²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife because she was barren, and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.^(A)

²³ So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.^(A)

¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.^(A)

¹³ He prayed to him, and God received his entreaty, heard his plea, and restored him again to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord indeed was God.^(A)

¹⁰ Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac:^{(A) 11} even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue, ¹² not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.”^(B)

²⁰ and when they received help against them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried to God in the battle, and he granted their entreaty because they trusted in him.^(A)

²⁷ For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him.^(A)

² But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”^{[a](A) 3} And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.”^(B)

⁷ But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.