The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

So after hee had bene there long time, Abimelech King of the Philistims looked out at a windowe, and loe, he sawe Izhak sporting with Rebekah his wife.

Then Abimelech called Izhak, and sayde, Loe, shee is of a suertie thy wife, and why saydest thou, She is my sister? To whom Izhak answered, Because I thought this, It may be that I shall dye for her.

Then Abimelech said, Why hast thou done this vnto vs? one of the people had almost lien by thy wife, so shouldest thou haue brought sinne vpon vs.

Then Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man, or his wife, shall die the death.

Afterwarde Izhak sowed in that lande, and founde in the same yeere an hundreth folde by estimation: and so the Lord blessed him.

And the man waxed mightie, and stil increased, till he was exceeding great,

For he had flockes of sheepe, and heards of cattell, and a mightie housholde: therefore the Philistims had enuy at him.

In so much that the Philistims stopped and filled vp with earth all the welles, which his fathers seruantes digged in his father Abrahams time.

Then Abimelech sayde vnto Izhak, Get thee from vs, for thou art mightier then wee a great deale.

Therefore Izhak departed thence and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

And Izhak returning, digged the welles of water, which they had digged in the dayes of Abraham his father: for the Philistims had stopped them after the death of Abraham, and hee gaue them the same names, which his father gaue them.

Izhaks seruantes then digged in the valley, and found there a well of liuing water.

But the herdmen of Gerar did striue with Izhaks herdmen, saying, The water is ours: therefore called he the name of the well Esek, because they were at strife with him.

Afterwarde they digged another well, and stroue for that also, and he called the name of it Sitnah.

Then he remoued thence, and digged an other well, for the which they stroue not: therefore called hee the name of it Rehoboth, and sayde, Because the Lord hath nowe made vs roome, we shall increase vpon the earth.

So he went vp thence to Beer-sheba.

And the Lord appeared vnto him the same night, and sayde, I am the God of Abraham thy father: feare not, for I am with thee, and wil blesse thee, and will multiplie thy seede for my seruant Abrahams sake.

Then he builte an altar there, and called vpon the Name of the Lord, and there spred his tent: where also Izhaks seruauntes digged a well.

Then came Abimelech to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friendes, and Phichol the captaine of his armie.

To whom Izhak sayd, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate mee and haue put mee away from you?

Who answered, Wee sawe certainely that the Lord was with thee, and wee thought thus, Let there be nowe an othe betweene vs, euen betweene vs and thee, and let vs make a couenant with thee.

If thou shalt do vs no hurt, as we haue not touched thee, and as we haue done vnto thee nothing but good, and sent thee away in peace: thou nowe, the blessed of the Lord, doe this.

Then hee made them a feast, and they dyd eate and drinke.

And they rose vp betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: then Izhak let them go, and they departed from him in peace.

And that same day Izhaks seruantes came and tolde him of a well, which they had digged, and said vnto him, We haue found water.

So hee called it Shibah: therefore the name of the citie is called Beer-sheba vnto this day.

Nowe when Esau was fourtie yeere olde, he tooke to wife Iudith, the daughter of Beeri an Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon an Hittite also.

And they were a griefe of minde to Izhak and to Rebekah.

And when Izhak was olde, and his eyes were dimme (so that he coulde not see) he called Esau his eldest sonne, and sayde vnto him, My sonne. And he answered him, I am here.

Then he sayd, Beholde, I am nowe olde, and knowe not the day of my death:

Wherefore nowe, I pray thee take thine instruments, thy quiuer and thy bowe, and get thee to the fielde, that thou mayest take mee some venison.

Then make mee sauourie meate, such as I loue, and bring it me that I may eat, and that my soule may blesse thee, before I die.

(Nowe Rebekah heard, when Izhak spake to Esau his sonne) and Esau went into the fielde to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

Then Rebekah spake vnto Iaakob her sonne, saying, Beholde, I haue heard thy father talking with Esau thy brother, saying,

Bring mee vension, and make mee sauourie meate, that I may eate and blesse thee before the Lord, afore my death.

Nowe therefore, my sonne, heare my voyce in that which I command thee.

Get thee nowe to the flocke, and bring me thence two good kids of the goates, that I may make pleasant meate of them for thy father, such as he loueth.

Then shalt thou bring it to thy father, and he shall eate, to the intent that he may blesse thee before his death.

But Iaakob sayde to Rebekah his mother, Beholde, Esau my brother is rough, and I am smoothe.

My father may possibly feele me, and I shall seem to him to be a mocker: so shall I bring a curse vpon me, and not a blessing.

But his mother sayd vnto him, vpon me be thy curse, my sonne: onely heare my voyce, and go and bring me them.

So he went and set them, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made pleasant meat, such as his father loued.

And Rebekah tooke faire clothes of her elder sonne Esau, which were in her house, and clothed Iaakob her yonger sonne:

And she couered his hands and the smoothe of his necke with the skinnes of the kiddes of the goates.

Afterward she put the pleasant meate and bread, which she had prepared, in the hand of her sonne Iaakob.

And when he came to his father, he sayd, My father. Who answered, I am here: who art thou, my sonne?

And Iaakob sayde to his father, I am Esau thy first borne, I haue done as thou badest me, arise, I pray thee: sit vp and eate of my venison, that thy soule may blesse me.

Then Izhak said vnto his sonne, Howe hast thou founde it so quickly my sonne? Who sayde, Because the Lord thy God brought it to mine hande.

Againe sayde Izhak vnto Iaakob, Come neere nowe, that I may feele thee, my sonne, whether thou be that my sonne Esau or not.

Then Iaakob came neere to Izhak his father, and he felt him and sayd, The voyce is Iaakobs voyce, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

(For he knewe him not, because his hands were rough as his brother Esaus hands: wherefore he blessed him)

Againe he sayd, Art thou that my sonne Esau? Who answered, Yea.

Then said he, Bring it me hither, and I will eate of my sonnes venison, that my soule may blesse thee. And he brought it to him, and he ate: also he brought him wine, and he dranke.

Afterward his father Izhak sayd vnto him, Come neere nowe, and kisse me, my sonne.

And hee came neere and kissed him. Then he smellled the sauour of his garmentes, and blessed him, and sayde, Behold, the smelll of my sonne is as the smelll of a fielde, which the Lord hath blessed.

God giue thee therefore of the dewe of heauen, and the fatnesse of the earth, and plentie of wheate and wine.

Let people bee thy seruantes, and nations bowe vnto thee: be Lord ouer thy brethren, and let thy mothers children honour thee. cursed be he that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

And when Izhak had made an ende of blessing Iaakob, and Iaakob was scarce gone out from the presence of Izhak his father, then came Esau his brother from his hunting,

And hee also prepared sauourie meate and brought it to his father, and sayd vnto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his sonnes venison, that thy soule may blesse me.

But his father Izhak sayde vnto him, Who art thou? And he answered, I am thy sonne, euen thy first borne Esau.

Then Izhak was stricken with a marueilous great feare, and sayde, Who and where is hee that hunted venison, and brought it mee, and I haue eate of all before thou camest? and I haue blessed him, therefore he shalbe blessed.

When Esau heard the wordes of his father, he cryed out with a great crye and bitter, out of measure, and sayde vnto his father, Blesse me, euen me also, my father.

Who answered, Thy brother came with subtiltie, and hath taken away thy blessing.

Then he sayde, Was hee not iustly called Iaakob? for hee hath deceiued mee these two times: he tooke my birthright, and loe, nowe hath he taken my blessing. Also he sayd, Hast thou not reserued a blessing for me?

Then Izhak answered, and sayd vnto Esau, Beholde, I haue made him thy lorde, and all his brethre haue I made his seruants: also with wheate and wine haue I furnished him, and vnto thee now what shall I doe, my sonne?

Then Esau sayde vnto his father, Hast thou but one blessing my father? blesse mee, euen me also, my father: and Esau lifted vp his voyce, and wept.

Then Izhak his father answered, and sayde vnto him, Behold, the fatnesse of the earth shall be thy dwelling place, and thou shalt haue of the dewe of heauen from aboue.

And by thy sword shalt thou liue, and shalt be thy brothers seruant. But it shall come to passe, when thou shalt get the masterie, that thou shalt breake his yoke from thy necke.

Therefore Esau hated Iaakob, because of the blessing, wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau thought in his minde, The dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly, then I will slay may brother Iaakob.

And it was told to Rebekah of the wordes of Esau her elder sonne, and shee sent and called Iaakob her yonger sonne, and sayd vnto him, Beholde, thy brother Esau is comforted against thee, meaning to kill thee:

Now therefore my sonne, heare my voyce, arise, and flee thou to Haran to my brother Laban,

And tarie with him a while vntill thy brothers fiercenesse be swaged,

And till thy brothers wrath turne away from thee, and hee forget the thinges, which thou hast done to him: then will I sende and take thee from thence: why shoulde I bee depriued of you both in one day?

Also Rebekah said to Izhak, I am weary of my life, for the daughters of Heth. If Iaakob take a wife of the daughters of Heth like these of the daughters of the lande, what auaileth it me to liue?

Then Izhak called Iaakob and blessed him, and charged him, and sayde vnto him, Take not a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

Arise, get thee to Padan Aram to the house of Bethuel thy mothers father, and thence take thee a wife of the daughters of Laban thy mothers brother.

And God all sufficient blesse thee, and make thee to encrease, and multiplie thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people,

And giue thee the blessing of Abraham, euen to thee and to thy seede with thee, that thou mayest inherite the lande (wherein thou art a stranger,) which God gaue vnto Abraham.

Thus Izhak sent forth Iaakob, and he went to Padan Aram vnto Laban sonne of Bethuel the Aramite, brother to Rebekah, Iaakobs and Esaus mother.

When Esau sawe that Izhak had blessed Iaakob, and sent him to Padan Aram, to set him a wife thence, and giuen him a charge when he blessed him, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan,

And that Iaakob had obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan Aram:

Also Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan displeased Izhak his father,

Then went Esau to Ishmael, and tooke vnto the wiues, which he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams sonne, the sister of Nabaioth, to be his wife.

Now Iaakob departed from Beer-sheba, and went to Haran,

And he came vnto a certaine place, and taried there al night, because the sunne was downe, and tooke of the stones of the place, and layde vnder his head and slept in the same place.

Then he dreamed, and behold, there stoode a ladder vpon the earth, and the top of it reached vp to heauen: and loe, the Angels of God went vp and downe by it.

And behold, the Lord stoode aboue it, and sayd, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Izhak: the land, vpon the which thou sleepest, wil I giue thee and thy seede.

And thy seede shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South, and in thee and in thy seede shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

And lo, I am with thee, and wil keepe thee whithersoeuer thou goest, and will bring thee againe into this lande: for I will not forsake thee vntill I haue performed that, that I haue promised thee.

Then Iaakob awoke out of his sleepe, and sayde, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware.

And he was afraid, and said, How fearefull is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heauen.

Then Iaakob rose vp early in the morning, and tooke the stone that hee had layde vnder his head, and set it vp as a pillar, and powred oyle vpon the top of it.

And he called ye name of that place Bethel: notwithstanding the name of the citie was at the first called Luz.

Then Iaakob vowed a vowe, saying, If God will be with me, and will keepe me in this iourney which I go, and wil giue me bread to eate, and clothes to put on:

So that I come againe vnto my fathers house in safetie, then shall the Lord be my God.

And this stone, which I haue set vp as a pillar, shall be Gods house: and of all that thou shalt giue me, wil I giue the tenth vnto thee.

Then Iaakob lift vp his feete and came into the East countrey.

And as he looked about, behold there was a well in the field, and lo, three flocks of sheepe lay thereby (for at that well were the flockes watered) and there was a great stone vpon the welles mouth.

And thither were all the flockes gathered, and they rolled the stone from the welles mouth, and watered the sheepe, and put the stone againe vpon the welles mouth in his place.

And Iaakob sayde vnto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they answered, We are of Haran.