The World English Bible (WEB): Genesis
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Unknown >> The World English Bible (WEB): Genesis
From www.ebible.org with slight reformatting by Martin Ward.
Book 01 Genesis
001:001 In the beginning God{After "God," the Hebrew has the two letters
"Aleph Tav" (the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet)
as a grammatical marker.} created the heavens and the earth.
001:002 Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface
of the deep. God's Spirit was hovering over the surface
of the waters.
001:003 God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
001:004 God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided
the light from the darkness.
001:005 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
There was evening and there was morning, one day.
001:006 God said, "Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters,
and let it divide the waters from the waters."
001:007 God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under
the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse;
and it was so.
001:008 God called the expanse sky. There was evening and there
was morning, a second day.
001:009 God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together
to one place, and let the dry land appear;" and it was so.
001:010 God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together
of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good.
001:011 God said, "Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed,
and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed
in it, on the earth;" and it was so.
001:012 The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind,
and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind;
and God saw that it was good.
001:013 There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
001:014 God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to
divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs,
and for seasons, and for days and years;
001:015 and let them be for lights in the expanse of sky to give light
on the earth;" and it was so.
001:016 God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule
the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.
He also made the stars.
001:017 God set them in the expanse of sky to give light to the earth,
001:018 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide
the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.
001:019 There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
001:020 God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures,
and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky."
001:021 God created the large sea creatures, and every living
creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed,
after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind.
God saw that it was good.
001:022 God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill
the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
001:023 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
001:024 God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after
their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth
after their kind;" and it was so.
001:025 God made the animals of the earth after their kind,
and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps
on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.
001:026 God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock,
and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creeps on the earth."
001:027 God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him;
male and female he created them.
001:028 God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply,
fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish
of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living
thing that moves on the earth."
001:029 God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed,
which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree,
which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
001:030 To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky,
and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life,
I have given every green herb for food;" and it was so.
001:031 God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
002:001 The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their vast array.
002:002 On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made;
and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which
he had made.
002:003 God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested
in it from all his work which he had created and made.
002:004 This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of
the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God
made the earth and the heavens.
002:005 No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of
the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it
to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground,
002:006 but a mist went up from the earth, and watered the whole
surface of the ground.
002:007 Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
became a living soul.
002:008 Yahweh God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put
the man whom he had formed.
002:009 Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is
pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life
also in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil.
002:010 A river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there
it was parted, and became four heads.
002:011 The name of the first is Pishon: this is the one which flows
through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
002:012 and the gold of that land is good. There is aromatic resin
and the onyx stone.
002:013 The name of the second river is Gihon: the same river that flows
through the whole land of Cush.
002:014 The name of the third river is Hiddekel: this is the one which
flows in front of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
002:015 Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden
to dress it and to keep it.
002:016 Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden
you may freely eat;
002:017 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall
not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you
will surely die."
002:018 Yahweh God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone;
I will make him a helper suitable for him."
002:019 Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field,
and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see
what he would call them. Whatever the man called every
living creature, that was its name.
002:020 The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky,
and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not
found a helper suitable for him.
002:021 Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept;
and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh
in its place.
002:022 He made the rib, which Yahweh God had taken from the man,
into a woman, and brought her to the man.
002:023 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.
She will be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
002:024 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother,
and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.
002:025 They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
003:001 Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field
which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God
really said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'"
003:002 The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees
of the garden we may eat,
003:003 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden,
God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you
touch it, lest you die.'"
003:004 The serpent said to the woman, "You won't surely die,
003:005 for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
003:006 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it
was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired
to make one wise, she took of the fruit of it, and ate;
and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
003:007 The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew
that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together,
and made themselves aprons.
003:008 They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in
the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves
from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.
003:009 Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"
003:010 The man said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid,
because I was naked; and I hid myself."
003:011 God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten
from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
003:012 The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me,
she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
003:013 Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
003:014 Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock, and above every animal
of the field. On your belly shall you go, and you shall eat
dust all the days of your life.
003:015 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your
offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head,
and you will bruise his heel."
003:016 To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain
in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children.
Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
003:017 To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice,
and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying,
'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake.
In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
003:018 Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to you;
and you will eat the herb of the field.
003:019 By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you
return to the ground, for out of it you were taken.
For you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
003:020 The man called his wife Eve, because she was the mother
of all living.
003:021 Yahweh God made coats of skins for Adam and for his wife,
and clothed them.
003:022 Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us,
knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand,
and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever..."
003:023 Therefore Yahweh God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,
to till the ground from which he was taken.
003:024 So he drove out the man; and he placed Cherubs at the east
of the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword which turned
every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
004:001 The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain,
and said, "I have gotten a man with Yahweh's help."
004:002 Again she gave birth, to Cain's brother Abel. Abel was a keeper
of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
004:003 As time passed, it happened that Cain brought an offering
to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground.
004:004 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of
the fat of it. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering,
004:005 but he didn't respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry,
and the expression on his face fell.
004:006 Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why has the expression
of your face fallen?
004:007 If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don't do well,
sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you
are to rule over it."
004:008 Cain said to Abel, his brother, "Let's go into the field."
It happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up
against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
004:009 Yahweh said to Cain, "Where is Abel, your brother?"
He said, "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
004:010 Yahweh said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's
blood cries to me from the ground.
004:011 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened
its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
004:012 From now on, when you till the ground, it won't yield its
strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer
in the earth."
004:013 Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.
004:014 Behold, you have driven me out this day from the surface
of the ground. I will be hidden from your face,
and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.
It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me."
004:015 Yahweh said to him, "Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will
be taken on him sevenfold." Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain,
lest any finding him should strike him.
004:016 Cain went out from Yahweh's presence, and lived in the land
of Nod, east of Eden.
004:017 Cain knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch.
He built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name
of his son, Enoch.
004:018 To Enoch was born Irad. Irad became the father of Mehujael.
Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became
the father of Lamech.
004:019 Lamech took two wives: the name of the one was Adah,
and the name of the other Zillah.
004:020 Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell
in tents and have livestock.
004:021 His brother's name was Jubal, who was the father of all who
handle the harp and pipe.
004:022 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting
instrument of brass and iron. Tubal Cain's sister was Naamah.
004:023 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice.
You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain
a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me.
004:024 If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech
seventy-seven times."
004:025 Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named
him Seth, "for God has appointed me another child instead
of Abel, for Cain killed him."
004:026 There was also born a son to Seth, and he named him Enosh.
Then men began to call on Yahweh's name.
005:001 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day
that God created man, he made him in God's likeness.
005:002 He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called
their name Adam,{"Adam" and "Man" are spelled with the exact
same consonants in Hebrew, so this can be correctly translated
either way.} in the day when they were created.
005:003 Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a
son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
005:004 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight
hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters.
005:005 All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years,
then he died.
005:006 Seth lived one hundred five years, and became the father of Enosh.
005:007 Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred
seven years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
005:008 All the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years,
then he died.
005:009 Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
005:010 Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan, eight hundred
fifteen years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
005:011 All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.
005:012 Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel.
005:013 Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred
forty years, and became the father of sons and daughters
005:014 and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years,
then he died.
005:015 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared.
005:016 Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred
thirty years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
005:017 All the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years,
then he died.
005:018 Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, and became
the father of Enoch.
005:019 Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years,
and became the father of sons and daughters.
005:020 All the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years,
then he died.
005:021 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.
005:022 Enoch walked with God after he became the father of Methuselah
three hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
005:023 All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years.
005:024 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
005:025 Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, and became
the father of Lamech.
005:026 Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred
eighty-two years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
005:027 All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years,
then he died.
005:028 Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father
of a son,
005:029 and he named him Noah, saying, "This same will comfort us
in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground
which Yahweh has cursed."
005:030 Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred
ninety-five years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
005:031 All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years,
then he died.
005:032 Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father
of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
006:001 It happened, when men began to multiply on the surface
of the ground, and daughters were born to them,
006:002 that God's sons saw that men's daughters were beautiful,
and they took for themselves wives of all that they chose.
006:003 Yahweh said, "My Spirit will not strive with man forever,
because he also is flesh; yet will his days be one
hundred twenty years."
006:004 The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also
after that, when God's sons came in to men's daughters.
They bore children to them. Those were the mighty men
who were of old, men of renown.
006:005 Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually.
006:006 Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him in his heart.
006:007 Yahweh said, "I will destroy man whom I have created
from the surface of the ground; man, along with animals,
creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I
have made them."
006:008 But Noah found favor in Yahweh's eyes.
006:009 This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was
a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time.
Noah walked with God.
006:010 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
006:011 The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was
filled with violence.
006:012 God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh
had corrupted their way on the earth.
006:013 God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me,
for the earth is filled with violence through them.
Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
006:014 Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship,
and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch.
006:015 This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship will
be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits,
and the height of it thirty cubits.
006:016 You shall make a roof in the ship, and to a cubit shall you finish
it upward. You shall set the door of the ship in its side.
You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels.
006:017 I, even I, do bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy
all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky.
Everything that is in the earth will die.
006:018 But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come
into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons'
wives with you.
006:019 Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two
of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you.
They shall be male and female.
006:020 Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind,
of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind,
two of every sort shall come to you, to keep them alive.
006:021 Take with you of all food that is eaten, and gather it to you;
and it will be for food for you, and for them."
006:022 Thus Noah did. According to all that God commanded him,
so he did.
007:001 Yahweh said to Noah, "Come with all of your household into
the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me
in this generation.
007:002 You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you,
the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean,
take two, the male and his female.
007:003 Also of the birds of the sky, seven and seven, male and female,
to keep seed alive on the surface of all the earth.
007:004 In seven days, I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty
days and forty nights. Every living thing that I have made,
I will destroy from the surface of the ground."
007:005 Noah did everything that Yahweh commanded him.
007:006 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came
on the earth.
007:007 Noah went into the ship with his sons, his wife, and his sons'
wives, because of the waters of the flood.
007:008 Clean animals, animals that are not clean, birds, and everything
that creeps on the ground
007:009 went by pairs to Noah into the ship, male and female,
as God commanded Noah.
007:010 It happened after the seven days, that the waters of the flood
came on the earth.
007:011 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month,
on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all
the fountains of the great deep were burst open, and the sky's
windows were opened.
007:012 The rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.
007:013 In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah,
and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them,
entered into the ship;
007:014 they, and every animal after its kind, all the livestock after
their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth
after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird
of every sort.
007:015 They went to Noah into the ship, by pairs of all flesh with
the breath of life in them.
007:016 Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh,
as God commanded him; and Yahweh shut him in.
007:017 The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters increased,
and lifted up the ship, and it was lifted up above the earth.
007:018 The waters prevailed, and increased greatly on the earth;
and the ship floated on the surface of the waters.
007:019 The waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth. All the high
mountains that were under the whole sky were covered.
007:020 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the
mountains were covered.
007:021 All flesh died that moved on the earth, including birds,
livestock, animals, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth,
and every man.
007:022 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life,
of all that was on the dry land, died.
007:023 Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface
of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things,
and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth.
Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ship.
007:024 The waters prevailed on the earth one hundred fifty days.
008:001 God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were
with him in the ship; and God made a wind to pass over the earth.
The waters subsided.
008:002 The deep's fountains and the sky's windows were also stopped,
and the rain from the sky was restrained.
008:003 The waters receded from the earth continually. After the end
of one hundred fifty days the waters decreased.
008:004 The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day
of the month, on Ararat's mountains.
008:005 The waters receded continually until the tenth month.
In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops
of the mountains were seen.
008:006 It happened at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window
of the ship which he had made,
008:007 and he sent forth a raven. It went back and forth,
until the waters were dried up from the earth.
008:008 He sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated
from the surface of the ground,
008:009 but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned
to him into the ship; for the waters were on the surface
of the whole earth. He put forth his hand, and took her,
and brought her to him into the ship.
008:010 He stayed yet another seven days; and again he sent forth
the dove out of the ship.
008:011 The dove came back to him at evening, and, behold, in her mouth
was an olive leaf plucked off. So Noah knew that the waters
were abated from the earth.
008:012 He stayed yet another seven days, and sent forth the dove;
and she didn't return to him any more.
008:013 It happened in the six hundred first year, in the first month,
the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth.
Noah removed the covering of the ship, and looked.
He saw that the surface of the ground was dried.
008:014 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month,
the earth was dry.
008:015 God spoke to Noah, saying,
008:016 "Go out of the ship, you, and your wife, and your sons,
and your sons' wives with you.
008:017 Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you
of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping
thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly
in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth."
008:018 Noah went forth, with his sons, his wife, and his sons'
wives with him.
008:019 Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatever moves
on the earth, after their families, went out of the ship.
008:020 Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and took of every clean animal,
and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings
on the altar.
008:021 Yahweh smelled the sweet savor. Yahweh said in his heart,
"I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake,
because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth;
neither will I ever again strike everything living,
as I have done.
008:022 While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat,
and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
009:001 God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful,
and multiply, and replenish the earth.
009:002 The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every
animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky.
Everything that the ground teems with, and all the fish
of the sea are delivered into your hand.
009:003 Every moving thing that lives will be food for you.
As the green herb, I have given everything to you.
009:004 But flesh with the life of it, the blood of it, you shall not eat.
009:005 I will surely require your blood of your lives.
At the hand of every animal I will require it.
At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother,
I will require the life of man.
009:006 Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood will be shed by man,
for God made man in his own image.
009:007 Be fruitful and multiply. Bring forth abundantly in the earth,
and multiply in it."
009:008 God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying,
009:009 "As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you,
and with your offspring after you,
009:010 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds,
the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you,
of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth.
009:011 I will establish my covenant with you: all flesh will not be cut
off any more by the waters of the flood, neither will there
ever again be a flood to destroy the earth."
009:012 God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make
between me and you and every living creature that is with you,
for perpetual generations:
009:013 I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign
of a covenant between me and the earth.
009:014 It will happen, when I bring a cloud over the earth,
that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud,
009:015 and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you
and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will
no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
009:016 The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I
may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every
living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
009:017 God said to Noah, "This is the token of the covenant which I
have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."
009:018 The sons of Noah who went forth from the ship were Shem, Ham,
and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan.
009:019 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these, the whole
earth was populated.
009:020 Noah began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard.
009:021 He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered
within his tent.
009:022 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father,
and told his two brothers outside.
009:023 Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders,
went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father.
Their faces were backwards, and they didn't see
their father's nakedness.
009:024 Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had
done to him.
009:025 He said, "Canaan is cursed. He will be servant of servants
to his brothers."
009:026 He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem. Let Canaan
be his servant.
009:027 May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem.
Let Canaan be his servant."
009:028 Noah lived three hundred fifty years after the flood.
009:029 All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, then he died.
010:001 Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah
and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them
after the flood.
010:002 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech,
and Tiras.
010:003 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
010:004 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
010:005 Of these were the islands of the nations divided in their lands,
everyone after his language, after their families,
in their nations.
010:006 The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
010:007 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca.
The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
010:008 Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty
one in the earth.
010:009 He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh. Therefore it is said,
"Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahweh."
010:010 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh,
in the land of Shinar.
010:011 Out of that land he went forth into Assyria, and built
Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah,
010:012 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city).
010:013 Mizraim became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim,
010:014 Pathrusim, Casluhim (which the Philistines descended from),
and Caphtorim.
010:015 Canaan became the father of Sidon (his firstborn), Heth,
010:016 the Jebusite, the Amorite, the Girgashite,
010:017 the Hivite, the Arkite, the Sinite,
010:018 the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad.
010:019 The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as you go
toward Gerar, to Gaza; as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah,
and Zeboiim, to Lasha.
010:020 These are the sons of Ham, after their families,
after their languages, in their lands, in their nations.
010:021 To Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder
brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.
010:022 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.
010:023 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.
010:024 Arpachshad became the father of Shelah. Shelah became
the father of Eber.
010:025 To Eber were born two sons. The name of the one was Peleg,
for in his days the earth was divided. His brother's
name was Joktan.
010:026 Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
010:027 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,
010:028 Obal, Abimael, Sheba,
010:029 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
010:030 Their dwelling was from Mesha, as you go toward Sephar,
the mountain of the east.
010:031 These are the sons of Shem, after their families,
after their languages, in their lands, after their nations.
010:032 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations,
in their nations. Of these were the nations divided in the earth
after the flood.
011:001 The whole earth was of one language and of one speech.
011:002 It happened, as they traveled east, that they found a plain
in the land of Shinar, and they lived there.
011:003 They said one to another, "Come, let's make bricks, and burn
them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they used
tar for mortar.
011:004 They said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city, and a tower
whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make ourselves a name,
lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth."
011:005 Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children
of men built.
011:006 Yahweh said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have
all one language, and this is what they begin to do.
Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do.
011:007 Come, let's go down, and there confuse their language,
that they may not understand one another's speech."
011:008 So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface
of all the earth. They stopped building the city.
011:009 Therefore the name of it was called Babel, because there
Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. From there,
Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.
011:010 This is the history of the generations of Shem. Shem was
one hundred years old and became the father of Arpachshad
two years after the flood.
011:011 Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father
of Arpachshad, and became the father of sons and daughters.
011:012 Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah.
011:013 Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father
of Shelah, and became the father of sons and daughters.
011:014 Shelah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber:
011:015 and Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became
the father of Eber, and became the father of sons and daughters.
011:016 Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg.
011:017 Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father
of Peleg, and became the father of sons and daughters.
011:018 Peleg lived thirty years, and became the father of Reu.
011:019 Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father
of Reu, and became the father of sons and daughters.
011:020 Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug.
011:021 Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father
of Serug, and became the father of sons and daughters.
011:022 Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor.
011:023 Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor,
and became the father of sons and daughters.
011:024 Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah.
011:025 Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father
of Terah, and became the father of sons and daughters.
011:026 Terah lived seventy years, and became the father
of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
011:027 Now this is the history of the generations of Terah.
Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Haran became the father of Lot.
011:028 Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth,
in Ur of the Chaldees.
011:029 Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai,
and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran
who was also the father of Iscah.
011:030 Sarai was barren. She had no child.
011:031 Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son's son,
and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife. They went
forth from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan.
They came to Haran and lived there.
011:032 The days of Terah were two hundred five years.
Terah died in Haran.
012:001 Now Yahweh said to Abram, "Get out of your country,
and from your relatives, and from your father's house,
to the land that I will show you.
012:002 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make
your name great. You will be a blessing.
012:003 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him
who curses you. In you will all of the families of the
earth be blessed."
012:004 So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken to him. Lot went with him.
Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran.
012:005 Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother's son, all their substance
that they had gathered, and the souls whom they had gotten
in Haran, and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan.
Into the land of Canaan they came.
012:006 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem,
to the oak of Moreh. The Canaanite was then in the land.
012:007 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to
your seed{or, offspring}." He built an altar there to Yahweh,
who appeared to him.
012:008 He left from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel,
and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai
on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called
on the name of Yahweh.
012:009 Abram traveled, going on still toward the South.
012:010 There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt
to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe
in the land.
012:011 It happened, when he had come near to enter Egypt, that he said
to Sarai his wife, "See now, I know that you are a beautiful
woman to look at.
012:012 It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they
will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me, but they
will save you alive.
012:013 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me
for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you."
012:014 It happened that when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians
saw that the woman was very beautiful.
012:015 The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh;
and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
012:016 He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep,
oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants,
female donkeys, and camels.
012:017 Yahweh plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues
because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
012:018 Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this that you have done
to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?
012:019 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her
to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her,
and go your way."
012:020 Pharaoh gave men charge concerning him, and they brought him
on the way with his wife and all that he had.
013:001 Abram went up out of Egypt: he, his wife, all that he had,
and Lot with him, into the South.
013:002 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
013:003 He went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel,
to the place where his tent had been at the beginning,
between Bethel and Ai,
013:004 to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first.
There Abram called on the name of Yahweh.
013:005 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
013:006 The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together:
for their substance was great, so that they could not live together.
013:007 There was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock
and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock: and the Canaanite
and the Perizzite lived in the land at that time.
013:008 Abram said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between
me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen;
for we are relatives.
013:009 Isn't the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me.
If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right.
Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left."
013:010 Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan,
that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land
of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.
013:011 So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself.
Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves the one
from the other.
013:012 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities
of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
013:013 Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners
against Yahweh.
013:014 Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, "Now,
lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are,
northward and southward and eastward and westward,
013:015 for all the land which you see, I will give to you, and to
your offspring forever.
013:016 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that
if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed
may also be numbered.
013:017 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth
of it; for I will give it to you."
013:018 Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre,
which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to Yahweh.
014:001 It happened in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch,
king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal,
king of Goiim,
014:002 that they made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha,
king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber,
king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar).
014:003 All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (the same
is the Salt Sea).
014:004 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth
year, they rebelled.
014:005 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who
were with him, and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim,
and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
014:006 and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to Elparan, which is
by the wilderness.
014:007 They returned, and came to En Mishpat (the same is Kadesh),
and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites,
that lived in Hazazon Tamar.
014:008 The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king
of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela
(the same is Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array
against them in the valley of Siddim;
014:009 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim,
and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar;
four kings against the five.
014:010 Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings
of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and those
who remained fled to the hills.
014:011 They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food,
and went their way.
014:012 They took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who lived in Sodom,
and his goods, and departed.
014:013 One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew.
Now he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol,
and brother of Aner; and these were allies of Abram.
014:014 When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led forth
his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen,
and pursued as far as Dan.
014:015 He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants,
and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left
hand of Damascus.
014:016 He brought back all the goods, and also brought back
his relative, Lot, and his goods, and the women also,
and the people.
014:017 The king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from
the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him,
at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
014:018 Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine:
and he was priest of God Most High.
014:019 He blessed him, and said, "Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
possessor of heaven and earth:
014:020 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies
into your hand." Abram gave him a tenth of all.
014:021 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people,
and take the goods to yourself."
014:022 Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand
to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
014:023 that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything
that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'
014:024 I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men
have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me:
Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion."
015:001 After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in
a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,
your exceedingly great reward."
015:002 Abram said, "Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, seeing I
go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is
Eliezer of Damascus?"
015:003 Abram said, "Behold, to me you have given no seed:
and, behold, one born in my house is my heir."
015:004 Behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, "This man will
not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own
body will be your heir."
015:005 Yahweh brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky,
and count the stars, if you are able to count them."
He said to Abram, "So shall your seed be."
015:006 He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.
015:007 He said to him, "I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur
of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it."
015:008 He said, "Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?"
015:009 He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female
goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove,
and a young pigeon."
015:010 He brought him all of these, and divided them in the middle,
and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn't
divide the birds.
015:011 The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram
drove them away.
015:012 When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram.
Now terror and great darkness fell on him.
015:013 He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your seed will live as
foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them.
They will afflict them four hundred years.
015:014 I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve.
Afterward they will come out with great wealth,
015:015 but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried
in a good old age.
015:016 In the fourth generation they will come here again,
for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full."
015:017 It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it
was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch
passed between these pieces.
015:018 In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your
seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to
the great river, the river Euphrates:
015:019 the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,
015:020 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
015:021 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."
016:001 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had a handmaid,
an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
016:002 Sarai said to Abram, "See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing.
Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain
children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
016:003 Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid,
after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan,
and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
016:004 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she
had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
016:005 Sarai said to Abram, "This wrong is your fault.
I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw
that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes.
Yahweh judge between me and you."
016:006 But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your maid is in your hand.
Do to her whatever is good in your eyes." Sarai dealt harshly
with her, and she fled from her face.
016:007 The angel of Yahweh found her by a fountain of water in
the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
016:008 He said, "Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, where did you come from?
Where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the face
of my mistress Sarai."
016:009 The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Return to your mistress,
and submit yourself under her hands."
016:010 The angel of Yahweh said to her, "I will greatly multiply
your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude."
016:011 The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Behold, you are with child,
and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael,
because Yahweh has heard your affliction.
016:012 He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will
be against every man, and every man's hand against him.
He will live opposite all of his brothers."
016:013 She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, "You are
a God who sees," for she said, "Have I even stayed alive
after seeing him?"
016:014 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi.{Beer Lahai Roi
means "well of the one who lives and sees me."} Behold,
it is between Kadesh and Bered.
016:015 Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son,
whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
016:016 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
017:001 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram,
and said to him, "I am God Almighty. Walk before me,
and be blameless.
017:002 I will make my covenant between me and you, and will
multiply you exceedingly."
017:003 Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,
017:004 "As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be
the father of a multitude of nations.
017:005 Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your
name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a
multitude of nations.
017:006 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you.
Kings will come out of you.
017:007 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed
after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant,
to be a God to you and to your seed after you.
017:008 I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land
where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an
everlasting possession. I will be their God."
017:009 God said to Abraham, "As for you, you will keep my covenant,
you and your seed after you throughout their generations.
017:010 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me
and you and your seed after you. Every male among you
shall be circumcised.
017:011 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin.
It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.
017:012 He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you,
every male throughout your generations, he who is born
in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is
not of your seed.
017:013 He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money,
must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh
for an everlasting covenant.
017:014 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh
of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
He has broken my covenant."
017:015 God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not
call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah.
017:016 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her.
Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations.
Kings of peoples will come from her."
017:017 Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart,
"Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old?
Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?"
017:018 Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"
017:019 God said, "No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son.
You shall call his name Isaac.{Isaac means "he laughs."} I
will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant
for his seed after him.
017:020 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him,
and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly.
He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make
him a great nation.
017:021 But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear
to you at this set time next year."
017:022 When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
017:023 Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house,
and all who were bought with his money; every male among
the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their
foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.
017:024 Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised
in the flesh of his foreskin.
017:025 Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised
in the flesh of his foreskin.
017:026 In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.
017:027 All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those
bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
018:001 Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat
in the tent door in the heat of the day.
018:002 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men
stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them
from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
018:003 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight,
please don't go away from your servant.
018:004 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree.
018:005 I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart.
After that you may go your way, now that you have come to
your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
018:006 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly make
ready three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."
018:007 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf,
and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
018:008 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed,
and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree,
and they ate.
018:009 They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?
He said, "See, in the tent."
018:010 He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season
comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son."
Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
018:011 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age.
It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
018:012 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old
will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
018:013 Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I
really bear a child, yet I am old?'
018:014 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return
to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son."
018:015 Then Sarah denied, saying, "I didn't laugh," for she was afraid.
He said, "No, but you did laugh."
018:016 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom.
Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
018:017 Yahweh said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
018:018 seeing that Abraham has surely become a great and mighty nation,
and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
018:019 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his
children and his household after him, that they may keep
the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice;
to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has
spoken of him."
018:020 Yahweh said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great,
and because their sin is very grievous,
018:021 I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad
as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know."
018:022 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham
stood yet before Yahweh.
018:023 Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous
with the wicked?
018:024 What if there are fifty righteous within the city?
Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty
righteous who are in it?
018:025 Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous
with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked.
May that be far from you. Shouldn't the Judge of all
the earth do right?"
018:026 Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,
then I will spare all the place for their sake."
018:027 Abraham answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak
to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
018:028 What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous?
Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said,
"I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."
018:029 He spoke to him yet again, and said, "What if there are forty
found there?" He said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake."
018:030 He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak.
What if there are thirty found there?" He said, "I will not
do it, if I find thirty there."
018:031 He said, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord.
What if there are twenty found there?" He said, "I will not
destroy it for the twenty's sake."
018:032 He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will
speak just once more. What if ten are found there?"
He said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."
018:033 Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing
with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
019:001 The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate
of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them.
He bowed himself with his face to the earth,
019:002 and he said, "See now, my lords, please turn aside into
your servant's house, stay all night, wash your feet,
and you will rise up early, and go on your way."
They said, "No, but we will stay in the street all night."
019:003 He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered
into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread,
and they ate.
019:004 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom,
surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people
from every quarter.
019:005 They called to Lot, and said to him, "Where are the men
who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us,
that we may have sex with them."
019:006 Lot went out to them to the door, and shut the door after him.
019:007 He said, "Please, my brothers, don't act so wickedly.
019:008 See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them
out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you.
Only don't do anything to these men, because they have come
under the shadow of my roof."
019:009 They said, "Stand back!" They said, "This one fellow came
in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge.
Now will we deal worse with you, than with them!"
They pressed hard on the man Lot, and drew near to break the door.
019:010 But the men put forth their hand, and brought Lot into the house
to them, and shut the door.
019:011 They struck the men who were at the door of the house
with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied
themselves to find the door.
019:012 The men said to Lot, "Do you have anybody else here?
Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whoever you
have in the city, bring them out of the place:
019:013 for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against
them has grown great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent us
to destroy it."
019:014 Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were
pledged to marry his daughters, and said, "Get up!
Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city."
But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.
019:015 When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, "Get up!
Take your wife, and your two daughters who are here,
lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city."
019:016 But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife's hand,
and his two daughters' hands, Yahweh being merciful to him;
and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.
019:017 It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said,
"Escape for your life! Don't look behind you, and don't
stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains,
lest you be consumed!"
019:018 Lot said to them, "Oh, not so, my lord.
019:019 See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you
have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown
to me in saving my life. I can't escape to the mountain,
lest evil overtake me, and I die.
019:020 See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one.
Oh let me escape there (isn't it a little one?), and my
soul will live."
019:021 He said to him, "Behold, I have granted your request concerning
this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which
you have spoken.
019:022 Hurry, escape there, for I can't do anything until you get there."
Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.{Zoar means "little."}
019:023 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
019:024 Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire
from Yahweh out of the sky.
019:025 He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants
of the cities, and that which grew on the ground.
019:026 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became
a pillar of salt.
019:027 Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had
stood before Yahweh.
019:028 He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land
of the plain, and looked, and saw that the smoke of the land
went up as the smoke of a furnace.
019:029 It happened, when God destroyed the cities of the plain,
that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle
of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.
019:030 Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his
two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar.
He lived in a cave with his two daughters.
019:031 The firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old,
and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us after
the manner of all the earth.
019:032 Come, let's make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him,
that we may preserve our father's seed."
019:033 They made their father drink wine that night:
and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father.
He didn't know when she lay down, nor when she arose.
019:034 It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said
to the younger, "Behold, I lay last night with my father.
Let us make him drink wine again, tonight. You go in,
and lie with him, that we may preserve our father's seed."
019:035 They made their father drink wine that night also.
The younger went and lay with him. He didn't know when she
lay down, nor when she got up.
019:036 Thus both of Lot's daughters were with child by their father.
019:037 The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab. He is the father
of the Moabites to this day.
019:038 The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben Ammi.
He is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.
020:001 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived
between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
020:002 Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister."
Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
020:003 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said
to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman
whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."
020:004 Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you
kill even a righteous nation?
020:005 Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister?' She, even she herself,
said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart
and the innocence of my hands have I done this."
020:006 God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity
of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you
from sinning against me. Therefore I didn't allow you
to touch her.
020:007 Now therefore, restore the man's wife. For he is a prophet,
and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don't
restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all
who are yours."
020:008 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all
his servants, and told all these things in their ear.
The men were very scared.
020:009 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him,
"What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you,
that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?
You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!"
020:010 Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you have
done this thing?"
020:011 Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is
not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'
020:012 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father,
but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
020:013 It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father's house,
that I said to her, 'This is your kindness which you shall show
to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, "He is my brother."'"
020:014 Abimelech took sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants,
and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
020:015 Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you.
Dwell where it pleases you."
020:016 To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand
pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes
to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated."
020:017 Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife,
and his female servants, and they bore children.
020:018 For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house
of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
021:001 Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah
as he had spoken.
021:002 Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age,
at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
021:003 Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore
to him, Isaac.{Isaac means "He laughs."}
021:004 Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old,
as God had commanded him.
021:005 Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac,
was born to him.
021:006 Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will
laugh with me."
021:007 She said, "Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would
nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age."
021:008 The child grew, and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast
on the day that Isaac was weaned.
021:009 Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne
to Abraham, mocking.
021:010 Therefore she said to Abraham, "Cast out this handmaid and her son!
For the son of this handmaid will not be heir with my son, Isaac."
021:011 The thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight on account
of his son.
021:012 God said to Abraham, "Don't let it be grievous in your
sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid.
In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice.
For from Isaac will your seed be called.
021:013 I will also make a nation of the son of the handmaid,
because he is your seed."
021:014 Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle
of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder;
and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed,
and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
021:015 The water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child
under one of the shrubs.
021:016 She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow
shot away. For she said, "Don't let me see the death of the child."
She sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
021:017 God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called
to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, "What ails
you, Hagar? Don't be afraid. For God has heard the voice
of the boy where he is.
021:018 Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him in your hand.
For I will make him a great nation."
021:019 God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went,
filled the bottle with water, and gave the boy drink.
021:020 God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness,
and became, as he grew up, an archer.
021:021 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother took a wife
for him out of the land of Egypt.
021:022 It happened at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain
of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all
that you do.
021:023 Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal
falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son.
But according to the kindness that I have done to you,
you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived
as a foreigner."
021:024 Abraham said, "I will swear."
021:025 Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well,
which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
021:026 Abimelech said, "I don't know who has done this thing.
Neither did you tell me, neither did I hear of it, until today."
021:027 Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech.
Those two made a covenant.
021:028 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
021:029 Abimelech said to Abraham, "What do these seven ewe lambs
which you have set by themselves mean?"
021:030 He said, "You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand,
that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well."
021:031 Therefore he called that place Beersheba,{Beersheba can
mean "well of the oath" or "well of seven."} because they
both swore there.
021:032 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up
with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned
into the land of the Philistines.
021:033 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there
on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God.
021:034 Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines
many days.
022:001 It happened after these things, that God tested Abraham,
and said to him, "Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."
022:002 He said, "Now take your son, your only son, whom you love,
even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there
for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will
tell you of."
022:003 Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey,
and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son.
He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up,
and went to the place of which God had told him.
022:004 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw
the place far off.
022:005 Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey.
The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come
back to you."
022:006 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on
Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife.
They both went together.
022:007 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, "My father?"
He said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Here is the fire
and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
022:008 Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering,
my son." So they both went together.
022:009 They came to the place which God had told him of.
Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order,
bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.
022:010 Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to
kill his son.
022:011 The angel of Yahweh called to him out of the sky, and said,
"Abraham, Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."
022:012 He said, "Don't lay your hand on the boy, neither do anything to him.
For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld
your son, your only son, from me."
022:013 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind
him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns.
Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt
offering instead of his son.
022:014 Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide{or,
Yahweh-Jireh, or, Yahweh-Seeing}. As it is said to this day,
"On Yahweh's mountain, it will be provided."
022:015 The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out
of the sky,
022:016 and said, "I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you
have done this thing, and have not withheld your son,
your only son,
022:017 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your seed
greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand
which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate
of his enemies.
022:018 In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed,
because you have obeyed my voice."
022:019 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went
together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
022:020 It happened after these things, that it was told Abraham,
saying, "Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to
your brother Nahor:
022:021 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
022:022 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel."
022:023 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore
to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
022:024 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore
Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
023:001 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length
of Sarah's life.
023:002 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron), in the land
of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
023:003 Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children
of Heth, saying,
023:004 "I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you.
Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I
may bury my dead out of my sight."
023:005 The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
023:006 "Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us.
Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will
withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead."
023:007 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land,
even to the children of Heth.
023:008 He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should
bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me
to Ephron the son of Zohar,
023:009 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has,
which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him
give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place."
023:010 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth.
Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of
the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate
of his city, saying,
023:011 "No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you
the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children
of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead."
023:012 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
023:013 He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of
the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me.
I will give the price of the field. Take it from me,
and I will bury my dead there."
023:014 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
023:015 "My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth
four hundred shekels of silver between me and you?
Therefore bury your dead."
023:016 Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron
the silver which he had named in the audience of the children
of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the
current merchants' standard.
023:017 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was
before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it,
and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all
of its borders, were deeded
023:018 to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children
of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
023:019 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave
of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron),
in the land of Canaan.
023:020 The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham
for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.
024:001 Abraham was old, and well stricken in age. Yahweh had blessed
Abraham in all things.
024:002 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled
over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh.
024:003 I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God
of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son
of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
024:004 But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take
a wife for my son Isaac."
024:005 The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing
to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again
to the land you came from?"
024:006 Abraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my
son there again.
024:007 Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house,
and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore
to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed{or, offspring}.'
He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife
for my son from there.
024:008 If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall
be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my
son there again."
024:009 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master,
and swore to him concerning this matter.
024:010 The servant took ten camels, of his master's camels, and departed,
having a variety of good things of his master's with him.
He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
024:011 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well
of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out
to draw water.
024:012 He said, "Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me
success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
024:013 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters
of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
024:014 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say,
'Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,' and she
will say, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'--
let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac.
By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
024:015 It happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold,
Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah,
the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher
on her shoulder.
024:016 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin,
neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring,
filled her pitcher, and came up.
024:017 The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink,
a little water from your pitcher."
024:018 She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her
pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.
024:019 When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw
for your camels, until they have done drinking."
024:020 She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran
again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
024:021 The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know
whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
024:022 It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man
took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets
for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
024:023 and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me.
Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?"
024:024 She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah,
whom she bore to Nahor."
024:025 She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough,
and room to lodge in."
024:026 The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh.
024:027 He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has
not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master.
As for me, Yahweh has led me in the way to the house of
my master's relatives."
024:028 The young lady ran, and told her mother's house about these words.
024:029 Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran
out to the man, to the spring.
024:030 It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his
sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah
his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me,"
that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels
at the spring.
024:031 He said, "Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside?
For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."
024:032 The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels.
He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash
his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
024:033 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat
until I have told my message." He said, "Speak on."
024:034 He said, "I am Abraham's servant.
024:035 Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great.
He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold,
male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
024:036 Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old.
He has given all that he has to him.
024:037 My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife
for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose
land I live,
024:038 but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives,
and take a wife for my son.'
024:039 I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'
024:040 He said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his
angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife
for my son of my relatives, and of my father's house.
024:041 Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives.
If they don't give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.'
024:042 I came this day to the spring, and said, 'Yahweh, the God
of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go--
024:043 behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen,
that the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say,
"Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher to drink,"
024:044 and she will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for
your camels,"--let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed
for my master's son.'
024:045 Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth
with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring,
and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'
024:046 She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder,
and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.'
So I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
024:047 I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said,
'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.'
I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
024:048 I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh,
the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way
to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.
024:049 Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me.
If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand,
or to the left."
024:050 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing proceeds from Yahweh.
We can't speak to you bad or good.
024:051 Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let
her be your master's son's wife, as Yahweh has spoken."
024:052 It happened that when Abraham's servant heard their words,
he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh.
024:053 The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,
and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious
things to her brother and her mother.
024:054 They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him,
and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said,
"Send me away to my master."
024:055 Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay
with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."
024:056 He said to them, "Don't hinder me, seeing Yahweh has prospered
my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."
024:057 They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her."
024:058 They called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?"
She said, "I will go."
024:059 They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse,
Abraham's servant, and his men.
024:060 They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you
be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed
possess the gate of those who hate them."
024:061 Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels,
and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
024:062 Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived
in the land of the South.
024:063 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening.
He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there
were camels coming.
024:064 Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac,
she dismounted from the camel.
024:065 She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in
the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master."
She took her veil, and covered herself.
024:066 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
024:067 Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent,
and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her.
Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
025:001 Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
025:002 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
025:003 Jokshan became the father of Sheba, and Dedan. The sons
of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
025:004 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
All these were the children of Keturah.
025:005 Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac,
025:006 but to the sons of Abraham's concubines, Abraham gave gifts.
He sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived,
eastward, to the east country.
025:007 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived:
one hundred seventy-five years.
025:008 Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age,
an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
025:009 Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah,
in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite,
which is before Mamre,
025:010 the field which Abraham purchased of the children of Heth.
Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife.
025:011 It happened after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac,
his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.
025:012 Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son,
whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.
025:013 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names,
according to the order of their birth: the firstborn
of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
025:014 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
025:015 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
025:016 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names,
by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes,
according to their nations.
025:017 These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred
thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died,
and was gathered to his people.
025:018 They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you
go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives.
025:019 This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son.
Abraham became the father of Isaac.
025:020 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter
of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban
the Syrian, to be his wife.
025:021 Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren.
Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
025:022 The children struggled together within her. She said,
"If it be so, why do I live?" She went to inquire of Yahweh.
025:023 Yahweh said to her, Two nations are in your womb.
Two peoples will be separated from your body.
The one people will be stronger than the other people.
The elder will serve the younger.
025:024 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were
twins in her womb.
025:025 The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment.
They named him Esau.
025:026 After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on
Esau's heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old
when she bore them.
025:027 The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field.
Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
025:028 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison.
Rebekah loved Jacob.
025:029 Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field,
and he was famished.
025:030 Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew,
for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom.
025:031 Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright."
025:032 Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die. What good is the
birthright to me?"
025:033 Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him.
He sold his birthright to Jacob.
025:034 Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank,
rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.
026:001 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine
that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech
king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
026:002 Yahweh appeared to him, and said, "Don't go down into Egypt.
Live in the land I will tell you about.
026:003 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you.
For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I
will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
026:004 I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and will
give to your seed all these lands. In your seed will all
the nations of the earth be blessed,
026:005 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge,
my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."
026:006 Isaac lived in Gerar.
026:007 The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said,
"She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "My wife,"
lest, he thought, "the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah,
because she is beautiful to look at."
026:008 It happened, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech
king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw,
and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.
026:009 Abimelech called Isaac, and said, "Behold, surely she is your wife.
Why did you say, 'She is my sister?'" Isaac said to him,
"Because I said, 'Lest I die because of her.'"
026:010 Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us?
One of the people might easily have lain with your wife,
and you would have brought guilt on us!"
026:011 Abimelech charged all the people, saying, "He who touches this
man or his wife will surely be put to death."
026:012 Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one
hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him.
026:013 The man grew great, and grew more and more until he
became very great.
026:014 He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds,
and a great household. The Philistines envied him.
026:015 Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug in
the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped,
and filled with earth.
026:016 Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go from us, for you are much
mightier than we."
026:017 Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar,
and lived there.
026:018 Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days
of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them
after the death of Abraham. He called their names after
the names by which his father had called them.
026:019 Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well
of springing water.
026:020 The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac's herdsmen, saying,
"The water is ours." He called the name of the well Esek,
because they contended with him.
026:021 They dug another well, and they argued over that, also.
He called the name of it Sitnah.
026:022 He left that place, and dug another well. They didn't
argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said,
"For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful
in the land."
026:023 He went up from there to Beersheba.
026:024 Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, "I am
the God of Abraham your father. Don't be afraid, for I am
with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my
servant Abraham's sake."
026:025 He built an altar there, and called on the name of Yahweh,
and pitched his tent there. There Isaac's servants dug a well.
026:026 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend,
and Phicol the captain of his army.
026:027 Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, since you hate me,
and have sent me away from you?"
026:028 They said, "We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you.
We said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between us
and you, and let us make a covenant with you,
026:029 that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you,
and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent
you away in peace.' You are now the blessed of Yahweh."
026:030 He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
026:031 They rose up some time in the morning, and swore one to another.
Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
026:032 It happened the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told
him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him,
"We have found water."
026:033 He called it Shibah.{Shibah means "oath" or "seven."} Therefore
the name of the city is Beersheba{Beersheba means "well of the oath"
or "well of the seven"} to this day.
026:034 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith,
the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter
of Elon the Hittite.
026:035 They grieved Isaac's and Rebekah's spirits.
027:001 It happened, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim,
so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son,
and said to him, "My son?" He said to him, "Here I am."
027:002 He said, "See now, I am old. I don't know the day of my death.
027:003 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow,
and go out to the field, and take me venison.
027:004 Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me,
that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die."
027:005 Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son.
Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
027:006 Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, "Behold, I heard
your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
027:007 'Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat,
and bless you before Yahweh before my death.'
027:008 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which
I command you.
027:009 Go now to the flock, and get me from there two good kids
of the goats. I will make them savory food for your father,
such as he loves.
027:010 You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that
he may bless you before his death."
027:011 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother
is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
027:012 What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver,
and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing."
027:013 His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son.
Only obey my voice, and go get them for me."
027:014 He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother.
His mother made savory food, such as his father loved.
027:015 Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son,
which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob,
her younger son.
027:016 She put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands,
and on the smooth of his neck.
027:017 She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared,
into the hand of her son Jacob.
027:018 He came to his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am.
Who are you, my son?"
027:019 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn.
I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat
of my venison, that your soul may bless me."
027:020 Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly,
my son?" He said, "Because Yahweh your God gave me success."
027:021 Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you,
my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."
027:022 Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said,
"The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
027:023 He didn't recognize him, because his hands were hairy,
like his brother, Esau's hands. So he blessed him.
027:024 He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."
027:025 He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison,
that my soul may bless you." He brought it near to him, and he ate.
He brought him wine, and he drank.
027:026 His father Isaac said to him, "Come near now, and kiss me, my son."
027:027 He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing,
and blessed him, and said, "Behold, the smell of my son
is as the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed.
027:028 God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth,
and plenty of grain and new wine.
027:029 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother's sons
bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you.
Blessed be everyone who blesses you."
027:030 It happened, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob,
and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father,
that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
027:031 He also made savory food, and brought it to his father.
He said to his father, "Let my father arise, and eat of his
son's venison, that your soul may bless me."
027:032 Isaac his father said to him, "Who are you?" He said,
"I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."
027:033 Isaac trembled violently, and said, "Who, then, is he who has
taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before
you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed."
027:034 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an
exceeding great and bitter cry, and said to his father,
"Bless me, even me also, my father."
027:035 He said, "Your brother came with deceit, and has taken
away your blessing."
027:036 He said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he has
supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright.
See, now he has taken away my blessing." He said, "Haven't you
reserved a blessing for me?"
027:037 Isaac answered Esau, "Behold, I have made him your lord,
and all his brothers have I given to him for servants.
With grain and new wine have I sustained him. What then
will I do for you, my son?"
027:038 Esau said to his father, "Have you but one blessing, my father?
Bless me, even me also, my father." Esau lifted up
his voice, and wept.
027:039 Isaac his father answered him, "Behold, of the fatness of the earth
will be your dwelling, and of the dew of the sky from above.
027:040 By your sword will you live, and you will serve your brother.
It will happen, when you will break loose, that you shall
shake his yoke from off your neck."
027:041 Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father
blessed him. Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning
for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob."
027:042 The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah.
She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said
to him, "Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you
by planning to kill you.
027:043 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban,
my brother, in Haran.
027:044 Stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away;
027:045 until your brother's anger turn away from you, and he forgets what
you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there.
Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?"
027:046 Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of
the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters
of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land,
what good will my life do me?"
028:001 Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, "You shall
not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
028:002 Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your
mother's father. Take a wife from there from the daughters
of Laban, your mother's brother.
028:003 May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you,
that you may be a company of peoples,
028:004 and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you, and to your seed
with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel,
which God gave to Abraham."
028:005 Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of
Bethuel the Syrian, Rebekah's brother, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
028:006 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away
to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as
he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shall not
take a wife of the daughters of Canaan,"
028:007 and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone
to Paddan Aram.
028:008 Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn't please Isaac,
his father.
028:009 Esau went to Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had,
Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister
of Nebaioth, to be his wife.
028:010 Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
028:011 He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night,
because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place,
and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to s