Cursed be Chanaan... The curses, as well as the blessings, of the partiarchs, were prophetical: And this in particular is here recorded by Moses, for the children of Israel, who were to possess the land of Chanaan. But why should Chanaan be cursed for his father's faults? The Hebrews answer, that he being then a boy, was the first that saw his grandfather's nakedness, and told his father Cham of it; and joined with him in laughing at it: which drew upon him, rather than upon the rest of the children of Cham, this prophetical curse.
9:26. And he said: Blessed be the Lord God of Sem, be Chanaan his servant.
9:27. May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Sem, and Chanaan be his servant.
9:28. And Noe lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
9:29. And all his days were in the whole nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.
Genesis Chapter 10
The genealogy of the children of Noe, by whom the world was peopled after the flood.
10:1. These are the generations of the sons of Noe: Sem, Cham, and Japheth: and unto them sons were born after the flood.
10:2. The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Thubal, and Mosoch, and Thiras.
10:3. And the sons of Gomer: Ascenez and Riphath and Thogorma.
10:4. And the sons of Javan: Elisa and Tharsis, Cetthim and Dodanim.
10:5. By these were divided the islands of the Gentiles in their lands, every one according to his tongue and their families in their nations.
The islands... So the Hebrews called all the remote countries, to which they went by ships from Judea, to Greece, Italy, Spain, etc.
10:6. And the Sons of Cham: Chus, and Mesram, and Phuth, and Chanaan.
10:7. And the sons of Chus: Saba, and Hevila, and Sabatha, and Regma, and Sabatacha. The sons of Regma: Saba, and Dadan.
10:8. Now Chus begot Nemrod: he began to be mighty on the earth.
10:9. And he was a stout hunter before the Lord. Hence came a proverb: Even as Nemrod the stout hunter before the Lord.
A stout hunter... Not of beasts but of men: whom by violence and tyranny he brought under his dominion. And such he was, not only in the opinion of men, but before the Lord, that is, in his sight who cannot be deceived.
10:10. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babylon, and Arach, and Achad, and Chalanne in the land of Sennaar.
10:11. Out of that land came forth Assur, and built Ninive, and the streets of the city, and Chale.
10:12. Resen also between Ninive and Chale: this is the great city.
10:13. And Mesraim begot Ludim, and Anamim and Laabim, Nephthuim.
10:14. And Phetrusim, and Chasluim; of whom came forth the Philistines, and the Capthorim.
10:15. And Chanaan begot Sidon his firstborn, the Hethite,
10:16. And the Jebusite, and the Amorrhite, and the Gergesite.
10:17. The Hevite and Aracite: the Sinite,
10:18. And the Aradian, the Samarite, and the Hamathite: and afterwards the families of the Chanaanites were spread abroad.
10:19. And the limits of Chanaan were from Sidon as one comes to Gerara even to Gaza, until thou enter Sodom and Gomorrha, and Adama, and Seboim even to Lesa.
10:20. These are the children of Cham in their kindreds and tongues, and generations, and lands, and nations.
10:21. Of Sem also the father of all the children of Heber, the elder brother of Japheth, sons were born.
10:22. The sons of Sem: Elam and Assur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
10:23. The sons of Aram: Us, and Hull, and Gether; and Mes.
10:24. But Arphaxad begot Sale, of whom was born Heber.
10:25. And to Heber were born two sons: the name of the one was Phaleg, because in his days was the earth divided: and his brother's name Jectan.
10:26. Which Jectan begot Elmodad, and Saleph, and Asarmoth, Jare,
10:27. And Aduram, and Uzal, and Decla,
10:28. And Ebal, and Abimael, Saba,
10:29. And Ophir, and Hevila, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Jectan.
10:30. And their dwelling was from Messa as we go on as far as Sephar, a mountain in the east.
10:31. These are the children of Sem according to their kindreds and tongues, and countries in their nations.
10:32. These are the families of Noe, according to their people and nations. By these were the nations divided on the earth after the flood.
Genesis Chapter 11
The tower of Babel. The confusion of tongues. The genealogy of Sem down to Abram.
11:1. And the earth was of one tongue, and of the same speech.
11:2. And when they removed from the east, they found a plain in the land of Sennaar, and dwelt in it.
11:3. And each one said to his neighbour: Come let us make brick, and bake them with fire. And they had brick instead of stones, and slime instead of mortar:
11:4. And they said: Come, let us make a city and a tower, the top whereof may reach to heaven; and let us make our name famous before we be scattered abroad into all lands.
11:5. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of Adam were building.
11:6. And he said: Behold, it is one people, and all have one tongue: and they have begun to do this, neither will they leave off from their designs, till they accomplish them in deed.
11:7. Come ye, therefore, let us go down, and there confound their tongue, that they may not understand one another's speech.
11:8. And so the Lord scattered them from that place into all lands, and they ceased to build the city.
11:9. And therefore the name thereof was called Babel, because there the language of the whole earth was confounded: and from thence the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of all countries.
Babel... That is, confusion.
11:10. These are the generations of Sem: Sem was a hundred years old when he begot Arphaxad, two years after the flood.
11:11. And Sem lived after he begot Arphaxad, five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
11:12. And Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Sale.
11:13. And Arphaxad lived after he begot Sale, three hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.
11:14. Sale also lived thirty years, and begot Heber.
11:15. And Sale lived after he begot Heber, four hundred and three years: and begot sons and daughters.
11:16. And Heber lived thirty-four years, and begot Phaleg.
11:17. And Heber lived after he begot Phaleg, four hundred and thirty years: and begot sons and daughters.
11:18. Phaleg also lived thirty years, and begot Reu.
11:19. And Phaleg lived after he begot Reu, two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters.
11:20. And Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Sarug.
11:21. And Reu lived after he begot Sarug, two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters.
11:22. And Sarug lived thirty years, and begot Nachor.
11:23. And Sarug lived after he begot Nachor, two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
11:24. And Nachor lived nine and twenty years, and begot Thare.
11:25. And Nachor lived after he begot Thare, a hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters.
11:26. And Thare lived seventy years, and begot Abram, and Nachor, and Aran.
11:27. And these are the generations of Thare: Thare begot Abram, Nachor, and Aran. And Aran begot Lot.
11:28. And Aran died before Thare his father, in the land of his nativity in Ur of the Chaldees.
11:29. And Abram and Nachor married wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai: and the name of Nachor's wife, Melcha, the daughter of Aran, father of Melcha and father of Jescha.
11:30. And Sarai was barren, and had no children.
11:31. And Thare took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Aran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, the wife of Abram his son, and brought them out of Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Chanaan: and they came as far as Haran, and dwelt there.
11:32. And the days of Thare were two hundred and five years, and he died in Haran.
Genesis Chapter 12
The call of Abram, and the promise made to him. He sojourneth in Chanaan, and then by occasion of a famine, goeth down to Egypt.
12:1. And the Lord said to Abram: Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
12:2. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.
12:3. I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and IN THEE shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
12:4. So Abram went out as the Lord had commanded him, and Lot went with him: Abram was seventy-five years old when he went forth from Haran.
12:5. And he took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all the substance which they had gathered, and the souls which they had gotten in Haran: and they went out to go into the land of Chanaan. And when they were come into it,
12:6. Abram passed through the country unto the place of Sichem, as far as the noble vale: now the Chanaanite was at that time in the land.
12:7. And the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him: To thy seed will I give this land. And he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
12:8. And passing on from thence to a mountain, that was on the east side of Bethel, he there pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: he built there also an altar to the Lord, and called upon his name.
12:9. And Abram went forward, going and proceeding on to the south.
12:10. And there came a famine in the country: and Abram went down into Egypt, to sojourn there: for the famine was very grievous in the land.
12:11. And when he was near to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife: I know that thou art a beautiful woman:
12:12. And that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they will say: She is his wife: and they will kill me, and keep thee.
12:13. Say, therefore, I pray thee, that thou art my sister: that I may be well used for thee, and that my soul may live for thy sake.
My sister... This was no lie; because she was his niece, being daughter to his brother Aran, and therefore, in the style of the Hebrews, she might truly be called his sister, as Lot is called Abram's brother, Gen. 14.14. See Gen. 20.12.
12:14. And when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman that she was very beautiful.
12:15. And the princes told Pharao, and praised her before him: and the woman was taken into the house of Pharao.
12:16. And they used Abram well for her sake. And he had sheep and oxen and he asses, and men servants, and maid servants, and she asses, and camels.
12:17. But the Lord scourged Pharao and his house with most grievous stripes for Sarai, Abram's wife.
12:18. And Pharao called Abram, and said to him: What is this that thou hast done to me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
12:19. For what cause didst thou say, she was thy sister, that I might take her to my wife? Now therefore there is thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
12:20. And Pharao gave his men orders concerning Abram: and they led him away and his wife, and all that he had.
Genesis Chapter 13
Abram and Lot part from each other. God's promise to Abram.
13:1. And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him into the south.
13:2. And he was very rich in possession of gold and silver.
13:3. And he returned by the way, that he came, from the south to Bethel, to the place where before he had pitched his tent between Bethel and Hai,
13:4. In the place of the altar which he had made before, and there he called upon the name of the Lord.
13:5. But Lot also, who was with Abram, had flocks of sheep, and herds of beasts, and tents.
13:6. Neither was the land able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, and they could not dwell together.
13:7. Whereupon also there arose a strife between the herdsmen of Abram and of Lot. And at that time the Chanaanite and the Pherezite dwelled in that country.
13:8. Abram therefore said to Lot: Let there be no quarrel, I beseech thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen: for we are brethren.
13:9. Behold the whole land is before thee: depart from me, I pray thee: if thou wilt go to the left hand, I will take the right: if thou choose the right hand, I will pass to the left.
13:10. And Lot lifting up his eyes, saw all the country about the Jordan, which was watered throughout, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, as the paradise of the Lord, and like Egypt as one comes to Segor.
13:11. And Lot chose to himself the country about the Jordan, and he departed from the east: and they were separated one brother from the other.
13:12. Abram dwelt in the land of Chanaan: and Lot abode in the towns, that were about the Jordan, and dwelt in Sodom.
13:13. And the men of Sodom were very wicked, and sinners before the face of the Lord beyond measure.
13:14. And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him: Lift up thy eyes, and look from the place wherein thou now art, to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west.
13:15. All the land which thou seest, I will give to thee, and to thy seed for ever.
13:16. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: if any man be able to number the dust of the earth, he shall be able to number thy seed also.
13:17. Arise and walk through the land in the length, and the breadth thereof: for I will give it to thee.
13:18. So Abram removing his tent, came, and dwelt by the vale of Mambre, which is in Hebron: and he built there an altar to the Lord.
Genesis Chapter 14
The expedition of the four kings; the victory of Abram; he is blessed by Melchisedech.
14:1. And it came to pass at that time, that Amraphel, king of Sennaar, and Arioch, king of Pontus, and Chodorlahomor, king of the Elamites, and Thadal, king of nations,
14:2. Made war against Bara, king of Sodom, and against Bersa, king of Gomorrha, and against Sennaab, king of Adama, and against Semeber, king of Seboim, and against the king of Bala, which is Segor.
14:3. All these came together into the woodland vale, which now is the salt sea.
14:4. For they had served Chodorlahomor twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they revolted from him.
14:5. And in the fourteenth year came Chodorlahomor, and the kings that were with him: and they smote the Raphaim in Astarothcarnaim, and the Zuzim with them, and the Emim in Save of Cariathaim.
14:6. And the Chorreans in the mountains of Seir, even to the plains of Pharan, which is in the wilderness.
14:7. And they returned, and came to the fountain of Misphat, the same is Cades: and they smote all the country of the Amalecites, and the Amorrhean that dwelt in Asasonthamar.
14:8. And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrha, and the king of Adama, and the king of Seboim, and the king of Bala, which is Segor, went out: and they set themselves against them in battle array, in the woodland vale:
14:9. To wit, against Chodorlahomor king of the Elamites, and Thadal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Sennaar, and Arioch king of Pontus: four kings against five.
14:10. Now the woodland vale had many pits of slime. And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrha turned their backs, and were overthrown there: and they that remained, fled to the mountain.
Of slime. Bituminis... This was a kind of pitch, which served for mortar in the building of Babel, Gen. 11.3, and was used by Noe in pitching the ark.
14:11. And they took all the substance of the Sodomites, and Gomorrhites, and all their victuals, and went their way:
14:12. And Lot also, the son of Abram's brother, who dwelt in Sodom, and his substance.
14:13. And behold one, that had escaped, told Abram the Hebrew, who dwelt in the vale of Mambre the Amorrhite, the brother of Escol, and the brother of Aner: for these had made a league with Abram.
14:14. Which when Abram had heard, to wit, that his brother Lot was taken, he numbered of the servants born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, well appointed: and pursued them to Dan.
14:15. And dividing his company, he rushed upon them in the night, and defeated them: and pursued them as far as Hoba, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
14:16. And he brought back all the substance, and Lot his brother, with his substance, the women also, and the people.
14:17. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from the slaughter of Chodorlahomor, and of the kings that were with him in the vale of Save, which is the king's vale.
14:18. But Melchisedech, the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the most high God,
14:19. Blessed him, and said: Blessed be Abram by the most high God, who created heaven and earth.
14:20. And blessed be the most high God, by whose protection, the enemies are in thy hands. And he gave him the tithes of all.
14:21. And the king of Sodom said to Abram: Give me the persons, and the rest take to thyself.
14:22. And he answered him: I lift up my hand to the Lord God the most high, the possessor of heaven and earth,
14:23. That from the very woofthread unto the shoe latchet, I will not take of any things that are thine, lest thou say: I have enriched Abram.
14:24. Except such things as the young men have eaten, and the shares of the men that came with me, Aner, Escol, and Mambre: these shall take their shares.
Genesis Chapter 15
God promiseth seed to Abram. His faith, sacrifice and vision.
15:1. Now when these things were done, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: Fear not, Abram, I am thy protector, and thy reward exceeding great.
15:2. And Abram said: Lord God, what wilt thou give me? I shall go without children: and the son of the steward of my house is this Damascus Eliezer.
15:3. And Abram added: But to me thou hast not given seed: and lo my servant born in my house, shall be my heir.
15:4. And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: He shall not be thy heir: but he that shall come out of thy bowels, him shalt thou have for thy heir.
15:5. And he brought him forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven and number the stars if thou canst. And he said to him: So shall thy seed be.
15:6. Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.
15:7. And he said to him: I am the Lord who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land, and that thou mightest possess it.
15:8. But he said: Lord God, whereby may I know that I shall possess it?
15:9. And the Lord answered, and said: Take me a cow of three years old, and a she goat of three years and a ram of three years, a turtle also, and a pigeon.
15:10. And he took all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid the two pieces of each one against the other: but the birds he divided not.
15:11. And the fowls came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
15:12. And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great and darksome horror seized upon him.
15:13. And it was said unto him: Know thou beforehand that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not their own, and they shall bring them under bondage, and afflict them four hundred years.
15:14. But I will judge the nation which they shall serve, and after this they shall come out with great substance.
15:15. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age.
15:16. But in the fourth generation they shall return hither: for as yet the iniquities of the Amorrhites are not at the full until this present time.
15:17. And when the sun was set, there arose a dark mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace, and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.
15:18. That day God made a covenant with Abram, saying: To thy seed will I give this land, from the river to Egypt even to the great river Euphrates.
15:19. The Cineans, and Cenezites, the Cedmonites,
15:20. And the Hethites, and the Pherezites, the Raphaim also,
15:21. And the Amorrhites, and the Chanaanites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.
Genesis Chapter 16
Abram marrieth Agar, who bringeth forth Ismael.
16:1. Now Sarai, the wife of Abram, had brought forth no children: but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar,
16:2. She said to her husband: Behold, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: go in unto my handmaid, it may be I may have children of her at least. And when he agreed to her request,
16:3. She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, ten years after they first dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife.
To wife... Plurality of wives, though contrary to the primitive institution of marriage, Gen. 2.24, was by divine dispensation allowed to the patriarchs: which allowance seems to have continued during the time of the law of Moses. But Christ our Lord reduced marriage to its primitive institution. Matt. 19.
16:4. And he went in to her. But she perceiving that she was with child, despised her mistress.
16:5. And Sarai said to Abram: Thou dost unjustly with me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, and she perceiving herself to be with child, despiseth me. The Lord judge between me and thee.
16:6. And Abram made answer, and said to her: Behold thy handmaid is in thy own hand, use her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai afflicted her, she ran away.
16:7. And the angel of the Lord having found her, by a fountain of water in the wilderness, which is in the way to Sur in the desert,
16:8. He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai, whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.
16:9. And the angel of the Lord said to her: Return to thy mistress, and humble thyself under her hand.
16:10. And again he said: I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.
16:11. And again: Behold, said he, thou art with child, and thou shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Ismael, because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.
16:12. He shall be a wild man: his hand will be against all men, and all men's hands against him: and he shall pitch his tents over against all his brethren.
16:13. And she called the name of the Lord that spoke unto her: Thou the God who hast seen me. For she said: Verily, here have I seen the hinder parts of him that seeth me.
16:14. Therefore she called that well, the well of him that liveth and seeth me. The same is between Cades and Barad.
16:15. And Agar brought forth a son to Abram: who called his name Ismael.
16:16. Abram was four score and six years old when Agar brought him forth Ismael.
Genesis Chapter 17
The Covenant of circumcision.
17:1. And after he began to be ninety and nine years old, the Lord appeared to him: and said unto him: I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be perfect.
17:2. And I will make my covenant between me and thee: and I will multiply thee exceedingly.
17:3. Abram fell flat on his face.
17:4. And God said to him: I am, and my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
17:5. Neither shall thy name be called any more Abram: but thou shalt be called Abraham: because I have made thee a father of many nations.
Abram... in the Hebrew, signifies a high father: but Abraham, the father of the multitude; Sarai signifies my Lady, but Sara absolutely Lady.
17:6. And I will make thee increase exceedingly, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
17:7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and between thy seed after thee in their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee.
17:8. And I will give to thee, and to thy seed, the land of thy sojournment, all the land of Chanaan, for a perpetual possession, and I will be their God.
17:9. Again God said to Abraham: And thou therefore shalt keep my covenant, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
17:10. This is my covenant which you shall observe between me and you, and thy seed after thee: All the male kind of you shall be circumcised.
17:11. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, that it may be for a sign of the covenant between me and you.
17:12. An infant of eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every manchild in your generations: he that is born in the house, as well as the bought servant, shall be circumcised, and whosoever is not of your stock:
17:13. And my covenant shall be in your flesh for a perpetual covenant.
17:14. The male whose flesh of his foreskin shall not be circumcised, that soul shall be destroyed out of his people: because he hath broken my covenant.
17:15. God said also to Abraham: Sarai thy wife thou shalt not call Sarai, but Sara.
17:16. And I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son, whom I will bless, and he shall become nations, and kings of people shall spring from him.
17:17. Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, saying in his heart: Shall a son, thinkest thou, be born to him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sara that is ninety years old bring forth?
17:18. And he said to God: O that Ismael may live before thee.
17:19. And God said to Abraham: Sara thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for a perpetual covenant, and with his seed after him.
17:20. And as for Ismael I have also heard thee. Behold, I will bless him, and increase, and multiply him exceedingly: he shall beget twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation.
17:21. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sara shall bring forth to thee at this time in the next year.
17:22. And when he had left off speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.
17:23. And Abraham took Ismael his son, and all that were born in his house: and all whom he had bought, every male among the men of his house: and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin forthwith the very same day, as God had commanded him.
17:24. Abraham was ninety and nine years old, when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin.
17:25. And Ismael his son was full thirteen years old at the time of his circumcision.
17:26. The selfsame day was Abraham circumcised and Ismael his son.
17:27. And all the men of his house, as well they that were born in his house, as the bought servants and strangers, were circumcised with him.
Genesis Chapter 18
Angels are entertained by Abraham. They foretell the birth of Isaac. Abraham's prayer for the men of Sodom.
18:1. And the Lord appeared to him in the vale of Mambre as he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.
18:2. And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men standing near to him: and as soon as he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and adored down to the ground.
18:3. And he said: Lord, if I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant.
18:4. But I will fetch a little water, and wash ye your feet, and rest ye under the tree.
18:5. And I will set a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart, afterwards you shall pass on: for therefore are you come aside to your servant. And they said: Do as thou hast spoken.
18:6. Abraham made haste into the tent to Sara, and said to her: Make haste, temper together three measures of flour, and make cakes upon the hearth.
18:7. And he himself ran to the herd, and took from thence a calf, very tender and very good, and gave it to a young man, who made haste and boiled it.
18:8. He took also butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled, and set before them: but he stood by them under the tree.
18:9. And when they had eaten, they said to him: Where is Sara thy wife? He answered: Lo she is in the tent.
18:10. And he said to him: I will return and come to thee at this time, life accompanying, and Sara, thy wife, shall have a son. Which when Sara heard, she laughed behind the door of the tent.
18:11. Now they were both old, and far advanced in years, and it had ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women.
18:12. And she laughed secretly, saying: After I am grown old, and my lord is an old man, shall I give myself to pleasure?
18:13. And the Lord said to Abraham: Why did Sara laugh, saying: Shall I, who am an old woman, bear a child indeed?
18:14. Is there any thing hard to God? According to appointment I will return to thee at this same time, life accompanying, and Sara shall have a son.
18:15. Sara denied, saying: I did not laugh: for she was afraid. But the Lord said: Nay; but thou didst laugh.
18:16. And when the men rose up from thence, they turned their eyes towards Sodom: and Abraham walked with them, bringing them on the way.
18:17. And the Lord said: Can I hide from Abraham what I am about to do:
18:18. Seeing he shall become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed?
18:19. For I know that he will command his children, and his household after him, to keep the way of the Lord, and do judgment and justice: that for Abraham's sake, the Lord may bring to effect all the things he hath spoken unto him.
18:20. And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous.
18:21. I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is come to me; or whether it be not so, that I may know.
I will go down, etc... The Lord here accommodates his discourse to the way of speaking and acting amongst men; for he knoweth all things, and needeth not to go anywhere for information. Note here, that two of the three angels went away immediately for Sodom; whilst the third, who represented the Lord, remained with Abraham.
18:22. And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.
18:23. And drawing nigh, he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?
18:24. If there be fifty just men in the city, shall they perish withal? and wilt thou not spare that place for the sake of the fifty just, if they be therein?
18:25. Far be it from thee to do this thing, and to slay the just with the wicked, and for the just to be in like case as the wicked; this is not beseeming thee: thou who judgest all the earth, wilt not make this judgment.
18:26. And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
18:27. And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.
18:28. What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city: And he said: I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty.
18:29. And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty.
18:30. Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
18:31. Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord: What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.
18:32. I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if ten shall be found there? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.
18:33. And the Lord departed, after he had left speaking to Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.
Genesis Chapter 19
Lot, entertaining Angels in his house, is delivered from Sodom, which is destroyed: his wife for looking back is turned into a statue of salt.
19:1. And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of the city. And seeing them, he rose up and went to meet them: and worshipped prostrate to the ground.
19:2. And said: I beseech you, my lords, turn in to the house of your servant, and lodge there: wash your feet, and in the morning you shall go on your way. And they said: No, but we will abide in the street.
19:3. He pressed them very much to turn in unto him: and when they were come into his house, he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate:
19:4. But before they went to bed, the men of the city beset the house, both young and old, all the people together.
19:5. And they called Lot, and said to him: Where are the men that came in to thee at night? bring them out hither, that we may know them:
19:6. Lot went out to them, and shut the door after him, and said:
19:7. Do not so, I beseech you, my brethren, do not commit this evil.
19:8. I have two daughters who, as yet, have not known man; I will bring them out to you, and abuse you them as it shall please you, so that you do no evil to these men, because they are come in under the shadow of my roof.
19:9. But they said: Get thee back thither. And again: Thou camest in, said they, as a stranger, was it to be a judge? therefore we will afflict thee more than them. And they pressed very violently upon Lot: and they were even at the point of breaking open the doors.
19:10. And behold the men put out their hand, and drew in Lot unto them, and shut the door.
19:11. And them, that were without, they struck with blindness from the least to the greatest, so that they could not find the door.
19:12. And they said to Lot: Hast thou here any of thine? son in law, or sons, or daughters, all that are thine bring them out of this city:
19:13. For we will destroy this place, because their cry is grown loud before the Lord, who hath sent us to destroy them.
19:14. So Lot went out, and spoke to his sons in law that were to have his daughters, and said: Arise: get you out of this place, because the Lord will destroy this city. And he seemed to them to speak as it were in jest.
19:15. And when it was morning, the angels pressed him, saying: Arise, take thy wife, and the two daughters that thou hast: lest thou also perish in the wickedness of the city.
19:16. And as he lingered, they took his hand, and the hand of his wife, and of his two daughters, because the Lord spared him.
19:17. And they brought him forth, and set him without the city: and there they spoke to him, saying: Save thy life: look not back, neither stay thou in all the country about: but save thy self in the mountain, lest thou be also consumed.
19:18. And Lot said to them: I beseech thee, my Lord,
19:19. Because thy servant hath found grace before thee, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewn to me, in saving my life, and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil seize me, and I die.
19:20. There is this city here at hand, to which I may flee, it is a little one, and I shall be saved in it: is it not a little one, and my soul shall live?
19:21. And he said to him: Behold also in this, I have heard thy prayers, not to destroy the city for which thou hast spoken.
19:22. Make haste, and be saved there: because I cannot do any thing till thou go in thither. Therefore the name of that city was called Segor.
Segor... That is, a little one.
19:23. The sun was risen upon the earth, and Lot entered into Segor.
19:24. And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.
19:25. And he destroyed these cities, and all the country about, all the inhabitants of the cities, and all things that spring from the earth.
19:26. And his wife looking behind her, was turned into a statue of salt.
And his wife... As a standing memorial to the servants of God to proceed in virtue, and not to look back to vice or its allurements.
19:27. And Abraham got up early in the morning, and in the place where he had stood before with the Lord:
19:28. He looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha, and the whole land of that country: and he saw the ashes rise up from the earth as the smoke of a furnace.
19:29. Now when God destroyed the cities of that country, remembering Abraham, he delivered Lot out of the destruction of the cities wherein he had dwelt.
19:30. And Lot went up out of Segor, and abode in the mountain, and his two daughters with him (for he was afraid to stay in Segor) and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters with him.
19:31. And the elder said to the younger: Our father is old, and there is no man left on the earth, to come in unto us after the manner of the whole earth.
19:32. Come, let us make him drunk with wine, and let us lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
19:33. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the elder went in, and lay with her father: but he perceived not, neither when his daughter lay down, nor when she rose up.
19:34. And the next day the elder said to the younger: Behold I lay last night with my father, let us make him drink wine also to night, and thou shalt lie with him, that we may save seed of our father.
19:35. They made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in, and lay with him: and neither then did he perceive when she lay down, nor when she rose up.
19:36. So the two daughters of Lot were with child by their father.
19:37. And the elder bore a son, and she called his name Moab: he is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
19:38. The younger also bore a son, and she called his name Ammon; that is, the son of my people: he is the father of the Ammonites unto this day.
Genesis Chapter 20
Abraham sojourned in Gerara: Sara is taken into king Abimelech's house, but by God's commandment is restored untouched.
20:1. Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.
20:2. And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Gerara sent, and took her.
20:3. And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and he said to him: Lo thou shalt die for the woman that thou hast taken: for she hath a husband.
20:4. Now Abimelech had not touched her, and he said: Lord, wilt thou slay a nation that is ignorant and just?
20:5. Did not he say to me: She is my sister: and she say, He is my brother? in the simplicity of my heart, and cleanness of my hands have I done this.
20:6. And God said to him: And I know that thou didst it with a sincere heart: and therefore I withheld thee from sinning against me, and I suffered thee not to touch her.
20:7. Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet: and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: but if thou wilt not restore her, know that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thine.
20:8. And Abimelech forthwith rising up in the night, called all his servants: and spoke all these words in their hearing, and all the men were exceedingly afraid.
20:9. And Abimelech called also for Abraham, and said to him: What hast thou done to us? what have we offended thee in, that thou hast brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done to us what thou oughtest not to do.
20:10. And again he expostulated with him, and said: What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?
20:11. Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife:
20:12. Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife.
20:13. And after God brought me out of my father's house, I said to her: Thou shalt do me this kindness: In every place, to which we shall come, thou shalt say that I am thy brother.
20:14. And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara his wife,
20:15. And said: The land is before you, dwell wheresoever it shall please thee.
20:16. And to Sara he said: Behold I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver, this shall serve thee for a covering of thy eyes to all that are with thee, and whithersoever thou shalt go: and remember thou wast taken.
20:17. And when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bore children:
20:18. For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech, on account of Sara, Abraham's wife.
Genesis Chapter 21
Isaac is born. Agar and Ismael are cast forth.
21:1. And the Lord visited Sara, as he had promised: and fulfilled what he had spoken.
21:2. And she conceived and bore a son in her old age, at the time that God had foretold her.
21:3. And Abraham called the name of his son, whom Sara bore him, Isaac.
Isaac... This word signifies laughter.
21:4. And he circumcised him the eighth day, as God had commanded him,
21:5. When he was a hundred years old: for at this age of his father, was Isaac born.
21:6. And Sara said: God hath made a laughter for me: whosoever shall hear of it will laugh with me.
21:7. And again she said: Who would believe that Abraham should hear that Sara gave suck to a son, whom she bore to him in his old age?
21:8. And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast on the day of his weaning.
21:9. And when Sara had seen the son of Agar, the Egyptian, playing with Isaac, her son, she said to Abraham:
21:10. Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.
21:11. Abraham took this grievously for his son.
21:12. And God said to him: Let it not seem grievous to thee for the boy, and for thy bondwoman: in all that Sara hath said to thee, hearken to her voice: for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
21:13. But I will make the son also of the bondwoman a great nation, because he is thy seed.
21:14. So Abraham rose up in the morning, and taking bread and a bottle of water, put it upon her shoulder, and delivered the boy, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Bersabee.
21:15. And when the water in the bottle was spent, she cast the boy under one of the trees that were there.
21:16. And she went her way, and sat overagainst him a great way off, as far as a bow can carry, for she said: I will not see the boy die: and sitting overagainst, she lifted up her voice and wept.
21:17. And God heard the voice of the boy: and an angel of God called to Agar from heaven, saying: What art thou doing, Agar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the boy, from the place wherein he is.
21:18. Arise, take up the boy, and hold him by the hand, for I will make him a great nation.
21:19. And God opened her eyes: and she saw a well of water, and went and filled the bottle, and gave the boy to drink.
21:20. And God was with him: and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became a young man, an archer.
21:21. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Pharan, and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
21:22. At the same time Abimelech, and Phicol the general of his army, said to Abraham: God is with thee in all that thou dost.
21:23. Swear therefore by God, that thou wilt not hurt me, nor my posterity, nor my stock: but according to the kindness that I have done to thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land wherein thou hast lived a stranger.
21:24. And Abraham said: I will swear.
21:25. And he reproved Abimelech for a well of water, which his servants had taken away by force.
21:26. And Abimelech answered: I knew not who did this thing: and thou didst not tell me, and I heard not of it till today.
21:27. Then Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech: and both of them made a league.
21:28. And Abraham set apart seven ewelambs of the flock.
21:29. And Abimelech said to him: What mean these seven ewelambs which thou hast set apart?
21:30. But he said: Thou shalt take seven ewelambs at my hand: that they may be a testimony for me, that I dug this well.
21:31. Therefore that place was called Bersabee; because there both of them did swear.
Bersabee... That is, the well of oath.
21:32. And they made a league for the well of oath.
21:33. And Abimelech and Phicol, the general of his army, arose and returned to the land of the Palestines. But Abraham planted a grove in Bersabee, and there called upon the name of the Lord God eternal.
21:34. And he was a sojourner in the land of the Palestines many days.
Genesis Chapter 22
The faith and obedience of Abraham is proved in his readiness to sacrifice his son Isaac. He is stayed from the act by an angel. Former promises are renewed to him. His brother Nachor's issue.
22:1. After these things, God tempted Abraham, and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am.
God tempted, etc... God tempteth no man to evil, James 1.13; but by trial and experiment maketh known to the world, and to ourselves, what we are, as here by this trial the singular faith and obedience of Abraham was made manifest.
22:2. He said to him: Take thy only begotten son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and go into the land of vision; and there thou shalt offer him for an holocaust upon one of the mountains which I will shew thee.
22:3. So Abraham rising up in the night, saddled his ass, and took with him two young men, and Isaac his son: and when he had cut wood for the holocaust, he went his way to the place which God had commanded him.
22:4. And on the third day, lifting up his eyes, he saw the place afar off.
22:5. And he said to his young men: Stay you here with the ass; I and the boy will go with speed as far as yonder, and after we have worshipped, will return to you.
22:6. And he took the wood for the holocaust, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. And as they two went on together,
22:7. Isaac said to his father: My father. And he answered: What wilt thou, son? Behold, saith he, fire and wood: where is the victim for the holocaust?
22:8. And Abraham said: God will provide himself a victim for an holocaust, my son. So they went on together.
22:9. And they came to the place which God had shewn him, where he built an altar, and laid the wood in order upon it; and when he had bound Isaac his son, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood.
22:10. And he put forth his hand, and took the sword, to sacrifice his son.
22:11. And behold, an angel of the Lord from heaven called to him, saying: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am.
22:12. And he said to him: Lay not thy hand upon the boy, neither do thou any thing to him: now I know that thou fearest God, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake.
22:13. Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind his back a ram, amongst the briers, sticking fast by the horns, which he took and offered for a holocaust instead of his son.
22:14. And he called the name of that place, The Lord seeth. Whereupon, even to this day, it is said: In the mountain the Lord will see.
22:15. And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying:
22:16. By my own self have I sworn, saith the Lord: because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake:
22:17. I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore; thy seed shall possess the gates of their enemies.
22:18. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.
22:19. Abraham returned to his young men, and they went to Bersabee together, and he dwelt there.
22:20. After these things, it was told Abraham, that Melcha also had borne children to Nachor his brother.
22:21. Hus, the firstborn, and Buz, his brother, and Camuel the father of the Syrians,
22:22. And Cased, and Azau, and Pheldas, and Jedlaph,
22:23. And Bathuel, of whom was born Rebecca: these eight did Melcha bear to Nachor, Abraham's brother.
22:24. And his concubine, named Roma, bore Tabee, and Gaham, and Tahas, and Maacha.
Genesis Chapter 23
Sara's death and burial in the field bought of Ephron.
23:1. And Sara lived a hundred and twenty-seven years.
23:2. And she died in the city of Arbee which is Hebron, in the land of Chanaan: and Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.
23:3. And after he rose up from the funeral obsequies, he spoke to the children of Heth, saying:
23:4. I am a stranger and sojourner among you: give me the right of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead.
23:5. The children of Heth answered, saying:
23:6. My lord, hear us, thou art a prince of God among us: bury thy dead in our principal sepulchres: and no man shall have power to hinder thee from burying thy dead in his sepulchre.
23:7. Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, to wit, the children of Heth:
Bowed down to the people... Adoravit, literally adored. But this word here, as well as in many other places in the Latin scriptures, is used to signify only an inferior honour and reverence paid to men, expressed by a bowing down of the body.
23:8. And said to them: If it please your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede for me to Ephron the son of Seor.
23:9. That he may give me the double cave, which he hath in the end of his field: For as much money as it is worth he shall give it me before you, for a possession of a burying place.
23:10. Now Ephron dwelt in the midst of the children of Heth. And Ephron made answer to Abraham in the hearing of all that went in at the gate of the city, saying: