The First Boke of Moses called Genesis Part 6

--The .xxiij. Chapter.

Sara was an hundred and .xxvij. yere olde (for so longe lyued she) and than dyed in a heade cyte called Hebron in the londe of Canaan. Than Abraham came to morne Sara and to wepe for her. And Abraham stode vp from the coorse and talked with the sonnes of heth saynge: I am a straunger d a foryner amonge yow/ geue me a possession to bury in with you/ that I may bury my dead oute of my sighte.

And the children of heth answered Abraham saynge vnto him: heare vs lorde/ thou art a prynce of G.o.d amonge vs. In the chefest of oure sepulchres bury thy dead: None of vs shall forbydd y^e his sepulcre/ y^t thou shuldest not bury thy deade therein. Abrah stode vp & bowed hi selfe before y^e people of y^e lde y^e childr? of heth.

And he comoned with them saynge: Yf it be youre myndes y^t I shall bury my deade oute of my sighte/ heare me d speke for me to Ephron the sonne of Zoar: and let him geue me the dubill caue which he hath in the end of his felde/ for as moch money as it is worth/ let him geue it me in the presence of you/ for a possession to bury in. For Hephron dwelled amge y^e childern of heth.

Than Ephron the Hethite answered Abraham in the audy?ce of the childern of Heth and of all that went in at the gates of his cyte/ saynge: Not so/ my lorde/ but heare me: The felde geue I the/ and the caue that therein is/ geue I the also/ And even in the presence of the sonnes of my people geve I it the to bury thy deede in. Than Abraham bowed himselfe before the people of the lde and spake vnto Ephr in the audyence of the people of the contre saynge: I praye the heare me/ I will geue sylver for the felde/ take it of me/ d so will I bury my deed there.

Ephron answered Abrah saynge vnto him My lorde/ harken vnto me. The lande is worth iiij. hundreth sycles of syluer: But what is that betwixte the and me? bury thy deede. And Abraham harkened vnto Ephron and weyde him the sylver which he had sayde in the audyence of the sonnes of Heth. Euen .iiij. hudred syluer sycles of currant money amonge marchauntes

Thus was the felde of Ephron where in the dubbill caue is before Mamre: euen the felde & the caue that is therein and all the trees of the felde which growe in all the borders rounde aboute/ made sure vnto Abraham for a possession/ in the syghte of the childern of Heth and of all that went in at the gates of the cyte. And then Abraham buried Sara his wyfe in the double caue of the felde that lyeth before Mre/ otherwise called Ebron in the lande of Canaan. And so both the felde d the caue that is therein/ was made vnto Abraham/ a sure possession to bury in/ of the sonnes of Heth.

-- The .xxiiij. Chapter

Abraham was olde and stryken in dayes/ and the LORde had blessed him in all thinges. And he sayde vn to his eldest servaunte of his house which had the rule over all that he had: Put thy hande vnder my thye that I maye make the swere by the LORde that is G.o.d of heauen and G.o.d of the erth/ that thou shalt not take a wyfe vnto my sonne/ of the doughters of the canaanytes/ amonge which I dwell. But shalt goo vnto my contre and to my kynred/ and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne Isaac.

Th sayde the seruaunte vnto him: what d yf the wom wyll not agree to come with me vnto this lde/ shall I brynge thy sonne agayne vnto the lande which thou camest out of? And Abrah sayde vnto him: bewarre of that/ that thou brige not my sonne thither. The LORde G.o.d of heauen which toke me from my fathers house and from the lande where I was borne/ and which spake vnto me and sware vnto me saynge: vnto thy seed wyll I geue this lande/ he shall sende his angell before the/ y^t thou mayst take a wife vnto my sonne from thence. Neuerthelesse yf the wom will not agree to come with the than shalt thou be with out daunger of this ooth. But aboue all thinge brynge not my sonne thyther agayne.

And the seruaunte put his hand vnder the thye of Abraham and sware to him as concernynge that matter.

And the seruaunte toke .x. camels of the camels of his master and departed/ and had of all maner goodes of his master with him/ and stode vp and went to Mesopotamia/ vnto the cytie of Nahor. And made his camels to lye doune without the cytie by a wels syde of water/ at euen: aboute the tyme that women come out to drawe water/ and he sayde.

LORde G.o.d of my master Abrah/ sende me good spede this daye/ & shewe mercy vnto my master Abraham. Lo I stonde here by the well of water and the doughters of the men of this citie will come out to drawe water: Now the damsell to whome I saye/ stoupe doune thy pytcher and let me drynke. Yf she saye/ drynke/ and I will geue thy camels drynke also/ y^e same is she that thou hast ordened for they servaunte Isaac: yee & therby shall I knowe that thou hast shewed mercy on my master.

And it came to pa.s.se yer he had leeft spakynge/ that Rebecca came out/ the doughter of Bethuell/ sonne to Melcha the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother/ and hir pytcher apon hir shulder: The damsell was very fayre to loke apon/ and yet a mayde and vnknowen of man. And she went doune to the well and fylled hyr pytcher and came vp agayne. Then the seruaunte ranne vnto her and sayde: let me syppe a litle water of thi pitcher. And she sayde: drynke my lorde.

And she hasted and laie downe her pytcher apon hyr arme and gaue him drinke. And wh? she had geven hym drynke/ she sayde: I will drawe water for thy camels also/ vntill they haue dronke ynough. And she poured out hyr pitcher in to the trough hastely and ranne agayne vnto the well/ to fett water: and drewe for all his camels.

And the felowe wondred at her. But helde his peace/ to wete whether the LORde had made his iourney prosperous or not. And as the camels had lefte drynckynge/ he toke an earynge of halfe a sicle weght and .ij golden bracelettes for hyr hdes/ of .x. sycles weyght of gold and sayde vnto her: whose doughter art thou? tell me: ys there rowme in thy fathers house/ for vs to lodge in? And she sayde vnto him: I am the doughter of Bethuell the sonne of Milcha which she bare vnto Nahor: and sayde moreouer vnto him: we haue litter and prauonder ynough and also rowme to lodge in.

And the man bowed himselfe and worshipped the LORde and sayde: blessed be the LORde G.o.d of my master Abraham which cea.s.seth not to deale mercyfully and truly with my master/ And hath brought me the waye to my masters brothers house. And the damsell ranne & tolde them of her mothers house these thinges. And Rebecca had a brother called Laban.

And Laban ranne out vnto the man/ to the well: for as soone as he had sene the earynges and the bracelettes apon his sisters handes/ d herde the wordes of Rebecca his sister saynge thus sayde the man vnto me/ than he went out vnto the man. And loo/ he stode yet with the camels by the well syde. And Laban sayde: come in thou blessed of the LORde. Wherfore stondest thou without? I haue dressed the house and made rowme for the camels. And than the m came in to the house. And he vnbrydeld the camels: and brought litter and prauonder for the camels/ and water to weshe his fete and their fete that were with him/ and there was meate sett before him to eate.

[Sidenote: * G.o.d blesseth vs wh? he geveth vs his benefites: and curseth vs/ when he taketh them awaye.]

But he sayde: I will not eate/ vntill I haue sayde myne ear?de: And he sayde/ saye on. And he sayde: I am Abrahs servaunte/ & the LORDE hath * blessed my master out of measure that he is become greate and hath geven him shepe oxen/ syluer and golde/ menservauntes/ maydeservauntes/ camels d a.s.ses. And Sara my masters wyfe bare him a sonne/ wh? she was old: and vnto him hath he geven all that he hath.

And my master made me swere saynge: Thou shalt not take a wyfe to my sonne/ amonge the doughters of the cananytes in whose lde I dwell.

But thou shalt goo vnto my fathers house and to my kynred/ and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne. And I sayde vnto my master. What yf the wyfe will not folowe me? And he sayde vnto me: The LORde before whome I walke/ will sende his angell with the and prosper thy iourney that thou shalt take a wyfe for my sonne/ of my kynred and of my fathers house. But and yf (when thou comest vnto my kynred) they will not geue the one/ th shalt though bere no perell of myne oothe.

And I came this daye vnto the well and sayed: O LORde/ the G.o.d of my master Abrah/ yf it be so that thou makest my iourney which I go/ prosperous: behold/ I stde by this well of water/ And when a virgyn cometh forth to drawe water/ and I saye to her: geue me a litle water of thi pitcher to drynke/ and she saye agayne to me: dryncke thou/ and I will also drawe water for thy camels: that same is the wife/ whom the LORde hath prepared for my masters sonne.

And before I had made an ende of speakynge in myne harte: beholde Rebecca came forth/ and hir pitcher on hir shulder/ and she went doune vnto the well and drewe. And I sayde vnto her geue me dryncke. And she made hast and toke doune hir pitcher from of hir/ d sayd: drinke/ and I will geue thy camels drynke also. And I asked her saynge: whose doughter art thou? And she answered: the doughter of Bathuell Nahors sonne whome Milca bare vnto him.

And I put the earynge vpon hir face and the bracelettes apon hir hondes. And I bowed my selfe and worshepped the LORde and blessed the LORde G.o.d of my master Abrah which had brought me the right waye/ to take my masters brothers doughter vnto his sonne. Now therfore yf ye will deall mercyfully and truly with my master/ tell me. And yf no/ tell me also: that I maye turne me to the right hande or to the left.

Than answered Laban and Bathuel saynge: The thinge is proceded even out of the lorde/ we can not therfore saye vnto the/ ether good or bad: Beholde Rebecca before thy face/ take her and goo/ and let her be thy masters sonnes wife/ euen as the LORde hath sayde. And wh?

Abrahams servaunte herde their wordes/ he bowed himselfe vnto the LORde/ flatt vpon the erth. And the servaunte toke forth iewells of syluer and iewelles of gold and rayment/ and gaue them to Rebecca: But vnto hir brother & to hir mother/ he gaue spyces. And then they ate and dranke/ both he and the men that were with him/ and taried all nyghte and rose vp in the mornynge.

And he sayde: let me de parte vnto my master. But hir brother and hir mother sayde: let the damsell abyde with vs a while/ d it be but even .x. dayes/ and than goo thy wayes. And he sayde vnto them/ hinder me not: for the lorde hath prospered my iourney. Sende me away y^t I maye goo vnto my master. And they sayde: let vs call the damsell/ and witt what she sayth to the matter. And they called forth Rebecca d sayde vnto her: wilt thou goo with this m? And she sayde: Yee.

[Sidenote: * To bless a ms neyboure is to praye for him d to wisshe him goode and not to wagge .ij. figers ouer him.]

Than they broughte Rebecca their sister on the waye and her norse and Abrahs servaunte/ and the men that were wyth him. And they * blessed Rebecca & sayde vnto her: Thou are oure sister/ growe in to thousande thousandes/ & thy seed possesse y^e gates of their enimes. And Rebecca arose & hir damsels/ & satt th? vp ap the camels & went their waye after the man. And y^e servaunte toke Rebecca & went his waye

And Isaac was a comige from the well of y^e lyvynge & seynge/ for he dwelt in the south ctre/ & was gone out to walke in his meditatis before y^e eu? tyde. And he lyfte vp his eyes & loked/ & beholde y^e camels were cominge. And Rebecca lyfte vp hir eyes/ & wh? she sawe Isaac/ she lyghted of the camel d sayde vnto y^e servaunte: what m is this y^t cometh agenst vs in the feld? And the servaute sayde: it is my master. And then she toke hir mantell d put it aboute her. And the servaute tolde Isaac all that he had done. Th? Isaac broughte her in to his mother Saras tente/ d toke Rebecca & she became his wife/ & he loved her: & so was Isaac cforted over his mother.

The .xxv. Chapter

Abrah toke hi another wyfe cald Ketura/ which bare hi Simram/ Iacksan/ Medan/ Midi Iesback & Suah. And Iacksan begat Seba & Ded.

And the sonnes of Dedan were a.s.surim/ Letusim & Leumim. And the sonnes of Midian were Epha/ Epher/ Hanoch/ Abida & Elda. All these were the childern of Kethura. But Abrah 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 Abrah which he lyved: an hudred & .lxxv. yere and than fell seke d dyed/ in a l.u.s.tie age (wh? he had lyved ynough) d was put vnto his people. And his sonnes Isaac d Ismael buried him in the duble caue in the feld of Ephr sne of Zoar the Hethite before Mamre. Which felde abrah boughte of the sonnes of Heth: There was Abrah buried and Sara hys wyfe. And after y^e deeth of Abrah G.o.d blessed Isaac his sonne which dweld by the well of the lyvinge & seige

These are the generatis of Ismael Abrahs sonne/ which Hagar the Egipti Saras hand mayde bare vnto Abraham. And these are the names of the snes of Ismaell/ with their names in their kireddes. The eldest sne of Ismael Neuatoth/ th? Kedar/ Adbeel/ Mibs/ Misma Duma/ Masa/ Hadar/ Thema/ Ietur/ Naphis & Kedma. These are the snes of Ismael/ and these are their names/ in their townes and castels .xij. princes of natis. And these are the yeres of the lyfe of Ismael: an hudred and .x.x.xvij 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 a.s.siris. And he dyed in the presence of all his brethren.

And these are the generatis of Isaac Abrahs sonne: Abrah begat Isaac. And Isaac was .xl. yere olde wh? he toke Rebecca to wyfe the doughter of Bethuel the Sirian of Mesopotamia & sister to Iaban the Sirian.

And Isaac made intercessi vnto y^e LORde for his wife: because she was bar?: and y^e LORde was itreated of hi/ and Rebecca his wife cceaued: and y^e childern stroue together withi her. th? she sayde: yf it shulde goo so to pa.s.se/ 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? hir tyme was come to be delyuered beholde: there were .ij.

twyns in hir wbe. 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? she bare th?: 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 venys/ but Rebecca loued Iacob.

Iacob sod potage & Esau came from the feld & was faitte/ & 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.