12:1 Now the Lord said 1 to Abram, 2
“Go out 3 from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household
to the land that I will show you. 4
12:2 Then I will make you 5 into a great nation, and I will bless you, 6
and I will make your name great, 7
so that you will exemplify divine blessing. 8
12:3 I will bless those who bless you, 9
but the one who treats you lightly 10 I must curse,
and all the families of the earth will bless one another 11 by your name.”
12:4 So Abram left, 12 just as the Lord had told him to do, 13 and Lot went with him. (Now 14 Abram was 75 years old 15 when he departed from Haran.) 12:5 And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew 16 Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired 17 in Haran, and they left for 18 the land of Canaan. They entered the land of Canaan.
12:6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the oak tree 19 of Moreh 20 at Shechem. 21 (At that time the Canaanites were in the land.) 22 12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants 23 I will give this land.” So Abram 24 built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
12:8 Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel 25 and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord. 26 12:9 Abram continually journeyed by stages 27 down to the Negev. 28
12:10 There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt 29 to stay for a while 30 because the famine was severe. 31 12:11 As he approached 32 Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, 33 I know that you are a beautiful woman. 34 12:12 When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive. 35 12:13 So tell them 36 you are my sister 37 so that it may go well 38 for me because of you and my life will be spared 39 on account of you.”
12:14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 12:15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife 40 was taken 41 into the household of Pharaoh, 42 12:16 and he did treat Abram well 43 on account of her. Abram received 44 sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
12:17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases 45 because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 12:18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this 46 you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 12:19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her 47 to be my wife? 48 Here is your wife! 49 Take her and go!” 50 12:20 Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram, 51 and so they expelled him, along with his wife and all his possessions.
13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. 52 He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot. 53 13:2 (Now Abram was very wealthy 54 in livestock, silver, and gold.) 55
13:3 And he journeyed from place to place 56 from the Negev as far as Bethel. 57 He returned 58 to the place where he had pitched his tent 59 at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai. 13:4 This was the place where he had first built the altar, 60 and there Abram worshiped the Lord. 61
13:5 Now Lot, who was traveling 62 with Abram, also had 63 flocks, herds, and tents. 13:6 But the land could 64 not support them while they were living side by side. 65 Because their possessions were so great, they were not able to live 66 alongside one another. 13:7 So there were quarrels 67 between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. 68 (Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.) 69
13:8 Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. 70 13:9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go 71 to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.”
13:10 Lot looked up and saw 72 the whole region 73 of the Jordan. He noticed 74 that all of it was well-watered (before the Lord obliterated 75 Sodom and Gomorrah) 76 like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, 77 all the way to Zoar. 13:11 Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled 78 toward the east.
So the relatives separated from each other. 79 13:12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain 80 and pitched his tents next to Sodom. 13:13 (Now 81 the people 82 of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.) 83
13:14 After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, 84 “Look 85 from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west. 13:15 I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants 86 forever. 13:16 And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted. 87 13:17 Get up and 88 walk throughout 89 the land, 90 for I will give it to you.”
13:18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live 91 by the oaks 92 of Mamre in Hebron, and he built an altar to the Lord there.
14:1 At that time 93 Amraphel king of Shinar, 94 Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations 95 14:2 went to war 96 against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 97 14:3 These last five kings 98 joined forces 99 in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 100 14:4 For twelve years 101 they had served Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year 102 they rebelled. 103 14:5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings who were his allies came and defeated 104 the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 14:6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is near the desert. 105 14:7 Then they attacked En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) again, 106 and they conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.
14:8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and prepared for battle. In the Valley of Siddim they met 107 14:9 Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, 108 Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar. Four kings fought against 109 five. 14:10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. 110 When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, 111 but some survivors 112 fled to the hills. 113 14:11 The four victorious kings 114 took all the possessions and food of Sodom and Gomorrah and left. 14:12 They also took Abram’s nephew 115 Lot and his possessions when 116 they left, for Lot 117 was living in Sodom. 118
14:13 A fugitive 119 came and told Abram the Hebrew. 120 Now Abram was living by the oaks 121 of Mamre the Amorite, the brother 122 of Eshcol and Aner. (All these were allied by treaty 123 with Abram.) 124 14:14 When Abram heard that his nephew 125 had been taken captive, he mobilized 126 his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders 127 as far as Dan. 128 14:15 Then, during the night, 129 Abram 130 divided his forces 131 against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north 132 of Damascus. 14:16 He retrieved all the stolen property. 133 He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, as well as the women and the rest of 134 the people.
14:17 After Abram 135 returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram 136 in the Valley of Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley). 137 14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem 138 brought out bread and wine. (Now he was the priest of the Most High God.) 139 14:19 He blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by 140 the Most High God,
Creator 141 of heaven and earth. 142
14:20 Worthy of praise is 143 the Most High God,
who delivered 144 your enemies into your hand.”
Abram gave Melchizedek 145 a tenth of everything.
14:21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself.” 14:22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I raise my hand 146 to the Lord, the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth, and vow 147 14:23 that I will take nothing 148 belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal. That way you can never say, ‘It is I 149 who made Abram rich.’ 14:24 I will take nothing 150 except compensation for what the young men have eaten. 151 As for the share of the men who went with me – Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre – let them take their share.”
15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield 152 and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” 153
15:2 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, 154 what will you give me since 155 I continue to be 156 childless, and my heir 157 is 158 Eliezer of Damascus?” 159 15:3 Abram added, 160 “Since 161 you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” 162
15:4 But look, 163 the word of the Lord came to him: “This man 164 will not be your heir, 165 but instead 166 a son 167 who comes from your own body will be 168 your heir.” 169 15:5 The Lord 170 took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
15:6 Abram believed 171 the Lord, and the Lord 172 considered his response of faith 173 as proof of genuine loyalty. 174
15:7 The Lord said 175 to him, “I am the Lord 176 who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans 177 to give you this land to possess.” 15:8 But 178 Abram 179 said, “O sovereign Lord, 180 by what 181 can I know that I am to possess it?”
15:9 The Lord 182 said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 15:10 So Abram 183 took all these for him and then cut them in two 184 and placed each half opposite the other, 185 but he did not cut the birds in half. 15:11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, 186 and great terror overwhelmed him. 187 15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain 188 that your descendants will be strangers 189 in a foreign country. 190 They will be enslaved and oppressed 191 for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. 192 Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you, 193 you will go to your ancestors 194 in peace and be buried at a good old age. 195 15:16 In the fourth generation 196 your descendants 197 will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” 198
15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch 199 passed between the animal parts. 200 15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant 201 with Abram: “To your descendants I give 202 this land, from the river of Egypt 203 to the great river, the Euphrates River – 15:19 the land 204 of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 15:21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” 205
16:1 Now Sarai, 206 Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, 207 but she had an Egyptian servant 208 named Hagar. 209 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since 210 the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with 211 my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” 212 Abram did what 213 Sarai told him.
16:3 So after Abram had lived 214 in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, 215 to her husband to be his wife. 216 16:4 He had sexual relations with 217 Hagar, and she became pregnant. 218 Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 219 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! 220 I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, 221 but when she realized 222 that she was pregnant, she despised me. 223 May the Lord judge between you and me!” 224
16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your 225 servant is under your authority, 226 do to her whatever you think best.” 227 Then Sarai treated Hagar 228 harshly, 229 so she ran away from Sarai. 230
16:7 The Lord’s angel 231 found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert – the spring that is along the road to Shur. 232 16:8 He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from 233 my mistress, Sarai.”
16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit 234 to her authority. 16:10 I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the Lord’s angel added, 235 “so that they will be too numerous to count.” 236 16:11 Then the Lord’s angel said to her,
“You are now 237 pregnant
and are about to give birth 238 to a son.
You are to name him Ishmael, 239
for the Lord has heard your painful groans. 240
16:12 He will be a wild donkey 241 of a man.
He will be hostile to everyone, 242
and everyone will be hostile to him. 243
He will live away from 244 his brothers.”
16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” 245 for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” 246 16:14 That is why the well was called 247 Beer Lahai Roi. 248 (It is located 249 between Kadesh and Bered.)
16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. 250 16:16 (Now 251 Abram was 86 years old 252 when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.) 253
17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, 254 the Lord appeared to him and said, 255 “I am the sovereign God. 256 Walk 257 before me 258 and be blameless. 259 17:2 Then I will confirm my covenant 260 between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.” 261
17:3 Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, 262 and God said to him, 263 17:4 “As for me, 264 this 265 is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 17:5 No longer will your name be 266 Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham 267 because I will make you 268 the father of a multitude of nations. 17:6 I will make you 269 extremely 270 fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. 271 17:7 I will confirm 272 my covenant as a perpetual 273 covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 274 17:8 I will give the whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing 275 – to you and your descendants after you as a permanent 276 possession. I will be their God.”
17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep 277 the covenantal requirement 278 I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 17:10 This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: 279 Every male among you must be circumcised. 280 17:11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder 281 of the covenant between me and you. 17:12 Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old 282 must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants. 17:13 They must indeed be circumcised, 283 whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant 284 will be visible in your flesh as a permanent 285 reminder. 17:14 Any uncircumcised male 286 who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off 287 from his people – he has failed to carry out my requirement.” 288
17:15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; 289 Sarah 290 will be her name. 17:16 I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. 291 Kings of countries 292 will come from her!”
17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed 293 as he said to himself, 294 “Can 295 a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? 296 Can Sarah 297 bear a child at the age of ninety?” 298 17:18 Abraham said to God, “O that 299 Ishmael might live before you!” 300
17:19 God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. 301 I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual 302 covenant for his descendants after him. 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. 303 I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. 304 He will become the father of twelve princes; 305 I will make him into a great nation. 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.” 17:22 When he finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. 306
17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) 307 and circumcised them 308 on that very same day, just as God had told him to do. 17:24 Now Abraham was 99 years old 309 when he was circumcised; 310 17:25 his son Ishmael was thirteen years old 311 when he was circumcised. 17:26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the very same day. 17:27 All the men of his household, whether born in his household or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham 312 by the oaks 313 of Mamre while 314 he was sitting at the entrance 315 to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham 316 looked up 317 and saw 318 three men standing across 319 from him. When he saw them 320 he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low 321 to the ground. 322
18:3 He said, “My lord, 323 if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. 324 18:4 Let a little water be brought so that 325 you may all 326 wash your feet and rest under the tree. 18:5 And let me get 327 a bit of food 328 so that you may refresh yourselves 329 since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” 330 “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”
18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take 331 three measures 332 of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” 333 18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, 334 who quickly prepared it. 335 18:8 Abraham 336 then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food 337 before them. They ate while 338 he was standing near them under a tree.
18:9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, 339 in the tent.” 18:10 One of them 340 said, “I will surely return 341 to you when the season comes round again, 342 and your wife Sarah will have a son!” 343 (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. 344 18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; 345 Sarah had long since passed menopause.) 346 18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, 347 “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, 348 especially when my husband is old too?” 349
18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why 350 did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really 351 have a child when I am old?’ 18:14 Is anything impossible 352 for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” 353 18:15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.” 354
18:16 When the men got up to leave, 355 they looked out over 356 Sodom. (Now 357 Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) 358 18:17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 359 18:18 After all, Abraham 360 will surely become 361 a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 362 using his name. 18:19 I have chosen him 363 so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep 364 the way of the Lord by doing 365 what is right and just. Then the Lord will give 366 to Abraham what he promised 367 him.”
18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against 368 Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 369 18:21 that I must go down 370 and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. 371 If not, 372 I want to know.”
18:22 The two men turned 373 and headed 374 toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord. 375 18:23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 18:24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare 376 the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge 377 of the whole earth do what is right?” 378
18:26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
18:27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord 379 (although I am but dust and ashes), 380 18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy 381 the whole city because five are lacking?” 382 He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
18:29 Abraham 383 spoke to him again, 384 “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”
18:30 Then Abraham 385 said, “May the Lord not be angry 386 so that I may speak! 387 What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
18:31 Abraham 388 said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
18:32 Finally Abraham 389 said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
18:33 The Lord went on his way 390 when he had finished speaking 391 to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home. 392
19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while 393 Lot was sitting in the city’s gateway. 394 When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face toward the ground.
19:2 He said, “Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house. Stay the night 395 and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning.” 396 “No,” they replied, “we’ll spend the night in the town square.” 397
19:3 But he urged 398 them persistently, so they turned aside with him and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them, including bread baked without yeast, and they ate. 19:4 Before they could lie down to sleep, 399 all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. 400 19:5 They shouted to Lot, 401 “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex 402 with them!”
19:6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 19:7 He said, “No, my brothers! Don’t act so wickedly! 403 19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with 404 a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. 405 Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection 406 of my roof.” 407
19:9 “Out of our way!” 408 they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, 409 and now he dares to judge us! 410 We’ll do more harm 411 to you than to them!” They kept 412 pressing in on Lot until they were close enough 413 to break down the door.
19:10 So the men inside 414 reached out 415 and pulled Lot back into the house 416 as they shut the door. 19:11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, 417 with blindness. The men outside 418 wore themselves out trying to find the door. 19:12 Then the two visitors 419 said to Lot, “Who else do you have here? 420 Do you have 421 any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city? 422 Get them out of this 423 place 19:13 because we are about to destroy 424 it. The outcry against this place 425 is so great before the Lord that he 426 has sent us to destroy it.”
19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. 427 He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy 428 the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. 429
19:15 At dawn 430 the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, 431 or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!” 432 19:16 When Lot 433 hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord had compassion on them. 434 They led them away and placed them 435 outside the city. 19:17 When they had brought them outside, they 436 said, “Run 437 for your lives! Don’t look 438 behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! 439 Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”
19:18 But Lot said to them, “No, please, Lord! 440 19:19 Your 441 servant has found favor with you, 442 and you have shown me great 443 kindness 444 by sparing 445 my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because 446 this disaster will overtake 447 me and I’ll die. 448 19:20 Look, this town 449 over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one. 450 Let me go there. 451 It’s just a little place, isn’t it? 452 Then I’ll survive.” 453
19:21 “Very well,” he replied, 454 “I will grant this request too 455 and will not overthrow 456 the town you mentioned. 19:22 Run there quickly, 457 for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.) 458
19:23 The sun had just risen 459 over the land as Lot reached Zoar. 460 19:24 Then the Lord rained down 461 sulfur and fire 462 on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord. 463 19:25 So he overthrew those cities and all that region, 464 including all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation that grew 465 from the ground. 19:26 But Lot’s 466 wife looked back longingly 467 and was turned into a pillar of salt.
19:27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went 468 to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 19:28 He looked out toward 469 Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of that region. 470 As he did so, he saw the smoke rising up from the land like smoke from a furnace. 471
19:29 So when God destroyed 472 the cities of the region, 473 God honored 474 Abraham’s request. He removed Lot 475 from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed 476 the cities Lot had lived in.
19:30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 19:31 Later the older daughter said 477 to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby 478 to have sexual relations with us, 479 according to the way of all the world. 19:32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine 480 so we can have sexual relations 481 with him and preserve 482 our family line through our father.” 483
19:33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, 484 and the older daughter 485 came and had sexual relations with her father. 486 But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 487 19:34 So in the morning the older daughter 488 said to the younger, “Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. 489 Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 490 19:35 So they made their father drunk 491 that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. 492 But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 493
19:36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 19:37 The older daughter 494 gave birth to a son and named him Moab. 495 He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 19:38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. 496 He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.
20:1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev 497 region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident 498 in Gerar, 20:2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.
20:3 But God appeared 499 to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead 500 because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.” 501
20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, 502 would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 503 20:5 Did Abraham 504 not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, 505 ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience 506 and with innocent hands!”
20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. 507 That is why I have kept you 508 from sinning against me and why 509 I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed 510 he is a prophet 511 and he will pray for you; thus you will live. 512 But if you don’t give her back, 513 know that you will surely die 514 along with all who belong to you.”
20:8 Early in the morning 515 Abimelech summoned 516 all his servants. When he told them about all these things, 517 they 518 were terrified. 20:9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? 519 You have done things to me that should not be done!” 520 20:10 Then Abimelech asked 521 Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?” 522
20:11 Abraham replied, “Because I thought, 523 ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of 524 my wife.’ 20:12 What’s more, 525 she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s daughter. She became my wife. 20:13 When God made me wander 526 from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: 527 Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”
20:14 So Abimelech gave 528 sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 20:15 Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.” 529
20:16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver 530 to your ‘brother.’ 531 This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.” 532
20:17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 20:18 For the Lord 533 had caused infertility to strike every woman 534 in the household of Abimelech because he took 535 Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
21:1 The Lord visited 536 Sarah just as he had said he would and did 537 for Sarah what he had promised. 538 21:2 So Sarah became pregnant 539 and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 21:3 Abraham named his son – whom Sarah bore to him – Isaac. 540 21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, 541 Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. 542 21:5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.) 543
21:6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. 544 Everyone who hears about this 545 will laugh 546 with me.” 21:7 She went on to say, 547 “Who would 548 have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”
21:8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared 549 a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 550 21:9 But Sarah noticed 551 the son of Hagar the Egyptian – the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham – mocking. 552 21:10 So she said to Abraham, “Banish 553 that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!”
21:11 Sarah’s demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son. 554 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset 555 about the boy or your slave wife. Do 556 all that Sarah is telling 557 you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. 558 21:13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too.”
21:14 Early in the morning Abraham took 559 some food 560 and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, 561 and sent her away. So she went wandering 562 aimlessly through the wilderness 563 of Beer Sheba. 21:15 When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved 564 the child under one of the shrubs. 21:16 Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot 565 away; for she thought, 566 “I refuse to watch the child die.” 567 So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably. 568
21:17 But God heard the boy’s voice. 569 The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, 570 Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard 571 the boy’s voice right where he is crying. 21:18 Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 21:19 Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water. 572 She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink.
21:20 God was with the boy as he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21:21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. 573 His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt. 574
21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you 575 in all that you do. 21:23 Now swear to me right here in God’s name 576 that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. 577 Show me, and the land 578 where you are staying, 579 the same loyalty 580 that I have shown you.” 581
21:24 Abraham said, “I swear to do this.” 582 21:25 But Abraham lodged a complaint 583 against Abimelech concerning a well 584 that Abimelech’s servants had seized. 585 21:26 “I do not know who has done this thing,” Abimelech replied. “Moreover, 586 you did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today.”
21:27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty. 587 21:28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves. 21:29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these 588 seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 21:30 He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof 589 that I dug this well.” 590 21:31 That is why he named that place 591 Beer Sheba, 592 because the two of them swore 593 an oath there.
21:32 So they made a treaty 594 at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned 595 to the land of the Philistines. 596 21:33 Abraham 597 planted a tamarisk tree 598 in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, 599 the eternal God. 21:34 So Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for quite some time. 600
22:1 Some time after these things God tested 601 Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham 602 replied. 22:2 God 603 said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac 604 – and go to the land of Moriah! 605 Offer him up there as a burnt offering 606 on one of the mountains which I will indicate to 607 you.”
22:3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. 608 He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out 609 for the place God had spoken to him about.
22:4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of 610 the place in the distance. 22:5 So he 611 said to his servants, “You two stay 612 here with the donkey while 613 the boy and I go up there. We will worship 614 and then return to you.” 615
22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, 616 and the two of them walked on together. 22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, 617 “My father?” “What is it, 618 my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, 619 “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 22:8 “God will provide 620 for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.
22:9 When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there 621 and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up 622 his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 22:10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter 623 his son. 22:11 But the Lord’s angel 624 called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 22:12 “Do not harm the boy!” 625 the angel said. 626 “Do not do anything to him, for now I know 627 that you fear 628 God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”
22:13 Abraham looked up 629 and saw 630 behind him 631 a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he 632 went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.” 633 It is said to this day, 634 “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.” 635
22:15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 22:16 and said, “‘I solemnly swear by my own name,’ 636 decrees the Lord, 637 ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 22:17 I will indeed bless you, 638 and I will greatly multiply 639 your descendants 640 so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession 641 of the strongholds 642 of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, 643 all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 644 using the name of your descendants.’”
22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together 645 for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed. 646
22:20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah 647 also has borne children to your brother Nahor – 22:21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 648 22:22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 22:23 (Now 649 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) These were the eight sons Milcah bore to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 22:24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore him children – Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
23:1 Sarah lived 127 years. 650 23:2 Then she 651 died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 652
23:3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife 653 and said to the sons of Heth, 654 23:4 “I am a temporary settler 655 among you. Grant 656 me ownership 657 of a burial site among you so that I may 658 bury my dead.” 659
23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, 660 23:6 “Listen, sir, 661 you are a mighty prince 662 among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you 663 from burying your dead.”
23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, 664 the sons of Heth. 23:8 Then he said to them, “If you agree 665 that I may bury my dead, 666 then hear me out. 667 Ask 668 Ephron the son of Zohar 23:9 if he will sell 669 me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly 670 for the full price, 671 so that I may own it as a burial site.”
23:10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite 672 replied to Abraham in the hearing 673 of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate 674 of his city – 23:11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell 675 you both the field and the cave that is in it. 676 In the presence of my people 677 I sell it to you. Bury your dead.”
23:12 Abraham bowed before the local people 23:13 and said to Ephron in their hearing, “Hear me, if you will. I pay 678 to you the price 679 of the field. Take it from me so that I may 680 bury my dead there.”
23:14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 23:15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth 681 400 pieces of silver, 682 but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”
23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price 683 and weighed 684 out for him 685 the price 686 that Ephron had quoted 687 in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. 688
23:17 So Abraham secured 689 Ephron’s field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 23:18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city. 690
23:19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 23:20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site 691 from the sons of Heth.
24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, 692 and the Lord had blessed him 693 in everything. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one 694 in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh 695 24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise 696 by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire 697 a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 24:4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives 698 to find 699 a wife for my son Isaac.”
24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me 700 to this land? Must I then 701 take your son back to the land from which you came?”
24:6 “Be careful 702 never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him. 703 24:7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives, 704 promised me with a solemn oath, 705 ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel 706 before you so that you may find 707 a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, 708 you will be free 709 from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!” 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. 710
24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. 711 He journeyed 712 to the region of Aram Naharaim 713 and the city of Nahor. 24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well 714 outside the city. It was evening, 715 the time when the women would go out to draw water. 24:12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. 716 Be faithful 717 to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, 718 and the daughters of the people 719 who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ 720 In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” 721
24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah 722 with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor). 723 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. 724 She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham’s servant 725 ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 24:18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering 726 her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, 727 she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 24:20 She quickly emptied 728 her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 24:21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine 729 if the Lord had made his journey successful 730 or not.
24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka 731 and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels 732 and gave them to her. 733 24:23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. 734 “Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24:24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. 735 24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added, 736 “and room for you 737 to spend the night.”
24:26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 24:27 saying “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love 738 for my master! The Lord has led me 739 to the house 740 of my master’s relatives!” 741
24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about 742 these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) 743 Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 24:30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring 744 and heard his sister Rebekah say, 745 “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing 746 by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, 747 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! 748 Why are you standing out here when I have prepared 749 the house and a place for the camels?”
24:32 So Abraham’s servant 750 went to the house and unloaded 751 the camels. Straw and feed were given 752 to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. 753 24:33 When food was served, 754 he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” 755 “Tell us,” Laban said. 756
24:34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 24:35 “The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. 757 The Lord 758 has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him 759 when she was old, 760 and my master 761 has given him everything he owns. 24:37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 24:38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find 762 a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go 763 with me?’ 764 24:40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, 765 will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 24:41 You will be free from your oath 766 if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 24:42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, 767 may events unfold as follows: 768 24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. 769 When 770 the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say, “Give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 24:44 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, 771 along came Rebekah 772 with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 24:46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 24:47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’ 773 I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter 774 of my master’s brother for his son. 24:49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.” 775
24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. 776 Our wishes are of no concern. 777 24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become 778 the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.” 779
24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he 780 brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. 781
When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 782 24:55 But Rebekah’s 783 brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 24:56 But he said to them, “Don’t detain me – the Lord 784 has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return 785 to my master.” 24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” 786 24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want 787 to go with this man?” She replied, “I want to go.”
24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words: 788
“Our sister, may you become the mother 789 of thousands of ten thousands!
May your descendants possess the strongholds 790 of their enemies.”
24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with 791 the man. So Abraham’s servant 792 took Rebekah and left.
24:62 Now 793 Isaac came from 794 Beer Lahai Roi, 795 for 796 he was living in the Negev. 797 24:63 He 798 went out to relax 799 in the field in the early evening. 800 Then he looked up 801 and saw that 802 there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up 803 and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked 804 Abraham’s servant, 805 “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. 806 So she took her veil and covered herself.
24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah 807 into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her 808 as his wife and loved her. 809 So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. 810
25:1 Abraham had taken 811 another 812 wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. 813 The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants 814 of Keturah.
25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines 815 and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac. 816
25:7 Abraham lived a total of 817 175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. 818 He joined his ancestors. 819 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah 820 near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite. 25:10 This was the field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. 821 There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed 822 his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi. 823
25:12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, 824 whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.
25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: 825 Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 25:15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes 826 according to their clans.
25:17 Ishmael lived a total of 827 137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. 828 25:18 His descendants 829 settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next 830 to Egypt all the way 831 to Asshur. 832 They settled 833 away from all their relatives. 834