17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God appeared to him and told him, “I am the Almighty; obey me and live as you should. ^2-4 I will prepare a contract between us, guaranteeing to make you into a mighty nation. In fact you shall be the father of not only one nation, but a multitude of nations!” Abram fell face downward in the dust as God talked with him.