Part 3

Then Abram departed out of Egypt, both he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him unto the south. Abram was very rich in cattle, silver and gold. And he went on his journey from the south even unto BETHEL, and unto the place where his tent was at the first time between BETHEL and Ay, and unto the place of the altar which he made before. And there called Abram upon the name, of the LORD. Lot also which went with him had sheep, cattle and tents: so that the land was not able to receive them that they might dwell together, for the substance of their riches was so great, that they could not dwell together. And there fell a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle, and the herdmen of Lot's cattle. Moreover the Cananites and the Pherisites dwelled at that time in the land. Then said Abram unto Lot: Let there be no strife I pray thee between thee and me and between my herdmen and thine, for we be brethren. Is not all the hole land before thee? Depart I pray thee from me. If thou wilt take the left hand, I will take the right: or if thou take the right hand I will take the left. And Lot lift up his eyes and beheld all the country about Iordan, which was a plenteous country of water every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorra, even as the garden of the LORD, and as the land of Egypt till thou come to Zoar. Then Lot chose all the coasts of Iordan and took his journey from the east. And so departed the one brother from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan: And Lot in the cities of the plain, and tented till he came to Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinned exceedingly against the LORD. And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was departed from him: Lift up thine eyes and look from the place where thou art, northward, southward, eastward and westward, for all the land which thou seest will I give unto thee and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed, as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise and walk about in the land, in the length of it and in the breadth for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram took down his tent, and went and dwelled in the oak grove of Mamre which is in Ebron and builded there an altar to the LORD.

Chapter .xiiij.

And it chanced within a while, that Amraphel king of Sinear, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Thydeall king of the nations: made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsa king of Gomorra. And with Sineab king of Adama, and with Semeaber king of Zeboim, and with the king of Bela which Bela is called Zoar. All these came together unto the vale of Siddim, which is now the salt sea. Twelve years were they subject to king Kedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year rebelled. Therefore in the fourteenth year came Kedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, and smote the Raphaims in Astaroth Karnaim, and the Susims in Ham, and the Emims in Sabe Kariathaim, and the Horims in their own mount Seir unto the plain of Pharan, which bordereth upon the wilderness. And then turned they and came to the well of judgement which is Cades, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwell in Hazezon Thamar. Then went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorra, and the king of Adama and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela now called Zoar. And set their men in array to fight with them in the vale of Siddim, that is to say, with Kedorlaomer the king of Elam and with Thydeall king of the Nations, and with Amraphel king of Sinear. And with Arioch king of Ellasar: four kings against five. And that vale of Siddim was full of slime pits. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorra fled, and fell there. And the residue fled to the mountains. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorra and all their vitailles, and went their way. And they took Lot also Abram's brother's son and his goods (for he dwelled at Sodom) and departed. Then came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew which dwelt in the oak grove of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol and Aner: which were confederate with Abram. When Abram heard that his brother was taken, he harnessed his servants born in his own house three hundred and eighteen, and followed till they came at Dan. And set himself and his servants in array, and fell upon them by night, and smote them, and chased them away unto Hoba: which lieth on the left hand of Damasco, and brought again all the goods and also his brother Lot, and his goods, the women also and the people. And as he returned again from the slaughter of Kedorlaomer and of the kings that were with him, then came the king of Sodom against {to meet} him unto the vale of Saue which now is called king's dale. Then Melchisedech king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. And he being the priest of the most highest God, blessed him saying: Blessed be Abram unto the most highest God, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be God the most highest, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hands. And Abram gave him tithes of all. Then said the king of Sodom unto Abram: Give me the souls, and take the goods to thy self. And Abram answered the king of Sodom: I lift up my hand unto the LORD God most high possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take of all that is thine, so much as a thread or a shoe latchet, lest thou shouldest say I have made Abram rich. Save only that which the young men have eaten and the parts of the men which went with me. Aner, Eschol and Mamre. Let them take their parts.

Chapter .xv.

After these deeds, the word of GOD {|the LORDE|} came unto Abram in a vision saying fear not Abram, I am thy shield, and thy reward shall be exceeding great. And Abram answered: Lord Iehouah what wilt thou give me: I go childless, and the cater of mine house, this Eleasar of Damasco hath a son. And Abram said: See, to me hast thou given to seed: lo, a lad born in my house shall be mine heir. And behold, the word of the LORD spake unto Abram saying: He shall not be thine heir, but one that shall come out of thine own body shall be thine heir. And he brought him out at the doors and said: Look up unto heaven and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them. And said unto him: Even so shall thy seed be. And Abram believed the LORD, and it was counted to him for righteousness. And he said unto him: I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur in Chaldea to give thee this land to possess it. And he said: Lord GOD, {LORde God} whereby shall I know that I shall possess it? And he said unto him: take an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a three year old ram, a turtle dove and a young pigeon. And he took all these and divided them in the midst, and laid every piece, one over against another. But the fowls divided he not. And the birds fell on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. And when the sun was down, there fell a slumber upon Abram. And lo, fear and great darkness came upon him. And he said unto Abram: know this of a surety, that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that pertaineth not unto them. And they shall make bondmen of them and entreat them evil four hundred years. But the nation whom they shall serve, will I judge. And afterward shall they come out with great substance. Nevertheless thou shalt go unto thy fathers in peace, and shalt be buried when thou art of a good age: and in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the wickedness of the Amorites is not yet full. When the sun was down and it was waxed dark: behold, there was a smoking furnace and a fire brand that went between the said pieces. And that same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram saying: unto thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt, even unto the great river Euphrates: the Kenites, the Kenizites, the Cadmonites, the Hethites, the Pherezites, the Raphaims, the Amorites, the Cananites, the Gergesites and the Iebusites.

Chapter .xvi.

Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children. But she had an hand maid an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. Wherefore she said unto Abram: Behold the LORD hath closed me, that I can not bear. I pray thee go in unto my maid, peradventure I shall be multiplied by means of her; And Abram heard the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian (after Abram had dwelled ten years in the land of Canaan) and gave her to her husband Abram, to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived her mistress was despised in her sight. Then said Sarai unto Abram: Thou dost me unright, for I have given my maid into thy bosom: and now because she seeth that she hath conceived, I am despised in her sight: the LORD judge between thee and me. Then said Abram to Sarai: behold, thy maid is in thy hand, do with her as it pleaseth thee. And because Sarai fared foul with her, she fled from her. And the Angel of the LORD found her beside a fountain of water in the wilderness: even by a well in the way to Sur. And he said: Hagar Sarai's maid, whence comest thou and whither wilt thou go? And she answered: I flee from my mistress Sarai. And the Angel of the LORD said unto her: return to thy mistress again, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the LORD said unto her: I will so increase thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the LORD's angel said further unto her: see, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ismael: because the LORD hath heard thy tribulation. He will be a wild man, and his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. And yet shall he dwell fast by all his brethren. And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her: thou art the God that lookest on me, for she said: I have of a surety seen here the back parts of him that seeth me. Wherefore she called the well, the well of the living that seeth me which well is between Cades and Bared. And Hagar bare Abram a son, and Abram called his son's name which Hagar bare Ismael. And Abram was eighty six years old, when Hagar bare him Ismael.

Chapter .xvij.

When Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to him saying: I am the almighty God: walk before me and be uncorrupt. And I will make my bond between thee and me, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face. And God talked moreover with him saying: I am, behold my testament is with thee, that thou shalt be a father of many nations. Therefore shalt thou no more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham: for a father of many nations have I made thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly, and will make nations of thee: yea and kings shall spring out of thee. Moreover I will make my bond between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their times to be an everlasting testament, so that I will be God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger: even all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and will be their God. And God said unto Abraham: See thou keep my testament, both thou and thy seed after thee in their times: This is my testament which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee, that ye circumcise all your men children. Ye shall circumcise the foreskin of your flesh, and it shall be a token of the bond betwixt me and you. And every manchild when it is eight days old, shall be circumcised among you in your generations, and all servants also born at home or bought with money though they be strangers and not of thy seed. The servant born in thy house, and he also that is bought with money, must needs be circumcised, that my testament may be in your flesh, for an everlasting bond. If there be any uncircumcised manchild, that hath not the foreskin of his flesh cut off, his soul shall perish from his people: because he hath broken my testament. And God said unto Abraham. Sarai thy wife shall no more be called Sarai: but Sara shall her name be. For I will bless her and give thee a son of her and will bless her: so that people, yea and kings of people shall spring of her. And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart: shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred year old, and shall Sara that is ninety years old, bear: And Abraham said unto God. O that Ismael might live in thy sight. Then said God: nay, Sara thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac. And I will make my bond with him, that it shall be an everlasting bond unto his seed after him. And as concerning Ismael also, I have heard thy request: lo, I will bless him and increase him, and multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he {be} beget, and I will make a great nation of him. But my bond will I make with Isaac, which Sara shall bear unto thee: even this time twelve month. And God left off talking with him, and departed up from Abraham. And Abraham took Ismael his son and all the servants born in his house and all that was bought with money as many as were men children among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the foreskin of their flesh, even the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. Abraham was ninety years old and nine when he cut off the foreskin of his flesh. And Ismael his son was thirteen year old, when the foreskin of his flesh was circumcised. The self same day was Abraham circumcised and Ismael his son. And all the men in his house, whether they were born in his house or bought with money (though they were strangers) were circumcised with him.

Chapter .xviij.

And the LORD appeared unto him in the oak grove of Mamre as he sat in his tent door in the heat of the day. And he lift up his eyes and looked: and lo, three men stood not far from him. And when he saw them, he ran against {to meet} them from the tent door, and fell to the ground and said: Lord {LORde} if I have found favour in thy sight, go not by thy servant. Let a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest your selves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, to comfort your hearts withal. And then go your ways, for even therefore are ye come to your servant. And they answered: Do even so as thou hast said. And Abraham went a pace into his tent unto Sara and said: make ready at once three pecks of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes. And Abraham ran unto his beasts and fetched a calf that was tender and good, and gave it unto a young man which made it ready at once. And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them, and stood himself by them under the tree: and they ate. And they said unto him: Where is Sara thy wife? And he said: in the tent. And he said: I will come again unto thee as soon as the fruit can live. And lo: Sara thy wife shall have a son. That heard Sara, out of the tent door which was behind his back. Abraham and Sara were both old and well stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sara after the manner as it is with wives. And Sara laughed in her self saying: Now I am waxed old, shall I give my self to lust, and my lord old also? Then said the LORD unto Abraha: wherefore doth Sara laugh saying: shall I of a surety bear a child, now when I am old? is the thing too hard for the LORD to do? In the time appointed will I return unto thee, as soon as the fruit can have life. And Sara shall have a son. Then Sara denied it saying: I laughed not, for she was afraid. But he said: yes thou laughtest. Then the men stood up from thence and looked toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the LORD said: Can I hide from Abraham that thing which I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall be a great and a mighty people, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do after right and conscience, that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that he hath promised him. And the LORD said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorra is great, and their sin is exceeding grievous. I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to that cry which is come unto me or not, that I may know. And the men departed thence and went to Sodomward. But Abraham stood yet before the LORD, and drew near and said Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? If there be fifty righteous within the city, wilt thou destroy it and not spare the place for the sake of fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee, that thou shouldest do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked: that be far from thee. Should not the Iudge of all the world do according to right? And the LORD said: If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said: behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, {LORde} and yet am but dust and ashes. What though there lack five of fifty righteous, wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said: If I find there forty and five I will not destroy them. And he spake unto him yet again and said: what if there be forty found there: And he said: I will not do it for forty's sake. And he said: O let not my Lord {LORde} be angry, that I speak. What if there be found thirty there? And he said: I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said: Oh, see, I have begun to speak unto my Lord, {LORde} what if there be twenty found there? And he said: I will not destroy them for twenty's sake. And he said: O let not my Lord {LORde} be angry, that I speak yet, but even once more only. What if ten be found there? And he said: I will not destroy them for ten's sake. And the LORD went his way as soon as he had left communing with Abraham. And Abraham returned unto his place.

Chapter .xix.