Chapter 5

24:30. And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and had heard all that she related, saying, Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,

24:31. And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.

24:32. And he brought him into his lodging; and he unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.

24:33. And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.

24:34. And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:

24:35. And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and asses.

24:36. And Sara, my master’s wife, hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.

24:37. And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:

24:38. But thou shalt go to my father’s house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:

24:39. But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?

24:40. The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father’s house.

24:41. But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.

24:42. And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master, Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,

24:43. Behold, I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:

24:44. And shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master’s son.

24:45. And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared, coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.

24:46. And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.

24:47. And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.

24:48. And falling down, I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master, Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

24:49. Wherefore, if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.

24:50. And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord: we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.

24:51. Behold, Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master’s son, as the Lord hath spoken.

24:52. Which when Abraham’s servant heard, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.

24:53. And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca, for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.

24:54. And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.

24:55. And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay, at least, ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.

24:56. Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.

24:57. And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.

Let us call the maid, and ask her will.... Not as to her marriage, as she had already consented, but of her quitting her parents and going to her husband.

24:58. And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.

24:59. So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company.

24:60. Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands; and may thy seed possess the gates of their enemies.

24:61. So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.

24:62. At the same time, Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country:

24:63. And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.

24:64. Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,

24:65. And said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.

24:66. And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.

24:67. Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother’s death.

Genesis Chapter 25

Abraham’s children by Cetura; his death and that of Ismael. Isaac hath Esau and Jacob twins. Esau selleth his first birthright to Jacob.

25:1. And Abraham married another wife named Cetura:

25:2. Who bore him Zamram, and Jecsan, and Madan, and Madian, and Jesboc, and Sue.

25:3. Jecsan also begot Saba, and Dadan. The children of Dadan were Assurim, and Latusim, and Loomim.

25:4. But of Madian was born Epha, and Opher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaa: all these were the children of Cetura.

25:5. And Abraham gave all his possessions to Isaac:

25:6. And to the children of the concubines he gave gifts, and separated them from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, to the east country.

Concubines.... Agar and Cetura are here called concubines, (though they were lawful wives, and in other places are so called,) because they were of an inferior degree, and such in scripture are usually called concubines.

25:7. And the days of Abraham’s life were a hundred and seventy-five years.

25:8. And decaying he died in a good old age, and having lived a long time, and being full of days: and was gathered to his people.

25:9. And Isaac and Ismael his sons buried him in the double cave, which was situated in the field of Ephron the son of Seor the Hethite, over against Mambre,

25:10. Which he had bought of the children of Heth: there was he buried, and Sara his wife.

25:11. And after his death, God blessed Isaac his son, who dwelt by the well named Of the living and seeing.

25:12. These are the generations of Ismael the son of Abraham, whom Agar the Egyptian, Sara’s servant, bore unto him:

25:13. And these are the names of his children according to their calling and generations. The firstborn of Ismael was Nabajoth, then Cedar, and Adbeel, and Mabsam,

25:14. And Masma, and Duma, and Massa,

25:15. Hadar, and Thema, and Jethur, and Naphis, and Cedma.

25:16. These are the sons of Ismael: and these are their names by their castles and towns, twelve princes of their tribes.

25:17. And the years of Ismael’s life were a hundred and thirty-seven, and decaying he died, and was gathered unto his people.

25:18. And he dwelt from Hevila as far as Sur, which looketh towards Egypt, to them that go towards the Assyrians. He died in the presence of all his brethren.

25:19. These also are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac:

25:20. Who when he was forty years old, took to wife Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, sister to Laban.

25:21. And Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and he heard him, and made Rebecca to conceive.

25:22. But the children struggled in her womb, and she said: If it were to be so with me, what need was there to conceive? And she went to consult the Lord.

25:23. And he answering, said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.

25:24. And when her time was come to be delivered, behold twins were found in her womb.

25:25. He that came forth first was red, and hairy like a skin: and his name was called Esau. Immediately the other coming forth, held his brother’s foot in his hand: and therefore he was called Jacob.

25:26. Isaac was threescore years old when the children were born unto him.

25:27. And when they were grown up, Esau became a skilful hunter, and a husbandman: but Jacob, a plain man, dwelt in tents.

25:28. Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his hunting: and Rebecca loved Jacob.

25:29. And Jacob boiled pottage: to whom Esau, coming faint out of the field,

25:30. Said: Give me of this red pottage, for I am exceeding faint. For which reason his name was called Edom.

25:31. And Jacob said to him: Sell me thy first birthright.

25:32. He answered: Lo I die, what will the first birthright avail me?

25:33. Jacob said: Swear therefore to me. Esau swore to him, and sold his first birthright.

25:34. And so taking bread and the pottage of lentils, he ate, and drank, and went on his way; making little account of having sold his first birthright.

Genesis Chapter 26

Isaac sojourneth in Gerara, where God reneweth to him the promise made to Abraham. King Abimelech maketh league with him.

26:1. And when a famine came in the land, after that barrenness which had happened in the days of Abraham, Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Palestines, to Gerara.

26:2. And the Lord appeared to him, and said: Go not down into Egypt, but stay in the land that I shall tell thee.

26:3. And sojourn in it, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee: for to thee and to thy seed I will give all these countries, to fulfil the oath which I swore to Abraham thy father.

26:4. And I will multiply thy seed like the stars of heaven: and I will give to thy posterity all these countries: and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

26:5. Because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my precepts and commandments, and observed my ceremonies and laws.

26:6. So Isaac abode in Gerara.

26:7. And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning his wife, he answered: She is my sister: for he was afraid to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps they would kill him because of her beauty.

26:8. And when very many days were passed, and he abode there, Abimelech, king of the Palestines, looking out through a window, saw him playing with Rebecca, his wife.

26:9. And calling for him, he said: It is evident she is thy wife: why didst thou feign her to be thy sister? He answered: I feared lest I should die for her sake.

26:10. And Abimelech said: Why hast thou deceived us? Some man of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us a great sin. And he commanded all the people, saying:

26:11. He that shall touch this man’s wife, shall surely be put to death.

26:12. And Isaac sowed in that land, and he found that same year a hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.

26:13. And the man was enriched, and he went on prospering and increasing, till he became exceeding great.

26:14. And he had possessions of sheep and of herds, and a very great family. Wherefore the Palestines envying him,

26:15. Stopped up at that time all the wells, that the servants of his father, Abraham, had digged, filling them up with earth:

26:16. Insomuch that Abimelech himself said to Isaac: Depart from us, for thou art become much mightier than we.

26:17. So he departed, and came to the torrent of Gerara, to dwell there:

26:18. And he digged again other wells, which the servants of his father, Abraham, had digged, and which, after his death, the Philistines had of old stopped up: and he called them by the same names, by which his father before had called them.

26:19. And they digged in the torrent, and found living water:

Torrent.... That is, a channel where sometimes a torrent or violent stream had run.

26:20. But there also the herdsmen of Gerara strove against the herdsmen of Isaac, saying: It is our water. Wherefore he called the name of the well, on occasion of that which had happened, Calumny.

26:21. And they digged also another; and for that they quarrelled likewise, and he called the name of it, Enmity.

26:22. Going forward from thence, he digged another well, for which they contended not; therefore he called the name thereof, Latitude, saying: Now hath the Lord given us room, and made us to increase upon the earth.

Latitude.... That is, wideness, or room.

26:23. And he went up from that place to Bersabee,

26:24. Where the Lord appeared to him that same night, saying: I am the God of Abraham thy father, do not fear, for I am with thee: I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.

26:25. And he built there an altar: and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent; and commanded his servants to dig a well.

26:26. To which place when Abimelech, and Ochozath his friend, and Phicol chief captain of his soldiers, came from Gerara,

26:27. Isaac said to them: Why are ye come to me, a man whom you hate, and have thrust out from you?

26:28. And they answered: We saw that the Lord is with thee, and therefore we said: Let there be an oath between us, and let us make a covenant,

26:29. That thou do us no harm, as we on our part have touched nothing of thine, nor have done any thing to hurt thee; but with peace have sent thee away, increased with the blessing of the Lord.

26:30. And he made them a feast, and after they had eaten and drunk:

26:31. Arising in the morning, they swore one to another: and Isaac sent them away peaceably to their own home.

26:32. And behold, the same day the servants of Isaac came, telling him of a well which they had digged, and saying: We have found water.

26:33. Whereupon he called it Abundance: and the name of the city was called Bersabee, even to this day.

26:34. And Esau being forty years old, married wives, Judith, the daughter of Beeri, the Hethite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon, of the same place.

26:35. And they both offended the mind of Isaac and Rebecca.

Genesis Chapter 27

Jacob, by him mother’s counsel, obtaineth his father’s blessing instead of Esau. And by her is advised to fly to his uncle Laban.

27:1. Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not see: and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him: My son? And he answered: Here I am.

27:2. And his father said to him, Thou seest that I am old, and know not the day of my death.

27:3. Take thy arms, thy quiver, and bow, and go abroad; and when thou hast taken something by hunting,

27:4. Make me a savoury meat thereof, as thou knowest I like, and bring it that I may eat: and my soul may bless thee, before I die.

27:5. And when Rebecca had heard this, and he was gone into the field to fulfil his father’s commandment,

27:6. She said to her son Jacob: I heard thy father talking with Esau, thy brother, and saying to him:

27:7. Bring me of thy hunting, and make me meats that I may eat, and bless thee in the sight of the Lord, before I die.

27:8. Now therefore, my son, follow my counsel:

27:9. And go thy way to the flock, bring me two kids of the best, that I may make of them meat for thy father, such as he gladly eateth.

27:10. Which when thou hast brought in, and he hath eaten, he may bless thee before he die.

27:11. And he answered her: Thou knowest that Esau, my brother, is a hairy man, and I am smooth:

27:12. If my father should feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing.

27:13. And his mother said to him: Upon me be this curse, my son: only hear thou my voice, and go, fetch me the things which I have said.

27:14. He went, and brought, and gave them to his mother. She dressed meats, such as she knew his father liked.

27:15. And she put on him very good garments of Esau, which she had at home with her:

27:16. And the little skins of the kids she put about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck.

27:17. And she gave him the savoury meat, and delivered him bread that she had baked.

27:18. Which when he had carried in, he said: My father? But he answered: I hear. Who art thou, my son?

27:19. And Jacob said: I am Esau, thy firstborn: I have done as thou didst command me: arise, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

I am Esau thy firstborn.... St. Augustine (L. Contra mendacium, c. 10), treating at large upon this place, excuseth Jacob from a lie, because this whole passage was mysterious, as relating to the preference which was afterwards to be given to the Gentiles before the carnal Jews, which Jacob by prophetic light might understand. So far is certain, that the first birthright, both by divine election and by Esau’s free cession belonged to Jacob: so that if there were any lie in the case, it could be no more than an officious and venial one.

27:20. And Isaac said to his son: How couldst thou find it so quickly, my son? He answered: It was the will of God, that what I sought came quickly in my way:

27:21. And Isaac said: Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son, and may prove whether thou be my son Esau, or no.

27:22. He came near to 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.

27:23. And he knew him not, because his hairy hands made him like to the elder. Then blessing him,

27:24. He said: Art thou my son Esau? He answered: I am.

27:25. Then he said: Bring me the meats of thy hunting, my son, that my soul may bless thee. And when they were brought, and he had eaten, he offered him wine also, which after he had drunk,

27:26. He said to him: Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son.

27:27. He came near, and kissed him. And immediately as he smelled the fragrant smell of his garments, blessing him, he said: Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord hath blessed.

27:28. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn and wine.

27:29. And let peoples serve thee, and tribes worship thee: be thou lord of thy brethren, and let thy mother’s children bow down before thee. Cursed be he that curseth thee: and let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings.

27:30. Isaac had scarce ended his words, when, Jacob being now gone out abroad, Esau came,

27:31. And brought in to his father meats, made of what he had taken in hunting, saying: Arise, my father, and eat of thy son’s venison; that thy soul may bless me.

27:32. And Isaac said to him: Why! who art thou? He answered: I am thy firstborn son, Esau.

27:33. Isaac was struck with fear, and astonished exceedingly; and wondering beyond what can be believed, said: Who is he then that even now brought me venison that he had taken, and I ate of all before thou camest? and I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed.

27:34. Esau having heard his father’s words, roared out with a great cry; and, being in a consternation, said: Bless me also, my father.

27:35. And he said: Thy brother came deceitfully and got thy blessing.

27:36. But he said again: Rightly is his name called Jacob; for he hath supplanted me lo this second time: My birthright he took away before, and now this second time he hath stolen away my blessing. And again he said to his father: Hast thou not reserved me also a blessing?

Jacob.... That is, a supplanter.

27:37. Isaac answered: I have appointed him thy lord, and have made all his brethren his servants: I have established him with corn and wine, and after this, what shall I do more for thee, my son?

27:38. And Esau said to him: Hast thou only one blessing, father? I beseech thee bless me also. And when he wept with a loud cry,

27:39. Isaac being moved, said to him: In the fat of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above,

27:40. Shall thy blessing be. Thou shalt live by the sword, and shalt serve thy brother: and the time shall come, when thou shalt shake off and loose his yoke from thy neck.

27:41. Esau therefore always hated Jacob, for the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him; and he said in his heart: The days will come of the mourning for my father, and I will kill my brother Jacob.

27:42. These things were told to Rebecca: and she sent and called Jacob, her son, and said to him: Behold Esau, thy brother, threateneth to kill thee.

27:43. Now therefore, my son, hear my voice, arise and flee to Laban, my brother, to Haran:

27:44. And thou shalt dwell with him a few days, till the wrath of thy brother be assuaged,

27:45. And his indignation cease, and he forget the things thou hast done to him: afterwards I will send, and bring thee from thence hither. Why shall I be deprived of both my sons in one day?

27:46. And Rebecca said to Isaac: I am weary of my life, because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the stock of this land, I choose not to live.

Genesis Chapter 28

Jacob’s journey to Mesopotamia: his vision and vow.

28:1. And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, saying: Take not a wife of the stock of Chanaan:

28:2. But go, and take a journey to Mesopotamia of Syria, to the house of Bathuel, thy mother’s father, and take thee a wife thence of the daughters of Laban, thy uncle.

28:3. And God almighty bless thee, and make thee to increase and multiply thee: that thou mayst be a multitude of people.

28:4. And give the blessings of Araham to thee, and to thy seed after thee: that thou mayst possess the land of thy sojournment, which he promised to thy grandfather.

28:5. And when Isaac had sent him away, he took his journey and went to Mesopotamia of Syria, to Laban, the son of Bathuel, the Syrian, brother to Rebecca, his mother.

28:6. And Esau seeing that his father had blessed Jacob, and had sent him into Mesopotamia of Syria, to marry a wife thence; and that after the blessing he had charged him, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Chanaan:

28:7. And that Jacob obeying his parents, was gone into Syria:

28:8. Experiencing also, that his father was not well pleased with the daughters of Chanaan:

28:9. He went to Ismael, and took to wife, besides them he had before, Maheleth, the daughter of Ismael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nabajoth.

28:10. But Jacob being departed from Bersabee, went on to Haran.

28:11. And when he was come to a certain place, and would rest in it after sunset, he took of the stones that lay there, and putting under his head, slept in the same place.

28:12. And he saw in his sleep a ladder standing upon the earth, and the top thereof touching heaven: the angels also of God ascending and descending by it.

28:13. And the Lord leaning upon the ladder saying to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: The land, wherein thou sleepest, I will give to thee and to thy seed.

28:14. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth: thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and IN THEE and thy seed, all the tribes of the earth SHALL BE BLESSED.

28:15. And I will be thy keeper whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land: neither will I leave thee, till I shall have accomplished all that I have said.