¹⁸ for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.^(A)

¹⁷ But the Lord inflicted^(A) serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household^(B) because of Abram’s wife Sarai.

² Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God,^(A) who has kept you from having children?”^(B)

¹⁰ So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.^(A)

As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.”

⁶ Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.^(A)

⁷ Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet,^(A) and he will pray for you^(B) and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”^(C)

² so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children.^(A) Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”^(B)

Abram agreed to what Sarai said.