Abraham: The Covenant

And the thing is very wrong in the eyes of Abraham, for his son's sake;

and God saith unto Abraham, `Let it not be wrong in thine eyes because of the youth, and because of thy handmaid: all that Sarah saith unto thee--hearken to her voice, for in Isaac is a seed called to thee.

As to the son of the handmaid also, for a nation I set him, because he is thy seed.'

And Abraham riseth early in the morning, and taketh bread, and a bottle of water, and giveth unto Hagar (placing it on her shoulder), also the lad, and sendeth her out; and she goeth on, and goeth astray in the wilderness of Beer-Sheba;

and the water is consumed from the bottle, and she placeth the lad under one of the shrubs.

And she goeth and sitteth by herself over-against, afar off, about a bow-shot, for she said, `Let me not look on the death of the lad;' and she sitteth over-against, and lifteth up her voice, and weepeth.

And God heareth the voice of the youth; and the messenger of God calleth unto Hagar from the heavens, and saith to her, `What to thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath hearkened unto the voice of the youth where he is ;

rise, lift up the youth, and lay hold on him with thy hand, for for a great nation I set him.'

And God openeth her eyes, and she seeth a well of water, and she goeth and filleth the bottle with water, and causeth the youth to drink;

and God is with the youth, and he groweth, and dwelleth in the wilderness, and is an archer;

and he dwelleth in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother taketh for him a wife from the land of Egypt.

And it cometh to pass at that time that Abimelech speaketh--Phichol also, head of his host--unto Abraham, saying, `God is with thee in all that thou art doing;

and now, swear to me by God here: thou dost not lie to me, or to my continuator, or to my successor; according to the kindness which I have done with thee thou dost with me, and with the land in which thou hast sojourned.'

And Abraham saith, `I--I do swear.'

And Abraham reasoned with Abimelech concerning the matter of a well of water which Abimelech's servants have taken violently away,

and Abimelech saith, `I have not known who hath done this thing, and even thou didst not declare to me, and I also, I have not heard save to-day.'

And Abraham taketh sheep and oxen, and giveth to Abimelech, and they make, both of them, a covenant;

and Abraham setteth seven Lambs of the flock by themselves.

And Abimelech saith unto Abraham, `What are they--these seven lambs which thou hast set by themselves?'

And he saith, `For--the seven lambs thou dost accept from my hand, so that it becometh a witness for me that I have digged this well;'

therefore hath he called that place `Beer-Sheba,' for there have both of them sworn.

And they make a covenant in Beer-Sheba, and Abimelech riseth--Phichol also, head of his host--and they turn back unto the land of the Philistines;

and Abraham planteth a tamarisk in Beer-Sheba, and preacheth there in the name of Jehovah, God age-during;

and Abraham sojourneth in the land of the Philistines many days.

And it cometh to pass after these things that God hath tried Abraham, and saith unto him, `Abraham;' and he saith, `Here am I.'