The First Boke of Moses called Genesis Part 5

But before they went to rest/ the men of the cyte of Sodome compa.s.sed the house rownde aboute both olde and yonge/ all the people from all quarters. And they called vnto Lot and sayde vnto him: where are the men which came in to thy house to nyghte? brynge th? out vnto vs that we may do oure l.u.s.t with them.

And Lot went out at doores vnto them and shote the dore after him and sayde: nay for G.o.ddes sake brethren/ do no so wekedly. Beholde I haue two doughters which haue knowne no man/ th? will I brynge out vnto you: do with them as it semeth you good: Only vnto these men do nothynge/ for therfore came they vnder the shadowe of my rofe. And they sayde: come hither. And they sayde: camest thou not in to sogeorne/ and wilt thou be now a iudge? we will suerly deale worse with the than with them

And as they preased sore vppon Lot and beganne to breake vp the doore/ the men put forth their handes and pulled Lot in to the house to them and shott to the doore. And the men that were at the doore of the house/ they smote with blyndnesse both small and greate: so that they coude not fynde the doore.

And the men sayde moreover vnto Lot: Yf thou have yet here any sonne in lawe or sonnes or doughters or what so euer thou hast in the cyte/ brynge it out of this place: for we must destroy this place/ because the crye of th? is great before the LORde. Wherfore he hath sent vs to destroy it.

And Lot went out and spake vnto his sonnes in lawe which shulde haue maried his doughters/ and sayde: stonde vpp and get yow out of this place/ for the LORde will destroy the cite. But he semed as though he had mocked/ vnto his sonnes in law.

And as the mornynge arose the angells caused Lot to spede him saynge.

Stonde vp/ take thy wyfe and thy two doughters and that that is at hande/ lest thou perish in the synne of the cyte. And as he prolonged the tyme/ the men caught both him/ his wife d his two doughters by the handes/ because the LORde was mercyfull vnto him/ d they brought him forth and sette him without the cyte.

When they had brought them out/ they sayde: Saue thy lyfe and loke not behynde the nether tary thou in any place of the contre/ but saue thy selfe in the mountayne/ lest thou perisshe. Than sayde Lot vnto them: Oh nay my lorde: beholde/ in as moch as thy servaunte hath fownde grace in thy syghte/ now make thi mercy great which thou shewest vnto me in savinge my lyfe. For I can not saue my selfe in the mountayns/ lest some misfortune fall vpon me and I dye. Beholde/ here is a cyte by/ to flee vnto/ and it is a lytle one: let me saue my selfe therein: is it not a litle one/ that my soule may lyue?

And he sayde to him: se I haue receaved thy request as concernynge this thynge/ that I will nott overthrowe this cytie for the which thou hast spoken. Haste the/ d saue thy selfe there/ for I can do nothynge tyll thou be come in thyder. And therfore the name of the cyte is called Zoar. And the sone was vppon the erth when Lot was entred into Zoar.

Than the LORde rayned vpon Sodome and Gomorra/ brymstone and fyre from the LORde out of heaven/ and overthrewe those cyteis and all the region/ and all that dwelled in the cytes/ and that that grewe vpon the erth. And lots wyfe loked behynde her/ d was turned in to a pillare of salte.

Abraham rose vp early and got him to the place where he stode before the LORde/ and loked toward Sodome and Gomorra and toward all the londe of that contre. And as he loked: beholde/ the smoke of the contre arose as it had bene the smoke of a fornace. But yet wh? G.o.d destroyed the cities of y^e regi/ he thought a pon Abrah: and sent Lot out from the dger of the overthrowenge/ when he overthrewe the cyties where Lot dwelled.

And Lot departed out of Zoar and dwelled in the mountayns d his .ij.

doughters with him for he feared to tary in Zoar: he dweld therfore in a caue/ both he and his .ij. doughters also.

Than sayde the elder vnto the yonger oure father is olde/ and there are no moo men in the erth to come in vnto vs after the maner of all the world. Come therfore/ let vs geue oure father wyne to dryncke/ and let vs lye with him that we may saue seed of oure father. And they gaue their father wyne to drynke that same nyghte. And the elder doughter went and laye with her father. And he perceaued it not/ nether when she laye doune/ nether when she rose vp.

And on the morewe the elder sayde vnto the yonger: beholde/ yesternyghte laye I with my father. Let us geue hym wyne to drinke this nyghte also/ and goo thou and lye with him/ and let us saue seed of oure father. And they gaue their father wyne to drincke that nyghte also. And the yonger arose and laye with him. And he perceaved it not: nether when she laye downe/ nether when she rose vp.

Thus were both the doughters of lot with childe by their father And the elder bare a sone and called hym Moab/ which is the father of the Moabytes vnto this daye. And the yonger bare a sonne and called hym Ben Ammi/ which is the father of the childern of Ammon vnto this daye.

The .xx. Chapter.

And Abraham departed thence towarde the southcontre and dwelled betwene Cades and Sur d sogeorned in Gerar. And Abraham sayde of Sara his wyfe/ that she was his sister. Than Abimelech kynge of Gerar sent and fett Sara awaye.

And G.o.d came to Abimelech by nyghte in a dreame and sayde to him: Se/ thou art but a deed man for the woms sake which thou hast taken awaye/ for she is a mans wyfe. But Abimelech had not yet come nye her/ and therfore sayde: lorde wilt thou sley rightewes people? sayde not he vnto me/ that she was hys sister? yee and sayde not she herself that he was hir brother? wyth a pure herte and innocent handes haue I done this.

And G.o.d sayde vnto him in a dreame. I wot it well that thou dydest it in the purenesse of thi herte. And therfore I kepte y^e that thou shuldest not synne agenst me/ nether suffred I the to come nygh her.

Now therfore delyuer the m his wyfe ageyne/ for he is a prophete. And let him praye for the that thou mayst lyue. But and yf thou delyuer her not agayne/ be sure that thou shalt dye the deth/ with all that thou hast.

Than Abimelech rose vp be tymes in the mornynge and called all his servauntes/ and tolde all these thinges in their eares/ and the men were sore a frayde. And Abimelech called Abraham and sayde vnto him: What hast thou done vnto vs/ & what haue I offended the/ that thou shuldest brynge on me and on my kyngdome so greate a synne? thou hast done dedes vnto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech sayde morouer vnto Abraham: What sawest thou that moved the to do this thinge?

And Abraham Answered. I thought that peradv?ture the feare of G.o.d was not in this place/ and that they shulde sley me for my wyfes sake: yet in very dede she is my sister/ the doughter of my father/ but not of my mother: and became my wyfe. And after G.o.d caused me to wandre out of my fathers house/ I sayde vnto her: This kyndnesse shalt thou shewe vnto me in all places where we come/ that thou saye of me/ how that I am thy brother.

Than toke Abimelech shepe and oxen/ menservauntes and wemenseruauntes and gaue them vnto Abraham/ and delyvered him Sara his wyfe agayne.

And Abimelech sayde: beholde the lande lyeth be fore the/ dwell where it pleaseth y^e best. And vnto Sara he sayde: Se I haue geuen thy brother a thousande peeces of syluer/ beholde he shall be a couerynge to thyne eyes vnto all that ar with the and vnto all men and an excuse.

And so Abraham prayde vnto G.o.d/ and G.o.d healed Abimeleh and his wyfe and hys maydens/ so that they bare. For the LORde had closed to/ all the matryces of the house of Abimelech/ because of Sara Abrahams wyfe.

The .xxj. Chapter

The lorde visyted Sara as he had sayde and dyd vnto her acordynge as he had spoken. And Sara was with childe and bare Abrah a sonne in his olde age euen the same season which the LORde had appoynted. And Abraham called his sonnes name that was borne vnto him which Sara bare him Isaac: & Abr circucysed Isaac his sne wh? he was .viij. dayes olde/ as G.o.d commaunded him And Abrah was an hundred yere olde/ when his sonne Isaac was borne vnto him.

And Sara sayde: G.o.d hath made me a laughinge stocke: for all y^t heare/ will laugh at me She sayde also: who wolde haue sayde vnto Abraham/ that Sara shulde haue geuen childern sucke/ or y^t I shulde haue borne him a sonne in his olde age: The childe grewe and was wened/ and Abraham made a great feast/ the same daye that Isaac was wened.

Sara sawe the sonne of Hagar the Egiptian which she had borne vnto Abraham/ a mockynge. Then she sayde vnto Abraham: put awaye this bondemayde and hyr sonne: for the sonne of this bondwoman shall not be heyre with my sonne Isaac: But the wordes semed verey greavous in Abrahams syghte/ because of his sonne. Than the LORde sayde vnto Abraham: let it not be greavous vnto the/ because of the ladd and of thy bondmayde: But in all that Sara hath saide vnto the/ heare hir voyce/ for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Moreouer of the sonne of the Bondwoman will I make a nation/ because he is thy seed.

And Abraham rose vp early in the mornyng and toke brede and a bottell with water/ and gaue it vnto Hagar/ puttynge it on hir shulders wyth the lad also/ and sent her awaye. And she departed and wdred vpp and doune in the wyldernes of Berseba. When the water was spent that was in the botell/ she cast the lad vnder a bush and went & sate her out of syghte a great waye/ as it were a bowshote off: For she sayde: I will not se the lad dye. And she satt doune out of syghte/ and lyfte vp hyr voyce and wepte.

And G.o.d herde the voyce of the childe. And the angell of G.o.d called Hagar out of heaven and sayde vnto her: What ayleth the Hagar? Feare not/ for G.o.d hath herde the voyce of the childe where he lyeth. Aryse and lyfte vp the lad/ and take hym in thy hande/ for I will make off him a greate people. And G.o.d opened hir eyes and she sawe a well of water. And she went and fylled the bottell with water/ and gaue the boye drynke. And G.o.d was wyth the lad/ and he grewe and dweld in the wildernesse/ and became an archer. And he dweld in the wyldernesse of Pharan. And hys mother gott him a wyfe out of the land of Egypte.

And it chaunced the same season/ that Abimelech and Phicoll his chefe captayne spake vnto Abraham saynge: G.o.d is wyth the in all that thou doist. Now therfore swere vnto me even here by G.o.d/ that thou wylt not hurt me nor my childern/ nor my childerns childern. But that thou shalt deale with me and the contre where thou art a straunger/ acordynge vnto the kyndnesse that I haue shewed the. Then sayde Abraham: I wyll swere.

And Abraham rebuked Abimelech for a well of water/ which Abimelech servauntes had taken awaye. And Abimelech answered I wyst not who dyd it: Also thou toldest me not/ nether herde I of it/ but this daye.

And Abraham toke shepe and oxen and gaue them vnto Abimelech. And they made both of them a bonde together. And Abraham sett vij. lambes by them selues. And Abimelech sayde vnto Abraham: what meane these .vij.

lambes which thou hast sett by them selues. And he answered: vij.

lambes shalt thou take of my hande/ that it maye be a wytnesse vnto me/ that I haue dygged this well: Wherfore the place is called Berseba/ because they sware both of them. Thus made they a bonde to gether at Berseba.

Than Abimelech and Phicoll his chefe captayne rose vp and turned agayne vnto the lande of the Philistines. And Abraham planted a wodd in Berseba/ and called there/ on the name of the LORde the everlastynge G.o.d: and dwelt in the Phelistin lde a longe season

-- The .xxij. Chapter.

After these dedes/ G.o.d dyd proue Abraham & sayde vnto him: Abraham.

And he answered: here am I. And he sayde: take thy only sonne Isaac whome thou louest/ & get the vnto the lande of Moria/ and sacrifyce him there for a sacrifyce vpon one of the mountayns which I will shewe the Than Abraham rose vp early in the mornynge and sadled his a.s.se/ and toke two of his meyny wyth him/ and Isaac his sonne: d clove wod for the sacrifyce/ and rose vp and gott him to the place which G.o.d had appoynted him.

The thirde daye Abraham lyfte vp his eyes and sawe the place a farr of/ and sayde vnto his yong men: byde here with the a.s.se. I and the lad will goo yonder and worshippe and come agayne vnto you. And Abraham toke the wodd of the sacrifyce and layde it vpon Isaac his sonne/ and toke fyre in his hande and a knyfe. And they went both of them together.

Than spake Isaac vnto Abraham his father & sayde: My father? And he answered here am I my sonne. And he sayde: Se here is fyre and wodd/ but where is the shepe for sacrifyce? And Abraham sayde: my sonne/ G.o.d wyll prouyde him a shepe for sacrifyce. So went they both together.

And when they came vnto the place which G.o.d shewed him/ Abrah made an aulter there and dressed the wodd/ d bownde Isaac his sonne and layde him on the aulter/ aboue apon the wodd. And Abraham stretched forth his hande/ and toke the knyfe to haue kylled his sonne.

Than the angell of the LORde called vnto him from heauen saynge: Abraham/ Abraham. And he answered: here am I. And he sayde: laye not thy handes apon the childe nether do any thinge at all vnto him/ for now I knowe that thou fearest G.o.d/ in y^t thou hast not kepte thine only sonne fr me. And Abraham lyfted vp his eyes and loked aboute: and beholde/ there was a ram caught by the hornes in a thykette. And he went and toke the ram and offred him vp for a sacrifyce in the steade of his sonne And Abraham called the name of the place/ the LORde will see: wherfore it is a com? saynge this daye: in the mounte will the LORde be sene.

And the Angell of the LORde cryed vnto Abraham from heaven the seconde tyme saynge: by my selfe haue I sworne (sayth the LORde) because thou hast done this thinge and hast not spared thy only sonne/ that I will blesse the and multiplye thy seed as the starres of heaven and as the sonde vp the seesyde. And thy seed shall possesse the gates of hys enymies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the erth be blessed/ because thou hast obeyed my voyce

So turned Abraham agayne vnto his yonge men/ and they rose vp and w?t to gether to Berseba. And Abraham dwelt at Berseba

And it chaused after these thiges/ that one tolde Abraham saynge: Beholde/ Milcha she hath also borne childern vnto thy brother Nachor: Hus his eldest sonne and Bus his brother/ and Kemuell the father of the Sirians/ and Cesed/ and Haso/ and Pildas/ and Iedlaph/ and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat Rebecca. These .viij. dyd Milcha bere to Nachor Abrahams brother. And his concubyne called Rheuma she bare also Tebah/ Gaham/ Thahas and Maacha.