Abraham: The Covenant

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.

And dividing his company, he rushed upon them in the night, and defeated them: and pursued them as far as Hoba, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

And he brought back all the substance, and Lot his brother, with his substance, the women also, and the people.

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from the slaughter of Chodorlahomor, and of the kings that were with him in the vale of Save, which is the king's vale.

But Melchisedech, the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the most high God,

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

And blessed be the most high God, by whose protection, the enemies are in thy hands. And he gave him the tithes of all.

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.

Except such things as the young men have eaten, and the shares of the men that came with me, Aner, Escol, and Mambre: these shall take their shares.

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 immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying : He shall not be thy heir: but he that shall come out of thy bowels, him shalt thou have for thy heir.

And he brought him forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven and number the stars if thou canst. And he said to him: So shall thy seed be.

Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.

And he said to him: I am the Lord who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land, and that thou mightest possess it.

But he said: Lord God, whereby may I know that I shall possess it?

And the Lord answered, and said: Take me a cow of three years old, and a she-goat of three years. and a ram of three years, a turtle also, and a pigeon.

And he took all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid the two pieces of each one against the other: but the birds he divided not.

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.