THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES

The 1st Chapter

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the deep, and the spirit of God moved upon the water.

Then God said: let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good: and divided the light from the darkness, and called the light day, and the darkness night: and so of the evening and morning was made the first day.

And God said: let there be a firmament between the waters, and let it divide the waters asunder. Then God made the firmament, and parted the waters which were under the firmament, from the waters that were above the firmament: And it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And so of the evening and morning was made the second day.

And God said: let the waters that are under heaven gather themselves unto one place, that the dry land may appear. And it came so to pass. And God called the dry land the earth, and the gathering together of waters called he the sea. And God saw that it was good.

And God said: let the earth bring forth herb and grass that sow seed, and fruitful trees, that bear fruit every one in his kind, having their seed in themselves upon the earth. And it came so to pass. And the earth brought forth herb and grass sowing seed every one in his kind, and trees bearing fruit, and having their seed in themselves, every one in his kind. And God saw that it was good, and then of the evening and morning was made the third day.

Then said God: let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from the night, that they may be unto signs, seasons, days and years. And let them be lights in the firmament of heaven, to shine upon the earth: And so it was. And God made two great lights: A greater light to rule the day, and a less light to rule the night: and he made stars also. And God put them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth, and to rule the day and the night: and to divide the light from darkness. And God saw that it was good: and so of the evening and morning was made the fourth day.

And God said: let the water bring forth creatures that move and have life, and fowls for to fly over the earth under the firmament of heaven. And God created great whales and all manner of creatures that live and move, which the waters brought forth in their kinds, and all manner of feathered fowls in their kinds. And God saw that it was good: and God blessed them saying: Grow and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let the fowls multiply upon the earth. And so of the evening and morning was made the fifth day.

And God said: let the earth bring forth living creatures in their kinds: cattle and worms and beasts of the earth in their kinds, and so it came to pass. And God made the beasts of the earth in their kinds, and cattle in their kinds, and all manner worms of the earth in their kinds: and God saw that it was good.

And God said: let us make man in our similitude and after our likeness: that he may have rule over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over all worms that creep on the earth. And God created man after his likeness, after the likeness of God created he him: male and female created he them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them: Grow and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over all the beasts that move on the earth.

And God said: see, I have given you all herbs that sow seed, which are on the earth, and all manner trees that have fruit in them and sow seed: to be meat for you and for all beasts of the earth, and unto all fowls of the air and unto all that creepeth on the earth where in is life, that they may have all manner herbs and grass for to eat, and even so it was.

And God beheld all that he had made, and lo they were exceeding good: and so of the evening and morning was made the sixth day.

The 2nd Chapter

Thus was heaven and earth finished with all their apparel, and in the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and rested in the seventh day from all his works which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, for in it he rested from all his works which he had created and made.

These are the generations of heaven and earth when they were created, in the time when the Lord God created heaven and earth and all the shrubs of the field before they were in the earth. And all the herbs of the field before they sprang, for the Lord God had yet sent no rain upon the earth, neither was there yet any man to till the earth. But there arose a mist out of the ground, and watered all the face of the earth: Then the Lord God shaped man, even of the mould of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life. So man was made a living soul.

The Lord God also planted a garden in Eden from the beginning, and there he set man whom he had formed. And the Lord God made to spring out of the earth, all manner trees beautiful to the sight and pleasant to eat, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden: and also the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

And there sprang a river out of Eden to water the garden, and there divided itself, and grew into four principal waters. The name of the one is Phison, he it is that compasseth all the land of Hevila, where gold groweth. And the gold of that country is precious, there is found Bedellion and a stone called Onyx. The name of the second river is Gihon, which compasseth all the land of Inde. And the name of the third river is Hidekell, which runneth on the east side of the Assyrians. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

And the Lord God took Adam, and put him in the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded Adam saying: Of all the trees of the garden see thou eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and bad see that thou eat not: For even the same day thou eatest of it thou shalt die the death.

And the Lord God said: It is not good that man should be alone, I will make him an helper to bear him company. And after that the Lord God had made of the earth all manner beasts of the field, and all manner fowls of the air, he brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And as Adam called all manner living beasts, even so are their names. And Adam gave names unto all manner cattle, and unto the fowls of the air, and unto all manner beasts of the field. But there was no help found unto Adam to bear him company.

Then the Lord God cast a slumber on Adam, and he slept. And then he took out one of his ribs, and in stead thereof he filled up the place with flesh. And the Lord God made of the rib which he took out of Adam, a woman: and brought her unto Adam. Then said Adam: This is once bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. This shall be called woman: because she was taken of the man. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. And they were either of them naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.

The 3rd Chapter

But the serpent was subtler than all the beasts of the field, which the Lord God had made: and said unto the woman: ye, hath God said in deed, ye shall not eat of all manner trees in the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, of the fruit of the trees in the garden we may eat, but of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden ( said God ) see that ye eat not, and see that ye touch it not, lest ye die. Then said the serpent unto the woman: tush ye shall not die: but God doth know that when soever ye should eat of it, your eyes should be opened, and ye should be as God, and know both good and evil. And the woman saw that it was a good tree to eat of, and lusty unto the eyes, and a pleasant tree for to give understanding. And took of the fruit of it and ate, and gave unto her husband also with her, and he ate. And the eyes of both of them were opened, that they understood how that they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together and made them aprons.

And they heard the voice of the Lord God as he walked in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam hid himself and his wife also from the face of the Lord God, among the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called Adam, and said unto him: where art thou? And he answered: Thy voice I heard in the garden, but I was afraid, because I was naked, and therefore hid myself. And he said: Who told thee that thou wast naked? hast thou eaten of the tree, of which I bade thee that thou shouldest not eat? And Adam answered: The woman which thou gavest to bear me company, she took me of the tree, and I ate. And the Lord God said unto the woman: Wherefore didest thou so? And the woman answered: The serpent deceived me and I ate.

And the Lord God said unto the serpent: because thou hast so done most cursed be thou of all cattle and of all beasts of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou go: and earth shalt thou eat all days of thy life. Moreover I will put hatred between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. And that seed shall tread thee on the head, and thou shalt tread it on the heel.

And unto the woman he said: I will surely increase thy sorrow, and make thee oft with child, and with pain shalt thou be delivered: And thy lusts shall pertain unto thy husband, and he shall rule thee.

And unto Adam he said: Forasmuch as thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying: See thou eat not thereof: cursed be the earth for thy sake. In sorrow shalt thou eat thereof all days of thy life: And it shall bear thorns and thistles unto thee. And thou shalt eat the herbs of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou return unto the earth whence thou wast taken: for earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return.

And Adam called his wife Heva, because she was the mother of all that liveth. And the Lord God made Adam and his wife garments of skins, and put them on them.

And the Lord God said: Lo, Adam is become as it were one of us, in knowledge of good and evil. But now lest he stretch forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live ever. And the Lord God cast him out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth whence he was taken. And he cast Adam out, and set at the entering of the garden Eden, Cherubin with a naked sword moving in and out, to keep the way to the tree of life.

The 4th Chapter

And Adam lay with Heva his wife, which conceived and bare Cain, and said: I have gotten a man of the Lord. And she proceeded forth, and bare his brother Abel: And Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a plowman.

And it fortuned in process of time, that Cain brought of the fruit of the earth, an offering unto the Lord. And Abel he brought also of the firstlings of his sheep, and of the fat of them. And the Lord looked unto Abel and to his offering, but unto Cain and unto his offering looked he not. And Cain was wroth exceedingly, and lowered. And the Lord said unto Cain: why art thou angry, and why lowerest thou? Knowest thou not if thou dost well thou shalt receive it? But and if thou dost evil, by and by thy sin lieth open in the door. Notwithstanding let it be subdued unto thee, and see thou rule it. And Cain talked with Abel his brother.

And as soon as they were in the fields, Cain fell upon Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain: where is Abel thy brother? And he said: I cannot tell, am I my brothers keeper? And he said: What hast thou done? The voice of thy brothers blood cryed unto me out of the earth. And now cursed be thou as pertaining to the earth, which opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood of thine hand. For when thou tillest the ground she shall henceforth not give her power unto thee. A vagabond and a *runagate (renegade; one who flees) shalt thou be upon the earth.

And Cain said unto the Lord: my sin is greater, than that it may be forgiven. Behold thou castest me out this day from off the face of the earth, and from thy sight must I hide myself, and I must be wandering and a vagabond upon the earth: Moreover whosoever findeth me, will kill me. And the Lord said unto him: Not so, but whosoever slayeth Cain shall be punished sevenfold. And the Lord put a mark upon Cain that no man that found him should kill him. And Cain went out from the face of the Lord, and dwelt in the land Nod, on the east side of Eden.

And Cain lay with his wife, which conceived and bare Henoch. And he was building a city, and called the name of it after the name of his son, Henoch. And Henoch begat Irad. And Irad begat Mahuiael. And Mahuiael begat Mathusael. And Mathusael begat Lamech. And Lamech took him two wives: the one is called Ada, and the other Zilla: And Ada bare Jabal, of whom came they that dwell in tents and possess cattle. And his brothers name was Jubal, of him came all that exercise themselves on the harp and on the organs. And Zilla she also bare Tubalcain a worker in metal and a father of all that grave in brass and iron. And Tubalcains sister was called Naema.

Then said Lamech unto his wives Ada and Zilla: hear my voice ye wives of Lamech and hearken unto my words, for I have slain a man and wounded myself, and have slain a young man, and got myself stripes: For Cain shall be avenged sevenfold: but Lamech seventy times sevenfold. Adam also lay with his wife yet again, and she bare a son and called his name Seth. For God (said she) hath given me another son for Abel whom Cain slew. And Seth begat a son, and called his name Enos. And in that time began men to call on the name of the Lord.

The 5th Chapter

This is the book of the generation of man. In the day when God created man and made him after the similitude of God. Male and female made he them, and called their names man, in the day when they were created. And when Adam was an hundred and thirty years old, he begat a son after his likeness and similitude: and called his name Seth. And the days of Adam after he begat Seth, were eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Adam which he lived, were nine hundred and thirty years, and then he died.

And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos. And after he had begot Enos he lived eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and died. And Enos lived eighty (kjv=ninety) years, and begat Kenan. And Enos after he begat Kenan, lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years, and then he died. And Kenan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaliel. And Kenan after he had begot Mahalaliel, lived eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and then he died. And Mahalaliel lived sixty-five years, and begat Jared. And Mahalaliel after he had begot Jared lived eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Mahalaliel were eight hundred ninety and five years, and then he died.

And Jared lived an hundred and sixty-two years, and begat Henoch: and Jared lived after he begat Henoch, eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and then he died. And Henoch lived sixty-five years, and begat Mathusala. And Henoch walked with God after he had begot Mathusalah, three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Henoch were three hundred and sixty-five years, and then Henoch lived a godly life, and was no more seen, for God took him away.

And Mathusala lived an hundred and eighty-seven years and begat Lamech: and Mathusala after he had begot Lamech, lived seven hundred and eighty two years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Mathusala were nine hundred sixty-nine years, and then he died.

And Lamech lived an hundred eighty-two years and begat a son, and called him Noe, saying: This same shall comfort us: as concerning our work and sorrow of our hands which we have about the earth that the Lord hath cursed. And Lamech lived after he had beget Noe, five hundred, ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, and then he died. And when Noe was five hundred years old, he begat Sem, Ham, and Japheth.

The 6th Chapter

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply upon the earth, and had begot them daughters, the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and took unto them wives, which they best liked among them all. And the Lord said: My spirit shall not always strive with man, for they are flesh. Nevertheless I will give them yet space, an hundred and twenty years.

There were tyrants in the world in those days. For after that the children of God had gone in unto the daughters of men, and had begotten them children, the same children were the mightiest of the world, and men of renown. And when the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was increased upon the earth, and that all the imagination and thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, he repented that he had made man upon the earth, and sorrowed in his heart. And said: I will destroy mankind which I have made, from off the face of the earth: both man, beast, worm and fowl of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them. But yet Noe found grace in the sight of the Lord.

These are the generations of Noe. Noe was a righteous man and uncorrupt in his time, and walked with God. And Noe begat three sons: Sem, Ham, and Japheth. And the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and was full of mischief. And God looked upon the earth, and lo it was corrupt: for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

Then said God to Noe: the end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is full of their mischief. And lo, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of pine tree, and make chambers in the ark, and pitch it within and without with pitch. And of this fashion shalt thou make it.

The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, and the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make above in the ark. And within a cubit compass shalt thou finish it. And the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side of it: and thou shalt make it with three lofts one above an other. For behold I will bring in a flood of water upon the earth to destroy all flesh from under heaven, wherein breath of life is: so that all that is in the earth shall perish. But I will make mine appointment with thee, that both thou shalt come in to the ark and thy sons, thy wife and thy sons wives with thee.

And of all that liveth whatsoever flesh it be, shalt thou bring into the ark, of every thing a pair, to keep them alive with thee. And male and female see that they be, of birds in their kind, and of beasts in their kind, and of all manner of worms of the earth in their kind: a pair of every thing shall come unto thee to keep them alive. And take unto thee of all manner of meat that may be eaten and lay it up in store by thee, that it may be meat both for thee and for them: and Noe did according to all that God commanded him.

The 7th Chapter

And the Lord said unto Noe: Go into the ark both thou and all thy household. For thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of all clean beasts take unto thee seven of every kind, the male and female, and of unclean beasts a pair, the male and his female: likewise of the birds of the air seven of every kind, male and female to save seed upon all the earth. For seven days hence will I send rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights, and will destroy all manner of things that I have made, from off the face of the earth.

And Noe did according to all that the Lord commanded him: and Noe was six hundred years old, when the flood of water came upon the earth: and Noe went and his sons and his wife and his sons wives with him, into the ark from the waters of the flood. And of clean beasts, and of beasts that were unclean, and of birds and of all that creepeth upon the earth, came in by couples of every kind unto Noe into the ark, a male and a female: even as God commanded Noe. And the seventh day the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

In the six hundredth year of Noes life, in the second month, in the seventeenth day of the month, that same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and there fell a rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

And the self same day went Noe, Sem, Ham and Japheth, Noes sons, and Noes wife and the three wives of his sons with them in to the ark: both they and all manner of beasts in their kind, and all manner of cattle in their kind, and all manner of worms that creep upon the earth in their kind, and all manner of birds in their kind, and all manner of fowls whatsoever had feathers. And they came unto Noe into the ark couples, of all flesh that had breath of life in it. And they that came, came male and female of every flesh according as God commanded him: and the Lord shut the door upon him. And the flood came forty days and forty nights upon the earth, and the water increased and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up from off the earth. And the water prevailed and increased exceedingly upon the earth: and the ark went upon the top of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly above measure upon the earth, so that all the high hills which are under all the parts of heaven were covered: even fifteen cubits high prevailed the waters, so that the hills were covered.

And all flesh that moved on the earth both birds, cattle and beasts perished, with all that crept on the earth and all men: so that all that had the breath of life in the nostrils of it throughout all that was on dry land died. Thus was destroyed all that was upon the earth, both man, beasts, worms and fowls of the air, so that they were destroyed from the earth: save Noe was reserved only and they that were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth, an hundred and fifty days.

The 8th Chapter

And God remembered Noe and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to blow upon the earth, and the waters ceased: and the fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain of heaven was forbidden, and the waters returned from off the earth, and abated after the end of an hundred and fifty days.

And the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat, the seventeenth day of the seventh month. And the waters went away, and decreased until the tenth month. And the first day of the tenth month, the tops of the mountains appeared.

And after the end of forty days Noe opened the window of the ark which he had made, and sent forth a raven, which went out, ever going and coming again, until the waters were dried up upon the earth.

Then sent he forth a dove from him, to know whether the waters were fallen from off the earth. And when the dove could find no resting place for her foot, she returned to him again unto the ark, for the waters were upon the face of all the earth. And he put out his hand, and took her and pulled her to him into the ark.

And he abode yet seven days more, and sent out the dove again out of the ark, and the dove came to him again about eventide, and behold, there was in her mouth a leaf of an olive tree which she had plucked: whereby Noe perceived that the waters were abated upon the earth. And he tarried yet seven other days, and sent forth the dove, which from then forth came no more again to him.

And it came to pass, the six hundred and one year and the first day of the first month, that the waters were dried up upon the earth. And Noe took off the hatches of the ark, and looked: and behold, the face of the earth was dry. So by the twenty seventh day of the second month the earth was dry.

And God spake unto Noe, saying: Come out of the ark, both thou and thy wife and thy sons and thy sons wives with thee. And all the beasts that are with thee whatsoever flesh it be, both fowl and cattle, and all manner worms that creep on the earth, bring out with thee, and let them move, grow and multiply upon the earth. And Noe came out, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons wives with him. And all the beasts, and all the worms, and all the fowls and all that moved upon the earth, came also out of the ark, all of one kind together.

And Noe made an altar unto the Lord, and took of all manner of clean beasts, and all manner of clean fowls, and offered sacrifice upon the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour and said in his heart: I will hence forth no more curse the earth for mans sake, for the imagination of mans heart is evil, even from the very youth of him. Moreover I will not destroy from hence forth all that liveth as I have done. Neither shall sowing time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night cease, as long as the earth endureth.

The 9th Chapter

And God blessed Noe and his sons and said unto them: Increase and multiply and fill the earth. The fear also and dread of you be upon all beasts of the earth, and upon all fowls of the air, and upon all that creepeth on the earth, and upon all fishes of the sea, which are given unto your hands. And all that moveth upon the earth having life, shall be your meat: Even as the green herbs so give I you all things. Only the flesh with his life which is his blood, see that ye eat not.

For verily the blood of you wherein your lives are will I require: Even of the hand of all beasts will I require it, and of the hand of man and of the hand of every mans brother will I require the life of man: so that he which sheddeth mans blood, shall have his blood shed by man again: for God made man after his own likeness. See that ye increase, and wax, and be occupied upon the earth, and multiply therein.

Furthermore God spake unto Noe and to his sons with him, saying: See, I make my bond with you and your seed after you, and with all living things that is with you: both fowl and cattle, and all manner beasts of the earth that is with you, of all that cometh out of ark, what soever beast of the earth it be. I make my bond with you, that henceforth all flesh shall not be destroyed with the waters of any flood, and that henceforth there shall not be a flood to destroy the earth.

And God said: This is the token of my bond which I make between me and you, and between all living things that is with you for ever: I will set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the appointment made between me and the earth: so that when I bring in clouds upon the earth, the bow shall appear in the clouds. And then will I think upon my testament which I have made between me and you, and all that liveth whatsoever flesh it be. So that henceforth there shall be no more waters to make a flood to destroy all flesh.

The bow shall be in the clouds, and I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting testament between God and all that liveth upon the earth, whatsoever flesh it be. And God said unto Noe: This is the sign of the testament which I have made between me and all flesh that is on the earth.

The sons of Noe that came out of the ark were: Sem, Ham and Japheth. And Ham he is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noe, and of these was all the world overspread.

And Noe being an husbandman, went forth and planted a vineyard, and drank of the wine and was drunk, and lay uncovered in the midst of his tent. And Ham the father of Canaan saw his fathers privities, and told his two brethren that were without. And Sem and Japheth took a mantle, and put it on both their shoulders and went backward, and covered their fathers secrets, but their faces were backward, so that they saw not their fathers nakedness.

As soon as Noe was awaked from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him, he said: Cursed be Canaan, and a servant of all servants be he to his brethren. And he said: Blessed be the Lord God of Sem, and Canaan be his servant. God increase Japheth that he may dwell in the tents of Sem. And Canaan be their servant.

And Noe lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years: So that all the days of Noe were nine hundred and fifty years, and then he died.

The 10th Chapter

These are the generations of the sons of Noe: of Sem, Ham and Japheth, which begat them children after the flood.

The sons of Japheth were: Gomir, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tuball, Mesech and Thyras. And the sons of Gomir were: Ascenas, Riphat and Togarma. And the sons of Javan were: Elisa, Tharsis, Cithim and Dodanim. Of these came the Isles of the gentiles in their countries, every man in his speech, kindred and nation.

The sons of Ham were: Chus, Misraim, Phut and Canaan. The sons of Chus were Seba, Hevila, Sabta, Raima and Sabtema. And the sons of Raima were: Sheba, and Dedan. Chus also beget Nimrod, which began to be mighty in the earth. He was a mighty hunter in the sight of the Lord: Whereof came the proverb: he is as Nimrod that mighty hunter in the sight of the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babell, Erech, Achad, and Chalne in the land of Sinear: Out of that land came Assur, and builded Ninive, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Ressen between Nineve and Calah. That is a great city. And Mizrim begat Ludim, Enanim, Leabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim and Casluhim: from whence came the Philistins, and the Caphtherines.

Canaan also begat Zidon his eldest son and Heth, Jebusi, Emori, Girgosi, Him, Arki, Sini, Arvadi, Zemari and Harmati. And afterward sprang the kindreds of the Cananites. And the coasts of the Cananites were from Sidon till thou come to Gerara and to Asa, and till thou come to Sodoma, Gomorra, Adama, Zeboim, even unto Lasa. These were the children of Ham in their kindreds, tongues, lands and nations.

And Sem the father of all the children of Eber, and the eldest brother of Japheth begat children also. And his sons were: Elam, Assur, Arphachsad, Lud and Aram. And the children of Aram were: Ur, Hul, Gether and Mas. And Arphachsad begat Sala, and Sala begat Eber. And Eber begat two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his time the earth was divided. And the name of his brother was Jaketan.

Jaketan begat Almodad, Saleph, Hizarmoneth, Jarah, Hadoram, Usal, Dikela, Obal, Abimael, Seba, Ophir, Hevila and Jobab. All these are the sons of Jaketan. And the dwelling of them was from Mesa until thou come unto Sephara a mountain of the east land. These are the sons of Sem in their kindreds, languages, countries and nations. These are the kindreds of the sons of Noe, in their generations and nations. And of these came the people that were in the world after the flood.

The 11th Chapter

And all the world was of one tongue and one language. And as they came from the east, they found a plain in the land of Sinear, and there they dwelled. And they said one to another: come on, let us make brick and burn it with fire. So brick was their stone and slime was their mortar. And they said: Come on, let us build us a city and a tower, that the top may reach unto heaven. And let us make us a name, for peradventure we shall be scattered abroad over all the earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of Adam had builded. And the Lord said: See, the people is one, and have one tongue among them all: And this have they begun to do, and will not leave off from all that they have purposed to do. Come on, let us descend, and mingle their tongue even there, that one understand not what another sayeth. Thus the Lord scattered them from there upon all the earth. And they left off to build the city. Wherefore the name of it is called Babell, because that the Lord there confounded the tongue of all the world. And because that the Lord from there scattered them abroad upon all the earth.

These are the generations of Sem: Sem was an hundred years old and begat Arphachsad two years after the flood. And Sem lived after he had beget Arphachsad five hundred years and begat sons and daughters.

And Arphachsad lived thirty five years and begat Sala, and lived after he had beget Sala four hundred years and three and begat sons and daughters. And Sala was thirty years old and begat Eber, and lived after he had beget Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. When Eber was thirty-four years old, he begat Peleg, and lived after he had beget Peleg, four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.

And Peleg when he was thirty years old begat Regu, and lived after he had begot Regu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. And Regu when he had lived thirty two years begat Serug, and lived after he had begot Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

And when Serug was thirty years old, he begat Nahor, and lived after he had begot Nahot two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And Nahor when he was twenty nine years old, begat Terah, and lived after he had begot Terah, an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

And when Terah was seventy years old, he begat Abram, Nahor and Haran.

And these are the generations of Terah. Terah begat Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before Terah his father in the land where he was born, at Ur in Chaldea. And Abram and Nahor took them wives. Abrams wife was called Sarai. And Nahors wife Mylca the daughter of Haran which was father of Milca and of Iisca. But Sarai was barren, and had no child.

Then took Terah Abram his son and Lot his son, Harans son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abrams wife. And they went with him from Ur in Chaldea, to go into the land of Chanaan. And they came to Haran and dwelled there. And when Terah was two hundred years old and five he died in Haran.

The 12th Chapter

Then the Lord said unto Abram: Get thee out of thy country and from thy

kindred, and out of thy fathers house, into a land which I will show thee. And I will make of thee a mighty people, and will bless thee, and make thy name great, that thou mayst be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee. And in thee shall be blessed all the generations of the earth.

And Abram went as the Lord bade him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy five years old, when he went out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brothers son, with all their goods which they had gotten, and souls which they had begotten in Haran. And they departed to go into the land of Chanaan. And when they were come into the land of Chanaan, Abram went forth into the land till he came unto a place called Sichem, and unto the oak of More. And the Cananites dwelled then in the land.

Then the Lord appeared unto Abram and said: unto thy seed will I give this land. And he builded an altar there unto the Lord which appeared to him. Then departed he there unto a mountain that lieth on the east side of Bethel and pitched his tent: Bethel being on the west side, and Ay on the east: and he builded there an altar unto the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord. And then Abram departed and took his journey southward.

After this there came a dearth in the land. And Abram went down into Egypt, to sojourn there, for the dearth was sore in the land. And when he was come nigh for to enter into Egypt, he said unto Sarai his wife. Behold, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon. It will come to pass therefore when the Egyptians see thee, that they will say: she is his wife. And so shall they slay me and save thee. Say I pray thee therefore that thou art my sister, that I may fare the better by reason of thee, and that my soul may live for thy sake.

As soon as he came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman that she was very fair. And Pharaos lords saw her also, and praised her unto Pharao: So that she was taken into Pharaos house, which entreated Abram well for her sake, so that he had sheep, oxen and he asses, men servants, maid servants, she asses and camels.

But God plagued Pharao and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai Abrams wife. Then Pharao called Abram and said: Why hast thou thus dealt with me? Wherefore toldest thou me not that she was thy wife? Why saidest thou that she was thy sister, and causedest me to take her to my wife? But now lo, there is thy wife, take her and be walking. Pharao also gave a charge unto his men over Abram, to lead him out, with his wife and all that he had.

The 13th Chapter

Then Abram departed out of Egypt both he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him unto the south. Abram was very rich in cattle, silver and gold. And he went on his journey from the south even unto Bethel, and unto the place where his tent was at the first time between Bethel and Ay, and unto the place of the altar which he made before. And there called Abram upon the name of the Lord.

Lot also which went with him had sheep, cattle and tents: so that the land was not able to receive them that they might dwell together, for the substance of their riches was so great, that they could not dwell together. And there fell a strife between the herdsmen of Abrams cattle, and the herdsmen of Lots cattle. Moreover the Cananites and the Pherisites dwelled at that time in the land. Then said Abram unto Lot: Let there be no strife ( I pray thee ) between thee and me, and between my herdsmen and thine, for we be brethren. Is not all the whole land before thee? Depart I pray thee from me. If thou wilt take the left hand, I will take the right: or if thou take the right hand I will take the left. And Lot lift up his eyes, and beheld all the country about Jordan, which was a plenteous country of water every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorra, even as the garden of the Lord, and as the land of Egypt till thou come to Zoar.

Then Lot chose all the coasts of Jordan and took his journey from the east. And so departed the one brother from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan: And Lot in the cities of the plain, and tented till he came to Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinned exceedingly against the Lord.

And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was departed from him: Lift up thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, southward, eastward and westward, for all the land which thou seest will I give unto thee and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed, as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise and walk about in the land, in the length of it and in the breadth, for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram took down his tent and went and dwelled in the oak grove of Mamre which is in Ebron, and builded there an altar to the Lord.

The 14th Chapter

And it chanced within a while, that Amraphel king of Sinthr, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Thydeall king of the nations, made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsa king of Gomorra. And with Sineab king of Adama, and with Semeaber king of Zeboim, and with the king of Bela which Bela is called Zoar. All these came together unto the vale of Siddim, which is now the salt sea. Twelve years were they subject to king Kedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year rebelled. Therefore in the fourteenth year came Kedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, and smote the Raphaims in Astaroth Karnaim, and the Susims in Ham, and the Emims in Sabe Kariathaim, and the Horims in their own mount Seir unto the plain of Pharan, which bordereth upon the wilderness. And then turned they and came to the well of judgement which is Cades, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwell in Hazezon Thamar.

Then went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorra, and the king of Adama and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela now called Zoar. And set their men in the array to fight with them in the vale of Siddim, that is to say, with Kedorlaomer the king of Elam and with Thydeall king of the Nations, and with Amraphel king of Sinear. And with Arioch king of Ellasar: four kings against five. And that vale of Siddim was full of slime pits.

And the kings of Sodom and Gomorra fled, and fell there. And the residue fled to the mountains. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorra and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot also, Abrams brothers son and his goods ( for he dwelled at Sodom ) and departed. Then came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew which dwelt in the oak grove of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol and Aner: which were confederate with Abram. When Abram heard that his brother was taken, he harnessed his servants born in his own house three hundred and eighteen, and followed till they came at Dan. And set himself and his servants in array, and fell upon them by night, and smote them, and chased them away unto Hoba: which lieth on the left hand of Damasco, and brought again all the goods and also his brother Lot, and his goods, the women also and the people.

And as he returned again from the slaughter of Kedorlaomer and of the kings that were with him, then came the king of Sodom to meet him in the vale of Saue, which now is called kings dale.

Then Melchisedech king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. And he being the Priest of the most highest God, blessed him saying: Blessed be Abram unto the most highest God, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be God the most highest, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hands. And Abram gave him tithes of all.

Then said the king of Sodom unto Abram: Give me the souls, and take the goods to thy self. And Abram answered the king of Sodom: I lift up my hand unto the Lord God most high possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take of all that is thine, so much as a thread or a shoe latchet, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich. Save only that which the young men have eaten and the parts of the men which went with me. Aner, Eschol and Mamre. Let them take their parts.

The 15th Chapter

After these deeds, the word of God came unto Abram in a vision saying: fear not Abram, I am thy shield, and thy reward shall be exceeding great. And Abram answered: Lord Jehovah what wilt thou give me: I go childless, and the cater of mine house, this Eleasar of Damasco hath a son. And Abram said: See, to me hast thou given to seed: lo, a lad born in my house shall be mine heir.

And behold, the word of the Lord spake unto Abram, saying: He shall not be thine heir, but one that shall come out of thine own body shall be thine heir. And he brought him out of the doors, and said: Look up unto heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them. And said unto him: Even so shall thy seed be.

And Abram believed the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness. And he said unto him: I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur in Chaldea to give thee this land to possess it.

And he said: Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall possess it? And he said unto him: take an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a three year old ram, a turtle dove and a young pigeon. And he took all these and divided them in the midst, and laid every piece, one against another. But the fowls divided he not. And the birds fell on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. And when the sun was down, there fell a slumber upon Abram. And lo, fear and great darkness came upon him.

And he said unto Abram: know this of a surety, that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that pertaineth not unto them. And they shall make bondmen of them and entreat them evil four hundred years. But the nation whom they shall serve, will I judge. And afterward shall they come out with great substance. Nevertheless thou shalt go unto thy fathers in peace, and shalt be buried when thou art of a good age: and in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the wickedness of the Amorites is not yet full.

When the sun was down and it was waxed dark: behold, there was a smoking furnace and a fire brand that went between the said pieces.

And that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying: unto thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt, even unto the great river Euphrates, the Kenites, the Kenizites, the Cadmonites, the Hethites, the Pherezites, the Raphaims, the Amorites, the Cananites, the Gergesites and the Jebusites.

The 16th Chapter

Sarai Abrams wife bare him no children. But she had an hand maid an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. Wherefore she said unto Abram: Behold the Lord hath closed me, that I cannot bear. I pray thee go in unto my maid, peradventure I shall be multiplied by means of her. And Abram heard the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai Abrams wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian (after Abram had dwelled ten years in the land of Canaan) and gave her to her husband Abram, to be his wife.

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived: her mistress was despised in her sight. Then said Sarai unto Abram: Thou dost me unright, for I have given my maid into thy bosom: and now because she seeth that she hath conceived, I am despised in her sight: the Lord judge between thee and me. Then said Abram to Sarai: behold, thy maid is in thy hand, do with her as it pleaseth thee.

And because Sarai fared foul with her, she fled from her. And the Angel of the Lord found her beside a fountain of water in the wilderness: even by a well in the way to Sur. And he said: Hagar Sarais maid, whence comest thou and where ever wilt thou go? And she answered: I flee from my mistress Sarai. And the Angel of the Lord said unto her: return to thy mistress again, and submit thyself under her hands.

And the angel of the Lord said unto her: I will so increase thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the Lords angel said further unto her: see, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ismael: because the Lord hath heard thy tribulation. He will be a wild man, and his hand will be against every man, and every mans hand against him. And yet shall he dwell fast by all his brethren. And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her: thou art the God that lookest on me, for she said: I have of a surety seen here the back parts of him that seeth me. Wherefore she called the well, the well of the living that seeth me which well is between Cades and Bared. And Hagar bare Abram a son, and Abram called his sons name which Hagar bare Ismael. And Abram was eighty six years old when Hagar bare

him Ismael.

The 17th Chapter

When Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to him saying: I am the almighty God: walk before me and be uncorrupt. And I will make my bond between thee and me, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face. And God talked moreover with him saying: I am, behold my testament is with thee, that thou shalt be a father of many nations. Therefore, shalt thou no more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham: for a father of many nations have I made thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly, and will make nations of thee: yea and kings shall spring out of thee. Moreover I will make my bond between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their times to be an everlasting testament, so that I will be God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger: even all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and will be their God.

And God said unto Abraham: See thou keep my testament, both thou and thy seed after thee in their times: This is my testament which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee, that ye circumcise all your men children. Ye shall circumcise the foreskin of your flesh, and it shall be a token of the bond betwixt me and you. And every manchild when it is eight days old, shall be circumcised among you in your generations, and all servants also born at home or bought with money though they be strangers and not of thy seed. The servant born in thy house, and he also that is bought with money, must needs be circumcised, that my testament may be in your flesh, for an everlasting bond. If there be any uncircumcised manchild, that hath not the foreskin of his flesh cut off, his soul shall perish from his people: because he hath broken my testament. And God said unto Abraham. Sarai thy wife shall no more be called Sarai: but Sara shall her name be. For I will bless her and give thee a son of her and will bless her: so that people, yea and kings of people shall spring of her. And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart: shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old, and shall Sara that is ninety years old, bear: And Abraham said unto God. O that Ismael might live in thy sight.

Then said God: nay, Sara thy wife shall bear thee a son in deed and thou shalt call his name Isaac. And I will make my bond with him, that it shall be an everlasting bond unto his seed after him. And as concerning Ismael also, I have heard thy request: lo, I will bless him and increase him, and multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make a great nation of him. But my bond will I make with Isaac, which Sara shall bear unto thee: even this time twelve month.

And God left off talking with him, and departed up from Abraham. And Abraham took Ismael his son and all the servants born in his house and all that was bought with money as many as were men children among the men of Abrahams house, and circumcised the foreskin of their flesh, even the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. Abraham was ninety years old and nine when he cut off the foreskin of his flesh. And Ismael his son was thirteen years old, when the foreskin of his flesh was circumcised. The self same day was Abraham circumcised and Ismael his son. And all the men in his house, whether they were born in his house or bought with money (though they were strangers) were circumcised with him.

The 18th Chapter

And the Lord appeared unto him in the oak grove of Mamre as he sat in his tent door in the heat of the day. And he lifted up his eyes and looked: and lo, three men stood not far from him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and fell to the ground and said: Lord if I have found favour in thy sight: go not by thy servant. Let a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, to comfort your hearts withal. And then go your ways, for even therefore are ye come to your servant. And they answered: Do even so as thou hast said. And Abraham went a pace into his tent unto Sara and said: make ready at once three pecks of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes. And Abraham ran unto his beasts and fetched a calf that was tender and good, and gave it unto a young man which made it ready at once. And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them, and stood himself by them under the tree: and they ate.

And they said unto him: Where is Sara thy wife? And he said: in the tent. And he said: I will come again unto thee as soon as the fruit can live. And lo: Sara thy wife shall have a son. That heard Sara, out of the tent door which was behind his back. Abraham and Sara were both old and well stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sara after the manner as it is with wives. And Sara laughed in her self saying: Now I am waxed old, shall I give my self to lust, and my lord old also? Then said the Lord unto Abraham: wherefore doth Sara laugh saying: shall I of a surety bear a child, now when I am old? is the thing too hard for the Lord to do? In the time appointed will I return unto thee, as soon as the fruit can have life, And Sara shall have a son. Then Sara denied it saying: I laughed not, for she was afraid. But he said: yes thou laughtest. Then the men stood up from there and looked toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said: Can I hide from Abraham that thing which I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall be a great and a mighty people, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do after right and conscience, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that he hath promised him.

And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorra is great, and their sin is exceeding grievous. I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to that cry which is come unto me or not, that I may know. And the men departed there and went to Sodomward. But Abraham stood yet before the Lord, and drew near and said. Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? If there be fifty righteous within the city, wilt thou destroy it and not spare the place for the sake of fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee, that thou shouldest do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked: that be far from thee. Should not the judge of all the world do according to right? And the Lord said: If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, I will spare all the place for their sakes.

And Abraham answered and said: behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, and yet am but dust and ashes. What though there lack five of fifty righteous, wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said: If I find there forty and five I will not destroy them. And he spake unto him yet again and said: what if there be forty found there. And he said: I will not do it for fortys sake.

And he said: O let not my Lord be angry, that I speak. What if there be found thirty there? And he said: I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said: Oh, see, I have begun to speak unto my Lord, what if there be twenty found there? And he said: I will not destroy them for twentys sake. And he said: O let not my Lord be angry, that I speak yet, but even once more only. What if ten be found there? And he said: I will not destroy them for tens sake. And the Lord went his way as soon as he had left communing with Abraham. And Abraham returned unto his place.

The 19th Chapter

And there came two angels to Sodom at even. And Lot sat at the gate of the city. And Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself to the ground with his face. And he said: See lords, turn in I pray you in to your servants house and tarry all night and wash your feet, and rise up early and go on your ways. And they said: nay, but we will bide in the streets all night. And he compelled them exceedingly. And they turned in unto him and entered into his house, and he made them a feast and did bake sweet cakes, and they ate.

But before they went to rest, the men of the city of Sodom compassed the house round about both old and young, all the people from all quarters. And they called unto Lot and said unto him: where are the men which came into thy house to night? bring them out unto us that we may do our lust with them.

And Lot went out at doors unto them and shut the door after him and said: nay for Gods sake brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold I have two daughters which have known no man, them will I bring out unto you: do with them as it seemeth you good: Only unto these men do nothing, for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. And they said: come hither. And they said: camest thou not in to sojourn, and wilt thou be now a judge? we will surely deal worse with thee than with them.

And as they pressed sore upon Lot and began to break up the door, the men put forth their hands and pulled Lot into the house to them and shut to the door. And the men that were at the door of the house, they smote with blindness both small and great: so that they could not find the door.

And the men said moreover unto Lot: If thou have yet here any son in law or sons or daughters or whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring it out of this place: for we must destroy this place, because the cry of them is great before the Lord. Wherefore he hath sent us to destroy it.

And Lot went out and spake unto his sons in law which should have married his daughters, and said: stand up and get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city. But he seemed as though he had mocked, unto his sons in law. And as the morning arose the angels caused Lot to speed him saying. Stand up, take thy wife and thy two daughters and that, that is at hand, lest thou perish in the sin of the city. And as he prolonged the time, the men caught both him, his wife and his two daughters by the hands, because the Lord was merciful unto him, and they brought him forth and set him without the city. When they had brought them out, they said: Save thy life and look not behind thee neither tarry thou in any place of the country, but save thyself in the mountain, lest thou perish. Then said Lot unto them: O nay my Lord: behold, inasmuch as thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, now make thy mercy great, which thou showest unto me in saving my life. For I cannot save myself in the mountains, lest some misfortune fall upon me and I die. Behold, here is a city by, to flee unto, and it is a little one, let me save myself therein: is it not a little one, that my soul may live? And he said to him: see I have received thy request as concerning this thing, that I will not overthrow this city for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, and save thyself there, for I can do nothing till thou be come in thither. And therefore the name of the city is called Zoar. And the sun was upon the earth when Lot was entered into Zoar.

Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorra, brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and overthrew those cities and all the region, and all that dwelled in the cities, and that, that grew upon the earth.

And Lots wife looked behind her, and was turned in to a pillar of salt.

Abraham rose up early and got him to the place where he stood before the Lord, and looked toward Sodom and Gomorra and toward all the land of that country. And as he looked: behold, the smoke of the country arose as it had been the smoke of a furnace. But yet when God destroyed the cities of the region, he thought upon Abraham: and sent Lot out from the danger of the overthrowing, when he overthrew the cities where Lot dwelled.

And Lot departed out of Zoar and dwelled in the mountains and his two daughters with him for he feared to tarry in Zoar: he dwelled therefore in a cave, both he and his two daughters also. Then said the elder unto the younger: our father is old, and there are no more men in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the world. Come therefore, let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with him that we may save seed of our father. And they gave their father wine to drink that same night. And the elder daughter went and lay with her father. And he perceived it not, neither when she lay down, neither when she rose up.

And on the morrow the elder said unto the younger: behold, yesternight lay I with my father. Let us give him wine to drink this night also, and go thou and lie with him, and let us save seed of our father. And they gave their father wine to drink that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him. And he perceived it not: neither when she lay down, neither when she rose up. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the elder bare a son and called him Moab, which is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger bare a son and called him Ben Ammi, which is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

The 20th Chapter

And Abraham departed there toward the south country and dwelled between Cades and Sur and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sara his wife, that she was his sister. Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent and fetched Sara away.

And God came to Abimelech by night in a dream and said to him: See, thou art but a dead man for the womans sake which thou hast taken away, for she is a man s wife. But Abimelech had not yet come nigh her, and therefore said: Lord wilt thou slay righteous people? said not he unto me, that she was his sister? yea and said not she herself that he was her brother? with a pure heart and innocent hands have I done this. And God said unto him in a dream. I know it well that thou didest it in pureness of thy heart. And therefore I kept thee that thou shouldest not sin against me, neither *suffered (allowed) I thee to come nigh her. Now therefore deliver the man his wife again, for he is a prophet. And let him pray for thee that thou mayst live. But and if thou deliver her not again, be sure that thou shalt die the death, with all that thou hast.

Then Abimelech rose up be times in the morning and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears, and the men were sore afraid. And Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him: What hast thou done unto us, and what have I offended thee, that thou shouldest bring on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said moreover unto Abraham: What sawest thou that moved thee to do this thing?

And Abraham answered. I thought that peradventure the fear of God was not in this place, and that they should slay me for my wifes sake: yet in very deed she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not of my mother: and became my wife. And after God caused me to wander out of my fathers house, I said unto her: This kindness shalt thou shew unto me in all places where we come, that thou say of me, how that I am thy brother.

Then took Abimelech sheep and oxen, menservants and womenservants and gave them unto Abraham, and delivered him Sara his wife again. And Abimelech said: behold the land lieth before thee, dwell where it pleaseth thee best. And unto Sara he said: See I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver, behold this thing shall be a covering to thine eyes unto all that are with thee and unto all men and an excuse.

And so Abraham prayed unto God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidens, so that they bare. For the Lord had closed too, all the matrices of the house of Abimelech, because of Sara Abrahams wife.

The 21st Chapter

The Lord visited Sara as he had said and did unto her according as he had promised. And Sara was with child and bare Abraham a son in his old age even the same season which the Lord had appointed. And Abraham called his sons name that was born unto him which Sara bare him Isaac and Abraham circumcised Isaac his son when he was eight days old, as God commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sara said: God hath made me a laughing stock: for all that hear, will laugh at me. She said also: who would have said unto Abraham, that Sara should have given children suck, or that I should have borne him a son in his old age: The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast, the same day that Isaac was weaned. Sara saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian which she had borne unto Abraham, a mocking. Then she said unto Abraham: put away this bondmaid and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son Isaac: But the word seemed very grievous in Abrahams sight, because of his son. Then the Lord said unto Abraham: let it not be grievous unto thee, because of the lad and of thy bondmaid: But in all that Sara hath said unto thee, hear her voice, for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Moreover of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a bottle with water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulders with the lad also, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered up and down in the wilderness of Berseba. When the water was spent that was in the bottle, she cast the lad under a bush and went and sat her out of sight a great way, as it were a bowshot off: For she said: I will not see the lad die. And she sat down out of sight, and lifted up her voice and wept.

And God heard the voice of the child. And the angel of God called Hagar out of heaven and said unto her: What aileth thee Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the child where he lieth. Arise and lift up the lad, and take him in thy hand, for I will make of him a great people. And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave the boy drink. And God was with the lad, and he grew and dwelled in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelled in the wilderness of Pharan. And his mother got him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

And it chanced the same season, that Abimelech and Phicol his chief captain spake unto Abraham saying: God is with thee in all that thou doest. Now therefore swear unto me even here by God, that thou wilt not hurt me nor my children, nor my childrens children. But that thou shalt deal with me and the country where thou art a stranger, according unto the kindness that I have shewed thee. Then said Abraham: I will swear.

And Abraham rebuked Abimelech for a well of water, which Abimelechs servants had taken away. And Abimelech answered I know not who did it: Also thou toldest me not, neither heard I of it, but this day. And Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them unto Abimelech. And they made both of them a bond together. And Abraham set seven lambs by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham: what mean these seven lambs which thou hast set by themselves. And he answered: seven lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that it may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well: Wherefore the place is called Berseba, because they sware both of them. Thus made they a bond together at Berseba. Then Abimelech and Phicol his chief Captain rose up and turned again unto the land of the Philistines. And Abraham planted a wood in Berseba, and called there, on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God: and dwelt in the Philistine land a long season.

The 22nd Chapter

After these deeds, God did prove Abraham and said unto him: Abraham. And he answered: here am I. And he said: take thy only son Isaac whom thou lovest, and get thee unto the land of Moria, and sacrifice him there for a sacrifice upon one of the mountains which I will shew thee. Then Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass, and took two of his *meiny (many / OE mein; like minded) with him, and Isaac his son: and clove wood for the sacrifice, and rose up and got him to the place which God had appointed him.

The third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off, and said unto his young men: bide here with the ass. I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again unto you. And Abraham took the wood of the sacrifice and laid it upon Isaac his son, and took fire in his hand and a knife. And they went both of them together.

Then spake Isaac unto Abraham his father and said: My father? And he answered here am I my son. And he said: See here is fire and wood, but where is the sheep for sacrifice? And Abraham said: my son, God will provide him a sheep for sacrifice. So went they both together.

And when they came unto the place which God showed him, Abraham made an altar there and dressed the wood, and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, above upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to have killed his son. Then the angel of the Lord called unto him from heaven saying: Abraham, Abraham? And he answered: here am I. And he said: lay not thy hands upon the child, neither do anything at all unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, in that thou hast not kept thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked about: and behold, there was a ram caught by the horns in a thicket. And he went and took the ram and offered him up for a sacrifice in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, the Lord will see: wherefore it is a common saying this day: in the mount will the Lord be seen.

And the angel of the Lord cried unto Abraham from heaven the second time saying: by myself have I sworn (saith the Lord) because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy only son, that I will bless thee and multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand upon the sea side. And thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice. So turned Abraham again unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Berseba. And Abraham dwelt at Berseba. And it chanced after these things, that one told Abraham saying: Behold, Milcha she hath also born children unto thy brother Nachor: Hus his eldest son and Bus his brother, and Kemuel the father of the Sirians, and Cesed, and Haso, and Pildas, and Jedlaph, and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat Rebecca. These eight did Milcha bear to Nachor Abrahams brother. And his concubine called Rheuma she bare also Tebah, Gaham, Thaas and Maacha.

The 23rd Chapter

Sara was an hundred and twenty seven years old (for so long lived she) and then died in a head city called Hebron in the land of Canaan. Then Abraham came to mourn Sara, and to weep for her.

And Abraham stood up from the corpse, and talked with the sons of Heth saying: I am a stranger and a foreigner among you, give me a possession to bury in with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. And the children of Heth answered Abraham saying unto him: Hear us Lord, thou art a prince of God among us. In the chiefest of our sepulchers bury thy dead: None of us shall forbid thee his sepulchre, that thou shouldest not bury thy dead therein. Abraham stood up, and bowed himself before the people of the land the children of Heth. And he communed with them saying: If it be your minds that I shall bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and speak for me to Ephron the son of Zoar: and let him give me the double cave which he hath in the end of his field, for as much money as it is worth, let him give it me in the presence of you, for a possession to bury in. For Ephron dwelled among the children of Heth.

Then Ephron the Hethite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth and of all that went in at the gates of his city, saying: Not so, my lord, but hear me: The field give I thee, and the cave that therein is give I thee also: And even in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee to bury thy dead in. Then Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land, and spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the country saying: I pray thee hear me, I will give silver for the field, take it of me, and so will I bury my dead there. Ephron answered Abraham saying unto him: My lord, hearken unto me. The land is worth four hundred sickles of silver: But what is that betwixt thee and me? bury thy dead. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron and weighed him the silver which he had said in the audience of the sons of Heth. Even four hundred silver sickles of current money among merchants. Thus was the field of Ephron wherein the double cave is before Mamre: even the field and the cave that is therein and all the trees of the field which grow in all the borders round about, made sure unto Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the children of Heth, and of all that went in at the gates of the city. And then Abraham buried Sara his wife in the double cave of the field that lieth before Mamre, otherwise called Ebron in the land of Canaan. And so both the field and the cave that is therein, was made unto Abraham, a sure possession to bury in, of the sons of Heth.

The 24th Chapter

Abraham was old and stricken in days, and the Lord had blessed him in all things. And he said unto his eldest servant of his house which had the rule over all that he had: Put thy hand under my thigh that I may make thee swear by the Lord that is God of heaven and God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son, of the daughters of the Cananites, among which I dwell. But shalt go unto my country and to my kindred, and there take a wife unto my son Isaac.

Then said the servant unto him: what and if the woman will not agree to come with me unto this land, shall I bring thy son again unto the land which thou camest out of? And Abraham said unto him: beware of that, that thou bring not my son thither. The Lord God of heaven which took me from my fathers house and from the land where I was born, and which spake unto me and sware unto me saying: unto thy seed will I give this land, he shall send his angel before thee, that thou mayest take a wife unto my son from there. Nevertheless if the woman will not agree to come with thee then shalt thou be without danger of this oath. But above all things bring not my son thither again. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham and sware to him as concerning that matter.

And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master and departed, and had of all manner goods of his master with him, and stood up and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And made his camels to lie down without the city by a wells side of water, at even: about the time that women come out to draw water, and he said.

Lord God of my master Abraham, send me good speed this day, and show mercy unto my master Abraham. Lo I stand here by the well of water and the daughters of the men of this city will come out to draw water: Now the damsel to whom I say, stoop down thy pitcher, and let me drink. If she say: Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also, the same is she that thou hast ordained for thy servant Isaac: yea and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed mercy on my master. And it came to pass before he had left speaking, that Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bethuel, son to Mylca the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother, and her pitcher upon her shoulder: The damsel was very fair to look upon, and yet a maid and unknown of man. And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up again. Then the servant ran unto her and said: let me sip a little water of thy pitcher. And she said: drink my lord.

And she hasted and let down her pitcher upon her arm and gave him drink. And when she had given him drink, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have drunk enough. And she poured out her pitcher into the trough hastily, and ran again unto the well, to fetch water: and drew for all his camels. And the fellow wondered at her. But held his peace, to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. And as the camels had left drinking, he took an earring of half a sickle weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten sickles weight of gold, and said unto her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there room in thy fathers house, for us to lodge in? And she said unto him: I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Mylca which she bare unto Nahor: and said moreover unto him: we have litter(straw) and provender (food/provisions for cattle) enough and also room to lodge in.

And the man bowed himself, and worshipped the Lord, and said: blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham which ceaseth not to deal mercifully and truly with my master, And hath brought me the way to my masters brothers house. And the damsel ran and told them of her mothers house these things.

And Rebecca had a brother called Laban.

And Laban ran out unto the man, to the well: for as soon as he had seen the earrings and the bracelets upon his sisters hands, and heard the words of Rebecca his sister saying thus said the man unto me, then he went out unto the man. And lo, he stood yet with the camels by the well side. And Laban said: come in thou blessed of the Lord. Wherefore standest thou without? I have dressed the house, and made room for the camels. And then the man came into the house: and he unbridled the camels: and brought litter and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and their feet that were with him, and there was meat set before him to eat. But he said: I will not eat, until I have said mine errand. And he said: say on, And he said: I am Abrahams servant, and the Lord hath blessed my master out of measure, that he is become great and hath given him sheep, oxen, silver and gold, menservants, maidservants, camels and asses. And Sara my masters wife bare him a son, when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. And my master made me swear saying: Thou shalt not take a wife to my son among the daughters of the Cananites in whose land I dwell. But thou shalt go unto my fathers house and to my kindred, and there take a wife unto my son. And I said unto my master: What if the wife will not follow me? And he said unto me: The Lord before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy journey that thou shalt take a wife for my son, of my kindred and of my fathers house. But and if (when thou comest unto my kindred) they will not give thee one, then shalt thou bear no peril of mine oath.

And I came this day unto the well and said: O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if it be so that thou makest my journey which I go, prosperous: behold, I stand by this well of water, and when a virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her: give me a little water of thy pitcher to drink, and she say again to me: drink thou, and I will also draw water for thy camels: that same is the wife, whom the Lord hath prepared for my masters son.

And before I had made an end of speaking in mine heart: behold Rebecca came forth, and her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down unto the well and drew. And I said unto her give me drink. And she made haste, and took down her pitcher from off her, and said: drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. And I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. And I asked her saying: whose daughter art thou? And she answered: the daughter of Bathuel Nahors son, whom Mylca bare unto him. And I put the earring upon her face and the bracelets upon her hands. And I bowed myself, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham which had brought me the right way, to take my masters brothers daughter unto his son. Now therefore if ye will deal mercifully and truly with my master, tell me: And if not, tell me also: that I may turn me to the right hand or to the left.

Then answered Laban and Bathuel saying: The thing is proceeded even out of the Lord, we cannot therefore say unto thee, either good or bad: Behold Rebecca before thy face, take her and go, and let her be thy masters son s wife, even as the Lord hath said. And when Abrahams servant heard their words, he bowed himself unto the Lord, flat upon the earth. And the servant took forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment, and gave them to Rebecca: But unto her brother and to her mother, he gave spices. And then they ate and drank, both he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night and rose up in the morning.

And he said: let me depart unto my master. But her brother and her mother said: let the damsel abide with us a while, and it be but even ten days, and then go thy ways. And he said unto them, hinder me not, for the Lord hath prospered my journey. Send me away that I may go unto my master. And they said: let us call the damsel, and know what she saith to the matter. And they called forth Rebecca, and said unto her: wilt thou go with this man? And she said: Yea.

So they let Rebecca their sister go with her nurse and Abrahams servant, and the men that were with him. And they blessed Rebecca, and said unto her: Thou art our sister, grow into thousand thousands, and thy seed possess the gates of their enemies. And Rebecca arose and her damsels, and sat them up upon the camels, and went their way after the man. And the servant took Rebecca, and went his way.

And Isaac was a coming from the well of the living and seeing, for he dwelt in the south country, and was gone out to walk in his meditations before the even tide. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold the camels were coming. And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel, and said unto the servant: what man is this that cometh against us in the field? And the servant said: it is my master. And then she took her mantle, and put it about her. And the servant told Isaac all that he had done. Then Isaac brought her in to his mother Saras tent, and took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her: and