
{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}In the beginning, 
when God began to create 
the heavens and the 
earth, {I}2_{/}the earth 
had no form and was void; 
darkness was over the 
deep and the Spirit of 
God hovered over the 
waters.
{I}3_{/}God said, "Let 
there be light"; and 
there was light. 
{I}4_{/}God saw that the 
light was good and he 
separated the light from 
the darkness. {I}5_{/}God 
called the light 'Day' 
and the darkness 'Night'. 
There was evening and 
there was morning: the 
first day.
{I}6_{/}God said, "Let 
there be a firm ceiling 
between the waters and 
let it separate waters 
from waters." {I}7_{/}So 
God made the ceiling and 
separated the waters 
below it from the waters 
above it. And so it was. 
{I}8_{/}God called the 
firm ceiling 'Sky'. There 
was evening and there was 
morning: the second day.
{I}9_{/}God said, "Let 
the waters below the sky 
be gathered together in 
one place and let dry 
land appear." And so it 
was. {I}10_{/}God called 
the dry land 'Earth', and 
the waters gathered 
together he called 
'Seas'. God saw that it 
was good. 
{I}11_{/}God said, "Let 
the earth produce 
vegetation, seed-bearing 
plants, fruittrees 
bearing fruit with seed, 
each according to its 
kind, upon the earth." 
And so it was. 
{I}12_{/}The earth 
produced vegetation: 
plants bearing seed 
according to their kind 
and trees producing fruit 
which has seed, according 
to their kind. God saw 
that it was good. 
{I}13_{/}There was 
evening and there was 
morning: the third day.
{I}14_{/}God said, "Let 
there be lights in the 
ceiling of the sky to 
separate day from night 
and to serve as signs for 
the seasons, days and 
years; {I}15_{/}and let 
these lights in the sky 
shine above the earth." 
And so it was. 
{I}16_{/}God therefore 
made two great lights, 
the greater light to 
govern the day and the 
smaller light to govern 
the night; and God made 
the stars as well. 
{I}17_{/}God placed them 
in the ceiling of the sky 
to give light on the 
earth {I}18_{/}and to 
separate the light from 
the darkness. God saw 
that it was good. 
{I}19_{/}There was 
evening and there was 
morning: the fourth day.
{I}20_{/}God said, "Let 
the water teem with an 
abundance of living 
creatures, and let birds 
fly above the earth under 
the ceiling of the sky." 
{I}21_{/}God created the 
great monsters of the sea 
and all living animals, 
those that teem in the 
waters, according to 
their kind, and every 
winged bird, according to 
its kind. God saw that it 
was good. {I}22_{/}God 
blessed them saying, "Be 
fruitful and increase in 
number, fill the waters 
of the sea, and let the 
birds increase on the 
earth." {I}23_{/}There 
was evening and there was 
morning: the fifth day.
{I}24_{/}God said, "Let 
the earth produce living 
animals according to 
their kind: cattle, 
creatures that move along 
the ground, wild animals 
according to their_kind." 
So it was. {I}25_{/}God 
created the wild animals 
according to their kind, 
and everything that 
creeps along the ground 
according to its kind. 
God saw that it was good.
{I}26_{/}God said, "Let 
us make man in our image, 
to our likeness. Let them 
rule over the fish of the 
sea, over the birds of 
the air, over the cattle, 
over the wild animals, 
and over all creeping 
things that crawl along 
the ground." {I}27_{/}So 
God created man in his 
image; in the image of 
God he created him; male 
and female he created 
them. {I}28_{/}God 
blessed them and said to 
them, "Be fruitful and 
increase in number, fill 
the earth and subdue it, 
rule over the fish of the 
sea and the birds of the 
sky, over every living 
creature that moves on 
the ground."
{I}29_{/}God said, "I 
have given you every 
seed-bearing plant which 
is on the face of all the 
earth, and every tree 
that bears fruit with 
seed. It will be for your 
food. {I}30_{/}To every 
wild animal, to every 
bird of the sky, to 
everything that creeps 
along the ground, to 
everything that has the 
breath of life, I give 
every green plant for 
food." So it was.
{I}31_{/}God saw all that 
he had made, and it was 
very good. There was 
evening and there was 
morning: the sixth day.
{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}That was the way 
the sky and earth were 
created and all their 
vast array. {I}2_{/}By 
the seventh day the work 
God had done was 
completed, and he rested 
on the seventh day from 
all the work he had done. 
{I}3_{/}And God blessed 
the seventh day and made 
it holy, because on that 
day he rested from all 
the work he had done in 
his creation. 
{I}4_{/}These are the 
successive steps in the 
creation of the heavens 
and the earth.
THE SECOND ACCOUNT OF 
CREATION{/}

On the day that Yahweh 
God made the earth and 
the heavens, 
{I}5_{/}there was not yet 
on the earth any shrub of 
the fields, nor had any 
plant yet sprung up, for 
Yahweh God had not made 
it rain on the earth, and 
there was no man to till 
the earth, {I}6_{/}but a 
mist went up from the 
earth and watered the 
surface of the earth.
{I}7_{/}Then Yahweh God 
formed Man, dust drawn 
from the clay, and 
breathed into his 
nostrils a breath of life 
and Man became alive with 
breath. {I}8_{/}God 
planted a garden in Eden 
in the east and there he 
placed Man whom he had 
created. {I}9_{/}Yahweh 
God caused to grow from 
the ground every kind of 
tree that is pleasing to 
see and good to eat, also 
the tree of Life in the 
middle of the garden and 
the tree of the Knowledge 
of Good and Evil.
{I}10_{/}A river flowed 
from Eden to water the 
garden and from there it 
divided to form four main 
streams. {I}11_{/}The 
name of the first river 
is Pishon. It is the one 
that flows around all the 
country of Havilah where 
there is gold, 
{I}12_{/}and the gold of 
that country is good; 
bidellium and onyx stone 
are there. {I}13_{/}The 
name of the second river 
is Gihon. It is the one 
that flows around all the 
land of Cush. 
{I}14_{/}The name of the 
third river is Tigris. It 
is the one that flows to 
the east of Assyria. The 
fourth river is the 
Euphrates.
{I}15_{/}Yahweh God took 
Man and placed him in the 
garden of Eden to till it 
and take care of it. 
{I}16_{/}Then Yahweh God 
gave an order to Man 
saying, "You may eat of 
every tree in the garden, 
{I}17_{/}but of the tree 
of the Knowledge of Good 
and Evil, you will not 
eat, for on the day you 
eat of it, you will die."
{I}18_{/}Yahweh God said, 
"It is not good for Man 
to be alone; I will give 
him a helper who will be 
like him." {I}19_{/}Then 
Yahweh God formed from 
the earth all the beasts 
of the field and all the 
birds of the air and 
brought them to Man to 
see what he would call 
them; and whatever Man 
called every living 
creature, that was its 
name.
{I}20_{/}So Man gave 
names to all the cattle, 
the birds of the air and 
to every beast of the 
field. But he did not 
find among them a helper 
like himself. 
{I}21_{/}Then Yahweh God 
caused a deep sleep to 
come over Man and he fell 
asleep. He took one of 
his ribs and filled its 
place with flesh. 
{I}22_{/}The rib which 
Yahweh God had taken from 
Man he formed into a 
woman and brought her to 
the man. {I}23_{/}The man 
then said, "Now this is 
bone of my bone and flesh 
of my flesh. She shall be 
called woman because she 
was taken from man." 
{I}24_{/}That is why man 
leaves his father and 
mother and is attached to 
his wife, and with her 
becomes one flesh. 
{I}25_{/}Both the man and 
his wife were naked and 
were not ashamed.
THE FALL{/}

{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}Now the serpent 
was the most crafty of 
all the wild creatures 
that Yahweh God had made. 
He said to the woman, 
"Did God really say: You 
must not eat from any 
tree in the garden?" 
{I}2_{/}The woman said to 
the serpent, "We may eat 
the fruit of the trees in 
the garden, {I}3_{/}but 
of the fruit of the tree 
that is in the middle of 
the garden God said: You 
must not eat, and you 
must not touch it or you 
will die." {I}4_{/}The 
serpent said to the 
woman, "You will not die, 
{I}5_{/}but God knows 
that the day you eat it, 
your eyes will be opened 
and you will be like 
gods, knowing good and 
evil."
{I}6_{/}The woman saw 
that the fruit was good 
to eat, and pleasant to 
the eyes, and ideal for 
gaining knowledge. She 
took its fruit and ate it 
and gave some to her 
husband who was with her. 
He ate it. {I}7_{/}Then 
their eyes were opened 
and both of them knew 
they were naked. So they 
sewed leaves of a fig 
tree together and made 
themselves loincloths.
{I}8_{/}They heard the 
voice of Yahweh God 
walking in the garden, in 
the cool of_the day, and 
they, the man and his 
wife, hid from Yahweh God 
among the trees of the 
garden.
{I}9_{/}Yahweh God called 
the man saying to him, 
"Where are you?" 
{I}10_{/}He said, "I 
heard your voice in the 
garden and I was afraid 
because I was naked, so I 
hid." {I}11_{/}God said, 
"Who told you that you 
were naked? Have you 
eaten of the tree I 
ordered you not to eat?" 
{I}12_{/}The man 
answered, "The woman you 
put with me gave me fruit 
from the tree and I ate 
it." {I}13_{/}God said to 
the woman, "What have you 
done?" The woman said, 
"The serpent deceived me 
and I ate."
THE JUDGMENT OF GOD{/}

{I}14_{/}Yahweh God said 
to the serpent, "Since 
you have done that, be 
cursed among all the 
cattle and wild beasts! 
You will crawl on your 
belly and eat dust all 
the days of your life. 
{I}15_{/}I will make you 
enemies, you and the 
woman, your offspring and 
her offspring. He will 
crush your head and you 
will strike his heel."
{I}16_{/}To the woman, 
God said, "I will 
increase your suffering 
in childbearing, and you 
will give birth to your 
children in pain. You 
will be dependent on your 
husband and he will lord 
it over you."
{I}17_{/}To the man, He 
said, "Because you have 
listened to your wife, 
and have eaten from the 
tree of which I forbade 
you to eat, cursed be the 
soil because of you! In 
suffering you will 
provide food for yourself 
from it, all the days of 
your life. {I}18_{/}It 
will produce thorn and 
thistle for you and you 
will eat the plants of 
the field. {I}19_{/}With 
sweat on your face you 
will eat your bread, 
until you return to clay, 
since it was from clay 
that you were taken, for 
you are dust and to dust 
you shall return."
{I}20_{/}The man called 
his wife by the name of 
Eve, because she was the 
mother of all the living. 
{I}21_{/}Yahweh God made 
garments of skin for the 
man and his wife, and 
with these he clothed 
them.
{I}22_{/}Then Yahweh God 
said, "Man has now become 
like one of us, making 
himself judge of good and 
evil. Let him not stretch 
out his hand to take and 
eat from the tree of Life 
as well, and live 
forever." {I}23_{/}So God 
cast him from the garden 
of Eden to till the soil 
from which he had been 
made. {I}24_{/}And after 
having driven the man 
out, God posted cherubim 
and a flaming sword that 
kept turning at the east 
of the garden of Eden to 
guard the way to the tree 
of Life.
CAIN AND ABEL{/}

{1}4{/}

{I}1_{/}Adam had 
intercourse with Eve his 
wife; she became pregnant 
and gave birth to a 
child. She named him 
Cain, for she said, "I 
have got a man with help 
from Yahweh." {I}2_{/}She 
later gave birth to Abel, 
his brother. Abel was a 
shepherd and kept flocks, 
and Cain tilled the soil.
{I}3_{/}It happened after 
a time that Cain brought 
fruits of the soil as an 
offering to Yahweh. 
{I}4_{/}Abel for his part 
brought the firstborn of 
his flock, and some fat 
as well. Now Yahweh was 
well pleased with Abel 
and his offering, 
{I}5_{/}but towards Cain 
and his offering he 
showed no pleasure. This 
made Cain very angry and 
downcast. 
{I}6_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Cain, "Why are you 
angry and downcast? 
{I}7_{/}If you do right, 
why do you not look up? 
But if you_are not doing 
what is right, sin is 
lurking at the door. It 
is striving to get you, 
but you must control it."
{I}8_{/}Cain said to his 
brother Abel, "Let's go 
to the fields." Once 
there, Cain turned on his 
brother Abel and killed 
him. {I}9_{/}Yahweh said 
to Cain, "Where is your 
brother, Abel?" He 
answered, "I don't know; 
am I my brother's 
keeper?" 
{I}10_{/}Yahweh asked, 
"What have you done? Your 
brother's blood cries out 
to me from the ground. 
{I}11_{/}Now be cursed 
and driven from the 
ground that has opened 
its mouth to receive your 
brother's blood that your 
hand has shed. 
{I}12_{/}When you till 
the soil, it will no 
longer yield you its 
produce. You will be a 
fugitive wandering on the 
earth."
{I}13_{/}Cain said to 
Yahweh, "My punishment is 
greater than I can bear. 
{I}14_{/}See! Today you 
drive me from this land. 
I must hide from you and 
be a wanderer and a 
fugitive on the earth, 
and it will so happen 
that whoever meets me 
will kill me." 
{I}15_{/}Yahweh said to 
him, "Well then, whoever 
kills Cain, will suffer 
vengeance seven times." 
And Yahweh put a mark on 
Cain to prevent anyone 
who met him from killing 
him.
{I}16_{/}Cain then went 
from Yahweh's presence 
and settled in the land 
of Nod, to the east of 
Eden.
THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN 
AND SETH{/}

{I}17_{/}Cain had 
intercourse with his 
wife; she conceived and 
gave birth to Enoch. As 
he was building a town, 
he called it by the name 
of his son, Enoch. 
{I}18_{/}A son, Irad, was 
born to Enoch. Irad 
became father of 
Mehujael, and Mehujael of 
Methuael, and Methuael of 
Lamech.
{I}19_{/}Lamech had two 
wives, Adah and Zillah. 
{I}20_{/}Adah gave birth 
to Jabel: he was father 
to those who live in 
tents and keep flocks. 
{I}21_{/}His brother was 
Jubal: he was father to 
all those who play the 
lyre and flute. 
{I}22_{/}As for Zillah, 
she gave birth to Tubal-
Cain, forger of all tools 
in bronze and iron. The 
sister of Tubal-Cain was 
Naamah.
{I}23_{/}Lamech said to 
his wives:
"Adah and Zillah, hear my 
voice;
wives of Lamech, listen 
to what I say,
for I killed a man for 
wounding me
and a boy for striking 
me.
{I}24_{/}If Cain will be 
avenged seven times,
then Lamech seventy-seven 
times."
{I}25_{/}Adam again had 
intercourse with his wife 
and she gave birth to a 
son and named him Seth; 
for she said, "Yahweh has 
given me another child in 
place of Abel since Cain 
killed him." {I}26_{/}To 
Seth also a son was born 
and he called him Enosh. 
At that time people began 
to call on the name of 
Yahweh.
THE DESCENDANTS OF 
ADAM{/}

{1}5{/}

{I}1_{/}This is the 
account of Adam's 
descendants. When God 
created Adam he made him 
in the likeness of God; 
{I}2_{/}male and female 
he created them; he 
blessed them and called 
them Man on the day they 
were created.
{I}3_{/}Adam was a 
hundred and thirty years 
old when he became father 
of a son born in his own 
likeness, in his own 
image; and he named him 
Seth. {I}4_{/}After the 
birth of Seth, Adam lived 
for eight hundred years 
and had other sons and 
daughters. 
{I}5_{/}Altogether Adam 
lived nine hundred and 
thirty years; then he 
died.
{I}6_{/}When Seth was a 
hundred and five, he 
became father of Enosh. 
{I}7_{/}After the birth 
of Enosh, Seth lived 
eight hundred and seven 
years. He had other sons 
and daughters. 
{I}8_{/}Altogether Seth 
lived nine hundred and 
twelve years; then he 
died.
{I}9_{/}When Enosh was 
ninety years old, he 
became the father of 
Kenan. {I}10_{/}After the 
birth of Kenan, Enosh 
lived eight hundred and 
fifteen years, and he had 
other sons and daughters. 
{I}11_{/}Altogether Enosh 
lived nine hundred and 
five years; then he died.
{I}12_{/}When Kenan was 
seventy years old, he 
became father of 
Mahalalel. {I}13_{/}After 
the birth of Mahalalel, 
Kenan lived eight hundred 
and forty years, and he 
had other sons and 
daughters. 
{I}14_{/}Altogether Kenan 
lived nine hundred and 
ten years; then he died.
{I}15_{/}When Mahalalel 
was sixty-five, he became 
the father of Jared. 
{I}16_{/}After that, 
Mahalalel lived eight 
hundred and thirty years, 
and had other sons and 
daughters. {I}17_{/}All 
the days of Mahalalel 
were eight hundred and 
ninety-five years; then 
he died. {I}18_{/}When 
Jared was a hundred and 
sixty-two, he became 
father of Enoch. 
{I}19_{/}After the birth 
of Enoch, Jared lived 
eight hundred years, and 
he had other sons and 
daughters. 
{I}20_{/}Altogether Jared 
lived nine hundred and 
sixty-two years; then he 
died.
{I}21_{/}When Enoch was 
sixty-five, he became 
father of Methuselah. 
{I}22_{/}After the birth 
of Methuselah, Enoch 
walked with God three 
hundred years, and he had 
other sons and daughters. 
{I}23_{/}In all Enoch 
lived three hundred and 
sixty-five years. 
{I}24_{/}After Enoch had 
walked with God, he 
disappeared because God 
took him up.
{I}25_{/}When Methuselah 
was a hundred and eighty-
seven, he became father 
of Lamech. {I}26_{/}After 
the birth of Lamech, 
Methuselah lived seven 
hundred and eighty-two 
years, and he had other 
sons and daughters. 
{I}27_{/}In all 
Methuselah lived nine 
hundred and sixty-nine 
years; then he died.
{I}28_{/}Lamech was a 
hundred and eighty-two 
when he became father of 
a son {I}29_{/}and named 
him Noah, for he said, 
"He will console us in 
the hard toil and 
suffering of our hands, 
because of the soil that 
was cursed by Yahweh. 
{I}30_{/}After the birth 
of Noah, Lamech lived 
five hundred and ninety-
five years, and he had 
other sons and daughters. 
{I}31_{/}In all Lamech 
lived seven hundred and 
seventy-seven years; then 
he died. 
{I}32_{/}When Noah was 
five hundred years old, 
he became the father of 
Sem, Ham and Japheth. 
SONS OF GOD AND DAUGHTERS 
OF MEN{/}

{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}When people began 
to increase on the earth 
and daughters were born 
to them, {I}2_{/}the sons 
of God saw that men's 
daughters were very 
beautiful, so they 
married those they chose. 
{I}3_{/}Yahweh then said, 
"My spirit will not 
remain in man forever, 
for he is flesh. His span 
of life will be one 
hundred and twenty 
years." {I}4_{/}At that 
time there were giants on 
the earth, and_afterwards 
as well, when the sons of 
God went to the daughters 
of men and had children 
by them. These were the 
heroes of old, men of 
renown.
THE FLOOD{/}

{I}5_{/}Yahweh saw how 
great was the wickedness 
of man on the earth and 
that evil was always the 
only thought of his 
heart. {I}6_{/}Yahweh 
regretted having created 
man on the earth and his 
heart grieved. {I}7_{/}He 
said, "I will destroy man 
whom I created and blot 
him out from the face of 
the earth, as well as the 
beasts, creeping 
creatures and birds, for 
I am sorry I made them." 
{I}8_{/}But Noah was 
pleasing to God.
{I}9_{/}This is the story 
of Noah. Noah was a just 
man, blameless among the 
people of his time, a man 
who walked with God. 
{I}10_{/}Noah became the 
father of three sons: 
Shem, Ham and Japheth. 
{I}11_{/}The earth became 
corrupt in God's sight 
and was full of violence. 
{I}12_{/}God saw the 
earth and saw it was 
corrupt, for corrupt, 
indeed, was the way of 
all mortals.
{I}13_{/}Yahweh said to 
Noah, "I have in mind to 
destroy all people, for 
the earth is filled with 
violence because of them. 
This is why I will 
destroy them and with 
them the earth. 
{I}14_{/}As for you, 
build an ark of cypress 
wood. You will make rooms 
in the ark and coat it 
with pitch inside and 
outside. {I}15_{/}This is 
the way you will do it: 
the length of the ark, 
four hundred and fifty 
feet; the width, seventy-
five feet; the height, 
forty-five feet. 
{I}16_{/}You will put a 
roof on the ark and 
finish it within eighteen 
inches from the top. Put 
a door in the side of the 
ark and have lower, 
middle and upper decks. 
{I}17_{/}I am about to 
bring floodwaters on the 
earth to destroy the 
earth, to destroy all 
life under the heavens, 
every creature that has 
the breath of life. 
Everything on earth will 
perish, {I}18_{/}but I 
will establish my 
covenant with you. You 
shall come into the ark, 
you, your wife, your sons 
and your sons' wives with 
you. {I}19_{/}You shall 
bring into the ark two of 
every kind of living 
thing, male and female, 
to keep them alive with 
you. {I}20_{/}Of the 
birds, the animals and 
all creeping things on 
the ground, according to 
their kind, two of every 
sort shall come in to be 
kept alive with you.
{I}21_{/}Take with you 
every sort of food that 
is eaten. Make a store of 
it and it will be food 
for you and them." 
{I}22_{/}And Noah did all 
as God had commanded him.
{1}7{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh said to 
Noah, "Go into the ark, 
you and all your 
household, for I see that 
you are just in this 
generation. {I}2_{/}Of 
all the clean animals, 
you are to take with you 
seven of each kind, male 
and female, and a pair of 
unclean animals, a male 
and a female. {I}3_{/}In 
the same way for the 
birds of the air, take 
seven and seven, male and 
female, to keep their 
kind alive over all the 
earth, {I}4_{/}for in 
seven days I will send 
rain on the earth for 
forty days and forty 
nights. I will blot out 
from the face of the 
earth all the living 
creatures I have 
created."
{I}5_{/}Noah did all as 
Yahweh had commanded. 
{I}6_{/}Noah was six 
hundred years old when 
the floodwaters covered 
the earth.
{I}7_{/}So Noah went into 
the ark with his 
children, his wife and 
his sons' wives to escape 
the waters of the flood. 
{I}8_{/}Clean animals and 
also unclean, birds, and 
all that crawls on the 
earth went into the ark 
with Noah; {I}9_{/}they 
went two and two, male 
and female, as God had 
commanded Noah. 
{I}10_{/}And after seven 
days the waters of the 
flood were over the 
earth.
{I}11_{/}In the six 
hundredth year of Noah's 
life, in the second month 
and on the seventeenth 
day of the month, all the 
fountains of the great 
deep burst forth 
{I}12_{/}and there was a 
downpour on the earth 
lasting forty days and 
forty nights. {I}13_{/}On 
that same day Noah went 
into the ark, as well as 
Shem, Ham and Japheth, 
his sons, and his wife 
and his daughters-in-law. 
{I}14_{/}All the animals 
according to their kind 
also entered into the 
ark, all the cattle, all 
the creeping things that 
crawl on the earth and 
all the birds according 
to their kind; all that 
flies and everything with 
wings. {I}15_{/}They came 
to Noah in the ark, two 
by two, all creatures 
that had the breath of 
life in them. 
{I}16_{/}And they that 
went in were male and 
female just as God had 
commanded.
Then Yahweh closed the 
door on Noah. 
{I}17_{/}The flood lasted 
for forty days on the 
earth. The waters rose 
and lifted the ark and 
raised it above the 
earth. 
{I}18_{/}The waters rose 
and increased greatly on 
the earth and the ark 
floated on the surface of 
the waters.
{I}19_{/}The water rose 
more and more above the 
earth and all the high 
mountains under the 
heavens were submerged. 
{I}20_{/}The waters had 
risen and covered the 
mountains to a depth of 
more than twenty feet. 
{I}21_{/}Every living 
thing that moved on the 
earth died: birds, 
cattle, animals, 
everything that swarmed 
on the earth - and all 
humankind.
{I}22_{/}All on the face 
of the earth that had the 
breath of life in its 
nostrils died. 
{I}23_{/}Every living 
being on the face of the 
earth, men and animals, 
and creatures that crawl 
and the birds of the air 
were wiped off the earth. 
Only Noah was left and 
those that were with him 
in the ark.
{I}24_{/}The waters 
flooded the earth for one 
hundred and fifty days.
{1}8{/}

{I}1_{/}Then God 
remembered Noah and all 
the animals and cattle 
that were with him in the 
ark. God made a wind blow 
over the earth and the 
waters subsided.
{I}2_{/}Then the 
fountains of the deep and 
the floodgates of the 
heavens were closed and 
the downpour from the 
heavens held back.
{I}3_{/}The waters 
receded from the earth 
and after one hundred and 
fifty days the waters had 
abated. {I}4_{/}In the 
seventh month, in the 
seventeenth day of the 
month, the ark rested on 
Mount Ararat. {I}5_{/}The 
waters continued to 
recede until the tenth 
month. On the first day 
of the tenth month the 
mountain tops could be 
seen.
{I}6_{/}At the end of the 
forty days Noah opened 
the window of the ark 
that he had built 
{I}7_{/}and let the raven 
out. This went off and 
kept flying to and fro 
until the waters had 
dried up from the earth.
{I}8_{/}Then Noah let out 
the dove to see if_the 
waters were receding from 
the earth. {I}9_{/}But 
the dove could not find a 
place to set its foot and 
flew back to him in the 
ark for the waters still 
covered the surface of 
the whole earth. So Noah 
stretched out his hand, 
took hold of it and 
brought it back to 
himself in the ark. 
{I}10_{/}He waited some 
more days and again sent 
the dove out from the 
ark. {I}11_{/}This time 
the dove came back to him 
in the evening with a 
fresh olive branch in its 
beak.
Then Noah knew the waters 
had receded from the 
earth. {I}12_{/}He waited 
seven more days and let 
the dove loose, but it 
did not return to him any 
more.
{I}13_{/}In the year six 
hundred and one, in the 
first month, on the first 
day of the month, the 
waters dried up from the 
earth. Noah then removed 
the covering from the ark 
and looked out and saw 
that the surface of the 
earth was dry. 
{I}14_{/}On the twenty-
seventh day of the second 
month, the earth was dry.
{I}15_{/}Then God said to 
Noah, {I}16_{/}"Come out 
of the ark, you and your 
wife, your sons and their 
wives with you. 
{I}17_{/}Bring out with 
you all flesh, that is, 
all the animals who are 
with you, all things of 
flesh; birds, cattle and 
all that crawls on the 
earth. Let them abound on 
the earth, be fruitful 
and increase in number." 
{I}18_{/}So Noah went 
out, with his sons, his 
wife and his sons' wives 
with him. {I}19_{/}All 
the animals, all the 
birds, all that creeps on 
the earth, came out of 
the ark, one kind after 
another.
{I}20_{/}Noah built an 
altar to Yahweh and, 
taking some of all the 
clean animals and all the 
clean birds, he offered 
burnt offerings on it. 
{I}21_{/}Yahweh smelled 
the pleasing aroma and 
said to himself: "Never 
again will I curse the 
earth because of man, 
even though his heart is 
set on evil from 
childhood; never again 
will I strike down every 
living creature as I have 
done.
{I}22_{/}As long as the 
earth lasts,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night,
shall not cease to be."
THE NEW WORLD ORDER{/}

{1}9{/}

{I}1_{/}God blessed Noah 
and his sons and he said 
to them, "Be fruitful, 
multiply and fill the 
earth. {I}2_{/}Fear and 
dread of you will be in 
all the animals of the 
earth and in all the 
birds of the air, upon 
everything that creeps on 
the ground and all the 
fish of the sea. They are 
given to you. 
{I}3_{/}Everything that 
moves and lives shall be 
food for you; as I gave 
you the green plants, I 
have now given you 
everything. {I}4_{/}Only 
you shall not eat flesh 
with its life, that is 
its blood.
{I}5_{/}But I will also 
demand a reckoning for 
your lifeblood. I will 
demand it from every 
animal; and from man, 
too, I will demand a 
reckoning for the life of 
his fellow man.
{I}6_{/}He who sheds the 
blood of man shall have 
his blood shed by man; 
for in the image of God 
has God made man. 
{I}7_{/}As for you, be 
fruitful and increase. 
Abound on the earth and 
be master of it."
{I}8_{/}God spoke to Noah 
and his son, {I}9_{/}"See 
I am making a covenant 
with you and with your 
descendants after you; 
{I}10_{/}also with every 
living animal with you: 
birds, cattle, that is, 
with every living 
creature of the earth 
that came out of the ark. 
{I}11_{/}I establish my 
covenant with you. Never 
again will all life be 
cut off by the waters of 
a flood, and never again 
will there be a flood to 
destroy the earth."
{I}12_{/}God said, "This 
is the sign of the 
covenant I make between 
me and you, and every 
animal living with you 
for all future 
generations. {I}13_{/}I 
set my bow in the clouds 
and it will be a sign of 
the covenant between me 
and the earth. 
{I}14_{/}When I bring 
clouds over the earth and 
the rainbow appears in 
the clouds, {I}15_{/}I 
will remember the 
covenant between me and 
you and every kind of 
living creature, so that 
never again will 
floodwaters destroy all 
flesh. {I}16_{/}When the 
rainbow is in the clouds, 
I will see it and 
remember the everlasting 
covenant between God and 
every living creature of 
every kind that exists on 
the earth." {I}17_{/}God 
said to Noah, "This is 
the sign of the covenant 
I have made between me 
and all that has life on 
the earth."
NOAH AND HIS SONS{/}

{I}18_{/}The sons of Noah 
who came out of the 
ark_were Shem, Ham and 
Japheth. Ham is 
the_ancestor of Canaan. 
{I}19_{/}These were 
Noah's three sons and 
from them the whole earth 
was peopled.
{I}20_{/}Noah, a man of 
the soil, set about 
planting a vineyard. 
{I}21_{/}He drank the 
wine, became drunk, and 
lay uncovered in the 
middle of his tent. 
{I}22_{/}When Ham, 
Canaan's ancestor, saw 
his father's nakedness, 
he told his two brothers 
outside the tent. 
{I}23_{/}But Shem and 
Japheth took a cloak, put 
it on their shoulders, 
the two of them, then 
walked backwards and 
covered their father's 
nakedness. Their faces 
were turned away and they 
did not see their 
father's nakedness.
{I}24_{/}When Noah awoke 
from his wine he knew 
what his youngest son had 
done to him. {I}25_{/}And 
he said, "Cursed be 
Canaan! He shall be his 
brothers' meanest slave!"
{I}26_{/}He then added: 
"Blessed be Yahweh, God 
of Shem, let Canaan be 
his slave! {I}27_{/}May 
God extend (the territory 
of) Japheth, and may he 
live in the tents of 
Shem! And may Canaan be 
his slave!"
{I}28_{/}Noah lived three 
hundred and fifty years 
after the flood. 
{I}29_{/}In all Noah 
lived for nine hundred 
and fifty years. Then he 
died.
THE LIST OF NATIONS{/}

{1}10{/}

{I}1_{/}These are the 
descendants of Noah's 
sons. Shem, Ham and 
Japheth; these are their 
sons who were born after 
the flood. 
{I}2_{/}Japheth's sons: 
Gomer, Magog, the Medes, 
Javan, Tubal, Meshech, 
Tiras. {I}3_{/}Gomer's 
sons: Ashkenaz, Riphath, 
Togarmah. {I}4_{/}Javan's 
sons: Elishah, Tarshish, 
the Kittim, the 
Dananites. {I}5_{/}These 
were dispersed and 
peopled the islands of 
the nations.
These were Japheth's 
sons, according to their 
countries and each of 
their languages, 
according to their tribes 
and their nations.
{I}6_{/}Ham's sons: Cush, 
Misraim, Put, Canaan. 
{I}7_{/}Cush's sons: 
Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, 
Raamah, Sabteca. Raamah's 
sons: Sheba, Dedan.
{I}8_{/}Cush became the 
father of Nimrod who was 
the first great ruler on 
earth. {I}9_{/}He was a 
mighty hunter in the eyes 
of Yahweh, hence the 
saying, "Like Nimrod, a 
mighty hunter in the eyes 
of Yahweh." {I}10_{/}The 
beginning of his empire 
was Babel, with Erech and 
Accad, all of them in 
the_land of Shinar. 
{I}11_{/}From this 
country came Ashur, the 
builder of Niniveh, 
Rehoboth-ir, Calah, 
{I}12_{/}and Resen 
between Niniveh and Calah 
(this is the great city).
{I}13_{/}Misraim became 
the father of the people 
of_Lud, of Anam, Lehab, 
Naphtuh, 
{I}14_{/}Pathros, Cusluh 
and Capthor, from which 
the Philistines came.
{I}15_{/}Canaan became 
the father of Sidon, his 
firstborn, the Hittites, 
{I}16_{/}and the 
Jebusites, the Amorites, 
Girgashites, 
{I}17_{/}Hivites, 
Arkites, Sinites, 
{I}18_{/}Arvadites, 
Zemarites, Hamathites; 
later the Canaanite 
tribes scattered. 
{I}19_{/}The Canaanite 
frontier stretched from 
Sidon in the direction of 
Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah 
and Zeboim, and as far as 
Lesha.
{I}20_{/}These were Ham's 
sons, according to their 
tribes and languages, 
according to their 
countries and nations. 
{I}21_{/}There were also 
children born to Shem, 
the ancestor of all the 
sons of Eber, who are the 
Hebrews, and the elder 
brother of Japheth.
{I}22_{/}Shem's sons: 
Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, 
Lud, Aram. {I}23{/}Aram's 
sons: Uz, Hul, Gether and 
Mash.
{I}24_{/}Arpachshad 
became the father of 
Shelah, and Shelah became 
the father of Eber. 
{I}25_{/}To Eber were 
born two sons: the first 
was called Peleg, because 
it was in his time that 
the earth was divided; 
and his brother was 
called Joktan. 
{I}26_{/}Joktan became 
the father of Almodad, 
Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, 
Jerah, {I}27_{/}Hadoram, 
Uzal, Diklah, 
{I}28_{/}Obal, Abimael, 
Sheba, {I}29_{/}Ophir, 
Havilah, Jobab; all these 
are sons of Joktan. 
{I}30_{/}They occupied a 
stretch of country from 
Mesh in the direction of 
Sephar, to the eastern 
mountain range.
{I}31_{/}These were 
Shem's sons, according to 
their tribes and 
languages, and according 
to their countries and 
nations.
{I}32_{/}These were the 
tribes of Noah's sons, 
according to their 
descendants and their 
nations. From these came 
the dispersal of the 
nations over the earth, 
after the flood.
THE TOWER OF BABEL{/}

{1}11{/}

{I}1_{/}The whole world 
had one language and a 
common speech. {I}2_{/}As 
people moved from east, 
they found a plain in the 
country of Shinar where 
they settled.
{I}3_{/}They said to one 
another, "Come, let us 
make bricks and bake them 
in fire." They used brick 
for stone and bitumen for 
mortar. {I}4_{/}They said 
also, "Come, let us build 
ourselves a city and a 
tower with its top 
reaching heaven; so that 
we may become a great 
people and not be 
scattered over the face 
of the earth!"
{I}5_{/}Yahweh came down 
to see the city and the 
tower that the sons of 
man were building, 
{I}6_{/}and Yahweh said, 
"They are one people and 
they have one language. 
If they carry this 
through, nothing they 
decide to do from now on 
will be impossible. 
{I}7_{/}Come! Let us go 
down and confuse their 
language so that they 
will no longer understand 
each other."
{I}8_{/}So Yahweh 
scattered them over all 
the earth and they 
stopped building the 
city. {I}9_{/}That is why 
it was called Babel, 
because there Yahweh 
confused the language of 
the whole earth and from 
there Yahweh scattered 
them over the whole face 
of the earth.
{I}10_{/}These are Shem's 
descendants:
When Shem was a hundred 
years old he became the 
father of Arpachshad, two 
years after the flood. 
After the birth of 
Arpachshad, {I}11_{/}Shem 
lived five hundred years 
and he had more sons and 
daughters.
{I}12_{/}When Arpachshad 
was thirty-five years old 
he became the father of 
Shelah. {I}13_{/}After 
the birth of Shelah, 
Arpachshad lived four 
hundred and three years 
and he had more sons and 
daughters.
{I}14_{/}When Shelah was 
thirty years old he 
became the father of 
Eber. After the birth of 
Eber, {I}15_{/}Shelah 
lived four hundred and 
three years and he had 
more sons and daughters.
{I}16_{/}When Eber was 
thirty-four years old he 
became the father of 
Peleg. After the birth of 
Peleg, {I}17_{/}Eber 
lived four hundred and 
thirty years and he had 
more sons and daughters.
{I}18_{/}When Peleg was 
thirty years old he 
became the father of Reu; 
{I}19_{/}Peleg lived two 
hundred and nine years 
and he had more sons and 
daughters.
{I}20_{/}When Reu was 
thirty-two years old he 
became the father of 
Serug; {I}21_{/}Reu lived 
two hundred and seven 
years and he had more 
sons and daughters.
{I}22_{/}When Serug was 
thirty years old he 
became the father of 
Nahor. After the birth of 
Nahor, {I}23_{/}Serug 
lived two hundred years 
and he had more sons and 
daughters.
{I}24_{/}When Nahor was 
twenty-nine years old he 
became the father of 
Terah. After the birth of 
Terah, {I}25_{/}Nahor 
lived a hundred and 
nineteen years and he had 
more sons and daughters.
{I}26_{/}When Terah was 
seventy years old he 
became the father of 
Abram, Nahor and Haran.
{I}27_{/}These are 
Terah's descendants: 
Terah became the father 
of Abram, Nahor and 
Haran.
SECOND PART OF GENESIS{/}

THE ANCESTORS OF THE 
PEOPLE OF GOD{/}

Haran became the father 
of Lot. {I}28_{/}Haran 
died before his father 
Terah in his native land, 
Ur of the Chaldeans. 
{I}29_{/}Abram and Nahor 
both married: Abram's 
wife was called Sarai; 
Nahor's wife was called 
Milcah, the daughter of 
Haran, father of Milcah 
and Iscah. {I}30_{/}Sarai 
was barren, having no 
child.
{I}31_{/}Terah took his 
son Abram, his grandson 
Lot, the son of Haran, 
and his daughter-in-law, 
the wife of Abram, and 
made them leave Ur of the 
Chaldeans to go to the 
land of Canaan. But on 
arrival in Haran they 
settled there. 
{I}32_{/}Terah lived two 
hundred and five years; 
then he died in Haran.
THE CALL OF ABRAM{/}

{1}12{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh said to 
Abram, "Leave your 
country, your family and 
your father's house, for 
the land I will show you. 
{I}2_{/}I will make you a 
great nation. I will 
bless you and make your 
name great, and you will 
be a blessing. {I}3_{/}I 
will bless those who 
bless you, and whoever 
curses you, I will curse, 
and in you all peoples of 
the earth will be 
blessed." 
{I}4_{/}So Abram went as 
Yahweh had told him, and 
Lot went with him.
Abram was seventy-five 
years old when he left 
Haran. {I}5_{/}Abram took 
Sarai, his wife, his 
nephew Lot, all the 
possessions they had 
accumulated and the 
people they had acquired 
in Haran. They set out 
for the land of Canaan.
They arrived at Canaan. 
{I}6_{/}Abram traveled 
through the country as 
far as Shechem, to the 
oak of Moreh. At that 
time the Canaanites were 
in the land. 
{I}7_{/}Yahweh appeared 
to Abram and said, "To 
your descendants I will 
give this land." There he 
built an altar to Yahweh 
who had appeared to him.
{I}8_{/}From there he 
went on to the mountains 
east of Bethel and 
pitched his tent, with 
Bethel to the west and Ai 
to the east. There also 
he built an altar to 
Yahweh and called on the 
name of Yahweh. 
{I}9_{/}Then Abram set 
out in the direction of 
Negeb.
{I}10_{/}There was famine 
in the land, and Abram 
went down to Egypt to 
stay there for some time, 
for the famine was severe 
in the land. 
{I}11_{/}Just as he was 
about to enter Egypt he 
said to Sarai, his wife, 
"Now I know you are a 
beautiful woman. 
{I}12_{/}When the 
Egyptians see you they 
will say: 'That is his 
wife!' They will then 
kill me, but they will 
let you live. 
{I}13_{/}Say that you are 
my sister, so that they 
treat me well on account 
of you and my life be 
spared because of you."
{I}14_{/}In fact, when 
Abram arrived in Egypt, 
the Egyptians saw that 
the woman was very 
beautiful. 
{I}15_{/}Pharaoh's 
officials saw her and 
praised her to Pharaoh. 
The woman was taken into 
Pharaoh's house 
{I}16_{/}and because of 
her he dealt well with 
Abram; he received sheep, 
cattle, donkeys, 
menservants, 
maidservants, she-asses 
and camels.
{I}17_{/}But Yahweh 
inflicted severe plagues 
on Pharaoh and his 
household because of 
Sarai. {I}18_{/}So 
Pharaoh summoned Abram 
and said, "What have you 
done to me? {I}19_{/}Why 
did you say: 'She's my 
sister,' so that I took 
her for my wife. Now, 
here is your wife! Take 
her and go!" {I}20_{/}And 
Pharaoh gave orders to 
his men regarding Abram, 
and they sent him on his 
way, with his wife and 
all that was his.
{1}13{/}

{I}1_{/}Abram went up 
from Egypt to the Negeb, 
he and his wife, with all 
he had and Lot with him. 
{I}2_{/}Now Abram was 
very rich in flocks, 
silver and gold. 
{I}3_{/}As he journeyed 
on, he went from the 
Negeb as far as Bethel, 
to the place where he 
first pitched his tent 
between Bethel and Ai 
{I}4_{/}at the spot where 
he had formerly made an 
altar and called on the 
Name of Yahweh.
ABRAM AND LOT SEPARATE{/}

{I}5_{/}Lot who went with 
Abram also had flocks, 
cattle and tents. 
{I}6_{/}The land was not 
sufficient to allow them 
to stay together, for 
their possessions were 
too great for them to 
live together.
{I}7_{/}A quarrel arose 
between the herdsmen of 
Abram's flock and those 
of Lot. (The Canaanites 
and the Perizzites were 
living in the land at the 
time.) {I}8_{/}Abram said 
to Lot, "Don't let there 
be a dispute between you 
and me, nor between my 
herdsmen and yours, since 
we are brothers! 
{I}9_{/}Isn't the whole 
land there before you? 
Let us part company. If 
you go to the left, I 
will go to the right; if 
you go to the right, I 
will go to the left."
{I}10_{/}Lot looked up 
and saw the whole valley 
of the Jordan: how well 
it was watered! Before 
Yahweh destroyed Sodom 
and Gomorrah, this was 
like one of Yahweh's 
gardens, like the country 
of Egypt, on coming to 
Zoar. {I}11_{/}Lot chose 
for himself all the 
Jordan valley and 
journeyed eastward. In 
this way they separated 
from each other. 
{I}12_{/}Abram settled in 
the country of Canaan 
while Lot lived among the 
towns of the plain and 
moved his tent as far as 
Sodom. {I}13_{/}Now the 
men of Sodom were wicked, 
sinning greatly against 
Yahweh.
{I}14_{/}Yahweh said to 
Abram after Lot had left 
him, "Raise your eyes and 
look from where you are, 
towards the north, the 
south, the east and the 
west; {I}15_{/}all the 
land you see I will give 
to you and your 
descendants forever. 
{I}16_{/}I will make your 
descendants as the dust 
of the earth; if the 
grains of the dust can be 
counted, then your 
descendants may be 
counted. {I}17_{/}Come, 
travel through the length 
and breadth of the land, 
for it is to you that I 
am giving it."
{I}18_{/}So Abram moved 
his tent and came to live 
by the oak of Mamre at 
Hebron. There he built an 
altar to Yahweh.
{1}14{/}

{I}1_{/}At the time of 
Amraphel king of Shinar, 
Arioch king of Ellasar, 
Chedorlaomer king of 
Elam, and Tidal king of 
Goiim, {I}2_{/}these 
kings made war on Bera 
king of Sodom, Birsha 
king of Gomorrah, Shinab 
king of Admah, Shemeber 
king of Zeboiim and the 
king of Bela (that is, 
Zoar). {I}3_{/}All these 
joined forces in the 
valley of Siddim (that is 
the Salt Sea). 
{I}4_{/}Twelve years they 
had been dominated by 
Chedorlaomer, but in the 
thirteenth year they 
rebelled. {I}5_{/}In the 
fourteenth year, 
Chedorlaomer and the king 
who were his allies, came 
and fought and subdued 
the Rephaim in Ashteroth-
karnaim, the Zuzim in 
Ham, the Emin in Shaveh-
kiriathaim {I}6_{/}and 
the Horites in their 
Mount Seir as far as 
Elparan which is near the 
desert.
{I}7_{/}They then turned 
back and came to the 
Spring of Judgment (that 
is, Kadesh) and subdued 
all the country of the 
Amalekites, as well as 
that of the Amorites who 
lived in Hazazontamar. 
{I}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 took up 
battle positions in the 
valley of Siddim 
{I}9_{/}against 
Chedorlaomer king of 
Elam, Tidal king of 
Goiim, Amraphel king of 
Shinar and Arioch king of 
Ellasar; four kings 
against five.
{I}10_{/}Now there were 
many bitumen pits in the 
valley of Siddim, and as 
the kings of Sodom and 
Gomorrah fled, some fell 
into them and the rest 
took refuge in the 
mountains. {I}11_{/}The 
enemy took all the 
possessions of Sodom and 
Gomorrah, all their 
provisions and went off. 
{I}12_{/}They also took 
Lot, the son of Abram's 
brother, who lived in 
Sodom, and his 
possessions and went off.
{I}13_{/}One who escaped 
came to tell Abram the 
Hebrew, who was living by 
the oak of Mamre the 
Amorite, the brother of 
Eshcol and of Aner: these 
were allies of Abram.
ABRAHAM AND 
MELCHIZEDEK{/}

{I}14_{/}As soon as Abram 
heard that his brother 
had been taken away 
captive, he assembled and 
led forth his trained men 
born in his house, three 
hundred and eighteen men 
and set off in pursuit as 
far as Dan. {I}15_{/}He 
grouped his forces 
against them by night, he 
and his servants, and 
routed and followed them 
to Hobah, north of 
Damascus. {I}16_{/}Then 
he brought back all his 
possessions, his kinsman 
Lot and his possessions, 
together with the women 
and the people.
{I}17_{/}On his return 
after defeating 
Chedorlaomer and the 
kings who were his 
allies, the king of Sodom 
came out to meet him in 
the valley of Shaveh 
(that is the Valley of 
the King).
{I}18_{/}Then 
Melchizedek, king of 
Salem, brought bread and 
wine; he was a priest of 
God Most High, 
{I}19_{/}and he blessed 
Abram saying, "Blessed be 
Abram by God Most High, 
maker of heaven and 
earth! {I}20_{/}And 
blessed be God Most High 
who has delivered your 
enemies into your hands!"
And Abram gave him a 
tenth part of everything.
{I}21_{/}The king of 
Sodom said to Abram, 
"Give me the people and 
keep the goods for 
yourself." {I}22_{/}Abram 
said to the king of 
Sodom, "I raise my hand 
to Yahweh God Most High, 
creator of heaven and 
earth, to swear 
{I}23_{/}that not one 
thread or thong of a 
sandal, or anything that 
is yours, would I take. 
Lest you say, 'Abram 
became rich at my 
expense,' {I}24_{/}I 
claim nothing for myself! 
Only what the young men 
have eaten and the share 
that is due to Aner, 
Eshcol and Mamre, the men 
who came with me."
GOD'S COVENANT WITH 
ABRAM{/}

{1}15{/}

{I}1_{/}After this the 
word of Yahweh was spoken 
to Abram in a vision: "Do 
not be afraid, Abram, I 
am your shield; your 
reward will be very 
great!"
{I}2_{/}Abram said, "My 
Lord Yahweh, where are 
your promises? I am still 
childless and all I have 
will go to Eliezer of 
Damascus. {I}3_{/}You 
have given me no 
children, so a slave of 
mine will be my heir."
{I}4_{/}Then the word of 
Yahweh was spoken to him 
again, "Eliezer will not 
be your heir, but a child 
born of you (your own 
flesh and blood) will be 
your heir." {I}5_{/}Then 
Yahweh brought him 
outside and said to him, 
"Look up at the sky and 
count the stars if you 
can. Your descendants 
will be like that."
{I}6_{/}Abram believed 
Yahweh who, because of 
this, held him to be an 
upright man. {I}7_{/}And 
he said, "I am Yahweh who 
brought you from Ur of 
the Chaldeans to give you 
this land as your 
possession."
{I}8_{/}Then Abram asked, 
"My Lord, how am I to 
know that it shall be 
mine?" {I}9_{/}Yahweh 
replied, "Bring me a 
three-year-old heifer, a 
three-year-old goat, a 
three-year-old ram, a 
turtle dove and a young 
pigeon." {I}10_{/}Abram 
brought all these 
animals, cut them in two, 
and laid each half facing 
its other half, but he 
did not cut the birds in 
half. {I}11_{/}The birds 
of_prey came down upon 
them, but Abram drove 
them away.
{I}12_{/}As the sun was 
going down, a deep sleep 
came over Abram, and a 
dreadful darkness took 
hold of him. 
{I}13_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Abram, "Know for 
certain that your 
descendants will be 
exiles in a land that is 
not theirs. They will be 
slaves there, oppressed 
for four hundred years. 
{I}14_{/}But I will judge 
the nation that oppresses 
them, and after that, 
they will not leave 
empty-handed. {I}15_{/}As 
for yourself, you shall 
go to your fathers in 
peace, and be buried at a 
ripe old age. 
{I}16_{/}Your descendants 
of the fourth generation 
will come back here, for 
the wickedness of the 
Amorites has not yet 
deserved that I take the 
land from them."
{I}17_{/}When the sun had 
set and darkness had 
fallen, a smoking firepot 
and a_flaming torch 
passed between the halves 
of the victims. 
{I}18_{/}On that day 
Yahweh made a covenant 
with Abram, saying, "To 
your descendants I have 
given this country from 
the river of Egypt to the 
Great River, the 
Euphrates.
{I}19_{/}The land of the 
Kenites, the Kenizzites, 
the Kadmonites, 
{I}20_{/}the Hittites, 
the Perizzites, the 
Rephraim, {I}21_{/}the 
Amorites, the Canaanites, 
the Girgashites and the 
Jebusites."
THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL{/}

{1}16{/}

{I}1_{/}Sarai, Abram's 
wife had not borne him a 
child, but she had an 
Egyptian servant named 
Hagar, {I}2_{/}and she 
said to Abram, "Now, 
since Yahweh has kept me 
from having children, go 
to my servant; perhaps I 
shall have a child by 
her." Abram agreed to 
what Sarai said. 
{I}3_{/}Abram had been in 
the land of Canaan ten 
years when Sarai, his 
wife, took Hagar, her 
Egyptian maid, and gave 
her to Abram her husband 
as wife. {I}4_{/}He went 
in to Hagar and she 
became pregnant. 
When she was aware of 
this, she began to 
despise her mistress. 
{I}5_{/}Sarai said to 
Abram, "May this injury 
done to me be yours. I 
put my servant in your 
arms and now that she 
knows she is pregnant, I 
count for nothing in her 
eyes. Let Yahweh judge 
between me and you." 
{I}6_{/}Abram said to 
Sarai, "Your servant is 
in your power; do with 
her as you please." Then 
Sarai treated her so 
badly that she ran away.
{I}7_{/}The angel of 
Yahweh found her near a 
spring in the wilderness 
{I}8_{/}and said to her, 
"Hagar, servant of Sarai, 
where have you come from 
and where are you going?" 
She said, "I'm running 
away from Sarai, my 
mistress." {I}9_{/}The 
angel of Yahweh said to 
her, "Go back to your 
mistress and humbly 
submit yourself to her." 
{I}10_{/}The angel of 
Yahweh said to her, "I 
will so increase your 
descendants, that they 
will be too numerous to 
be counted." 
{I}11_{/}Then the angel 
of Yahweh said to her, 
"Now you are with child 
and you will have a son, 
and you shall name him 
Ishmael, for Yahweh has 
heard your distress. 
{I}12_{/}He shall be a 
wild ass of a man, his 
hand against everyone and 
everyone's hand against 
him, defiant towards all 
his brothers."
{I}13_{/}Hagar gave to 
Yahweh who spoke to her 
the name of El Roi, for 
she said: "I have seen 
the One who sees me." 
{I}14_{/}That is why this 
well is called the well 
of Lahai-roi. It is 
between Kadesh and Bered.
{I}15_{/}Hagar gave birth 
to a son and Abram called 
the child Hagar bore him, 
Ishmael. {I}16_{/}Abram 
was eighty-six years old 
when Hagar gave birth to 
Ishmael.
ABRAM BECOMES ABRAHAM{/}

{1}17{/}

{I}1_{/}When Abram was 
ninety-nine years old, 
Yahweh appeared to him 
and said, "I am God 
Almighty. Walk in my 
presence and be without 
blame! {I}2_{/}I will 
make a covenant between 
myself and you, and I 
will multiply your race." 
{I}3_{/}Abram fell face 
down and God said to him, 
{I}4_{/}"This is my 
covenant with you: you 
will be the father of a 
multitude of nations. 
{I}5_{/}No longer will 
you be called Abram, but 
Abraham, because I will 
make you the father of a 
multitude of nations. 
{I}6_{/}I will make you 
more and more famous; I 
will multiply your 
descendants; nations 
shall spring from you, 
kings shall be among your 
descendants. {I}7_{/}And 
I will establish a 
covenant, an everlasting 
covenant between myself 
and you and your 
descendants after you; 
from now on I will be 
your God and the God of 
your descendants after 
you, for generations to 
come. {I}8_{/}I will give 
to you and your 
descendants after you the 
land you are living in, 
all the land of Canaan, 
as an everlasting 
possession and I will be 
the God of your race."
THE CIRCUMCISION{/}

{I}9_{/}God said to 
Abraham, "For your part, 
you shall keep my 
covenant, you and your 
descendants after you, 
generation after 
generation. {I}10_{/}This 
is my covenant with you, 
that you will keep, you 
and your descendants 
after you: Every male 
among you shall be 
circumcised; {I}11_{/}you 
shall circumcise your 
foreskin and that will be 
the sign of the_covenant 
between me and you. 
{I}12_{/}When he is eight 
days old, every male 
among you will be 
circumcised, generation 
after generation; 
{I}13_{/}those born in 
your household or bought 
from a foreigner to be 
slaves. Whether born in 
your household or bought 
to be slaves, they must 
be circumcised. So my 
covenant will be written 
in your flesh as an 
everlasting covenant. 
{I}14_{/}Any 
uncircumcised male, who 
has not been circumcised 
in the flesh, will be cut 
off from his_people for 
having broken my 
covenant."
{I}15_{/}God said to 
Abraham, "As for Sarai, 
your wife, no longer are 
you to call her Sarai, 
but Sarah. {I}16_{/}I 
will bless her, and I 
will give you a son by 
her. I will bless her and 
from her will come 
nations; kings and 
peoples shall come from 
her."
{I}17_{/}Then Abraham 
fell face down, and he 
laughed and said to 
himself, "Will a son be 
born to a man a hundred 
years old? And can Sarah 
who is ninety have a 
child?" {I}18_{/}And 
Abraham said to God, "If 
only you would accept 
Ishmael as yours!" 
{I}19_{/}But God said, 
"Not at all! It is Sarah, 
your wife, who will give 
birth to your son and you 
will name him Isaac. I 
will establish my 
covenant with him and his 
descendants after him 
forever. {I}20_{/}As for 
Ishmael, I heard you. I 
will bless him and make 
him fruitful, and I will 
multiply his race. He 
shall be the father of 
twelve princes and I will 
make of him a great 
nation. {I}21_{/}But my 
covenant I will establish 
with Isaac, the child 
Sarah will have this time 
next year." {I}22_{/}When 
he had finished speaking 
with Abraham, God went 
away from him.
{I}23_{/}Abraham then 
took Ishmael, his son, as 
well as all those born in 
his house and all those 
he had bought to be 
slaves, all the males in 
the household of Abraham, 
and circumcised their 
foreskins that same day 
as God had told him. 
{I}24_{/}Abraham was 
ninety-nine years old 
when he was circumcised, 
{I}25_{/}and his son, 
Ishmael, was thirteen. 
{I}26_{/}Abraham and his 
son Ishmael were both 
circumcised that same 
day. {I}27_{/}And every 
male in his household, 
whether born in his 
household or bought with 
money from a foreigner, 
was circumcised with him.
YAHWEH VISITS ABRAHAM{/}

{1}18{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh appeared 
to Abraham near the oak 
of Mamre. Abraham was 
sitting at the entrance 
to his tent, in the heat 
of the day, {I}2_{/}when 
he looked up and saw 
three men standing 
nearby. When he saw them 
he ran from the entrance 
of the tent to meet them. 
He bowed to the ground 
{I}3_{/}and said, "My 
Lord, if I have found 
favor in your sight, do 
not pass your servant by. 
{I}4_{/}Let a little 
water be brought. Wash 
your feet and then rest 
under the trees. 
{I}5_{/}I shall fetch 
some bread so that you 
can be refreshed and 
continue on your way, 
since you have come to 
your servant." They then 
said, "Do as you say." 
{I}6_{/}Abraham hurried 
into the tent to Sarah 
and said to her, "Quick, 
take three measures of 
flour, knead it and make 
cakes."
{I}7_{/}Abraham then ran 
to the herd, took a fine, 
tender calf, gave it to 
the servant who hurried 
to prepare it. {I}8_{/}He 
took butter and milk and 
together with the calf he 
had prepared laid it all 
before them. And while he 
remained standing, they 
ate. {I}9_{/}They then 
asked, "Where is Sarah, 
your wife?" Abraham 
answered, "She is in the 
tent." {I}10_{/}And the 
visitor said, "At this 
same time next year I 
will return and Sarah by 
then will have a son."
Now Sarah was behind him, 
listening at the entrance 
to the tent. 
{I}11_{/}Abraham and 
Sarah were old, well on 
in years, and Sarah no 
longer had her monthly 
periods. {I}12_{/}Sarah 
laughed to herself 
saying, "Now that I am 
old and worn and my 
husband is an old man, am 
I to have this pleasure?" 
{I}13_{/}Yahweh said to 
Abraham, "Why did Sarah 
laugh, saying: 'Am I 
really going to have a 
child now that I am old?' 
{I}14_{/}Is there 
anything that is 
impossible for God? At 
this same time next year 
I will return and Sarah 
by then will have a son."
{I}15_{/}Sarah denied 
saying, "I did not 
laugh," for she was 
afraid. But he said, "You 
did laugh."
ABRAHAM INTERCEDES FOR 
SODOM{/}

{I}16_{/}The men went 
away and turned towards 
Sodom. Abraham walked 
with them to set them on 
their way. {I}17_{/}And 
Yahweh said, "Can I 
conceal from Abraham what 
I am about to do? 
{I}18_{/}Abraham, in 
fact, is going to become 
a great and powerful 
nation and through him 
all the nations of the 
earth will be blessed, 
{I}19_{/}for I have 
chosen him to command his 
sons and his household 
after him to keep the way 
of the Lord by doing what 
is right and just, so 
that Yahweh may bring 
about for Abraham what he 
has promised him."
{I}20_{/}Then Yahweh 
said, "How great is the 
cry for justice against 
Sodom and Gomorrah! And 
how grievous is their 
sin! {I}21_{/}I am going 
down to see if they have 
done all that they are 
charged with in the 
outcry that has reached 
me. If it is not so, I 
will know."
{I}22_{/}The men with him 
turned away and went 
towards Sodom, but Yahweh 
remained standing before 
Abraham. {I}23_{/}Abraham 
went forward and said, 
"Will you really let the 
just perish with the 
wicked? {I}24_{/}Perhaps 
there are fifty good 
people in the town. Are 
you really going to let 
them perish? Would you 
not spare the place for 
the sake of these fifty 
righteous people? 
{I}25_{/}It would not be 
at all like you to do 
such a thing and you 
can't let the good perish 
with the wicked, nor 
treat the good and the 
wicked alike. Far be it 
from you! Will not the 
judge of all the earth be 
just?" {I}26_{/}Yahweh 
said, "If I find fifty 
good people in Sodom, I 
will spare the whole 
place for their sake."
{I}27_{/}Abraham spoke up 
again, "I know that I am 
very bold to speak like 
this to my Lord, I who am 
only dust and ashes! 
{I}28_{/}But perhaps the 
number of the good is 
five less than fifty. 
Will you destroy the town 
because of five?" Yahweh 
replied, "I will not 
destroy the town if I 
find forty-five good 
people there." 
{I}29_{/}Again Abraham 
said to him, "Perhaps 
there will be only 
forty." He answered, "For 
the sake of forty I will 
not do it." 
{I}30_{/}Abraham went on, 
saying, "May my Lord not 
be angry, but let me 
speak. Maybe only thirty 
good people will be found 
in the town." Yahweh 
answered, "I will not 
destroy it if I find 
thirty there." 
{I}31_{/}Abraham said, 
"Now that I have been so 
bold as to speak to my 
Lord, what if only twenty 
can be found?" He said, 
"For the sake of twenty I 
will not destroy the 
place."
{I}32_{/}But Abraham 
insisted, "May my Lord 
not be angry, but let me 
speak just once more. 
What if only ten can be 
found?" And Yahweh 
answered, "For the sake 
of ten good people, I 
will not destroy Sodom." 
{I}33_{/}When Yahweh had 
finished speaking with 
Abraham, he left and 
Abraham went home.
THE DESTRUCTION OF 
SODOM{/}

{1}19{/}

{I}1_{/}When the two 
angels reached Sodom in 
the evening, Lot was 
sitting at the gate of 
the town. As soon as he 
saw them, he rose to meet 
them, bowed with his face 
to the ground, 
{I}2_{/}and said, "My 
lords, I pray you come to 
your servant's house to 
stay the night. Wash your 
feet, and then in the 
morning you may rise 
early and go on your 
way." They said, "No, we 
will spend the night in 
the square." {I}3_{/}But 
so strongly did he insist 
that they went with him 
to his house; there he 
prepared a meal for them, 
baking bread without 
yeast. This they ate.
{I}4_{/}They had not yet 
gone to bed when men from 
the town surrounded the 
house; they were the men 
of Sodom, young and old, 
the entire population. 
{I}5_{/}They called Lot 
and said to him, "Where 
are the men who arrived 
here tonight? Send them 
out so that we may have 
sex with them."
{I}6_{/}Lot went out to 
meet them, shut the door 
behind him and said, 
{I}7_{/}"I beg you, my 
brothers, don't do such a 
wicked thing. {I}8_{/}I 
have two daughters who 
are still virgins; let me 
bring them out to you; 
you may do with them as 
you please, but don't do 
anything to these men, 
for they have come to 
shelter under my roof." 
{I}9_{/}But they replied, 
"Get out of the way! This 
fellow is a foreigner and 
he wants to play the 
judge! Now we will do 
worse with you than with 
them." They pressed hard 
against Lot and drew near 
in order to break the 
door. {I}10_{/}But the 
men inside the house 
stretched out their hands 
to bring Lot inside and 
then shut the door. 
{I}11_{/}As for those at 
the entrance to the 
house, they were struck 
with blindness, from the 
smallest to the largest, 
so that they were unable 
to find the door.
{I}12_{/}The two men said 
to Lot, "Who is still 
here with you? Your sons-
in-law? Get them out of 
the place: your sons, 
your daughters and all 
your people in the town. 
We are about to destroy 
this place. {I}13_{/}The 
cry for retribution 
against it is great 
before Yahweh who has 
sent us to destroy it." 
{I}14_{/}Lot went out and 
spoke to his sons-in-law, 
those who were to marry 
his daughters, saying, 
"Hurry, leave, for Yahweh 
is about to destroy the 
town." But they took what 
he said as a joke.
{I}15_{/}At daybreak the 
Angels urged Lot, saying, 
"Hurry! Take your wife 
and two daughters who are 
here, lest they perish 
because of the sin of the 
town." {I}16_{/}As he 
hesitated, the men took 
him by the hand and his 
wife and two daughters 
with him, because Yahweh 
had mercy on him. And 
they led him outside the 
town.
{I}17_{/}When they were 
outside, the men said to 
him, "Flee for your life 
and don't look back and 
don't stop anywhere in 
the plain. Flee to the 
mountain lest you 
perish."
{I}18_{/}But Lot replied, 
"My lords, your servant 
has found favor with you, 
{I}19_{/}and you have 
shown me great kindness 
in saving my life. But I 
cannot flee to the 
mountains for fear the 
disaster will overtake me 
and I die. See, there is 
a town near enough for me 
to flee to and it's a 
small one. {I}20_{/}Let 
me flee there: it is very 
small (that is why the 
town is called Zoar). So 
I will be safe." 
{I}21_{/}And the angel 
answered, "I grant you 
this favor as well by not 
destroying the town you 
speak of. {I}22_{/}But 
flee fast for I can do 
nothing until you arrive 
there."
{I}23_{/}The sun had 
risen on the earth when 
Lot reached Zoar. 
{I}24_{/}Then Yahweh 
rained on Sodom and 
Gomorrah burning sulphur 
out of the heavens from 
Yahweh, {I}25_{/}and he 
completely destroyed 
those towns and all the 
valley and all the 
inhabitants of the towns 
and everything that grew 
there. 
OTHER LEGENDS{/}

{I}26_{/}Lot's wife 
looked back and she 
became a pillar of salt.
{I}27_{/}Early next 
morning Abraham returned 
to the place where he had 
stood before Yahweh. 
{I}28_{/}He looked 
towards Sodom and 
Gomorrah and towards all 
the land of the valley 
and he saw smoke rising 
from the earth like the 
smoke from a furnace.
{I}29_{/}So when God 
destroyed the towns of 
the plain he remembered 
Abraham and made Lot 
escape from the 
catastrophe while he 
destroyed the cities 
where Lot had lived.
{I}30_{/}Lot went up from 
Zoar and lived in the 
hills with his two 
daughters, because he was 
afraid to live in Zoar. 
He lived in a cave, he 
and his two daughters. 
{I}31_{/}The elder said 
to the younger, "Our 
father is old and there 
is not a man in the 
country to lie with us as 
is the custom all over 
the world. {I}32_{/}Come, 
let us make our father 
drunk with wine; we shall 
lie with him and have the 
race survive through our 
father." {I}33_{/}So they 
made their father drink 
wine that night and the 
elder went to lie with 
her father. He knew 
nothing of it, neither 
when she lay down nor 
when she left.
{I}34_{/}The next day the 
elder daughter said to 
the younger, "Last night 
I lay with my father. Let 
us give him wine again 
tonight and you go and 
lie with him. In this way 
we shall continue the 
race through our father." 
{I}35_{/}Again that night 
they got their father to 
drink wine. The younger 
went and lay with him. He 
was aware of nothing, 
neither when she lay with 
him nor when she left. 
{I}36_{/}And the two 
daughters of Lot became 
pregnant by their father. 
{I}37_{/}The elder gave 
birth to a son and named 
him Moab. He was the 
ancestor of the Moabites 
who live today. 
{I}38_{/}The younger, 
also gave birth to a son 
and named him Ben-ammi. 
He is the ancestor of the 
Ammonites who exist to 
this day.
ABRAHAM AND SARAH AT 
GERAR{/}

{1}20{/}

{I}1_{/}Abraham left 
there for the territory 
of the Negeb, and lived 
between Kadesh and Shur; 
and he stayed for a time 
in Gerar. {I}2_{/}Abraham 
had said of his wife, 
"She is my sister"; so 
Abimelech, king of Gerar, 
sent for Sarah and had 
her brought to him.
{I}3_{/}But God came to 
Abimelech in a dream at 
night. He said to him, 
"You are a dead man 
because of this woman you 
have taken, for she is a 
married woman." 
{I}4_{/}But Abimelech had 
not gone near her, so he 
said, "My Lord, are you 
going to kill a pagan who 
acted with good 
intention? {I}5_{/}Didn't 
he say to me: 'She is my 
sister'? And she said to 
me: 'He is my brother.' I 
acted in the simplicity 
of my heart and with 
innocent hands." 
{I}6_{/}God said to him 
in the dream, "I knew 
that you did that in the 
simplicity of your heart 
and I prevented you from 
sinning against me. That 
is why I did not let you 
touch her. {I}7_{/}Now 
give the woman back to 
the man for he is a 
prophet; he will pray for 
you and you shall live. 
But if you do not give 
her back, know that you 
will surely die; you and 
all yours will die."
{I}8_{/}So Abimelech rose 
early in the morning and 
called all his officials 
and told them all these 
things. The officials 
were terrified. 
{I}9_{/}Abimelech then 
called Abraham and said 
to him, "What have you 
done to us? In what way 
have I wronged you, for 
you to bring against me 
and my kingdom such a 
grave sin? You have done 
to me things that should 
not be done." 
{I}10_{/}Abimelech said 
to Abraham, "Why did you 
act as you did?" 
{I}11_{/}Abraham said, "I 
thought there is no fear 
of God at all in this 
place and they will kill 
me because of my wife. 
{I}12_{/}Yet it is true 
that she is my sister, 
the daughter of my 
father, but not of my 
mother, and she became my 
wife. {I}13_{/}So, when 
the gods made me wander 
far from my father's 
family, I said to her: 
Now, if you love me, I 
beg you to say that I am 
your brother wherever we 
go."
{I}14_{/}Abimelech then 
brought sheep and cattle, 
male and female slaves 
and gave them to Abraham, 
and he had Sarah returned 
to her husband. 
{I}15_{/}And he told 
Abraham, "See, you have 
the run of my land; live 
wherever you please." 
{I}16_{/}And to Sarah he 
said, "I am giving your 
brother a thousand silver 
coins. It will be as a 
protection for you, and 
an evidence for all those 
who are with you. So none 
of them will think ill of 
you." {I}17_{/}Then 
Abraham prayed to God_and 
God healed Abimelech, his 
wife and his servants, so 
that they were able to 
have children again. 
{I}18_{/}For Yahweh had 
made it impossible for 
Abimelech's wife and 
maids to have more 
children, because of 
Abraham's wife, Sarah.
THE BIRTH OF ISAAC{/}

{1}21{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh was kind 
to Sarah as he had said, 
and fulfilled his promise 
to her. {I}2_{/}Sarah 
became pregnant and bore 
a son to Abraham in his 
old age, at the very time 
Yahweh had promised. 
{I}3_{/}Abraham gave the 
name Isaac to the son 
that Sarah bore him 
{I}4_{/}and circumcised 
him when he was eight 
days old, as Yahweh had 
commanded. 
{I}5_{/}Abraham was a 
hundred years old when 
his son Isaac was born to 
him.
{I}6_{/}Sarah said, "God 
has brought me laughter 
and everyone who hears of 
this will laugh with me." 
{I}7_{/}She added, "Who 
would have told Abraham 
that Sarah would nurse 
children? Yet I have 
given birth to a son for 
him in his old age."
ABRAHAM DISMISSES 
HAGAR{/}

{I}8_{/}The child grew 
and on the day Isaac was 
weaned, Abraham held a 
great feast. 
{I}9_{/}Sarah saw the 
child that Hagar, the 
Egyptian had borne to 
Abraham, mocking her son 
{I}10_{/}and she said to 
Abraham, "Send this slave 
girl and her son away; 
the child of this slave 
must not share the 
inheritance with my son, 
Isaac." 
{I}11_{/}This matter 
distressed Abraham 
because it concerned his 
son, {I}12_{/}but God 
said to him, "Don't be 
worried about the boy and 
your maidservant. Listen 
to Sarah and do whatever 
she says, because the 
race which is called by 
your name will spring 
from Isaac. {I}13_{/}But 
from the son of your 
servant I will also form 
a nation, for he too is 
your offspring."
{I}14_{/}Abraham rose 
early next morning and 
gave bread and a skin bag 
of water to Hagar. He put 
the child on her back and 
sent her away. She went 
off and wandered in the 
desert of Beersheba. 
{I}15_{/}When there was 
no more water in the 
skin, she pushed the boy 
under one of the bushes, 
{I}16_{/}and then went 
and sat down about a 
hundred yards away, for 
she thought, "I cannot 
bear to see my son die." 
But as she sat there, the 
child began to wail. 
{I}17_{/}God heard him 
and the Angel of God 
called to Hagar from 
heaven and said, "What is 
the matter, Hagar? Don't 
be afraid. God has heard 
the boy crying. 
{I}18_{/}Get up, pick the 
boy up and hold him 
safely, for I will make 
him into a great nation." 
{I}19_{/}God then opened 
her eyes and she saw a 
well of water. She went 
and filled the skin and 
gave the boy a drink.
{I}20_{/}God was with the 
boy. He grew up and made 
his home in the 
wilderness and became an 
expert archer.
{I}21_{/}He lived in the 
desert of Paran and his 
mother chose a wife for 
him from the land of 
Egypt.
{I}22_{/}At that time 
Abimelech came with 
Phicol, the commander of 
his army, to speak to 
Abraham, "God is with you 
in everything you do; 
{I}23_{/}swear to me here 
before God that you will 
not deal falsely with me 
or my descendants, but 
instead you will show to 
me and the country where 
you are living the same 
kindness that I have 
shown to you." 
{I}24_{/}And Abraham 
said, "Yes, this I 
swear."
{I}25_{/}Then Abraham 
complained to Abimelech 
about a well that 
Abimelech's servants had 
seized. 
{I}26_{/}Abimelech said, 
"I don't know who has 
done this; you did not 
tell me and I only heard 
about it today." 
{I}27_{/}Abraham then 
took sheep and cattle and 
gave them to Abimelech 
and the two men made a 
treaty. {I}28_{/}Abraham 
set aside seven ewe lambs 
from the flock. 
{I}29_{/}Abimelech said 
to him, "Why have you put 
aside these seven ewe 
lambs? {I}30_{/}Abraham 
replied, "Accept these 
seven lambs from my hand 
as evidence that I dug 
this well." {I}31_{/}So 
the place was called 
Beersheba because the two 
men took an oath there. 
{I}32_{/}After making the 
treaty at Beersheba, 
Abimelech went away with 
Phicol, the commander of 
his army, and returned to 
the land of the 
Philistines. 
{I}33_{/}Abraham planted 
a tamarisk tree at 
Beersheba and there he 
called on Yahweh, the 
everlasting God. 
{I}34_{/}And Abraham 
stayed in the land of the 
Philistines for a long 
time.
THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC{/}

{1}22{/}

{I}1_{/}Some time later 
God tested Abraham and 
said to him, "Abraham!" 
And he answered, "Here I 
am." {I}2_{/}Then God 
said, "Take your son, 
your only son, Isaac, 
whom you love, and go to 
the land of Moriah and 
offer him there as a 
burnt offering on one of 
the mountains I shall 
point out to you."
{I}3_{/}Abraham rose 
early next morning and 
saddled his donkey and 
took with him two of his 
young men and his son 
Isaac. He chopped wood 
for the burnt offering 
and set out for the place 
to which God had directed 
him. {I}4_{/}On the third 
day Abraham looked up and 
saw the place in the 
distance, {I}5_{/}and he 
said to the young men, 
"Stay here with the 
donkey. The boy and I 
will go over there to 
worship and then we will 
come back to you."
{I}6_{/}Abraham took the 
wood for the burnt 
offering and laid it on 
Isaac his son. He carried 
in his hand the fire and 
the knife. As the two of 
them went on together, 
{I}7_{/}Isaac spoke to 
Abraham, his father, 
"Father!" {I}8_{/}And 
Abraham replied, "Yes, my 
son?" Isaac said, "The 
fire and the wood are 
here, but where is the 
lamb for the sacrifice?" 
Abraham replied, "God 
himself will provide the 
lamb for the sacrifice." 
They went on, the two of 
them together, 
{I}9_{/}until they came 
to the place to which God 
had directed them. When 
Abraham had built the 
altar and set the wood on 
it, he bound his son 
Isaac and laid him on the 
wood placed on the altar. 
{I}10_{/}He then 
stretched out his hand to 
seize the knife and slay 
his son. {I}11_{/}But the 
Angel of Yahweh called to 
him from heaven, 
"Abraham! Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am." 
{I}12_{/}"Do not lay your 
hand on the boy; do not 
harm him, for now I know 
that you fear God, and 
you have not held back 
from me your only son."
{I}13_{/}Abraham looked 
around and saw behind him 
a ram caught by its horns 
in a bush. He offered it 
as a burnt offering in 
place of his son. 
{I}14_{/}Abraham named 
the place 'The Lord will 
provide.' And the saying 
has lasted to this day. 
{I}15_{/}And the Angel of 
Yahweh called from heaven 
a second time, 
{I}16_{/}"By myself I 
have sworn, it is Yahweh 
who speaks, because you 
have done this and not 
held back your son, your 
only son, {I}17_{/}I will 
surely bless you and make 
your descendants as 
numerous as the stars in 
the sky and the sand on 
the seashore. Your 
descendants will take 
possession of the lands 
of their enemies. 
{I}18_{/}All the nations 
of the earth will be 
blessed through your 
descendants because you 
have obeyed me." 
{I}19_{/}So Abraham 
returned to his servants, 
and they set off together 
for Beersheba and it was 
there that Abraham 
stayed.
{I}20_{/}Some time after 
this Abraham was told 
that Milcah too, had 
borne children for Nahor, 
Abraham's brother: 
{I}21_{/}Uz, the 
firstborn, Buz, his 
brother, Kemuel the 
father of Aram, 
{I}22_{/}Chesed, Hazo, 
Pildash, Jidlaph and 
Bethuel. {I}23_{/}Bethuel 
became the father of 
Rebekah. These eight 
children Milcah gave 
Nahor, Abraham's brother. 
{I}24_{/}He also had a 
concubine, named Reumah, 
who gave birth to Tebah, 
Gaham, Tahash and Maacah.
THE TOMB OF ABRAHAM AND 
SARAH{/}

{1}23{/}

{I}1_{/}Sarah lived a 
hundred and twenty-seven 
years. {I}2_{/}She died 
at Kiriatharba - that is 
Hebron - in the land of 
Canaan, and Abraham went 
in to weep and mourn for 
Sarah.
{I}3_{/}Abraham left his 
dead one {I}4_{/}and 
spoke to the Hittites, "I 
am only a stranger among 
you; give me a burial 
place among you, so that 
I may_bury my dead." 
{I}5_{/}The Hittites 
answered Abraham, 
{I}6_{/}"Hear us, my 
lord. You are God's 
prince among us; bury 
your dead in the best of 
our tombs; none of us 
would refuse you a tomb 
to bury your dead." 
{I}7_{/}Abraham rose and 
bowed to the Hittites, 
the people of the land, 
{I}8_{/}and then spoke to 
them, "If you are willing 
that I bury my dead, hear 
me and plead with Ephron, 
the son of Zohar, 
{I}9_{/}to give me the 
cave of Machpelah 
belonging to him; it is 
at the edge of his field. 
For the full price and in 
your presence, let him 
give it to me for a 
burial place." 
{I}10_{/}Now Ephron was 
there sitting among the 
Hittites, and he replied 
to Abraham in the hearing 
of all who were seated at 
the gate of the town, 
{I}11_{/}"No, my lord, 
listen! I give you the 
field and I give you the 
cave in it. In the 
presence of the sons of 
my people, I give it to 
you. Bury your dead 
there."
{I}12_{/}Abraham bowed 
before the people of the 
land and spoke to Ephron 
in the hearing of the 
people of the land, 
{I}13_{/}"Ah, if only you 
will listen to me, I will 
give you the price of the 
land. Accept it from me 
that I may bury my dead 
there." {I}14_{/}Ephron 
replied to Abraham, "My 
lord, hear me. 
{I}15_{/}Four hundred 
silver coins for a piece 
of land, is it not the 
right price for both of 
us? Bury your dead." 
{I}16_{/}Abraham agreed 
with Ephron and he 
weighed out for Ephron 
the silver he had 
insisted on in the 
hearing of the Hittites, 
four hundred silver 
coins, in merchants' 
coins.
{I}17_{/}And so Ephron's 
field in Machpelah, to 
the east of Mamre, the 
field with the cave in 
it, and all the trees in 
the field, throughout its 
entire area, {I}18_{/}was 
acquired by Abraham as 
his possession in the 
presence of the Hittites 
and of all who went in at 
the gate of their city. 
{I}19_{/}After this 
Abraham buried his wife 
Sarah in the cave of 
Machpelah. {I}20_{/}The 
unused field and the cave 
that is in it were given 
to Abraham as a 
possession for a burying 
place by the Hittites.
ELIEZER FINDS A WIFE FOR 
ISAAC{/}

{1}24{/}

{I}1_{/}Abraham was now 
old and well on in years, 
and Yahweh had blessed 
him in every way. 
{I}2_{/}Abraham said to 
his senior servant, who 
was his steward, "Put 
your hand under my thigh 
{I}3_{/}and you will 
swear to me by Yahweh, 
God of heaven and earth, 
that you will not choose 
a wife for my son from 
the daughters of the 
Canaanites among whom we 
live; {I}4_{/}rather it 
is to my country and my 
kinsfolk that you will go 
to choose a wife for my 
son, Isaac."
{I}5_{/}The servant said 
to him, "Perhaps the 
woman will not want to 
follow me to this 
country. In that case 
should I take your son to 
the country you came 
from?" {I}6_{/}Abraham 
said to him, "In no way 
will you take my son 
back. {I}7_{/}For Yahweh, 
God of heaven and God of 
earth, who took me from 
my father's house and 
from the land of my 
birth, spoke to me and 
swore to me that he would 
give this country to my 
race. He will send his 
angel before you, that 
you may find a wife for 
my son. {I}8_{/}But if 
the woman is unwilling to 
follow you, you will be 
free of this oath. In any 
case you are not to take 
my son down there." 
{I}9_{/}So the servant 
placed his hand under the 
thigh of Abraham, his 
master, and swore to him 
that he would do it.
{I}10_{/}The servant took 
ten of his master's 
camels and set out, 
taking with him something 
of the best from all that 
his master owned. He rose 
and went off in the 
direction of Aram 
Naharaim, towards the 
town of Nahor. 
{I}11_{/}And he made the 
camels kneel outside the 
town, near the well, in 
the evening when the 
women go to draw water.
{I}12_{/}The steward then 
prayed, "Yahweh, God of 
my master Abraham, be 
with me and show your 
loving kindness to 
Abraham, my master. 
{I}13_{/}See, I am 
standing at the spring 
while the girls of the 
city are coming to draw 
water. {I}14_{/}Now I 
will ask them like this: 
'Please tilt your pitcher 
that I may drink.' Now, 
the first girl who will 
say: 'Drink and I will 
water your camels as 
well'; let her be the one 
you have chosen for your 
servant Isaac. In this 
way I shall know you have 
shown kindness to my 
master."
{I}15_{/}He had not 
finished praying when 
Rebekah came out. She was 
the daughter of Bethuel, 
son of Milcah, wife of 
Abraham's brother, Nahor. 
She had a pitcher on her 
shoulder. {I}16_{/}The 
girl was very beautiful 
and a virgin, for no man 
had lain with her. She 
went down to the well, 
filled her pitcher and 
came up again. 
{I}17_{/}The servant ran 
to meet her and said, 
"Please let me drink a 
little water from your 
pitcher." {I}18_{/}She 
said, "Drink, my lord!" 
and at once lowering her 
pitcher to her hand she 
let him drink. 
{I}19_{/}When she had 
finished letting him 
drink, she said, "I am 
going to water your 
camels as well, until 
they have had enough." 
{I}20_{/}She hurried to 
empty her pitcher into 
the trough, and then ran 
again to draw water for 
all his camels, 
{I}21_{/}while the man 
watched in silence to 
find out whether Yahweh 
was making his journey 
successful or not.
{I}22_{/}So when the 
camels had finished 
drinking, the man took 
out a gold nose ring 
weighing half a shekel 
and for her arms two gold 
bracelets weighing ten 
shekels. {I}23_{/}He then 
said, "Whose daughter are 
you? Please tell me! Is 
there room in your 
father's house where we 
can spend the night?" 
{I}24_{/}She said to him, 
"I am the daughter of 
Bethuel, the son Milcah 
bore to Nahor." 
{I}25_{/}She continued, 
"We have plenty of straw 
and fodder, and room for 
you to spend the night."
{I}26_{/}Then the man 
knelt and wor-shiped 
Yahweh {I}27_{/}saying, 
"Blessed be Yahweh, God 
of my master Abraham, who 
has not stopped showing 
kindness and faithfulness 
to my master. Yahweh has 
guided me to the house of 
my master's brother." 
{I}28_{/}The girl ran to 
her mother's house and 
related all these things. 
{I}29_{/}Now Rebekah had 
a brother named Laban and 
Laban ran out to the man, 
near the spring. 
{I}30_{/}As soon as he 
saw the ring and the 
bracelets on his sister's 
arms, as soon as he heard 
his sister Rebekah 
saying, "This is what 
the_man said to me...," 
he came towards Abraham's 
steward who was standing 
near the camels by the 
spring. {I}31_{/}He said 
to him, "Come in, you who 
are blessed by Yahweh. 
Why do you stay outside? 
I have prepared the house 
and there is room for 
your camels." {I}32_{/}So 
the man entered the house 
and unloaded the camels. 
Straw and fodder were 
given to the camels and 
water to wash the feet of 
the man and of those who 
were with him. 
{I}33_{/}Then they gave 
him food to eat, but he 
said, "I won't eat until 
I have said what I have 
to say!" Laban said, 
"Speak!"
{I}34_{/}Then he spoke 
like this, "I am the 
servant of Abraham. 
Yahweh has greatly 
blessed my master and he 
has become very rich. 
{I}35_{/}Yahweh_has given 
him flocks and herds, 
silver and gold, 
menservants and 
maidservants, camels and 
donkeys. {I}36_{/}Now 
Sarah, my master's wife, 
bore him a son in her old 
age; {I}37_{/}so my 
master has given him all 
he owns and he made me 
swear an oath saying: 
'You will not choose a 
wife for my son from the 
daughters of these 
Canaanites in whose 
country I live; 
{I}38_{/}rather you will 
go to my father's house, 
to my kinsfolk and there 
you will choose a wife 
for my son.' {I}39_{/}I 
then said to my master, 
'Perhaps the woman will 
not agree to come with 
me!' {I}40_{/}And his 
reply was: 'Yahweh, in 
whose presence I have 
walked, will send his 
angel with you and make 
your journey successful. 
You will choose a wife 
for my son from my own 
clan and from my father's 
house. {I}41_{/}This is 
what you have to do to be 
released from your oath. 
Whether they refuse you 
or not you will be free 
of the oath.'
{I}42_{/}So on arriving 
at the spring, I prayed, 
'Yahweh, God of my 
master, Abraham, if you 
wish my journey to be 
successful, let it happen 
like this: {I}43_{/}as I 
stand by the spring a 
girl will come to draw 
water and I will say to 
her: Let me drink a 
little from your pitcher. 
{I}44_{/}If she answers 
me: Yes, drink, and I 
will draw water for your 
camels as well, let it be 
that she is the wife 
Yahweh has chosen for my 
master's son.' I was 
still thinking this over, 
{I}45_{/}when Rebekah 
came out with a pitcher 
on her shoulder. She went 
down to the spring and 
drew water. I said to 
her, 'Please, let me 
drink!' {I}46_{/}She 
immediately lowered the 
pitcher and said, 'Drink! 
I will water your camels 
as well!' I drank and she 
watered the camels. 
{I}47_{/}I questioned her 
saying, 'Who is your 
father?' And she said, 'I 
am the daughter of 
Bethuel, the son of Nahor 
and Milcah.' I then put 
this ring through her 
nostril and bracelets on 
her arms. {I}48_{/}Then I 
knelt in worship and 
blessed Yahweh, God of my 
master, Abraham, who had 
led me to choose the 
daughter of my master's 
brother for his son. 
{I}49_{/}Now let me know 
whether you intend to 
show kindness and 
faithfulness to my 
master; if not, tell me 
and I shall know which 
way to turn."
{I}50_{/}Laban and 
Bethuel replied, "This is 
God's doing. It is not 
for us to decide either 
way. {I}51_{/}Here is 
Rebekah, take her and go. 
Let her become the wife 
of your master's son as 
Yahweh has directed." 
{I}52_{/}When Abraham's 
servant heard this 
answer, he bowed to the 
ground before Yahweh. 
{I}53_{/}He then took the 
gold and silver jewelry 
as well as the clothes 
and gave them to Rebekah. 
He also gave costly gifts 
to her brother and 
mother. {I}54_{/}They ate 
and drank, he and his 
companions, and spent the 
night there.
When they were up next 
morning, the_servant 
said, "Let me return to 
my master." 
{I}55_{/}Rebekah's mother 
and brother replied, "Let 
the girl remain with_us 
for a few days, about 
ten. After that she may 
go." {I}56_{/}He said, 
"Do not delay me; since 
Yahweh has made my 
journey successful, let 
me leave and return to my 
master." {I}57_{/}They 
then said, "Call the girl 
and ask her about it." 
{I}58_{/}They called and 
questioned Rebekah, "Do 
you want to leave with 
this man?" She said, "I 
will go." {I}59_{/}So 
they let Rebekah, their 
sister, go with her nurse 
and Abraham's servant and 
his men. {I}60_{/}They 
blessed Rebekah with 
these words,
"Sister of ours, may you 
increase to thousands 
upon thousands, may your 
descendants take 
possession of the cities 
of their enemies."
{I}61_{/}Then Rebekah and 
her maids got ready, 
mounted the camels and 
followed Abraham's 
servant. So it was that 
he departed bringing 
Rebekah.
{I}62_{/}Now Isaac had 
come from the well of 
Lahai-roi, for he was 
living in the Negeb. 
{I}63_{/}As Isaac went 
out in the early evening 
to meditate in the field, 
he looked up and saw 
camels coming. 
{I}64_{/}Rebekah also 
looked up and when she 
saw Isaac she alighted 
from her camel 
{I}65_{/}and said to the 
servant, "Who is this man 
in the field coming to 
meet us?" He replied, "It 
is my master!" She then 
covered her face with her 
veil. {I}66_{/}The 
servant related to Isaac 
all that he_had done 
{I}67_{/}and Isaac 
brought Rebekah into the 
tent of Sarah, his 
mother. He made her his 
wife, and he loved her; 
and Isaac was comforted 
after his mother's death.
ABRAHAM AND HIS 
DESCENDANTS{/}

{1}25{/}

{I}1_{/}Abraham married 
another wife named 
Keturah. {I}2_{/}She bore 
him Zimram, Jokshan, 
Medan, Midian, Ishbak and 
Shuah. {I}3_{/}Jokshan 
was the father of Sheba 
and Dedan, and the sons 
of Dedan were the 
Asshurites, the 
Letushites, and the 
Leummites. {I}4_{/}The 
sons of Midian were 
Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, 
Abida and Eldaah. All 
these were descendants of 
Keturah.
{I}5_{/}Abraham left 
everything he owned to 
Isaac. {I}6_{/}To the 
sons of his concubines 
Abraham gave presents, 
and as long as he lived 
he sent them away from 
his son Isaac, to the 
land of the east.
{I}7_{/}Abraham had lived 
a hundred and seventy-
five years. {I}8_{/}Then 
at a good old age Abraham 
breathed his last, an old 
man, after a full span of 
years, and was gathered 
to his ancestors. 
{I}9_{/}His sons, Isaac 
and Ishmael, buried him 
in the cave at Machpelah, 
{I}10_{/}in the field of 
Ephron the Hittite, son 
of Zohar. This was the 
field near Mamre that 
Abraham bought from the 
Hittites. Abraham and his 
wife, Sarah, were buried 
there. {I}11_{/}After 
Abraham's death God 
blessed his son Isaac who 
lived near the well of 
Lahai-roi.
{I}12_{/}These are the 
descendants of Ishmael, 
the son of Abraham and 
Hagar, the Egyptian. 
{I}13_{/}These are the 
names of the sons of 
Ishmael in order of their 
birth. Ishmael's 
firstborn was Nebaioth, 
and after him Kedar, 
Adbeel, Mibsam, 
{I}14_{/}Mishma, Dumah, 
Massa, {I}15_{/}Hadad, 
Tema, Jetur, Naphish and 
Kedemah. {I}16_{/}These 
are the sons of Ishmael, 
and these are their 
names, according to their 
settlements and camps, 
twelve tribal princes. 
{I}17_{/}Ishmael lived a 
hundred and thirty-seven 
years. He breathed his 
last and died and was 
gathered to his people.
{I}18_{/}His descendants 
lived in the territory 
stretching from Havilah 
to Shur, near the border 
of Egypt in the direction 
of Assyria. They have 
been fighting continually 
among themselves.
{I}19_{/}This is the 
story of Isaac, son of 
Abraham. {I}20{/}Isaac 
was forty when he married 
Rebekah, daughter of 
Bethuel, the Aramean from 
Paddan-aram, the sister 
of Laban the Aramean.
THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND 
JACOB{/}

{I}21_{/}Isaac prayed to 
Yahweh for his wife, 
because she could not 
have children. Yahweh 
heard Isaac's prayer and 
Rebekah, his wife, 
conceived. {I}22_{/}As 
the children struggled 
together within her, she 
said, "If it is like 
this, why do I continue 
to live?" She went to 
consult Yahweh, 
{I}23_{/}and Yahweh said 
to her, "Two nations are 
in your womb, and two 
peoples will be born of 
you; one nation will be 
stronger than the other, 
and the elder shall serve 
the younger."
{I}24_{/}When the time 
came for her to give 
birth, there were twins 
in her womb. {I}25_{/}The 
first to be born was red 
and his whole body was 
like a hairy garment, 
so_they called him Esau. 
{I}26_{/}Then his brother 
was born and his hand had 
gripped Esau's heel so he 
was named Jacob. Isaac 
was sixty at the time of 
their birth. 
{I}27_{/}When the boys 
grew up, Esau became a 
skillful hunter, a man of 
the open country; Jacob 
was a quiet man living in 
tents. {I}28_{/}Isaac who 
had a liking for game 
loved Esau, but Rebekah 
loved Jacob.
{I}29_{/}Once when Jacob 
was making a stew, Esau 
came back from the 
country and he was 
famished; {I}30_{/}and he 
said to Jacob, "Let me 
have some of that red 
stew, for I am famished." 
That is why he was also 
called Edom. 
{I}31_{/}Jacob said, 
"First sell me your right 
as the firstborn." 
{I}32_{/}Esau said, 
"Since I am to die soon, 
what good is my right as 
the firstborn to me?" 
{I}33_{/}Then Jacob said, 
"Give me your oath 
first." So he swore to 
him and sold his 
firstborn right to Jacob. 
{I}34_{/}Then Jacob gave 
him bread and the lentil 
stew. Esau ate and drank 
and then got up and went 
his way. So it was that 
Esau thought nothing of 
his right as the 
firstborn.
EVENTS IN ISAAC'S LIFE{/}

{1}26{/}

{I}1_{/}There was a 
famine in the land - a 
second one after the 
famine that had taken 
place in the time of 
Abraham - and Isaac went 
to Gerar, the land of 
Abimelech, king of the 
Philistines. {I}2_{/}For 
Yahweh appeared to him 
and said, "Do not go down 
to Egypt; stay in the 
land I shall tell you of. 
{I}3_{/}Remain in this 
land, and I will be with 
you and I will bless you. 
I will give all these 
lands to you and your 
race, and I shall keep 
the oath I swore to your 
father, Abraham. For I 
told him: {I}4_{/}I will 
make your descendants as 
many as the stars in the 
heavens, and to them I 
will give all these 
lands; and through your 
descendants all nations 
in the world will be 
blessed {I}5_{/}because 
you were obedient and 
kept my charge, my 
commandments, my decrees 
and my laws."
{I}6_{/}So Isaac stayed 
in Gerar. {I}7_{/}When 
the men of that place 
questioned him about his 
wife, he replied, "She is 
my sister." He would not 
say, "She is my wife," 
for he was afraid and he 
thought, "The men of this 
place might kill me 
because of Rebekah who is 
very beautiful."
{I}8_{/}When Isaac had 
been there a long time, 
it happened that 
Abimelech, looking out of 
a window, saw Isaac 
caressing his wife 
Rebekah. 
{I}9_{/}Abimelech called 
Isaac and said, "So she 
really is your wife! Why 
did you tell me that she 
was your sister?" Isaac 
said to him, "Because I 
thought that they might 
kill me on her account." 
{I}10_{/}Then Abimelech 
said, "What is this you 
have done to us? One of 
my people could have 
slept with your wife and 
you would have brought 
guilt on us." {I}11_{/}So 
Abimelech gave an order 
to all the people: 
"Whoever molests this man 
or his wife will be put 
to death."
{I}12_{/}Isaac sowed 
crops on this land and 
that same year he 
harvested a hundredfold. 
Yahweh blessed him 
{I}13_{/}and he 
prospered. He continued 
to prosper until he was 
very rich. {I}14_{/}He 
had flocks and herds and 
many servants so that the 
Philistines envied him. 
{I}15_{/}All the wells 
dug by his_father's 
servants in Abraham's 
time were stopped up by 
the Philistines and 
filled with earth. 
{I}16_{/}Abimelech said 
to Isaac, "Go away from 
us for you are more 
powerful than we are." 
{I}17_{/}So Isaac left 
that place and encamped 
in the Valley of Gerar 
and settled there.
{I}18_{/}Isaac opened up 
again the wells that had 
been dug in the time of 
his father, Abraham, and 
that the Philistines had 
blocked up after 
Abraham's death. He gave 
these wells the names his 
father had given them. 
{I}19_{/}Isaac's servants 
dug in the valley and 
discovered there a fresh 
water spring. 
{I}20_{/}The herdsmen of 
Gerar quarreled with 
Isaac's herdsmen saying, 
"The water is ours!" So 
he named the well Esek, 
because they squabbled 
about it. {I}21_{/}They 
dug another well and 
there was quarreling 
about that as well, so he 
called it Sitnah. 
{I}22_{/}He moved away 
from there and dug 
another well and as no 
one quarreled over it, he 
called it Rehoboth 
saying, "Now the Lord has 
made room for us, we 
shall prosper in the 
land."
{I}23_{/}From there Isaac 
went to Beersheba, 
{I}24_{/}and Yahweh 
appeared to him the same 
night and said, "I am the 
God of Abraham, your 
father; do not be afraid, 
for I am with you. I will 
bless you and increase 
your descendants for the 
sake of my servant 
Abraham." {I}25_{/}Isaac 
built an altar there and 
called on the name of 
Yahweh. It was there he 
pitched his tent and 
there his servants dug a 
well.
{I}26_{/}Abimelech went 
to him from Gerar 
together with Ahuzzath, 
his friend, and Phicol, 
the commander of his 
forces. {I}27_{/}Isaac 
said to him, "Why have 
you come after me seeing 
that you hate me and have 
sent me away?" 
{I}28_{/}They answered, 
"We have clearly seen 
that Yahweh is with you, 
so we said: Let peace be 
sworn between us and you, 
and let us make a treaty: 
{I}29_{/}you will do us 
no harm, just as we have 
not interfered with you, 
but always treated you 
well and sent you away in 
peace. We know that you 
have Yahweh's blessing."
{I}30_{/}Isaac then made 
a feast for them and they 
ate and drank. 
{I}31_{/}Next morning 
they rose early and swore 
an oath to each other. 
Isaac then set them on 
their way and they left 
him in peace. 
{I}32_{/}That day Isaac's 
servants came and told 
him of the well they had 
dug: "We have found 
water." {I}33_{/}He 
called the well Shibeah 
and that is why the name 
of the town has been 
Beersheba to this day.
{I}34_{/}When Esau was 
forty, he married Judith, 
daughter of Beeri the 
Hittite, and Basemath, 
the daughter of Elon, the 
Hittite. {I}35_{/}They 
made life bitter for 
Isaac and Rebekah.
JACOB OBTAINS THE 
BLESSING BY DECEIT{/}

{1}27{/}

{I}1_{/}When Isaac was 
old and his eyes so weak 
that he could no longer 
see, he called Esau, his 
older son, and said to 
him, "My son." "Here 
I_am," he answered. 
{I}2_{/}Isaac continued, 
"You see I am old and I 
don't know when I shall 
die; {I}3_{/}so take your 
weapons, your bow and 
arrow, go out into the 
country and hunt some 
game for me. {I}4_{/}Then 
prepare some of the 
savory food I like and 
bring it to me so that I 
may eat and give you my 
blessing before I die."
{I}5_{/}Now Rebekah was 
listening when Isaac 
spoke to his son Esau. 
When Esau went into the 
country to hunt game and 
bring it back, 
{I}6_{/}Rebekah said to 
her son Jacob, "I heard 
your father saying to 
your brother Esau: 
{I}7_{/}'Bring me some 
game and prepare food for 
me that I may eat and 
bless you before Yahweh 
before I die.' 
{I}8_{/}Now my son, 
listen and do what I 
command you. {I}9_{/}Go 
to the flock and bring me 
two fine kids so that I 
can prepare for your 
father the food that he 
likes. {I}10_{/}You will 
bring it to your father 
and he will eat it and 
give you his blessing 
before he dies."
{I}11_{/}Jacob said to 
Rebekah, "My brother Esau 
is a hairy man and I am 
smooth-skinned. 
{I}12_{/}Perhaps my 
father will feel me and I 
will seem to be tricking 
him and so bring a curse 
on myself instead of a 
blessing." {I}13_{/}But 
his mother said, "Let the 
curse fall on me, my son! 
Only do what I tell you; 
go and get the kids for 
me." {I}14_{/}So he went 
and got them and took 
them to his mother to 
prepare food that his 
father liked. 
{I}15_{/}Then Rebekah 
took the best clothes of 
her elder son Esau that 
she had in the house and 
put them on Jacob, her 
younger son. 
{I}16_{/}With the 
goatskin she covered his 
hands and the smooth part 
of his neck, {I}17_{/}and 
she handed to him the 
bread and food she had 
prepared.
{I}18_{/}He went to his 
father and said, 
"Father!" He answered, 
"Yes, my son, who is it?" 
{I}19_{/}and Jacob said 
to his father, "It is 
Esau, your firstborn; I 
have done what you told 
me to do. Come, sit up 
and eat my game so that 
you may give me your 
blessing." {I}20_{/}Isaac 
said, "How quick you have 
been my son!" Jacob said, 
"Yahweh, your God, guided 
me." {I}21_{/}Isaac said 
to Jacob, "Come near and 
let me feel you, my son, 
and know that it is you, 
Esau my son, or not."
{I}22_{/}When Jacob drew 
near to Isaac, his father 
felt him and said, "The 
voice is the voice of 
Jacob but the hands are 
the_hands of Esau." 
{I}23_{/}He did not 
recognize him, for his 
hands were hairy like the 
hands of Esau his brother 
and so he_blessed him. 
{I}24_{/}He asked, "Are 
you really my son Esau?" 
and Jacob answered, "I 
am." {I}25_{/}Isaac said, 
"Bring me some of your 
game, my son, so that I 
may eat and give you my 
blessing." So Jacob 
brought it to him and he 
ate. And he brought him 
wine and he drank. 
{I}26_{/}Then his father 
Isaac said to him, "Come 
near and kiss me, my 
son." {I}27_{/}So Jacob 
came near and kissed him.
Isaac then caught the 
smell of his clothes and 
blessed him, saying,
"The smell of my son is 
like the smell of a field 
which the Lord has 
blessed.
{I}28_{/}May God give you 
of the dew of heaven;
and of the richness of 
the earth;
and abundance of grain 
and wine.
{I}29_{/}Let peoples 
serve you
and nations bow down 
before you.
Be lord over your 
brothers,
and let your mother's 
sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone that 
curses you
and blessed be everyone
that blesses you!"
{I}30_{/}When Isaac had 
finished blessing him and 
Jacob had just left 
Isaac's room, Esau came 
in from hunting. 
{I}31_{/}He also prepared 
food and brought it to 
his father and said to 
him, "Father, sit up and 
eat the game your son has 
prepared, so that you may 
give me your blessing." 
{I}32_{/}Isaac said, "Who 
are you?" "I am your son, 
your firstborn, Esau." 
{I}33_{/}Isaac trembled 
violently and said, "Who 
was it then that hunted 
game and brought it to 
me? I ate it all before 
you came and I blessed 
him and he will be 
blessed."
{I}34_{/}On hearing his 
father's words, Esau gave 
a loud and bitter cry and 
said, "Bless me, too, 
father." {I}35_{/}But 
Isaac said, "Your brother 
came deceitfully and took 
your blessing." 
{I}36_{/}Esau said, "Is 
it because he is called 
Jacob that he has 
supplanted me twice? 
First he took my 
birthright and now he has 
taken my blessing." Then 
he asked, "Haven't you 
kept a blessing for me?" 
{I}37_{/}Isaac answered 
Esau, "I have made him 
your lord. I have given 
him all his brothers as 
servants; I have provided 
him with grain and wine. 
What can I do for you, my 
son?"
{I}38_{/}Esau said to his 
father, "Have you only 
one blessing? Father, 
bless me, too." Then Esau 
wept aloud. 
{I}39_{/}Isaac then gave 
him this answer,
"Your dwelling place 
shall be far away from 
the richness of the 
earth, away from the dew 
of heaven above.
{I}40_{/}You shall live 
by your sword, and you 
shall serve your brother;
but when you win your 
freedom you will throw 
off his yoke from your 
neck."
JACOB FLEES TO THE HOUSE 
OF LABAN {/}

{I}41_{/}Now Esau 
continued to hate his 
brother because of the 
blessing his father had 
given him and he thought 
to himself, "The time of 
mourning for my father is 
near; I shall then kill 
my brother Jacob." 
{I}42_{/}When Rebekah was 
told what her elder son 
had said, she sent and 
called her younger son, 
Jacob, and said to him, 
"Your brother Esau is 
consoling himself with 
the thought of killing 
you. {I}43_{/}Now my son, 
listen to me and flee to 
Laban, my brother, in 
Haran. {I}44_{/}You will 
stay with him for a time 
{I}45_{/}until your 
brother's fury has 
cooled; and when he has 
forgotten his anger and 
what you did to him, I 
will send someone to 
bring you back. Why 
should I lose both of you 
on the same day?"
{I}46_{/}Rebekah said to 
Isaac, "I am weary of my 
life because of the 
Hittite women. If Jacob 
marries a woman from this 
land, a Hittite like 
these, what value is 
there left in life for 
me?"
{1}28{/}

{I}1_{/}Isaac summoned 
Jacob and blessed him and 
commanded him, "Do not 
marry a Canaanite woman. 
{I}2_{/}Go to Paddan-
aram, to the house of 
Bethuel, your mother's 
father, and choose a wife 
for yourself from the 
daughters of Laban, your 
mother's brother. 
{I}3_{/}May God Almighty 
bless you and make you 
increase to become a 
group of nations. 
{I}4_{/}May he grant you 
and your descendants the 
blessings of Abraham, so 
that you may take 
possession of the land 
where you live now, and 
that Yahweh gave to 
Abraham. {I}5_{/}Isaac 
sent Jacob away and he 
went to Paddan-aram to 
Laban, the son of 
Bethuel, the Aramean, 
brother to Rebekah.
{I}6_{/}Esau saw that 
Isaac had blessed Jacob 
and sent him to Paddan-
aram to choose a wife for 
himself, and in blessing 
him had commanded him, 
"Do not marry a Canaanite 
woman." {I}7_{/}And in 
obedience to his father 
and mother, Jacob had 
gone to Paddan-aram. 
{I}8_{/}So Esau 
understood how 
displeasing the Canaanite 
women were to his father 
Isaac. {I}9_{/}So he went 
to Ishmael and chose a 
wife for himself besides 
those he already had - 
Mahalath, daughter of 
Ishmael, son of Abraham 
and sister of Nebaioth.
JACOB'S DREAM{/}

{I}10_{/}Jacob left 
Beersheba and set out for 
Haran. {I}11_{/}When he 
reached a certain place 
the sun had set and he 
spent the night there. He 
took one of the stones 
that were there and using 
it as a pillow, he lay 
down to sleep.
{I}12_{/}While Jacob was 
sleeping, he had a dream 
in which a ladder stood 
on the earth with its top 
reaching to heaven and on 
it were angels of God 
going up and coming down. 
{I}13_{/}And Yahweh was 
standing there near him 
and said, "I am Yahweh, 
the God of your father, 
Abraham, and the God of 
Isaac. The land on which 
you sleep, I give to you 
and your descendants. 
{I}14_{/}Your descendants 
will be numerous like the 
specks of dust of the 
earth and you will spread 
out to the west and the 
east, to the north and 
the south. Through you 
and your descendants all 
the nations of the earth 
will be blessed. 
{I}15_{/}See, I am with 
you and I will keep you 
safe wherever you go. I 
will bring you back to 
this land and not leave 
you until I have done 
what I promised." 
{I}16_{/}Jacob woke from 
his dream and said, 
"Truly Yahweh was in this 
place and I was not aware 
of it." {I}17_{/}He was 
afraid and said, "How 
full of awe is this 
place! It is nothing less 
than a House of God; it 
is the Gate to Heaven!"
{I}18_{/}Then Jacob rose 
early and took the stone 
he had put under his head 
and set it up as a pillar 
and poured oil on the top 
of it. {I}19_{/}He named 
that place Bethel 
although before that it 
was called Luz. 
{I}20_{/}Then Jacob made 
a vow, "If Yahweh will be 
with me and keep me safe 
during this journey I am 
making, if he gives me 
bread to eat and clothes 
to wear, {I}21_{/}and if 
I return in peace to my 
father's house, then 
Yahweh will be my God. 
{I}22_{/}This stone which 
I have set up as a pillar 
will be God's house, and 
of all that you give me, 
I will give back a 
tenth."
JACOB ARRIVES AT LABAN'S 
HOME{/}

{1}29{/}

{I}1_{/}Jacob set out and 
came to the land of the 
people of the east. 
{I}2_{/}There he saw a 
well and lying beside the 
well were three flocks of 
sheep, for it was at this 
well that the flocks were 
watered, and a large 
stone covered the mouth 
of the well. {I}3_{/}Then 
when all the flocks 
gathered there, the 
shepherds rolled away the 
stone from the opening of 
the well, watered their 
flocks and replaced the 
stone at the mouth of the 
well. {I}4_{/}Jacob said 
to them, "Brothers, where 
are you from?" "We are 
from Haran," they 
replied. {I}5_{/}He then 
said, "Do you know Laban, 
Nahor's son?" "Yes, we 
know him," they replied. 
{I}6_{/}And Jacob asked, 
"Is he well?" "Yes, he is 
well," they said, "and 
here is Rachel, his 
daughter, coming with the 
sheep!"
{I}7_{/}Jacob then said, 
"Look! The sun is still 
high; it's not yet time 
for the flocks to be 
gathered together. Water 
the sheep and let them 
graze." {I}8_{/}But they 
said, "We cannot do that 
until all the flocks are 
gathered together and the 
stone is rolled away from 
the mouth of the well; 
it's then we water the 
sheep."
{I}9_{/}He was still 
speaking when Rachel 
arrived with her father's 
flock, for she looked 
after them. {I}10_{/}As 
soon as Jacob saw Rachel 
he went forward and 
rolled the stone from the 
mouth of the well and 
then watered Laban's 
flock. {I}11_{/}Then 
Jacob kissed Rachel and 
wept aloud.
{I}12_{/}Jacob told 
Rachel he was her 
father's kinsman and 
Rebekah's son, and she 
ran and told her father. 
{I}13_{/}As soon as Laban 
heard the news about 
Jacob being his sister's 
son, he ran to meet him; 
and after embracing and 
kissing him_he brought 
him into his house. Jacob 
told Laban all that had 
happened {I}14_{/}and 
Laban said to him, "Truly 
you are my bone and 
flesh!" And Jacob stayed 
there a month with him.
JACOB'S TWO MARRIAGES{/}

{I}15_{/}Laban said to 
Jacob, "Even if you are 
my kinsman, should you 
work for me for nothing? 
Tell me, what wages do 
you want?"
{I}16_{/}Now Laban had 
two daughters; the name 
of the older one was Leah 
and the name of the 
younger was Rachel. 
{I}17_{/}Leah's eyes were 
weak but Rachel had a 
lovely figure and was 
beautiful. {I}18_{/}Jacob 
had fallen in love with 
Rachel and he said, "I 
will work for you for 
seven years in return for 
your younger daughter, 
Rachel." {I}19_{/}Laban 
said, "It is better for 
me to give her to you 
than to any other man; 
stay with me."
{I}20_{/}To win Rachel, 
Jacob worked for seven 
years which seemed to him 
only a few days, because 
he loved her so much. 
{I}21_{/}Jacob then said 
to Laban, "Give me my 
wife, for I have served 
my time and I want to lie 
with her." {I}22_{/}So 
Laban gathered together 
all the people of the 
place and gave a feast. 
{I}23_{/}But when night 
came he took his daughter 
Leah and gave her to 
Jacob and he lay with 
her. {I}24_{/}Laban gave 
his slave girl Zilpah to 
Leah to be her maid.
{I}25_{/}When morning 
came, there was Leah! And 
Jacob said to Laban, 
"What have you done 
to_me? Haven't I worked 
with you for Rachel? Why 
have you deceived me?" 
{I}26_{/}Laban said, "It 
is not our custom to give 
the younger daughter 
before the firstborn. 
{I}27_{/}As soon as the 
marriage week is over, I 
will give you my younger 
daughter as well, but you 
must work with me for 
another seven years. 
{I}28_{/}Jacob agreed to 
this and_when he 
completed the week with 
Leah, Laban gave him his 
daughter Rachel to be his 
wife.
{I}29_{/}Laban gave 
Rachel his slave girl, 
Bilhah, to_be her 
maidservant. {I}30_{/}So 
Jacob slept with Rachel 
as well, and he loved 
Rachel more than Leah. 
And he continued working 
for Laban another seven 
years.
JACOB'S CHILDREN{/}

{I}31_{/}As Yahweh saw 
that Leah was not loved, 
he let her have children; 
but Rachel was barren. 
{I}32_{/}Leah gave birth 
to a child and named him 
Reuben, for she said, 
"Because the Lord has 
seen my affliction; my 
husband is sure to love 
me now." {I}33_{/}She 
gave birth to another son 
and said, "Yahweh saw 
that I was neglected and 
has given me this son as 
well"; and she called him 
Simeon. {I}34_{/}Again 
she gave birth to a son 
and said, "This time my 
husband will be united to 
me because I have borne 
him three sons." That is 
why he was called Levi. 
{I}35_{/}She again gave 
birth to a son and said: 
"This time I will praise 
Yahweh." That is why she 
named him Judah. After 
that she had no more 
children.
{1}30{/}

{I}1_{/}When Rachel saw 
that she bore Jacob no 
children, she became 
jealous of her sister, 
and so she said to Jacob, 
"Give me sons or I shall 
die." {I}2_{/}Jacob 
became angry and said to 
her, "Is it my fault that 
God has deprived you of 
children?" {I}3_{/}She 
then said, "Here is my 
servant Bilhah; sleep 
with her so that she may 
give birth on my knees; 
so the child will be 
mine." {I}4_{/}And she 
gave Bilhah her servant 
as wife to Jacob. 
{I}5_{/}She became 
pregnant and bore him a 
son. {I}6_{/}Rachel then 
said, "God has done me 
justice! He has heard my 
prayer and given me a 
son. That is why she 
named him Dan. 
{I}7_{/}Bilhah, Rachel's 
servant, bore a second 
son to Jacob. {I}8_{/}And 
Rachel said, "I have had 
a mighty struggle with my 
sister and I have won!" 
And so she named her son 
Naphtali.
{I}9_{/}When Leah saw 
that she had stopped 
having children, she took 
her servant, Zilpah, and 
gave her to Jacob as a 
wife. {I}10_{/}Zilpah 
gave birth to a son for 
Jacob. {I}11_{/}Leah said 
"How fortunate!" and 
named him Gad. 
{I}12_{/}Leah's servant 
bore a second son to 
Jacob. {I}13_{/}Leah 
said, "How happy I am! 
Women will call me 
happy." So she named him 
Asher.
{I}14_{/}At the time of 
the wheat harvest, Reuben 
went out to the fields 
and found some mandrake 
plants which he brought 
to his mother, Leah. 
Rachel said to Leah, 
"Please give me some of 
your son's mandrakes." 
{I}15_{/}But Leah 
replied, "Isn't it enough 
for you to have taken my 
husband? Now you want to 
take my son's mandrakes 
as well!" Rachel then 
said, "He will sleep with 
you tonight in return for 
your son's mandrakes."
{I}16_{/}In the evening 
when Jacob came in from 
the fields Leah went to 
meet him and said, "You 
will sleep with me 
tonight for I have hired 
you with my son's 
mandrakes!" So he slept 
with her that night. 
{I}17_{/}Yahweh heard 
Leah, and she became 
pregnant and bore Jacob a 
fifth son. {I}18_{/}Leah 
said, "God has given me 
my reward because I gave 
my maidservant to my 
husband." She named the 
child Issachar.
{I}19_{/}Leah bore 
another son to Jacob. 
{I}20_{/}Then she said, 
"God has offered me a 
beautiful gift; this time 
my husband will honor me 
for I have given him six 
children." She named the 
child Zebulun. 
{I}21_{/}She later gave 
birth to a daughter and 
called her Dinah.
{I}22_{/}Then Yahweh 
remembered Rachel and let 
her have a child. 
{I}23_{/}She became 
pregnant and gave birth 
to a son. "Yahweh has 
taken away my shame," she 
said. {I}24_{/}And she 
called the child Joseph 
saying,"May Yahweh give 
me another son."
OTHER LEGENDS{/}

{I}25_{/}After Rachel had 
given birth to Joseph, 
Jacob said to Laban, "Let 
me go, so that I may 
return to my homeland. 
{I}26_{/}Give me my wives 
and my children, for whom 
I have served you, and 
let me go, for you know 
how well I have served 
you." {I}27_{/}Laban 
said, "If I have won your 
friendship... I have 
learned from signs that 
Yahweh has blessed me 
because of you." 
{I}28_{/}He then added, 
"Say what you want for 
wages and I will pay 
you." {I}29_{/}Jacob 
said, "You know how well 
I have served you and how 
your cattle have 
prospered with me. 
{I}30_{/}For you had 
little when I came, but 
since I have been with 
you there has been a 
considerable increase and 
Yahweh has blessed you. 
But now, when am I to do 
something for my own 
household?" 
{I}31_{/}Laban asked, 
"What shall I give you?"
Jacob replied, "You will 
give me nothing, but if 
you do for me what I ask, 
I will continue to 
pasture and look after 
your flock. 
{I}32_{/}Today I shall go 
through your flock 
removing from it every 
black lamb, and the 
spotted and speckled 
among the goats; these 
shall be my wages. 
{I}33_{/}My honesty will 
answer for me later, when 
you come to look into my 
wages. Any goat among my 
herd that is not spotted 
or speckled, any lamb 
found among the sheep in 
my possession that is not 
black will be counted as 
stolen." {I}34_{/}Laban 
said, "Agreed, it will be 
as you say."
{I}35_{/}That same day 
Laban put aside the he-
goats that were streaked, 
every one that had white 
on it, and all the black 
sheep. These he handed 
over to his sons 
{I}36_{/}and he put a 
distance of a three days' 
journey between himself 
and Jacob. So Jacob 
looked after the rest of 
Laban's flock.
{I}37_{/}Jacob then 
gathered fresh branches 
of poplar, almond and 
plane. He peeled white 
streaks in them, letting 
the white of the stems be 
seen. {I}38_{/}Then he 
placed the branches he 
had peeled in front of 
the channels of the 
watering troughs where 
the animals came to drink 
and where they could be 
clearly seen by the 
animals. And as they 
mated there in front of 
the branches when they 
came to drink, 
{I}39_{/}the animals 
produced streaked, 
spotted and speckled 
young. {I}40_{/}He put 
the sheep apart but made 
the rest face the 
streaked and dark colored 
animals that belonged to 
Laban. In this way he 
built up droves of his 
own and did not add them 
to Laban's flock. 
{I}41_{/}Whenever the 
stronger of the ewes were 
breeding, Jacob put the 
branches in the channels 
in front of the eyes of 
the ewes so that they 
would mate there among 
the branches. 
{I}42_{/}But for the 
feebler ewes he did not 
put them there so that 
the feebler were for 
Laban and the more robust 
for Jacob. {I}43_{/}In 
this way he became 
extremely rich with a 
great number of sheep, 
maidservants and 
menservants, camels and 
donkeys.
JACOB RETURNS TO HIS 
LAND{/}

{1}31{/}

{I}1_{/}Jacob learned 
that the sons of Laban 
were saying, "Jacob has 
taken everything our 
father owned, and it is 
at our father's expense 
that he has accumulated 
this fortune." 
{I}2_{/}Jacob understood 
from Laban's expression 
that his attitude towards 
him was no longer the 
same.
{I}3_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Jacob, "Go back to 
your homeland, the 
country of your kinsmen. 
I will be with you." 
{I}4_{/}Jacob had Rachel 
and Leah called to the 
field where his flocks 
were. {I}5_{/}There he 
said to them, "I see that 
your father no longer 
looks kindly on me, but 
the God of my father has 
been with me. {I}6_{/}You 
yourselves know that I 
have served your father 
with all my strength. 
{I}7_{/}But your father 
has not been straight 
with me,_changing my 
wages ten times. But God 
has_not allowed him to do 
me harm. {I}8_{/}Whenever 
he said: 'The spotted 
ones will be your wages,' 
then all the ewes had 
spotted lambs. And 
whenever he said: 'The 
streaked ones will be 
your wages,' then all the 
ewes produced streaked 
lambs.
{I}9_{/}It is God who has 
taken your father's 
livestock in that way and 
has given it to me. 
{I}10_{/}For, in the 
breeding season, when I 
was looking up, I saw in 
a dream that the rams 
mating with the_ewes were 
streaked, spotted or 
speckled. {I}11_{/}And 
the angel in the dream 
said to me: 'Jacob.' 
'Here I am,' I replied. 
{I}12_{/}He then said: 
'Look up and see that all 
the rams mating with the 
ewes are streaked, 
spotted or speckled. I 
have seen all that Laban 
has done to you. 
{I}13_{/}I am the God who 
appeared to you at Bethel 
where you anointed a 
pillar and vowed to me by 
oath. Now get ready, 
leave this country and 
return to the land of 
your birth."
{I}14_{/}Then Rachel and 
Leah replied, "Have we 
still any share in the 
inheritance of our 
father's estate? 
{I}15_{/}Haven't we been 
regarded by him as 
foreigners since he has 
sold us, and well and 
truly used up our money? 
{I}16_{/}Surely all the 
fortune that God has 
taken from our father 
belongs to us and to our 
children. So do then all 
that God has told you."
{I}17_{/}So Jacob got 
ready and put his 
children and his wives on 
camels. {I}18_{/}He also 
took with him all his 
livestock and all that he 
had accumulated (the 
livestock he had acquired 
at Paddan-aram) to return 
to his father Isaac in 
the land of Canaan. 
{I}19_{/}Rachel then took 
advantage of Laban. While 
he was shearing his sheep 
she stole her father's 
family gods.
{I}20_{/}So Jacob tricked 
Laban in not letting him 
know he was running away. 
{I}21_{/}He fled with all 
he had, and after 
crossing the river 
Euphrates he made for the 
hill country of Gilead.
{I}22_{/}Three days later 
Laban heard that Jacob 
had fled. {I}23_{/}Taking 
his brothers with him, he 
followed Jacob for seven 
days and caught up with 
him in the hill country 
of Gilead. {I}24_{/}God 
appeared to Laban in a 
dream at night and said 
to him, "Be careful not 
to say anything - either 
good or bad - to Jacob." 
{I}25_{/}Jacob had 
pitched his tent in the 
hill country of Gilead 
when Laban overtook him. 
Laban and his brothers 
also encamped on the 
hills of Gilead. 
{I}26_{/}Then Laban said 
to Jacob, "What have you 
done, tricking me and 
carrying my daughters off 
like prisoners of war?
{I}27_{/}Why did you run 
away secretly and cheat 
me? Why didn't you tell 
me? I could have sent you 
off with joy and singing 
and the music of 
tambourine and harp. 
{I}28_{/}You didn't even 
let me kiss my 
grandchildren and 
daughters goodbye. You 
have done a foolish thing 
{I}29_{/}and I have power 
to harm you, but last 
night the God of your 
father warned me saying: 
'Be careful not to_say 
anything - good or evil - 
to Jacob.' {I}30_{/}Now 
if you have gone off 
because you were planning 
to return to your 
father's house, why did 
you steal my gods?"
{I}31_{/}Jacob replied to 
Laban, "It was because I 
was afraid you would take 
your daughters from me! 
{I}32_{/}But whoever is 
found in possession of 
your gods will not live. 
In the presence of our 
relatives see for 
yourself if anything that 
belongs to you is here 
with me and, if so, take 
it." Now Jacob did not 
know that Rachel had 
stolen the gods.
{I}33_{/}Laban entered 
Jacob's tent, then Leah's 
and then the tent of the 
two maidservants, but he 
found nothing. When Laban 
came out of Leah's tent, 
he entered the tent of 
Rachel. {I}34_{/}Rachel 
had taken the gods, but 
put them into the camel's 
saddle, and sat on them. 
Laban felt all about the 
tent but did not find 
them. {I}35_{/}Rachel 
said to her father, "Do 
not be angry with me, my 
lord, if I do not stand 
in your presence, for I 
am having my period." So 
he searched but did not 
find the gods.
{I}36_{/}Then Jacob 
became angry and rebuked 
Laban. "What is my 
crime?" he asked him. 
"What sin of mine makes 
you hound me down? 
{I}37_{/}Now that you 
have searched through all 
my belongings, have you 
found anything that 
belongs to your 
household? If so, let it 
be seen here in the 
presence of your family 
and mine and let them 
judge between the two of 
us. {I}38_{/}During the 
twenty years I have been 
with you, your ewes and 
your she-goats have not 
miscarried and I haven't 
eaten any of the rams 
from your flocks. 
{I}39_{/}I haven't 
brought you any animal 
torn by a wild beast. I 
suffered the loss and you 
demanded payment from me 
for whatever was stolen 
by day or night. 
{I}40_{/}During the day I 
have been stifled by the 
heat and at night I have 
suffered from the cold, 
and sleep has left my 
eyes. {I}41_{/}It's 
twenty years that I've 
been with you. I worked 
fourteen years for your 
two daughters and six 
years for your flocks, 
and ten times you have 
altered my wages. 
{I}42_{/}If the God of my 
father Abraham and the 
Fearsome God of Isaac had 
not been with me, you 
would have sent me away 
empty-handed. But God has 
seen my hardship and the 
toil of my hands and last 
night he passed 
sentence."
{I}43_{/}Laban answered 
and said to Jacob, "The 
daughters are my 
daughters, the children 
are my children, these 
sheep are my sheep and 
all that you see are 
mine. How can I harm 
today these daughters of 
mine or their children? 
{I}44_{/}Come now, let us 
make a treaty, you and 
me, and let it be a 
witness between us."
{I}45_{/}Jacob took a 
stone and set it up as a 
pillar. {I}46_{/}He then 
said to his kinsmen, 
"Collect stones." So they 
gathered stones and piled 
them up, and they ate 
there by the pile. 
{I}47_{/}Laban called it 
Jegar-sahadutha, and 
Jacob called it, Galeed. 
{I}48_{/}Laban said, 
"This pile of stones is a 
witness between you and 
me today." That is why it 
was called Galeed; 
{I}49_{/}and it was also 
known as Mizpah because 
Laban had said, "May 
Yahweh watch between me 
and you when we are no 
longer in sight of each 
other. {I}50_{/}If you 
harm my daughters or take 
other wives besides my 
daughters, even though no 
man is with us, remember 
that God is witness 
between you and me."
{I}51_{/}Then Laban said 
to Jacob, "Here is the 
pile and the pillar which 
I have set between you 
and me. {I}52_{/}This 
pile and this pillar will 
witness that I will not 
pass beyond this pile to 
harm you and that you 
will not pass beyond this 
pile and pillar to harm 
me. {I}53_{/}May the God 
of Abraham and the God of 
Nahor judge between us!" 
So Jacob swore by the 
Fearful God of his father 
Isaac. {I}54_{/}Jacob 
also offered a sacrifice 
on the mountain and 
invited his brothers to 
the meal. After they had 
eaten, they spent the 
night there.
{1}32{/}

{I}1_{/}Next morning 
Laban rose early and, 
after kissing his sons 
and daughters, he blessed 
them and left for home.
{I}2_{/}As for Jacob, he 
went on his way and met 
Angels of God. {I}3_{/}On 
seeing them Jacob 
exclaimed, "This is God's 
camp," and he named the 
place Mahanaim. 
{I}4_{/}And going on his 
way, he sent messengers 
ahead of him to his 
brother Esau in the land 
of Seir, the country of 
Edom.
JACOB'S STRUGGLE WITH 
GOD{/}

{I}5_{/}Jacob sent Esau 
this message, "I have 
been staying with Laban 
until now. I have oxen, 
asses, flocks, men-
servants and 
maidservants. I have sent 
to tell you this, my 
lord, that you may 
receive me kindly."
{I}6_{/}The messenger 
returned and said to 
Jacob, "We went to your 
brother Esau and he is 
already coming to meet 
you with four hundred 
men."
{I}7_{/}Jacob was full of 
fear and dis-tressed. He 
then divided the people 
with him and the flocks, 
the herds and camels into 
two camps, 
{I}8_{/}thinking, "If 
Esau attacks one camp, 
the other will escape."
{I}9_{/}And Jacob said, 
"God of my father Abraham 
and my father Isaac, 
Yahweh, who said to me: 
'Return to your country, 
to your father's land, 
and I will make you 
prosper,' {I}10_{/}I am 
unworthy of the kindness 
and faithfulness you have 
shown to me, for with 
only my staff I crossed 
the Jordan and now I have 
enough to form two 
companies. 
{I}11_{/}Deliver me from 
the hands of my brother 
Esau for I am afraid lest 
he come and kill us all, 
even the mothers and 
their children. 
{I}12_{/}Yet it was you 
who said: I will be good 
to you and make your 
descendants like the sand 
on the seashore, so many 
that they cannot be 
counted." {I}13_{/}So 
Jacob spent the night 
there.
Then he took what he had 
with him, a present for 
his brother Esau: 
{I}14_{/}two hundred she-
goats, and twenty he-
goats, two hundred ewes 
and twenty rams, 
{I}15_{/}thirty camels in 
milk and their calves, 
forty cows and ten bulls, 
twenty she-asses and ten 
male donkeys. {I}16_{/}He 
put them in the care of 
his servants, each herd 
by itself, and said to 
his servants, "Go ahead 
of me and leave a space 
between each herd." 
{I}17_{/}He instructed 
the leader, "When my 
brother Esau meets you 
and asks, 'To whom do you 
belong? And where are you 
going? Who is the owner 
of the animals you are 
driving?' {I}18_{/}Then 
you shall say: They 
belong to your servant 
Jacob. It is a present he 
is sending to my lord 
Esau. He himself is 
coming along behind us!"
{I}19_{/}Jacob ordered 
the second and third 
servants and all who were 
following the herds in 
the same way, "That is 
what you shall say to 
Esau when you meet him: 
{I}20_{/}Your servant 
Jacob is following!" For 
he thought to himself, "I 
may pacify him with the 
present I sent ahead, so 
that when I meet him face 
to face, he may perhaps 
receive me kindly." 
{I}21_{/}So the present 
went ahead of him, but he 
himself spent that night 
in the camp.
{I}22_{/}That same night 
Jacob got up and taking 
his two wives, his two 
maidservants and his 
eleven sons, crossed the 
ford of the Jabbok. 
{I}23_{/}He took them and 
sent them across the 
stream and likewise 
everything he had. 
{I}24_{/}And Jacob was 
left alone.
Then a man wrestled with 
him until daybreak. 
{I}25_{/}When the man saw 
that he could not get the 
better of Jacob, he 
struck him in the socket 
of his hip and dislocated 
it as he wrestled with 
him.
{I}26_{/}The man said, 
"Let me go, for day is 
breaking." But Jacob 
said, "I will not let you 
go until you have given 
me your blessing." 
{I}27_{/}The man then 
said, "What is your 
name?" "Jacob" was the 
reply. {I}28_{/}He 
answered, "You will no 
longer be called Jacob, 
but Israel, for you have 
been strong-with-God as 
you have been with men 
and have prevailed."
{I}29_{/}Then Jacob asked 
him, "What is your name?" 
He answered, "Why do you 
ask my name?" And he 
blessed him there. 
{I}30_{/}So Jacob called 
the place Penuel, saying, 
"I have seen God face to 
face and survived." 
{I}31_{/}The sun rose as 
he passed through Penuel, 
limping because of his 
hip.
{I}32_{/}That is why to 
this day the Israelites 
do not eat the sciatic 
nerve which is in the hip 
socket because the 
sciatic nerve in Jacob's 
hip had been touched.
THE MEETING OF ESAU AND 
JACOB{/}

{1}33{/}

{I}1_{/}Jacob looked up 
and saw that Esau was 
coming with four hundred 
men. So he divided the 
children among Leah, 
Rachel and the two 
maidservants. {I}2_{/}He 
then put the maidservants 
in front with their 
children, then Leah with 
her children and Rachel 
and Joseph last of all. 
{I}3_{/}He himself went 
on before them and bowed 
to the ground seven times 
until he came near his 
brother.
{I}4_{/}Esau ran to meet 
him, took him in his 
arms, kissed him; and 
both wept. {I}5_{/}Esau 
looked up and seeing the 
women and the children 
said, "Who are these with 
you?" Jacob replied, 
"They are the children 
God has given to your 
servant."
{I}6_{/}Then the servants 
and their children went 
forward and bowed down. 
{I}7_{/}Leah with her 
children likewise 
advanced and bowed, and 
lastly Joseph and Rachel 
went forward and bowed.
{I}8_{/}Esau said, "What 
is the meaning of all 
this company I have met?" 
Jacob replied, "It is to 
win your favor." 
{I}9_{/}Esau answered, 
"Brother, I have plenty; 
keep what you have for 
yourself." {I}10_{/}Jacob 
said, "But, no, please! 
Accept the gift I offer, 
for I came to you as to 
God, and you received me 
kindly. {I}11_{/}So 
accept the gift I have 
brought you, for God has 
dealt generously with me 
and I have plenty." And 
so much did Jacob insist 
that Esau accepted the 
gift.
{I}12_{/}Esau then said, 
"Let us be on our way. I 
will lead you." 
{I}13_{/}But Jacob said 
to him, "My lord knows 
that the children are not 
strong, and besides I 
must think of the ewes 
with lambs and the cows 
that have calves and if 
they are driven too hard, 
even for one day, all the 
flocks will die. 
{I}14_{/}Let it please my 
lord to go ahead of me 
while I move on slowly at 
the pace of the cattle 
I'm driving and that of 
the children, until I 
reach my lord at Seir." 
{I}15_{/}Esau said, "At 
least let me leave with 
you some of my men." 
Jacob replied, "Why? All 
I want is to keep your 
friendship."
{I}16_{/}So Esau returned 
that same day to_Seir. 
{I}17_{/}But Jacob left 
for Succoth. There he 
built a house for himself 
and shelters for his 
cattle. That is why the 
place was called Succoth.
{I}18_{/}On his return 
from Paddan-aram, Jacob 
safely reached Shechem, a 
town in the land 
of_Canaan, and encamped 
within sight of the town. 
{I}19_{/}For one hundred 
pieces of silver he 
bought from the sons of 
Hamor, the father of 
Shechem, the plot of land 
where he had pitched his 
tent. {I}20_{/}There he 
erected an altar and 
called it God - the God 
of Israel.
THE RAPE OF DINAH, 
DAUGHTER OF JACOB{/}

{1}34{/}

{I}1_{/}Now Dinah, 
Jacob's daughter by Leah, 
went out to visit the 
women of that place. 
{I}2_{/}When Shechem, son 
of Hamor the Hivite, the 
prince of that country, 
saw her, he seized her, 
raped her and dishonored 
her. {I}3_{/}He was 
attracted to Jacob's 
daughter Dinah and loved 
the girl and spoke to her 
affectionately.
{I}4_{/}Shechem said to 
his father Hamor, "Get me 
this girl to be my wife."
{I}5_{/}Now Jacob heard 
how his daughter Dinah 
had been dishonored, but 
said nothing until his 
sons who were in the 
fields with his cattle 
came home. {I}6_{/}Hamor, 
father of Shechem, went 
to speak with Jacob. 
{I}7_{/}When Jacob's sons 
returned from the fields 
and heard what had 
happened, they were 
indignant and very angry 
that Shechem had 
committed what was a 
crime in Israel by lying 
with Jacob's daughter, 
something which should 
never be done.
{I}8_{/}But Hamor spoke 
to them saying, "Shechem, 
my son, deeply loves your 
daughter; please give her 
to him to be his wife. 
{I}9_{/}Let us 
intermarry; give us your 
daughters and take our 
daughters for yourselves. 
{I}10_{/}You will settle 
with us and the land is 
there before you to live 
in it, travel through it 
and acquire property in 
it. 
{I}11_{/}Shechem spoke to 
the father and brothers 
of the girl, "Please 
forgive me and I give you 
whatever you ask of me. 
{I}12_{/}Fix a price for 
the marriage and whatever 
gift you require. 
Whatever you ask I will 
give but only let me have 
the girl as my wife."
{I}13_{/}Jacob's sons 
gave a cunning answer to 
Shechem and Hamor because 
Shechem had defiled their 
sister: {I}14_{/}"We 
cannot do such a thing - 
give our sister to an 
uncircumcised man - for 
that would be a disgrace 
for us. {I}15_{/}Only on 
one condition would we 
consent - that you and 
every male become like us 
and be circumcised. 
{I}16_{/}Then we will 
give you our daughters 
and take yours, live with 
you, and with you become 
one people. {I}17_{/}But 
if you don't listen to us 
and be circumcised, we 
will take our daughter 
and go." {I}18_{/}What 
they said pleased Hamor 
and Shechem, his son.
{I}19_{/}Shechem lost no 
time in doing what was 
demanded for he was truly 
in love with Jacob's 
daughter, and he was the 
most honored in his 
father's family.
{I}20_{/}So Hamor and his 
son Shechem went to the 
gate of their city and 
spoke to their fellow 
citizens, {I}21_{/}"These 
men are peaceful. Let 
them settle here and move 
around freely. The land 
is vast enough for them. 
We shall marry their 
daughters and give our 
daughters in marriage to 
them. {I}22_{/}But on one 
condition will these men 
agree to live with us and 
become one people with 
us, and that is, that 
every male be as they are 
and be circumcised. 
{I}23_{/}If we agree with 
them, their flocks, their 
possessions, their cattle 
will be ours. Let's do 
what they ask and they 
will settle with us." 
{I}24_{/}All those who 
went out to the gate of 
the city agreed with 
Hamor and Shechem and 
every male was 
circumcised.
{I}25_{/}Three days later 
when they were still in 
pain, two of Jacob's 
sons, Simeon and Levi, 
Dinah's brothers, taking 
their swords, entered and 
took the town by surprise 
{I}26_{/}and slew Hamor 
and Shechem and all the 
males. They took Dinah 
from Shechem's house and 
went off.
{I}27_{/}Jacob's sons 
attacked the wounded and 
plundered the city 
because their sister had 
been violated. 
{I}28_{/}They took their 
flocks and their herds 
and their donkeys, what 
was in the city and what 
was in the fields, 
{I}29_{/}all their 
wealth, all their women 
and children. They 
plundered all that was in 
their houses.
{I}30_{/}Then Jacob said 
to Simeon and Levi, "You 
have brought trouble on 
me, making me hateful to 
the people of this land, 
the Canaanites and the 
Perizzites. I have only a 
few men and if the others 
unite against me and 
attack me, I shall be 
destroyed, myself and my 
household. {I}31_{/}But 
their reply was, "Is it 
right for him to treat 
our sister as a 
prostitute?"
JACOB AT BETHEL{/}

{1}35{/}

{I}1_{/}God said to 
Jacob, "Go up to Bethel 
and settle there. Build 
an altar there to God who 
appeared to you when you 
were fleeing from your 
brother Esau." 
{I}2_{/}Jacob said to his 
family and to all those 
who were with him, "Get 
rid of the foreign gods 
you have with you, purify 
yourselves and change 
your clothes. {I}3_{/}We 
will then go up to 
Bethel. There I will make 
an altar to God who 
helped me when I was in 
trouble and who was with 
me during my journey."
{I}4_{/}So they gave 
Jacob all the foreign 
gods they had as well as 
their earrings and Jacob 
hid them under the oak 
that was near Shechem. 
{I}5_{/}They then left 
and a terror fell on all 
the surrounding towns 
with the result that no 
one followed in pursuit 
of them.
{I}6_{/}When Jacob and 
all those with him came 
to Luz in Canaan - which 
is Bethel - {I}7_{/}he 
built an altar there and 
called the place El-
Bethel because it was 
there that God had shown 
himself to him when he 
was fleeing from his 
brother. {I}8_{/}At that 
time Rebekah's nurse, 
Deborah, died and was 
buried below Bethel near 
the oak. That is why it 
was called the Oak of 
Tears.
{I}9_{/}God appeared 
again to Jacob when he 
arrived from Paddan-aram 
and blessed him 
{I}10_{/}and said to him, 
"Your name is Jacob, but 
no longer will you be 
called Jacob, for Israel 
will be your name." So he 
was called Israel. 
{I}11_{/}Then God said to 
him, "Be fruitful and 
grow in number! A nation 
or rather a group of 
nations will come from 
you. {I}12_{/}The land I 
gave to Abraham and Isaac 
I will give to you and to 
your descendants after 
you." {I}13_{/}Then God 
left him.
{I}14_{/}Jacob set up a 
stone in the place where 
God had spoken to him and 
offered a libation on it 
and poured oil on it.
{I}15_{/}Jacob called the 
place where God had 
spoken to him, Bethel.
{I}16_{/}They moved on 
from Bethel and were 
still some distance from 
Ephrath when Rachel gave 
birth and the delivery 
was very difficult. 
{I}17_{/}When she was in 
great pain the midwife 
said to her, "Courage! 
For now you will have 
another son." 
{I}18_{/}And as she 
breathed her last - for 
she was dying - she 
called him Benoni (which 
means: son of my pain), 
but his father named him 
Benjamin. {I}19_{/}So 
Rachel died and was 
buried on the way to 
Ephrath - that is 
Bethlehem - {I}20_{/}and 
Jacob placed a pillar 
over her tomb which marks 
the place of the tomb to 
this day.
{I}21_{/}Israel journeyed 
on and pitched his tent 
beyond Migdal-eder. 
{I}22_{/}While Israel was 
living in that region, it 
happened that Reuben went 
and lay with Bilhah, his 
father's concubine, and 
Israel heard of it.
THE TWELVE SONS OF 
JACOB{/}

Jacob had twelve sons. 
{I}23_{/}By Leah: Reuben, 
Jacob's eldest son, then 
Simeon, Levi, Judah, 
Issachar and Zebulun. 
{I}24_{/}The sons by 
Rachel: Joseph and 
Benjamin. {I}25_{/}The 
sons by Bilhah, Rachel's 
slave girl: Dan and 
Naphtali.
{I}26_{/}The sons by 
Zilpah, Leah's slave 
girl: Gad and Asher. 
These were the sons born 
to Jacob in Paddanaram. 
{I}27_{/}Jacob came home 
to his father Isaac at 
Mamre or Kiriatharba 
(that is, Hebron) where 
Abraham and Isaac had 
lived. {I}28_{/}After 
living a hundred and 
eighty years 
{I}29_{/}Isaac breathed 
his last and was gathered 
to his people at a good 
old age. His sons Esau 
and Jacob buried him.
ESAU THE FATHER OF THE 
EDOMITES{/}

{1}36{/}

{I}1_{/}These are the 
descendants of Esau that 
is, Edom. Esau married 
women of Canaan: 
{I}2_{/}Adah, the 
daughter of Elon the 
Hittite, Oholibamah, the 
daughter of Anah, the son 
of Zibeon the Horite, 
{I}3_{/}Basemath, the 
daughter of Ishmael and 
sister of Nebaioth. 
{I}4_{/}Adah bore to Esau 
Eliphaz, Basemath bore 
Reuel, {I}5_{/}Oholibamah 
bore Jeush, Jalam and 
Korah. These are the sons 
of Esau born to him in 
the land of Canaan.
{I}6_{/}Esau, with his 
wives, his sons and 
daughters, all the 
members of his household, 
his livestock, all his 
cattle and all the goods 
he had acquired in the 
land of Canaan, left for 
the land of Seir far 
removed from his brother 
Jacob. {I}7_{/}For they 
had acquired too much to 
live together. The land 
where they were living at 
that time could not 
support them both because 
of their cattle. 
{I}8_{/}That is why Edom 
settled in the hilly 
country of Seir. Esau is 
Edom.
{I}9_{/}These are the 
descendants of Esau, the 
father of Edom, in the 
mountainous region of 
Seir.
{I}10_{/}These are the 
names of Esau's sons: 
Eliphaz the son of Adah, 
Esau's wife, and Reuel 
the son of Basemath, 
Esau's wife.
{I}11_{/}The sons of 
Eliphaz were: Teman, 
Omar, Zepho, Gatam, 
Kenaz. {I}12_{/}Eliphaz 
son of Esau had Timna for 
concubine and she bore 
him Amalek. These are the 
sons of Adah, Esau's 
wife.
{I}13_{/}These are the 
sons of Reuel: Nahath, 
Zerah, Shammah, Mizzah. 
These are the sons of 
Basemath, Esau's wife.
{I}14_{/}These are the 
sons of Esau's wife 
Oholibamah, daughter of 
Anah son of Zibeon: she 
bore him Jeush, Jalam and 
Korah. 
{I}15_{/}These are the 
chiefs of the sons of 
Esau. 
The sons of Eliphaz, 
firstborn of Esau: chief 
Teman, chief Omar, chief 
Zepho, {I}16_{/}chief 
Kenaz, chief Gatam, chief 
Amalek. These are the 
chiefs of Eliphaz in the 
land of Edom. These are 
the sons of Adah. 
{I}17_{/}And these are 
the sons of Reuel son of 
Esau: Nahath, Zerah, 
Shammah, Mizzah. These 
are the chiefs of Reuel 
in the land of Edom; 
these are the sons of 
Basemath, Esau's wife.
{I}18_{/}And these are 
the sons of Oholibamah, 
Esau's wife: chief Jeush, 
Jalam, Korah. These are 
the chiefs of Esau's wife 
Oholibamah, daughter of 
Anah. 
{I}19_{/}These are the 
sons of Esau. This is 
Edom and these are their 
chiefs.
{I}20_{/}These are the 
sons of Seir the Horite, 
inhabitants of the land: 
Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, 
Anah, {I}21_{/}Dishon, 
Ezer, Dishan; these are 
the chiefs of the 
Horites, the sons of Seir 
in the land_of Edom. 
{I}22_{/}The sons of 
Lotan were Hori and 
Heman, and Lotan's sister 
was Timna. {I}23_{/}These 
are the sons of Shobal: 
Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, 
Shepo, Onam. 
{I}24_{/}These are the 
sons of Zibeon: Aiah, 
Anah - the Anah who found 
the hot springs in the 
wilderness as he pastured 
the donkeys of his father 
Zibeon. {I}25_{/}These 
are the children of Anah: 
Dishon, Oholibamah 
daughter of Anah. 
{I}26_{/}These are the 
sons of Dishon: Hemdan, 
Eshban, Ithran, Cheran. 
{I}27_{/}These are the 
sons of Ezer: Bilhan, 
Zaavan, Akan. 
{I}28_{/}These are the 
sons of Dishan: Uz and 
Aran. 
{I}29_{/}These are the 
chiefs of the Horites: 
chief Lotan, chief 
Shobal, chief Zibeon, 
chief Anah, 
{I}30_{/}chief Dishon, 
chief Ezer, chief Dishan. 
These are the chiefs of 
the Horites according to 
their clans in the land 
of Seir.
{I}31_{/}These are the 
kings who reigned in the 
land of Edom before an 
Israelite king reigned. 
{I}32_{/}In Edom these 
reigned: Bela son of 
Beor; his_city was called 
Dinhabah. {I}33_{/}Bela 
died and Jobab son of 
Zerah, from Bozrah, 
succeeded him as king. 
{I}34_{/}Jobab died and 
Husham of the land of the 
Temanites succeeded. 
{I}35_{/}Husham died and 
Hadad, son of Bedad 
succeeded; he defeated 
the Midianites in the 
country of Moab, and his 
city was called Avith. 
{I}36_{/}Hadad died and 
Samlah of Masrekah 
succeeded. 
{I}37_{/}Samlah died and 
Shaul of Rehoboth-
hannahar succeeded. 
{I}38_{/}Shaul died and 
Baal-hanan son of Achbor 
succeeded. {I}39_{/}Baal-
hanan died and Hadad 
succeeded; his city was 
called Paul; his_wife's 
name was Mehetabel, 
daughter of Matred, from 
Mezahab.
{I}40_{/}These are the 
names of the chiefs of 
Esau according to their 
clans and localities, by 
name: chiefs Timna, 
Alvah, Jetheth, 
{I}41_{/}Oholibamah, 
Elah, Pinon, 
{I}42_{/}Kenaz, Teman, 
Mibzar, {I}43_{/}Magdiel, 
Iram. These are the 
chiefs of Edom according 
to their families and 
residence in the land 
that was theirs. (This is 
Esau, father of Edom).
THIRD PART{/}

THE STORY OF JOSEPH{/}

{1}37{/}

{I}1_{/}Jacob lived in 
the land where hisfather 
had settled, in the land 
of canaan. {I}2_{/}this 
is the history of jacob's 
family.
JOSEPH AND HIS 
BROTHERS{/}

Joseph, a young man of 
seventeen, was 
shepherding the flock 
with his brothers, the 
sons of Bilhah and the 
sons of Zilpah, his 
father's wives. Joseph 
informed his father of 
the bad reputation they 
had. {I}3_{/}Now Israel 
loved Joseph more than 
any of his other 
children, for he was the 
son of his old age and he 
had a coat with long 
sleeves made for him. 
{I}4_{/}His brothers who 
saw that their father 
loved him more than he 
loved them, hated him and 
could no longer speak to 
him in a friendly way.
{I}5_{/}Joseph had a 
dream which, when he told 
it to his brothers, made 
them hate him the more: 
{I}6_{/}"Listen to the 
dream I had. {I}7_{/}We 
were binding sheaves in 
the field when my sheaf 
rose and stood up and 
your sheaves gathered 
round and bowed down to 
my sheaf." {I}8_{/}His 
brothers said to him, "So 
you want to rule us or 
lord it over us!" They 
hated him even more 
because of his dreams and 
what he said.
{I}9_{/}Joseph had 
another dream which he 
told to his brothers, "I 
saw the sun, the moon and 
seven stars bowing down 
before me." {I}10_{/}When 
he told this to his 
father and brothers his 
father rebuked him, "What 
is this dream of yours? 
Are all of us, myself, 
your mother and your 
brothers to bow to the 
ground before you?" 
{I}11_{/}His brothers 
were jealous of him but 
his father kept in mind 
what he had said.
JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS 
BROTHERS{/}

{I}12_{/}His brothers had 
gone to pasture their 
father's flock at 
Shechem, {I}13_{/}and 
Israel said to Joseph, 
"Your brothers are 
pasturing the flock at 
Shechem; come along, I'll 
send you to them." Joseph 
replied, "Here I am." 
{I}14_{/}Then his father 
said, "Go and see if all 
is well with your 
brothers and with the 
flock; then come back and 
tell me." Jacob sent him 
from the valley of Hebron 
and Joseph arrived at 
Shechem.
{I}15_{/}A man met him as 
he was wandering through 
the countryside and said 
to him, "What are you 
looking for?" {I}16_{/}He 
replied, "I'm looking for 
my brothers, please tell 
me where they are 
pasturing the flock." 
{I}17_{/}The man said, 
"They have gone from 
here, for I heard them 
say: Let's go to Dothan!" 
So Joseph went off after 
his brothers and found 
them at Dothan.
{I}18_{/}They saw him in 
the distance and before 
he reached them, they 
plotted to kill him. 
{I}19_{/}They said to one 
another, "Here comes the 
specialist in dreams! 
{I}20_{/}Now's the time! 
Let's kill him and throw 
him into a well. We'll 
say a wild animal 
devoured him. Then we'll 
see what his dreams were 
all about!" {I}21_{/}But 
Reuben heard this and 
tried to save him from 
their hands 
{I}22_{/}saying, "Let us 
not kill him; shed no 
blood! Throw him in this 
well in the wilderness, 
but do him no violence." 
This he said to save him 
from them and take him 
back to his father.
{I}23_{/}So as soon as 
Joseph arrived, they 
stripped him of his long-
sleeved coat that he wore 
{I}24_{/}and then took 
him and threw him in the 
well. Now the well was 
empty, without water.
{I}25_{/}They were 
sitting for a meal when 
they looked up and saw a 
caravan of Ishmaelites 
coming from Gilead, their 
camels laden with spices, 
balm and myrrh, which 
they were taking down to 
Egypt. {I}26_{/}Judah 
then said to his 
brothers, "What do we 
gain by killing our 
brother and hiding his 
blood? {I}27_{/}Come! 
We'll sell him to the 
Ishmaelites and not lay 
our hands on him, for he 
is our brother and our 
own flesh!" His brothers 
agreed to this.
{I}28_{/}So when the 
Midianite merchants came 
along they pulled Joseph 
up and lifted him out of 
the well. For twenty 
pieces of silver they 
sold Joseph to the 
Midianites, who took him 
with them to Egypt. 
{I}29_{/}When Reuben went 
back to the well, Joseph 
was no longer there. He 
tore his clothes 
{I}30_{/}and returned to 
his brothers and said, 
"The boy has disappeared, 
and what am I to do?"
{I}31_{/}They then took 
Joseph's coat, killed a 
goat and dipped the coat 
in its blood. 
{I}32_{/}They sent the 
long-sleeved coat and had 
it taken to their father, 
saying, "This we have 
found; see if it is_your 
son's coat or not." 
{I}33_{/}He recognized it 
and said, "It is my son's 
coat. Joseph has been 
attacked by a wild animal 
and torn to pieces." 
{I}34_{/}Jacob then tore 
his garments, put on 
sackcloth and mourned his 
son for a long time. 
{I}35_{/}All his sons and 
daughters came to comfort 
him but he refused to be 
consoled saying, "No, I 
shall go down to the land 
of Shadows, mourning for 
my son." Thus his father 
wept for him.
{I}36_{/}Meanwhile the 
Midianites sold Joseph in 
Egypt to Potiphar, an 
officer of Pharaoh and 
the commander of the 
guard.
THE STORY OF JUDAH AND 
TAMAR{/}

{1}38{/}

{I}1_{/}It happened at 
this time that Judah left 
his brothers and went to 
stay with an Adullamite 
by the name of Hirah. 
{I}2_{/}There Judah saw 
the daughter of a 
Canaanite called Shua. He 
married her {I}3_{/}and 
she gave birth to a son 
whom he called Er. 
{I}4_{/}She had another 
child and called him 
Onan. {I}5_{/}And then 
she had a third child 
whom she called Shelah. 
She was at Chezib when 
she gave birth to him.
{I}6_{/}Judah got a wife 
for Er, his firstborn 
son. Her name was Tamar. 
{I}7_{/}But Er, Judah's 
firstborn, was wicked in 
Yahweh's sight and the 
Lord took his life. 
{I}8_{/}Then Judah said 
to Onan, "Lie with your 
brother's widow and 
fulfill the duties of a 
brother-in-law; the child 
to be born will be the 
heir of your brother." 
{I}9_{/}But Onan knew the 
child would not be his, 
so whenever he slept with 
his brother's widow, he 
spilled the semen on the 
ground lest he give an 
heir to his brother. 
{I}10_{/}What he did was 
displeasing to Yahweh who 
took his life as well. 
{I}11_{/}Then Judah said 
to his daughter-in-law, 
"Live as a widow in your 
father's house until 
Shelah, my son has grown 
up," for he was afraid 
that Shelah, like his 
brothers, might die. So 
Tamar went and lived in 
her father's house.
{I}12_{/}After a long 
time, the wife of Judah, 
Shua's daughter died. 
When Judah became 
consoled, he went up to 
Timnah to his sheep-
shearers with his friend 
Hirah, the Adullamite. 
{I}13_{/}It happened that 
Tamar was told, "Your 
father-in-law is going up 
to Timnah to shear his 
sheep." {I}14_{/}She at 
once took off her widow's 
clothes, wrapped herself 
in a veil and sat down at 
the entrance to Enaim 
which is on the road to 
Timnah, for she knew that 
Shelah was a grown man 
and had not been given to 
her in marriage.
{I}15_{/}Judah saw her 
and as her face was 
veiled he took her for a 
prostitute. {I}16_{/}He 
went over to her on the 
roadside and said, "Allow 
me to sleep with you," 
for he didn't know she 
was his daughter-in-law. 
She asked, "What will you 
give me to sleep with 
you?" {I}17_{/}He said, 
"I will send you a kid 
from my flock." She 
replied, "Will you give 
me a pledge till you send 
it?" {I}18_{/}"What 
pledge shall I give you?" 
he asked. She answered, 
"Give me your seal, your 
cord and the staff in 
your hand." So he gave 
them to her and slept 
with her; {I}19_{/}then 
she rose and left him 
and, taking off her veil, 
she put on her widow's 
clothes. And she became 
pregnant. 
{I}20_{/}When Judah sent 
the kid by his friend, 
the Adullamite, to 
recover the pledge from 
the woman, he did not 
find her. {I}21_{/}So he 
questioned the local 
people, "Where is the 
prostitute who was by the 
road at Enaim?" "There 
has been no prostitute 
there," they said. 
{I}22_{/}He returned to 
Judah and said, "I didn't 
find her and even the 
local people said that 
there was no prostitute 
there." {I}23_{/}Judah 
then said, "Let her keep 
it all for herself lest 
the people finally laugh 
at us. At least I sent 
her the kid even if you 
didn't find her."
{I}24_{/}About three 
months later Judah was 
told, "Tamar, your 
daughter-in-law played 
the prostitute and 
moreover she is now with 
child." Judah said, 
"Bring her out and let 
her be burned." 
{I}25_{/}As they were 
bringing her out she sent 
word to her father-in-
law, "I have become 
pregnant by the man who 
owns these things. Find 
out to whom this seal, 
cord and staff belong!" 
{I}26_{/}Judah 
acknowledged them and 
said, "She is more 
righteous than I am since 
I wouldn't give her to my 
son Shelah." And he had 
no further intercourse 
with her.
{I}27_{/}When the time 
came for her to give 
birth, there were twins 
in her womb. {I}28_{/}And 
when she was giving 
birth, one of them put 
out his hand and the 
midwife tied a scarlet 
thread around his wrist 
saying, "This one is the 
firstborn." {I}29_{/}But 
he withdrew his hand and 
his brother came out 
first and she said, "What 
a rift you have made for 
yourself!" And he was 
called Perez. 
{I}30_{/}Then his brother 
with the scarlet thread 
on his wrist came out and 
he was given the name 
Zerah.
{1}39{/}

{I}1_{/}Now Joseph was 
taken down to Egypt, and 
Potiphar, an officer of 
Pharaoh, commander of the 
guard, an Egyptian, 
bought him from the 
Ishmaelites who had 
brought him there. 
{I}2_{/}Yahweh blessed 
Joseph while he lived in 
the house of his master, 
the Egyptian, and 
everything went right for 
him.
{I}3_{/}The Egyptian 
could see that God was 
with him and everything 
worked well for him. 
{I}4_{/}So Joseph pleased 
his master who made him 
overseer of his house and 
of all that he owned, 
{I}5_{/}and from that 
time God blessed the 
Egyptian's house because 
of Joseph; he blessed all 
that the Egyptian owned, 
his household and his 
land. {I}6_{/}The 
Egyptian left all he had 
to the care of Joseph 
and, with Joseph fully in 
charge, he concerned 
himself with nothing 
except the food that he 
ate.
Now Joseph was a handsome 
man and well-built. 
{I}7_{/}After some time 
his master's wife kept 
noticing him and said, 
"Sleep with me." 
{I}8_{/}But he refused 
and said to her, "With me 
in charge, my master has 
no concern about anything 
in the house and has 
entrusted to me all that 
he has. {I}9_{/}He is no 
more master in this house 
than I am and he refuses 
me nothing, except 
yourself, of course, 
because you are his wife. 
How then could I do such 
an evil thing and sin 
against God?" 
{I}10_{/}Now, although 
day after day she spoke 
to Joseph, he would not 
agree to sleep with her 
or give himself to_her.
{I}11_{/}It happened that 
one day, when he_entered 
the house to attend to 
his duties, none of the 
servants were in the 
house. {I}12_{/}Then 
Potiphar's wife caught 
hold of Joseph by his 
cloak saying, "Come to 
bed with me." But Joseph 
left his cloak in her 
hands and ran out of the 
house. {I}13_{/}As soon 
as he had run out of the 
house, {I}14_{/}she 
called her servants and 
said, "Look, a Hebrew has 
been brought here to make 
fun of us; he came here 
to lie with me; so I 
screamed {I}15_{/}and 
when he heard me scream 
he left his cloak with me 
and ran out of the 
house." {I}16_{/}Then she 
kept the cloak by her 
until the master came 
home. {I}17_{/}She then 
told her story, "That 
Hebrew slave of yours 
came to make sport of me, 
{I}18_{/}but when I 
screamed he left his 
cloak with me and ran out 
of the house."
{I}19_{/}When his master 
heard what his wife told 
him, "This is how your 
servant treated me," he 
blazed with anger. 
{I}20_{/}He took Joseph 
and put him in the Royal 
Prison where the king's 
prisoners were kept. But 
while Joseph was in 
prison {I}21_{/}Yahweh 
was with him and showed 
him kindness so that he 
was well-liked by the 
warden of the prison. 
{I}22_{/}The warden put 
him in charge of all the 
prisoners and made him 
responsible for all that 
was done there. 
{I}23_{/}The warden did 
not interfere with 
anything that was under 
Joseph's care, because 
Yahweh was with him and 
gave him success in 
everything he did.
JOSEPH INTERPRETS THE 
DREAMS{/}

{1}40{/}

{I}1_{/}Some time after 
this it happened that the 
cupbearer of the king of 
Egypt, who prepared the 
drinks for Pharaoh, and 
his chief baker offended 
their lord. 
{I}2_{/}Pharaoh was angry 
with his two officers 
{I}3_{/}and put them in 
custody in the house of 
the captain of the guard, 
in the prison where 
Joseph was kept. 
{I}4_{/}So the captain of 
the guard appointed 
Joseph to attend to their 
needs, for they were 
under arrest for some 
time.
{I}5_{/}One night both of 
them dreamed, each one 
his own dream, and each 
dream had its own 
meaning. As the two 
officers were with Joseph 
in custody in his 
master's house, 
{I}6_{/}when Joseph came 
to them the next morning, 
he saw that they were 
troubled. {I}7_{/}So he 
questioned them, "Why do 
you look sad today?" 
{I}8_{/}They answered, 
"Both of us have had a 
dream, but there is no 
one to interpret them." 
Then Joseph said to them, 
"Is it not God who 
interprets dreams? Tell 
me what they were."
{I}9_{/}Then the chief 
cupbearer told Joseph 
what his dream had been. 
"In my dream there was a 
vine in front of me 
{I}10_{/}and on the vine 
there were three 
branches. As it grew and 
flowered, its clusters 
ripened into grapes. 
{I}11_{/}Pharaoh's cup 
was in my hand and I took 
the grapes and pressed 
them into Pharaoh's cup 
and placed the cup in his 
hand."
{I}12_{/}Joseph said to 
him, "Here's the 
interpretation: the three 
branches are three days. 
{I}13_{/}Within three 
days Pharaoh will release 
you and restore you to 
your office and you will 
place Pharaoh's cup in 
his hand as before when 
you were his cupbearer. 
{I}14_{/}But when things 
go well with you, 
remember me and be kind 
enough to speak my name 
to Pharaoh and get me out 
of this place, 
{I}15_{/}for I was, in 
fact, kidnapped from the 
land of the Hebrews and 
even here I have done 
nothing to deserve 
imprisonment."
{I}16_{/}The chief baker, 
seeing that the 
interpretation was 
favorable, said to 
Joseph, "In my dream I 
had on my head three 
baskets of cakes. 
{I}17_{/}In the top 
basket there were all 
kinds of baked food for 
Pharaoh, but the birds 
were eating it from the 
basket above my head." 
{I}18_{/}Joseph said, 
"The three baskets are 
three days, {I}19_{/}and 
before three days have 
passed Pharaoh will take 
off your head and hang 
you on a tree and the 
birds will eat your 
flesh." 
{I}20_{/}It so happened 
that on the third day, 
Pharaoh's birthday, he 
made a feast for all his 
officers and remembered 
the chief cupbearer and 
the chief baker. 
{I}21_{/}The cupbearer 
was restored to his 
office and placed the cup 
in Pharaoh's hand; 
{I}22_{/}but the chief 
baker was hanged, as 
Joseph had interpreted to 
them.
{I}23_{/}Yet the chief 
cupbearer did not 
remember Joseph, but 
forgot him.
THE DREAMS OF PHARAOH{/}

{1}41{/}

{I}1_{/}After two whole 
years Pharaoh dreamed 
that he was standing by 
the Nile {I}2_{/}when 
seven cows, sleek and 
fat, were coming up from 
the Nile and beginning to 
feed among the rushes. 
{I}3_{/}Behind them came 
seven other cows, lean 
and scraggy that stood 
beside the cows already 
there. {I}4_{/}These 
devoured the sleek and 
fat cows. Then Pharaoh 
awoke.

{I}5_{/}He fell asleep 
again and had a second 
dream. He saw growing on 
one stalk seven ears of 
corn that were full and 
ripe. {I}6_{/}And after 
these, there sprouted 
seven more ears of corn 
that were small and 
scorched by the east 
wind. {I}7_{/}Now the 
small ears of corn 
swallowed the plump and 
ripe ones. Then Pharaoh 
awoke.
{I}8_{/}In the morning he 
was uneasy and called all 
the magicians and wise 
men in Egypt. He told his 
dreams to them but not 
one among them was able 
to interpret his dreams. 
{I}9_{/}Then the chief 
cupbearer spoke to 
Pharaoh, "This reminds me 
of my wrongs. 
{I}10_{/}Pharaoh was 
angry with his servants 
and had me put in custody 
in the house of the 
captain of the guard and 
with me the chief baker. 
{I}11_{/}Once on the same 
night we both had a 
dream, each with its own 
meaning. {I}12_{/}With us 
was a young Hebrew, a 
servant of the captain of 
the guard. When we told 
him our dreams he 
interpreted them giving 
to each one its own 
meaning. {I}13_{/}What he 
interpreted for us 
happened. I was restored 
to my office and the 
chief baker was hanged."
{I}14_{/}Pharaoh then had 
Joseph summoned. They 
took him quickly from the 
prison, shaved him, 
changed his clothes and 
he presented himself to 
Pharaoh. {I}15_{/}Then 
Pharaoh addressed him, "I 
have had a dream which no 
one can explain; now I 
have heard that when you 
hear a dream you are able 
to interpret it." 
{I}16_{/}Joseph replied, 
"It's not I but God who 
will give Pharaoh a 
favorable answer." 
{I}17_{/}Pharaoh then 
began telling his dream.
"I was beside the Nile 
{I}18_{/}when seven fine 
cows, sleek and fat, came 
up from the river and 
began to feed in the 
rushes. {I}19_{/}Then 
seven other cows came up 
behind them. These were 
poor, scraggy and lean. I 
had never seen any so 
ugly in all the land of 
Egypt. {I}20_{/}The thin, 
gaunt cows ate up the 
seven fat cows, 
{I}21_{/}but after eating 
them, it was as if they 
had not eaten them at all 
because they remained as 
lean and scraggy as they 
were before. And then I 
woke. {I}22_{/}I also saw 
in my dream seven ears of 
corn growing on one 
stalk, full and ripe. 
{I}23_{/}Then, after 
them, there sprouted 
seven ears of corn that 
were hard and small and 
withered by the east 
wind. {I}24_{/}The 
withered ears of corn 
swallowed the good ears. 
I told this to the 
magicians but none of 
them could explain its 
meaning."
{I}25_{/}Then Joseph 
said, "Pharaoh's dream is 
one and the same. Yahweh 
has just revealed to 
Pharaoh what he will do. 
{I}26_{/}The seven fat 
cows are seven years and 
the seven good ears as 
well. It's one dream! 
{I}27_{/}The seven lean 
cows coming after them 
are seven years as are 
the seven withered ears 
of corn scorched by the 
east wind, and they are 
seven years of famine. 
{I}28_{/}As I said to 
Pharaoh, God is revealing 
to him what he is about 
to do. {I}29_{/}There 
will be seven years of 
plenty throughout the 
land of Egypt, 
{I}30_{/}but they will be 
followed by seven years 
of famine. Then the time 
of abundance will be 
forgotten and famine will 
exhaust the land. 
{I}31_{/}So severe will 
the famine be that no one 
will remember the time of 
plenty.
{I}32_{/}If the dream has 
been repeated twice for 
Pharaoh it is because God 
has so determined and 
will soon make it happen. 
{I}33_{/}Now it is for 
Pharaoh to choose an 
intelligent and wise man 
and set him over the land 
of Egypt. 
{I}34_{/}Pharaoh could 
have supervisors in the 
land and could levy a tax 
of one fifth of the 
produce of the land 
during the seven years of 
plenty. {I}35_{/}They 
must gather all the food 
of these productive years 
that are coming and, by 
the authority of Pharaoh, 
store grain for food in 
the towns and keep it. 
{I}36_{/}This food will 
be a reserve for the 
seven years of famine 
coming to the land of 
Egypt so that the people 
will not die of hunger."
JOSEPH, THE HEAD 
MINISTER{/}

{I}37_{/}The proposal of 
Joseph pleased Pharaoh 
and his ministers, and 
Pharaoh asked them, 
{I}38_{/}"Where shall we 
find such a man possessed 
with the spirit of God?" 
{I}39_{/}And to Joseph he 
said, "Since it is to you 
that God has made known 
all this, there can be no 
one as intelligent and 
wise as you. {I}40_{/}You 
shall be over my house, 
and all my people will 
obey your orders. Only I 
myself will be greater 
than you."
{I}41_{/}So Pharaoh said 
to Joseph, "See, I have 
put you in charge of the 
whole land of Egypt." 
{I}42_{/}He then took the 
signet ring from his 
finger and put it on 
Joseph's finger. He 
clothed him in fine linen 
and put a gold chain 
around his neck. 
{I}43_{/}He had him ride 
in the chariot that was 
second only to his and 
they cried out before 
him, "Make way." Thus he 
was put in charge of the 
whole land of Egypt.
{I}44_{/}Then Pharaoh 
said to Joseph, "I am 
Pharaoh! Without your 
consent no one is to 
raise hand or foot in the 
whole land of Egypt." 
{I}45_{/}Pharaoh named 
Joseph Zaphenath-paneah 
and gave him in marriage 
Asenath, the daughter of 
Potiphera, priest of On. 
After that Joseph 
traveled throughout the 
land of Egypt. 
{I}46_{/}Joseph was 
thirty years old when he 
was summoned to the 
presence of Pharaoh, King 
of Egypt. After taking 
his leave of Pharaoh he 
journeyed through the 
entire land of Egypt.
{I}47_{/}During the seven 
years of plenty the land 
produced abundantly. 
{I}48_{/}So Joseph 
gathered up all the food 
that was_produced during 
these years, storing in 
each town the food from 
the fields_around it. 
{I}49_{/}Joseph stored 
huge quantities of wheat, 
like the sand from the 
sea, so much that they 
lost count of the amount.
{I}50_{/}Before the years 
of famine came, Asenath, 
Joseph's wife, had two 
sons. {I}51_{/}Joseph 
called the first 
Manasseh, for he said, 
"God has made me forget 
all my hardship and all 
my father's house." 
{I}52_{/}He called the 
second by the name of 
Ephraim, for he said, 
"God has given me 
children in the land of 
my sorrow."
{I}53_{/}When the seven 
years of plenty 
throughout the land of 
Egypt came to an end, 
{I}54_{/}the seven years 
of famine began as Joseph 
had foretold. There was 
famine in all the 
countries but bread was 
to be had in every part 
of Egypt. {I}55_{/}When 
the land of Egypt began 
to suffer from the 
famine, the people came 
to Pharaoh for bread. But 
Pharaoh told all the 
Egyptians, "Go to Joseph 
and do as he tells you." 
{I}56_{/}When the famine 
had spread throughout the 
land, Joseph opened all 
the storehouses and sold 
grain to the Egyptians 
for the famine was indeed 
severe over the land. 
{I}57_{/}As the famine 
had worsened throughout 
the whole world, people 
came from other countries 
to buy grain from Joseph.
THE SONS OF JACOB GO DOWN 
TO EGYPT{/}

{1}42{/}

{I}1_{/}When Jacob heard 
there was wheat in Egypt 
he said to his sons, "Why 
do you stand looking at 
one another? {I}2_{/}I've 
heard there is grain in 
Egypt, so go down and buy 
some for us so that we 
may stay alive and not 
die!" {I}3_{/}Joseph's 
brothers - ten of them - 
went down to Egypt to buy 
wheat {I}4_{/}but Jacob 
did not send Benjamin, 
Joseph's brother, for he 
said, "Something might 
happen to him."
{I}5_{/}So the sons of 
Israel were among those 
going to buy grain, for 
there was famine in 
Canaan. {I}6_{/}It was 
Joseph, as governor of 
the land, who sold the 
grain to all the people. 
When his brothers arrived 
they bowed before him, 
with their faces to the 
ground. {I}7_{/}Joseph 
recognized his brothers 
but did not make himself 
known and, instead, 
said_harshly to them, 
"Where do you come from?" 
And they answered, "We 
come from the land of 
Canaan to buy grain for 
food."
{I}8_{/}Joseph recognized 
his brothers but they did 
not recognize him. 
{I}9_{/}And he remembered 
the dreams he once had 
concerning them. He told 
them, "You are spies, and 
it is to discover the 
weak points of the land 
that you have come." 
{I}10_{/}They said, "No, 
my lord, your servants 
have come to buy grain 
for food. {I}11_{/}We are 
all sons of the same man. 
We are honest men; your 
servants are not spies." 
{I}12_{/}Joseph replied, 
"No, it is to find out 
the weak points of the 
country that you have 
come." {I}13_{/}They 
said, "Your servants are 
twelve brothers, the sons 
of one man in the land of 
Canaan; the youngest is 
today with our father and 
the other is no more." 
{I}14_{/}But Joseph 
insisted, "It's just as I 
said, you are spies! 
{I}15_{/}And this will be 
proved. By the life of 
Pharaoh you will not 
leave this_place unless 
your youngest brother 
comes here. {I}16_{/}One 
of you is to go and fetch 
your brother. The others 
will be imprisoned while 
I verify whether you are 
telling the truth. If 
not, then as true as 
Pharaoh lives, you are 
spies." {I}17_{/}And so 
he put them all in prison 
for three days.
{I}18_{/}On the third day 
Joseph said to them, "I 
will help you to save 
yourselves, for I am a 
man who fears God. 
{I}19_{/}If you are 
sincere, let one of your 
brothers remain prisoner 
in the house of the guard 
where you now are, and 
the rest of you take the 
grain to save your 
families from famine. 
{I}20_{/}Then you will 
bring back your youngest 
brother; so the truth of 
what you say will be 
proved and your lives 
spared." They did as they 
were ordered {I}21_{/}and 
said among themselves, 
"Alas! We are guilty 
because of the way we 
treated our brother when 
he pleaded with us for 
mercy, but we didn't 
listen. That is why this 
trouble has come upon 
us."
{I}22_{/}Reuben answered 
them, "Didn't I tell you 
not to sin against the 
boy. But you did not 
listen and now we are 
brought to account for 
his blood." {I}23_{/}Now 
they did not know that 
Joseph understood them as 
there was an interpreter 
between them. {I}24_{/}As 
for Joseph, he withdrew 
and wept. When he came 
back, he spoke to them 
and took Simeon and had 
him bound and put in 
prison while they looked 
on.
{I}25_{/}Joseph ordered 
their sacks to be filled 
with wheat and their 
money replaced in the 
sack of each one and 
provisions be given them 
for the journey. All this 
was done; {I}26_{/}they 
loaded the grain on their 
donkeys and set off. 
{I}27_{/}But in the 
evening one of them 
emptied his sack to feed 
his donkey at the lodging 
place, and he saw his 
money at the mouth of the 
sack, so he said, 
{I}28_{/}"My money has 
been put back: here it is 
in my sack;" Their hearts 
failed them and they 
trembled and turned to 
each other and said, 
"What is this that God 
has done to us!" 
{I}29_{/}When they came 
back to Jacob in the land 
of Canaan, they told him 
about all their 
adventures:
{I}30_{/}"The man who is 
governor of the country 
spoke harshly to us and 
treated us as spies, 
{I}31_{/}but we said: 'We 
are honest men, not 
spies. {I}32_{/}We were 
twelve brothers, sons of 
the same father; one is 
no more and the youngest 
is with our father in the 
land of Canaan.' 
{I}33_{/}Then the man who 
is lord of the land said: 
By this I will know if 
you are honest. Leave one 
of your brothers here; 
take grain to save your 
families from the famine 
and go. {I}34_{/}Bring 
back your youngest 
brother and let me see 
you are not spies but 
honest men. Then I shall 
release your brother and 
you can trade in the 
land."
{I}35_{/}Now, when they 
emptied their sacks, each 
one found his money bag 
in his sack. When they 
saw this, they were 
afraid and their father 
as well. {I}36_{/}Jacob 
their father said to 
them, "You are taking my 
children from me. Joseph 
has gone; Simeon has gone 
and now you are taking 
Benjamin. I have all this 
to bear!"
{I}37_{/}Then Reuben said 
to his father, "You may 
have the lives of my two 
sons if I do not bring 
him back to you. Entrust 
him to me and I shall see 
that he comes back." 
{I}38_{/}But Jacob said, 
"My son will not go with 
you, for his brother is 
dead and he alone is 
left. If he were to meet 
with some misfortune on 
the way, you would send 
my gray head to the land 
of Shadows in sorrow."
THE SECOND JOURNEY TO 
EGYPT{/}

{1}43{/}

{I}1_{/}Now the lack of 
food was severe in the 
land, {I}2_{/}and when 
they had eaten the grain 
they brought from Egypt, 
their father said to 
them, "Go down again and 
buy us a little food." 
{I}3_{/}But Judah said to 
him, "The man solemnly 
warned us that our 
brother had to come with 
us. {I}4_{/}If you send 
our brother with us, we 
will go down and buy food 
for you; {I}5_{/}but if 
you don't send him, we 
will not go, for the man 
said: You will not be 
admitted to my presence 
if your brother is not 
with you." {I}6_{/}Israel 
then said, "Why did you 
bring this misery on me 
by letting the man know 
you have another 
brother?" {I}7_{/}They 
replied, "The man 
questioned us carefully 
about ourselves and our 
kinsfolk saying: 'Is your 
father still alive? Have 
you another brother?' And 
so we answered these 
questions. Could we have 
known that he would tell 
us to bring our brother?"
{I}8_{/}Judah then said 
to Israel his father, 
"Send the boy with me. 
Let us go so that we, you 
and our children may live 
and not die. {I}9_{/}I 
will guarantee his 
safety. If I do not bring 
him back and set him here 
before you, I will bear 
the blame forever. 
{I}10_{/}If we hadn't 
delayed for so long we 
could have been there and 
back twice over."
{I}11_{/}Israel their 
father said to them, "If 
it must be so, then do 
this: take some choice 
products of the land in 
your bags and a gift for 
the man_- some balm, a 
little honey, gum, myrrh, 
pistachio nuts and 
almonds. {I}12_{/}Take 
double the money with you 
and you will repay what 
was put in your sacks; it 
may have been a mistake. 
{I}13_{/}Take your 
brother and go back to 
the man. {I}14_{/}May God 
Almighty grant you mercy 
in his presence, so that 
he will allow you to 
bring back your other 
brother and Benjamin. As 
for myself if I am 
bereaved of my children, 
then bereaved I shall 
have to be."
{I}15_{/}The men took the 
gift and the double 
amount of money as well. 
And, taking Benjamin, 
they set off and went 
down to Egypt and were 
admitted to the presence 
of Joseph.
{I}16_{/}When Joseph saw 
that Benjamin was with 
them, he said to his 
steward, "Bring these men 
to my house. Have an 
animal slaughtered and a 
meal prepared, for these 
men will eat with me at 
noon." {I}17_{/}The 
steward did as Joseph 
directed and brought the 
men to Joseph's house.
{I}18_{/}They were afraid 
and said to each other, 
"It's because of the 
money that was placed in 
our sacks the last time, 
that we are brought in. 
He wants to attack and 
overpower us and have us 
as slaves and take our 
donkeys." {I}19_{/}So 
they approached Joseph's 
steward and spoke to him 
at the door of the house, 
{I}20_{/}"By your leave, 
sir, we came down here 
the first time to buy 
food, {I}21{/}and when we 
reached a lodging place 
and opened our sacks, we 
found in the mouth of the 
sacks each one's money to 
the full weight. We have 
brought it back with us 
{I}22_{/}as well as 
additional money to buy 
food. We don't know who 
put the money in our 
sacks." {I}23_{/}The 
steward said, "Be at 
peace! Don't be afraid. 
Your God, the God of your 
father, put a treasure in 
your grain sacks. Your 
money reached me safely." 
He then brought Simeon 
out to them.
{I}24_{/}The steward took 
them into Joseph's house, 
gave them water to wash 
their feet and fodder for 
their donkeys. 
{I}25_{/}They prepared 
their present and waited 
for Joseph's arrival at 
midday, for they heard 
they were to dine there.
{I}26_{/}When Joseph came 
into the house, they 
offered him the gift they 
had with them and bowed 
to the ground before him. 
{I}27_{/}He asked them 
how they were and said, 
"Is your father well, the 
old man you spoke about? 
Is he still alive?" 
{I}28_{/}They answered, 
"Your servant our father 
is well and is still 
alive." {I}29_{/}He 
looked up and saw his 
brother Benjamin, the son 
of his own mother, and 
said, "Is this your 
youngest brother, the one 
you told me about?" And 
he added, "God be good to 
you, my son!" {I}30_{/}So 
deeply moved was Joseph, 
on seeing his brother, 
that he wanted to cry and 
went out quickly and wept 
in his own private room. 
{I}31_{/}After he had 
washed his face and come 
out, controlling himself, 
he said, "Serve the 
meal." {I}32_{/}He was 
served separately and so 
were they, and the 
Egyptians as well, for 
the Egyptians cannot 
share a meal with 
Hebrews; for the 
Egyptians this would be a 
shame. {I}33_{/}They were 
seated opposite him in 
the order of their ages 
from the eldest to the 
youngest and they looked 
at each other in 
astonishment.
{I}34_{/}Joseph had 
portions from his own 
dish taken to them and 
Benjamin's portion was 
five times more than that 
of the others. So they 
drank freely with him. 
JOSEPH'S CUP IN 
BENJAMIN'S SACK{/}

{1}44{/}

{I}1_{/}Now Joseph gave 
this order to his 
steward, "Fill the men's 
sacks with as much food 
as they can carry and put 
back each man's silver in 
the mouth of his sack, 
{I}2_{/}and put my cup, 
the silver cup with the 
money for the grain in 
the sack of the 
youngest." The steward 
did as Joseph had 
directed.
{I}3_{/}As soon as it was 
light next morning the 
men were sent away with 
their donkeys. 
{I}4_{/}When they had 
gone but were still not 
far from the city, Joseph 
said to his steward, "Go 
quickly after those men 
and when you have caught 
up with them, say this: 
Why have you repaid good 
with evil? {I}5_{/}Isn't 
this the cup my master 
drinks from and uses for 
divination? You have done 
a wicked thing."
{I}6_{/}When he caught up 
with them he repeated 
these words. {I}7_{/}They 
said to him, "Why does my 
lord speak like that? Far 
be it from your servants 
to do such a thing. 
{I}8_{/}The money we 
found in the mouths of 
our sacks, we brought 
back to you from the land 
of Canaan! How then could 
we have stolen silver or 
gold from your lord's 
house? {I}9_{/}If one of 
your servants is found 
with the object, he will 
die and we too will 
become my lord's slaves." 
{I}10_{/}"Very well 
then," he said, "it will 
be as you say. The one 
who is found to have the 
cup will become my 
master's slave; the rest 
of you will go free." 
{I}11_{/}Then each one 
quickly lowered his sack 
to the ground and opened 
it. {I}12_{/}And he 
searched, beginning with 
the eldest and ending 
with the youngest. And 
the cup was found in 
Benjamin's sack. 
{I}13_{/}Then they tore 
their clothes and, 
reloading their donkeys, 
they returned to the 
city.
{I}14_{/}Joseph was still 
in the house when Judah 
and his brothers returned 
and they threw themselves 
on the ground before him. 
{I}15_{/}Joseph said to 
them, "What have you 
done? Didn't you know 
that a man such as I am 
is able to divine?"
{I}16_{/}Then Judah said, 
"What shall we say to my 
lord? How can we prove 
our innocence? God has 
uncovered your servant's 
guilt; we are my lord's 
slaves, we and the one 
who has been found with 
the cup." {I}17_{/}But 
Joseph said, "Far be it 
from me to do that. Only 
the man found to have the 
cup will be my slave. As 
for the rest, go back in 
peace to your father."
{I}18_{/}Judah then went 
forward and said, "My 
lord, allow your servant 
to speak. Do not be angry 
with your servant, 
although you are equal to 
Pharaoh himself. 
{I}19_{/}The last time 
you questioned your 
servants saying: 'Have 
you a father or a 
brother?' {I}20_{/}We 
said to my lord: 'We have 
an aged father who had a 
child in his old age. His 
brother is dead and he is 
the only one left of his 
mother's children. And 
his father loves him.' 
{I}21_{/}Then you said to 
us: 'Bring him down so 
that I can see him for 
myself.' {I}22_{/}We told 
my lord that the boy 
could not leave his 
father, for if he did, 
his father would die.
{I}23_{/}You then told us 
that if our youngest 
brother did not come with 
us, we would not be 
admitted to your 
presence. {I}24_{/}All 
this we said to our 
father on returning 
there. {I}25_{/}So when 
he told us to come back 
and buy a little food, 
{I}26_{/}we said: 'We 
cannot go down again 
unless our youngest 
brother is with us. We 
shall not be admitted to 
the lord's presence 
unless our brother is 
with us.' {I}27_{/}Then 
my father said: 'You know 
that my wife had two 
children. {I}28_{/}One 
went away from me and has 
surely been torn to 
pieces since I have not 
seen him anymore. 
{I}29_{/}If you take this 
one from me and something 
happens to him you will 
bring my gray hair in 
sorrow to the grave.' 
{I}30_{/}Now I can't 
return to my father 
without the boy, for my 
father loves him very 
much. If he sees that the 
boy is not there, 
{I}31_{/}he will die and 
we will have sent the 
gray hairs of our father 
in sorrow to the grave.
{I}32_{/}Now I, your 
servant, guaranteed the 
boy's safety and said to 
my father: 'If I do not 
bring him back, I will 
bear the blame before you 
all my life.' {I}33_{/}So 
now let me take the place 
of the boy and stay here 
as slave and let the boy 
go with his brothers, 
{I}34_{/}for I can't 
return to my father 
without the boy. Do not 
let me see the misery 
that would be too much 
for my father."
JOSEPH REVEALS HIMSELF{/}

{1}45{/}

{I}1_{/}Now Joseph could 
no longer control his 
feelings in the presence 
of all those standing by 
and he called out, "Leave 
my presence, everyone!" 
And only his brothers 
were with him when Joseph 
made himself known to 
them. {I}2_{/}He wept so 
loudly that the Egyptians 
heard and the news spread 
through Pharaoh's house.
{I}3_{/}Joseph said to 
his brothers, "I am 
Joseph. Is my father 
still alive?" And his 
brothers could not answer 
because they were 
terrified at seeing him. 
{I}4_{/}Joseph said, 
"Come closer," and they 
drew nearer. "I am Joseph 
your brother, yes, it's 
me, the one you sold to 
the Egyptians. 
{I}5_{/}Now don't grieve 
and reproach yourselves 
for selling me, because 
God has sent me before 
you to save your lives. 
{I}6_{/}It's two years 
since famine has been in 
the land and there will 
be another five years 
without tilling and 
without harvest. 
{I}7_{/}God has sent me 
ahead of you to make our 
race survive there and to 
save many of you. 
{I}8_{/}So it was not you 
but God who sent me here, 
and made me a father to 
Pharaoh and lord of his 
household, and ruler also 
of all the land of Egypt. 
{I}9_{/}Go back quickly 
to my father and say to 
him: 'Joseph your son 
sends you this message: 
God has made me lord of 
all Egypt; so come down 
to me without delay; 
{I}10_{/}you shall live 
in the land of Goshen and 
you shall be near me, 
you, your children and 
grandchildren, your 
flocks and your herds, 
all that you have. 
{I}11_{/}And there I will 
provide for you (for 
there will be five more 
years of famine) lest you 
and your household and 
all who belong to you, be 
in need. {I}12_{/}Now you 
can see for yourselves, 
and your brother Benjamin 
can see that it is I 
myself who speak to you. 
{I}13_{/}You will tell my 
father of the glory I 
have in Egypt and of all 
that you have seen. Go 
quickly and bring my 
father down here."
{I}14_{/}Joseph then 
threw his arms around 
Benjamin and wept. 
{I}15_{/}Then weeping he 
kissed and embraced his 
brothers and they began 
to talk with him.
{I}16_{/}The news spread 
through Pharaoh's house, 
"Joseph's brothers are 
here," and the news 
pleased both Pharaoh and 
his officials.
{I}17_{/}Pharaoh told 
Joseph, "Let your 
brothers load their 
beasts, return to the 
land of Canaan 
{I}18_{/}and bring their 
father and their families 
back to me. I will give 
you the best of the land 
of Egypt and you will 
enjoy the fat of the 
land! {I}19_{/}As_for 
yourself give them this 
order: Take wagons from 
the land of Egypt for 
your little ones and for 
your wives; get your 
father and come! 
{I}20_{/}Never mind the 
things you leave there, 
for the best in all Egypt 
is yours!"
{I}21_{/}The sons of 
Israel did this. Joseph 
gave them wagons as 
Pharaoh had ordered, and 
provisions for the 
journey. {I}22_{/}To each 
one he gave a festal 
garment but to Benjamin 
he gave three hundred 
silver coins and five 
festal garments. 
{I}23_{/}To his father he 
sent ten asses loaded 
with all the best goods 
in Egypt and ten donkeys 
loaded with grain, bread 
and provisions for his 
father on the journey. 
{I}24_{/}Then he sent his 
brothers away and as they 
left he said, "Don't 
quarrel on the way."
{I}25_{/}They returned 
from Egypt and came back 
to Jacob their father in 
Canaan. {I}26_{/}They 
told him, "Joseph is 
alive and he is the ruler 
of all Egypt!" Jacob was 
stunned for he could not 
believe them. 
{I}27_{/}But they told 
him all that Joseph had 
said and showed him the 
wagons that Joseph sent 
to carry him. Then 
Jacob's spirit revived 
and he said, 
{I}28_{/}"It's enough, my 
son Joseph is alive; I 
will go and see him 
before I die."
JACOB GOES DOWN TO 
EGYPT{/}

{1}46{/}

{I}1_{/}Israel left with 
all he owned and reached 
Beersheba where he 
offered sacrifices to the 
God of his father Isaac. 
{I}2_{/}God spoke to 
Israel in visions that he 
had during the night, 
"Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I 
am," he said. {I}3_{/}"I 
am God, the God of your 
father. Do not be afraid 
to go to Egypt, for there 
I will make you into a 
great nation. {I}4_{/}I 
will go with you to Egypt 
and I will bring you back 
again and Joseph's hand 
will close your eyes."
{I}5_{/}Jacob left 
Beersheba and the sons of 
Israel carried Jacob 
their father with their 
little children and their 
wives in the wagons that 
Joseph had sent to fetch 
him. {I}6_{/}They also 
took their flocks and all 
that they had acquired in 
Canaan. And so it was 
that Jacob came to Egypt 
and with him all his 
family, {I}7_{/}his sons 
and his grandsons, his 
daughters and his 
granddaughters, in short 
all his children he took 
with him to Egypt.
{I}8_{/}Here are the 
names of the descendants 
of Israel who came to 
Egypt:
Reuben, Jacob's 
firstborn, {I}9_{/}and 
the sons of Reuben: 
Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, 
and Carmi. {I}10_{/}the 
sons of Simeon: Jemuel, 
Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, 
Zohar, and Shaul, whose 
mother was a_Canaanite. 
{I}11_{/}The sons of 
Levi: Gershon, Kohath, 
and Merari. {I}12_{/}The 
sons of Judah: Er, Onan, 
Shelah, Perez, and Zerah 
(but Er and Onan died in 
the land of Canaan); and 
the sons of Perez were 
Hezron and Hamul. 
{I}13_{/}The sons of 
Issachar: Tola, Puvah, 
Job, and Shimron. 
{I}14_{/}The sons of 
Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and 
Jah'leel {I}15_{/}(these 
are the sons of Leah, 
Jacob's wife, who were 
born in Paddan-aram, 
together with his 
daughter Dinah; 
altogether his sons and 
his daughters numbered 
thirty-three). 
{I}16_{/}The sons of Gad: 
Zip'ion, Haggai, Shuni, 
Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and 
Areli. {I}17_{/}The sons 
of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, 
Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah 
their sister. And the 
sons of Beri'ah: Heber 
and Malchiel. 
{I}18_{/}These are the 
sons of Zilpah, whom 
Laban gave to Leah his 
daughter; and Jacob was 
their father - sixteen 
persons. {I}19_{/}The 
sons of Rachel, Jacob's 
wife: Joseph and 
Benjamin. {I}20_{/}And 
to_Joseph in the land of 
Egypt were born Manasseh 
and Ephraim, whose mother 
was Asenath, the daughter 
of Potiphera, the priest 
of On. {I}21_{/}And the 
sons of Benjamin: Bela, 
Becher, Ashbel, Gera, 
Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, 
Muppim, Huppim, and Ard 
{I}22_{/}(these are the 
sons of Rachel - 
fourteen). {I}23_{/}The 
children of Dan: Hushim. 
{I}24_{/}The sons of 
Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, 
Jezer, and Shillem 
{I}25_{/}(these are the 
sons of Bilhah, whom 
Laban gave to Rachel his 
daughter, and Jacob was 
their father - seven 
persons in all).
{I}26_{/}The total number 
of all the persons who 
came to Egypt with Jacob, 
all who were of his own 
blood, not counting the 
wives of his sons, was 
sixty-six. {I}27_{/}With 
the two sons born to 
Joseph in Egypt, the 
total number of Jacob's 
household that came to 
Egypt was seventy.
JACOB MEETS JOSEPH{/}

{I}28_{/}Jacob sent Judah 
ahead to let Joseph know 
he was coming and that he 
would soon arrive in the 
land of Goshen.
{I}29_{/}Joseph got his 
chariot ready in order to 
meet Israel his father in 
Goshen. He presented 
himself, threw his arms 
around his father and 
wept on his shoulder for 
a long time. 
{I}30_{/}Israel said to 
Joseph, "Now I can die, 
for I have seen your face 
and know you are alive."
{I}31_{/}After that 
Joseph said to his 
brothers and all his 
father's family, "I will 
go and give the news to 
Pharaoh and tell him that 
my brothers and my 
father's family who were 
in the land of Canaan 
have come to me. 
{I}32_{/}I will also tell 
him that you are 
shepherds, keeping 
livestock, and have 
brought your flocks and 
cattle and all your 
belongings. {I}33_{/}So 
when Pharaoh summons you 
and says: 'What is your 
occupation?' {I}34_{/}you 
will say: 'Your servants 
keep flocks and herds; it 
has been so since our 
youth, and for our 
fathers before us.' Then 
you will settle in the 
land of Goshen, for the 
Egyptians detest all 
shepherds."
{1}47{/}

{I}1_{/}Joseph went and 
told Pharaoh, "My father 
and brothers with their 
sheep and cattle and all 
their possessions have 
come from the land of 
Canaan to Goshen." 
{I}2_{/}He then presented 
five of his brothers to 
Pharaoh. {I}3_{/}Pharaoh 
asked, "What are your 
occupations?" and they 
replied, "Your servants 
are shepherds as were our 
fathers before us. 
{I}4_{/}We have come to 
settle in the land for 
there is no more pasture 
for our sheep, so severe 
is the famine in the land 
of Canaan. And now we 
pray you, may we stay in 
the land of Goshen?" 
{I}5_{/}Pharaoh then 
spoke to Joseph, "Your 
father and your brothers 
have come to you. 
{I}6_{/}The land of Egypt 
is before you; let your 
father and brothers 
settle in the best part; 
let them settle in 
Goshen, and if among them 
there are capable men, 
put them in charge of my 
cattle."
THE SONS OF JACOB IN 
EGYPT{/}

{I}7_{/}Joseph brought in 
Jacob his father and 
presented him to Pharaoh 
{I}8_{/}who then asked 
him, "How old are you?" 
{I}9_{/}Jacob replied, 
"The years of my 
wanderings are one 
hundred and thirty. Brief 
and difficult have been 
the years of my life,_and 
not as many as those of 
my fathers." 
{I}10_{/}Then Jacob 
blessed Pharaoh and 
withdrew from his 
presence.
{I}11_{/}So Joseph had 
his father and brothers 
settled, giving them 
property in the best part 
of_Egypt, in the land of 
Rameses as Pharaoh had 
commanded. 
{I}12_{/}Joseph provided 
his father, his brothers 
and his father's entire 
household with food 
according to the number 
of their dependents.
{I}13_{/}Now so severe 
was the famine that no 
bread was to be had in 
all the land. Both Egypt 
and Canaan were exhausted 
because of the famine. 
{I}14_{/}Joseph then 
collected all the money 
that had been given to 
buy bread in the lands of 
Egypt and Canaan. All 
this money Joseph took to 
Pharaoh's house.
{I}15_{/}When all the 
money of the people of 
Egypt and Canaan was 
gone, all Egypt came to 
Joseph saying, "Give us 
bread! Why must we die 
before your eyes, for 
want of money?" 
{I}16_{/}Joseph told 
them, "Give me your 
cattle to pay for bread 
since you have no money." 
{I}17_{/}So they brought 
their livestock and 
Joseph gave them bread in 
exchange for their 
horses, sheep and cattle 
and even their donkeys. 
In that way he supplied 
them with food for that 
year.
{I}18_{/}The following 
year they came to him 
again and said, "We will 
not hide from our lord 
that all our money is 
gone and that our cattle 
now belong to you. All 
that is left to us are 
our persons and our land. 
{I}19_{/}Why should we 
die while you look on, 
ourselves and our land? 
So buy us and our land 
for bread; we shall be in 
bondage to you and 
Pharaoh. Give us grain 
that we may live and not 
die and our land remain 
desolate."
{I}20_{/}So it was that 
Joseph acquired all the 
land of Egypt for 
Pharaoh; all the 
Egyptians sold their 
fields, so cruelly hard-
pressed were they by the 
famine. Pharaoh became 
owner of the land 
{I}21_{/}and Joseph 
reduced the people to 
servitude from one end of 
Egypt to the other. 
{I}22_{/}Only the land of 
the priests he did not 
buy, because by a decree 
of Pharaoh they lived on 
what had been given to 
them by Pharaoh. For that 
reason they did not sell 
the land that belonged to 
them.
{I}23_{/}Then Joseph said 
to the people, "Now that 
I have bought you and 
your land for Pharaoh, 
here is seed for you to 
sow the land. {I}24_{/}At 
harvest time you will 
give a fifth to Pharaoh, 
and four fifths will be 
yours for seed for 
sowing, for food for 
yourselves and your 
families." {I}25_{/}They 
said, "You have saved our 
lives. If it please my 
lord, we shall be 
Pharaoh's serfs." 
{I}26_{/}So Joseph 
introduced a statute that 
remains to this day, 
whereby a fifth of the 
produce goes to Pharaoh. 
Only the land of the 
priests did not become 
Pharaoh's.
{I}27_{/}So Israel lived 
in Egypt in the land of 
Goshen. They became 
owners of this land; they 
had many children and 
greatly increased in 
number. 
{I}28_{/}Jacob lived for 
one hundred and forty-
seven years, seventeen of 
them in the land of 
Egypt.
{I}29_{/}When his life 
was drawing to a close he 
called for his son Joseph 
and said to him, "If you 
wish to be faithful and 
kind to me, place your 
hand under my thigh and 
promise me that you will 
not bury me in Egypt! 
{I}30_{/}But when I rest 
with my fathers, carry me 
out of Egypt and bury me 
in their tomb." Joseph 
said, "I will do as you 
say." {I}31_{/}Jacob 
insisted, "Swear to it!" 
He swore to him and 
Israel fell back on his 
pillow.
JACOB ADOPTS JOSEPH'S 
CHILDREN{/}

{1}48{/}

{I}1_{/}Some time later, 
when Joseph was told that 
his father was ill, he 
took with him his two 
sons, Manasseh and 
Ephraim. {I}2_{/}So they 
told Jacob that Joseph 
his son had come. Then 
Israel, mustering his 
strength, sat up in bed.
{I}3_{/}And he said to 
Joseph, "God Almighty 
appeared to me at Luz in 
the land of Canaan and 
blessed me 
{I}4_{/}saying, 'I will 
make you fruitful and 
increase your number, and 
I will make of you a 
group of nations, and I 
will give this land to 
you and to your 
descendants after you as 
an everlasting 
possession.' {I}5_{/}From 
now on your two sons who 
were born in Egypt, 
before I came to you 
here, are mine! Ephraim 
and Manasseh shall be 
mine just as Reuben and 
Simeon are mine. 
{I}6_{/}Only the children 
born after them will be 
yours and the land they 
inherit shall be known by 
the names of Ephraim and 
Manasseh. {I}7_{/}When I 
was returning from 
Paddan, to my sorrow 
Rachel died on the 
journey at some distance 
from Ephrath, and I 
buried her there on the 
way to Ephrath, that is 
Bethlehem."
{I}8_{/}When Israel saw 
Joseph's sons he said, 
"Who are these?" 
{I}9_{/}Joseph told his 
father, "They are the 
sons that God has given 
me here." Jacob said, 
"Bring them to me that I 
may bless them." 
{I}10_{/}As Israel's eyes 
were dim with age, he 
could no longer see. When 
Jacob brought them near, 
he kissed and embraced 
them, {I}11_{/}and said 
to Joseph, "I didn't 
expect to see you again 
and now God is letting me 
see your children as 
well!" {I}12_{/}Joseph 
lifted them from Israel's 
knees and he himself 
bowed low, his face to 
the ground.
{I}13_{/}Joseph then took 
them both, Ephraim by his 
right hand to Israel's 
left, and Manasseh by his 
left hand to Israel's 
right. {I}14_{/}Israel 
raised his right hand and 
placed it on Ephraim's 
head, although he was the 
younger, and placed his 
left hand on Manasseh's 
head even though Manasseh 
was the firstborn. 
{I}15_{/}Then he blessed 
Joseph and said, "May the 
God in whose presence my 
fathers Abraham and Isaac 
walked, the God who has 
been my shepherd from my 
birth to this day, 
{I}16_{/}the Angel who 
has saved me from every 
evil, bless these boys. 
And in them may my name 
live on and that of my 
fathers Abraham and 
Isaac. And may they 
increase greatly on the 
earth!"
{I}17_{/}Joseph was 
displeased when he saw 
his father had placed his 
right hand on Ephraim's 
head. So he took his 
father's hand from 
Ephraim's head to place 
it on Manasseh 
{I}18_{/}and said, "Not 
like that father, for 
this one is the elder. 
Place your right hand on 
his head." {I}19_{/}But 
his father refused and 
said, "I know, my son, I 
know; he too will be 
great and become a 
nation. Nevertheless his 
younger brother will be 
greater than he, and his 
descendants will become a 
group of nations."
{I}20_{/}He blessed them 
that day in these words: 
"Through you Israel will 
bestow this blessing: May 
God make you like Ephraim 
and Manasseh!"
So he placed Ephraim 
ahead of Manasseh. 
{I}21_{/}Then Israel said 
to Joseph, "I am going to 
die. God will be with you 
and he will bring you 
back to the land of your 
fathers. {I}22_{/}And to 
you, over and above what 
goes to your brothers, I 
give a mountain slope 
that I took from the 
Amorites with my sword 
and my bow."
THE BLESSING OF JACOB{/}

{1}49{/}

{I}1_{/}Jacob then called 
his sons and said,
{I}2_{/}"Gather round, 
sons of Jacob. And listen 
to your father Israel! 
{I}3_{/}Reuben, you are 
my firstborn, my strength 
and the firstfruits of my 
manhood! excelling in 
honor and excelling in 
power.
{I}4_{/}Restless as 
water, you will excel no 
more for you went to your 
father's wife, on to my 
bed and defiled it.
{I}5_{/}Simeon and Levi 
are brothers; their 
swords are weapons of 
violence. {I}6_{/}Let me 
not share their counsel! 
Let my heart keep far 
from their company, for 
in anger they killed men, 
and hamstrung oxen at 
their pleasure. {I}7_{/}A 
curse on their anger for 
it is fierce; a curse on 
their fury, so cruel! I 
will divide them among 
Jacob, and scatter them 
among Israel.
{I}8_{/}Judah, your 
brothers will praise you!
You shall seize your 
enemies by the neck!
Your father's sons shall 
bow before you.
{I}9_{/}Judah, a young 
lion!
You return from the prey, 
my son!
Like a lion he stoops and 
crouches,
and like a lioness, who 
dares to rouse him?
{I}10_{/}The scepter 
shall not be taken from 
Judah,
nor the ruler's staff 
from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it 
belongs,
and who has the obedience 
of the nations.
{I}11_{/}He ties his foal 
to a vine,
and his ass' colt to the 
choicest branch.
He washes his garments in 
wine
and his robe in the juice 
of grapes.
{I}12_{/}His eyes shall 
be red with wine,
and his teeth whiter than 
milk.
{I}13_{/}Zebulun lives by 
the seashore; he is a 
haven for the ships, and 
his flank stretches to 
Sidon.
{I}14_{/}Issachar is a 
sturdy ass, lolling 
beside the sheepfolds.
{I}15_{/}He saw that a 
resting place was good, 
and that the land was 
pleasant. He bends his 
back to the burden and 
submits to forced labor.
{I}16_{/}Dan shall judge 
his people as one of the 
tribes of Israel. 
{I}17_{/}Dan shall be a 
serpent in the way, a 
viper on the path, that 
bites the horse's heels, 
making the rider fall 
backwards!
{I}18_{/}In your 
salvation, I hope, O 
Yahweh!
{I}19_{/}Raiders shall 
raid Gad, but he shall 
raid at their heels.
{I}20_{/}Asher's food 
will be rich, and he will 
provide delicacies fit 
for a king!
{I}21_{/}Naphtali is a 
doe let loose that bears 
beautiful fawns.
{I}22_{/}Joseph is a 
fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine near a 
spring,
whose branches climb over 
a wall.
{I}23_{/}Archers attacked 
him fiercely
and sorely provoked him;
{I}24_{/}but his bow 
remained steady,
and his arms nimble,
because of the hand of 
the Mighty One of Jacob;
because of the Shepherd, 
the Rock of Israel;
{I}25_{/}because of the 
God of your father, your 
Helper!
because of God Almighty 
who blesses you
with blessings from 
heaven above,
with blessings from the 
deep below!
with blessings of the 
breast and the womb!
{I}26_{/}The blessings of 
your father are greater 
than the blessings of the 
ancient mountains, the 
bounty of the everlasting 
hills! May they all rest 
on the head of Joseph, on 
the brow of the one who 
is a prince among his 
brothers!
{I}27_{/}Benjamin is a 
ravenous wolf!
In the morning he devours 
his prey,
and in the evening he 
divides the spoil!"
THE DEATH AND FUNERAL OF 
JACOB{/}

{I}28_{/}These are all 
the twelve tribes of 
Israel, and this is what 
his father said when he 
blessed them, giving each 
one a special and 
appropriate blessing. 
{I}29_{/}He then gave 
them these instructions: 
"I am soon to be gathered 
to my people; bury me 
near my fathers, in the 
cave in the field of 
Ephron, the Hittite; 
{I}30_{/}in the cave in 
the field of Machpelah, 
to the east of Mamre in 
Canaan, the field that 
Abraham bought from 
Ephron the Hittite as a 
burial place. {I}31_{/}It 
was there that Abraham 
and his wife Sarah were 
buried. There they buried 
Leah. {I}32_{/}The field 
and the cave in it were 
purchased from the 
Hittites."
{I}33_{/}When Jacob had 
given these instructions 
to his sons, he drew his 
feet up into the bed; he 
breathed his last and was 
gathered to his people.
{1}50{/}

{I}1_{/}Joseph threw 
himself on his father, 
wept over him and kissed 
him. {I}2_{/}Then as 
Joseph had instructed 
them, his physicians 
embalmed Israel his 
father. {I}3_{/}This took 
a full forty days, the 
length of time required 
for embalming. The 
Egyptians mourned him for 
seventy days.
{I}4_{/}When the days of 
mourning were over, 
Joseph spoke to Pharaoh's 
household, "If you wish 
to show me kindness, 
please let Pharaoh know 
{I}5_{/}that when my 
father was dying he made 
me swear that I would 
bury him in the tomb he 
had made ready for 
himself in Canaan. Ask 
him to let me go up and 
bury my father. I will 
come back again." 
{I}6_{/}Pharaoh said, "Go 
and bury your father as 
he made you swear to do."
{I}7_{/}Joseph went up to 
bury his father and with 
him went all Pharaoh's 
officials, the elders of 
his household and all the 
elders of Egypt, 
{I}8_{/}as well as all 
belonging to the 
household of Joseph, his 
brothers and his father's 
household. Only their 
children, their flocks 
and herds were left in 
the land of Goshen. 
{I}9_{/}With the chariots 
and horsemen that went up 
with him it was a very 
imposing caravan. 
{I}10_{/}When they came 
to the threshing floor of 
Atad, near the Jordan, 
they carried out a solemn 
and long lamentation and 
there Joseph mourned his 
father for seven days. 
{I}11_{/}When the 
Canaanites witnessed this 
mourning they said, "This 
is a solemn mourning 
ceremony of the 
Egyptians." That is why 
this place which is east 
of the Jordan was called 
Abel Mizraim.
{I}12_{/}Jacob's sons did 
as he had ordered them. 
{I}13_{/}They carried him 
to the land of Canaan and 
buried him in the cave in 
the field of Machpelah 
near Mamre that Abraham 
had bought from Ephron 
the Hittite for a burial 
place.
{I}14_{/}After he had 
buried his father, Joseph 
returned to Egypt with 
his brothers and all 
those who had gone up 
with him for the burial.
THE LAST YEARS OF 
JOSEPH{/}

{I}15_{/}When Joseph's 
brothers realized that 
their father was dead 
they said, "What if 
Joseph turns against us 
in hate because of the 
evil we did him?" 
{I}16_{/}So they sent 
word to Joseph saying, 
"Before he died your 
father told us to say 
this to you: 
{I}17_{/}Please forgive 
the crime and the sin of 
your brothers in doing 
evil to you. Forgive the 
crime of the servants of 
your father's God." When 
he was given the message, 
Joseph wept. {I}18_{/}His 
brothers went and threw 
themselves down before 
him. "We are your 
slaves," they said. 
{I}19_{/}But Joseph 
reassured them, "Don't be 
afraid! Am I in the place 
of God? {I}20_{/}You 
intended to do me harm, 
but God intended to turn 
it to good in order to 
bring about what is 
happening today - the 
survival of many people. 
{I}21_{/}So have no fear! 
I will provide for you 
and your little ones." In 
this way he touched their 
hearts and consoled them.
{I}22_{/}Joseph remained 
in Egypt together with 
all his father's family. 
He lived for a hundred 
and ten years, 
{I}23_{/}long enough to 
see Ephraim's great-
grandchildren, and also 
to have the children of 
Machir, the son of 
Manasseh, placed on his 
knees after their birth.
{I}24_{/}Then Joseph said 
to his brothers, "I am 
going to die, but God 
will surely remember you 
and take you from this 
country to the land he 
promised to Abraham, 
Isaac and Jacob." 
{I}25_{/}Joseph then made 
the sons of Israel swear, 
saying, "When God comes 
to bring you out from 
here, carry my bones with 
you." {I}26_{/}Joseph 
died at the age of one 
hundred and ten; they 
embalmed him and laid him 
in a coffin in Egypt.

