Genesis 18:1. Now the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre and he was sitting at the entrance of the tent when the day was hot 2. And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing beside him, and he saw and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and he prostrated himself to the ground. 3. And he said, "My lords, if only I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass on from beside your servant. 4. Please let a little water be taken and bathe your feet and recline under the tree. 5. And I will take a morsel of bread, and sustain your hearts; after[wards] you shall pass on, because you have passed by your servant." And they said, "So shall you do, as you have spoken." 6. And Abraham hastened to the tent to Sarah, and he said, "Hasten three seah of meal[and]fine flour; knead and make cakes." 7. And to the cattle did Abraham run, and he took a calf, tender and good, and he gave it to the youth, and he hastened to prepare it. 8. And he took cream and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and he placed[them]before them, and he was standing over them under the tree, and they ate. 9. And they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "Behold in the tent." 10. And he said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold, your wife Sarah will have a son." And Sarah heard from the entrance of the tent, and it was behind him. 11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, coming on in years; Sarah had ceased to have the way of the women. 12. And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have become worn out, will I have smooth flesh? And also, my master is old." 13. And the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Is it really true that I will give birth, although I am old?' 14. Is anything hidden from the Lord? At the appointed time, I will return to you, at this time next year and Sarah will have a son." Continue to the 2nd portion of Parshat Vayeira Chapter 18 15. And Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you laughed." 16. And the men arose from there, and they looked upon Sodom, and Abraham went with them to escort them, 17. And the Lord said, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing? 18. And Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the world will be blessed in him. 19. For I have known him because he commands his sons and his household after him, that they should keep the way of the Lord to perform righteousness and justice, in order that the Lord bring upon Abraham that which He spoke concerning him." 20. And the Lord said, "Since the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, and since their sin has become very grave, 21. I will descend now and see, whether according to her cry, which has come to Me, they have done; [I will wreak] destruction [upon them]; and if not, I will know." 22. And the men turned from there and went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord. 23. And Abraham approached and said, "Will You even destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24. Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city; will You even destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous men who are in its midst? 25. Far be it from You to do a thing such as this, to put to death the righteous with the wicked so that the righteous should be like the wicked. Far be it from You! Will the Judge of the entire earth not perform justice?" 26. And the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous men within the city, I will forgive the entire place for their sake." 27. And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now I have commenced to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes. 28. Perhaps the fifty righteous men will be missing five. Will You destroy the entire city because of five?" And He said, "I will not destroy if I find there forty-five." 29. And he continued further to speak to Him, and he said, "Perhaps forty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty." 30. And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." 31. And he said, "Behold now I have desired to speak to the Lord, perhaps twenty will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty." 32. And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I will speak yet this time, perhaps ten will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the ten." 33. And the Lord departed when He finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. Continue to the 3rd portion of Parshat Vayeira Chapter 19 1. And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom, and Lot saw and arose toward them, and he prostrated himself on his face to the ground. 2. And he said, "Behold now my lords, please turn to your servant's house and stay overnight and wash your feet, and you shall arise early and go on your way." And they said, "No, but we will stay overnight in the street." 3. And he urged them strongly, and they turned in to him, and came into his house, and he made them a feast, and he baked unleavened cakes, and they ate. 4. When they had not yet retired, and the people of the city, the people of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, the entire populace from every end[of the city]. 5. And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, and let us be intimate with them." 6. And Lot came out to them to the entrance, and he shut the door behind him. 7. And he said, "My brethren, please do not do evil. 8. Behold now I have two daughters who were not intimate with a man. I will bring them out to you, and do to them as you see fit; only to these men do nothing, because they have come under the shadow of my roof." 9. But they said, "Back away." And they said, "This one came to sojourn, and he is judging! Now, we will deal even worse with you than with them." And they pressed hard upon the man Lot, and they drew near to break the door. 10. And the men stretched forth their hands, and they brought Lot to them to the house, and they shut the door. 11. And the men who were at the entrance of the house they struck with blindness, both small and great, and they toiled in vain to find the entrance. 12. And the men said to Lot, "Whom else do you have here? A son-in-law, your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, take out of the place. 13. For we are destroying this place, because their cry has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it." 14. So Lot went forth and spoke to his sons-in-law, the suitors of his daughters, and he said, "Arise, go forth from this place, for the Lord is destroying the city," but he seemed like a comedian in the eyes of his sons-in-law. 15. And as the dawn rose, the angels pressed Lot, saying, "Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you perish because of the iniquity of the city." 16. But he tarried, and the men took hold of his hand and his wife's hand, and the hand of his two daughters, out of the Lord's pity for him, and they took him out and placed him outside the city. 17. And it came to pass, when they took them outside, that he said, "Flee for your life, do not look behind you, and do not stand in the entire plain. Flee to the mountain, lest you perish." 18. And Lot said to them, "Please, do not, 0 Lord. 19. Behold now, Your servant has found favor in Your eyes, and You have increased Your kindness, which You have done with me, to sustain my soul. But I cannot flee to the mountain, lest the evil overtake me, and I die. 20. Behold now, this city is near to flee there, and it is small. Let me please flee there. Is it not small? And my soul will survive." Continue to the 4th portion of Parshat Vayeira Chapter 19 21. And he said to him, "Behold I have favored you also as regards this matter, that I will not overturn the city that you have mentioned. 22. Hasten, flee there, for I will not be able to do anything until you arrive there." Therefore, he named the city Zoar. 23. The sun came out upon the earth, and Lot came to Zoar. 24. And the Lord caused to rain down upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire, from the Lord, from heaven. 25. And He turned over these cities and the entire plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and the vegetation of the ground. 26. And his wife looked from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27. And Abraham arose early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28. And he looked over the face of Sodom and Gomorrah and over the entire face of the land of the plain, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the earth had risen like the smoke of a furnace. 29. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and He sent Lot out of the midst of the destruction when He overturned the cities in which Lot had dwelt. 30. And Lot went up from Zoar, and he dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters were with him, for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar; so he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31. And the elder said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man on earth to come upon us, as is the custom of all the earth. 32. Come, let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with him, and let us bring to life seed from our father." 33. And they gave their father wine to drink on that night, and the elder came and lay with her father, and he did not know of her lying down or of her rising up. 34. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the elder said to the younger, "Behold, last night I lay with my father. Let us give him wine to drink tonight too, and come, lie with him, and let us bring to life seed from our father." 35. So they gave their father to drink on that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know of her lying down or of her rising up. 36. And Lot's two daughters conceived from their father. 37. And the elder bore a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of Moab until this day. 38. And the younger, she too bore a son, and she named him Ben-ami; he is the father of the children of Ammon until this day. Chapter 20 1. And Abraham traveled from there to the land of the south, and he dwelt between Kadesh and between Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar. 2. And Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister," and Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3. And God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and He said to him, "Behold you are going to die because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a married woman." 4. And Abimelech had not come near to her, and he said, "O Lord, will You kill even a righteous nation? 5. Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she, even she said, 'He is my brother.' With the innocence of my heart and with the purity of my hands have I done this." 6. And God said to him in a dream, "I too know that you did this with the innocence of your heart, and I too have withheld you from sinning to Me; therefore, I did not let you touch her. 7. And now, return the man's wife, because he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and [you will] live; but if you do not return [her], know that you will surely die, you and all that is yours." 8. And Abimelech arose early in the morning, and he summoned all his servants, and he spoke all these words in their ears; and the men were very frightened. 9. And Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us, and what have I sinned against you, that you have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? Deeds that are not done, you have done to me." 10. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you did this thing?" 11. And Abraham said, "For I said, 'Surely, there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. 12. And also, indeed, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her: This is your kindness, which you shall do with me: whither we come, say about me, 'He is my brother.'" 14. And Abimelech took flocks and cattle and menservants and maidservants, and he gave [them] to Abraham, and he restored to him his wife Sarah. 15. And Abimelech said, "Here is my land before you; wherever it pleases you, you may dwell." 16. And to Sarah he said, "Behold I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother; behold it is to you a covering of the eyes for all who are with you, and with all you shall contend." 17. And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his handmaids, and they gave birth. 18. For the Lord had shut every womb of Abimelech's household, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. Chapter 21 1. And the Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken. 2. And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3. And Abraham named his son who had been born to him, whom Sarah had borne to him, Isaac. 4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Continue to the 5th portion of Parshat Vayeira Chapter 21 5. And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born to him. 6. And Sarah said, "God has made joy for me; whoever hears will rejoice over me." 7. And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children, for I have borne a son to his old age!" 8. And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, making merry. 10. And Sarah said to Abraham,"Drive out this handmaid and her son, for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac." 11. But the matter greatly displeased Abraham, concerning his son. 12. And God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased concerning the lad and concerning your handmaid; whatever Sarah tells you, hearken to her voice, for in Isaac will be called your seed. 13. But also the son of the handmaid I will make into a nation, because he is your seed." 14. And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he took bread and a leather pouch of water, and he gave [them] to Hagar, he placed [them] on her shoulder, and the child, and he sent her away; and she went and wandered in the desert of Beer sheba. 15. And the water was depleted from the leather pouch, and she cast the child under one of the bushes. 16. And she went and sat down from afar, at about the distance of two bowshots, for she said, "Let me not see the child's death." And she sat from afar, and she raised her voice and wept. 17. And God heard the lad's voice, and an angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What is troubling you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the lad's voice in the place where he is. 18. Rise, pick up the lad and grasp your hand upon him, for I shall make him into a great nation." 19. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, and she went and filled the pouch with water and gave the lad to drink. 20. And God was with the lad, and he grew, and he dwelt in the desert, and he became an archer. 21. And he dwelt in the desert of Paran, and his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt. Continue to the 6th portion of Parshat Vayeira Chapter 21 22. Now it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol his general said to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do. 23. And now, swear to me here by God, that you will not lie to me or to my son or to my grandson; according to the kindness that I have done with you, you shall do with me, and with the land wherein you have sojourned." 24. And Abraham said, "I will swear." 25. And Abraham contended with Abimelech about the well of water that the servants of Abimelech had forcibly seized. 26. And Abimelech said, "I do not know who did this thing, neither did you tell me, nor did I hear [of it] until today. " 27. And Abraham took flocks and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech, and they both formed a covenant. 28. And Abraham placed seven ewe lambs by themselves. 29. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What are these seven ewe lambs, which you have placed by themselves?" 30. And he said, "For these seven ewe lambs you shall take from my hand, in order that it be to me for a witness that I dug this well." 31. Therefore, he named that place Beer sheba, for there they both swore. 32. And they formed a covenant in Beer-sheba, and Abimelech and Phicol his general arose, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33. And he planted an eishel in Beer-Sheba, and he called there in the name of the Lord, the God of the world. 34. And Abraham dwelt in the land of the Philistines for many days. Continue to the 7th portion of Parshat Vayeira Chapter 22 1. And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am." 2. And He said, "Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you." 3. And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he saddled his donkey, and he took his two young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for a burnt offering, and he arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4. On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder, and we will prostrate ourselves and return to you." 6. And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, and he placed [it] upon his son Isaac, and he took into his hand the fire and the knife, and they both went together. 7. And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and he said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8. And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And they both went together. 9. And they came to the place of which God had spoken to him, and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and he bound Isaac his son and placed him on the altar upon the wood. 10. And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife, to slaughter his son. 11. And an angel of God called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham! Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 12. And he said, "Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him, for now I know that you are a God fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me." 13. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and lo! there was a ram, [and] after [that] it was caught in a tree by its horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14. And Abraham named that place, The Lord will see, as it is said to this day: On the mountain, the Lord will be seen. 15. And an angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven. 16. And he said, "By Myself have I sworn, says the Lord, that because you have done this thing and you did not withhold your son, your only one, 17. That I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their enemies. 18. And through your children shall be blessed all the nations of the world, because you hearkened to My voice." 19. And Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer sheba; and Abraham remained in Beer sheba. 20. And it came to pass after these matters, that it was told to Abraham saying: "Behold Milcah, she also bore sons to Nahor your brother. 21. Uz, his first born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel, the father of Aram. 22. And Kesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23. And Bethuel begot Rebecca." These eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother. 24. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, had also given birth to Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.
[Genesis] 18:1 And God appeared to him by the oak of Mambre, as he sat by the door of his tent at noon. 18:2 And he lifted up his eyes and beheld, and lo! three men stood before him; and having seen them he ran to meet them fro the door of his tent, and did obeisance to the ground. 18:3 And he said, Lord, if indeed I have found grace in thy sight, pass not by thy servant. 18:4 Let water now be brought, and let them wash your feet, and do ye refresh [yourselves] under the tree. 18:5 And I will bring bread, and ye shall eat, and after this ye shall depart on your journey, on account of which [refreshment] ye have turned aside to your servant. And he said, So do, as thou hast said. 18:6 And Abraam hasted to the tent to Sarrha, and said to her, Hasten, and knead three measures of fine flour, and make cakes. 18:7 And Abraam ran to the kine, and took a young calf, tender and good, and gave it to his servant, and he hasted to dress it. 18:8 And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dressed; and he set them before them, and they did eat, and he stood by them under the tree. 18:9 And he said to him, Where is Sarrha thy wife? And he answered and said, Behold! in the tent. 18:10 And he said, I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son; and Sarrha heard at the door of the tent, being behind him. 18:11 And Abraam and Sarrha were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarrha. 18:12 And Sarrha laughed in herself, saying, The thing has not as yet happened to me, even until now, and my lord is old. 18:13 And the Lord said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old. 18:14 Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At this time I will return to thee seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son. 18:15 But Sarrha denied, saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid. And he said to her, Nay, but thou didst laugh. 18:16 And the men having risen up from thence looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha. And Abraam went with them, attending them on their journey. 18:17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraam my servant what things I intend to do? 18:18 But Abraam shall become a great and populous nation, and n him shall all the nations of the earth be blest. 18:19 For I know that he will order his sons, and his house after him, and they will keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraam all things whatsoever he has spoken to him. 18:20 And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great. 18:21 I will therefore go down and see, if they completely correspond with the cry which comes to me, and if not, that I may know. 18:22 And the men having departed thence, came to Sodom; and Abraam was still standing before the Lord. 18:23 And Abraam drew nigh and said, Wouldest thou destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked? 18:24 Should there be fifty righteous in the city, wilt thou destroy them? wilt thou not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous, if they be in it? 18:25 By no means shalt thou do as this thing [is] so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: by no means. Thou that judgest the whole earth, shalt thou not do right? 18:26 And the Lord said, If there should be in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole city, and the whole place for their sakes. 18:27 And Abraam answered and said, Now I have begun to speak to my Lord, and I am earth and ashes. 18:28 But if the fifty righteous should be diminished to forty-five, wilt thou destroy the whole city because of the five [wanting]? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there forty-five. 18:29 And he continued to speak to him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the forty's sake. 18:30 And he said, Will there be anything [against me], Lord, if I shall speak? but if there be found there thirty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the thirty's sake. 18:31 And he said, Since I am able to speak to the Lord, what if there should be found there twenty? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there twenty. 18:32 And he said, Will there be anything [against me], Lord, if I speak yet once? but if there should be found there ten? And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake. 18:33 And the Lord departed, when he left off speaking to Abraam, and Abraam returned to his place. [Genesis] 19:1 And the two angels came to Sodom at evening. And Lot sat by the gate of Sodom, and Lot having seen them, rose up to meet them, and he worshiped with his face to the ground, and said, 19:2 Lo! [my] lords, turn aside to the house of your servant, and rest from your journey, and wash your feet, and having risen early in the morning ye shall depart on your journey. And they said, Nay, but we will lodge in the street. 19:3 And he constrained them, and they turned aside to him, and they entered into his house, and he made a feast for them, and baked unleavened cakes for them, and they did eat. 19:4 But before they went to sleep, the men of the city, the Sodomites, compassed the house, both young and old, all the people together. 19:5 And they called out Lot, and said to him, Where are the men that went in to thee this night? bring them out to us that we may be with them. 19:6 And Lot went out to them to the porch, and he shut the door after him, 19:7 and said to them, By no means, brethren, do not act villainously. 19:8 But I have two daughters, who have not known a man. I will bring them out to you, and do ye use them as it may please you, only do not injury to these men, to avoid which they came under the shelter of my roof. 19:9 And they said to him, Stand back there, thou camest in to sojourn, was it also to judge? Now then we would harm thee more than them. And they pressed hard on the man, even Lot, and they drew nigh to break the door. 19:10 And the men stretched forth their hands and drew Lot in to them into the house, and shut the door of the house. 19:11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, and they were wearied with seeking the door. 19:12 And the men said to Lot, Hast thou here sons-in-law, or sons or daughters, or if thou hast any other friend in the city, bring them out of this place. 19:13 For we are going to destroy this place; for their cry has been raised up before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it. 19:14 And Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law who had married his daughters, and said, Rise up, and depart out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city; but he seemed to be speaking absurdly before his sons-in-law. 19:15 But when it was morning, the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise and take thy wife, and thy two daughters whom thou hast, and go forth; lest thou also be destroyed with the iniquities of the city. 19:16 And they were troubled, and the angels laid hold on his hand, and the hand of his wife, and the hands of his two daughters, in that the Lord spared him. 19:17 And it came to pass when they brought them out, that they said, Save thine own life by all means; look not round to that which is behind, nor stay in all the country round about, escape to the mountain, lest perhaps thou be overtaken together with them. 19:18 And Lot said to them, I pray, Lord, 19:19 since thy servant has found mercy before thee, and thou hast magnified thy righteousness, in what thou doest towards me that my soul may live,-- but I shall not be able to escape to the mountain, lest perhaps the calamity overtake me and I die. 19:20 Behold this city is near for me to escape thither, which is a small one, and there shall I be preserved, is it not little? and my soul shall live because of thee. 19:21 And he said to him, Behold, I have had respect to thee also about this thing, that I should not overthrow the city about which thou hast spoken. 19:22 Hasten therefore to escape thither, for I shall not be able to do anything until thou art come thither; therefore he called the name of that city, Segor. 19:23 The sun was risen upon the earth, when Lot entered into Segor. 19:24 And the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 19:25 And he overthrew these cities, and all the country round about, and all that dwelt in the cities, and the plants springing out of the ground. 19:26 And his wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. 19:27 And Abraam rose up early to go to the place, where he had stood before the Lord. 19:28 And he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha, and towards the surrounding country, and saw, and behold a flame went up from the earth, as the smoke of a furnace. 19:29 And it came to pass that when God destroyed all the cities of the region round about, God remembered Abraam, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when the Lord overthrew those cities in which Lot dwelt. 19:30 And Lot went up out of Segor, and dwelt in the mountain, he and his two daughters with him, for he feared to dwell in Segor; and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters with him. 19:31 And the elder said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is no one on the earth who shall come in to us, as it is fit in all the earth. 19:32 Come and let us make our father drink wine, and let us sleep with him, and let us raise up seed from our father. 19:33 So they made their father drink wine in that night, and the elder went in and lay with her father that night, and he knew not when he slept and when he rose up. 19:34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the elder said to the younger, Behold, I slept yesternight with our father, let us make him drink wine in this night also, and do thou go in and sleep with him, and let us raise up seed of our father. 19:35 So they made their father drink wine in that night also, and the younger went in and slept with her father, and he knew not when he slept, nor when he arose. 19:36 And the two daughters of Lot conceived by their father. 19:37 And the elder bore a son and called his name Moab, saying, [He is] of my father. This is the father of the Moabites to this present day. 19:38 And the younger also bore a son, and called his name Amman, saying, The son of my family. This is the father of the Ammanites to this present day. [Genesis] 20:1 And Abraam removed thence to the southern country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara. 20:2 And Abraam said concerning Sarrha his wife, She is my sister, for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest at any time the men of the city should kill him for her sake. So Abimelech king of Gerara sent and took Sarrha. 20:3 And God came to Abimelech by night in sleep, and said, Behold, thou diest for the woman, whom thou hast taken, whereas she has lived with a husband. 20:4 But Abimelech had not touched her, and he said, Lord, wilt thou destroy an ignorantly [sinning] and just nation? 20:5 Said he not to me, She is my sister, and said she not to me, He is my brother? with a pure heart and in the righteousness of my hands have I done this. 20:6 And God said to him in sleep, Yea, I knew that thou didst this with a pure heart, and I spared thee, so that thou shouldest not sin against me, therefore I suffered thee not to touch her. 20:7 But now return the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; but if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt die and all thine. 20:8 And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and he spoke all these words in their ears, and all the men feared exceedingly. 20:9 And Abimelech called Abraam and said to him, What is this that thou hast done to us? Have we sinned against thee, that thou hast brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? Thou hast done to me a deed, which no one ought to do. 20:10 And Abimelech said to Abraam, What hast thou seen in [me] that thou hast done this? 20:11 And Abraam said, Why I said, Surely there is not the worship of God in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife. 20:12 For truly she is my sister by my father, but not by my mother, and she became my wife. 20:13 And it came to pass when God brought me forth out of the house of my father, that I said to her, This righteousness thou shalt perform to me, in every place into which we may enter, say of me, He is my brother. 20:14 And Abimelech took a thousand pieces of silver, and sheep, and calves, and servants, and maid-servants, and gave them to Abraam, and he returned him Sarrha his wife. 20:15 And Abimelech said to Abraam, Behold, my land is before thee, dwell wheresoever it may please thee. 20:16 And to Sarrha he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver, those shall be to thee for the price of thy countenance, and to all the women with thee, and speak the truth in all things. 20:17 And Abraam prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his women servants, and they bore children. 20:18 Because the Lord had fast closed from without every womb in the house of Abimelech, because of Sarrha Abraam's wife. [Genesis] 21:1 And the Lord visited Sarrha, as he said, and the Lord did to Sarrha, as he spoke. 21:2 And she conceived and bore to Abraam a son in old age, at the set time according as the Lord spoke to him. 21:3 And Abraam called the name of his son that was born to him, whom Sarrha bore to him, Isaac. 21:4 And Abraam circumcised Isaac on the eighth day, as God commanded him. 21:5 And Abraam was a hundred years old when Isaac his son was born to him. 21:6 And Sarrha said, The Lord has made laughter for me, for whoever shall hear shall rejoice with me. 21:7 And she said, Who shall say to Abraam that Sarrha suckles a child? for I have born a child in my old age. 21:8 And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraam made a great feast the day that his son Isaac was weaned. 21:9 And Sarrha having seen the son of Agar the Egyptian who was born to Abraam, sporting with Isaac her son, 21:10 then she said to Abraam, Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for the son of this bondwoman shall not inherit with my son Isaac. 21:11 But the word appeared very hard before Abraam concerning his son. 21:12 But God said to Abraam, Let it not be hard before thee concerning the child, and concerning the bondwoman; in all things whatsoever Sarrha shall say to thee, hear her voice, for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 21:13 And moreover I will make the son of this bondwoman a great nation, because he is thy seed. 21:14 And Abraam rose up in the morning and took loaves and a skin of water, and gave [them] to Agar, and he put the child on her shoulder, and sent her away, and she having departed wandered in the wilderness near the well of the oath. 21:15 And the water failed out of the skin, and she cast the child under a fir tree. 21:16 And she departed and sat down opposite him at a distance, as it were a bow-shot, for she said, Surely I cannot see the death of my child: and she sat opposite him, and the child cried aloud and wept. 21:17 And God heard the voice of the child from the place where he was, and an angel of God called Agar out of heaven, and said to her, What is it, Agar? fear not, for God has heard the voice of the child from the place where he is. 21:18 Rise up, and take the child, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation. 21:19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of springing water; and she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the child drink. 21:20 And God was with the child, and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21:21 And he dwelt in the wilderness, and his mother took him a wife out of Pharan of Egypt. 21:22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech spoke, and Ochozath his friend, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, to Abraam, saying, God is with thee in all things, whatsoever thou mayest do. 21:23 Now therefore swear to me by God that thou wilt not injure me, nor my seed, nor my name, but according to the righteousness which I have performed with thee thou shalt deal with me, and with the land in which thou hast sojourned. 21:24 And Abraam said, I will swear. 21:25 And Abraam reproved Abimelech because of the wells of water, which the servants of Abimelech took away. 21:26 And Abimelech said to him, I know not who has done this thing to thee, neither dist thou tell it me, neither heard I it but only to-day. 21:27 And Abraam took sheep and calves, and gave them to Abimelech, and both made a covenant. 21:28 And Abraam set seven ewe-lambs by themselves. 21:29 And Abimelech said to Abraam, What are these seven ewe-lambs which thou hast set alone? 21:30 And Abraam said, Thou shalt receive the seven ewe-lambs of me, that they may be for me as a witness, that I dug this well. 21:31 Therefore he named the name of that place, The Well of the Oath, for there they both swore. 21:32 And they made a covenant at the well of the oath. And there rose up Abimelech, Ochozath his friend, and Phichol the commander-in-chief of his army, and they returned to the land of the Phylistines. 21:33 And Abraam planted a field at the well of the oath, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. 21:34 And Abraam sojourned in the land of the Phylistines many days. [Genesis] 22:1 And it came to pass after these things that God tempted Abraam, and said to him, Abraam, Abraam; and he said, Lo! I [am here]. 22:2 And he said, Take thy son, the beloved one, whom thou hast loved-- Isaac, and go into the high land, and offer him there for a whole-burnt-offering on one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 22:3 And Abraam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass, and he took with him two servants, and Isaac his son, and having split wood for a whole-burnt-offering, he arose and departed, and came to the place of which God spoke to him, 22:4 on the third day; and Abraam having lifted up his eyes, saw the place afar off. 22:5 And Abraam said to his servants, Sit ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will proceed thus far, and having worshiped we will return to you. 22:6 And Abraam took the wood of the whole-burnt-offering, and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took into his hands both the fire and the knife, and the two went together. 22:7 And Isaac said to Abraam his father, Father. And he said, What is it, son? And he said, Behold the fire and the wood, where is the sheep for a whole-burnt-offering? 22:8 And Abraam said, God will provide himself a sheep for a whole-burnt-offering, [my] son. And both having gone together, 22:9 came to the place which God spoke of to him; and there Abraam built the altar, and laid the wood on it, and having bound the feet of Isaac his son together, he laid him on the altar upon the wood. 22:10 And Abraam stretched forth his hand to take the knife to slay his son. 22:11 And an angel of the Lord called him out of heaven, and said, Abraam, Abraam. And he said, Behold, I [am here]. 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the child, neither do anything to him, for now I know that thou fearest God, and for my sake thou hast not spared thy beloved son. 22:13 And Abraam lifted up his eyes and beheld, and lo! a ram caught by his horns in a plant of Sabec; and Abraam went and took the ram, and offered him up for a whole-burnt-offering in the place of Isaac his son. 22:14 And Abraam called the name of that place, The Lord hath seen; that they might say to-day, I the mount the Lord was seen. 22:15 And an angel of the Lord called Abraam the second time out of heaven, saying, 22:16 I have sworn by myself, says the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and on my account hast not spared thy beloved son, 22:17 surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is by the shore of the sea, and thy seed shall inherit the cities of their enemies. 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast hearkened to my voice. 22:19 And Abraam returned to his servants, and they arose and went together to the well of the oath; and Abraam dwelt at the well of the oath. 22:20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was reported to Abraam, saying, Behold, Melcha herself too has born sons to Nachor thy brother, 22:21 Uz the first-born, and Baux his brother, and Camuel the father of the Syrians, and Chazad, and 22:22 Azav and Phaldes, and Jeldaph, and Bathuel, and Bthuel begot Rebecca; 22:23 these are eight sons, which Melcha bore to Nachor the brother of Abraam. 22:24 And his concubine whose name was Rheuma, she also bore Tabec, and Taam, and Tochos, and Mocha.
XVIII. AND the Lord was revealed to him in the Vale of Mamre; and he sat in the door of the tent while the day was hot. And lie lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three men stood towards him; and he saw, and ran from the door of the tent to meet them, and worshipped upon the earth. And he said, Lord, if now I have found favour in Thine eyes, pass not, I pray, from Thy servant. Accept now a little water, and wash your feet, and recline under the tree, and take a mouthful of bread, and strengthen your hearts, afterward you shall pass on; because for this you have come over unto your servant. And He said, So do as thou hast spoken. And Abraham hastened to the tent to Sarah, and said, Make haste with three seyin of the flour of meal, mix and make cakes. And to the herd ran Abraham, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave to a young man, and he hastened to dress him. And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had prepared, and set before them, and he waited upon them under the tree, and they ate. And He said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And He said, Returning I will return to thee, according to the time that you shall revive, and, behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the door of the tent, and it was behind Him. And Abraham and Sarah were old and advanced in days, and with Sarah had ceased to be the way of women. And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After that I am old shall I have a child, and my lord (being also) old? And the Lord said to Abraham, Wherefore laughed Sarah, saying, Can it be in truth that I shall bring forth, and I being old? What word is hidden from before the Lord? At the time I will return to thee, according to the time that you shall revive, and Sarah shall have a son. And Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not: for she was afraid. And He said, No, but thou didst laugh . . . . And the men arose thence, and looked towards the face of Sedom; and Abraham went with them to accompany them. And the Lord said, Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing? And Abraham shall be indeed a people many and strong, and in him shall all the peoples of the earth be blessed; because it is manifest before me that he will instruct his children, and the men of his house after him, to keep the ways which are right before the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him. And the Lord said, The cry[1] of Sedom and Amorah [is heard before Me] because it is great, and the guilt of them is very mighty: I will now see, and will judge, whether they do according to the report of them which hath ascended before me. I will deal with them thoroughly unless they convert; but if they convert, I will not punish. And the men turned away from thence, and went toward Sedom. And Abraham yet ministered in prayer before the Lord. And Abraham approached, and said, Wilt Thou, in anger, destroy the righteous with the guilty ? If perhaps there be fifty righteous within the city, wilt Thou in anger destroy and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous who are within it? More true are Thy judgments than that Thou shouldst do a thing like that, to destroy the just with the guilty, and that the just should be as the guilty! Thy judgments are true! Can the Judge of all the earth but do justice? And the Lord said, If I find in Sedom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, I will spare all the place for their sake.[2] And Abraham answered and said, Behold, I have done a great thing, to speak before the Lord, and I dust and ashes! Perhaps of the fifty righteous there may be wanting five: shall all the city perish through five? And He said, I will not destroy, if I find there forty and five. And he added yet to speak before Him, and said, Perhaps forty may be found there. And He said, I will not make the end on account of the forty. And he said, Let not the anger of the Lord now kindle, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty shall be found there. And He said, I will not make the end if I find there thirty. And he said, Behold, I have done a great thing to speak before the Lord: perhaps twenty shall be found there. And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of twenty. And he said, Let not now the anger of the Lord kindle, and I will speak only this time: perhaps ten may be found there. And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the ten! And the Glory of the Lord ascended when He had ceased to speak with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. XIX. And two angels entered into Sedom in the evening; and Lot sat in the gate of Sedom. And Lot saw, and arose to present himself before them, and he bowed with his face to the earth. And he said, I pray my lords (ribboni) to turn aside unto the house of your servant and lodge, and wash your feet; and rising early you shall go on your way. And they said, Not so, but in the wide place will we lodge. And he was greatly in earnest with them, and they turned aside with him, and entered into his house: and he made them a supper, and dressed unleavened cakes for them, and they ate. As yet they had not slept; and the men of the city, the men of Sedom, gathered against the house, from the youth unto the old man, all the people from the extremes; and they cried to Lot, and said to him, Where are the men who came to thee to-night? Bring them forth to us, and we will know them. And Lot went out to them to the gate, and the door he shut after him. And he said, I pray you, my brethren, do not (so) wickedly. Behold, now, I have two daughters, who have not known man, I would bring them to you, and you should do to them what pleases in your eyes; only to these men do nothing, because they have entered under the shadow of my dwelling.[3] And they said, Go in, however! And they said, One came to sojourn, and, behold, he judgeth judgment! Now will we do worse to thee than to them; and they prevailed against the man, against Lot, greatly, and came nigh to shatter the door. And the men put forth their hands, and brought in Lot to be with them in the house, and shut the door. And the men who were at the gate of the house they smote with blindness,[4] from the little to the great, and they were wearied to find the gate. And the men said to Lot, Whomsoever thou hast yet here, thy son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and all that thou hast in the city, lead out from the place: for we will destroy this place, because their cry is great before the Lord, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went forth, and spake with his sons-in-law, the takers of his daughters, and said, Arise, come forth from this place; for the Lord will destroy the city. And he was as a trifler in the eyes of his sons-in-law. And it was as the morning rose that the angels were urgent upon Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters who are found faithful with thee, lest thou be smitten with the punishment of the city. But he delayed; and the men laid hold of his hands, and of the hand of his wife, and of the hand of his two daughters; for the Lord had mercy upon him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. And it was when he had brought them without, he said, Be merciful on thy life, look not behind thee, and stand not in all the plain, escape to the mountain for deliverance, lest thou perish. And Lot said to them, Be entreated, O Lord; behold now, Thy servant hath found mercy before Thee, and Thou hast magnified Thy goodness which Thou hast shown me in saving my life, and I cannot take refuge in the mountain, lest evil befall me, and I die. Behold now, this city is nigh, to flee there; and it is (but) small; let me now escape thither. Is it not small? and my life shall be sustained. And He said to him, Behold, I have accepted thee[5] in this thing also, in that I will not overthrow the city for which thou hast prayed. Haste, escape thither; for I cannot do anything until thou be come thither. Therefore be called the name of the city Zoar.LINK "http://www.tulane.edu/~ntcs/onk/" \l "_ftn6" \o "" [6] The sun had come forth upon the earth, and Lot entered Zoar. And the Lord rained upon Sedom and upon Amorah sulphur and fire from before the Lord from the heavens, and destroyed those cities and all the plain, and all the dwellers in the cities and the herbage of the earth. And his wife looked behind her, and she became a statue of salt. And Abraham ascended in the morning[7] to the place where he had ministered in prayer before the Lord; and he looked toward Sedom and Amorah, and upon all the place of the plain land, and saw, and, behold, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it was when the Lord destroyed the cities of the plain, that the Lord remembered Abraham, and sent Lot from the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt. And Lot went up from Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him: for he feared to dwell in Zoar; and he dwelt in a cavern, he and his two daughters. And the elder said to the younger, Our father is aged, and there is no man in the earth to go in unto us according to the way of all the earth. Come, we will pour father wine, and will lie with him, and raise up sons[8] from our father. And they poured their father wine in that night; and the elder went in and lay with her father; and he knew not, in her lying down nor in her rising up. And it was in the day which followed that the elder said to the younger, Behold, I lay yesterday with the father: let us give wine also in the night, and go thou in, lie with him, and we will raise up sons from our father. And they gave that night also wine to their father, and the younger arose and lay with him; and he knew not, in her lying down nor in her rising up. And the two daughters of Lot conceived from their father; and the elder brought forth a son, and called his name Moab: he is the father of the Moabaee unto this day. And the younger also brought forth a son, and she called his name Bar Ammi: he is the father of the B'ni Ammon unto this day. XX. And Abraham migrated from thence to the southern land, and dwelt between Rekam and Hagra;[9] and he sojourned in Gerar.[10] And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelek, king of Gerar,[11] sent and took Sarah. And the word came from the presence of the Lord to Abimelek in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou diest, on account of the woman whom thou hast taken, and she a man's wife. But Abimelek had not come nigh her. And he said, Lord, wilt Thou also kill the innocent people? Did he not say to me, She is my sister? And she also said, He is my brother. In the rectitude of my heart, and the cleanness of my bands, have I done this. And the Lord said to him in a dream, It is also manifest to Me that in the integrity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I have also restrained thee from sinning before Me;[12] therefore I have not permitted thee to approach to her. And now return the mares wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for thee, and thou shalt live. But if thou wilt not return (her), know that dying thou shalt die,[13] thou, and ail who are thine. And Abimelek arose in the morning, and called all his servants, and spake all these words before them; and the men feared greatly. And Abimelek called Abraham, and said to him, What hast thou done to us, and in what have I sinned against thee, that thou shouldst have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin?[14] Works which are not worthy to be done hast thou done with me. And Abimelek said to Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou didst this thing? And Abraham spake, Because I said, Perhaps the fear of the Lord is not in this place, and they will kill me on account of my wife. Nevertheless, in truth she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it was, when the people erred after the works of their hands, the Lord did bring me near to the fear of Himself, from (among) the house[15] of my father. And I said to her, This is thy favour which thou canst do for me; in every place through which we pass, say of me, He is my brother. And Abimelek took sheep, and oxen, and servants, and handmaidens, and gave to Abraham, and returned to him Sarah his wife. And Abimelek said, Behold, my land is before thee: where it is pleasant in thine eyes, dwell. And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given a thousand seleen of silver to thy brother; behold, that is to thee a veil[16] of honour, for my having sent to take thee, and to see thee, and all that is with thee; and concerning all whatever thou hast spoken thou art reproved. And Abraham prayed before the Lord, and the Lord healed Abimelek, and his wife, and his handmaids, and they were revived: for the Lord had shut all the wombs of the house of Abimelek, on account of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. XXI. And the Lord remembered Sarah as He had said; and the Lord did unto Sarah according as He had spoken. And Sarah conceived and bare unto Abraham a son in his old age, in the time of which the Lord had told him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bare to him, Izhak. And Abraham circumcised Izhak his son (when) the son of eight days, as the Lord had commanded him. And Abraham was the son of a hundred years when Izhak his son was born to him. And Sarah said, The Lord hath made me to have gladness; every one who heareth will give me joy. And she said, Faithful is He who spake unto Abraham, and certified that Sarah should suckle children; for she hath born a son in his old age. And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast in the day when Izhak was weaned.[17] And Sarah observed the son of Hagar the Mizritha, whom she bare to Abraham, deriding. And she said, Cast out this handmaid and her son; for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with Izhak. And the word was evil exceedingly in the eyes of Abraham, on account of his son. And the Lord said to Abraham, Let it not be evil in thine eyes concerning the youth and concerning thine handmaid. All that Sarah saith to thee receive from her, because in Izhak shall thy sons be called to thee. And also the son of the handmaid will I set for a people, because he is thy son. And Abraham rose up in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave to Hagar, setting upon her shoulder, and the youth,[18] and dismissed her. And she went, and wandered in the desert of the well of Shava (Beara de Shava). And the water was finished from the skin; and she laid the youth under one of the trees, and went and sat over against, as far off as a bow flight: for she said, I cannot see the death of the child . . . . And she sat over against, and lifted up her voice and wept. And the voice of the youth was heard before the Lord; and the Angel of the Lord called to Hagar from the heavens, and said to her, What to thee, Hagar? Fear not, for the voice of the youth is heard before the Lord in the place where he is. Arise, take up the youth and strengthen thine hand in him,[19] because for a great people have I appointed him. And the Lord opened[20] her eyes, and she saw the well of waters, and went and filled the skin with water, and gave the youth to drink. And the Word of the Lord was the Helper of the youth, and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became a master of the bow. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took for him a wife from the land of Mizraim. And it was in that time that Abimelek and Phikol, chief of his host, spake to Abraham, saying, The Word of the Lord is thy Helper in everything thou doest; and now swear to me here, by the Word of the Lord, that thou wilt not be false with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son; and that according to the good which I have done to thee thou wilt do with me and with the land in which thou art a sojourner. And Abraham said, I will swear. And Abraham reproved Abimelek, on account of the well of waters which the servants of Abimelek had taken by force.[21] And Abimelek said, I knew not if this thing had been done, and thou also hadst not shown me, nor have I heard, but this day. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave to Abimelek, and they struck both of them a covenant. And Abraham made seven lambs stand apart; and Abimelek said to Abraham, What are these seven lambs which thou hast made to stand apart? And he said, That thou mayest take the seven lambs seven lambs from my hand, to testify for me that I have digged that well. Therefore he called that place Beer Shava, because there they sware together. And they struck a covenant at Beer Shava. And Abimelek and Phikol,[22] the chief of his host, arose, and returned to the land of the Phelishtaee. And he planted a tree[23] in Beer Shava, and prayed there in the name of the Lord, the Most High God.[24] And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Phelislitaee many days. XXII. And it was after these things that the Lord tempted Abraham; and He said to him, Abraham! And he said, Behold, I am. And He said, Take now thy son, thy only, whom thou lovest, Izhak, and go into the land of worship, and offer him before Me there, a burnt offering, upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee. And Abraham arose in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Izhak his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which the Lord had spoken to him. And in the third day Abraham lifted, up his eyes, and saw the place from afar. And Abraham said to his young men, Wait you here with the ass, and I and the young man will ascend yonder and worship, and return to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid on Izhak his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife, and they went both of them as one. And Izhak spake to Abraham his father, and said, Father! And he said, Behold, I am, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? And Abraham said, The lamb for the burnt offering is revealed before the Lord, my son. And they went, both of them, as one. And they came to the place of which the Lord had told him. And Abraham builded there the altar, and set in order the woods, and bound Izhak his son, and laid him upon the altar above the woods. And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to cut off his son. And the Angel of the Lord called to him from the heavens, and said, Abraham, Abraham! And he said, Behold, I am. And he said to him, Stretch not out thy hand upon the youth, neither do any thing to him: for now I know that thou fearest the Lord, and that thou hast not spared thy only son[25] for Me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes after these (words), and saw, and behold, one ram, holden in the bush by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham worshipped and prayed there in that place, and said before the Lord, Here shall generations worship: wherefore it shall be paid in that day, In this mountain Abraham worshipped before the Lord.[26] And the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham the second time from the heavens, and said, By my Word have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only son, therefore, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thy sons as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the sea shore; and thy sons shall inherit the cities of their enemies. And all the peoples of the earth shall be blessed through thy son: forasmuch as thou hast received My word. And Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together unto Beer Shava, and Abraham dwelt in Beer Shava. And it was after these things it was shown to Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcha, also, hath born sons to Nachor, thy brother: Uts his first-born, and Booz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, and Kesed, and Chazu, and Phildash, and Yedlaph, and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat Revekah. These eight bare Milcha to Nahor, brother of Abraham. And his concubine, whose name was Reuma, she also bare Tebach, and Gacham, and Tachash, and Maaka. [1] Kebelath. [2] Sam. Vers. "I will tolerate all the place." [3] "Under the shadow of my family." --Sam. Vers. [4] Or, "with diziziness of the eyes." Shabriria, which Castel defines, "Scotomata, subita oculum tenebra cum vertigine." [5] "Accepted thy face." [6] Little. [7] Sam. Vers. beshelu shoker, "in the stillness of the morning." [8] Sam. Vers. "and we shall live in the sons of our father." [9] Heb. "between Kadesh and Shur." [10] Sam. Vers. "Askelon." [11] Sam. Vers. "Shultan of Askelon." [12] Sam. Vers. "from becoming unclean berfore Me." [13] Sam. Vers. "perishing thou shalt perish." [14] Sam. Vers. "a great pollution." [15] Sam. Vers. "tabernacle." [16] Or, "covering of the eyes." [17] Sam. Vers. "in the day of the (pelututh ) liberation of his son." [18] Rabia, "a growing child." [19] Or, "on him;" "hold him firmly." So the Latin Apprenhende manu tua eum. The Samaritan Version has, "Take the youth, and fortify thy hand in him." [20] Or, "illuminated." [21] Sam. Vers. "had taken fraudulently." [22] Sam. Vers. "Pumkol," a name meaning as the Hebrew form. [23] Sam. Vers. "a paradise." [24] Sam. Vers. "vision." [25] Sam. Vers. "the son of thy heart." [26] Sam. Vers. "In the mountain the Lord will see, will multiply."
AND the glory of the Lord was revealed to him in the valley of Mamre; and he, being ill from the pain of circumcision, sat at the door of the tabernacle in the fervour (or strength) of the day. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three angels in the resemblance of men were standing before him; (angels) who had been sent from the necessity of three things;--because it is not possible for a ministering angel to be sent for more than one purpose at a time;--one, then, had come to make known to him that Sarah should bear a man-child; one had come to deliver Lot; and one to overthrow Sedom and Amorah. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of the tent, and bowed himself on the earth. [JERUSALEM. Three angels were sent to our father Abraham; and the three were sent for three things;--because it is not possible that one of the high angels should be sent for more things than one. The first angel was sent to announce to our father Abraham, that, behold, Sarah would bear Izhak; the second angel was sent to deliver Lot from the midst of the overthrow; the third angel was sent to overthrow Sedom and Amorah, Admah and Zeboim. Therefore was there a word of prophecy from before the Lord unto Abraham the Just, and the Word of the Lord was revealed to him in the valley of vision; and he sat in the door of the tabernacle, comforting himself from his circumcision in the fervour (or strength) of the day.] And he said, I beseech, by the mercies (that are) before Thee, O Lord, if now I have found favour before Thee, that the glory of Thy shekina may not now ascend from Thy servant, until I have set forth provisions under the tree. And I will bring food of bread, that you may strengthen your hearts, and give thanks in the Name of the Word of the Lord, and afterwards pass on. For therefore at the time of repast are you come, and have turned aside to your servant to take food. And they said, Thou hast spoken well; do according to thy word. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said to her, Hasten three measures of flour-meal, mix and make cakes. And unto the flock ran Abraham, and took a calf, tender and fat, and gave to a young man, and hastened to make prepared meats; and he took rich cream and milk and the calf which the young man had made into prepared meats, and set them before them, according to the way and conduct (hilkath) of the creatures of the world; and he served before them, and they sat under the tree; and he quieted himself (to see) whether they would eat. And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, she is in the tent. And ONE of them said, Returning I will return to thee in the coming year; and you shall be revived, and, behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah was hearkening at the door of the tent, and Ishmael stood behind her, and marked what the Angel said. [JERUSALEM. And He said, Returning I will return to thee at that time, to revive you, and, behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a male child. And Sarah was hearkening at the door of the tent, and Ishmael stood behind her.] But Abraham and Sarah were old, they had mounted (alu) in days, and with Sarah the way of women had ceased. And Sarah wondered in her heart, saying After that I am old shall I have conceptions, and my lord Abraham is old? [JERUSALEM. And Sarah derided in her heart, saying, After that I am old, is it possible to return to the days of my youth, for me to have conception, and Abraham old?] And the Lord said to Abraham, Why hath Sarah so laughed, saying, Can it be in truth that I shall bear, being old? Is it possible to hide anything from before the Lord? At the gracious time I will return to thee, in the time when you shall be revived, and Sarah shall have a son. And Sarah denied and said, I wondered not; for she was afraid. And the Angel said, Fear not: yet in truth thou didst laugh. And the angels, who had the likeness of men, arose from thence, and the one who had made known the tidings to Sarah ascended to the high heavens; and two of them looked toward Sedom; and Abraham went with them. [JERUSALEM. And they looked towards.] And the Lord said, with His Word, I cannot hide from Abraham that which I am about to do; and it is right that before I do it, I should make it known to him. For Abraham is to be a great and mighty people, and through him shall all the peoples of the earth be blessed. [JERUSALEM. And the Lord with His Word said, Shall I hide from Abraham, My friend, that which I am about to do? Forasmuch as the town of Sedom is among the gifts that I have given to him, it is just that I should not overthrow it, till I have made it known to him.] Because his holiness (piety, chasidutha) is manifest before Me, (and) that he will instruct his sons, and the men of his house after him, to keep the ways that are right before the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him. And the Lord said to the ministering angels, The cry of Sedom and Amorah, because they oppress the poor, and decree that whosoever giveth a morsel to the needy shall be burned with fire, is therefore great, and their guilt exceedingly weighty. I will now appear, and see whether, as the cry of a damsel torn away, which ascendeth before Me, they have made completion of their sins; (or, whether they have made an end of their sins;) and if they have wrought repentance, shall they not be as (if) innocent before Me? and as if not knowing, I will not punish. [JERUSALEM. Now will I appear and see, according as the cry of the people of Sedom and Amorah hath ascended before Me, whether they have made a complete end. It may be, that some among these sinners do not know that their works of evil are manifest before Me. And if they seek to work repentance, behold, they shall be considered before Me as if those works had not been known.] And the angels who had the likeness of men, turned thence and went towards Sedom. And Abraham now supplicated mercy for Lot, and ministered in prayer before the Lord. And Abraham prayed and said, Wilt Thou destroy in Thy displeasure the innocent with the guilty? Perhaps there are fifty innocent persons within the city, who pray before Thee,--ten for every city, of all the five cities of Sedom, Amorah, Admah, Zeboim, and Zoar. Wilt Thou in Thy displeasure destroy and not forgive the country, on account of the fifty innocent ones who are in it? Unholy would it be before Thee to do according to this word, to slay the innocent with the guilty, and to make the innocent to be as the guilty! That be unholy with Thee. It cannot be that One who is the Judge of all the earth should not do justice. And the Lord said, If I find in Sedom fifty innocent in the midst of the city who pray before Me, I will forgive all the land on their account. And Abraham responded, and said, I pray for mercy. Behold, now, I have begun to speak before the Lord; I, who am as dust and ashes. Perhaps of the fifty innocent persons, five may be wanting. On account of the five who may be wanting to Zoar, wilt Thou destroy the whole city? And He said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five. And he added yet to speak before Him, and said, Perhaps there may be forty found there; ten for each city of the four cities, and Zoar, whose guilt is lighter, forgive thou for Thy mercy's sake. And he said, I will not make an end for the sake of the forty innocent ones. And he said, Let not the displeasure of the Lord, the Lord of all the world, wax strong against me, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty who pray may be found there, ten for each of the three cities, and Zeboim and Zoar forgive them for Thy mercy's sake. And He said, I will not make an end if I find thirty there. And he said, Imploring mercy, I have now begun to speak before the Lord, the Lord of all the world. Perhaps twenty who pray may be found; ten in each of the two cities, and the three forgive Thou for Thy mercy's sake! And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty innocent. And he said, I implore mercy before Thee! Let not the anger of the Lord,the Lord of all the world, grow strong, and I will speak only this time. Perhaps ten may be found there; and I and they will pray for mercy upon all the land, and Thou wilt forgive them. And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the ten who may be innocent. And the majesty of the Lord went up when He had ceased to speak with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place. XIX. Two angels came to Sedom at the evening; and Lot sat in the gate of Sedom. And Lot saw, and rose up to meet them from the gate of the tabernacle. And he bowed his face to the ground, and said, I beg now, my lords, turn now hither, and enter the house of your servant, and lodge, and wash your feet; and you will arise and proceed on your way. And they said to him, No; for in the street we will lodge. [JERUSALEM. And Lot sat in the gate of Sedom, and he saw them, and ran and saluted them, and bowed with his face to the ground¼¼2. And wash your feet, and wash you in the morning, and go to your tents in peace. And they said to him, No; for in the open place of the city we will lodge.] And he persuaded them earnestly, and they turned aside to be with him; and they entered his house, and he made a repast for the, and prepared unleavened cakes. And it seemed to him as if they did eat. [JERUSALEM. And it appeared as if they ate and drank.] They had not yet lain down, when the wicked men of the city, the men of Sedom, came round upon the house, from the youth to the old man, all the people throughout. And they cried to Lot, and said to him, Where are the men who entered with thee to-night? Bring them out to us, and we will lie with them. And Lot went out to them to the gate, and shut the door after him. And he said, I pray, my breathren, do not thus wickedly. Behold, now, I have two daughters who have had no dealing with a man; I would now bring even them out to you to do to them as is meet before you, rather than you should do evil to these men, because they have entered in to lodge under the shadow of my roof. [JERUSALEM. 7. And Lot said to them, Wait here a little, till we have besought mercy before the Lord. 8. Who have not known dealing with man.] And they said, Give up this. And they said, Did not this come alone to sojourn among us? and, behold, he is making himself a judge, and judging the whole of us. But now we will do worse to thee than to them. And they prevailed against the man, against Lot, greatly, and came near, to shatter the door. And the Men stretched forth their hands, and brought Lot unto them in the house, and shut the door. But the men who were at the gate of the house they struck with a suffusion of the eyes, from the young to the old, and they waried themselves to find the gate. [JERUSALEM. With blindness.] And the Men said to Lot, Hast thou yet in this city kinsman or brother? Thy sons-in-law, thy sons and thy daughters, take forth from the place; for the cry of it before the Lord is great, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went forth, and spake with his sons-in-law who had taken his daughters, and said, Arise, come forth from this place; for the Lord destroyeth the city. But the word was as a wonder, (and he) as a man ranting, in the eyes of his sons-in-law. And at the time that the morning was about to uprise, the angels were urgent upon Lot, saying, Up, take thy wife and thy two daughters who are with you, lest you perish in the condemnation of the inhabitants of the city. But he delayed: and the men laid hold on his hand, and on the hand of his wife, and on the hand of his two daughters, for mercy from the Lord was upon them. And they brought them forth, and set them without the city. And it was that as they led them without, one of them returned into Sedom, to destroy it; and one remained with Lot, and said to him, Be merciful to your life; look not behind you, and stand not in all the plain; to the mountain escape, or you perish. And Lot said to him, I beseech of thee endure with me a little hour, until I have prayed for mercy from before the Lord. [JERUSALEM. 15. And it was at the time of the upcoming of the column of the morning¼¼18. Be steadfast here a little with us until I have besought mercy before the Lord.] Behold, now, thy servant hath found mercy before Thee, and Thou hast multiplied the kindness Thou hast done me in saving my life, and I am not able to escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die. Behold, now, I pray, this city, it is a near habitation, and convenient (for us) to escape thither; and it is small, and the guilt thereof light. I will flee thither, then. Is it not a little one? and my life shall be preserved. And He said, Behold, I have accepted thee in this matter also, that I will not overthrow the city for which thou hast spoken, to destroy it, that thou mayest escape to it. Hasten and flee thither: for I cannot do any thing till thou have entered there. Therefore he called the name of the city Zoar. The sun had passed the sea, and come forth upon the earth, at the end of three hours, and Lot entered into Zoar. And the Word of the Lord had caused showers of favour to descend upon Sedom and Amorah, to the intent that they might work repentance, but they did it not: so that they said, Wickedness is not manifest before the Lord. Behold, then, there are now sent down upon them sulphur and fire from before the Word of the Lord from Heaven. [JERUSALEM. 24. And the Word of the Lord Himself had made to descend upon the people of Sedom and Amorah showers of favour, that they might work repentance from their wicked works. But when they saw the showers of favour, they said, So, our wicked works are not manifest before Him. He turned (then), and caused to descend upon them bitumen and fire from before the Lord from the heavens.] And He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and the herbage of the earth. And his wife looked after the angel, to know what would be in the end of her father's house, for she was of the daughters of the Sedomaee; and because she sinned by salt (bemilcha) she was manifestly punished; behold, she was made a statue of salt. [JERUSALEM. And because the wife of Lot was of the children of the people of Sedom, she looked behind her, to see what would be the end of her father's house: and, behold, she was made to stand a statue of salt, until the time of the resurrection shall come, when the dead shall arise.] And Abraham arose in the morning (and went) to the place where he had ministered in prayer before the Lord. And he looked towards Sedom and Amorah, and all the land of the plain, and saw, and, behold, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it was when the Lord destroyed the cities of the plain, that He remembered the righteousness of Abraham, and sent forth Lot from the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities wherein Lot had dwelt. And Lot went up from Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; because he feared to reside in Zoar. And he dwelt in a cavern, he and his two daughters. And the elder said to the less, Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to come to us after the way of the whole earth: [JERUSALEM. And there is not a man in the land who may come with us after the law of all the earth:] come, let us make our father drink wine, and when he is drunken we will lie with him, and raise up sons from our father. And they made their father drink wine that night, and he was drunk. And the elder arose, and lay with her father, nor did he know when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it was the day following, and the elder said to the less, Behold, now, I lay my evening with the father; let us make him drink wine this night also, that he may be drunk; and go thou and lie with him, that we may raise up sons from our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also, and he was drunk, and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he knew not in her lying down nor in her rising up. And the two daughters of Lot became with child by their father. And the elder brought forth a son, and she called his name Moab, because from her father she had conceived. He is the father of the Moabaee unto this day. And the younger also brought forth a son, and she called his name Bar-Ammi, because he was the son of her father. He is the father of the Ammonite people unto this day. XX. And Abraham went on from thence to the land of the south, and dwelt between Rekam and Chagra, and had his habitation in Gerar. And Abraham said concerning Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelek, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah. [JERUSALEM. King of Arad.] And a word came from before the Lord unto Abimelek, in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou diest, because of the woman whom thou hast carried away, and she a man's wife. But Abimelek had not come nigh to defile her; and he said, Lord, shall the son of a people who hath not sinned, and whom it is right to absolve in the judgment, be killed? Did he not tell me, She is my sister? and did not she also say, He is my brother? In the truthfulness of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this. And the Word of the Lord said to him in a dream, Before Me also it is manifest that in the truthfulness of thy heart thou didst this, and so restrained I thee from sinning before Me; therefore I would not permit thee to come near her. And now let the wife of the man return; for he is a prophet; he will pray for thee, and thou shalt live: but if thou wilt not let her return, know that dying thou shalt die, thou and all who are thine. And Abimelek arose in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these words before them; and the men feared greatly. And Abimelek called Abraham, and said, What hast thou done to us? And in what have I sinned against thee? For thou hadst brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin. Thou hast wrought with me works that are not right. And Abimelek said to Abraham, What hast thou seen, that thou didst this thing? And Abraham said, Because I said in my heart, The fear of the Lord is not in this place, and they will kill me for the sake of my wife. But in truth she is my sister, the daughter of my father's brother, but not of the kindred of my mother; and she became my wife. And it was when they sought to turn me aside to the worship of idols, and I went forth from my father's house, that I said to her, This is the kindness thou shalt do me: in every place to which we come, say concerning me, He is my brother. And Abimelek took sheep, and restored Sarah his wife to him. And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given a thousand sileen of silver to thy brother; behold, they are to thee a veil of the eyes, inasmuch as thou wast hidden from thine husband one night, and I would have seen thee: for were I to give all that I have it would not suffice (or be proportionate). And the words were debated. And Abraham knew that Abimelek had not come near Sarah his wife. [JERUSALEM. And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given a thousand sileen of silver to thy brother; behold, that silver is given to thee as a present, because thou wast hidden from the eyes of Abraham thy husband one night: and of all that I have,--for on behalf of all I am corrected,--behold, were I to give all whatever I have, it would not suffice. Let the words be approved, and may Abraham the Just learn that I have not known thee.] And Abraham prayed before the Lord: and the Lord healed Abimelek and his wife and his concubines, and they were set at large. For the Word of the Lord shutting had shut in displeasure the wombs of all the women of Abimelek's house on account of Sarah the wife of Abraham. [JERUSALEM. closing had closed.] XXI. And the Lord remembered Sarah according to that which He had said to her; and the Lord wrought a miracle for Sarah like to that for which Abraham had spoken in prayer for Abimelek. [JERUSALEM. And the Lord wrought miracles for Sarah, as He had spoken.] And she conceived, and Sarah bare to Abraham a son, who was like to himself in his age, at the time of which the Lord had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son whom Sarah had borne him Izhak. And Abraham circumcised Izhak his son, when the son of eight days, as the Lord had commanded him. And Abraham was the son of an hundred years when Izhak his son was born to him. And Sarah said, The Lord hath done wondrously for me; all who hear will wonder at me. And she said, How faithful was the messenger who announced to Abraham, and said, Sarah will nurse children, for she shall bring forth a son in her old age! [JERUSALEM. And she said, What was the announcement which announced to my lord Abraham at the beginning, and said, It will be that she will give suck, because she shall bring forth a son in her old age?] And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day when Izhak was weaned. And Sarah observed the son of Hagar the Mizreitha, whom she bare to Abraham, mocking with a strange worship, and bowing to the Lord. [JERUSALEM. And Sarah observed the son of Hagar the Mizreitha, whom she bare to Abraham, doing evil works which are not fitting to be done, mocking in a strange worship.] And she said to Abraham, Cast out this handmaid and her son: for it is not possible for the son of this handmaid to inherit with my son; and he to make war with Izhak. And the thing was very evil in Abraham's eyes, on account of Ishmael his son, who would practise a strange worship. And the Lord said to Abraham, Let it not be evil in thine eyes on account of the youth who goeth forth from thy nurturning, and of thy handmail whom thou sendest away. Hearken unto all that Sarah saith to thee, because she is a prophetess; for in Izhak shall sons be called unto thee; and this son of the handmaid shall not be genealogized after thee. But the son of the handmaid have I set for a predatory people (le-am leistim), because he is thy son. And Abraham rose up in the morning, and took bread and a cruse of water, and gave to Hagar to bear upon her shoulder, and bound it to her loins, to signify that she was a servant, and the child, and dismissed her with a letter of divorce (be-gitta). And she went, and wandered from the way into the desert which was hard by Beersheba. And it was when they came to the entrance of the desert, they remembered to wander after strange worship; and Ishmael was seized with a burning thirst, and drank of the water till all the water was consumed from the cruse. And he was dried up, and withered in his flesh; and she carried him, and was exhausted, and she cried unto the Fear of his father, and He answered her not; and she laid the youth down at once under one of the trees. [JERUSALEM. And the water was consumed from the cruse, and she took up the youth.] And she went and sat on one side, and cast away the idol (or the strange worship), and removed from her son, as the distance of an arrow from the bow; for she said, I am not able to see the death of the child. And she sat over against her son, and lifted up her voice and wept. And the voice of the youth was heard before the Lord for the righteousness' sake of Abraham; and the Angel of the Lord called to Hagar from heaven, and said, What to thee, Hagar? Faint not, for the voice of the youth is heard before the Lord; neither shall judgment be according to the evil which he will do, but according to the righteousness of Abraham is mercy upon him in the place where he is. Arise, support the child, and strengthen thine hand in him: for I have set him for a great people. And the Lord opened her eyes, and showed her a well of water, and she went and filled the cruse with water, and gave the youth to drink. And the Word of the Lord was the helper of the youth, and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became a skilful master of the bow. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Pharan, and took for a wife Adisha, but put her away. And his mother took for him Phatima to wife, from the land of Mizraim. And it was at that time that Abimelek and Phikol, chief of his host, spake to Abraham, saying, The Word of the Lord is in thine aid in all whatsoever thou doest. And now, swear to me here, by the Word of the Lord, that thou wilt not be false with me, nor with my son, nor with the son of my son: according to the kindness which I have done with thee, thou shalt do with me, and with the land in which thou dwellest. And Abraham said to him, I swear. And Abraham remonstrated with Abimelek concerning the well of water of which the servants of Abimelek had deprived him. And Abimelek said, I knew not who did this thing; neither hast thou shown it to me; nor have I heard it from others, till to-day from thyself. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave to Abimelek; and they both made a covenant. And Abraham set seven lambs apart and separated them from the oxen. And Abimelek said to Abraham, What are these seven lambs which thou hast set apart? And he said, That thou mayest take the seven lambs from my hand, to be a testimony for me that I have digged this well. Therefore he called that well the Well of the Seven Lambs; because there they two did swear. And they struck a covenant at the Well of the Seven Lambs. And Abimelek and Phikol the Chief of his host arose and returned to the land of the Philistaee. And he planted a garden, (lit., "a paradise,") at the Well of the Seven Lambs, and prepared in the midst of it food and drink for them who passed by and who returned; and he preached to them there, Confess ye, and believe in the Name of the Word of the Lord, the everlasting God. [JERUSALEM. And Abraham planted a paradise in Beer Sheba, and prepared in the midst of it food and drink for those who arrived at the border; and they ate and drank, and sought to give him the price of what they had eaten and drunk, but he willed not to receive it from them; but our father Abraham discoursed to them of that which he had said, that the world was by His word. Pray before your Father who is in heaven, from whose bounty ye have eaten and drunk. And they stirred not from their place until the time when he had made them proselytes, and had taught them the way everlasting. And Abraham praised and prayed there in the name of the word of the Lord, the God of Eternity.] XXII. And it was after these things that Izhak and Ishmael contended; and Ishmael said, It is right that I should inherit what is the father's because I am his firstborn son. And Izhak said, It is right that I should inherit what is the father's, because I am the son of Sarah his wife, and thou art the son of Hagar the handmaid of my mother. Ishmael answered and said, I am more righteous than thou, because I was circumcised at thirteen years; and if it had been my will to hinder, they should not have delivered me to be circumcised; but thou wast circumcised a child eight days; if thou hadst had knowledge, perhaps they chould not have delivered thee to be circumcised. Izhak responded and said, Behold now, to-day I am thirty and six years old; and if the Holy One, blessed be He, were to require all my members, I would not delay. These words were heard before the Lord of the world, and the Word of the Lord at once tried Abraham, and said to him, Abraham! And he said, Behold me. [JERUSALEM. And it was after these things that the Lord tried Abraham with the tenth trial, and said to him, Abraham! And he said, Behold me.] And He said, Take now thy son, thy only one whom thou lovest, Izhak, and go into the land of worship, and offer him there, a whole burnt offering, upon one of the mountains that I will tell thee. [JERUSALEM. At Mount Moriah.] And Abraham rose up in the morning and saddled his ass, and took two young men with him, Eliezer and Ishmael, and Izhak his son, and cut the small wood and the figs and the palm, which are provided for the whole burnt offering, and arose and went to the land of which the Lord had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and beheld the cloud of glory fuming on the mount, and it was discerned by him afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, Wait you here with the ass, and I and the young man will proceed yonder, to prove if that which was promised shall be established:--So shall be thy sons:--and we will worship the Lord of the world, and return to you. And Abraham took the wood of the offering and laid it upon Izhak his son, and in his hand he took the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together. And Izhak spake to Abraham his father and said, My Father! And he said, I am. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: where is the lamb for the offering? And Abraham said, The Lord will choose for Himself a lamb for the offering. And they went both of them in heart entirely as one. [JERUSALEM. And Abraham said, The Word of the Lord will prepare for me a lamb; and if not, then thou art the offering, my son! And they went both of them together with a contrite heart.] And they came to the place of which the Lord had told him. And Abraham builded there the altar which Adam had built, which had been destroyed by the waters of the deluge, which Noah has again builded, and which had been destroyed in the age of divisions; and he set the wood in order upon it, and bound Izhak his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And Izhak answered and said to his father, Bind me properly (aright), lest I tremble from the affliction of my soul, and be cast into the pit of destruction, and there be found profaneness in thy offering. (Now) the eyes of Abraham looked on the eyes of Izhak; but the eyes of Izhak looked towards the angels on high, (and) Izhak beheld them, but Abrahm saw them not. And the angels answered on high, Come, behold how these solitary ones who are in the world kill the one the other; he who slayeth delays not; he who is to be slain reacheth forth his neck. [JERUSALEM. And Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slay Izhak his son. Izhak answered and said to Abraham his father, My father, bind my hands rightly, lest in the hour of my affliction I tremble and confuse thee, and thy offering be found profane, and I be cast into the pit of destruction in the world to come. (Now) the eyes of Abraham reached unto the eyes of Izhak; but the eyes of Izhak reaching to the angels on high. And Izhak beheld them, but Abraham saw them not. In that hour came forth the angels on high, and said, these to these, Come, behold two righteous ones alone in the midst of the world: the one slayeth, the other is slain. He who slayeth deferreth not, and he who is to be slain stretcheth out his neck.] And the Angel of the Lord called to him from the heavens, and said to him, Abraham! Abraham! And he said, Behold me. [JERUSALEM. And He said, Abraham! Abraham! And Abraham answered in the language of the sanctuary, and said, Behold me.] And He said, Stretch not out thy hand upon the young man, neither do him any evil; for now it is manifest before Me that thou fearest the Lord; neither hast thou withheld thy son the only begotten from Me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw, and, behold, a certain ram which had been created between the evenings of the foundation of the world, was held in the entanglement of a tree by his horns. And Abraham went and took him, and offered him an offering instead of his son. And Abraham gave thanks and prayed there, in that place, and said, I pray through the mercies that are before Thee, O Lord, before whom it is manifest that it was not in the depth of my heart to turn away from doing Thy decree with joy, that when the children of Izhak my son shall offer in the hour of affliction, this may be a memorial for them; and Thou mayest hear them and deliver them, and that all generations to come may say, In this mountain Abraham bound Izhak his son, and there theShekina of the Lord was revealed unto him. [JERUSALEM. And Abrahm prayed in the name of the Word of the Lord, and said, Thou art the Lord who seest, and art not seen. I pray for mercy before Thee, O Lord. It is wholly manifest and known before Thee that in my heart there was no dividing, in the time that Thou didst command me to offer Izhak my son, and to make him dust and ashes before Thee; but that forthwith I arose in the morning and performed Thy word with joy, and I have fulfilled Thy word. And now I pray for mercies before Thee, O Lord God, that when the children of Izhak offer in the hour of need, the binding of Izhak their father Thou mayest remember on their behalf, and remit and forgive their sins, and deliver them out of all need. That the generations who are to arise after him may say, In the mountain of the house of the sanctuary of the Lord did Abraham offer Izhak his son, and in this mountain of the house of the sanctuary was revealed unto him the glory of the Shekinah of the Lord.] And the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham the second time from the heavens, and said, By My Word have I sworn, saith the Lord, forasmuch as thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thy only begotten, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy sons as the stars of the heavens, and they shall be as the sand which is upon the shore of the sea, and thy sons shall inherit the cities before their enemies. And all the peoples of the earth shall be blessed through the righteousness of thy son, because thou hast obeyed My word. And the angels on high took Izhak and brought him into the school (medresha) of Shem the Great; and he was there three years. And in the same day Abraham returned to his young men; and they arose and went together to the Well of the Seven, and Abraham dwelt at Beira-desheva. And it was after these things, after Abraham had bound Izhak, that Satana came and told unto Sarah that Abraham had killed Izhak. And Sarah arose, and cried out, and was strangled, and died from agony. But Abraham had come, and was resting in the way. And it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcha also hath borne; she hath enlargement, through the righteousness of her sister, for bring forth sons unto Nachor thy brother: Uts, his firstborn, and Booz, his brother, and Kemuel, master of the Aramean magicians, and Keshed, and Chazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat Rivekeh. These eight bare Milcha to Nacor the brother of Abraham. And his concubine, whose name was Rëuma, she also bare Tebach, and Gacham, and Tachash, and Maacha. [JERUSALEM. And his concumbine¼and her name¼]