serve, and after this they shall come out with spoke unto her: Thou the God who hast seen great substance. me. For she said: Verily here have I seen the 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, hinder parts of him that seeth me.

and be buried in a good old age.

14 Therefore she called that well, the well of 16 But in the fourth generation they shall re-him that liveth and seeth me. The same is beturn hither: for as yet the iniquities of the Amorr-tween Cades and Barad.

16 Abram was four score and six years old when Agar brought him forth Ismael. CHAP. XVII.

hites are not at the full until this present time. 15 And Agar brought forth a son to Abram: 17 And when the sun was set, there arose a dark who called his name Ismael. mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace, and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions. 18 That day God made a covenant with Abram, saying: To thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great

river Euphrates.

19 The Cineans and Cenezites, the Cedmonites,
20 And the Hethites, and the Pharizites, the
Raphaim also,

21 And the Amorrhites, and the Chanaanites,
and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.
CHAP. XVI.

Abram marrieth Agar, who bringeth forth Ismael.
NOW
W Sarai the wife of Abram, had brought
forth no children: but having a handmaid,
an Egyptian, named Agar,

1

The Covenant of circumcision. A ND after he began to be ninety and nine years old, the Lord appeared to him: and said unto him: I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be perfect.

2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee: and I will multiply thee exceedingly.

3 Abram fell flat on his face.

4 And God said to him: I AM, and my covenant is with thee; and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name be called any more Abram: but thou shalt be called Abraham: because I have made thee a father of many nations. 6 And I will make thee increase exceedingly, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall

come out of thee.

2 She said to her husband: Behold, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: go in unto my handmaid, it may be I may have children of her at least. And when he agreed to her request, 3 She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, 7 And I will establish my covenant between bten years after they first dwelt in the land of me and thee, and between thy seed after thee in Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife. their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be 4 And he went in to her. But she perceiving a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee. that she was with child, despised her mistress. 8 And I will give to thee, and to thy seed, the 5 And Sarai said to Abram: Thou dost unjust- land of thy sojournment, all the land of Chaly with me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, naan for a perpetual possession, and I will be and she perceiving herself to be with child, de- their God. spiseth me. The Lord judge between me and thee. 6 And Abram made answer, and said to her: Behold thy handmaid is in thy own hand, use her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai afflicted her, she ran away.

7 And the angel of the Lord having found her, by a fountain of water in the wilderness, which is in the way to Sur in the desert,

8 He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai, whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.

9 And the angel of the Lord said to her: Return to thy mistress, and humble thyself under her hand.

10 And again he said: I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11 And again: Behold, said he, thou art with child, and thou shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Ismael, because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

12 He shall be a wild man: his hand will be against all men, and all men's hands against him: and he shall pitch his tents over against all his brethren.

13 And she called the name of the Lord that

Supra, 12. 7. & 13. 15. Infra, 26. 4. Deut. 34. 4. 2 Par. 9. 26. 1 Kings, 4. 20. & 3 Kings, 4. 21. A. M. 2093 .A. C. 1911. -Exod. 33. 20. & 23. Infra, 24. 62.-d Acts, 7. 8.- Rom. 4. 11. Lev. 12. 3. Luke, 2. 21.

9 Again God said to Abraham: "And thou therefore shalt keep my covenant, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 This is my covenant which you shall observe, between me and you, and thy seed after thee: All the male-kind of you shall be circumcised:

11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, that it may be for a sign of the covenant between me and you.

12 An infant of eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man-child in your generations: he that is born in the house, as well as the bought servant, shall be circumcised, and whosoever is not of your stock:

13 And my covenant shall be in your flesh for a perpetual covenant.

14 The male, whose flesh of his foreskin shall not be circumcised, that soul shall be destroyed out of his people: because he hath broken my covenant.

15 God said also to Abraham: Sarai thy wife thou shalt not call Sarai, but Sara.

16 And I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son, whom I will bless, and he shall become nations, and kings of people shall spring from him.

2. 24., was by divine dispensation allowed to the patriarchs; which allowance seems to have continued during the time of the law of Moses. But Christ our Lord reduced marriage to its primitive institution. St. Mat. 19. Ch. 17. v. 5. Abram, in the Hebrew, signifies a high Ch. 16. v. 3. To wife. Plurality of wives, though father: but Abraham, the father of the multitude・ contrary to the primitive institution of marriage, Gen. [Sarai signifies my Lady, but Sara absolutely Lady.

17 Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, which he had boiled, and set before th saying in his heart: Shall a son, thinkest thou, he stood by them under the tree. be born to him that is a hundred years old? and 9 And when they had eaten, they said shall Sara that is ninety years old bring forth? Where is Sara thy wife? He answer 18 And he said to God: Ó that Ismael may live she is in the tent. before thee.

19 And God said to Abraham: "Sara thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for a perpetual covenant, and with his seed after him.

20 And as for Ismael I have also heard thee. Behold, I will bless him, and increase, and multiply him exceedingly: he shall beget twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sara shall bring forth to thee at this time in the next year.

22 And when he had left off speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.

23 And Abraham took Ismael his son, and all that were born in his house: and all whom he had bought, every male among the men of his house: and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin forthwith the very same day as God had commanded him.

24 Abraham was ninety and nine years old, when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ismael his son was full thirteen years old at the time of his circumcision.

26 The self same day was Abraham circumcised and Ismael his son.

27 And all the men of his house, as well they that were born in his house, as the bought servants and strangers were circumcised with him. CHAP. XVIII.

Angels are entertained by Abraham. They foretel the birth of Isaac. Abraham's prayer for the men of Sodom.

10 And he said to him: I will ret come to thee at this time, life accomp and Sara thy wife shall have a son. when Sara heard, she laughed behind of the tent.

11 Now they were both old, and far a in years, and it had ceased to be with ter the manner of women.

d

12 And she laughed secretly, saying: am grown old, and my lord is an o shall I give myself to pleasure?

13 And the Lord said to Abraham: V Sara laugh, saying: Shall I who am woman bear a child indeed?

14 Is there any thing hard to God? ac to appointment I will return to thee at th time, life accompanying, and Sara shall son.

15 Sara denied, saying: I did not lau she was afraid. But the Lord said, N thou didst laugh:

16 And when the men rose up from they turned their eyes towards Sodor Abraham walked with them, bringing t the way:

17 And the Lord said: Can I hide from ham what I am about to do:

е

18 Seeing he shall become a gr mighty nation, and in him all the nat the earth shall be blessed?

19 For I know that he will command b dren, and his household after him to k way of the Lord, and do judgment and j that for Abraham's sake the Lord may

AND the Lord appeared to him in the vale effect all the things he hath spoken un

of Mambre as he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.

2 And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men standing near him: and as soon as he saw them he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and adored down to the ground.

3 And he said: Lord, if I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant: 4 But I will fetch a little water, and wash ye your feet, and rest ye under the tree.

5 And I will set a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart, afterwards you shall pass on: for therefore are you come aside to your servant. And they said: Do as thou hast spoken.

6 Abraham made haste into the tent to Sara, and said to her: Make haste, temper together three measures of flour, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7 And he himself ran to the herd, and took from thence a calf very tender and very good, and gave it to a young man who made haste and boiled it.

8 He took also butter and milk, and the calf

Infra, 18. 10. & 21. 2.-b A. M. 2107. Ante C. 1897. Heb. 13. 2.- Supra, 17. 19. Infra, 21. L. Rom. 9. 9.- 1 Peter, 3, 6. Supra, 12. 3. Infra, 22. 18.

Ch. 18. v. 21. I will go down, &c. The Lord here accommodates his discourse to the way of speaking and

20 And the Lord said: The cry of and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their become exceedingly grievous.

21 I will go down and see whether the done according to the cry that is come or whether it be not so, that I may kno 22 And they turned themselves from and went their way to Sodom: but Al as yet stood before the Lord.

23 And drawing nigh he said: Wilt the troy the just with the wicked? 24 If there be fifty just men in the city they perish withal? and wilt thou not that place for the sake of the fifty just, be therein?

25 Far be it from thee to do this thing. slay the just with the wicked, and for th to be in like case as the wicked, this is seeming thee: thou who judgest ail the wilt not make this judgment.

26 And the Lord said to him: If I find dom fifty just within the city, I will spa whole place for their sake.

27 And Abraham answered, and said:

acting amongst men; for he knoweth all thing needeth not to go any where for information. N that two of the three angels went away immedia Sodom; whilst the third, who represented the L mained with Abraham.

I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.

28 What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty.

29 And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said I will not destroy it for the sake of forty.

30 Lord, saith he, be not angry I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31 Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord: What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.

32 I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if ten should be found there? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.

33 And the Lord departed, after he had left speaking to Abraham: And Abraham returned to his place. CHAP. XIX.

Lot, entertaining Angels in his house, is delivered from Sodom, which is destroyed: his wife for looking back is turned into a statue of salt.

ND the two angels came to Sodom in the

A evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of the city. And seeing them, he rose up and went to meet them: and worshipped prostrate to the ground,

2 And said: I beseech you, my lords, turn in to the house of your servant, and lodge there: wash your feet, and in the morning you shall go on your way. And they said: No, but we

will abide in the street.

3 He pressed them very much to turn in unto him: and when they were come in to his house, he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate:

4 But before they went to bed, the men of the city beset the house both young and old, all the people together.

5 And they called Lot, and said to him: Where are the men that came in to thee at night? bring them out hither that we may know them: 6 Lot went out to them, and shut the door after him, and said:

7 Do not so, I beseech you, my brethren, do not commit this evil.

8I have two daughters who as yet have not known man: I will bring them out to you, and abuse you them as it shall please you, so that you do no evil to these men, because they are come in under the shadow of my roof.

9 But they said: Get thee back thither. And again: Thou camest in, said they, as a stranger, was it to be a judge? therefore we will afflict thee more than them. And they pressed very violently upon Lot: and they were even at the point of breaking open the doors.

10 And behold the men put out their hand, and drew in Lot unto them, and shut the door : 11 And them that were without, they struck

with blindness from the least to the greatest, so
that they could not find the door.
12 And they said to Lot: Hast thou here any of
thine? son-in-law, or sons, or daughters, all that
are thine bring them out of this city:
13 For we will destroy this place, because
their cry is grown loud before the Lord, who
hath sent us to destroy them.

14 So Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-
law that were to have his daughters, and said:
Arise: get you out of this place, because the
Lord will destroy this city. And he seemed to
them to speak as it were in jest.
15 And when it was morning the angels press-
ed him, saying: Arise, take thy wife, and the
two daughters which thou hast: lest thou also
perish in the wickedness of the city.
16 And as he lingered, they took his hand,
and the hand of his wife, and of his two daugh-
ters, because the Lord spared him.

17 dAnd they brought him forth, and set him without the city: and there they spoke to him, saying: Save thy life: look not back, neither stay thou in all the country about: but save thyself in the mountain, lest thou be also consumed. 18 AndLot said to them: I beseech thee my Lord, 19 Because thy servant hath found grace before thee, and thou hast magnified thy mercy,

which thou hast shewn to me, in saving my life, and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil seize me, and I die.

I

20 There is this city here at hand, to which I may flee, it is a little one, and I shall be saved in it: is it not a little one, and my soul shall live? 21 And he said to him: Behold also in this, have heard thy prayers, not to destroy the city for which thou hast spoken. 22 Make haste and be saved there because I cannot do any thing till thou go in thither. Therefore the name of that city was called Segor.

23 The sun was risen upon the earth, and Lot entered into Segor.

24 And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.

25 And he destroyed these cities, and all the country about, all the inhabitants of the cities, and all things that spring from the earth. 26 And his wife looking behind her, was turned into a statue of salt.

27 And Abraham got up early in the morning, and in the place where he had stood before with the Lord,h

28 He looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha, and the whole land of that country: and he saw the ashes rise up from the earth as the smoke of a furnace.

29 Now when God destroyed the cities of that country, remembering Abraham, he delivered Lot out of the destruction of the cities wherein he had dwelt.

30 And Lot went up out of Segor, and abode him, (for he was afraid to stay in Segor,) and in the mountain, and his two daughters with A. M. 2107. A. C. 1897. Heb. 13. 2-b 2 Peter, 2. 8.Wis. 19. 16. 2 Kings 18. 6.d Wis. 10. 6.- Wis. 10. 6.Ch. 19. v. 22. Segor. That is, a little one. Deut. 29. 23. Isai. 13. 19. Jer. 50. 40. Ezek. 16. 49. Osee, 11. Ver. 26. And his wife. As a standing memorial to the 8. Amos, 4. 11. Luke, 17. 29. Jude, 1. 7. Luke, 17. 32. Su servants of God to proceed in virtue, and not to look back pra, 18. 1. to vice or its allurements.

the woman thou hast taken: for she hath a hus-4 And he circumcised him the eighth

5 When he was a hundred years old this age of his father, was Isaac born. 6 And Sara said: God hath made a 5 Did not he say to me: She is my sister: and for me: whosoever shall hear of it w she say, He is my brother? in the simplicity of with me.

my heart, and cleanness of my hands have I done? And again she said: Who would beli Abraham should hear that Sara gave son, whom she bore to him in his old 8 And the child grew and was wean Abraham made a great feast on the da weaning.

6 And God said to him: And I know that thou didst it with a sincere heart: and therefore I withheld thee from sinning against me, and I suffer

ed thee not to touch her.

7 Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet: and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: but if thou wilt not restore her, know that thou shalt surely die, thou and all

her away. And she departed, and wandered in AFT, dand said to him: Abraham, Abraham. FTER these things, God tempted Abra

12 And he said to him: Lay not thy hand upon the boy, neither do thou any thing to him: now I know that thou fearest God, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake. 13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw be hind his back a ram amongst the briers sticking fast by the horns, which he took and offer30 But he said: Thou shalt take seven ewe-ed for a holocaust instead of his son. lambs at my hand: that they may be a testimony for me, that I dug this well.