The Lord visited Abram again and reconfirmed His promise to him. He asked Abram to lift his eyes and look around in all directions. He asked him to walk the length and breadth of the land. The Lord said that He would give the entire land to Abram’s seed which would be innumerable as the dust of the earth. Abram believed and worshipped the Lord – again.

Long afterward, the Lord visited him again. (God has His own time of fulfilling His promise(s). That would be according to His plan and would be the best time). As Abram didn’t have a child even then, Abram wanted to make sure that he heard His Lord right. He said, “Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless”. – Gen 15:2. This time, the Lord brought him out of his tent and showed him the heavens. “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be”. - Gen 15:5. Abram believed in the Lord.

The Lord confirmed his promise to Abram with a unilateral covenant. It was unconditional to Abram. God would honor it.

Sarai was barren. Abram was a rich man and had great wealth. There was no biological heir to Abram. And Abram was getting old.

The Serpent was quick to notice that Sarai was desperate and badly in need of an heir. He put a funny thought in her head. Why can’t she have an heir through her Egyptian maid? The son of her maid could very well be a legal heir to Abram.

Satan thought that he was putting an end to the purpose of God by tempting Abram through Sarai to bear a child through Hagar, Sarai’s maid. And Abram too gave in to Sarai’s suggestion. After all, the promised son was to be his son, but not necessarily through Sarai!