¹² But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.

¹⁸ even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”^[a]

⁷ Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,”^[a] though Abraham had other children, too. ⁸ This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.

¹⁹ But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac,^[a] and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.

⁹ Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

⁷ “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.

²¹ But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.”