(from Genesis)
1. In the day that the LORD
God made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field before it was
in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had
not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the
ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of
the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
2. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
3. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be
alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God
formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them
unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every
living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle,
and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there
was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to
fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the
flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made
he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my
bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken
out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall
cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked,
the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
4. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field
which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent,
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the
tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it,
neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye
shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then
your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And
when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to
the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit
thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and
they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
5. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden
in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence
of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto
Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the
garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said,
Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I
commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom
thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD
God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said,
The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the serpent,
Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every
beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all
the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise
his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy
conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be
to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because
thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of
which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground
for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns
also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of
the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto
the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust
shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the
mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make
coats of skins, and clothed them.
6. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us,
to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of
the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him
forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So
he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden
Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the
tree of life.
7. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain,
and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother
Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And
in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the
ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings
of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to
his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain
was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art
thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou
not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto
thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when
they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew
him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I
know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice
of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed
from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from
thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee
her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain
said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast
driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be
hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come
to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the LORD said unto
him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him
sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill
him. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of
Nod, on the east of Eden.
9. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and
he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son,
Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael
begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. And Lamech took unto him two
wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah
bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have
cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as
handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer
of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of
Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a
young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy
and sevenfold. * then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. *
10. [And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years,] and begat a
son: And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning
our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath
cursed. * And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the
earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the
daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which
they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for
that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There
were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of
God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same
became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
11. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have
created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping
thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
12. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. * And the LORD
said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen
righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to
thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by
two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and
the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For yet seven
days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights;
and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of
the earth. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him. * And
Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into
the ark, because of the waters of the flood. *
13. And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the
flood were upon the earth. * And the rain was upon the earth forty days and
forty nights. * And the LORD shut him in. And the flood was forty days upon the
earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above
the earth. And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth;
and the ark went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed
exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole
heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the
mountains were covered. * All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all
that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which
was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things,
and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah
only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. *
14. And the rain from heaven was restrained; and the waters
returned from off the earth continually. * And it came to pass at the end of
forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. * Also he
sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face
of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she
returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole
earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him
into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the
dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in
her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were
abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth
the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. * And Noah removed the
covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. *
And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of
every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD
smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse
the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil
from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I
have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat,
and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. *
15. And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem,
and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons
of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. And Noah began to be an
husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was
drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan,
saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem
and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went
backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were
backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his
wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be
Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed
be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge
Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his
servant. * [(And these were) the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and
Canaan.] And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He
was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the
mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and
Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went
forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, And Resen
between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. And Mizraim begat Ludim,
and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of
whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and
Heth, And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, And the Hivite, and
the Arkite, and the Sinite, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the
Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. And
the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto
Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto
Lasha. * [These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues,
in their countries, and in their nations.] Unto Shem also, the father of all
the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were
children born. * [The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and
Lud, and Aram.] And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two
sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his
brother's name was Joktan. And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and
Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, And Obal, and
Abimael, and Sheba, And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons
of Joktan. And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount
of the east. *
16. And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And
it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in
the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to,
let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and
slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a
tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered
abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city
and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold,
the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do:
and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not
understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence
upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore
is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the
language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad
upon the face of all the earth. *
17. Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew
thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make
thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless
thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him. *
18. Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto
the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the LORD
appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there
builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. And he removed from
thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having
Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the
LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
19. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. And there
was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for
the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near
to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that
thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the
Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will
kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister:
that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of
thee. And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians
beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her,
and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he
asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. And the
LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's
wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto
me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is
my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy
wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him:
and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had. * And Abram went up
out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the
south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on
his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had
been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar,
which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the
LORD.
20. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and
tents. * And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the
herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in
the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between
me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not
the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou
wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the
right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld
all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of
Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan;
and Lot journeyed east * and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of
Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
21. And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from
him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward,
and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest,
to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the
dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then
shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of
it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram removed
his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and
built there an altar unto the LORD. *
22. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for
righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur
of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord GOD,
whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, Take me an
heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of
three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all
these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another:
but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcases,
Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon
Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. * And it came to
pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace,
and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD
made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from
the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and
the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and
the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and
the Jebusites. *
23. Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an
handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold
now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid;
it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice
of Sarai. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that
she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto
Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she
saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between
me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to
her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from
her face.
24. And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in
the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's
maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from
the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return
to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the LORD
said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be
numbered for multitude. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou
art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because
the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be
against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the
presence of all his brethren. And she called the name of the LORD that spake
unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him
that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is
between Kadesh and Bered. *
25. And the LORD appeared unto (Abraham) in the plains of Mamre:
and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and
looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet
them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My
Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from
thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet,
and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and
comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come
to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened
into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine
meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd,
and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted
to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed,
and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the
tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of
life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent
door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in
age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah
laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my
lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh,
saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard
for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the
time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed
not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. And the men
rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to
bring them on the way.
26. And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I
do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all
the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will
command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way
of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham
that which he hath spoken of him. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom
and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down
now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it,
which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces
from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And
Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the
wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also
destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That
be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the
wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee:
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the LORD said, If I find in
Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for
their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to
speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack
five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?
And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he
spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found
there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. And he said unto him, Oh
let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be
found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said,
Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there
shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's
sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this
once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it
for ten's sake. And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing
with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. *
27. And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the
gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself
with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I
pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet,
and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we
will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they
turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and
did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. But before they lay down, the men
of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and
young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said
unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out
unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and
shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you,
bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto
these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. And
they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn,
and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them.
And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and
shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house
with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find
the door. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law,
and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring
them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them
is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to
destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his
daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy
this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
28. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot,
saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou
be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid
hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two
daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and
set him without the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth
abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay
thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot
said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace
in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me
in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me,
and I die: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one:
Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also,
that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee,
escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore
the name of the city was called Zoar.
29. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the
LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all
the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his
wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham
gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: And he
looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and
beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. *
30. And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his
two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave,
he and his two daughters. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father
is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner
of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with
him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink
wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived
not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow,
that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my
father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie
with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father
drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he
perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the
daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and
called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And
the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the
father of the children of Ammon unto this day. *
31. And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said. * For Sarah
conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age. * And she said, Who would
have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have
born him a son in his old age. *
32. And it came to pass after these things, that it was told
Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother
Nahor; Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat
Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother. And his
concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash,
and Maachah. *
33. And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had
blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his
house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my
thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God
of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of
the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to
my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. And the servant said unto him,
Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I
needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? And Abraham
said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. The LORD
God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my
kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed
will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take
a wife unto my son from thence. And if the woman will not be willing to follow
thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither
again. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and
sware to him concerning that matter.
34. And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and
departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and
went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made his camels to kneel
down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the
time that women go out to draw water. And he said, O LORD God of my master
Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my
master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of
the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the
damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may
drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the
same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I
know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master. And it came to pass, before
he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel,
son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her
shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any
man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came
up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a
little water of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and
let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done
giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they
have done drinking. And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough,
and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the
man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his
journey prosperous or not. And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking,
that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets
for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; And said, Whose daughter art thou?
tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?
And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which
she bare unto Nahor. She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and
provender enough, and room to lodge in. And the man bowed down his head, and
worshipped the LORD. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham,
who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in
the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren. And the damsel
ran, and told them of her mother's house these things. And Rebekah had a
brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's
hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake
the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels
at the well. And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest
thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels. And the
man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and
provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that
were with him. And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will
not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on. And he said, I
am Abraham's servant. And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is
become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold,
and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. And Sarah my master's
wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all
that he hath. And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife
to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: But thou
shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my
son. And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me. And
he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee,
and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and
of my father's house: Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou
comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from
my oath. And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master
Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go: Behold, I stand by the well
of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw
water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to
drink; And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels:
let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.
And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with
her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water:
and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee. And she made haste, and let
down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels
drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also. And I asked her,
and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel,
Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face,
and the bracelets upon her hands. And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the
LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the
right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son. And now if ye
will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I
may turn to the right hand, or to the left. Then Laban and Bethuel answered and
said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or
good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy
master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken. And it came to pass, that, when
Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to
the earth. And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,
and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her
mother precious things. And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were
with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said,
Send me away unto my master. And her brother and her mother said, Let the
damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go. And
he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send
me away that I may go to my master. And they said, We will call the damsel, and
enquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go
with this man? And she said, I will go. And they sent away Rebekah their
sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men. And they blessed
Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of
thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate
them. And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and
followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
35. And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt
in the south country. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the
eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were
coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off
the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in
the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she
took a vail, and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all things that he
had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah,
and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his
mother's death. *
36. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an
old man, and full of years * And Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi. * And Isaac
intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was
intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled
together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to
enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb,
and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people
shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in
her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they
called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold
on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years
old when she bare them.
37. And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the
field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau,
because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod
pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to
Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint:
therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy
birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit
shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he
sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau
bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went
his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
38. And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that
was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the
Philistines unto Gerar. And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down
into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land,
and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed,
I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto
Abraham thy father; And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of
heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall
all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice,
and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
39. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: And the men of the place asked him of
his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife;
lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was
fair to look upon. And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time,
that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and,
behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech called Isaac,
and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my
sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her. And
Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might
lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness
upon us. And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this
man or his wife shall surely be put to death. Then Isaac sowed in that land,
and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the
man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he
had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants:
and the Philistines envied him. For all the wells which his father's servants
had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them,
and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou
art much mightier than we. And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in
the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And Isaac digged again the wells of
water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the
Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their
names after the names by which his father had called them. And Isaac's servants
digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. And the
herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours:
and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. And they
digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it
Sitnah. And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they
strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the
LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
40. And he went up from thence to Beersheba. And the LORD appeared
unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear
not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my
servant Abraham's sake. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name
of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a
well. Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends,
and Phichol the chief captain of his army. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore
come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? And they
said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be
now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant
with thee; That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we
have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou
art now the blessed of the LORD. And he made them a feast, and they did eat and
drink. And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and
Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. And it came to pass
the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well
which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water. And he called it
Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day. *
41. And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were
dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto
him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold now,
I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy
weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some
venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I
may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. And Rebekah heard when Isaac
spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to
bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy
father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me
savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go
now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will
make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring
it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man,
and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to
him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And
his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and
go fetch me them. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and
his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. And Rebekah took goodly
raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them
upon Jacob her younger son: And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon
his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat and
the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came
unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my
son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done
according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison,
that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou
hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought
it to me. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel
thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto
Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but
the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because his hands
were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him. And he said, Art
thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. And he said, Bring it near to me, and
I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it
near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank. And his
father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. And he came
near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him,
and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD
hath blessed: Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of
the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow
down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to
thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth
thee. And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob,
and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that
Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savoury meat,
and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise,
and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father
said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. And
Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken
venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and
have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. And when Esau heard the words
of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto
his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came
with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is not he rightly
named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my
birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast
thou not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaac answered and said unto Esau,
Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for
servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now
unto thee, my son? And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing,
my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice,
and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling
shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by
thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to
pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off
thy neck. And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father
blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are
at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. And these words of Esau her elder
son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and
said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort
himself, purposing to kill thee. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and
arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; And tarry with him a few days,
until thy brother's fury turn away; Until thy brother's anger turn away from
thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and
fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? *
42. And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And
he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun
was set. * And, behold, the LORD stood above (him), and said, I am the LORD God
of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee
will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the
earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the
north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of
the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all
places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will
not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And
Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place;
and I knew it not. * And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name
of that city was called Luz at the first. *
43. Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the
people of the east. And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo,
there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered
the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. And thither were all
the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and
watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran
are we. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We
know him. And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and,
behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. And he said, Lo, it is yet
high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water
ye the sheep, and go and feed them. And they said, We cannot, until all the
flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's
mouth; then we water the sheep. And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came
with her father's sheep: for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw
Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his
mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's
mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed
Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was
her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her
father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's
son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him
to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely
thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
44. And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother,
shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of
the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well
favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for
Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to
thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob
served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the
love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are
fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men
of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he
took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And
Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. And it came
to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What
is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore
then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our
country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week, and we will
give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven
other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel
his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his
handmaid to be her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also
Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
45. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb:
but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his
name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now
therefore my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and
said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me
this son also: and she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again, and
bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because
I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. And she
conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD:
therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. * (Other sons are born:
Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun.) (Rachel gave birth to a son, and
named him Joseph;) and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
46. And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob
said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my
country. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let
me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee. And Laban said unto
him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have
learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake. And he said,
Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. And he said unto him, Thou knowest
how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. For it was little which
thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the
LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine
own house also? And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt
not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and
keep thy flock: I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence
all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep,
and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire. So
shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my
hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the
goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. And
Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word. And he removed
that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats
that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and
all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. And he
set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of
Laban's flocks. And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and
chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which
was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in
the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they
should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the
rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob
did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked,
and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by
themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle. And it came to pass,
whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before
the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were
Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. And the man increased exceedingly, and had
much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses. *
47. And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy
fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. * Then Jacob rose up, and
set his sons and his wives upon camels. * [And Jacob went on his way, and the
angels of God met him.
And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.] And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape. And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. [And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me. So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.]
48. And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau
came, and with him four hundred men. * And he bowed himself to the ground seven
times, until he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and
embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. * (And) Esau
returned that day on his way unto Seir. *
49. And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went
out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the
Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and
defiled her. And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved
the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. And Shechem spake unto his father
Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife. And Jacob heard that he had defiled
Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob
held his peace until they were come. And Hamor the father of Shechem went out
unto Jacob to commune with him. And the sons of Jacob came out of the field
when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because
he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing
ought not to be done. And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son
Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife. And make ye
marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto
you. And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and
trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein. And Shechem said unto her
father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall
say unto me I will give. Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give
according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife. And the sons
of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because
he had defiled Dinah their sister: And they said unto them, We cannot do this
thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a
reproach unto us: But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be,
that every male of you be circumcised; Then will we give our daughters unto
you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we
will become one people. But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised;
then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone. And their words pleased
Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son. And the young man deferred not to do the thing,
because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all
the house of his father. And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of
their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying, These men are
peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for
the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to
us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only herein will the men
consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us
be circumcised, as they are circumcised. Shall not their cattle and their
substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and
they will dwell with us. And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all
that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that
went out of the gate of his city. And it came to pass on the third day, when
they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's
brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all
the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword,
and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came
upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in
the city, and that which was in the field, And all their wealth, and all their
little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was
in the house. And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me
to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the
Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together
against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. And they said,
Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot? *
50. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of
Padanaram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name
shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called
his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and
multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall
come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I
will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.] *
51. And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way
to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came
to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not;
thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in
departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father
called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which
is Bethlehem.] *
52. And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of
Edar. And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and
lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. *
53. Joseph, being seventeen
years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the
sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph
brought unto his father their evil report. * And (Israel) made him a coat of
many colours. * And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and
they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this
dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field,
and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves
stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to
him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over
us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he
dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have
dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars
made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and
his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast
dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down
ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father
observed the saying. *
54. And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem?
come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he
said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and
well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale
of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and, behold, he
was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And
he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their
flocks. And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us
go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. And
when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired
against him to slay him.] And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer
cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit,
and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will
become of his dreams. * And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his
brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours
that was on him. * And they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a
company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and
balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his
brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him;
for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. * And
(they) sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they
brought Joseph into Egypt. * And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of
the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; And they sent the coat of many
colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found:
know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my
son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in
pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and
mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up
to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down
into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. *
55. And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his
brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And
Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he
took her, and went in unto her. And she conceived, and bare a son; and he
called his name Er. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his
name Onan. And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name
Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. And Judah took a wife for Er
his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in
the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in
unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And
Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in
unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should
give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD:
wherefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law,
Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said,
Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in
her father's house. And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife
died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath,
he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold
thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her
widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped
herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw
that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw
her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. And he
turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto
thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What
wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send
thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou
send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet,
and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and
came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and
laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah
sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge
from the woman's hand: but he found her not. Then he asked the men of that
place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they
said, There was no harlot in this place. And he returned to Judah, and said, I
cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot
in this place. And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold,
I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. And it came to pass about three
months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath
played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah
said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she
sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with
child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and
bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more
righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her
again no more. And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold,
twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one
put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet
thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass, as he drew back his
hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken
forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. And
afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and
his name was called Zarah.
56. And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer
of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the
Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph,
and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the
Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made
all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight,
and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had
he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him
overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the
Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all
that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in
Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat.
And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
57. And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife
cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said
unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the
house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater
in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee,
because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin
against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he
hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass
about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there
was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his
garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled,
and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment
in her hand, and was fled forth, That she called unto the men of her house, and
spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us;
he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came
to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his
garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her,
until his lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these words,
saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to
mock me: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left
his garment with me, and fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard
the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did
thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him,
and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and
he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy,
and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of
the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the
prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the
prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was
with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper. *
58. Now when Jacob saw
that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon
another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you
down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And
Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's
brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure
mischief befall him. *
(No narrative of Joseph's release from prison or of Pharaoh's
choice of him as governor over Egypt is extant in the J text.)
59. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that
sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down
themselves before him with their faces to the earth. * And Joseph knew his
brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he
dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the
land ye are come. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy
servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no
spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are
come. And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in
the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and
one is not. And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you,
saying, Ye are spies: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye
shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of
you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your
words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of
Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days.
And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: If
ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison:
go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest
brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And
they did so. * And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. And
as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied
his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth. And he said unto his
brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart
failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God
hath done unto us? And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of
Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, The man, who is the
lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: We be twelve brethren,
sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in
the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby
shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and
take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: And bring your
youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye
are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the
land. * And (Jacob) said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is
dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye
go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
60. And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when
they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father
said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah spake unto him, saying,
The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except
your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go
down and buy thee food: But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for
the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with
you. And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man
whether ye had yet a brother? And they said, The man asked us straitly of our
state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another
brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we
certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? And Judah said unto
Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may
live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be
surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto
thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: For except
we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time. And their father
Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits
in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm,
and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: And take double money
in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks,
carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: Take also your
brother, and arise, go again unto the man. *
61. And the men took that present, and they took double money in
their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before
Joseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his
house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine
with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men
into Joseph's house. And the men were afraid, because they were brought into
Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our
sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against
us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses. And they came
near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door
of the house, And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy
food: And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks,
and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full
weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. And other money have we
brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our
sacks. And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your
father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. * And the man
brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their
feet; and he gave their asses provender. And they made ready the present
against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand
into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them of
their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is
he yet alive? And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he
is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. And he
lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said,
Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be
gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn
upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber,
and wept there. And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself,
and said, Set on bread. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by
themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves:
because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an
abomination unto the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the firstborn
according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the
men marvelled one at another. And he took and sent messes unto them from before
him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they
drank, and were merry with him. And he commanded the steward of his house,
saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put
every man's money in his sack's mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the
sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the
word that Joseph had spoken.
62. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they
and their asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off,
Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost
overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not
this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done
evil in so doing. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same
words. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid
that thy servants should do according to this thing: Behold, the money, which
we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of
Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? With
whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be
my lord's bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he
with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. Then they
speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his
sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and
the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded
every man his ass, and returned to the city. And Judah and his brethren came to
Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that
such a man as I can certainly divine? And Judah said, What shall we say unto my
lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out
the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and
he also with whom the cup is found. And he said, God forbid that I should do
so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as
for you, get you up in peace unto your father. Then Judah came near unto him, and
said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears,
and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? And we said
unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a
little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and
his father loveth him. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto
me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot
leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And
thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you,
ye shall see my face no more. And it came to pass when we came up unto thy
servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go
again, and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our
youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's
face, except our youngest brother be with us. And thy servant my father said
unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: And the one went out from me,
and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: And if ye
take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray
hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to thy servant my
father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the
lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us,
that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy
servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for
the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear
the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant
abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his
brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest
peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. Then Joseph could not
refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every
man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made
himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the
house of Pharaoh heard. * And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I
pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye
sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that
ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these
two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in
the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you
to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great
deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath
made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout
all the land of Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus
saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me,
tarry not: And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near
unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks,
and thy herds, and all that thou hast: And there will I nourish thee; for yet
there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou
hast, come to poverty. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin,
that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all
my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring
down my father hither. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept;
and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept
upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him. And the fame thereof
was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it
pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto
thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of
Canaan; And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will
give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.
Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt
for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Also
regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the
children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the
commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he
gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces
of silver, and five changes of raiment. And to his father he sent after this
manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden
with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren
away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the
way.
63. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan
unto Jacob their father, And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is
governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed
them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto
them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit
of Jacob their father revived: And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is
yet alive: I will go and see him before I die. * And the sons of Israel carried
Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which
Pharaoh had sent to carry him. * And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to
direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. And Joseph
made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and
presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a
good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy
face, because thou art yet alive. And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto
his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My
brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto
me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and
they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it
shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your
occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from
our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in
the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
64. Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my
brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come
out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he
took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And
Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto
Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. They said
moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants
have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan:
now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. And
Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto
thee: The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father
and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou
knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. *
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had
possessions therein, and grew. *