God called Abraham to leave his homeland and follow the Lord in faith. God promised Abraham that he would become the father of a great nation (Genesis 12:1–3). Many years would pass before that promise was fulfilled. During the long wait, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, remained childless. She suggested that Abraham take her Egyptian maidservant Hagar to conceive an heir (Genesis 16:1–3). The son born of this union was Ishmael, from whom the Arab peoples are descended.