Not too far from Babel was a city called Ur, where people worshipped many gods other than Jehovah. But there was a man in Ur who worshipped only Jehovah. His name was Abraham.

Jehovah said to Abraham: ‘Leave your home and your relatives, and go to the land that I will show you.’ Then God promised: ‘You will become a large nation, and I will do good things for many people all over the earth because of you.’

Abraham did not know where Jehovah was sending him, but he trusted in Jehovah. So Abraham, his wife Sarah, his father Terah, and his nephew Lot packed their things and obediently began their long trip.

Abraham was 75 years old when he and his family finally arrived in the land that Jehovah wanted them to see. It was called the land of Canaan. There God spoke to Abraham and made this promise: ‘All this land you see around you, I will give to your children.’ But Abraham and Sarah were old and did not have any children. So how would Jehovah make his promise come true?