and Elisha said to her, "By this time next year you will be holding a son in your arms." "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Please, sir, don't lie to me. You are a man of God!"

But, as Elisha had said, at about that time the following year she gave birth to a son.

Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and did not leave the house for five months.

"Now at last the Lord has helped me," she said. "He has taken away my public disgrace!"

Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old.

Then God gave to Abraham the ceremony of circumcision as a sign of the covenant. So Abraham circumcised Isaac a week after he was born; Isaac circumcised his son Jacob, and Jacob circumcised his twelve sons, the famous ancestors of our race.

It says that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman, the other by a free woman.

It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He trusted God to keep his promise.

But God said, "No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will name him Isaac. I will keep my covenant with him and with his descendants forever. It is an everlasting covenant.

But I will keep my covenant with your son Isaac, who will be born to Sarah about this time next year."

One of them said, "Nine months from now I will come back, and your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was behind him, at the door of the tent, listening.

Is anything too hard for the LORD? As I said, nine months from now I will return, and Sarah will have a son."

For God's promise was made in these words: "At the right time I will come back, and Sarah will have a son."