The Sign of the Covenant^(A)

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord ^(B)appeared to Abram and said to him, ^(C)“I am ^[a]Almighty God; ^(D)walk before Me and be ^(E)blameless. ² And I will make My ^(F)covenant between Me and you, and ^(G)will multiply you exceedingly.” ³ Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: ⁴ “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be ^(H)a father of ^[b]many nations. ⁵ No longer shall ^(I)your name be called ^[c]Abram, but your name shall be ^[d]Abraham; ^(J)for I have made you a father of ^[e]many nations. ⁶ I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make ^(K)nations of you, and ^(L)kings shall come from you. ⁷ And I will ^(M)establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, ^(N)to be God to you and ^(O)your descendants after you. ⁸ Also ^(P)I give to you and your descendants after you the land ^(Q)in^[f] which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and ^(R)I will be their God.”

Isaac and Abimelech

26 There was a famine in the land, besides ^(A)the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to ^(B)Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.

² Then the Lord appeared to him and said: ^(C)“Do not go down to Egypt; live in ^(D)the land of which I shall tell you. ^3 (E)Dwell in this land, and ^(F)I will be with you and ^(G)bless you; for to you and your descendants ^(H)I give all these lands, and I will perform ^(I)the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. ⁴ And ^(J)I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; ^(K)and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;

Israel Rebels Against God

³⁷ “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ^(A)‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. ^(B)Him^[a] you shall hear.’

⁶ just as Abraham ^(A)“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁷ Therefore know that only ^(B)those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. ⁸ And ^(C)the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ^(D)“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” ⁹ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.