023:007 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land,
even to the children of Heth.
023:008 He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should
bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me
to Ephron the son of Zohar,
023:009 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has,
which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him
give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place."
023:010 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth.
Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of
the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate
of his city, saying,
023:011 "No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you
the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children
of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead."
023:012 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
023:013 He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of
the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me.
I will give the price of the field. Take it from me,
and I will bury my dead there."
023:014 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
023:015 "My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth
four hundred shekels of silver between me and you?
Therefore bury your dead."
023:016 Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron
the silver which he had named in the audience of the children
of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the
current merchants' standard.
023:017 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was
before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it,
and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all
of its borders, were deeded
023:018 to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children
of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
023:019 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave
of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron),
in the land of Canaan.
023:020 The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham
for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.
024:001 Abraham was old, and well stricken in age. Yahweh had blessed
Abraham in all things.
024:002 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled
over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh.
024:003 I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God
of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son
of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
024:004 But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take
a wife for my son Isaac."
024:005 The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing
to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again
to the land you came from?"
024:006 Abraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my
son there again.
024:007 Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house,
and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore
to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed{or, offspring}.'
He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife
for my son from there.
024:008 If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall
be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my
son there again."
024:009 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master,
and swore to him concerning this matter.
024:010 The servant took ten camels, of his master's camels, and departed,
having a variety of good things of his master's with him.
He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
024:011 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well
of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out
to draw water.
024:012 He said, "Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me
success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
024:013 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters
of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
024:014 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say,
'Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,' and she
will say, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'--
let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac.
By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
024:015 It happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold,
Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah,
the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher
on her shoulder.
024:016 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin,
neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring,
filled her pitcher, and came up.
024:017 The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink,
a little water from your pitcher."
024:018 She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her
pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.
024:019 When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw
for your camels, until they have done drinking."
024:020 She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran
again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
024:021 The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know
whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
024:022 It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man
took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets
for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
024:023 and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me.
Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?"
024:024 She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah,
whom she bore to Nahor."
024:025 She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough,
and room to lodge in."
024:026 The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh.
024:027 He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has
not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master.
As for me, Yahweh has led me in the way to the house of
my master's relatives."
024:028 The young lady ran, and told her mother's house about these words.
024:029 Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran
out to the man, to the spring.
024:030 It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his
sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah
his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me,"
that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels
at the spring.
024:031 He said, "Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside?
For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."
024:032 The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels.
He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash
his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
024:033 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat
until I have told my message." He said, "Speak on."
024:034 He said, "I am Abraham's servant.
024:035 Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great.
He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold,
male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
024:036 Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old.
He has given all that he has to him.
024:037 My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife
for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose
land I live,
024:038 but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives,
and take a wife for my son.'
024:039 I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'
024:040 He said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his
angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife
for my son of my relatives, and of my father's house.
024:041 Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives.
If they don't give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.'
024:042 I came this day to the spring, and said, 'Yahweh, the God
of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go--
024:043 behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen,
that the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say,
"Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher to drink,"
024:044 and she will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for
your camels,"--let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed
for my master's son.'
024:045 Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth
with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring,
and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'
024:046 She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder,
and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.'
So I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
024:047 I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said,
'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.'
I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
024:048 I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh,
the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way
to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.
024:049 Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me.
If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand,
or to the left."
024:050 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing proceeds from Yahweh.
We can't speak to you bad or good.
024:051 Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let
her be your master's son's wife, as Yahweh has spoken."
024:052 It happened that when Abraham's servant heard their words,
he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh.
024:053 The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,
and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious
things to her brother and her mother.
024:054 They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him,
and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said,
"Send me away to my master."
024:055 Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay
with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."
024:056 He said to them, "Don't hinder me, seeing Yahweh has prospered
my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."
024:057 They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her."
024:058 They called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?"
She said, "I will go."
024:059 They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse,
Abraham's servant, and his men.
024:060 They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you
be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed
possess the gate of those who hate them."
024:061 Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels,
and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
024:062 Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived
in the land of the South.
024:063 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening.
He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there
were camels coming.
024:064 Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac,
she dismounted from the camel.
024:065 She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in
the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master."
She took her veil, and covered herself.
024:066 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
024:067 Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent,
and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her.
Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
025:001 Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
025:002 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
025:003 Jokshan became the father of Sheba, and Dedan. The sons
of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
025:004 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
All these were the children of Keturah.
025:005 Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac,
025:006 but to the sons of Abraham's concubines, Abraham gave gifts.
He sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived,
eastward, to the east country.
025:007 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived:
one hundred seventy-five years.
025:008 Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age,
an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
025:009 Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah,
in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite,
which is before Mamre,
025:010 the field which Abraham purchased of the children of Heth.
Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife.
025:011 It happened after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac,
his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.
025:012 Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son,
whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.
025:013 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names,
according to the order of their birth: the firstborn
of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
025:014 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
025:015 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
025:016 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names,
by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes,
according to their nations.
025:017 These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred
thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died,
and was gathered to his people.
025:018 They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you
go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives.
025:019 This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son.
Abraham became the father of Isaac.
025:020 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter
of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban
the Syrian, to be his wife.
025:021 Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren.
Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
025:022 The children struggled together within her. She said,
"If it be so, why do I live?" She went to inquire of Yahweh.
025:023 Yahweh said to her, Two nations are in your womb.
Two peoples will be separated from your body.
The one people will be stronger than the other people.
The elder will serve the younger.
025:024 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were
twins in her womb.
025:025 The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment.
They named him Esau.
025:026 After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on
Esau's heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old
when she bore them.
025:027 The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field.
Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
025:028 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison.
Rebekah loved Jacob.
025:029 Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field,
and he was famished.
025:030 Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew,
for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom.
025:031 Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright."
025:032 Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die. What good is the
birthright to me?"
025:033 Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him.
He sold his birthright to Jacob.
025:034 Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank,
rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.
026:001 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine
that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech
king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
026:002 Yahweh appeared to him, and said, "Don't go down into Egypt.
Live in the land I will tell you about.
026:003 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you.
For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I
will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
026:004 I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and will
give to your seed all these lands. In your seed will all
the nations of the earth be blessed,
026:005 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge,
my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."
026:006 Isaac lived in Gerar.
026:007 The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said,
"She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "My wife,"
lest, he thought, "the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah,
because she is beautiful to look at."
026:008 It happened, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech
king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw,
and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.
026:009 Abimelech called Isaac, and said, "Behold, surely she is your wife.
Why did you say, 'She is my sister?'" Isaac said to him,
"Because I said, 'Lest I die because of her.'"
026:010 Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us?
One of the people might easily have lain with your wife,
and you would have brought guilt on us!"
026:011 Abimelech charged all the people, saying, "He who touches this
man or his wife will surely be put to death."
026:012 Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one
hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him.
026:013 The man grew great, and grew more and more until he
became very great.
026:014 He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds,
and a great household. The Philistines envied him.
026:015 Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug in
the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped,
and filled with earth.
026:016 Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go from us, for you are much
mightier than we."
026:017 Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar,
and lived there.
026:018 Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days
of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them
after the death of Abraham. He called their names after
the names by which his father had called them.
026:019 Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well
of springing water.
026:020 The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac's herdsmen, saying,
"The water is ours." He called the name of the well Esek,
because they contended with him.
026:021 They dug another well, and they argued over that, also.
He called the name of it Sitnah.
026:022 He left that place, and dug another well. They didn't
argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said,
"For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful
in the land."
026:023 He went up from there to Beersheba.
026:024 Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, "I am
the God of Abraham your father. Don't be afraid, for I am
with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my
servant Abraham's sake."
026:025 He built an altar there, and called on the name of Yahweh,
and pitched his tent there. There Isaac's servants dug a well.
026:026 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend,
and Phicol the captain of his army.
026:027 Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, since you hate me,
and have sent me away from you?"
026:028 They said, "We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you.
We said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between us
and you, and let us make a covenant with you,
026:029 that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you,
and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent
you away in peace.' You are now the blessed of Yahweh."
026:030 He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
026:031 They rose up some time in the morning, and swore one to another.
Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
026:032 It happened the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told
him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him,
"We have found water."
026:033 He called it Shibah.{Shibah means "oath" or "seven."} Therefore
the name of the city is Beersheba{Beersheba means "well of the oath"
or "well of the seven"} to this day.
026:034 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith,
the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter
of Elon the Hittite.
026:035 They grieved Isaac's and Rebekah's spirits.
027:001 It happened, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim,
so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son,
and said to him, "My son?" He said to him, "Here I am."
027:002 He said, "See now, I am old. I don't know the day of my death.
027:003 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow,
and go out to the field, and take me venison.
027:004 Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me,
that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die."
027:005 Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son.
Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
027:006 Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, "Behold, I heard
your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
027:007 'Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat,
and bless you before Yahweh before my death.'
027:008 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which
I command you.
027:009 Go now to the flock, and get me from there two good kids
of the goats. I will make them savory food for your father,
such as he loves.
027:010 You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that
he may bless you before his death."
027:011 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother
is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
027:012 What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver,
and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing."
027:013 His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son.
Only obey my voice, and go get them for me."
027:014 He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother.
His mother made savory food, such as his father loved.
027:015 Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son,
which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob,
her younger son.
027:016 She put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands,
and on the smooth of his neck.
027:017 She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared,
into the hand of her son Jacob.
027:018 He came to his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am.
Who are you, my son?"
027:019 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn.
I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat
of my venison, that your soul may bless me."
027:020 Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly,
my son?" He said, "Because Yahweh your God gave me success."
027:021 Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you,
my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."
027:022 Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said,
"The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
027:023 He didn't recognize him, because his hands were hairy,
like his brother, Esau's hands. So he blessed him.
027:024 He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."
027:025 He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison,
that my soul may bless you." He brought it near to him, and he ate.
He brought him wine, and he drank.
027:026 His father Isaac said to him, "Come near now, and kiss me, my son."
027:027 He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing,
and blessed him, and said, "Behold, the smell of my son
is as the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed.
027:028 God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth,
and plenty of grain and new wine.
027:029 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother's sons
bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you.
Blessed be everyone who blesses you."
027:030 It happened, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob,
and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father,
that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
027:031 He also made savory food, and brought it to his father.
He said to his father, "Let my father arise, and eat of his
son's venison, that your soul may bless me."
027:032 Isaac his father said to him, "Who are you?" He said,
"I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."
027:033 Isaac trembled violently, and said, "Who, then, is he who has
taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before
you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed."
027:034 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an
exceeding great and bitter cry, and said to his father,
"Bless me, even me also, my father."
027:035 He said, "Your brother came with deceit, and has taken
away your blessing."
027:036 He said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he has
supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright.
See, now he has taken away my blessing." He said, "Haven't you
reserved a blessing for me?"
027:037 Isaac answered Esau, "Behold, I have made him your lord,
and all his brothers have I given to him for servants.
With grain and new wine have I sustained him. What then
will I do for you, my son?"