Abraha toke h[~i] another wyfe cald Ketura/ which bare h[~i] Simram/
Iacksan/ Medan/ Midia Iesback & Suah. And Iacksan begat Seba & Deda.
And the sonnes of Dedan were Assurim/ Letusim & Leumim. And the sonnes
of Midian were Epha/ Epher/ Hanoch/ Abida & Elda. All these were the
childern of Kethura. But Abraha gaue all that he had vnto Isaac. And
vnto the sonnes of his concubines he gaue giftes/ and sent them awaye
from Isaac his sonne (while he yet lyved) east ward/ vnto the east
contre.
These are the dayes of the life of Abraha which he lyved: an h[~u]dred
& .lxxv. yere and than fell seke ad dyed/ in a lustie age (wh[~e] he
had lyved ynough) ad was put vnto his people. And his sonnes Isaac ad
Ismael buried him in the duble caue in the feld of Ephro sone of Zoar
the Hethite before Mamre. Which felde abraha boughte of the sonnes of
Heth: There was Abraha buried and Sara hys wyfe. And after y^e deeth
of Abraha God blessed Isaac his sonne which dweld by the well of the
lyv[~i]nge & se[~i]ge
These are the generatios of Ismael Abrahas sonne/ which Hagar the
Egiptia Saras hand mayde bare vnto Abraham. And these are the names of
the sones of Ismaell/ with their names in their k[~i]reddes. The
eldest sone of Ismael Neuatoth/ th[~e] Kedar/ Adbeel/ Mibsa/ Misma
Duma/ Masa/ Hadar/ Thema/ Ietur/ Naphis & Kedma. These are the sones
of Ismael/ and these are their names/ in their townes and castels
.xij. princes of natios. And these are the yeres of the lyfe of
Ismael: an h[~u]dred and .xxxvij yere/ & than he fell seke & dyed &
was layde vnto his people. And he dweld from Euila vnto Sur y^t is
before Egypte/ as men go toward the Assirias. And he dyed in the
presence of all his brethren.
And these are the generatios of Isaac Abrahas sonne: Abraha begat
Isaac. And Isaac was .xl. yere olde wh[~e] he toke Rebecca to wyfe the
doughter of Bethuel the Sirian of Mesopotamia & sister to Iaban the
Sirian.
And Isaac made intercessio vnto y^e LORde for his wife: because she
was bar[~e]: and y^e LORde was [~i]treated of h[~i]/ and Rebecca his
wife coceaued: and y^e childern stroue together with[~i] her. th[~e]
she sayde: yf it shulde goo so to passe/ what helpeth it y^t I am with
childe? And she went & axed y^e LORde. And y^e LORde sayde vnto her
there are .ij. maner of people in thi wombe and ij. nations shall
springe out of thy bowels/ and the one nation shalbe myghtier than
the other/ and the eldest shalbe servaunte vnto the yonger.
And wh[~e] hir tyme was come to be delyuered beholde: there were .ij.
twyns in hir wobe. And he that came out first/ was redde & rough ouer
all as it were an hyde: and they called his name Esau. And after ward
his brother came out & his hande holdynge Esau by the hele. Wherfore
his name was called Iacob. And Isaac was .lx. yere olde wh[~e] she
bare th[~e]: and the boyes grewe/ and Esau bcame a conynge hunter & a
tyllman. But Iacob was a simple man & dwelled in the tentes. Isaac
loved Esau because he dyd eate of his venyso/ but Rebecca loued Iacob.
Iacob sod potage & Esau came from the feld & was fa[~i]tte/ & sayd to
Iacob: let me syppe of y^t redde potage/ for I am fayntte. And
therfore was his name called Edom. And Iacob sayde: sell me this daye
thy byrthrighte. And Esau answered: Loo I am at the poynte to dye/ and
what profit shall this byrthrighte do me? And Iacob sayde/ swere to me
then this daye. And he swore to him & sold his byrthrighte vnto Iacob.
Than Iacob gaue Esau brede & potage of redde ryse. And he ate & dronke
& rose vp and went his waye. And so Esau regarded not his byrthrighte.
The .xxvi. Chapter.
And there fell a derth in y^e lande/ passinge the first derth y^t fell
in the dayes of Abraham. Wherfore Isaac went vnto Abimelech kinge of
y^e Philistias vnto Gerar. Th[~e] the LORde apeared vnto him & sayde
goo not doune in to Egipte/ but byde in y^e land which I saye vnto
y^e: Sogeorne in this lade/ & I wyll be with y^e & wyll blesse y^e:
for vnto the & vnto thy sede I will geue all these cotreis And I will
performe the oothe which I swore vnto Abraha thy father/ & will
multiplye thy seed as y^e starres of heav[~e]/ & will geue vnto thy
seed all these contreis. And thorow thy seed shall all the natios of
the erth be blessed/ because y^t Abraha harkened vnto mi voyce & kepte
mine ordina[~u]ces/ coma[~u]dm[~e]tes/ statutes & lawes
And Isaac dwelled in Gerar. And y^e m[~e] of the place asked h[~i] of
his wife/ & he sayde y^t she was his sister: for he feared to calle
her his wife lest the m[~e] of the place shulde haue kylled hym for
hir sake/ because she was bewtyfull to y^e eye. And it happened after
he had bene there longe tyme/ y^t Abimelech kinge of y^e Philistias
loked out at a wyndow & sawe Isaac sportinge with Rebecca his wife.
And Abimelech sende for Isaac & sayde: se/ she is of a suertie thi
wife/ and why saydest thou y^t she was thi sister? And Isaac saide
vnto h[~i]: I thought y^t I mighte peradventure haue dyed for hir
sake. Th[~e] sayde Abimelech: whi hast thou done this vnto vs? one of
y^e people myght lightely haue lyne by thy wife & so shuldest thou
haue broughte synne vpon vs Tha Abimelech charged all his people
saynge: he y^t toucheth this man or his wife/ shall surely dye for it.
And Isaac sowed in y^e lade/ & founde in y^e same yere an h[~u]dred
bushels: for y^e LORde blessed h[~i]/ & the man waxed mightye/ &
w[~e]t forth & grewe till he was exceadinge great/ y^t he had
possessio of shepe/ of ox[~e] & a myghtie housholde: so y^t the
Philestians had envy at him: In so moch y^t they stopped & fylled vp
with erth/ all the welles which his fathers servauntes dygged in his
father Abrahams tyme. Than sayde Abimelech vnto Isaac: gett the fro
me/ for thou art myghtier then we a greate deale.
Than Isaac departed thense & pitched his tente in the valey Gerar &
dwelt there. And Isaac digged agayne/ the welles of water which they
dygged in the dayes of Abraha his father which the Philestias had
stoppe after y^e deth of Abraha/ & gaue th[~e] the same names which
hys father gaue th[~e]. As Isaacs serua[~u]tes dygged in the valey/
they founde a well of springynge water. And the herdm[~e] of Gerar dyd
stryue with Isaacs herdm[~e] saynge: the water is oures Than called he
the well Eseck because they stroue with hym.
Than dygged they another well/ & they stroue for y^t also. Therfore
called he it Sitena. And than he departed th[~e]se & dygged a nother
well for the which they stroue not: therfore called he it Rehoboth
sa[~i]ge: y^e LORde hath now made vs rowme & we are encreased vpo the
erth. Afterward departed he th[~e]ce & came to Berseba
And the LORde apered vnto h[~i] the same nyghte & sayde. I am the God
of Abraha thy father/ feare not for I am with the & will blesse
the & multiplye thy sede for my serua[~u]te Abrahams sake. And than he
buylded an aulter there and called vpo the name of the LORde/ & there
pitched his tente. And there Isaacs servauntes dygged a well.
Than came Abimelech to him fro Gerar & Ahusath his frende and Phicol
his chefe captayne. And Isaac sayde vnto th[~e]: wherfore come ye to
me/ se[~i]ge ye hate me & haue put me awaye fro you? Than sayde they:
we sawe that the LORde was with the/ and therfore we sayde that there
shulde be an oothe betwixte vs ad the/ & that we wolde make a bonde
with the: y^t thou shuldeste do vs no hurte/ as we haue not touched
the and haue done vnto the nothinge but good/ and s[~e]d the awaye in
peace: for thou art now the blessed of the LORde. And he made th[~e] a
feast/ and they ate ad droke. And they rose vp by tymes in the
mornynge and sware one to another. And Isaac sent th[~e] awaye. And
they departed from him in peace.
And y^t same daye came Isaacs serva[~u]tes & tolde h[~i] of a well
which they had dygged: & sayde vnto h[~i]/ that thei had founde water.
And he called it Seba/ wherfore the name of the cyte is called Berseba
vnto this daye.
The .xxvij. Chapter.
When Esau was .xl. yere olde/ he toke to wyfe Iudith the doughter of
Bery an Hethite/ and Basmath the doughter of Elon an Hethite also/
which were dishobedient vnto Isaac and Rebecca. And it came to passe
that Isaac wexed olde & his eyes were dymme/ so that he coude nat see.
Tha called he Esau his eldest sonne & sayde vnto him: mi sonne. And he
sayde vnto hym: heare am I. And he sayde: beholde/ I am olde ad knowe
not the daye of mi deth: Now therfore take thi weap[~e]s/ thy quiver &
thi bowe/ & gett the to the feldes & take me some venyson & make me
meate such as I loue/ & brynge it me & let me eat that my soull may
blesse the before that I dye:
But Rebecca hard wh[~e] Isaac spake to Esau his sonne. And as soone as
Esau was gone to the felde to catche venyson & to br[~i]ge it/ she
spake vnto Iacob hir sonne sainge: Behold I haue herde thi father
talkinge with Esau thy brother & saynge: bringe me venyson & make me
meate that I maye eate & blesse the before the LORde yer I dye. Now
therfore my sonne heare my voyce in that which I comaunde the: gett
the to the flocke/ & bringe me th[~e]ce .ij. good kiddes/ & I will
make meate of th[~e] for thi father/ soch as he loueth. And thou shalt
br[~i]ge it to thi father & he shal eate/ y^t he maye blysse the
before his deth
Than sayde Iacob to Rebecca his mother. Beholde Esau mi brother is
rugh & I am smooth. Mi father shal peradu[~e]ture fele me/ ad I shal
seme vnto h[~i] as though I w[~e]t aboute to begyle h[~i]/ & so shall
he br[~i]ge a curse vpo me & not a bless[~i]ge: & his mother saide
vnto him. Vppo me be thi curse my sonne/ only heare my voyce & goo and
fetch me them. And Iacob went ad fett them and brought them to his
mother.
And his mother made meate of them accordinge as his father loued And
she went and fett goodly rayment of her eldest sonne Esau which she
had in the house with hir/ and put them vpon Iacob hir yongest sonne/
ad she put the skynnes vpon his hades & apon the smooth of his necke.
And she put y^e meate & brede which she had made in the hode of hir
sonne Iacob
And he went in to his father saynge: my father/ And he aswered: here
am I/ who are thou my sonne? And Iacob sayde vnto his father: I am
Esau thy eldest sonne/ I haue done acordinge as thou baddest me/ vp
and sytt and eate of my venyson/ that thi soule maye blesse me. But
Isaac sayde vnto his sonne. How cometh it that thou hast fownde it so
quicly my sonne? He answered: The LORde thy god brought it to my
hande. Than sayde Isaac vnto Iacob: come nere and let me fele the my
sonne/ whether thou be my sonne Esau or not. Than went Iacob to Isaac
his father/ & he felt him & sayde the voyce is Iacobs voyce/ but the
hades ar y^e hades of Esau. And he knewe him not/ because his handes
were rough as his brother Esaus handes: And so he blessed him.
And he axed him/ art thou my sonne Esau? And he sayde: that I am. Than
sayde he: brynge me and let me eate of my sonnes venyson/ that my
soule maye blesse the. And he broughte him/ and he ate. And he
broughte him wyne also/ and he dranke. And his father Isaac sayde
vnto him: come nere and kysse me my sonne. And he w[~e]t to him &
kissed him. And he smelled y^e sauoure of his raym[~e]t & blessed
h[~i] & sayde See/ y^e smell of my sone is as y^e smell of a feld
which the lorde hath blessed. God geue the of y^e dewe of heav[~e] &
of the fatnesse of the erth and pl[~e]tie of corne & wyne. People be
thy servauntes & natios bowe vnto the. Be lorde ouer thy brethr[~e]/
and thy mothers children stoupe vnto the. Cursed be he y^t curseth
the/ & blessed be he that blesseth the.
As soone as Isaac had made an end of bless[~i]g/ Iacob and Iacob was
scace gone out fro the preasence of Isaac his father: then came Esau
his brother fro his huntynge: And had made also meate/ and brought it
in vnto his father & sayde vnto him: Aryse my father & eate of thy
sonnes venyson/ that thy soule may blesse me. Tha his father Isaac
sayde vnto him. Who art thou? he answered I am thy eldest sonne Esau.
And Isaac was greatly astoyned out of mesure and sayde: Where is he
then that hath h[~u]ted venyson and broughte it me/ and I haue eaten
of all before thou camest/ and haue blessed him/ ad he shall be
blessed styll. Wh[~e] Esau herde the wordes of his father/ he cryed
out greatly & bitterly aboue mesure/ and sayde vnto his father: blesse
me also my father. And he sayde thy brother came with subtilte/ ad
hath tak[~e] awaye thy blessynge. Then sayde he: He maye well be
called Iacob/ for he hath vndermyned me now .ij. tymes/ fyrst he toke
awaye my byrthrighte: and se/ now hath he taken awaye my blessynge
also. And he sayde/ hast thou kepte neuer a blessynge for me?
Isaac answered and sayde vnto Esau: beholde I haue made him thi LORde
& all his mothers childern haue I made his seruauntes. Moreouer wyth
corne ad wyne haue I stablesshed him/ what ca I do vnto the now my
sonne? And Esau sayde vnto his father: hast thou but y^t one blessynge
my father? blesse me also my father: so lyfted vp Esau his voyce &
wepte Tha Isaac his father answered & sayde vnto him
Beholde thy dwellynge place shall haue of the fatnesse of the erth/ &
of the dewe of heauen fro aboue. And wyth thy swerde shalt thou lyue
and shalt be thy brothers seruaunte But the tyme will come/ when thou
shalt gett the mastrye/ and lowse his yocke from of thy necke.
And Esau hated Iacob because of the blessynge y^t his father blessed
him with all/ & sayde in his harte: The dayes of my fathers sorowe are
at hade/ for I will sley my brother Iacob. And these wordes of Esau
hir eldest sonne/ were told to Rebecca. And she sente ad called Iacob
hir yongest sonne/ and sayde vnto h[~i]: beholde thy brother Esau
threatneth to kyll the: Now therfore my sone heare my voyce/ make the
redie & flee to Laba my brother at Haran And tarie with him a while/
vntill thy brothers fearsnes be swaged/ and vntill thy brothers wrath
turne away from the/ and he forgett that which thou hast done to him.
Tha will I sende and fett the awaye from thence. Why shulde I lose you
both in one daye.
And Rebecca spake to Isaac: I am wery of my life/ for feare of the
doughters of Heth. Yf Iacob take a wife of the doughters of Heth/ soch
one as these are/ or of the doughters of the lande/ what lust shulde I
haue to lyue.
¶ The .xxviij. Chapter.
Than Isaac called Iacob his sonne and blessed him/ ad charged him and
sayde vnto him: se thou take not a wife of the doughters of Canaan/
but aryse ad gett the to Mesopotamia of the house of Bethuel thy
mothers father: and there take the a wife of the doughters of Laban
thi mothers brother. And God allmightie blesse the/ increase the and
multiplie the that thou mayst be a nombre of people/ and geue the the
blessynge of Abraham: both to the and to thy seed with the that thou
mayst possesse the lade (wherein thou art a strangere) which God gaue
vnto Abraham. Thus Isaac sent forth Iacob/ to goo to Mesopotamia vnto
Laban/ sonne of Bethuel the Sirien/ and brother to Rebecca Iacobs &
Esaus mother.
When Esau sawe that Isaac had blessed Iacob/ and sent him to
Mesopotamia/ to fett him a wife thence/ and that/ as he blessed him
he gaue him a charge saynge: se thou take not a wife of the doughters
of Canaan: and that Iacob had obeyed his father and mother/ & was gone
vnto Mesopotamia: and seynge also that the doughters of Canaan pleased
not Isaac his father: Then went he vnto Ismael/ and toke vnto the
wiues which he had/ Mahala the doughter of Ismael Abrahams sonne/ the
sister of Nabaioth to be his wife.
Iacob departed from Berseba and went toward Haran/ and came vnto a
place and taried there all nyghte/ because the sonne was downe. And
toke a stone of the place/ and put it vnder his heade/ and layde him
downe in the same place to slepe. And he dreamed: and beholde there
stode a ladder apon the erth/ and the topp of it reached vpp to
heau[~e]. And se/ the angells of God went vp and downe apon it/ yee ad
the LORde stode apon it and sayde.
I am the LORde God of Abraham thi father and the God of Isaac: The
londe which thou slepest apon will I geue the and thy seed. And thy
seed shalbe as the dust of the erth: And thou shalt spreade abrode:
west/ east/ north and south. And thorow the and thy seed shall all the
kynreddes of the erth be blessed. And se I am with the/ and wylbe thy
keper in all places whother thou goost/ & wyll brynge y^e agayne in to
this lande: Nether will I leaue the vntill I haue made good/ all that
I haue promysed the.
When Iacob was awaked out of his slepe/ he sayde: surely the LORde is
in this place/ ad I was not aware. And he was afrayde & sayde how
fearfull is this place? it is none other/ but euen the house of God
and the gate of heau[~e]. And Iacob stode vp early in the mornynge and
toke the stone that he had layde vnder his heade/ and pitched it vp an
ende and poured oyle on the topp of it. And he called the name of the
place Bethell/ for in dede the name of the citie was called Lus before
tyme.
And Iacob vowed a vowe saynge: Yf God will be with me and wyll kepe me
in this iourney which I goo and will geue me bread to eate and
cloothes to put on/ so that I come agayne vnto my fathers house in
saftie: then shall the LORde be my God/ and this stone which I haue
sett vp an ende/ shalbe godes house/ And of all that thou shalt geue
me/ will I geue the tenth vnto the.
¶ The .xxix. Chapter.
Then Iacob lyfte vp his fete & w[~e]t toward the east countre. And as
he loked aboute/ behold there was a well in the feld/ and .iij.
flockes of shepe laye therby (for at that well were the flockes
watered) & there laye a great stone at the well mouth And the maner
was to brynge the flockes thyther/ & to roull the stone fro the welles
mouth and to water the shepe/ and to put the stone agayne vppon the
wells mouth vnto his place.
And Iacob sayde vnto th[~e]: brethern/ wh[~e]ce be ye? and they sayde:
of Haran ar we. And he sayde vnto th[~e]: knowe ye Laban the sonne of
Nahor. And they sayde: we knowe him. And he sayde vnto th[~e]: is he
in good health? And they sayde: he is in good health: and beholde/ his
doughter Rahel cometh with y^e shepe. And he sayde: lo/ it is yet a
great whyle to nyghte/ nether is it tyme y^t the catell shulde be
gathered together: water the shepe and goo and fede th[~e]. And they
sayde: we maye not/ vntill all y^e flockes be brought together & the
stone be roulled fro the wells mouth/ and so we water oure shepe.
Whyle he yet talked with th[~e]/ Rahel came with hir fathers shepe/
for she kepte them. As soone As Iacob sawe Rahel/ the doughter of
Laban his mothers brother/ and the shepe of Laban his mothers brother/
he went and rowled the stone fro the wells mouth/ and watered the
shepe of Laba his mothers brother And Iacob kyssed Rahel/ and lyfte vp
his voyce and wepte: and tolde her also y^t he was hir fathers brother
and Rebeccas sonne. Th[~e] Rahel ranne and tolde hir father.
When Laban herd tell of Iacob his sisters sonne/ he ranne agaynst him
and enbraced h[~i] & kyssed him ad broughte him in to his house. And
th[~e] Iacob told Laba all y^e matter And th[~e] Laba sayde: well/
thou art my bone & my flesh. Abyde with me the space of a moneth. And
afterward Laban sayd vnto Iacob: though thou be my brother/ shuldest
thou therfore serue me for nought? tell me what shall thi wages be?
And Laban had .ij. doughters/ the eldest called Lea and the yongest
Rahel. Lea was tender eyed: But Rahel was bewtifull ad well fauored.
And Iacob loued her well/ and sayde: I will serue the .vij. yere for
Rahel thy yongest doughter. And Laban answered: it is better y^t I
geue her the/ than to another man: byde therfore with me.
And Iacob serued .vij. yeres for Rahel/ and they semed vnto him but a
fewe dayes/ for the loue he had to her. And Iacob sayde vnto Laban/
geue me my wife/ that I maye lye with hir For the tyme appoynted me is
come.
Than Laban bade all the men of that place/ and made a feast. And when
eu[~e] was come/ he toke Lea his doughter and broughte her to him and
he went in vnto her. And Laban gaue vnto his doughter Lea/ Zilpha his
mayde/ to be hir seruaunte.
And when the mornynge was come/ beholde it was Lea. Than sayde he to
Laban: wherfore hast thou played thus with me? dyd not I serue the for
Rahel/ wherfore than hast thou begyled me? Laban answered: it is not
the maner of this place/ to marre the yongest before the eldest. Passe
out this weke/ & tha shall this also be geven the for y^e seruyce
which thou shalt serue me yet .vij. yeres more. And Iacob dyd eu[~e]
so/ and passed out that weke/ & than he gaue h[~i] Rahel his doughter
to wyfe also. And Laban gaue to Rahel his doughter/ Bilha his
handmayde to be hir serva[~u]te. So laye he by Rahel also/ and loved
Rahel more than Lea/ and serued him yet .vij. yeres more.
When the LORde sawe that Lea was despised/ he made her frutefull: but
Rahel was baren. And Lea conceaued and bare a sonne/ ad called his
name Rub[~e]/ for she sayde: the LORde hath loked apon my tribulation.
And now my husbonde will loue me. And she conceaued agayne and bare a
sonne/ and sayde: the LORde hath herde that I am despised/ ad hath
therfore geuen me this sonne also/ and she called him Simeon. And she
conceaued yet and bare a sonne/ ad sayde: now this once will my
husbonde kepe me company/ because I haue borne him .iij. sonnes: and
therfore she called his name Levi. And she conceaued yet agayne/ and
bare a sonne saynge: Now will I prayse the LORde: therfore she called
his name Iuda/ and left bearynge.
¶ The .xxx. Chapter
When Rahel sawe that she bare Iacob no childern/ she enuied hir sister
& sayde vnto Iacob: geue me childern/ or ells I am but deed. Than was
Iacob wrooth with Rahel saynge: Am I in godes steade which kepeth fro
the the frute of thi wobe? Th[~e] she sayde: here is my mayde Bilha:
go in vnto her/ that she maye beare vpo my lappe/ that I maye be
encreased by her. And she gaue him Bilha hir hadmayde to wife. And
Iacob w[~e]t in vnto her/ And Bilha conceaued and bare Iacob a sonne.
Than sayde Rahel. God hath geuen sent[~e]ce on my syde/ and hath also
herde my voyce/ and hath geuen me a sonne. Therfore called she him
Dan. And Bilha Rahels mayde coceaued agayne and bare Iacob a nother
sonne. And Rahel sayde. God is turned/ and I haue made a chaunge with
my sister/ & haue got[~e] y^e vpper hade. And she called his name
Nepthali
Wh[~e] Lea sawe that she had left bearinge/ she toke Silpha hir mayde
and gaue her Iacob to wiffe. And Silpha Leas mayde bare Iacob a sonne.
Than sayde Lea: good lucke: and called his name Gad. And Silpha Leas
mayde bare Iacob an other sonne. Tha sayd Lea: happy am I/ for the
doughters will call me blessed. And called his name Asser.
And Rub[~e] w[~e]t out in the wheat haruest & fo[~u]de mandragoras in
the feldes/ and brought th[~e] vnto his mother Lea. Than sayde Rahel
to Lea geue me of thy sonnes madragoras. And Lea answered: is it not
ynough/ y^t thou hast tak[~e] awaye my housbode/ but woldest take
awaye my sonnes mandragoras also? Than sayde Rahel well/ let him slepe
with the this nyghte/ for thy sonnes mandragoras. And wh[~e] Iacob
came from the feldes at euen/ Lea went out to mete him/ & sayde: come
in to me/ for I haue bought the with my sonnes mandragoras.
And he slepte with her that nyghte. And God herde Lea/ y^t she
coceaved and bare vnto Iacob y^e .v. sonne. Than sayde Lea. God hath
geu[~e] me my rewarde/ because I gaue my mayd[~e] to my housbod/ and
she called him Isachar. And Lea coceaued yet agayne and bare Iacob the
sexte sonne. Than sayde she: God hath endowed me with a good dowry.
Now will my housbond dwell with me/ because I haue borne him .vi.
sonnes: and called his name Zabulo. After that she bare a daughter and
called her Dina.
And God rem[~e]bred Rahel/ herde her/ and made her frutefull: so that
she coceaued and bare a sonne and sayde God hath tak[~e] awaye my
rebuke. And she called his name Ioseph saynge The lorde geue me yet
another sonne.
As soone as Rahel had borne Ioseph/ Iacob sayde to Laban: S[~e]de me
awaye y^t I maye goo vnto myne awne place and c[~u]tre/ geue me my
wives and my childern for whome I haue serued the/ and let me goo: for
thou knowest what seruyce I haue done the. Than sayde Laban vnto
h[~i]: If I haue fownde fauoure in thy syghte (for I suppose y^t the
LORde hath blessed me for thy sake) appoynte what thy rewarde shalbe/
and I will geue it y^e. But he sayde vnto hym/ thou knowest what
seruyce I haue done y^e/ & in what takynge thy catell haue bene vnder
me: for it was but litle that thou haddest before I came/ and now it
is encreased in to a multitude/ and the LORDE hath blessed the for my
sake. But now when shall I make provysion for myne awne house also?
And he sayde: what shall I geue the? And Iacob answerd: thou shalt
geue me nothinge at all/ yf thou wilt do this one thinge for me: And
then will I turne agayne & fede thy shepe and kepe them.
I will go aboute all thy shepe this daye/ and separate fro th[~e] all
the shepe that are spotted and of dyverse coloures/ and all blacke
shepe amonge the lambes and the partie and spotted amonge the kyddes:
And then such shalbe my rewarde. So shall my rightwesnes answere for
me: when the tyme commeth that I shall receaue my rewarde of the: So
that what soeuer is not speckeld and partie amonge the gootes and
blacke amonge the lambes/ let that be theft with me.
Than sayde Laban: loo/ I am cont[~e]te/ that it be acordinge as thou
hast sayde. And he toke out that same daye the he gootes that were
partie & of dyuerse coloures/ & all the she gootes that were spotted
and partie coloured/ & all that had whyte in th[~e]/ & all the blacke
amonge the lambes: ad put th[~e] in the kepinge of his sonnes/ & sett
thre dayes iourney betwixte h[~i]selfe & Iacob. And so Iacob kepte y^e
rest of Labas shepe.
Iacob toke roddes of grene popular/ hasell/ & of chestnottrees/ &
pilled whyte strakes in th[~e] & made the white apere in the staues:
And he put the staues which he had pilled/ eu[~e] before y^e shepe/
in the gutters & watrynge troughes/ wh[~e] the shepe came to
drynke: y^t they shulde coceaue wh[~e] they came to drynke. And the
shepe coceaued before the staues & brought forth straked/ spotted &
partie. Th[~e] Iacob parted the labes/ & turned the faces of the shepe
toward spotted thinges/ & toward allmaner of blacke thinges thorow out
the flockes of Laba. And he made him flockes of his owne by th[~e]
selfe/ which he put not vnto the flockes of Laba. And allwaye in the
first buckinge tyme of the shepe/ Iacob put the staues before the
shepe in the gutters/ y^t they myghte conceaue before the staues/ But
in the latter buckynge tyme/ he put them not there: so the last brode
was Labas and the first Iacobs. And the man became excedynge ryche &
had many shepe/ maydeseruauntes/ menseruauntes/ camels & asses.
¶ The .xxxi. Chapter.
And Iacob herde the wordes of Labas sonnes how they sayde: Iacob hath
tak[~e] awaye all that was oure fathers/ and of oure fathers goodes/
hath he got[~e] all this honoure. And Iacob behelde the countena[~u]ce
of Laban/ that it was not toward him as it was in tymes past.
And the LORde sayde vnto Iacob: turne agayne in to the lade of thy
fathers & to thy kynred/ & I wilbe with y^e. Tha Iacob sent & called
Rahel & Lea to the felde vnto his shepe/ & sayde vnto th[~e]: I se
youre fathers countena[~u]ce y^t it is not toward me as in tymes past.
Morouer y^e God of my father hath bene with me. And ye knowe how that
I haue serued youre father with all my myghte. And youre father hath
disceaued me & chaunged my wages .x. tymes: But God suffred him not to
hurte me. When he sayde the spotted shalbe thy wages/ tha all the
shepe bare spotted. Yf he sayde the straked shalbe thi rewarde/ tha
bare all the shepe straked: thus hath God tak[~e] awaye youre fathers
catell & geu[~e] th[~e] me. For in buckynge tyme/ I lifted vp myne
eyes and sawe in a dreame: and beholde/ the rammes that bucked the
shepe were straked/ spotted and partie. And the angell of God spake
vnto me in a dreame saynge: Iacob. And I answered: here am I. And he
sayde: lyfte vp thyne eyes ad see/ how all the rames that leape vpon
the shepe are straked/ spotted and partie: for I haue sene all
that Laban doth vnto y^e. I am y^e god of Bethell where thou
anoynteddest the stone ad where thou vowdest a vowe vnto me. Now aryse
and gett the out of this countre/ ad returne vnto the lade/ where thou
wast borne. Than answered Rahel & Lea & sayde vnto him: we haue no
parte nor enheritaunce in oure fathers house he cownteth us eu[~e] as
straungers/ for he hath solde vs/ and hath euen eaten vp the price of
vs. Moreouer all the riches which God hath tak[~e] from oure father/
that is oures and oure childerns. Now therfore what soeuer God hath
sayde vnto the/ that doo. Tha Iacob rose vp & sett his sones and wiues
vp vpon camels/ and caried away all his catell & all his substace
which he had gott[~e] in Mesopotamia/ for to goo to Isaac his father
vnto the lade of Canaan. Laba was gone to shere his shepe/ & Rahel had
stoll[~e] hir fathers ymages. And Iacob went awaye vnknowynge to Laban
the Siri[~e]/ & tolde him not y^t he fled. So fled he & all y^t he
had/ & made him self redy/ & passed ouer the ryuers/ and sett his face
streyght towarde the mounte Gilead.
Apo the thirde day after/ was it tolde Laba y^t Iacob was fled. Tha he
toke his brethr[~e] with him and folowed after him .vij. dayes iourney
and ouer toke him at the mounte Gilead. And God came to Laba the Siria
in a dreame by nighte/ and sayde vnto him: take hede to thi selfe/
that thou speake not to Iacob oughte save good. And Laba ouer toke
Iacob: and Iacob had pitched his t[~e]te in y^t mounte. And Laban with
his brethern pitched their t[~e]te also apon the mounte Gilead. Than
sayde Laba to Iacob: why hast thou this done vnknowynge to me/ and
hast caried awaye my doughters as though they had bene tak[~e] captyue
with swerde? Wherfore wentest thou awaye secretly vnknowne to me &
didest not tell me/ y^t I myghte haue broughte y^e on the waye with
myrth/ syngynge/ tymrells and harppes/ and hast not suffred me to
kysse my childern & my doughters. Thou wast a fole to do it/ for I am
able to do you evell. But the God of youre father spake vnto me
yesterdaye saynge take hede tha thou speake not to Iacob oughte saue
goode. And now though thou w[~e]test thi waye because thou logest
after thi fathers house/ yet wherfore hast thou stollen my goddes?
Iacob answerd & sayde to Laba: because I was afrayed/ & thought that
thou woldest haue tak[~e] awaye thy doughters fro me. But with whome
soeuer thou fyndest thy goddes/ let him dye here before oure
brethr[~e]. Seke that thine is by me/ & take it to the: for Iacob wist
not that Rahel had stoll[~e] th[~e]. Tha w[~e]t Laba in to Iacobs
t[~e]te/ & in to Leas t[~e]te/ & in to .ij. maydens tentes: but fownde
th[~e] not. Tha w[~e]t he out of Leas t[~e]te/ & entred in to Rahels
t[~e]te. And Rahel toke the ymages/ & put them in the camels strawe &
sate doune apo th[~e]. And Laba serched all the t[~e]te: but fownde
th[~e] not. Tha sayde she to hir father: my lorde/ be not angrye y^t I
ca not ryse vp before the/ for the disease of wem[~e] is come apon me.
So searched he/ but fo[~u]de th[~e] not.
Iacob was wrooth & chode with Laba: Iacob also answered and sayde to
him: what haue I trespaced or what haue I offended/ that thou
foloweddest after me? Thou hast searched all my stuffe/ and what hast
thou founde of all thy housholde stuffe? put it here before thi
brethern & myne/ & let th[~e] iudge betwyxte vs both. This xx. yere
y^t I haue bene wyth the/ thy shepe and thy gootes haue not bene
baren/ and the rammes of thi flocke haue I not eat[~e]. What soeuer
was torne of beastes I broughte it not vnto y^e/ but made it good my
silf: of my hade dydest thou requyre it/ whether it was stollen by
daye or nyghte Moreouer by daye the hete consumed me/ and the colde by
nyghte/ and my slepe departed fro myne eyes.
Thus haue I bene .xx. yere in thi house/ and serued the .xiiij. yeres
for thy .ij. doughters/ and vi. yere for thi shepe/ and thou hast
changed my rewarde .x. tymes. And excepte the God of my father/ the
God of Abraha and the God whome Isaac feareth/ had bene with me:
surely thou haddest sent me awaye now all emptie. But God behelde my
tribulation/ and the laboure of my handes: and rebuked the yester
daye.
Laban answered ad sayde vnto Iacob: the doughters are my doughters/
and the childern ar my childern/ and the shepe are my shepe/ ad all
that thou seist is myne. And what can I do this daye vnto these my
doughters/ or vnto their childern which they haue borne? Now therfore
come on/ let us make a bonde/ I and thou together/ and let it be a
wytnesse betwene the & me. Than toke Iacob a stone and sett it vp an
ende/ ad sayde vnto his brethern/ gather stoones And they toke stoones
ad made an heape/ and they ate there/ vpo the heape. And Laba called
it Iegar Sahadutha/ but Iacob called it Gylead.
Than sayde Laban: this heape be witnesse betwene the and me this daye
(therfore is it called Gilead) and this totehill which the lorde
seeth (sayde he) be wytnesse betwene me and the when we are departed
one from a nother: that thou shalt not vexe my doughters nether shalt
take other wyves vnto them. Here is no man with vs: beholde/ God is
wytnesse betwixte the and me. And Laban sayde moreouer to Iacob:
beholde/ this heape & this marke which I haue sett here/ betwyxte me
and the: this heape be wytnesse and also this marcke/ that I will not
come ouer this heape to the/ ad thou shalt not come ouer this heape ad
this marke/ to do any harme. The God of Abraham/ the God of Nahor and
the God of theyr fathers/ be iudge betwixte vs.
And Iacob sware by him that his father Isaac feared. Then Iacob dyd
sacrifyce vpon the mounte/ and called his brethern to eate breed. And
they ate breed and taried all nyghte in the hyll. And early in the
mornynge Laban rose vp and kyssed his childern and his doughters/ and
blessed th[~e] and departed and w[~e]t unto his place agayne. But
Iacob went forth on his iourney. And the angells of God came & mett
him. And when Iacob sawe them/ he sayde: this is godes hoost: and
called the name of that same place/ Mahanaim.
¶ The .xxxij. Chapter.
Iacob sente meessengers before him to Esau his brother/ vnto the londe
of Seir and the felde of Edom. And he comaunded them saynge: se that
ye speake after this maner to my lorde Esau: thy seruaunte Iacob
sayth thus. I haue sogerned ad bene a straunger with Laban vnto
this tyme: & haue gotten oxen/ asses and shepe/ menservauntes &
wemanseruauntes/ & haue sent to shewe it mi lorde/ that I may fynde
grace in thy syghte. And the messengers came agayne to Iacob sainge:
we came vnto thi brother Esau/ and he cometh ageynst the and .iiij.
hundred men with h[~i]. Than was Iacob greatlye afrayde/ and wist not
which waye to turne him selfe/ and devyded the people that was with
him & the shepe/ oxen and camels/ in to .ij. companies/ and sayde: Yf
Esau come to the one parte and smyte it/ the other may saue it selfe.
[Sidenote: * Prayer is to cleave vnto the promyses of god with a
stroge fayth and to besech god with a fervent desyre that he will
fulfyll them for his mercye & truth onlye. As Iacob here doth.]
* And Iacob sayde: O god of my father Abraham/ and God of my father
Isaac: LORde which saydest vnto me/ returne vnto thy cuntre and to thy
kynrede/ and I will deall wel with the. I am not worthy of the leaste
of all the mercyes and treuth which thou hast shewed vnto thy
seruaunte. For with my staf came I over this Iordane/ and now haue I
goten .ij. droves Delyver me from the handes of my brother Esau/ for I
feare him: lest he will come and smyte the mother with the childern.
Thou saydest that thou woldest surely do me good/ and woldest make mi
seed as the sonde of the see which can not be nombred for multitude.
And he taried there that same nyghte/ & toke of that which came to
hande/ a preasent/ vnto Esau his brother: ij hundred she gootes ad xx
he gootes: ij hundred shepe and xx rammes: thyrtye mylch camels with
their coltes: xl kyne ad x bulles: xx she asses ad x foles and
delyuered them vnto his seruauntes/ euery drooue by them selues/ ad
sayde vnto them: goo forth before me and put a space betwyxte euery
drooue. And he comaunded the formest saynge
Wh[~e] Esau my brother meteth the ad axeth the saynge: whose
serua[~u]te art thou & whither goost thou/ & whose ar these that goo
before y^e: thou shalt say/ they be thy seruaunte Iacobs/ & are a
present sent vnto my lorde Esau/ and beholde/ he him selfe cometh
after vs. And so comaunded he the seconde/ ad euen so the thirde/ and
lykewyse all that folowed the drooues sainge/ of this maner se that ye
speake vnto Esau wh[~e] ye mete him/ ad saye more ouer. Beholde thy
seruaunte Iacob cometh after vs/ for he sayde. I will pease his wrath
with the present y^t goth before me and afterward I will see him
myself/ so peradventure he will receaue me to grace.
So went the pres[~e]t before him ad he taried all that nyghte in the
tente/ ad rose vp the same nyghte ad toke his .ij. wyves and his .ij.
maydens & his .xi. sonnes/ & went ouer the foorde Iabok. And he toke
them ad sent th[~e] ouer the ryuer/ ad sent ouer that he had ad taried
behinde him selfe alone.
And there wrastled a man with him vnto the breakynge of the daye. And
when he sawe that he coude not prevayle agaynst him/ he smote h[~i]
vnder the thye/ and the senowe of Iacobs thy shranke as he wrastled
with him. And he sayde: let me goo/ for the daye breaketh. And he
sayde: I will not lett the goo/ excepte thou blesse me. And he sayde
vnto him: what is thy name? He answered: Iacob. And he sayde: thou
shalt be called Iacob nomore/ but Israell. For thou hast wrastled with
God and with men ad hast preuayled.
And Iacob asked him sainge/ tell me thi name. And he sayde/ wherfore
dost thou aske after my name? and he blessed him there. And Iacob
called the name of the place Peniel/ for I haue sene God face to face/
and yet is my lyfe reserved. And as he went ouer Peniel/ the sonne
rose vpon him/ and he halted vpon his thye: wherfore the childern of
Israell eate not of the senow that shrancke vnder the thye/ vnto this
daye: because that he smote Iacob vnder the thye in the senow that
shroncke.
The .xxxiij. Chapter.
Iacob lyfte vp his eyes and sawe hys brother Esau come/ & with him
.iiij. hundred men. And he deuyded the childern vnto Lea and vnto
Rahel and vnto y^e ij. maydens. And he put the maydens ad their
childern formest/ ad Lea and hir childern after/ and Rahel ad Ioseph
hindermost. And he went before them and fell on the grownde .vij.
tymes/ vntill he came vnto his brother.
Esau ranne agaynst him and enbraced hym and fell on his necke and
kyssed him/ and they wepte. And he lifte vp his eyes and sawe the
wyves and their childern/ and sayde: what are these which thou there
hast? And he sayde: they are the childern which God hath geuen thy
seruaunte. Than came the maydens forth/ ad dyd their obaysaunce. Lea
also and hir childern came and dyd their obaysaunce. And last of all
came Ioseph and Rahel and dyd their obaysaunce.
And he sayde: what meanyst thou with all y^e drooues which I mett. And
he answered: to fynde grace in the syghte of my lorde. And Esau sayde:
I haue ynough my brother/ kepe that thou hast vnto thy silf. Iacob
answered: oh nay but yf I haue founde grace in thy syghte/ receaue my
preas[~e]t of my hade: for I haue sene thy face as though I had sene
y^e face of God: wherfore receaue me to grace and take my blessynge
that I haue brought the/ for God hath geuen it me frely. And I haue
ynough of all thynges. And so he compelled him to take it.
And he sayde: let vs take oure iourney and goo/ and I will goo in thy
copany. And he sayde vnto him: my lorde knoweth that I haue tendre
childern/ ewes and kyne with yonge vnder myne hande/ which yf men
shulde ouerdryue but euen one daye/ the hole flocke wolde dye.
Let my lorde therfore goo before his servaunte and I will dryue fayre
and softly/ accordynge as the catell that goth before me and the
childern/ be able to endure: vntill I come to mi lorde vnto Seir.
And Esau sayde: let me yet leaue some of my folke with the. And he
sayde: what neadeth it? let me fynde grace in the syghte of my lorde
So Esau went his waye agayne y^e the same daye vnto Seir. And Iacob
toke his iourney toward Sucoth/ and bylt him an house/ and made
boothes for his catell: wherof the name of the place is called Sucoth.
And Iacob went to Salem to y^e cytie of Sichem in the lande of Canaa/
after that he was come from Mesopotamia/ and pitched before the cyte/
and bought a parcell of ground where he pitched his tent/ of the
childern of Hemor Sichems father/ for an hundred lambes. And he made
there an aulter/ and there called vpon the myghtie God of Israell.
The .xxxiiij. Chapter.
Dina the doughter of Lea which she bare vnto Iacob/ went out to see
the doughters of the lande. And Sich[~e] the sonne of Hemor the Heuite
lorde of the countre/ sawe her/ & toke her/ & laye with her/ and
forced her: & his harte laye vnto Dina y^e doughter of Iacob. And he
loued y^e damsell & spake k[~i]dly vnto her/ & spake vnto his father
Hemor saynge/ gett me this mayd[~e] vnto my wyfe.
And Iacob herde that he had defyled Dina his doughter/ but his sonnes
were with the catell in the felde/ and therfore he helde his peace/
vntill they were come. Then Hemor the father of Sichem went out vnto
Iacob/ to com[~e] with him. And the sonnes of Iacob came out of the
felde as soone as they herde it/ for it greued them/ and they were not
a litle wrooth/ because he had wrought folie in Israell/ in that he
had lyen with Iacobs doughter/ which thinge oughte not to be done.
And Hemor comened with th[~e] sainge: the soule of my sonne Sich[~e]
logeth for youre doughter geue her him to wyfe/ and make mariages with
vs: geue youre doughters vnto vs/ ad take oure doughters vnto you/ and
dwell with vs/ & the lande shall be at youre pleasure/ dwell and do
youre busynes/ and haue youre possessions there in. And Sichem sayde
vnto hyr father and hir brethern: let me fynde grace in youre eyes/
and what soeuer ye apoynte me/ that will I geue. Axe frely of me both
the dowry & gyftes/ and I will geue acordynge as ye saye vnto me/ and
geue me the damsell to wyfe.
Then the sonnes of Iacob answered to Sichem ad Hemor his father
deceytefully/ because he had defyled Dina their syster. And they sayde
vnto them/ we can not do this thinge/ y^t we shulde geue oure syster
to one that is vncircumcysed/ for that were a shame vnto vs. Only in
this will we consent vnto you: Yf ye will be as we be/ that all the
men childern amonge you be circumcysed/ tha will we geue oure doughter
to you and take youres to vs/ and will dwell with you and be one
people. But and yf ye will not harken vnto vs to be circumcysed/ than
will we take oure doughter and goo oure wayes.
And their wordes pleased Hemor and Sichem his sonne. And the yonge man
deferde not for to do the thinge/ because he had a lust to Iacobs
doughter: he was also most sett by of all that were in his fathers
house. Tha Hemor and Sichem went vnto the gate of their cyte/ and
comened with the men of their cyte saynge. These men ar peasable with
vs/ & will dwell in the lade and do their occupatio therin And in the
land is rowme ynough for th[~e]/ let vs take their doughters to wyues
and geue them oures: only herin will they consent vnto vs for to dwell
with vs and to be one people: yf all the men childern that are amonge
vs be circumcysed as they are. Their goodes & their substance and all
their catell are oures/ only let vs consente vnto them/ that they maye
dwell with vs.
And vnto Hemor and Sichem his sonne harkened all that went out at the
gate of his cyte. And all the menchildern were circumcysed whatsoeuer
went out at the gates of his cyte. And the third daye when it was
paynefull to them/ ij. of the sonnes of Iacob Simeon & Leui Dinas
brethren/ toke ether of them his swerde & went in to the cyte boldly/
and slewe all y^t was male/ and slewe also Hemor and Sichem his sonne
with the edge of the swerde/ ad toke Dina their sister out of Sichems
house/ and went their waye.
Than came the sonnes of Iacob vpon the deede/ and spoyled the cyte/
because they had defyled their sister: and toke their shepe/ oxen
asses and what so euer was in the cyte and also in y^e feldes. And all
their goodes/ all their childern and their wyues toke they captyue/
and made havock of all that was in the houses.
And Iacob sayde to Simeon and Leui: ye haue troubled me ad made me
styncke vnto the inhabitatours of the lande/ both to the Canaanytes
and also vnto the Pherezites. And I am fewe in nombre. Wherfore they
shall gather them selves together agaynst me & sley me/ and so shall I
and my house be dystroyed. And they answered: shuld they deall with
oure sister as wyth an whoore?
¶ The .xxxv. Chapter
And God sayd vnto Iacob/ aryse ad get the vp to Bethell/ & dwell
there. And make there an aulter vnto God that apeared vnto the/ when
thou fleddest from Esau thy brother. Than sayd Iacob vnto his
housholde & to all y^t were with him/ put away the stra[~u]ge goddes
that are amonge you & make youre selues cleane/ & chaunge youre
garm[~e]tes/ & let vs aryse & goo vp to Bethell/ y^t I maye make an
aulter there/ vnto God which herde me in the daye of my tribulatio &
was wyth me in the waye which I went.
And they gaue vnto Iacob all the straunge goddes which were vnder
their handes/ ad all their earynges which were in their eares/ and
Iacob hyd them vnder an ooke at Sichem. And they departed. And the
feare of God fell vpon the cyties that were rounde aboute them/ that
they durst not folowe after the sonnes of Iacob. So came Iacob to Lus
in the lande of Canaan/ otherwise called Bethell/ with all the people
that was with him. And he buylded there an aulter/ and called the
place Elbethell: because that God appered vnto him there/ when he fled
from his brother.
Than dyed Debora Rebeccas norse/ and was buryed benethe Bethell vnder
an ooke. And the name of it was called the ooke of lamentation.
And God appeared vnto Iacob agayne after he came out of Mesopotamia/ &
blessed him and sayde vnto him: thy name is Iacob. Not withstondynge
thou shalt be no more called Iacob/ but Israel shalbe thy name. And so
was his name called Israell.
And God sayde vnto him: I am God allmightie/ growe and multiplye: for
people and a multitude of people shall sprynge of the/ yee ad kynges
shall come out of they loynes. And the lande which I gaue Abraha &
Isaac/ will I geue vnto the/ & vnto thi seed after the will I geue it
also. And god departed fro him in the place where he talked with him.
And Iacob set vp a marke in the place where he talked with him: euen a
pilloure of stone/ & powred drynkeoffringe theron and powred also oyle
thereon/ and called the name of the place where God spake with him/
Bethell.
And they departed from Bethel/ & when he was but a feld brede from
Ephrath/ Rahel began to trauell. And in travelynge she was in perell.
And as she was in paynes of hir laboure/ the mydwyfe sayde vnto her:
feare not/ for thou shalt haue this sonne also. Then as hir soule was
a departinge/ that she must dye: she called his name Ben Oni. But his
father called him Ben Iamin. And thus dyed Rahel ad was buryed in the
waye to Ephrath which now is called Bethlehem. And Iacob sett vp a
piller apon hir graue/ which is called Rahels graue piller vnto this
daye. And Israell went th[~e]ce and pitched vp his tent beyonde the
toure of Eder.
And it chaunced as Israel dwelt in that lande/ that Ruben went & laye
with Bilha his fathers concubyne/ & it came to Israels eare.
The sonnes of Iacob were .xij. in nombre. The sonnes of Lea. Ruben
Iacobs eldest sonne/ & Simeo/ Leui/ Iuda/ Isachar/ & Zabulon The
sonnes of Rahel: Ioseph & Ben Iamin. The sonnes of Bilha Rahels mayde:
Dan & Nepthali. The sonnes of Zilpha Leas mayde Gad & Aser. Thes are
the sones of Iacob which were borne him in Mesopotamia.
Then Iacob went vnto Isaac his father to Mamre a pr[~i]cipall cyte/
otherwise called Hebron: where Abraha & Isaac sogeorned as straungers.
And the dayes of Isaac were an hundred & .lxxx. yeres: & than fell he
seke & dyed/ ad was put vnto his people: beynge olde and full of
dayes. And his sonnes Esau ad Iacob buried him.
The .xxxvi. Chapter.
These are the generations of Esau which is called Edo. Esau toke his
wyues of the doughters of Canaan Ada the doughter of Elon an Hethite/
& Ahalibama the doughter of Ana/ which Ana was the sonne of Zibeon an
heuyte/ And Basmath Ismaels doughter & sister of Nebaioth. And Ada
bare vnto Esau/ Eliphas: and Basmath bare Reguel: And Ahalibama bare
Ieus/ Iaelam and Korah. These are the sonnes of Esau which were borne
him in the lande of Canaan.
And Esau toke his wyues/ his sonnes and doughters and all the soules
of his house: his goodes and all his catell and all his substance
which he had gott in the land of Canaan/ ad went in to a countre awaye
from his brother Iacob: for their ryches was so moch/ that they coude
not dwell together/ and that the land where in they were straungers/
coude not receaue th[~e]: because of their catell. Thus dwelt Esau in
mo[~u]te Seir/ which Esau is called Edo.
These are the generations of Esau father of the Edomytes in mounte
Seir/ & these are the names of Esaus sonnes: Eliphas the sonne of Ada
the wife of Esau/ ad Reguel the sonne of Basmath the wife of Esau
also. And the sonnes of Eliphas were. Theman/ Omar/ Zepho/ Gaetham and
kenas. And thimna was concubyne to Eliphas Esaus sonne/ and bare vnto
Eliphas/ Amalech. And these be the sonnes of Ada Esaus wyfe. And these
are the sonnes of Reguel: Nahath/ Serah/ Samma and Misa: these were
the sonnes of Basmath Esaus wyfe. And these were the sonnes of
Ahalibama Esaus wyfe the doughter of Ana sonne of Zebeo/ which she
bare vnto Esau: Ieus/ Iealam and Korah.
These were dukes of the sonnes of Esau. The childern of Eliphas the
first sone of Esau were these: duke Theman/ duke Omar/ duke Zepho/
duke Kenas/ duke Korah/ duke Gaetham & duke Amalech: these are y^e
dukes that came of Eliphas in the lande of Edom/ ad these were the
sonnes of Ada.
These were the childern of Reguel Esaus sonne: duke Nahath/ duke
Serah/ duke Samma/ duke Misa. These are the dukes that came of Reguel
in the lande of Edom/ ad these were the sonnes of Basmath Esaus wyfe.
These were the childern of Ahalibama Esaus wife: duke Ieus/ duke
Iaelam/ duke Korah these dukes came of Ahalibama y^e doughter of Ana
Esaus wife. These are the childern of Esau/ and these are the dukes of
them: which Esau is called Edom:
These are the children of Seir the Horite/ the inhabitoure of the
lande: Lothan/ Sobal/ Zibeon/ Ana/ Dison/ Eser and Disan. These are
the dukes of y^e horites the childern of Seir in the lande of Edom.
And the children of Lothan were: Hori and Hemam. And Lothans sister
was called Thimna.
The childern of Sobal were these: Alvan/ Manahath/ Ebal/ Sepho & Onam.
These were the childern of Zibeo. Aia & ana/ this was y^t Ana y^t
fo[~u]de y^e mules in y^e wildernes/ as he fed his father Zibeons
asses. The childern of Ana were these. Dison and Ahalibama y^e
doughter of Ana.
These are the childern of Dison. Hemdan Esban/ Iethran & Chera. The
childern of Ezer were these/ Bilhan/ Seavan & Akan. The childern of
Disan were: Vz and Aran.
These are the dukes that came of the Hori: duke Lothan/ duke Sobal/
duke Zibeo/ duke Ana duke Dison/ duke Ezer/ duke Disan. These be the
dukes that came of Hory in their dukedos in the land of Seir.
These are the kynges that reigned in the lande of Edom before there
reigned any kynge amonge the childern of Israel. Bela the sonne of
Beor reigned in Edomea/ and the name of his cyte was Dinhaba. And when
Bela dyed/ Iobab the sonne of Serah out of Bezara/ reigned in his
steade. When Iobab was dead/ Husam of the lande of Themany reigned in
his steade. And after the deth of Husam/ Hadad the sonne of Bedad
which slewe the Madianytes in the feld of the Moabytes/ reigned in his
steade/ and the name of his cyte was Avith. Wh[~e] Hadad was dead/
Samla of Masreka reigned in his steade. Wh[~e] Samla was dead/ Saul of
the ryver Rehoboth reigned in his steade. When Saul was dead/ Baal
hanan the sonne of Achbor reigned in his steade. And after the deth of
Baal Hanan the sonne of Achbor/ Hadad reigned in his steade/ and the
name of his cyte was Pagu. And his wifes name Mehetabeel the doughter
of matred the doughter of Mesaab.
These are the names of the dukes that came of Esau/ in their kynredds/
places and names: Duke Thimma/ duke Alua/ duke Ietheth duke Ahalibama/
duke Ela/ duke Pinon/ duke Kenas/ duke Theman/ duke Mibzar/ duke Magdiel/
duke Iram. These be the dukes of Edomea in their habitations/ in the
lande of their possessions. This Esau is the father of the Edomytes.
¶ The .xxxvij. Chapter.
And Iacob dwelt in the lande wherein his father was a straunger/ y^t
is to saye in the lande of Canaan. And these are the generations of
Iacob: when Ioseph was .xvij. yere olde/ he kepte shepe with his
brethren/ and the lad was with the sonnes of Bilha & of Zilpha his
fathers wyues. And he brought vnto their father an euyll saynge y^t
was of them. And Israel loued Ioseph more than all his childern/
because he begat hym in his olde age/ and he made him a coote of many
coloures.
When his brothren sawe that their father loued him more than all his
brethern/ they hated him and coude not speke one kynde worde vnto him.
Moreouer Ioseph dreamed a dreame and tolde it his brethren: wherfore
they hated him yet the more. And he sayde vnto them heare I praye yow
this dreame which I haue dreamed: Beholde we were makynge sheues in
the felde: and loo/ my shefe arose and stode vp right/ and youres
stode rounde aboute and made obeysaunce to my shefe. Than sayde his
brethren vnto him: what/ shalt thou be oure kynge or shalt thou reigne
ouer us? And they hated h[~i] yet the more/ because of his dreame and
of his wordes.
And he dreamed yet another dreame & told it his brethren saynge:
beholde/ I haue had one dreame more: me thought the sonne and the
moone and .xi. starres made obaysaunce to me. And when he had told it
vnto his father and his brethern/ his father rebuked him and sayde
vnto him: what meaneth this dreame which thou hast dreamed: shall I
and thy mother and thy brethren come and fall on the grounde before
the? And his brethern hated him/ but his father noted the saynge.
His brethren went to kepe their fathers shepe in Sichem/ and Israell
sayde vnto Ioseph: do not thy brethern kepe in Sichem? come that I may
send y^e to th[~e]. And he answered here am I And he sayde vnto him:
goo and see whether it be well with thy brethren and the shepe/ and
brynge me worde agayne: And sent him out of the vale of Hebron/ for to
go to Sichem.
And a certayne man found him wandrynge out of his waye in the felde/
ad axed him what he soughte. And he answered: I seke my brethren/ tell
me I praye the where they kepe shepe And the man sayde/ they are
departed h[~e]ce/ for I herde them say/ let vs goo vnto Dothan. Thus
went Ioseph after his brethren/ and founde them in Dothan.
And wh[~e] they sawe him a farr of before he came at them/ they toke
councell agaynst him/ for to sley him/ and sayde one to another/
Beholde this dreamer cometh/ come now and let us sley him and cast
him in to some pytt/ and let vs saye that some wiked beast hath
deuoured him/ and let us see what his dreames wyll come to.
When Ruben herde that/ he w[~e]t aboute to ryd him out of their handes
and sayde/ let vs not kyll him. And Ruben sayde moreouer vnto them/
shed not his bloude/ but cast him in to this pytt that is in the
wildernes/ and laye no handes vpon him: for he wolde haue rydd him out
of their handes and delyuered him to his father agayne.
And as soone as Ioseph was come vnto his brethren/ they strypte him
out of his gay coote that was vpon him/ and they toke him and cast him
in to a pytt: But the pytt was emptie and had no water therein. And
they satt them doune to eate brede. And as they lyft vp their eyes and
loked aboute/ there came a companye of Ismaelites from Gilead/ and
their camels lad[~e] with spicery/ baulme/ and myrre/ and were goynge
doune in to Egipte.
Than sayde Iuda to his brethr[~e]/ what avayleth it that we sley oure
brother/ and kepe his bloude secrett? come on/ let us sell him to the
Ismaelites/ and let not oure handes be defyled vpon him: for he is
oure brother and oure flesh. And his brethren were content. Than as
the Madianites marchaunt men passed by/ they drewe Ioseph out of the
pytt and sold him vnto the Ismaelites for .xx. peces of syluer.
And they brought him into Egipte.
And when Ruben came agayne vnto the pytt and founde not Ioseph there/
he rent his cloothes and went agayne vnto his brethern saynge: the lad
is not yonder/ and whether shall I goo? And they toke Iosephs coote ad
kylled a goote/ & dypped the coote in the bloud. And they sent that
gay coote ad caused it to be brought vnto their father and sayd: This
haue we founde: se/ whether it be thy sones coote or no. And he knewe
it saynge: it is my sonnes coote a wicked beast hath deuoured him/ and
Ioseph is rent in peces. And Iacob rent his cloothes/ ad put sacke
clothe aboute his loynes/ and sorowed for his sonne a longe season.
Than came all his sonnes ad all his doughters to comforte him. And he
wold not be comforted/ but sayde: I will go doune in to y^e grave vnto
my sonne/ mornynge. And thus his father wepte for him. And the
Madianytes solde him in Egipte vnto Putiphar a lorde of Pharaos: and
his chefe marshall.
¶ The .xxxviij. Chapter.
And it fortuned at that tyme that Iudas went from his brethren & gatt
him to a man called Hira of Odollam/ and there he sawe the doughter of
a man called Sua a Canaanyte. And he toke her ad went in vnto her. And
she conceaued and bare a sonne and called his name Er. And she
conceaued agayne and bare a sonne and called him Onan. And she
conceaued the thyrde tyme & bare a sonne/ whom she called Sela: & he
was at Chesyb when she bare hem.
And Iudas gaue Er his eldest sonne/ a wife whose name was Thamar. But
this Er Iudas eldest sonne was wicked in the syghte of the LORde/
wherfore the LORde slewe him. Than sayde Iudas vnto Onan: goo in to
thi brothers wyfe and Marie her/ and styrre vp seed vnto thy brother.
And when Onan perceaued that the seed shulde not be his: therfore when
he went in to his brothers wife/ he spylled it on the grounde/ because
he wold not geue seed vnto his brother. And the thinge which he dyd/
displeased the LORde/ wherfore he slew him also. Than sayde Iudas to
Thamar his doughter in lawe: remayne a wydow at thi fathers house/
tyll Sela my sonne be growne: for he feared lest he shulde haue dyed
also/ as his brethren did. Thus went Thamar & dwelt in hir fathers
house.
And in processe of tyme/ the doughter of Sua Iudas wife dyed. Than
Iudas when he had left mornynge/ went vnto his shepe sherers to
Thimnath with his frende Hira of Odollam. And one told Thamar saynge:
beholde/ thy father inlawe goth vp to Thimnath/ to shere his shepe.
And she put hyr wydows garm[~e]tes of from her and couered her with a
clooke/ and disgyssed herself: and sat her downe at the entrynge of
Enaim which is by the hye wayes syde to Thimnath/ for because she
sawe that Sela was growne/ and she was not geu[~e] vnto him to wife.
When Iuda sawe her/ he thought it had bene an hoore/ because she had
couered hyr face. And turned to her vnto the waye and sayde/ come I
praye the/ let me lye with the/ for he knewe not that it was his
doughter in lawe. And she sayde what wylt thou gyue me/ for to lye
with me? Tha sayde he/ I will sende the a kydd fro the flocke. She
answered/ Than geue me a pledge till thou sende it. Than sayde he/
what pledge shall I geue the? And she sayde: thy sygnett/ thy
neckelace/ and thy staffe that is in thy hande. And he gaue it her and
lay by her/ and she was with child by him. And she gatt her vp and
went and put her mantell from her/ ad put on hir widowes rayment
agayne.
And Iudas send the kydd by his neybure of Odollam/ for to fetch out
his pledge agayne from the wifes hande. But he fownde her not. Than
asked he the men of the same place saynge: where is the whoore that
satt at Enaim in the waye? And they sayde: there was no whoore here.
And he came to Iuda agayne saynge: I can not fynde her/ and also the
men of the place sayde: that there was no whoore there. And Iuda
sayde: let her take it to her/ lest we be shamed: for I sente the kydd
& thou coudest not fynde her.
And it came to passe that after .iij. monethes/ one tolde Iuda
saynge: Thamar thy doughter in lawe hath played the whoore/ and with
playnge the whoore is become great with childe. And Iuda sayde: brynge
her forth ad let her be brente. And when they brought her forth/ she
sent to her father in lawe saynge: by the ma vnto whome these thinges
pertayne/ am I with childe. And sayd also: loke whose are this seall
necklace/ and staffe. And Iuda knewe them saynge: she is more rightwes
tha I/ because I gaue her not to Sela my sone. But he laye with her
nomore.
When tyme was come that she shulde be delyuered/ beholde there was
.ij. twynnes in hyr wobe. And as she traveled/ the one put out his
hande and the mydwife toke and bownde a reed threde aboute it saynge:
this wyll come out fyrst. But he plucked his hande backe agayne/ and
his brother came out. And she sayde: wherfore hast thou rent a rent
vppon the? and called him Pharez. And afterward came out his brother
that had the reade threde about his hade/ which was called Zarah.
¶ The .xxxix. Chapter.
Ioseph was brought vnto Egipte/ ad Putiphar a lorde of Pharaos: ad his
chefe marshall an Egiptian/ bought him of y^e Ismaelites which brought
h[~i] thither And the LORde was with Ioseph/ and he was a luckie
felowe and continued in the house of his master the Egiptian. And his
master sawe that the LORde was with him and that the LORde made all
that he dyd prosper in his hande: Wherfore he founde grace in his
masters syghte/ and serued him. And his master made him ruelar of his
house/ and put all that he had in his hande. And as soone as he had
made him ruelar ouer his house ad ouer all that he had/ the LORde
blessed this Egiptians house for Iosephs sake/ and the blessynge of
the LORde was vpon all that he had: both in the house and also in the
feldes. And therfore he left all that he had in Iosephs hande/ and
loked vpon nothinge that was with him/ saue only on the bread which he
ate. And Ioseph was a goodly persone & a well favored
And it fortuned after this/ that his masters wife cast hir eyes vpon
Ioseph and sayde come lye with me. But he denyed and sayde to her:
Beholde/ my master woteth not what he hath in the house with me/ but
hath commytted all that he hath to my hande He him selfe is not
greatter in the house than I/ ad hath kepte noth[~i]ge fro me/ but
only the because thou art his wife. How than can I do this great
wykydnes/ for to synne agaynst God? And after this maner spake she to
Ioseph daye by daye: but he harkened not vnto her/ to slepe nere her
or to be in her company.
And it fortuned aboute the same season/ that Ioseph entred in to the
house/ to do his busynes: and there was none of the houshold by/ in
the house. And she caught him by the garment saynge: come slepe with
me. And he left his garment in hir hande ad fled and gott him out When
she sawe that he had left his garm[~e]t in hir hande/ and was fled
out/ she called vnto the men of the house/ and tolde them saynge: Se/
he hath brought in an Hebrewe vnto vs to do vs shame. for he came in
to me/ for to haue slept wyth me. But I cried with a lowde voyce. And
when he harde/ that I lyfte vp my voyce and cryed/ he left his garment
with me and fled awaye and got him out.
And she layed vp his garment by her/ vntill hir lorde came home. And
she told him acordynge to these wordes saynge. This Hebrues servaunte
which thou hast brought vnto vs came in to me to do me shame. But as
soone as I lyft vp my voyce and cryed/ he left his garment with me and
fled out. When his master herde the woordes of his wyfe which she
tolde him saynge: after this maner dyd thy servaunte to me/ he waxed
wrooth.
And he toke Ioseph and put him in pryson: euen in the place where the
kynges prisoners laye bounde. And there contynued he in preson. But
the LORde was with Ioseph ad shewed him mercie/ and gott him fauoure
in the syghte of the keper of y^e preson which commytted to Iosephs
hade all the presoners that were in the preson housse. And what soeuer
was done there/ y^t dyd he. And the keper of the preso loked vnto
nothinge that was vnder his hande/ because the LORde was with him/ &
because that whatsoeuer he dyd/ the LORde made it come luckely to
passe.
The xl. Capter.
And it chaunced after this/ that the chefe butlar of the kynge of
Egipte and his chefe baker had offended there lorde the kynge of
Egypte. And Pharao was angrie with them and put th[~e] in warde in his
chefe marshals house: euen in y^e preson where Ioseph was bownd. And
the chefe marshall gaue Ioseph a charge with them/ & he serued them.
And they contynued a season in warde.
And they dreamed ether of them in one nyghte: both the butlar and the
baker of the kynge of Egipte which were bownde in the preson house/
ether of them his dreame/ and eche manes dreame of a sondrie
interpretation When Ioseph came in vnto them in the mornynge/ and
loked apon them: beholde/ they were sadd. And he asked them saynge/
wherfore loke ye so sadly to daye? They answered him/ we haue dreamed
a dreame/ and haue no man to declare it. And Ioseph sayde vnto
th[~e]. Interpretynge belongeth to God but tel me yet.
And the chefe butlar tolde his dreame to Ioseph and sayde vnto him. In
my dreame me thought there stode a vyne before me/ and in the vyne
were .iij. braunches/ and it was as though it budded/ & her blossos
shottforth: & y^e grapes thereof waxed rype. And I had Pharaos cuppe
in my hande/ and toke of the grapes and wronge them in to Pharaos
cuppe/ & delyvered Pharaos cuppe in to his hande.
And Ioseph sayde vnto him/ this is the interpretation of it. The .iij.
braunches ar thre dayes: for within thre dayes shall Pharao lyft vp
thine heade/ and restore the vnto thyne office agayne/ and thou shalt
delyuer Pharaos cuppe in to his hade/ after the old maner/ even as
thou dydest when thou wast his butlar. But thinke on me with the/ when
thou art in good ease/ and shewe mercie vnto me. And make mencion of
me to Pharao/ and helpe to brynge me out of this house: for I was
stollen out of the lande of the Hebrues/ & here also haue I done
noth[~i]ge at all wherfore they shulde haue put me in to this dongeon.
When the chefe baker sawe that he had well interpretate it/ he sayde
vnto Ioseph/ me thought also in my dreame/ y^t I had .iij. wyker
baskettes on my heade: And in y^e vppermost basket/ of all maner
bakemeates for Pharao. And the byrdes ate them out of the basket apon
my heade
Ioseph answered and sayde: this is the interpretation therof. The
.iij. baskettes are .iij. dayes/ for this daye .iij. dayes shall
Pharao take thy heade from the/ and shall hange the on a tree/ and the
byrdes shall eate thy flesh from of the.
And it came to passe the thyrde daye which was Pharaos byrth daye/
that he made a feast vnto all his servauntes. And he lyfted vpp the
head of the chefe buttelar and of the chefe baker amonge his
servauntes. And restored the chefe buttelar vnto his buttelarshipe
agayne/ and he reched the cuppe in to Pharaos hande/ ad hanged the
chefe baker: eu[~e] as Ioseph had interpretated vnto th[~e].
Notwithstonding the chefe buttelar remembred not Ioseph/ but forgat
hym.