Abraham

Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, saying in his heart: Shall a son, thinkest thou, be born to him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sara that is ninety years old bring forth?

And he said to God: O that Ismael may live before thee.

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

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.

Abraham was ninety and nine years old, when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin.

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

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.

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.

Now they were both old, and far advanced in years, and it had ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women.

And the Lord said to Abraham: Why did Sara laugh, saying: Shall I, who am an old woman, bear a child indeed?

And when the men rose up from thence, they turned their eyes towards Sodom: and Abraham walked with them, bringing them on the way.

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

Seeing he shall become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed?

For I know that he will command his children, and his household after him, to keep the way of the Lord, and do judgment and justice: that for Abraham's sake, the Lord may bring to effect all the things he hath spoken unto him.

And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.

And drawing nigh, he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?

And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.

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

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

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.

Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.

And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Gerara sent, and took her.

And Abimelech called also for Abraham, and said to him: What hast thou done to us? what have we offended thee in, that thou hast brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done to us what thou oughtest not to do.

And again he expostulated with him, and said: What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?

Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife: