Three strangers/messengers journey past Abraham’s tent site. They are invited in and treated most hospitably. They announce the forthcoming birth of a son to Abraham and Sarah; Sarah reacts with extreme disbelief and is quickly reprimanded for her incredulity.

As the strangers/messengers depart, God informs Abraham of the impending destruction of the wicked cities of S’dom and Amorah. Abraham pleads with God to spare all the inhabitants for the sake of the few righteous among them, but not even ten are to be found.

Two of the messengers arrive in S’dom to rescue Abraham’s nephew Lot and his family. Lot demonstrates a similar hospitality to Abraham’s in greeting them and in trying to protect them from the other residents, who seek to molest them. Lot and his family escape to Zoar, but not before Lot’s wife, turning back to view the destruction, is stricken and turned into a pillar of salt. Lot’s daughters, believing themselves to be the last people on earth, drug their father with wine and seduce him. The resulting offspring are the patriarchs of the Moabites and Ammonites.

Abraham and Sarah journey briefly to Gerar, where once again Sarah is introduced as Abraham’s sister. As in an earlier episode in Egypt, the consequences are disastrous.

Sarah, at age ninety, gives birth to Isaac. At the celebration marking Isaac’s weaning, Ishmael acts improperly; this incident leads to the banishment of Ishmael and his mother, Hagar.

Some years later, God commands Abraham to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice; Abraham complies unflinchingly. At the last second a divine voice calls out, sparing Isaac. A ram is offered in his stead.