Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.

Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.

Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.

“Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:

They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar.

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.

But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.

In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.

I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.

For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring.

I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.” “Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.