husband, the husband was in danger.

13Please say that you are my sister. Then things will go well for me because of you. My life will be spared because of you."

Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

NoteSarai really was Abram's half sister. They had the same father but different mothers. So what he asked her to say was partly true, but it hid the most important part.

14When Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman. They saw that she was very beautiful.

And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

15The important men of Pharaoh saw her too. They spoke well of her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

NotePharaoh was the name for the king of Egypt. Every king there was called Pharaoh. Being taken into his house meant she was to become one of his wives.

16Pharaoh was good to Abram because of her. Abram came to have sheep, cattle, male donkeys, men servants, women servants, female donkeys, and camels.

And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.

NoteBack then people did not keep money in a bank. Sheep, cattle, donkeys and camels were what it meant to be rich.

17But the LORD struck Pharaoh and everyone in his house with great troubles. This was because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.

Note"Great plagues" means bad sickness and trouble sent all at once.

18So Pharaoh called for Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me she was your wife?

And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

19Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? That is why I took her to be my wife. Now here is your wife. Take her and go."

Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.

20Then Pharaoh gave orders to his men about Abram. They sent him away, with his wife and everything he had.

And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

1Sarai was Abram's wife. She had not given him any children. She had a servant woman from Egypt named Hagar.

Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

NoteA servant woman worked for Sarai and had to do what Sarai told her. Egypt was a country far away to the south.

2Sarai said to Abram, "Look, the LORD has kept me from having children. Please sleep with my servant Hagar. Maybe I can have a family through her." Abram did what Sarai said.

And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

NoteLong ago, a wife with no children sometimes let her servant have a baby instead. The baby would then be counted as the wife's own child. Also, when you see LORD in big letters, it is God's own special name.

3Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years. Then his wife Sarai took her Egyptian servant Hagar. She gave Hagar to her husband Abram to be his wife.

And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

NoteCanaan was the land God had promised to give Abram. In those days a man could have more than one wife. Hagar became Abram's wife, but she was still Sarai's servant.

4Abram slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to look down on Sarai.

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5Sarai said to Abram, "The wrong done to me is your fault. I put my servant in your arms. Now she knows she is pregnant, and she looks down on me. Let the LORD decide who is right, you or me."

And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

6Abram said to Sarai, "Look, your servant is in your hands. Do to her whatever you want." Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, and Hagar ran away from her.

But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

15God said to Abraham, "About Sarai your wife: do not call her Sarai. Her name will be Sarah."

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

NoteSarai and Sarah are two forms of one name. Both names mean "princess." God gave her a new name, like he did for her husband.

16"I will bless her. I will also give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."

And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17Then Abraham lay down with his face to the ground and laughed. He said inside himself, "Can a man who is a hundred years old have a child? Can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety?"

Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

18Abraham said to God, "Oh, let Ishmael live his life in front of you!"

And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

NoteIshmael was Abraham's older son. His mother was Hagar, who was Sarah's servant. Abraham loved him and wanted good things for him.

19God said, "Sarah your wife will really have a son. You will name him Isaac. My promise with him will last forever. It will be for his family after him too."

And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

NoteThe name Isaac means "he laughs." Abraham had just laughed at the news. The baby's name would always remind the family of that.

20"As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Look, I have blessed him. I will give him many children. His family will grow very, very big. He will be the father of twelve princes, who are rulers of people. I will make him a great nation."

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

NoteThe King James word "beget" means to become the father of someone. A prince here means a leader of a large family group.

21"But I will keep my promise with Isaac. Sarah will have him at this same time next year."

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

22God finished talking with him. Then God went up away from Abraham.

And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

NoteThe King James says "he left off talking with him." That just means God stopped talking. The visit was over.

1The LORD appeared to Abraham at the plains of Mamre. It was the hottest part of the day. Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent.

And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

NoteThe LORD in big letters is God's own special name. Abraham lived in tents, not in a house. He moved his tents to find grass for his animals. Mamre was a place with big shady trees.

2He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them. He bowed down low, with his face toward the ground.

And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

NoteBowing down low was a way to show great respect. People did it when an important guest came.

3He said, "My lord, if you are pleased with me, please do not pass by. Please stop here with me, your servant."

And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

NoteAbraham calls himself "your servant" to be polite. It was a kind way to talk to a guest.

4"Let a little water be brought. You can wash your feet and rest under the tree."

Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

NotePeople wore sandals and walked on dusty roads. Washing a guest's feet was a kind thing to do.

5"I will bring a piece of bread, and you can feel strong again. After that you can go on your way. This is why you came to your servant." They said, "Yes, do as you have said."

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

Note"A piece of bread" was a polite way to say a meal. Abraham then made far more food than that.

6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, "Quick! Take three measures of fine flour. Mix it and make bread on the hot stones."

And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

NoteThree measures was a lot of flour, about twenty pounds. There were no ovens then. Flat bread was baked on hot stones by the fire.

7Abraham ran to his herd of cows. He picked a young calf that was tender and good. He gave it to a young servant, who hurried to get it ready.

And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

NoteA calf is a young cow. Cooking a whole calf was a special treat for guests.

8He took curds, which is thick milk, and he took milk. He brought the calf that was cooked and set it all before them. He stood by them under the tree while they ate.

And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

NoteCurds are milk made thick and soft. They are a little like yogurt.

9They said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He said, "She is there, in the tent."

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10The LORD said, "I will surely come back to you about this time next year. Then Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.

And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old. They had lived many years. Sarah was past the age when women have babies.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12So Sarah laughed to herself. She said, "I am worn out and old. Will I really have this joy? My husband is old too."

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

NoteSarah laughed where no one could hear her. Later her son was named Isaac. That name means "he laughs."

13The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? She said, 'Can I really have a baby when I am old?'"

And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14"Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will come back to you, about a year from now. And Sarah will have a son."

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

15Then Sarah said, "I did not laugh." She said this because she was afraid. He said, "No. You did laugh."

Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

1Abraham traveled from there toward the south country. He lived between Kadesh and Shur. Then he stayed for a while in a town called Gerar.

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

NoteKadesh, Shur, and Gerar were real places in a dry, sandy land. Abraham lived in tents and moved his animals from place to place.

2Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech, the king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

NoteA king could send for anyone he wanted. People were afraid to say no to a king. Abimelech thought Sarah was not married, so he took her to be one of his wives.

3But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night. God said, "Listen. You are going to die because of the woman you took. She is another man's wife."

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.

NoteLong ago God sometimes spoke to people while they were asleep. A dream like this was not a mixed-up dream. It was a real message.

4But Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill a nation that has done no wrong?

But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

NoteA nation means all the people who live in one land. Abimelech is afraid God will punish his whole country, not just him.

5Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' My heart was honest and my hands were clean when I did this."

Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

Note"My hands were clean" does not mean washed hands. It is a way of saying, "I did nothing wrong."

6God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know your heart was honest when you did this. So I kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.

And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7Now give the man his wife back. He is a prophet, someone who speaks for God. He will pray for you, and you will live. If you do not give her back, know this: you will surely die, and so will everyone who belongs to you."

Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

NoteA prophet was someone God spoke to. The prophet then told other people what God said.

8So Abimelech got up early in the morning. He called all his servants and told them everything that had happened. The men were very afraid.

Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

NoteServants were people who worked for the king. They lived in his house and did his work.

9Then Abimelech called Abraham and said, "What have you done to us? What wrong did I do to you? You have brought a great sin on me and on my kingdom. You have done things to me that should not be done."

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

NoteA kingdom is all the land and people a king rules over. Sin means doing something wrong against God.

10Abimelech also said to Abraham, "What did you see that made you do this thing?"

And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11Abraham said, "I thought, 'Surely no one in this place fears God. They will kill me because of my wife.'

And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.

Note"Fears God" does not mean being scared of God. It means caring what God wants and not daring to do wrong.

12And she really is my sister. She is my father's daughter, but she is not my mother's daughter. And she became my wife.

And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

NoteSarah and Abraham had the same father but different mothers. That made her his half sister. Long ago, families sometimes married relatives like this.

13God had me leave my father's house and wander from place to place. So I said to her, 'Here is the kindness you can show me. Everywhere we go, say about me, "He is my brother."'"

And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

NoteAbraham had no house of his own. He carried tents and moved wherever God led him.

14So Abimelech took sheep and cattle, and men servants and women servants. He gave them to Abraham. He also gave Sarah, Abraham's wife, back to him.

And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

NoteBack then sheep and cattle were like money. Giving away this many animals was a very big way of saying sorry.

15Abimelech said, "Look, my land is right in front of you. Live wherever you like."

And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

NoteThe king is telling Abraham he may pick any spot in the whole country to live.

16To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It shows everyone with you, and everyone else, that you did nothing wrong." So her name was cleared.

And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

NoteSilver pieces were used as money before there were coins. A thousand of them was a huge amount. The gift showed everyone that Sarah had done nothing wrong.

17So Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his women servants. They had children.

So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

18No woman in Abimelech's house could have a baby. The LORD had closed every womb because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.

NoteA womb is the safe place inside a mother where a baby grows. LORD in big letters is God's own special name.

1The LORD came to help Sarah, just as he had said. The LORD did for Sarah what he had promised.

And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

NoteThe word LORD is printed in big letters here. It stands for God's own special name.

2Sarah was going to have a baby. She gave Abraham a son when Abraham was old. It happened at the very time God had said it would.

For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

3Abraham named the son that Sarah gave him. He called him Isaac.

And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

NoteThe name Isaac means "he laughs" in their language. Both Abraham and Sarah had laughed when God promised this baby.

4When Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. God had told him to do this.

And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

NoteCircumcised means a tiny bit of skin was cut off a baby boy. Abraham's family did this to show they belonged to God. It was always done when a boy was eight days old.

5Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born.

And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

6Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me."

And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

NoteSarah had laughed before because she thought she was too old. Now she laughs again, this time because she is happy.

7She also said, "Who would ever have told Abraham that Sarah would feed babies with her own milk? But I have given him a son when he is old."

And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

NoteThe King James says "given children suck." That is an old way to say feeding a baby milk from her own body. There were no baby bottles then.

8The child grew. He stopped drinking his mother's milk. On that same day Abraham made a big feast.

And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

NoteLong ago babies drank their mother's milk for two or three years. When a child stopped, the family had a party. It meant the child was growing strong.

9Sarah saw the son that Hagar the Egyptian had given Abraham. He was making fun.

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

NoteHagar was Sarah's servant from Egypt. Years before this, Sarah told Abraham to have a baby with Hagar. That baby was a boy named Ishmael. He is the boy in this story.

10So Sarah said to Abraham, "Send this slave woman and her son away. The son of this slave woman will not share what is yours with my son Isaac."

Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

NoteBack then a father's animals and land went to his sons when he died. Sarah did not want Ishmael to get any of it.

11This made Abraham very sad, because of his son.

And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

12But God said to Abraham, "Do not be sad about the boy and about your slave woman. Listen to everything Sarah says to you. Your family line will be counted through Isaac.

And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

NoteThe King James says "thy seed." Seed here means children, grandchildren, and all the family after them.

13I will also make the slave woman's son into a whole nation. I will do this because he is your son too."

And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

NoteA nation is a very big group of people living together. God says Ishmael's family will grow that big.