Pgs. 58-68

Ch. 12-17

 

                                                                           SECTION III.

                                                                           LECH LECHA.

 

XII. AND the Lord said to ABRAM, Go thou away from thy country, and from the house of thy father, to the land which I will show thee. And I will make thee to (be) a great people, and will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed. And I will bless him who blesseth thee, and him who curseth thee I will curse; and through thee all the progenies of the earth shall be blessed. And Abram went away, according as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was a son of seventy and five years in his forthgoing from Charan. And Abram took Sara his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all the possessions which they possessed, and the souls whom they had made subject to the law in Charan, and went forth to go into the land of Kenaan; and they came unto the land of Kenaan. And Abram traversed through the land unto the place of Shekim[1] unto the plain of Moreh;[2] and the Kenaanah was then in the land. And the Lord revealed Himself unto Abram, and said, To thy sons will I give this land. And he builded there an altar before the Lord who had been revealed to him. And he ascended from thence to the mountain east of Beth El, and spread out his tabernacle, having Beth El on the west and Ai on the east; and he builded there an altar before the Lord, and prayed in the name of the Lord. And Abram migrated, going and migrating to the south.

 

And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Mizraim, to sojourn there, because the famine was strong in the land. And it was that as he drew nigh to enter Mizraim he said to Sara his wife, Behold, now I know that thou art a woman beautiful in sight; and it will be that when the Mizraee see thee they will say, This is his wife; and they will kill me, and thee will they reserve. Say now, thou art my sis­ter, that it may be well with me through thee, and my life may be preserved through thy words. And it was that when Abram had entered into Mizraim, the Mizraee saw the woman that she was singularly fair; and the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and extolled her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh. And Abram was well treated on account of her. And he had sheep, and oxen, and asses, and servants, and maidens, and camels. And the Lord brought upon Pharaoh great plagues, and upon the men of his house, for the affair of Sara the wife of Abram. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done to me ? Why didst thou not show me that she is thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister,‑so that I would have taken her to me to wife? And now, behold thy wife: take, and go. And Pharaoh instructed the men concerning him, and they, conducted him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

 

XIII. And Abram went up from Mizraim, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, unto the south. And Abram was exceeding strong in cattle, in silver, and in gold; and he proceeded according to his encampments from the south, and unto Bethel, unto the place where he had spread his tabernacle at the first, between Bethel[3] and Ai; to the place of the altar which he had there made at the first: and Abram prayed there in the Name of the Lord. And Lot also, who went with Abram, had sheep and oxen and tents. And the land could not support them, that they might dwell together. And there was contention between the shepherds of the flock of Abram and the shepherds of the flock of Lot; and the Kenaanah and: the Pherizaah then dwelt in the land. And Abram said to Lot, Let there not now be contention between me and thee, and between my shepherds and thy shepherds; for men, brethren, are we. Is not all the land before thee? Separate now from me: if thou to the north, I to the south; and if thou to the south, I to the north. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of Yardena that it was altogether a watered place, before the Lord had destroyed Sedom and Amorah,‑as the gar­den of the Lord, as the land of Mizraim coming unto Zoar. And Lot chose to him all the plain of Yardena; and Lot went forth before, and they were separated each man from his brother. Abram dwelt in the land of Kenaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and extended unto Sedom. And the men of Sedom were wicked in their riches, and guilty in their bodies before the Lord greatly. And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes and see, from the place where thou art, thence to the north and to the south, and to the east and to the west; for all this land that thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy children for ever. And I will place thy children numerous as the dust of the earth; so that as it is not possible for a man to number the dust of the earth, so also thy sons shall not be numbered. Arise, go through the land, in its length and in its breadth; for unto thee will I give it. And Abram spread (his tent), and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre which is near Hebron,[4] and builded there an altar before the Lord.

 

XIV. And it was in the days of Amraphel, king of Babel, Ariok, king of Elasar, Kedar‑laomer, king of Elam, and Thidal, king of peoples, (that) they made war with Bera, king of Sedom, and with Birsha, king of Amora, Shenab, king of Admah, Shemeber, king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. All these were assembled at the plain of the field, which is (now) the place of the sea of salt. Twelve years they had served Kedar‑laomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. And in the fourteenth year came Kedar‑laomer, and the kings who were with him, and smote the giants who were in Ashtaroth Karnaim, and the mighty who were in Chemta, and the terrible ones who were in Shaveh Kiryathaim, and the Horaee who were in the mountain of Seir, unto the plain of Paran which lieth upon the desert. And they turned, and came to the plain of the division of judgment, which is Rekam, and smote all the fields of the Amalkaah, and also the Amoraah who dwelt in Ein‑gadey.[5] And the king of Sedom, and the king of Amoraah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboim, and tile king of Bela, which is Zoar, went forth and set the battle in array against them in the plain of the field, with Kedar‑laomer king of Elam, and Thidal,[6] king of peoples, and Amraphel, king of Babel, and Ariok, king of Elasar; four kings against five. And the plain of the field had many pits, from which, they raised asphalta; and the kings of Sedom and Amorah fled, and they fell there; and they who remained fled to the mountain. And they took all the possession of Sedom and Amorah, and, all their food, and went. And they captured Lot and his substance, son of the brother of Abram, and went. And he had dwelt in Sedom. And (one) came from those escaped, and showed to Abram the Ivraah; and he had remained in the plain of Moreh Amoraah, the brother of Eshkol and brother of Aner; and they were Abram's men of covenant. And Abram heard that his brother had been captured; and he armed the young men born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued unto Dan. And he divided against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hoba,[7] which was northward of Damasek. And he recovered all the substance, and Lot also, the son of his brother; and his substance he recovered, the women also, and the people. And the king of Sedom came out to meet him after returning from the smiting of Kedar‑laomer and the kings who were with him, at the plain of Mephana, which was the king's place of racing. And Malki‑zedek, king of Yerushelem,[8] brought forth bread and wine (chemar), and he was minister (meshamesh) before EL ILLAAH,[9] and he blessed him, and said:

 

                                                            "Blessed be Abram before El Illah,

                                                            Whose possession is heaven and earth;

                                                            And blessed be El Illah,[10]

                                                            Who hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand."

 

And he gave him one in ten of the whole. And the king of Sedom said to Abram, Give me the souls, and the substance take thou. And Abram said to the king of Sedom, I have uplifted my hands in prayer before the Lord God most high, whose possession is heaven and earth: if from a thread unto the sole of a sandal I take of all that is thine, (and not that thou shouldst say, I have enriched Abram,) except of the food for the young men, and the share of the men who went with me, Amer, Eshkol, and Mamre, these will receive their shares.

 

XV. After these things the word (pithgama) of the Lord came to Abram in prophecy,[11] saying, Fear not, Abram: My Word (Memra) shall be thy strength, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt Thou give me, and I go without a child: and this son of business (bar phargama) who is in My house is the Damasekah Elieser? And Abram said, Behold, Thou hast not given me a child, and, behold, the son of my house is my heir. And, lo, the word (pithgama) of the Lord was with him, saying, This shall not be thy heir, but a son whom thou shalt beget will be thine heir. And He led him without, and said, Behold now the heavens, and number the stars, if thou art able to number them; and He said to him, So will be thy sons.[12] And he believed in the Word of the Lord, (Memra da Yeya,) and He reckoned it to him unto justification. And He said to him, I am the Lord, who brought thee forth from Ura of the Kasdaee, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord God, by what may I know that I shall inherit it? And He said to him, Bring Me three calves, and three goats, and three rams, and a turtle dove, and the young of a pigeon. And he brought before Him all these. And be divided them equally, and set the divisions a division against his fellow; but the birds he did not divide. And the fowl descended upon the divisions, and Abram drave them away. And it was sunset, and sleep fell upon Abram: and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. And He said unto Abram, Knowing thou shalt know that thy sons will be sojourners (or aliens) in a land not theirs, and they will serve among them; and they will afflict them four hundred years. And the people whom they will serve I will judge, and go forth with much substance. And thou shalt be gathered to thy fathers in peace, and shalt be buried[13] in good old age. And in the fourth age (or generation) they will return hither; because not (yet) complete is the guilt of the Amoraah. And it was at the going away of the sun, and there was darkness. And behold a furnace that burned, and a flame of fire which passed between those divisions. In that day the Lord compacted with Abram a covenant, saying, To thy sons will I give this land; from the river of Mizraim unto the great river, the river of Pherat,[14] the Shalmaee, and the Kenizaee, and the Kadmonaee, and the Hittaee, and the Pherizaee, and the Gibbaraee, and the Amoraee, and the Kenaanaee, and the Girgashaee, and the Yebusaee.

 

XVI. And Sara wife of Abram had no child; and she had an handmaid, a Mizretha, and her name was Hagar. And Sara said to Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from childbearing; go in now to my handmaid, if, perhaps, I may have sons from her. And Abram received the word of Sara. And Sara wife of Abram took Hagar her handmaid, the Mizretha, at the end of ten years of Abram's dwelling in the land of Kenaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife; and he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived, and she saw that she had conceived, and her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sara said to Abram, I have (a cause of) judgment[15] against thee. I have given my handmaid to thee, and she seeth that she hath conceived, and I am despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee. And Abram said to Sara, Behold, thy handmaid is in thy hand, do to her as is pleasing in thine eyes: and Sara afflicted her, and she fled from before her. And the Angel of the Lord found her at the fountain of water in the wilderness, at the fountain in the way of Hagra. And he said, Hagar handmaid of Sara, whence comest thou, and whither art thou going? And she said, From before Sara my mistress do I escape. And the Angel of the Lord said to her, Return to thy mistress and be subject[16] under her hand. And the Angel of the Lord said to her: Multiplying I will multiply thy sons, and they shall not be numbered for multitude. And the Angel of the Lord said to her, Behold, thou hast conceived, and shalt give birth to a son, and thou shalt call his name Yishmael, because the Lord hath heard thy prayer. And he will be untameable by man, and he will be needy to every one, and also all men will be needy to him, and before the face of all his brethren will he dwell. And she prayed in the Name of the Lord who had spoken with her; and she said: Thou art Eloha, seeing all:[17] for she said, I also have begun to see after that He hath been revealed to me. Therefore she called the name of the well, The well at which appeared the Angel of the Covenant: behold, it is between Rekam and Hagra. And Hagar bare to Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bare Yishmael. And Abram was son of eighty and six years when Hagar bare Yishmael unto Abram.

 

XVII. And Abram was son of ninety and nine years: and the Lord was revealed to Abram, and said to him, I am EI‑shadai ;[18] serve before Me, and be perfect;[19] I and I will set a covenant between My Word and thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly much. And Abram fell on his face: and the Lord spake with him, saying, Behold, I have dedicated My covenant with thee, and thou shalt be the father of many peoples, and thy name shall no more be called Abram; but thy name shall be Abraham, because the father of many peoples have I appointed (given) thee. And I will spread thee abroad very greatly, and I will appoint to thee that assemblies and kings who shall rule the peoples, from thee shall come forth. And I will establish My covenant between My Word and thee, and thy sons after thee unto perpetual generations, to be unto thee a God, and to thy sons after thee. And I will give to thee and to thy sons after thee the land of thy habitation, all the land of Kenaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be unto them Eloha. And the Lord said to Abraham, And thou My covenant shalt keep, thou and thy sons after thee in their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep between My Word and you and thy sons after thee, to circumcise every male that is among you. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between My Word and you. And the son of eight days shall be circumcised among you; every male in your generations, born in the house, or bought with money, of every son of the peoples, who is not of thy sons, circumcising you shall circumcise the one born in the house, and him bought with money; and it shall be My covenant in your flesh for a covenant for ever. And the male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man shall perish from the people (because) he hath made void My covenant.

 

And the Lord said to Abraham, The name of Sara thy wife shall not be called Sara, for Sarah shall be her name: and I will bless her, and I will also give thee a son from her; and I will bless her, and assemblies and kings which have dominion over peoples from her shall be. And Abraham fell upon his face and rejoiced, and said in his heart, Will the son of a hundred years have a child, and Sarah the daughter of ninety years bring forth? And Abraham said before the Lord, O that Yishmael may be established before thee! And the Lord said, In verity Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Izhak; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant to his sons after him. And concerning Yishmael I have accepted thy prayer. Behold, I have blessed him, and I will spread him abroad very greatly. Twelve princes will he beget, and I will set him (as) a great people. But My covenant I will establish with Izhak, whom Sarah shall bear to thee, at this time, in the year following. And when He had ended to speak with him, the Glory of the Lord[20] ascended up from Abraham. And Abraham took Yishmael his son, and every one born in his house, and every one bought with his money, every male, the men of the house of Abraham, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in that very same day when the Lord had spoken with him. And Abraham was son of ninety and nine years, when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin. And Yishmael his son was son of thirteen years, when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. In that same day Abraham was circumcised, and Yishmael his son, and all the men of his house, (whether) born in his house, or bought with money from the sons of the Gentiles, were circumcised with him.

 

 

[1] Sam. Ver. "unto the city of Shekam."

[1] Sam. Vers. "the plain or valley of vision."

[1] Sam. Vers. "between Beth-chaila and Kaphrah."

[1] Peschito Syr. 'And Abraham dwelt among the oak groves of Mare Amuroyo, which is Hebron."

[1] Sam. Ver. "Haphinith."

[1] Sam. Ver. "Thidal, king-shultan of the Chaimai."

[1] Sam. Ver. "Phoga."

[1] Sam. Ver. Malek Shalem.

[1] Sam. Ver. "And he was Kohen of the Most Mighty."

[1] Sam. Vers. "the Most Mighty, who, a shield, hath delivered," &c.

[1] The Sam. has also benabia, "in prophecy."

[1] Sam. Vers. chalipik, "thy successors."

[1] Sam. Vers. "gathered.'

[1] Sam. Vers. "the river of Shalmah."

[1] Sam. Vers "oppression."

[1] Sam. Vers. "humble thyself."

[1] Sam. Vers. Ath chiulah chezuah, "Thou the Mighty seest." The Syriac has, "Thou art Aloha in vision."

[1] Sam. Vers. Anah Chiulah Sapukah, "I am the Mighty, the Sufficient." Syr. El Shadai Aloha.

[1] Shelim.

[1] Sam. Vers. "the Angel of the Lord."