Summary: God assures Abram not to fear, promising him a great reward. Despite his concern about being childless, God promises that Abram's heir will be his own son, not his servant Eliezer. Abram believes God, who credits it to him as righteousness. Sarah bears a son, Isaac, fulfilling God's promise.
The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.”
But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” Abram continued, “See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.”
Then the word of the LORD came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.”
The Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
The LORD took note of Sarah as he had said he would; he did for her as he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time that God had stated.
Abraham gave the name Isaac to this son of his whom Sarah bore him.
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