Part 5

Thus was the felde of Ephron where in the dubbill caue is before Mamre: euen the felde & the caue that is therein and all the trees of the felde which growe in all the borders rounde aboute/ made sure vnto Abraham for a possession/ in the syghte of the childern of Heth and of all that went in at the gates of the cyte. And then Abraham buried Sara his wyfe in the double caue of the felde that lyeth before Mare/ otherwise called Ebron in the lande of Canaan. And so both the felde ad the caue that is therein/ was made vnto Abraham/ a sure possession to bury in/ of the sonnes of Heth.

¶ The .xxiiij. Chapter

Abraham was olde and stryken in dayes/ and the LORde had blessed him in all thinges. And he sayde vn to his eldest servaunte of his house which had the rule over all that he had: Put thy hande vnder my thye that I maye make the swere by the LORde that is God of heauen and God of the erth/ that thou shalt not take a wyfe vnto my sonne/ of the doughters of the canaanytes/ amonge which I dwell. But shalt goo vnto my contre and to my kynred/ and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne Isaac.

Tha sayde the seruaunte vnto him: what ad yf the woma wyll not agree to come with me vnto this lade/ shall I brynge thy sonne agayne vnto the lande which thou camest out of? And Abraha sayde vnto him: bewarre of that/ that thou br[~i]ge not my sonne thither. The LORde God of heauen which toke me from my fathers house and from the lande where I was borne/ and which spake vnto me and sware vnto me saynge: vnto thy seed wyll I geue this lande/ he shall sende his angell before the/ y^t thou mayst take a wife vnto my sonne from thence. Neuerthelesse yf the woma will not agree to come with the than shalt thou be with out daunger of this ooth. But aboue all thinge brynge not my sonne thyther agayne. And the seruaunte put his hand vnder the thye of Abraham and sware to him as concernynge that matter.

And the seruaunte toke .x. camels of the camels of his master and departed/ and had of all maner goodes of his master with him/ and stode vp and went to Mesopotamia/ vnto the cytie of Nahor. And made his camels to lye doune without the cytie by a wels syde of water/ at euen: aboute the tyme that women come out to drawe water/ and he sayde.

LORde God of my master Abraha/ sende me good spede this daye/ & shewe mercy vnto my master Abraham. Lo I stonde here by the well of water and the doughters of the men of this citie will come out to drawe water: Now the damsell to whome I saye/ stoupe doune thy pytcher and let me drynke. Yf she saye/ drynke/ and I will geue thy camels drynke also/ y^e same is she that thou hast ordened for they servaunte Isaac: yee & therby shall I knowe that thou hast shewed mercy on my master.

And it came to passe yer he had leeft spakynge/ that Rebecca came out/ the doughter of Bethuell/ sonne to Melcha the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother/ and hir pytcher apon hir shulder: The damsell was very fayre to loke apon/ and yet a mayde and vnknowen of man. And she went doune to the well and fylled hyr pytcher and came vp agayne. Then the seruaunte ranne vnto her and sayde: let me syppe a litle water of thi pitcher. And she sayde: drynke my lorde.

And she hasted and laie downe her pytcher apon hyr arme and gaue him drinke. And wh[~e] she had geven hym drynke/ she sayde: I will drawe water for thy camels also/ vntill they haue dronke ynough. And she poured out hyr pitcher in to the trough hastely and ranne agayne vnto the well/ to fett water: and drewe for all his camels.

And the felowe wondred at her. But helde his peace/ to wete whether the LORde had made his iourney prosperous or not. And as the camels had lefte drynckynge/ he toke an earynge of halfe a sicle weght and .ij golden bracelettes for hyr hades/ of .x. sycles weyght of gold and sayde vnto her: whose doughter art thou? tell me: ys there rowme in thy fathers house/ for vs to lodge in? And she sayde vnto him: I am the doughter of Bethuell the sonne of Milcha which she bare vnto Nahor: and sayde moreouer vnto him: we haue litter and prauonder ynough and also rowme to lodge in.

And the man bowed himselfe and worshipped the LORde and sayde: blessed be the LORde God of my master Abraham which ceasseth not to deale mercyfully and truly with my master/ And hath brought me the waye to my masters brothers house. And the damsell ranne & tolde them of her mothers house these thinges. And Rebecca had a brother called Laban.

And Laban ranne out vnto the man/ to the well: for as soone as he had sene the earynges and the bracelettes apon his sisters handes/ ad herde the wordes of Rebecca his sister saynge thus sayde the man vnto me/ than he went out vnto the man. And loo/ he stode yet with the camels by the well syde. And Laban sayde: come in thou blessed of the LORde. Wherfore stondest thou without? I haue dressed the house and made rowme for the camels. And than the ma came in to the house. And he vnbrydeld the camels: and brought litter and prauonder for the camels/ and water to weshe his fete and their fete that were with him/ and there was meate sett before him to eate.

[Sidenote: * God blesseth vs wh[~e] he geveth vs his benefites: and curseth vs/ when he taketh them awaye.]

But he sayde: I will not eate/ vntill I haue sayde myne ear[~e]de: And he sayde/ saye on. And he sayde: I am Abrahas servaunte/ & the LORDE hath * blessed my master out of measure that he is become greate and hath geven him shepe oxen/ syluer and golde/ menservauntes/ maydeservauntes/ camels ad asses. And Sara my masters wyfe bare him a sonne/ wh[~e] she was old: and vnto him hath he geven all that he hath.

And my master made me swere saynge: Thou shalt not take a wyfe to my sonne/ amonge the doughters of the cananytes in whose lade I dwell. But thou shalt goo vnto my fathers house and to my kynred/ and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne. And I sayde vnto my master. What yf the wyfe will not folowe me? And he sayde vnto me: The LORde before whome I walke/ will sende his angell with the and prosper thy iourney that thou shalt take a wyfe for my sonne/ of my kynred and of my fathers house. But and yf (when thou comest vnto my kynred) they will not geue the one/ tha shalt though bere no perell of myne oothe.

And I came this daye vnto the well and sayed: O LORde/ the God of my master Abraha/ yf it be so that thou makest my iourney which I go/ prosperous: behold/ I stode by this well of water/ And when a virgyn cometh forth to drawe water/ and I saye to her: geue me a litle water of thi pitcher to drynke/ and she saye agayne to me: dryncke thou/ and I will also drawe water for thy camels: that same is the wife/ whom the LORde hath prepared for my masters sonne.

And before I had made an ende of speakynge in myne harte: beholde Rebecca came forth/ and hir pitcher on hir shulder/ and she went doune vnto the well and drewe. And I sayde vnto her geue me dryncke. And she made hast and toke doune hir pitcher from of hir/ ad sayd: drinke/ and I will geue thy camels drynke also. And I asked her saynge: whose doughter art thou? And she answered: the doughter of Bathuell Nahors sonne whome Milca bare vnto him.

And I put the earynge vpon hir face and the bracelettes apon hir hondes. And I bowed my selfe and worshepped the LORde and blessed the LORde God of my master Abraha which had brought me the right waye/ to take my masters brothers doughter vnto his sonne. Now therfore yf ye will deall mercyfully and truly with my master/ tell me. And yf no/ tell me also: that I maye turne me to the right hande or to the left.

Than answered Laban and Bathuel saynge: The thinge is proceded even out of the lorde/ we can not therfore saye vnto the/ ether good or bad: Beholde Rebecca before thy face/ take her and goo/ and let her be thy masters sonnes wife/ euen as the LORde hath sayde. And wh[~e] Abrahams servaunte herde their wordes/ he bowed himselfe vnto the LORde/ flatt vpon the erth. And the servaunte toke forth iewells of syluer and iewelles of gold and rayment/ and gaue them to Rebecca: But vnto hir brother & to hir mother/ he gaue spyces. And then they ate and dranke/ both he and the men that were with him/ and taried all nyghte and rose vp in the mornynge.

And he sayde: let me de parte vnto my master. But hir brother and hir mother sayde: let the damsell abyde with vs a while/ ad it be but even .x. dayes/ and than goo thy wayes. And he sayde vnto them/ hinder me not: for the lorde hath prospered my iourney. Sende me away y^t I maye goo vnto my master. And they sayde: let vs call the damsell/ and witt what she sayth to the matter. And they called forth Rebecca ad sayde vnto her: wilt thou goo with this ma? And she sayde: Yee.

[Sidenote: * To bless a mas neyboure is to praye for him ad to wisshe him goode and not to wagge .ij. f[~i]gers ouer him.]

Than they broughte Rebecca their sister on the waye and her norse and Abrahas servaunte/ and the men that were wyth him. And they * blessed Rebecca & sayde vnto her: Thou are oure sister/ growe in to thousande thousandes/ & thy seed possesse y^e gates of their enimes. And Rebecca arose & hir damsels/ & satt th[~e] vp apo the camels & went their waye after the man. And y^e servaunte toke Rebecca & went his waye

And Isaac was a com[~i]ge from the well of y^e lyvynge & seynge/ for he dwelt in the south cotre/ & was gone out to walke in his meditatios before y^e eu[~e] tyde. And he lyfte vp his eyes & loked/ & beholde y^e camels were cominge. And Rebecca lyfte vp hir eyes/ & wh[~e] she sawe Isaac/ she lyghted of the camel ad sayde vnto y^e servaunte: what ma is this y^t cometh agenst vs in the feld? And the serva[~u]te sayde: it is my master. And then she toke hir mantell ad put it aboute her. And the serva[~u]te tolde Isaac all that he had done. Th[~e] Isaac broughte her in to his mother Saras tente/ ad toke Rebecca & she became his wife/ & he loved her: & so was Isaac coforted over his mother.

The .xxv. Chapter

Abraha toke h[~i] another wyfe cald Ketura/ which bare h[~i] Simram/ Iacksan/ Medan/ Midia Iesback & Suah. And Iacksan begat Seba & Deda. And the sonnes of Dedan were Assurim/ Letusim & Leumim. And the sonnes of Midian were Epha/ Epher/ Hanoch/ Abida & Elda. All these were the childern of Kethura. But Abraha gaue all that he had vnto Isaac. And vnto the sonnes of his concubines he gaue giftes/ and sent them awaye from Isaac his sonne (while he yet lyved) east ward/ vnto the east contre.

These are the dayes of the life of Abraha which he lyved: an h[~u]dred & .lxxv. yere and than fell seke ad dyed/ in a lustie age (wh[~e] he had lyved ynough) ad was put vnto his people. And his sonnes Isaac ad Ismael buried him in the duble caue in the feld of Ephro sone of Zoar the Hethite before Mamre. Which felde abraha boughte of the sonnes of Heth: There was Abraha buried and Sara hys wyfe. And after y^e deeth of Abraha God blessed Isaac his sonne which dweld by the well of the lyv[~i]nge & se[~i]ge

These are the generatios of Ismael Abrahas sonne/ which Hagar the Egiptia Saras hand mayde bare vnto Abraham. And these are the names of the sones of Ismaell/ with their names in their k[~i]reddes. The eldest sone of Ismael Neuatoth/ th[~e] Kedar/ Adbeel/ Mibsa/ Misma Duma/ Masa/ Hadar/ Thema/ Ietur/ Naphis & Kedma. These are the sones of Ismael/ and these are their names/ in their townes and castels .xij. princes of natios. And these are the yeres of the lyfe of Ismael: an h[~u]dred and .xxxvij yere/ & than he fell seke & dyed & was layde vnto his people. And he dweld from Euila vnto Sur y^t is before Egypte/ as men go toward the Assirias. And he dyed in the presence of all his brethren.

And these are the generatios of Isaac Abrahas sonne: Abraha begat Isaac. And Isaac was .xl. yere olde wh[~e] he toke Rebecca to wyfe the doughter of Bethuel the Sirian of Mesopotamia & sister to Iaban the Sirian.

And Isaac made intercessio vnto y^e LORde for his wife: because she was bar[~e]: and y^e LORde was [~i]treated of h[~i]/ and Rebecca his wife coceaued: and y^e childern stroue together with[~i] her. th[~e] she sayde: yf it shulde goo so to passe/ what helpeth it y^t I am with childe? And she went & axed y^e LORde. And y^e LORde sayde vnto her there are .ij. maner of people in thi wombe and ij. nations shall springe out of thy bowels/ and the one nation shalbe myghtier than the other/ and the eldest shalbe servaunte vnto the yonger.

And wh[~e] hir tyme was come to be delyuered beholde: there were .ij. twyns in hir wobe. And he that came out first/ was redde & rough ouer all as it were an hyde: and they called his name Esau. And after ward his brother came out & his hande holdynge Esau by the hele. Wherfore his name was called Iacob. And Isaac was .lx. yere olde wh[~e] she bare th[~e]: and the boyes grewe/ and Esau bcame a conynge hunter & a tyllman. But Iacob was a simple man & dwelled in the tentes. Isaac loved Esau because he dyd eate of his venyso/ but Rebecca loued Iacob.

Iacob sod potage & Esau came from the feld & was fa[~i]tte/ & sayd to Iacob: let me syppe of y^t redde potage/ for I am fayntte. And therfore was his name called Edom. And Iacob sayde: sell me this daye thy byrthrighte. And Esau answered: Loo I am at the poynte to dye/ and what profit shall this byrthrighte do me? And Iacob sayde/ swere to me then this daye. And he swore to him & sold his byrthrighte vnto Iacob.

Than Iacob gaue Esau brede & potage of redde ryse. And he ate & dronke & rose vp and went his waye. And so Esau regarded not his byrthrighte.

The .xxvi. Chapter.

And there fell a derth in y^e lande/ passinge the first derth y^t fell in the dayes of Abraham. Wherfore Isaac went vnto Abimelech kinge of y^e Philistias vnto Gerar. Th[~e] the LORde apeared vnto him & sayde goo not doune in to Egipte/ but byde in y^e land which I saye vnto y^e: Sogeorne in this lade/ & I wyll be with y^e & wyll blesse y^e: for vnto the & vnto thy sede I will geue all these cotreis And I will performe the oothe which I swore vnto Abraha thy father/ & will multiplye thy seed as y^e starres of heav[~e]/ & will geue vnto thy seed all these contreis. And thorow thy seed shall all the natios of the erth be blessed/ because y^t Abraha harkened vnto mi voyce & kepte mine ordina[~u]ces/ coma[~u]dm[~e]tes/ statutes & lawes

And Isaac dwelled in Gerar. And y^e m[~e] of the place asked h[~i] of his wife/ & he sayde y^t she was his sister: for he feared to calle her his wife lest the m[~e] of the place shulde haue kylled hym for hir sake/ because she was bewtyfull to y^e eye. And it happened after he had bene there longe tyme/ y^t Abimelech kinge of y^e Philistias loked out at a wyndow & sawe Isaac sportinge with Rebecca his wife. And Abimelech sende for Isaac & sayde: se/ she is of a suertie thi wife/ and why saydest thou y^t she was thi sister? And Isaac saide vnto h[~i]: I thought y^t I mighte peradventure haue dyed for hir sake. Th[~e] sayde Abimelech: whi hast thou done this vnto vs? one of y^e people myght lightely haue lyne by thy wife & so shuldest thou haue broughte synne vpon vs Tha Abimelech charged all his people saynge: he y^t toucheth this man or his wife/ shall surely dye for it.

And Isaac sowed in y^e lade/ & founde in y^e same yere an h[~u]dred bushels: for y^e LORde blessed h[~i]/ & the man waxed mightye/ & w[~e]t forth & grewe till he was exceadinge great/ y^t he had possessio of shepe/ of ox[~e] & a myghtie housholde: so y^t the Philestians had envy at him: In so moch y^t they stopped & fylled vp with erth/ all the welles which his fathers servauntes dygged in his father Abrahams tyme. Than sayde Abimelech vnto Isaac: gett the fro me/ for thou art myghtier then we a greate deale.

Than Isaac departed thense & pitched his tente in the valey Gerar & dwelt there. And Isaac digged agayne/ the welles of water which they dygged in the dayes of Abraha his father which the Philestias had stoppe after y^e deth of Abraha/ & gaue th[~e] the same names which hys father gaue th[~e]. As Isaacs serua[~u]tes dygged in the valey/ they founde a well of springynge water. And the herdm[~e] of Gerar dyd stryue with Isaacs herdm[~e] saynge: the water is oures Than called he the well Eseck because they stroue with hym.

Than dygged they another well/ & they stroue for y^t also. Therfore called he it Sitena. And than he departed th[~e]se & dygged a nother well for the which they stroue not: therfore called he it Rehoboth sa[~i]ge: y^e LORde hath now made vs rowme & we are encreased vpo the erth. Afterward departed he th[~e]ce & came to Berseba

And the LORde apered vnto h[~i] the same nyghte & sayde. I am the God of Abraha thy father/ feare not for I am with the & will blesse the & multiplye thy sede for my serua[~u]te Abrahams sake. And than he buylded an aulter there and called vpo the name of the LORde/ & there pitched his tente. And there Isaacs servauntes dygged a well.

Than came Abimelech to him fro Gerar & Ahusath his frende and Phicol his chefe captayne. And Isaac sayde vnto th[~e]: wherfore come ye to me/ se[~i]ge ye hate me & haue put me awaye fro you? Than sayde they: we sawe that the LORde was with the/ and therfore we sayde that there shulde be an oothe betwixte vs ad the/ & that we wolde make a bonde with the: y^t thou shuldeste do vs no hurte/ as we haue not touched the and haue done vnto the nothinge but good/ and s[~e]d the awaye in peace: for thou art now the blessed of the LORde. And he made th[~e] a feast/ and they ate ad droke. And they rose vp by tymes in the mornynge and sware one to another. And Isaac sent th[~e] awaye. And they departed from him in peace.

And y^t same daye came Isaacs serva[~u]tes & tolde h[~i] of a well which they had dygged: & sayde vnto h[~i]/ that thei had founde water. And he called it Seba/ wherfore the name of the cyte is called Berseba vnto this daye.

The .xxvij. Chapter.

When Esau was .xl. yere olde/ he toke to wyfe Iudith the doughter of Bery an Hethite/ and Basmath the doughter of Elon an Hethite also/ which were dishobedient vnto Isaac and Rebecca. And it came to passe that Isaac wexed olde & his eyes were dymme/ so that he coude nat see. Tha called he Esau his eldest sonne & sayde vnto him: mi sonne. And he sayde vnto hym: heare am I. And he sayde: beholde/ I am olde ad knowe not the daye of mi deth: Now therfore take thi weap[~e]s/ thy quiver & thi bowe/ & gett the to the feldes & take me some venyson & make me meate such as I loue/ & brynge it me & let me eat that my soull may blesse the before that I dye:

But Rebecca hard wh[~e] Isaac spake to Esau his sonne. And as soone as Esau was gone to the felde to catche venyson & to br[~i]ge it/ she spake vnto Iacob hir sonne sainge: Behold I haue herde thi father talkinge with Esau thy brother & saynge: bringe me venyson & make me meate that I maye eate & blesse the before the LORde yer I dye. Now therfore my sonne heare my voyce in that which I comaunde the: gett the to the flocke/ & bringe me th[~e]ce .ij. good kiddes/ & I will make meate of th[~e] for thi father/ soch as he loueth. And thou shalt br[~i]ge it to thi father & he shal eate/ y^t he maye blysse the before his deth

Than sayde Iacob to Rebecca his mother. Beholde Esau mi brother is rugh & I am smooth. Mi father shal peradu[~e]ture fele me/ ad I shal seme vnto h[~i] as though I w[~e]t aboute to begyle h[~i]/ & so shall he br[~i]ge a curse vpo me & not a bless[~i]ge: & his mother saide vnto him. Vppo me be thi curse my sonne/ only heare my voyce & goo and fetch me them. And Iacob went ad fett them and brought them to his mother.

And his mother made meate of them accordinge as his father loued And she went and fett goodly rayment of her eldest sonne Esau which she had in the house with hir/ and put them vpon Iacob hir yongest sonne/ ad she put the skynnes vpon his hades & apon the smooth of his necke. And she put y^e meate & brede which she had made in the hode of hir sonne Iacob

And he went in to his father saynge: my father/ And he aswered: here am I/ who are thou my sonne? And Iacob sayde vnto his father: I am Esau thy eldest sonne/ I haue done acordinge as thou baddest me/ vp and sytt and eate of my venyson/ that thi soule maye blesse me. But Isaac sayde vnto his sonne. How cometh it that thou hast fownde it so quicly my sonne? He answered: The LORde thy god brought it to my hande. Than sayde Isaac vnto Iacob: come nere and let me fele the my sonne/ whether thou be my sonne Esau or not. Than went Iacob to Isaac his father/ & he felt him & sayde the voyce is Iacobs voyce/ but the hades ar y^e hades of Esau. And he knewe him not/ because his handes were rough as his brother Esaus handes: And so he blessed him.

And he axed him/ art thou my sonne Esau? And he sayde: that I am. Than sayde he: brynge me and let me eate of my sonnes venyson/ that my soule maye blesse the. And he broughte him/ and he ate. And he broughte him wyne also/ and he dranke. And his father Isaac sayde vnto him: come nere and kysse me my sonne. And he w[~e]t to him & kissed him. And he smelled y^e sauoure of his raym[~e]t & blessed h[~i] & sayde See/ y^e smell of my sone is as y^e smell of a feld which the lorde hath blessed. God geue the of y^e dewe of heav[~e] & of the fatnesse of the erth and pl[~e]tie of corne & wyne. People be thy servauntes & natios bowe vnto the. Be lorde ouer thy brethr[~e]/ and thy mothers children stoupe vnto the. Cursed be he y^t curseth the/ & blessed be he that blesseth the.

As soone as Isaac had made an end of bless[~i]g/ Iacob and Iacob was scace gone out fro the preasence of Isaac his father: then came Esau his brother fro his huntynge: And had made also meate/ and brought it in vnto his father & sayde vnto him: Aryse my father & eate of thy sonnes venyson/ that thy soule may blesse me. Tha his father Isaac sayde vnto him. Who art thou? he answered I am thy eldest sonne Esau.

And Isaac was greatly astoyned out of mesure and sayde: Where is he then that hath h[~u]ted venyson and broughte it me/ and I haue eaten of all before thou camest/ and haue blessed him/ ad he shall be blessed styll. Wh[~e] Esau herde the wordes of his father/ he cryed out greatly & bitterly aboue mesure/ and sayde vnto his father: blesse me also my father. And he sayde thy brother came with subtilte/ ad hath tak[~e] awaye thy blessynge. Then sayde he: He maye well be called Iacob/ for he hath vndermyned me now .ij. tymes/ fyrst he toke awaye my byrthrighte: and se/ now hath he taken awaye my blessynge also. And he sayde/ hast thou kepte neuer a blessynge for me?

Isaac answered and sayde vnto Esau: beholde I haue made him thi LORde & all his mothers childern haue I made his seruauntes. Moreouer wyth corne ad wyne haue I stablesshed him/ what ca I do vnto the now my sonne? And Esau sayde vnto his father: hast thou but y^t one blessynge my father? blesse me also my father: so lyfted vp Esau his voyce & wepte Tha Isaac his father answered & sayde vnto him

Beholde thy dwellynge place shall haue of the fatnesse of the erth/ & of the dewe of heauen fro aboue. And wyth thy swerde shalt thou lyue and shalt be thy brothers seruaunte But the tyme will come/ when thou shalt gett the mastrye/ and lowse his yocke from of thy necke.

And Esau hated Iacob because of the blessynge y^t his father blessed him with all/ & sayde in his harte: The dayes of my fathers sorowe are at hade/ for I will sley my brother Iacob. And these wordes of Esau hir eldest sonne/ were told to Rebecca. And she sente ad called Iacob hir yongest sonne/ and sayde vnto h[~i]: beholde thy brother Esau threatneth to kyll the: Now therfore my sone heare my voyce/ make the redie & flee to Laba my brother at Haran And tarie with him a while/ vntill thy brothers fearsnes be swaged/ and vntill thy brothers wrath turne away from the/ and he forgett that which thou hast done to him. Tha will I sende and fett the awaye from thence. Why shulde I lose you both in one daye.