Abraham

And behold one, that had escaped, told Abram the Hebrew, who dwelt in the vale of Mambre the Amorrhite, the brother of Escol, and the brother of Aner: for these had made a league with Abram.

Which when Abram had heard, to wit, that his brother Lot was taken, he numbered of the servants born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, well appointed: and pursued them to Dan.

Blessed him, and said: Blessed be Abram by the most high God, who created heaven and earth.

And the king of Sodom said to Abram: Give me the persons, and the rest take to thyself.

And he answered him: I lift up my hand to the Lord God the most high, the possessor of heaven and earth,

That from the very woof thread unto the shoe latchet, I will not take of any things that are thine, lest thou say: I have enriched Abram.

Now when these things were done, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: Fear not, Abram, I am thy protector, and thy reward exceeding great.

And Abram said: Lord God, what wilt thou give me? I shall go without children: and the son of the steward of my house is this Damascus Eliezer.

And Abram added: But to me thou hast not given seed: and lo my servant born in my house, shall be my heir.

And the fowls came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great and darksome horror seized upon him.

And it was said unto him: Know thou beforehand that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not their own, and they shall bring them under bondage, and afflict them four hundred years.

That day God made a covenant with Abram, saying: To thy seed will I give this land, from the river to Egypt even to the great river Euphrates.

Now Sarai, the wife of Abram, had brought forth no children: but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar,

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,

She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, ten years after they first dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife.

And Sarai said to Abram: Thou dost unjustly with me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, and she perceiving herself to be with child, despiseth me. The Lord judge between me and thee.

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.

And Agar brought forth a son to Abram: who called his name Ismael.

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

And 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.

Abram fell flat on his face.

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.

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

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