benwisdom

Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

The child grew, and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

She said, “Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.”

Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him.

Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.

Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken.

For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.

To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.”

Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.”

Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.

It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”‘”

Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’

Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!”

Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.

Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.”

God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her.

Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this.”

Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?

But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man’s wife.”

Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.

The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben Ammi. He is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.

The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.

Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father.

They made their father drink wine that night also. The younger went and lay with him. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she got up.

It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine again, tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s seed.”

They made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she arose.

Come, let’s make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s seed.”

The firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us in the way of all the earth.

Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters.

It happened, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.

He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and looked, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.

Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Yahweh.

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground.

Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky.

The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.

Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

He said to him, “Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.

See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.”

See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can’t escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die.

Lot said to them, “Oh, not so, my lord.

It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!”

But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.

When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, “Get up! Take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city.”

Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.

for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.”

The men said to Lot, “Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of the place:

They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

But the men put forth their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door.

They said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you, than with them!” They pressed hard on the man Lot, and drew near to break the door.

See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.”

He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly.

Lot went out to them to the door, and shut the door after him.

They called to Lot, and said to him, “Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them.”

But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter.

He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

and he said, “See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.”

The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth,

Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”

He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”

He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”

He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”

What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.”

Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.

Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.”

Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”

What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?

Abraham drew near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh.

I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”

Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”

since Abraham has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?

Yahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,

The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.

Then Sarah denied, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son.”

Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?’

Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

He said, “I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.

They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “See, in the tent.”

He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.

Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”

I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”

Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.

He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,

Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.

All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.