[12] And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraam, prosper my way before me to day, and deal mercifully with my master Abraam. [13] Lo! I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of them that inhabit the city come forth to draw water. [14] And it shall be, the virgin to whomsoever I shall say, Incline thy water-pot, that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink thou, and I will give thy camels drink, until they shall have done drinking — even this one thou hast prepared for thy servant Isaac, and hereby shall I know that thou hast dealt mercifully with my master Abraam.
[15] And it came to pass before he had done speaking in his mind, that behold, Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, the wife of Nachor, and the same the brother of Abraam, came forth, having a water-pot on her shoulders. [16] And the virgin was very beautiful in appearance, she was a virgin, a man had not known her; and she went down to the well, and filled her water-pot, and came up. [17] And the servant ran up to meet her, and said, Give me a little water to drink out of thy pitcher; [18] and she said, Drink, Sir; and she hasted, and let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him to drink, till he ceased drinking. [19] And she said, I will also draw water for thy camels, till they shall all have drunk. [20] And she hasted, and emptied the water-pot into the trough, and ran to the well to draw again, and drew water for all the camels. [21] And the man took great notice of her, and remained silent to know whether the Lord had made his way prosperous or not. [22] And it came to pass when all the camels ceased drinking, that the man took golden ear-rings, each of a drachm weight, and he put two bracelets on her hands, their weight was ten pieces of gold. [23] And he asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? Tell me if there is room for us to lodge with thy father. [24] And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bathuel the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor. [25] And she said to him, We have both straw and much provender, and a place for resting. [26] And the man being well pleased, worshipped the Lord, [27] and said, Blessed be the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has not suffered his righteousness to fail, nor his truth from my master, and the Lord has brought me prosperously to the house of the brother of my lord. [28] And the damsel ran and reported to the house of her mother according to these words. [29] And Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to meet the man, to the well. [30] And it came to pass when he saw the ear-rings and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying, Thus the man spoke to me, that he went to the man, as he stood by the camels at the well. [31] And he said to him, Come in hither, thou blessed of the Lord, why standest thou without, whereas I have prepared the house and a place for the camels? [32] And the man entered into the house, and unloaded the camels, and gave the camels straw and provender, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were with him. [33] And he set before them loaves to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.
[34] And he said, I am a servant of Abraam; [35] and the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he is exalted, and he has given him sheep, and calves, and silver, and gold, servants and servant-maids, camels, and asses. [36] And Sarrha my master’s wife bore one son to my master after he had grown old; and he gave him whatever he had. [37] And my master caused me to swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Chananites, among whom I sojourn in their land. [38] But thou shalt go to the house of my father, and to my tribe, and thou shalt take thence a wife for my son. [39] And I said to my master, Haply the woman will not go with me. [40] And he said to me, The Lord God to whom I have been acceptable in his presence, himself shall send out his angel with thee, and shall prosper thy journey, and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my tribe, and of the house of my father. [41] Then shalt thou be clear from my curse, for whensoever thou shalt have come to my tribe, and they shall not give her to thee, then shalt thou be clear from my oath. [42] And having come this day to the well, I said, Lord God of my master Abraam, if thou prosperest my journey on which I am now going, [43] behold, I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come forth to draw water, and it shall be that the damsel to whom I shall say, Give me a little water to drink out of thy pitcher, [44] and she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will draw water for thy camels, this shall be the wife whom the Lord has prepared for his own servant Isaac; and hereby shall I know that thou hast wrought mercy with my master Abraam. [45] And it came to pass before I had done speaking in my mind, straightway Rebecca came forth, having her pitcher on her shoulders; and she went down to the well, and drew water; and I said to her, Give me to drink. [46] And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her arm from her head, and said, Drink thou, and I will give thy camels drink; and I drank, and she gave the camels drink. [47] And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me; and she said, I am daughter of Bathuel the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him; and I put on her the ear-rings, and the bracelets on her hands. [48] And being well-pleased I worshipped the Lord, and I blessed the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has prospered me in a true way, so that I should take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. [49] If then ye will deal mercifully and justly with my lord, tell me, and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.
[50] And Laban and Bathuel answered and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer thee bad or good. [51] Behold, Rebecca is before thee, take her and go away, and let her be wife to the son of thy master, as the Lord has said. [52] And it came to pass when the servant of Abraam heard these words, he bowed himself to the Lord down to the earth. [53] And the servant having brought forth jewels of silver and gold and raiment, gave them to Rebecca, and gave gifts to her brother, and to her mother. [54] And both he and the men with him ate and drank and went to sleep. And he arose in the morning and said, Send me away, that I may go to my master. [55] And her brethren and her mother said, Let the virgin remain with us about ten days, and after that she shall depart. [56] But he said to them, Hinder me not, for the Lord has prospered my journey for me; send me away, that I may depart to my master. [57] And they said, Let us call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. [58] And they called Rebecca, and said to her, Wilt thou go with this man? and she said, I will go. [59] So they sent forth Rebecca their sister, and her goods, and the servant of Abraam, and his attendants. [60] And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, Thou art our sister; become thou thousands of myriads, and let thy seed possess the cities of their enemies. [61] And Rebecca rose up and her maidens, and they mounted the camels and went with the man; and the servant having taken up Rebecca, departed.
[62] And Isaac went through the wilderness to the well of the vision, and he dwelt in the land toward the south. [63] And Isaac went forth into the plain toward evening to meditate; and having lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming. [64] And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac; and she alighted briskly from the camel, [65] and said to the servant, Who is that man that walks in the plain to meet us? And the servant said, This is my master; and she took her veil and covered herself. [66] And the servant told Isaac all that he had done. [67] And Isaac went into the house of his mother, and took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted for Sarrha his mother.
Chapter 25
[1] And Abraam again took a wife, whose name was Chettura. [2] And she bore to him Zombran, and Jezan, and Madal, and Madiam, and Jesboc, and Soie. [3] And Jezan begot Saba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were the Assurians and the Latusians, and Laomim. [4] And the sons of Madiam were Gephar and Aphir, and Enoch, and Abeida, and Eldaga; all these were sons of Chettura. [5] But Abraam gave all his possessions to Isaac his son. [6] But to the sons of his concubines Abraam gave gifts, and he sent them away from his son Isaac, while he was yet living, to the east into the country of the east. [7] And these were the years of the days of the life of Abraam as many as he lived, a hundred and seventy-five years. [8] And Abraam failing died in a
good old age, an old man and full of days, and was added to his people. [9] And Isaac and Ismael his sons buried him in the double cave, in the field of Ephron the son of Saar the Chettite, which is over against Mambre: [10] even the field and the cave which Abraam bought of the sons of Chet; there they buried Abraam and Sarrha his wife. [11] And it came to pass after Abraam was dead, that God blessed Isaac his son, and Isaac dwelt by the well of the vision. [12] And these are the generations of Ismael the son of Abraam, whom Agar the Egyptian the hand-maid of Sarrha bore to Abraam. [13] And these are the names of the sons of Ismael, according to the names of their generations. The firstborn of Ismael, Nabaioth, and Kedar, and Nabdeel, and Massam, [14] and Masma, and Duma, and Masse, [15] and Choddan, and Thaeman, and Jetur, and Naphes, and Kedma. [16] These are the sons of Ismael, and these are their names in their tents and in their dwellings, twelve princes according to their nations. [17] And these are the years of the life of Ismael, a hundred and thirty-seven years; and he failed and died, and was added to his fathers. [18] And he dwelt from Evilat to Sur, which is opposite Egypt, until one comes to the Assyrians; he dwelt in the presence of all his brethren.
[19] And these are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraam. [20] Abraam begot Isaac. And Isaac was forty years old when he took to wife Rebecca, daughter of Bathuel the Syrian, out of Syrian Mesopotamia, sister of Laban the Syrian. [21] And Isaac prayed the Lord concerning Rebecca his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord heard him, and his wife Rebecca conceived in her womb. [22] And the babes leaped within her; and she said, If it will be so with me, why is this to me? And she went to enquire of the Lord. [23] And the Lord said to her, There are two nations in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy belly, and one people shall excel the other, and the elder shall serve the younger. [24] And the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered, and she had twins in her womb. [25] And the first came out red, hairy all over like a skin; and she called his name Esau. [26] And after this came forth his brother, and his hand took hold of the heel of Esau; and she called his name Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when Rebecca bore them. [27] And the lads grew, and Esau was a man skilled in hunting, dwelling in the country, and Jacob a simple man, dwelling in a house. [28] And Isaac loved Esau, because his venison was his food, but Rebecca loved Jacob.
[29] And Jacob cooked pottage, and Esau came from the plain, fainting. [30] And Esau said to Jacob, Let me taste of that red pottage, because I am fainting; therefore his name was called Edom. [31] And Jacob said to Esau, Sell me this day thy birthright. [32] And Esau said, Behold, I am going to die, and for what good does this birthright belong to me? [33] And Jacob said to him, Swear to me this day; and he swore to him; and Esau sold his birthright to Jacob. [34] And Jacob gave bread to Esau, and pottage of lentiles; and he ate and drank, and he arose and departed; so Esau slighted his birthright.
Chapter 26
[1] And there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine, which was in the time of Abraam; and Isaac went to Abimelech the king of the Phylistines to Gerara. [2] And the Lord appeared to him and said, Go not down to Egypt, but dwell in the land, which I shall tell thee of. [3] And sojourn in this land; and I will be with thee, and bless thee, for I will give to thee and to thy seed all this land; and I will establish my oath which I swore to thy father Abraam. [4] And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven; and I will give to thy seed all this land, and all the nations of the earth shall be blest in thy seed. [5] Because Abraam thy father hearkened to my voice, and kept my injunctions, and my commandments, and my ordinances, and my statutes. [6] And Isaac dwelt in Gerara. [7] And the men of the place questioned him concerning Rebecca his wife, and he said, She is my sister, for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest at any time the men of the place should slay him because of Rebecca, because she was fair. [8] And he remained there a long time, and Abimelech the king of Gerara leaned to look through the window, and saw Isaac sporting with Rebecca his wife. [9] And Abimelech called Isaac, and said to him, Is she then thy wife? why hast thou said, She is my sister? And Isaac said to him, I did so, for I said, Lest at any time I die on her account. [10] And Abimelech said to him, Why hast thou done this to us? one of my kindred within a little had lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought a sin of ignorance upon us. [11] And Abimelech charged all his people, saying Every man that touches this man and his wife shall be liable to death. [12] And Isaac sowed in that land, and he found in that year barley and hundred-fold, and the Lord blessed him. [13] And the man was exalted, and advancing he increased, till he became very great. [14] And he had cattle of sheep, and cattle of oxen, and many tilled lands, and the Phylistines envied him. [15] And all the wells which the servants of his father had dug in the time of his father, the Phylistines stopped them, and filled them with earth. [16] And Abimelech said to Isaac, Depart from us, for thou art become much mightier than we. [17] And Isaac departed thence, and rested in the valley of Gerara, and dwelt there.
[18] And Isaac dug again the wells of water, which the servants of his father Abraam had dug, and the Phylistines had stopped them, after the death of his father Abraam; and he gave them names, according to the names by which his father named them. [19] And the servants of Isaac dug in the valley of Gerara, and they found there a well of living water. [20] And the shepherds of Gerara strove with the shepherds of Isaac, saying that the water was theirs; and they called the name of the well, Injury, for they injured him. [21] And having departed thence he dug another well, and they strove also for that; and he named the name of it, Enmity. [22] And he departed thence and dug another well; and they did not strive about that; and he named the name of it, Room, saying, Because now the Lord has made room for us, and has increased us upon the earth.
[23] And he went up thence to the well of the oath. [24] And the Lord appeared to him in that night, and said, I am the God of Abraam thy father; fear not, for I am with thee, and I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for the sake of Abraam thy father. [25] And he built there an altar, and called on the name of the Lord, and there he pitched his tent, and there the servants of Isaac dug a well in the valley of Gerara. [26] And Abimelech came to him from Gerara, and so did Ochozath his friend, and Phichol the commander-in-chief of his army. [27] And Isaac said to them, Wherefore have ye come to me? whereas ye hated me, and sent me away from you. [28] And they said, We have surely seen that the Lord was with thee, and we said, Let there be an oath between us and thee, and we will make a covenant with thee, [29] that thou shalt do no wrong by us, as we have not abhorred thee, and according as we have treated thee well, and have sent thee forth peaceably; and now thou art blessed of the Lord. [30] And he made a feast for them, and they ate and drank. [31] And they arose in the morning, and swore each to his neighbour; and Isaac sent them forth, and they departed from him in safety. [32] And it came to pass in that day, that the servants of Isaac came and told him of the well which they had dug; and they said, We have not found water. [33] And he called it, Oath: therefore he called the name of that city, the Well of Oath, until this day.
[34] And Esau was forty years old; and he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beoch the Chettite, and Basemath, daughter of Helon the Chettite. [35] And they were provoking to Isaac and Rebecca.
Chapter 27
[1] And it came to pass after Isaac was old, that his eyes were dimmed so that he could not see; and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him, My son; and he said, Behold, I am here. [2] And he said, Behold, I am grown old, and know not the day of my death. [3] Now then take the weapons, both thy quiver and thy bow, and go into the plain, and get me venison, [4] and make me meats, as I like them, and bring them to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless thee, before I die. [5] And Rebecca heard Isaac speaking to Esau his son; and Esau went to the plain to procure venison for his father. [6] And Rebecca said to Jacob her younger son, Behold, I heard thy father speaking to Esau thy brother, saying, [7] Bring me venison, and prepare me meats, that I may eat and bless thee befo
re the Lord before I die. [8] Now then, my son, hearken to me, as I command thee. [9] And go to the cattle and take for me thence two kids, tender and good, and I will make them meats for thy father, as he likes. [10] And thou shalt bring them in to thy father, and he shall eat, that thy father may bless thee before he dies. [11] And Jacob said to his mother Rebecca, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I a smooth man. [12] Peradventure my father may feel me, and I shall be before him as one ill-intentioned, and I shall bring upon me a curse, and not a blessing. [13] And his mother said to him, On me be thy curse, son; only hearken to my voice, and go and bring them me. [14] So he went and took and brought them to his mother; and his mother made meats, as his father liked them.
[15] And Rebecca having taken the fine raiment of her elder son Esau which was with her in the house, put it on Jacob her younger son. [16] And she put on his arms the skins of the kids, and on the bare parts of his neck. [17] And she gave the meats, and the loaves which she had prepared, into the hands of Jacob her son. [18] And he brought them to his father, and said, Father; and he said, Behold I am here; who art thou, son? [19] And Jacob said to his father, I, Esau thy first-born, have done as thou toldest me; rise, sit, and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. [20] And Isaac said to his son, What is this which thou hast quickly found? And he said, That which the Lord thy God presented before me. [21] And Isaac said to Jacob, Draw night to me, and I will feel thee, son, if thou art my son Esau or not. [22] And Jacob drew night to his father Isaac, and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. [23] And he knew him not, for his hands were as the hands of his brother Esau, hairy; and he blessed him, [24] and he said, Art thou my son Esau? and he said, I am. [25] And he said, Bring hither, and I will eat of thy venison, son, that my soul may bless thee; and he brought it near to him, and he ate, and he brought him wine, and he drank. [26] And Isaac his father said to him, Draw nigh to me, and kiss me, son. [27] And he drew nigh and kissed him, and smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said, Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of an abundant field, which the Lord has blessed. [28] And may God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and abundance of corn and wine. [29] And let nations serve thee, and princes bow down to thee, and be thou lord of thy brother, and the sons of thy father shall do thee reverence; accursed is he that curses thee, and blessed is he that blesses thee.
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