Category: Genesis

1 Then the Lord visited Sarah, just as he had promised; and he fulfilled what he had spoken.

2 And she conceived and gave birth to a son in her old age, at the time that God had foretold to her.

3 And Abraham called the name of his son, whom Sarah bore for him, Isaac.

4 And he circumcised him on the eighth day, just as God had instructed him,

5 when he was one hundred years old. Indeed, at this stage of his father’s life, Isaac was born.

6 And Sarah said: “God has brought laughter to me. Whoever will hear of it will laugh with me.”

7 And again, she said: “Hearing this, who would believe Abraham, that Sarah breast-fed a son, to whom she gave birth, despite being elderly?”

8 And the boy grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day of his weaning.

9 And when Sarah had seen the son of Hagar the Egyptian playing with her son Isaac, she said to Abraham:

10 “Cast out this woman servant and her son. For the son of a woman servant will not be heir with my son Isaac.”

11 Abraham took this grievously, for the sake of his son.

12 And God said to him: “Let it not seem harsh to you concerning the boy and your woman servant. In all that Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice. For your offspring will be invoked in Isaac.

13 Yet I will also make the son of the woman servant into a great nation, for he is your offspring.”

14 And so Abraham arose in the morning, and taking bread and a skin of water, he placed it upon her shoulder, and he handed over the boy, and he released her. And when she had departed, she wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 And when the water in the skin had been consumed, she set aside the boy, under one of the trees that were there.

16 And she moved away and sat in a distant area, as far as a bow can reach. For she said, “I shall not see the boy die.” And so, sitting opposite her, he lifted up his voice and wept.

17 But God heard the voice of the boy. And an Angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, saying: “What are you doing, Hagar? Do not be afraid. For God has heeded the voice of the boy, from the place where he is.

18 Rise up. Take the boy and hold him by the hand. For I will make of him a great nation.”

19 And God opened her eyes. And seeing a well of water, she went and filled the skin, and she gave the boy to drink.

20 And God was with him. And he grew, and he stayed in the wilderness, and he became a young man, an archer.

21 And he lived in the desert of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

22 At the same time, Abimelech and Phicol, the leader of his army, said to Abraham: “God is with you in everything that you do.

23 Therefore, swear by God that you will do no harm to me, and to my posterity, and to my stock. But according to the mercy that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land, to which you have turned as a newcomer.”

24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

25 And he reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which his servants had taken away by force.

26 And Abimelech responded, “I do not know who did this thing, but you also did not reveal it to me, nor have I heard of it, before today.”

27 And so Abraham took sheep and oxen, and he gave them to Abimelech. And both of them struck a pact.

28 And Abraham set aside seven female lambs from the flock.

29 Abimelech said to him, “What purpose have these seven female lambs, which you have caused to stand separately?”

30 But he said, “You will receive seven female lambs from my hand, so that they may be a testimony for me, that I dug this well.”

31 For this reason, that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them did swear.

32 And they initiated a pact on behalf of the well of oath.

33 Then Abimelech and Phicol, the leader of his army, rose up, and they returned to the land of the Palestinians. In truth, Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the Lord God Eternal.

34 And he was a settler in the land of the Palestinians for many days.

1 After these things occurred, God tested Abraham, and he said to him, “Abraham, Abraham.” And he answered, “Here I am.”

2 He said to him: “Take your only begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of vision. And there you shall offer him as a holocaust upon one of the mountains, which I will show to you.”

3 And so Abraham, getting up in the night, harnessed his donkey, taking with him two youths, and his son Isaac. And when he had cut wood for the holocaust, he traveled toward the place, as God had instructed him.

4 Then, on the third day, lifting up his eyes, he saw the place at a distance.

5 And he said to his servants: “Wait here with the donkey. I and the boy will hurry further ahead to that place. After we have worshipped, will return to you.”

6 He also took the wood for the holocaust, and he imposed it upon his son Isaac. And he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. And as the two continued on together,

7 Isaac said to his father, “My father.” And he answered, “What do you want, son?” “Behold,” he said, “fire and wood. Where is the victim for the holocaust?”

8 But Abraham said, “God himself will provide the victim for the holocaust, my son.” Thus they continued on together.

9 And they came to the place that God had shown to him. There he built an altar, and he set the wood in order upon it. And when he had bound his son Isaac, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood.

10 And he reached out his hand and took hold of the sword, in order to sacrifice his son.

11 And behold, an Angel of the Lord called out from heaven, saying, “Abraham, Abraham.” And he answered, “Here I am.”

12 And he said to him, “Do not extend your hand over the boy, and do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, since you have not spared your only begotten son for my sake.”

13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw behind his back a ram among the thorns, caught by the horns, which he took and offered as a holocaust, instead of his son.

14 And he called the name of that place: ‘The Lord Sees.’ Thus, even to this day, it is said: ‘On the mountain, the Lord will see.’

15 Then the Angel of the Lord called out to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying:

16 “By my own self, I have sworn, says the Lord. Because you have done this thing, and have not spared your only begotten son for my sake,

17 I will bless you, and I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies.

18 And in your offspring, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you obeyed my voice.”

19 Abraham returned to his servants, and they went to Beersheba together, and he lived there.

20 After these things occurred, it was reported to Abraham that Milcah, likewise, had borne sons for his brother Nahor:

21 Uz, the firstborn, and Buz, his brother, and Kemuel, the father of the Syrians,

22 and Chesed, and Hazo, likewise Pildash, and Jidlaph,

23 as well as Bethuel, of whom was born Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore for Nahor, the brother of Abraham.

24 In truth, his concubine, named Reumah, bore Tebah, and Gaham, and Tahash, and Maacah.

1 Now Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years.

2 And she died in the city of Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.

3 And when he had risen up from the funeral duties, he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying:

4 “I am a newcomer and a sojourner among you. Give me the right of a sepulcher among you, so that I may bury my dead.”

5 The sons of Heth responded by saying:

6 “Hear us, O lord, you are a leader of God among us. Bury your dead in our chosen sepulchers. And no man shall be able to prohibit you from burying your dead within his memorial.”

7 Abraham arose, and he reverenced the people of the land, namely, the sons of Heth.

8 And he said to them: “If it pleases your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede on my behalf with Ephron, the son of Zohar,

9 so that he may give me the double cave, which he has at the far end of his field. He may transfer it to me for as much money as it is worth in your sight, for the possession of a sepulcher.”

10 Now Ephron dwelt in the midst of the sons of Heth. And Ephron responded to Abraham in the hearing of everyone who was entering at the gate of his city, saying:

11 “Let it never be so, my lord, but you should pay greater heed to what I say. The field I will transfer to you, and the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people, bury your dead.”

12 Abraham reverenced in the sight of the people of the land.

13 And he spoke to Ephron, standing in the midst of the people: “I ask you to hear me. I will give you money for the field. Take it, and so I will bury my dead in it.”

14 And Ephron responded: “My lord, hear me.

15 The land that you request is worth four hundred shekels of silver. This is the price between me and you. But how much is this? Bury your dead.”

16 And when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had requested, in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, of the approved public currency.

17 And having confirmed that the field, in which there was a double cave overlooking Mamre, formerly belonged to Ephron, both it and the sepulcher, and all its trees, with all its surrounding limits,

18 Abraham took it as a possession, in the sight of the sons of Heth and of everyone who was entering at the gate of his city.

19 So then, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the double cave of the field that overlooked Mamre. This is Hebron in the land of Canaan.

20 And the field was confirmed to Abraham, with the cave that was in it, as a memorial possession before the sons of Heth.

1 Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.

2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was in charge of all that he had: “Place your hand under my thigh,

3 so that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.

4 But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”

5 The servant responded, “If the woman is not willing to come with me into this land, must I lead your son back to the place from which you departed?”

6 And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.

7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my nativity, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ himself will send his Angel before you, and you will take from there a wife for my son.

8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, you will not be held by the oath. Only do not lead my son back to that place.”

9 Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.

10 And he took ten camels from his lord’s herd, and he went forth, carrying with him things from all of his goods. And he set out, and continued on, to the city of Nahor, in Mesopotamia.

11 And when he had made the camels lie down outside of the town, near a well of water, in the evening, at the time when women are accustomed to go out to draw water, he said:

12 “O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, meet with me today, I beg you, and show mercy to my lord Abraham.

13 Behold, I stand near the fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will go forth to draw water.

14 Therefore, the girl to whom I will say, ‘Tip your pitcher, so that I may drink,’ and she will respond, ‘Drink. In fact, I will give your camels a drink also,’ the same one is she whom you have prepared for your servant Isaac. And by this, I will understand that you have shown mercy to my lord.”

15 But he had not yet completed these words within himself, when, behold, Rebekah went out, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder.

16 She was an exceedingly elegant girl, and a most beautiful virgin, and unknown by man. And she descended to the spring, and she filled her pitcher, and then was returning.

17 And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”

18 And she responded, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly brought down the pitcher on her arm, and she gave him a drink.

19 And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”

20 And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water; and having drawn, she gave it to all the camels.

21 But he was contemplating her silently, wanting to know whether the Lord had caused his journey to prosper or not

22 Then, after the camels drank, the man took out gold earrings, weighing two shekels, and the same number of bracelets, ten shekels in weight.

23 And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”

24 She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”

25 And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”

26 The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,

27 saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has not taken away his mercy and truth from my lord, and who has led me on a direct journey to the house of the brother of my lord.”

28 And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.

29 Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.

30 And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and he had heard all the words being repeated, “This is what the man spoke to me,” he came to the man who stood by the camels and near the spring of water,

31 and he said to him: “Enter, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”

32 And he brought him into his guest quarters. And he unharnessed the camels, and he distributed straw and hay, and water to wash his feet and that of the men who arrived with him.

33 And bread was set out in his sight. But he said, “I will not eat, until I have spoken my words.” He answered him, “Speak.”

34 Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.

35 And the Lord has blessed my lord greatly, and he has become great. And he has given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and donkeys.

36 And Sarah, the wife of my lord, has given birth to a son for my lord in her old age, and he has given him all that he had.

37 And my lord made me swear, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.

38 But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’

39 But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’

40 ‘The Lord,’ he said, ‘in whose sight I walk, will send his Angel with you, and he will direct your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my own kindred and from my father’s house.

41 But you will be innocent of my curse, if, when you will arrive at my close relatives, they will not grant this to you.’

42 And so, today I arrived at the well of water, and I said: ‘O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, if you have directed my way, in which I now walk,

43 behold, I stand next to the well of water, and the virgin, who will go forth to draw water, will hear from me, “Give me a little water to drink from your pitcher.”

44 And she will say to me, “You drink, and I will also draw for your camels.” Let the same be the woman, whom the Lord has prepared for the son of my lord.’

45 And while I thought over these things silently within myself, Rebekah appeared, arriving with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder. And she descended to the spring and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Give me a little to drink.’

46 And she quickly let down the pitcher from her arm, and said to me, ‘You drink, and to your camels I will also distribute drinking water.’ I drank, and she watered the camels.

47 And I questioned her, saying, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she responded, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ And so, I hung the earrings on her, to adorn her face, and I put the bracelets on her hands.

48 And falling prostrate, I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has led me along the straight path so as to take the daughter of my lord’s brother to his son.

49 For this reason, if you would act according to mercy and truth with my lord, tell me so. But if it pleases you otherwise, say that to me also, so that I may go either to the right, or to the left.”

50 And Laban and Bethuel responded: “A word has proceeded from the Lord. We are not able to speak anything else to you, beyond what pleases him.

51 Lo, Rebekah is in your sight. Take her and continue on, and let her be the wife of the son of your lord, just as the Lord has spoken.”

52 When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.

53 And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, as well as garments, he gave them to Rebekah as a tribute. Likewise, he offered gifts to her brothers and her mother.

54 And a banquet began, and they feasted and drank together, and they lodged there. And rising up in the morning, the servant said, “Release me, so that I may go to my lord.”

55 And her brothers and mother responded, “Let the girl remain for at least ten days with us, and after that, she will continue on.”

56 “Do not be willing,” he said, “to delay me, for the Lord has directed my way. Release me, so that I may journey to my lord.”

57 And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”

58 And when, having been called, she arrived, they wanted to know, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”

59 Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,

60 wishing prosperity for their sister, by saying: “You are our sister. May you increase to thousands of thousands. And may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”

61 And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.

62 Then, at the same time, Isaac was walking along the way that leads to the well, whose name is: ‘of the One who lives and who sees.’ For he dwelt in the southern land.

63 And he had gone out to meditate in the field, as daylight was now declining. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels advancing from afar.

64 Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.

65 And she said to the servant, “Who is that man who advances to meet us through the field?” And he said to her, “That is my lord.” And so, quickly taking up her cloak, she covered herself.

66 Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.

67 And he led her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he accepted her as wife. And he loved her so very much, that it tempered the sorrow which befell him at his mother’s death.

1 In truth, Abraham took another wife, named Keturah.

2 And she bore to him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

3 Likewise, Jokshan conceived Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

4 And truly, from Midian was born Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

5 And Abraham gave everything that he possessed to Isaac.

6 But to the sons of the concubines he gave generous gifts, and he separated them from his son Isaac, while he still lived, toward the eastern region.

7 Now the days of Abraham’s life were one hundred and seventy-five years.

8 And declining, he died in a good old age, and at an advanced stage of life, and full of days. And he was gathered to his people.

9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the double cave, which was situated in the field of Ephron, of the son of Zohar the Hittite, across from the region of Mamre,

10 which he had bought from the sons of Heth. There he was buried, with his wife Sarah.

11 And after his passing, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near the well named ‘of the One who lives and who sees.’

12 These are the generations of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to him.

13 And these are the names of his sons according to their language and generations. The firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

14 likewise Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,

15 Hadad, and Tema, and Jetur, and Naphish, and Kedemah.

16 These are the sons of Ishmael. And these are their names throughout their fortresses and towns: the twelve princes of their tribes.

17 And the years of the life of Ishmael that passed were one hundred and thirty-seven. And declining, he died and was placed with his people.

18 Now he had lived from Havilah as far as Shur, which overlooks Egypt as it approaches the Assyrians. He passed away in the sight of all his brothers.

19 Likewise, these are the generations of Isaac, the son of Abraham. Abraham conceived Isaac,

20 who, when he was forty years old, took Rebekah, the sister of Laban, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian from Mesopotamia, as a wife.

21 And Isaac beseeched the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And he heard him, and he gave conception to Rebekah.

22 But the little ones struggled in her womb. So she said, “If it was to be so with me, what need was there to conceive?” And she went to consult the Lord.

23 And responding, he said, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be divided out of your womb, and one people will overcome the other people, and the elder will serve the younger.”

24 Now the time had arrived to give birth, and behold, twins were discovered in her womb.

25 He who departed first was red, and entirely hairy like a pelt; and his name was called Esau. At once the other departed and he held his brother’s foot in his hand; and because of this he was called Jacob.

26 Isaac was sixty years old when the little ones were born to him.

27 And as adults, Esau became a knowledgeable hunter and a man of agriculture, but Jacob, a simple man, dwelt in tents.

28 Isaac was fond of Esau, because he was fed from his hunting; and Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Then Jacob boiled a small meal. Esau, when he had arrived weary from the field,

30 said to him, “Give me this red stew, for I am very tired.” For this reason, his name was called Edom.

31 Jacob said to him, “Sell me your right of the firstborn.”

32 He answered, “Lo, I am dying, what will the right of the firstborn provide for me?”

33 Jacob said, “So then, swear to me.” Esau swore to him, and he sold his right of the firstborn.

34 And so, taking bread and the food of lentils, he ate, and he drank, and he went away, giving little weight to having sold the right of the firstborn.

1 Then, when a famine arose over the land, after that barrenness which had happened in the days of Abraham, Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Palestinians, in Gerar.

2 And the Lord appeared to him, and he said: “Do not descend into Egypt, but rest in the land that I will tell you,

3 and sojourn in it, and I will be with you, and I will bless you. For to you and to your offspring I will give all these regions, completing the oath that I promised to Abraham your father.

4 And I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven. And I will give to your posterity all these regions. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed,

5 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my precepts and commandments, and observed the ceremonies and the laws.”

6 And so Isaac remained in Gerar.

7 And when he was questioned by the men of that place about his wife, he answered, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to confess her to be his mate, thinking that perhaps they would put him to death because of her beauty.

8 And when very many days had passed, and he had remained in the same place, Abimelech, king of the Palestinians, gazing through a window, saw him being playful with Rebekah, his wife.

9 And summoning him, he said: “It is clear that she is your wife. Why did you falsely claim her to be your sister?” He answered, “I was afraid, lest I might die because of her.”

10 And Abimelech said: “Why have you burdened us? Someone from the people could have lain with your wife, and you would have brought a great sin upon us.” And he instructed all the people, saying,

11 “Whoever will touch the wife of this man will die a death.”

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and he found, in that same year, one hundredfold. And the Lord blessed him.

13 And the man was enriched, and he continued prospering as well as increasing, until he became very great.

14 Likewise, he had possessions of sheep and of herds, and a very large family. Because of this, the Palestinians envied him,

15 so, at that time, they obstructed all the wells that the servants of his father Abraham had dug, filling them with soil.

16 It reached a point where Abimelech himself said to Isaac, “Move away from us, for you have become very much more powerful than we.”

17 And departing, he then went toward the torrent of Gerar, and he dwelt there.

18 Again, he dug up other wells, which the servants of his father Abraham had dug, and which, after his death, the Philistines had formerly obstructed. And he called them by the same names that his father had called them before.

19 And they dug in the torrent, and they found living water.

20 But in that place also the shepherds of Gerar argued against the shepherds of Isaac, by saying, “It is our water.” For this reason, he called the name of the well, because of what had happened, ‘Calumny.’

21 Then they dug up yet another one. And over that one also they fought, and he called it, ‘Enmity.’

22 Advancing from there, he dug another well, over which they did not contend. And so he called its name, ‘Latitude,’ saying, “Now the Lord has expanded us and caused us to increase across the land.”

23 Then he ascended from that place into Beersheba,

24 where the Lord appeared to him on the same night, saying: “I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you, and I will multiply your offspring because of my servant Abraham.”

25 And so he built an altar there. And he invoked the name of the Lord, and he stretched out his tent. And he instructed his servants to dig a well.

26 When Abimelech, and Ahuzzath, his friend, and Phicol, the leader of the military, had arrived from Gerar to that place,

27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, a man whom you hate, and whom you have expelled from among you?”

28 And they responded: “We saw that the Lord is with you, and therefore we said: Let there be an oath between us, and let us initiate a pact,

29 so that you may not do us any kind of harm, just as we have touched nothing of yours, and have not caused any injury to you, but with peace we released you, augmented by the blessing of the Lord.”

30 Therefore, he made them a feast, and after the food and drink,

31 arising in the morning, they swore to one another. And Isaac sent them away peacefully to their own place.

32 Then, behold, on the same day the servants of Isaac came, reporting to him about a well which they had dug, and saying: “We have found water.”

33 Therefore, he called it, ‘Abundance.’ And the name of the city was established as ‘Beersheba,’ even to the present day.

34 In truth, at forty years of age, Esau took wives: Judith, the daughter of Beeri, the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon, of the same place.

35 And they both offended the mind of Isaac and Rebekah.

1 Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were cloudy, and so he was not able to see. And he called his elder son Esau, and he said to him, “My son?” And he responded, “Here I am.”

2 His father said to him: “You see that I am old, and I do not know the day of my death.

3 Take your weapons, the quiver and the bow, and go out. And when you have taken something by hunting,

4 make from it a small meal for me, just as you know I like, and bring it, so that I may eat and my soul may bless you before I die.”

5 And when Rebekah had heard this, and he had gone out into the field to fulfill his father’s order,

6 she said to her son Jacob: “I heard your father speaking with your brother Esau, and saying to him,

7 ‘Bring to me from your hunting, and make me foods, so that I may eat and bless you in the sight of the Lord before I die.’

8 Therefore, now my son, agree to my counsel,

9 and go straight to the flock, and bring me two of the best young goats, so that from them I may make meat for your father, such as he willingly eats.

10 Then, when you have brought these in and he has eaten, he may bless you before he dies.”

11 He answered her: “You know that my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am smooth.

12 If my father should lay hands on me and perceive it, I am afraid lest he think me willing to mock him, and I will bring a curse upon myself, instead of a blessing.”

13 And his mother said to him: “Let this curse be upon me, my son. Yet listen to my voice, and go directly to bring what I said.”

14 He went out, and he brought, and he gave to his mother. She prepared the meats, just as she knew his father liked.

15 And she clothed him with the very fine garments of Esau, which she had at home with her.

16 And she encircled his hands with little pelts from the young goats, and she covered his bare neck.

17 And she gave him the small meal, and she handed him the bread that she had baked.

18 When he had carried these in, he said, “My father?” And he answered, “I’m listening. Who are you, my son?”

19 And Jacob said: “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you instructed me. Arise; sit and eat from my hunting, so that your soul may bless me.”

20 And again Isaac said to his son, “How were you able to find it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “It was the will of God, so that what I sought met with me quickly.”

21 And Isaac said, “Come here, so that I may touch you, my son, and may prove whether you are my son Esau, or not.”

22 He approached his father, and when he had felt him, Isaac said: “The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob. But the hands are the hands of Esau.”

23 And he did not recognize him, because his hairy hands made him seem similar to the elder one. Therefore, blessing him,

24 he said, “Are you my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.”

25 Then he said, “Bring me the foods from your hunting, my son, so that my soul may bless you.” And when he had eaten what was offered, he also brought forth wine for him. And after he finished it,

26 he said to him, “Come to me and give me a kiss, my son.”

27 He approached and kissed him. And immediately he perceived the fragrance of his garments. And so, blessing him, he said: “Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord has blessed.

28 May God give to you, from the dew of heaven and from the fatness of the earth, an abundance of grain and wine.

29 And may the peoples serve you, and may the tribes reverence you. May you be the lord of your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down before you. Whoever curses you, may he be cursed, and whoever blesses you, may he be filled with blessings.”

30 Scarcely had Isaac completed his words, and Jacob departed, when Esau arrived.

31 And he brought his father foods cooked from his hunting, saying, “Arise, my father, and eat from your son’s hunting, so that your soul may bless me.”

32 And Isaac said to him, “But who are you?” And he answered, “I am your firstborn son, Esau.”

33 Isaac became frightened and very astonished. And wondering beyond what can be believed, he said: “Then who is he that a while ago brought me the prey from his hunting, from which I ate, before you arrived? And I blessed him, and he will be blessed.”

34 Esau, having heard his father’s words, roared out with a great outcry. And, being confounded, he said, “But bless me also, my father.”

35 And he said, “Your twin came deceitfully, and he received your blessing.”

36 But he responded: “Justly is his name called Jacob. For he has supplanted me yet another time. My birthright he took away before, and now, this second time, he has stolen my blessing.” And again, he said to his father, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me also?”

37 Isaac answered: “I have appointed him as your lord, and I have subjugated all his brothers as his servants. I have reinforced him with grain and wine, and after this, my son, what more shall I do for you?”

38 And Esau said to him: “Have you only one blessing, father? I beg you, bless me also.” And when he wept with a loud wail,

39 Isaac was moved, and he said to him: “In the fatness of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above,

40 will your blessing be. You will live by the sword, and you will serve your brother. But the time will arrive when you will shake off and release his yoke from your neck.”

41 Therefore, Esau always hated Jacob, for the blessing with which his father had blessed him. And he said in his heart, “The days will arrive for the mourning of my father, and I will kill my brother Jacob.”

42 These things were reported to Rebekah. And sending and calling for her son Jacob, she said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau is threatening to kill you.

43 Therefore, now my son, listen to my voice. Rise up and flee to my brother Laban, in Haran.

44 And you will dwell with him for a few days, until the fury of your brother subsides,

45 and his indignation ceases, and he forgets the things that you have done to him. After this, I will send for you and bring you from there to here. Why should I be bereaved of both my sons in one day?”

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob accepts a wife from the stock of this land, I would not be willing to live.”

1 And so Isaac called for Jacob, and he blessed him, and he instructed him, saying: “Do not be willing to accept a mate from the family of Canaan.

2 But go, and journey to Mesopotamia of Syria, to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and there accept for yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban, your maternal uncle.

3 And may God almighty bless you, and may he cause you to increase and also to multiply, so that you may be influential among the people.

4 And may he give the blessings of Abraham to you, and to your offspring after you, so that you may possess the land of your sojourning, which he promised to your grandfather.”

5 And when Isaac had dismissed him, setting out, he went to Mesopotamia of Syria, to Laban, the son of Bethuel, the Syrian, the brother to Rebekah, his mother.

6 But Esau, seeing that his father had blessed Jacob and had sent him into Mesopotamia of Syria, to take a wife from there, and that, after the blessing, he had instructed him, saying: ‘You shall not accept a wife from the daughters of Canaan,’

7 and that Jacob, obeying his parents, had gone into Syria,

8 having evidence also that his father did not look with favor upon the daughters of Canaan,

9 he went to Ishmael, and he took as a wife, beside those he had before, Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth.

10 Meanwhile Jacob, having departed from Beersheba, continued on to Haran.

11 And when he had arrived at a certain place, where he would rest after the setting of the sun, he took some of the stones that lay there, and placing them under his head, he slept in the same place.

12 And he saw in his sleep: a ladder standing upon the earth, with its top touching heaven, also, the Angels of God ascending and descending by it,

13 and the Lord, leaning upon the ladder, saying to him: “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land, in which you sleep, I will give to you and to your offspring.

14 And your offspring will be like the dust of the earth. You will spread abroad to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the Meridian. And in you and in your offspring, all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed.

15 And I will be your guardian wherever you will journey, and I will bring you back into this land. Neither will I dismiss you, until I have accomplished all that I have said.”

16 And when Jacob had awakened from sleep, he said, “Truly, the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

17 And being terrified, he said: “How terrible this place is! This is nothing other than the house of God and the gateway of heaven.”

18 Therefore, Jacob, arising in the morning, took the stone which he had placed under his head, and he set it up as monument, pouring oil over it.

19 And he called the name of the city, ‘Bethel,’ which before was called Luz.

20 And then he made a vow, saying: “If God will be with me, and will guard me along the way by which I walk, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear,

21 and if I will return prosperously to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God,

22 and this stone, which I have set up as a monument, will be called ‘the House of God.’ And from all the things that you will give to me, I will offer tithes to you.”

1 And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.

2 And he saw a well in a field, and also three flocks of sheep reclining near it. For the animals were watered from it, and its mouth was closed with a great stone.

3 And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone. And when the flocks had been refreshed, they placed it over the mouth of the well again.

4 And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”

5 And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”

6 He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”

7 And Jacob said, “There is still much daylight remaining, and it is not time to return the flocks to the sheepfold. Give the sheep to drink first, and then lead them back to pasture.”

8 They responded, “We cannot, until all the animals are gathered together and we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, so that we may water the flocks.”

9 They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.

10 When Jacob had seen her, and he realized that she was his maternal first cousin, and that these were the sheep of his uncle Laban, he removed the stone which closed the well.

11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.

12 And he revealed to her that he was a brother of her father, and the son of Rebekah. And so, hurrying, she announced it to her father.

13 And when he had heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, had arrived, he ran to meet him. And embracing him, and kissing him heartily, he brought him into his house. But when he had heard the reasons for his journey,

14 he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,

15 he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”

16 In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.

17 But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.

18 And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”

19 Laban responded, “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; remain with me.”

20 Therefore, Jacob served for seven years for Rachel. And these seemed like only a few days, because of the greatness of love.

21 And he said to Laban, “Give my wife to me. For now the time has been fulfilled, so that I may go in to her.”

22 And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.

23 And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,

24 giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.

25 And he said to his father-in-law, “What is it that you intended to do? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”

26 Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.

27 Complete a week of days with this mating. And then I will give this one to you also, for the service that you will provide to me for another seven years.”

28 He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.

29 To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.

30 And, having at last obtained the marriage he desired, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and he served with him another seven years.

31 But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.

32 Having conceived, she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying: “The Lord saw my humiliation; now my husband will love me.”

33 And again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I was treated with contempt, he has also given this one to me.” And she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived a third time, and she gave birth to another son, and she said: “Now likewise my husband will unite with me, because I have borne him three sons.” And because of this, she called his name Levi.

35 A fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Only now will I confess to the Lord.” And for this reason, she called him Judah. And she ceased from child-bearing.

1 Then Rachel, discerning that she was infertile, envied her sister, and so she said to her husband, “Give me children, otherwise I will die.”

2 Jacob, being angry, responded to her, “Am I in the place of God, who has deprived you of the fruit of your womb?”

3 But she said: “I have a handmaid Bilhah. Go in to her, so that she may give birth upon my knees, and I may have sons by her.”

4 And she gave him Bilhah in marriage.

5 And when her husband had gone in to her, she conceived and bore a son.

6 And Rachel said, “The Lord has judged for me, and he has heeded my voice, giving me a son.” And because of this, she called his name Dan.

7 And conceiving again, Bilhah bore another,

8 about whom Rachel said, “God has compared me with my sister, and I have prevailed.” And she called him Naphtali.

9 Leah, perceiving that she had desisted from child-bearing, delivered Zilpah, her handmaid, to her husband.

10 And she, after having borne a son with difficulty,

11 said: “Happiness!” And for this reason, she called his name Gad.

12 Likewise, Zilpah bore another.

13 And Leah said, “This one is for my happiness. Indeed, women will call me blessed.” Because of this, she called him Asher.

14 Then Reuben, going out into the field at the time of the wheat harvest, found mandrakes. These he brought to his mother Leah. And Rachel said, “Give me a portion of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 She responded, “Does it seem like such a small matter to you, that you have usurped from me my husband, unless you will also take my son’s mandrakes?” Rachel said, “He will sleep with you this night because of your son’s mandrakes.”

16 And when Jacob returned from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him, and she said, “You will enter to me, because I have hired you for the reward of my son’s mandrakes.” And he slept with her that night.

17 And God heard her prayers. And she conceived and bore a fifth son.

18 And she said, “God has given a reward to me, because I gave my handmaid to my husband.” And she called his name Issachar.

19 Conceiving again, Leah bore a sixth son.

20 And she said: “God has endowed me with a good dowry. And now, at this turn, my husband will be with me, because I have conceived six sons for him.” And therefore she called his name Zebulun.

21 After him, she bore a daughter, named Dinah.

22 The Lord, likewise remembering Rachel, heeded her and opened her womb.

23 And she conceived and bore a son, saying, “God has taken away my reproach.”

24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “The Lord has added to me another son.”

25 But when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his father-in-law: “Release me, so that I may return to my native country and to my land.

26 Give me my wives, and my children, for whom I have served you, so that I may depart. You know the servitude with which I have served you.”

27 Laban said to him: “May I find grace in your sight. I have learned by experience that God has blessed me because of you.

28 Choose your wages, which I will give you.”

29 But he responded: “You know how I have served you, and how great your possession became in my hands.

30 You had little before I came to you, and now you have achieved riches. And the Lord has blessed you since my arrival. It is just, therefore, that at sometime I also should provide for my own house.”

31 And Laban said, “What shall I give to you?” But he said, “I want nothing. But if you will do what I ask, I will feed and guard your sheep again.

32 Go around through all your flocks and separate all the sheep of variegated or spotted fleece; and whatever will be darkened or blemished or variegated, as much among the sheep as among the goats, will be my wages.

33 And my justice will answer on my behalf tomorrow, when the time of settlement arrives before you. And all that is not variegated or blemished or darkened, as much among the sheep as among the goats, these will prove me to be a thief.”

34 And Laban said, “I hold favor for this request.”

35 And on that day he separated the she-goats, and the sheep, and the he-goats, and the rams with variegations or with blemishes. But every one of the flock which was of one color, that is, of white or of black fleece, he delivered into the hands of his sons.

36 And he established a distance of three days journey between himself and his son-in-law, who pastured the remainder of his flock.

37 Then Jacob, taking green branches of poplar, and almond, and sycamore trees, debarked them in part. And when the bark was pulled off, in the parts that were stripped, there appeared whiteness, yet the parts that were left whole, remained green. And so, in this way the color was made variegated.

38 And he placed them in the troughs, where the water was poured out, so that when the flocks had arrived to drink, they would have the branches before their eyes, and in their sight they might conceive.

39 And it happened that, in the very heat of joining together, the sheep looked upon the branches, and they bore the blemished and the variegated, those speckled with diverse color.

40 And Jacob divided the flock, and he set the branches in the troughs before the eyes of the rams. Now whatever was white or black belonged to Laban, but, in truth, the others belonged to Jacob, for the flocks were dispersed among one another.

41 Therefore, when the first to arrive were climbing on the ewes, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs of water before the eyes of the rams and the sheep, so that they might conceive while they were gazing upon them.

42 Yet when the late arrivals and the last to conceive were let in, he did not place these. And so those that arrived late became Laban’s, and those that arrived first became Jacob’s.

43 And the man was enriched beyond limit, and he had many flocks, women servants and men servants, camels and donkeys.