Abraham entertaineth angels. GENESIS. Destruction of Sodom revealed. make him fruitful, and will multiply him and well stricken in age; and it ceased to exceedingly: twelve princes shall he beget, be with Sarah after the manner of women. and I will make him a great nation. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within her 21 But my covenant will I establish with self, saying, After I am waxed old shall I Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at have pleasure, my lord being old also? this set time in the next year. 13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, 22 And he left off talking with him, and Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall God went up from Abraham. I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 23 And Abraham took Ishmael his 14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? son, and all that were born in his house, and At the time appointed I will return unto all that were bought with his money, every thee, according to the time of life, and male among the men of Abraham's house; Sarah and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin, 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughin the self-same day, as God had said unto ed not; for she was afraid. And he said, him. shall have a son. Nay; but thou didst laugh. 24 And Abraham was ninety years old 16 And the men rose up from thence, and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In the self-same day was Abraham circumcised and Ishmael his son. 27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him. CHAP. XVIII. and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the AND the LORD appeared unto him in Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the LORD may bring upon Abraham that the tent door in the heat of the day; which he hath spoken of him. 2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, 20 And the Lord said, Because the cry and lo, three men stood by him: and when of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and behe saw them, he ran to meet them from the cause their sin is very grievous; tent door, and bowed himself toward the 21 I will go down now, and see whether ground, they have done altogether according to the 3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found cry of it, which is come unto me; and if favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray not, I will know. thee, from thy servant: 22 And the men turned their faces from 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetch-thence, and went toward Sodom: but Pray ed, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves Abraham stood yet before the LORD. under the tree: 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall the wicked? pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou within the city: wilt thou also destroy and hast said. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and 9 And they said unto him, Where is ashes: Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the tent. the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all 10 And he said, I will certainly return the city for lack of five? And he said, if I unto thee according to the time of life: and find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And 29 And he spake unto him yet again, Sarah heard it in the tent-door, which was and said, Peradventure there shall be forty behind him. found there. And he said, I will not do it 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old for forty's sake. Abraham intercedes for it. CHAP. XIX. Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed. 30 And he said unto him, Oh, let not the sons and thy daughters, and whatsoever LORD be angry, and I will speak: Perad-thou hast in the city, bring them out of this venture there shall thirty be found there. place: And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty 13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before there. 31 And he said, Behold now, I have ta- the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath ken upon me to speak unto the LORD. Per-sent us to destroy it. adventure there shall twenty be found there. 14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his And he said, I will not destroy it for twen-sons-in-law, which married his daughters, ty's sake. and said, Up, get ye out of this place; for 32 And he said, Oh let not the LORD be the LORD will destroy this city: but he angry, and I will speak yet but this once : seemed as one that mocked unto his sonsPeradventure ten shall be found there. And in-law. he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. 15 And when the morning arose, then 33 And the LORD went his way, as soon the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, as he had left communing with Abraham: take thy wife, and thy two daughters which and Abraham returned unto his place. are here; lest thou be consumed in the ini A CHAP. XIX. ND there came two angels to Sodom at even: and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom; and Lot seeing them, rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; quity of the city. 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on Escape for thy life: look not behind thee, your ways. And they said, Nay; but we neither stay thou in all the plain: escape will abide in the street all night. to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered my Lord! into his house; and he made them a feast, 19 Behold now, thy servant hath found and did bake unleavened bread, and they grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto did eat. 4 But before they lay down, the men me in saving my life: and I cannot escape of the city, even the men of Sodom, com- to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and passed the house round, both old and young, I die: all the people from every quarter. • 20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh! let me es soul shall live. 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to cape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my thee this night? bring them out unto us, 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I can 8 Behold now, I have two daughters not do any thing till thou be come thither: which have not known man; let me, I pray therefore the name of the city was called you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to Zoar. them as is good in your eyes: only unto 23 The sun was risen upon the earth these men do nothing; for therefore came when Lot entered into Zoar. they under the shadow of my roof. 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom 9 And they said, Stand back. And they and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from said again, This one fellow came in to so- the LORD out of heaven; journ, and he will needs be a judge: Now 25 And he overthrew those cities, and will we deal worse with thee than with them. all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the And they pressed sore upon the man, even cities, and that which grew upon the Lot, and came near to break the door. 10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. ground. 26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning, to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the 12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy country went up as the smoke of a furnace. Abraham denies his wifc. GENESIS. Isaac born 29 And it came to pass, when God de- her not, know thou that thou shalt surely stroyed the cities of the plain, that God re- die, thou and all that are thine. membered Abraham, and sent Lot out of 8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the the midst of the overthrow, when he over- morning, and called all his servants, and threw the cities in the which Lot dwelt. told all these things in their ears: and the 30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and men were sore afraid. dwelt in the mountain, and his two daugh- 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and ters with him; for he feared to dwell in said unto him, What hast thou done unto Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he, and his us? and what have I offended thee, that two daughters. thou hast brought on me and on my king 31 And the first-born said unto the dom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto younger, Our father is old, and there is not me that ought not to be done. a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? 11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; 33 And they made their father drink and they will slay me for my wife's sake. wine that night: and the first-born went in 12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she and lay with her father; and he perceived is the daughter of my father, but not the not when she lay down, nor when she arose. daughter of my mother: and she became 34 And it came to pass on the morrow my wife. that the first-born said unto the younger, 13 And it came to pass, when God caused Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: me to wander from my father's house, that let us make him drink wine this night also; I said unto her, This is thy kindness which and go thou in, and lie with him, that we thou shalt shew unto me; At every place may preserve seed of our father. 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37 And the first-born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day. CHAP. XX. whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. 14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. 15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. 16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. 17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and A 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, 18 For the Lord had fast closed up all She is my sister: And Abimelech king of AND the LORD visited Sarah Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken: for she is a man's wife. 4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old, as God had 5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart, and commanded him. innocency of my hands have I done this. 5 And Abraham was an hundred years 6 And God said unto him in a dream, old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. Yea, I know that thou didst this in the in- 6 And Sarah said, God hath made me tegrity of thy heart; for I also withheld to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with thee from sinning against me: therefore me. suffered I thee not to touch her. 7 And she said, Who would have said 7 Now therefore restore the man his wife, unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for children suck? for I have born him a son in thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore his old age. 8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. 91 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abralam, mocking. 10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bond-woman, and her son: for the son of this bond-woman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight, because of his son. XXII. Abraham tempted to offer Isaac. 26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to-day. 27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech: and both of them made a covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham What mean these seven ewe-lambs, which thou hast set by themselves? 30 And he said, For these seven ewelambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they 12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight, because of the may be a witness unto me that I have diglad, and because of thy bond-woman; in all ged this well. that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto 31 Wherefore he called that place Beerher voice: for in Isaac shall thy seed be sheba; because there they sware both of called. them. A 16 And she went, and sat her down over against him, a good way off, as it were a bow-shot: for she said, Let me not see the 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the lad: and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand: for I will make him a great na tion. 19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water: and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the 21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Pa- burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his ran: and his mother took him a wife out of son; and he took the fire in his hand and a the land of Egypt. knife: and they went both of them toge 22 And it came to pass at that time that ther. Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his faof his host spake unto Abraham, saying, ther, and said, My father: and he said, Here God is with thee in all that thou doest: am I, my son. And he said, Behold the 23 Now therefore swear unto me here by fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering? God, that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, or with my son, nor with my son's son: 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will out according to the kindness that I have provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and so they went both of them together. o the land wherein thou hast sojourned. 9 And they came to the place which God 24 And Abraham said, I will swear. had told him of; And Abraham built an al25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech tar there, and laid the wood in order; and because of a well of water, which Abime-bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the ech's servants had violently taken away. altar upon the wood. The death of Sarah. GENESIS. The purchase of Machpelah. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his 5 And the children of Heth answered hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. Abraham, saying unto him, 6 Hear us, my lord; thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead: none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. 7 And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and 8 And he communed with them, saying. looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught If it be your mind that I should bury my in a thicket by his horns: And Abraham dead out of my sight, hear me, and entrea: went and took the ram, and offered him up for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son. 9 That he may give me the cave of 14 And Abraham called the name of that Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this end of his field; for as much money as it is day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. worth he shall give it me, for a possession of a burying-place among you. 10 And Ephron dwelt among the chil 15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second dren of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gates of his city, saying, 11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead. 12 And Abraham bowed down himself 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed before the people of the land. shall possess the gate of his enemies; 13 And he spake unto Ephron in the au18 And in thy seed shall all the nations dience of the people of the land, saying, of the earth be blessed: because thou hast But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear obeyed my voice. me: I will give thee money for the field: 19 So Abraham returned unto his young take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. men, and they rose up, and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-ing unto him, sheba. 14 And Ephron answered Abraham, say15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land 20 And it came to pass after these is worth four hundred shekels of silver; things, that it was told Abraham, saying, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children therefore thy dead. unto thy brother Nahor; 16 And Abraham hearkened unto Eph 21 Huz his first-born, and Buz his bro-ron, and Abraham weighed to Ephron the ther, and Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor Abraham's brother. 24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah. CHAP. XXIII. A ND Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current moncy with the merchant. 17 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that, were in all the borders round about, were made sure 18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. 19 And after this, Abraham buried Sa 2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the rah his wife in the cave of the field of Machsame is Hebron in the land of Canaan: pelah, before Mamre: the same is Hebron And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, in the land of Canaan. and to weep for her. 3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, a 4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you give me a possession of buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. 20 And the field, and the cave that is therein were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying-place, by the sons of Heth. CHAP. XXIV. AND Abraham was old and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 18 |