A famine banished
Isaac to Gerar.
An time dede hunger yſaac flen,
And he wulde to egipte then,[169]
Oc god him ſente reed in wis
ðat he bi-lef in geraſis; 1516
For his father's
sake he was
highly esteemed.
ðor he was for hiſ fadreſ luue[n]
Holden wurðelike a wel a-buuen.
An hundred ſo mikel wex hiſ tile,
So may god friðe ðor he wile. 1520
The folk of Gerar
envied Isaac, so
he left them and
went to Beersheba.
Niðede ðat folk him fel wel
And deden him flitten hiſe oſtel.
At berſabe he wunede beſt,
And ðor wurð wið him trewðe feſt 1524
Abimelech made
a covenant with
Isaac.
Abimalech, and luue ſworen,
So he waſ or iſ fader bi-foren.
And helde gede on yſaac,
Isaac became old
and sightless.
Wurðede ſighteleſ and elde ſwac;[170] 1528
He bad eſau, hiſ firme ſune,
He sends Esau
for venison,
fechin him fode, aſ he waſ wune;
If he toke him ðat he wulde eten,
and promises him
his blessing.
Hiſ ſeli bliſcing ſulde he bi-geten. 1532
Ðor q_u_iles eſau ſogte and ran,
Rebekah instructs
Jacob
how to obtain
the blessing.
Rebecca iacob reden gan;
Two kides he fette and brogtes hire,
And ghe knew wel ðe faderes kire,[171] 1536
[Fol. 30b.]
And made ſwiðe on ſele ðat mete,
ſwilc ghe wiſte he wulde eten;
She made him
rough like Esau.
Sridde ghe iacob and made him ru
ðor he was bare(.) nu lik eſau; 1540
And he ſeruede hiſ fader wel
Jacob obtained
the blessing from
his father.
Wið wines drinc and ſeles mel.
Yſaac wende it were eſau,
for he grapte him and fond hi_m_ ru; 1544
ðanne he wiſte him on gode ſel,
He him bliſcede holdelike and wel;
[169] _read_ ten?
[170] _read_ eldes wac
[171] Glossed _wune_ in later hand.