Sarah

And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milcah and Iscah. But Sarai was barren; she had no children.

Humanity builds upward in defiance. God scatters them — and then quietly begins a new plan through one family line.

Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah. And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”

God changes Abram's name to Abraham — father of many. A permanent sign marks his body and his descendants forever.

Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ Is anything too difficult for…

Strangers arrive at Abraham's tent. One of them is the Lord. And Abraham dares to argue with God about justice.

Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised. And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him.

The promised son arrives — and Sarah laughs again, this time with joy. But the arrival of one son means the departure of another.