Genesis 12; Genesis 13; Genesis 14; Genesis 15; Genesis 16; Genesis 17

1 Now the LORD said to Avram, "Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.

2 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great. You will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. In you will all of the families of the eretz be blessed."

4 So Avram went, as the LORD had spoken to him. Lot went with him. Avram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran.

5 Avram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother's son, all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls who they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Kana`an. Into the land of Kana`an they came.

6 Avram passed through the land to the place of Shekhem, to the oak of Moreh. The Kana`ani was then in the land.

7 The LORD appeared to Avram, and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." He built an altar there to the LORD, who appeared to him.

8 He left from there to the mountain on the east of Beit-El, and pitched his tent, having Beit-El on the west, and `Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and called on the name of the LORD.

9 Avram journeyed, going on still toward the South.

10 There was a famine in the land. Avram went down into Mitzrayim to sojourn there, for the famine was sore in the land.

11 It happened, when he was come near to enter into Mitzrayim, that he said to Sarai his wife, "See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look on.

12 It will happen, when the Mitzrim will see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me, but they will save you alive.

13 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you."

14 It happened that when Avram had come into Mitzrayim, the Mitzrim saw that the woman was very beautiful.

15 The princes of Par`oh saw her, and praised her to Par`oh; and the woman was taken into Par`oh's house.

16 He dealt well with Avram for her sake. He had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels.

17 The LORD plagued Par`oh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Avram's wife.

18 Par`oh called Avram, and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?

19 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way."

20 Par`oh gave men charge concerning him: and they brought him on the way, and his wife, and all that he had.

1 Avram went up out of Mitzrayim: he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South.

2 Avram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

3 He went on his journeys from the South even to Beit-El, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and `Ai,

4 to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Avram called on the name of the LORD.

5 Lot also, who went with Avram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

6 The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together: for their substance was great, so that they could not live together.

7 There was a strife between the herdsmen of Avram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle: and the Kana`ani and the Perizzi lived then in the land.

8 Avram said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives.

9 Isn't the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left."

10 Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Yarden, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sedom and `Amorah, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Mitzrayim, as you go to Tzo`ar.

11 So Lot chose the Plain of the Yarden for himself. Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12 Avram lived in the land of Kana`an, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sedom.

13 Now the men of Sedom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against the LORD.

14 The LORD said to Avram, after Lot was separated from him, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,

15 for all the land which you see, I will give to you, and to your offspring forever.

16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the eretz, so that if a man can number the dust of the eretz, then your seed may also be numbered.

17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it to you."

18 Avram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hevron, and built an altar there to the LORD.

1 It happened in the days of Amrafel, king of Shin`ar, Aryokh, king of Ellasar, Kedorla`omer, king of `Elam, and Tid`al, king of Goyim,

2 that they made war with Bera, king of Sedom, and with Birsha, king of `Amorah, Shin'av, king of Admah, and Shem'ever, king of Tzevoyim, and the king of Bela (the same is Tzo`ar).

3 All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (the same is the Salt Sea).

4 Twelve years they served Kedorla`omer, and in the thirteenth year, they rebelled.

5 In the fourteenth year Kedorla`omer came, and the kings who were with him, and struck the Refa'im in `Ashterot-Karnayim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-Kiryatayim,

6 and the Hori in their Mount Se`ir, to El-Paran, which is by the wilderness.

7 They returned, and came to En-mishpat (the same is Kadesh), and struck all the country of the `Amaleki, and also the Amori, that lived in Hatzatzon-Tamar.

8 There went out the king of Sedom, and the king of `Amorah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Tzevoyim, and the king of Bela (the same is Tzo`ar); and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim;

9 against Kedorla`omer king of `Elam, and Tid`al king of Goyim, and Amrafel king of Shin`ar, and Aryokh king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.

10 Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sedom and `Amorah fled, and they fell there, and those who remained fled to the mountain.

11 They took all the goods of Sedom and `Amorah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

12 They took Lot, Avram's brother's son, who lived in Sedom, and his goods, and departed.

13 One who had escaped came and told Avram, the Hebrew. Now he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amori, brother of Eshkol, and brother of `Aner; and these were allies of Avram.

14 When Avram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.

15 He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hovah, which is on the left hand of Dammesek.

16 He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative, Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17 The king of Sedom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Kedorla`omer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (the same is the King's Valley).

18 Malki-Tzedek king of Shalem brought forth bread and wine: and he was Kohen of El `Elyon.

19 He blessed him, and said, "Blessed be Avram of El `Elyon, possessor of heaven and eretz:

20 and blessed be El `Elyon, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." Avram gave him a tenth of all.

21 The king of Sedom said to Avram, "Give me the people, and take the goods to yourself."

22 Avram said to the king of Sedom, "I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, El `Elyon, possessor of heaven and eretz,

23 that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Avram rich.'

24 Except only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me, `Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre: let them take their portion."

1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Avram in a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Avram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

2 Avram said, "Lord GOD, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eli`ezer of Dammesek?"

3 Avram said, "Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir."

4 Behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir."

5 The LORD brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Avram, "So shall your seed be."

6 He believed in the LORD; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.

7 He said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Kasdim, to give you this land to inherit it."

8 He said, "Lord GOD, whereby will I know that I will inherit it?"

9 He said to him, "Take me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon."

10 He took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn't divide the birds.

11 The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Avram drove them away.

12 When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Avram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.

13 He said to Avram, "Know for sure that your seed will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.

14 I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great substance.

15 But you will go to your fathers in shalom. You will be buried in a good old age.

16 In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amori is not yet full."

17 It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

18 In that day the LORD made a covenant with Avram, saying, "To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Mitzrayim to the great river, the river Perat:

19 the Kinim, the Kenizzi, the Kadmoni,

20 the Hitti, the Perizzi, the Refa'im,

21 the Amori, the Kana`anim, the Girgashi, and the Yevusi."

1 Now Sarai, Avram's wife, bore him no children. She had a handmaid, a Mitzrian, whose name was Hagar.

2 Sarai said to Avram," See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Avram listened to the voice of Sarai.

3 Sarai, Avram's wife, took Hagar the Mitzrian, her handmaid, after Avram had lived ten years in the land of Kana`an, and gave her to Avram her husband to be his wife.

4 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5 Sarai said to Avram, "This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between me and you."

6 But Avram said to Sarai, "Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes." Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

7 The angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

8 He said, "Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, where did you come from? Where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai."

9 The angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands."

10 The angel of the LORD said to her, "I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude."

11 The angel of the LORD said to her, "Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Yishma'el, because the LORD has heard your affliction.

12 He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. He will live opposite all of his brothers."

13 She called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees," for she said, "Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?"

14 Therefore the well was called Be'er-Lachai-Ro'i. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 Hagar bore a son for Avram. Avram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Yishma'el.

16 Avram was eighty-six years old, when Hagar bore Yishma'el to Avram.

1 When Avram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Avram, and said to him, "I am El Shaddai. Walk before me, and be blameless.

2 I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."

3 Avram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,

4 "As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.

5 Neither will your name any more be called Avram, but your name will be Avraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made you.

6 I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.

7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you.

8 I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Kana`an, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God."

9 God said to Avraham, "As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.

11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of a covenant between me and you.

12 He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner who is not of your seed.

13 He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant."

15 God said to Avraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah.

16 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."

17 Then Avraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?"

18 Avraham said to God, "Oh that Yishma'el might live before you!"

19 God said, "No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Yitzchak. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.

20 As for Yishma'el, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But my covenant I establish with Yitzchak, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time in the next year."

22 When he finished talking with him, God went up from Avraham.

23 Avraham took Yishma'el his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money; every male among the men of Avraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.

24 Avraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

25 Yishma'el, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

26 In the same day both Avraham and Yishma'el, his son, were circumcised.

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