Sarah Laughs

⁹ “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he answered.

¹⁰ The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” ^(A) Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.

¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years.^[a] Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.^{(B) 12} So she laughed to herself: “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I have delight?” ^(C)

¹³ But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything impossible for the Lord?^(D) At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”

⁷ But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.^(A)

⁸ When his division was on duty^(B) and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ it happened that he was chosen by lot,^(C) according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.^{(D) 10} At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. ¹¹ An angel of the Lord^(E) appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.^{(F) 12} When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear.^{(G) 13} But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid,^(H) Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.^(I) Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.^(J)