When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord changed his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of many, see Gen. 17:1–5). Soon after, the Lord appeared to Abraham at the great trees of Mamre (i.e., Hebron; Gen. 18:1–15; see also 23:19) to announce that Sarah would give birth to the promised heir. And so Isaac was born (Gen. 21:1–5). Then the passing of Sarai, now called Sarah by God (Gen. 17:15), Abraham’s beloved wife and the mother
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