The Eternal appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre when he was sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. He immediately ran to meet them from the entrance of his tent and bowed to the ground saying: « Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, I beseech you, do not turn away from your servant. Water will be brought to you to wash your feet. Rest under this tree. [In the meanwhile] I will fetch some bread to nourish you to your hearts’ content; you may then continue on you way and your visit will not have been in vain.» They replied; « Do as you have said. »

Abraham hastened to his tent to Sarah and said: « Quickly take three measures of flour, knead it and make some cakes. » Abraham ran to the herd and took a young and tender calf and gave it to his servant to prepare quickly. He took butter and milk and the calf that he had prepared and placed it before them. He stood by them under the tree and they ate. And they said to him: « Where is your wife Sarah? » He said: « She is in the tent. » One of them said: « I will certainly return at this season and Sara, your wife, will have a son by then. » Sara was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.

Abraham and Sara were old, advanced in years, and the periods of women had ceased for Sara. She laughed to herself saying: «Old beyond my child-bearing years, I will know such pleasure when my husband is also old! » The Eternal said to Abraham: «Why did Sara laugh saying: “Will I really bear a child when I am so old!” Is anything impossible for the Eternal? At the appointed time, at the same season, I will visit you and Sara will have a son.» Sara denied it saying: « I did not laugh. »

Genesis 18: 1 –15

 

The angel’s promise was to be fulfilled and Sara gave birth to Isaac or Yitshak - « he will laugh » in Hebrew… The promise referred to Abraham’s second son for he had had Ishmael with his servant Hagar. He was forced to send them both away, her and her son, at the request of Sara. The Biblical text will prefigure in its own manner – perhaps ironically – the tensions that will later erupt between the descendents of Isaac and Ishmael: