Genesis Chapter 21
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
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But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
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And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Jehovah:
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and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.
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And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.
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And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
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And the first-born said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
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come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
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And they made their father drink wine that night: and the first-born went in, and lay with her father; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
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And it came to pass on the morrow, that the first-born said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
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And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
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Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
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And the first-born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
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And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
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And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.
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And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
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But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.
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Now Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay even a righteous nation?
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Said he not himself unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this.
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And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I know that in the integrity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
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Now therefore restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
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And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
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Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and wherein have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
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And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
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And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
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And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:
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and it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me: at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
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And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
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And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
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And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, it is for thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee; and in respect of all thou art righted.
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And Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bare children.
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For Jehovah had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
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And Jehovah visited Sarah as he had said, and Jehovah did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
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And Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And Jehovah visited Sarah as he had said, and Jehovah did to Sarah as he had spoken.
2
And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time of whichGod had spoken to him.
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And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
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And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old, asGod had commanded him.
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And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
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And Sarah said,God has made me laugh: all that hear will laugh with me.
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And she said, Who would have said to Abraham, Sarah will suckle children? For I have borne [him] a son in his old age.
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And the child grew, and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
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And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
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And she said to Abraham, Cast out this handmaid and her son; for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son — with Isaac.
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And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
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AndGod said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad and because of thy handmaid: [in] all that Sarah hath said to thee hearken to her voice, for in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee.
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But also the son of the handmaid will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
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And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a flask of water, and gave [it] to Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder — and the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
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And the water was exhausted from the flask; and she cast the child under one of the shrubs,
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and she went and sat down over against [him], a bow-shot off; for she said, Let me not behold the death of the child. And she sat over against [him], and lifted up her voice and wept.
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AndGod heard the voice of the lad. And the Angel ofGod called to Hagar from the heavens, and said to her, What [aileth] thee, Hagar? Fear not; forGod hath heard the voice of the lad there, where he is.
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Arise, take the lad, and hold him in thy hand; for I will make of him a great nation.
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AndGod opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the flask with water, and gave the lad drink.
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AndGod was with the lad, and he grew; and he dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
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And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran. And his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
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And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech, and Phichol the captain of his host, spoke to Abraham, saying,God is with thee in all that thou doest.
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And now swear to me here byGod that thou wilt not deal deceitfully with me, nor with my son, nor with my grandson. According to the kindness that I have done to thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land in which thou sojournest.
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And Abraham said, I will swear.
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And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water that Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
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And Abimelech said, I do not know who has done this, neither hast thou told me [of it], neither have I heard [of it] but to-day.
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And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
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And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves.
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And Abimelech said to Abraham, What [mean] these seven ewe-lambs, these which thou hast set by themselves?
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And he said, That thou take the seven ewe-lambs of my hand, that they may be a witness to me that I have dug this well.
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Therefore he called that place Beer-sheba, because there they had sworn, both of them.
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And they made a covenant at Beer-sheba. And Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the captain of his host, and returned into the land of the Philistines.
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And [Abraham] planted a tamarisk in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of Jehovah, the EternalGod.
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And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
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And the Lord visited Sarrha, as he said, and the Lord did to Sarrha, as he spoke.
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And she conceived and bore to Abraam a son in old age, at the set time according as the Lord spoke to him.
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And Abraam called the name of his son that was born to him, whom Sarrha bore to him, Isaac.
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And Abraam circumcised Isaac on the eighth day, as God commanded him.
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And Abraam was a hundred years old when Isaac his son was born to him.
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And Sarrha said, The Lord has made laughter for me, for whoever shall hear shall rejoice with me.
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And she said, Who shall say to Abraam that Sarrha suckles a child? for I have born a child in my old age.
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And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraam made a great feast the day that his son Isaac was weaned.
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And Sarrha having seen the son of Agar the Egyptian who was born to Abraam, sporting with Isaac her son,
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then she said to Abraam, Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for the son of this bondwoman shall not inherit with my son Isaac.
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But the word appeared very hard before Abraam concerning his son.
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But God said to Abraam, Let it not be hard before thee concerning the child, and concerning the bondwoman; in all things whatsoever Sarrha shall say to thee, hear her voice, for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
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And moreover I will make the son of this bondwoman a great nation, because he is thy seed.
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And Abraam rose up in the morning and took loaves and a skin of water, and gave [them] to Agar, and he put the child on her shoulder, and sent her away, and she having departed wandered in the wilderness near the well of the oath.
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And the water failed out of the skin, and she cast the child under a fir tree.
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And she departed and sat down opposite him at a distance, as it were a bow-shot, for she said, Surely I cannot see the death of my child: and she sat opposite him, and the child cried aloud and wept.
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And God heard the voice of the child from the place where he was, and an angel of God called Agar out of heaven, and said to her, What is it, Agar? fear not, for God has heard the voice of the child from the place where he is.
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Rise up, and take the child, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation.
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And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of springing water; and she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the child drink.
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And God was with the child, and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
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And he dwelt in the wilderness, and his mother took him a wife out of Pharan of Egypt.
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And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech spoke, and Ochozath his friend, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, to Abraam, saying, God is with thee in all things, whatsoever thou mayest do.
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Now therefore swear to me by God that thou wilt not injure me, nor my seed, nor my name, but according to the righteousness which I have performed with thee thou shalt deal with me, and with the land in which thou hast sojourned.
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And Abraam said, I will swear.
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And Abraam reproved Abimelech because of the wells of water, which the servants of Abimelech took away.
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And Abimelech said to him, I know not who has done this thing to thee, neither didst thou tell it me, neither heard I it but only to-day.
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And Abraam took sheep and calves, and gave them to Abimelech, and both made a covenant.
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And Abraam set seven ewe-lambs by themselves.
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And Abimelech said to Abraam, What are these seven ewe-lambs which thou hast set alone?
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And Abraam said, Thou shalt receive the seven ewe-lambs of me, that they may be for me as a witness, that I dug this well.
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Therefore he named the name of that place, The Well of the Oath, for there they both swore.
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And they made a covenant at the well of the oath. And there rose up Abimelech, Ochozath his friend, and Phichol the commander-in-chief of his army, and they returned to the land of the Phylistines.
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And Abraam planted a field at the well of the oath, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.
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And Abraam sojourned in the land of the Phylistines many days.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
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Visitavit autem Dominus Saram, sicut promiserat: et implevit quæ locutus est.
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Concepitque et peperit filium in senectute sua, tempore quo prædixerat ei Deus.
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Vocavitque Abraham nomen filii sui, quem genuit ei Sara, Isaac:
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et circumcidit eum octavo die, sicut præceperat ei Deus,
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cum centum esset annorum: hac quippe ætate patris, natus est Isaac.
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Dixitque Sara: Risum fecit mihi Deus: quicumque audierit, corridebit mihi.
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Rursumque ait: Quis auditurus crederet Abraham quod Sara lactaret filium, quem peperit et iam seni?
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Crevit igitur puer, et ablactatus est: fecitque Abraham grande convivium in die ablactationis eius.
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Cumque vidisset Sara filium Agar Ægyptiæ ludentem cum Isaac filio suo, dixit ad Abraham:
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Eiice ancillam hanc, et filium eius: non enim erit heres filius ancillæ cum filio meo Isaac.
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Dure accepit hoc Abraham pro filio suo.
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Cui dixit Deus: Non tibi videatur asperum super puero, et super ancilla tua: omnia quæ dixerit tibi Sara, audi vocem eius: quia in Isaac vocabitur tibi semen.
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Sed et filium ancillæ faciam in gentem magnam, quia semen tuum est.
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Surrexit itaque Abraham mane, et tollens panem et utrem aquæ, imposuit scapulæ eius, tradiditque puerum, et dimisit eam. Quæ cum abiisset, errabat in solitudine Bersabee.
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Cumque consumpta esset aqua in utre, abiecit puerum subter unam arborum, quæ ibi erant.
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Et abiit, seditque e regione procul quantum potest arcus iacere. dixit enim: Non videbo morientem puerum: et sedens contra, levavit vocem suam et flevit.
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Exaudivit autem Deus vocem pueri: vocavitque Angelus Dei Agar de cælo, dicens: Quid agis Agar? noli timere: exaudivit enim Deus vocem pueri de loco in quo est.
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Surge, tolle puerum, et tene manum illius: quia in gentem magnam faciam eum.
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Aperuitque oculos eius Deus: quæ videns puteum aquæ, abiit, et implevit utrem, deditque puero bibere.
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Et fuit cum eo: qui crevit, et moratus est in solitudine, factusque est iuvenis sagittarius.
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Habitavitque in deserto Pharan, et accepit illi mater sua uxorem de terra Ægypti.
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Eodem tempore dixit Abimelech, et Phicol princeps exercitus eius ad Abraham: Deus tecum est in universis quæ agis.
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Iura ergo per Deum, ne noceas mihi, et posteris meis, stirpique meæ: sed iuxta misericordiam, quam feci tibi, facies mihi, et terræ in qua versatus es advena.
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Dixitque Abraham: Ego iurabo.
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Et increpavit Abimelech propter puteum aquæ quem vi abstulerunt servi eius.
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Responditque Abimelech: Nescivi quis fecerit hanc rem: sed et tu non indicasti mihi, et ego non audivi præter hodie.
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Tulit itaque Abraham oves et boves, et dedit Abimelech: percusseruntque ambo fœdus.
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Et statuit Abraham septem agnas gregis seorsum.
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Cui dixit Abimelech: Quid sibi volunt septem agnæ istæ, quas stare fecisti seorsum?
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At ille: Septem, inquit, agnas accipies de manu mea: ut sint mihi in testimonium, quoniam ego fodi puteum istum.
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Idcirco vocatus est locus ille Bersabee: quia ibi uterque iuravit.
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Et inierunt fœdus pro puteo iuramenti.
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Surrexit autem Abimelech, et Phicol princeps exercitus eius, reversique sunt in terram Palæstinorum. Abraham vero plantavit nemus in Bersabee, et invocavit ibi nomen Domini Dei æterni.
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Et fuit colonus terræ Palæstinorum diebus multis.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had spoken.
2
Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3
Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
4
Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5
Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him.
6
Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
7
She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
8
The child grew and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
9
Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
10
Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this servant and her son! For the son of this servant will not be heir with my son, Isaac.”
11
The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son.
12
God said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your servant. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For your offspring will be named through Isaac.
13
I will also make a nation of the son of the servant, because he is your child.”
14
Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a container of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15
The water in the container was spent, and she put the child under one of the shrubs.
16
She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, “Don’t let me see the death of the child.” She sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
17
God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
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Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him with your hand. For I will make him a great nation.”
19
God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink.
20
God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, he became an archer.
21
He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
22
At that time, Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do.
23
Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”
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Abraham said, “I will swear.”
25
Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
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Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear of it until today.”
27
Abraham took sheep and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant.
28
Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29
Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs, which you have set by themselves, mean?”
30
He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well.”
31
Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore an oath there.
32
So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.
34
Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
And Jehovah hath looked after Sarah as He hath said, and Jehovah doth to Sarah as He hath spoken;
2
and Sarah conceiveth, and beareth a son to Abraham, to his old age, at the appointed time that God hath spoken of with him;
3
and Abraham calleth the name of his son who is born to him, whom Sarah hath born to him--Isaac;
4
and Abraham circumciseth Isaac his son, <FI>being<Fi> a son of eight days, as God hath commanded him.
5
And Abraham <FI>is<Fi> a son of a hundred years in Isaac his son being born to him,
6
and Sarah saith, `God hath made laughter for me; every one who is hearing laugheth for me.'
7
She saith also, `Who hath said to Abraham, Sarah hath suckled sons, that I have born a son for his old age?'
8
And the lad groweth, and is weaned, and Abraham maketh a great banquet in the day of Isaac's being weaned;
9
and Sarah seeth the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she hath borne to Abraham, mocking,
10
and she saith to Abraham, `Cast out this handmaid and her son; for the son of this handmaid hath no possession with my son--with Isaac.'
11
And the thing is very wrong in the eyes of Abraham, for his son's sake;
12
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.
13
As to the son of the handmaid also, for a nation I set him, because he <FI>is<Fi> thy seed.'
14
And Abraham riseth early in the morning, and taketh bread, and a bottle of water, and giveth unto Hagar (placing <FI>it<Fi> on her shoulder), also the lad, and sendeth her out; and she goeth on, and goeth astray in the wilderness of Beer-Sheba;
15
and the water is consumed from the bottle, and she placeth the lad under one of the shrubs.
16
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.
17
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 <FI>is<Fi> ;
18
rise, lift up the youth, and lay hold on him with thy hand, for for a great nation I set him.'
19
And God openeth her eyes, and she seeth a well of water, and she goeth and filleth the bottle <FI>with<Fi> water, and causeth the youth to drink;
20
and God is with the youth, and he groweth, and dwelleth in the wilderness, and is an archer;
21
and he dwelleth in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother taketh for him a wife from the land of Egypt.
22
And it cometh to pass at that time that Abimelech speaketh--Phichol also, head of his host--unto Abraham, saying, `God <FI>is<Fi> with thee in all that thou art doing;
23
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.'
24
And Abraham saith, `I--I do swear.'
25
And Abraham reasoned with Abimelech concerning the matter of a well of water which Abimelech's servants have taken violently away,
26
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.'
27
And Abraham taketh sheep and oxen, and giveth to Abimelech, and they make, both of them, a covenant;
28
and Abraham setteth seven Lambs of the flock by themselves.
29
And Abimelech saith unto Abraham, `What <FI>are<Fi> they--these seven lambs which thou hast set by themselves?'
30
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;'
31
therefore hath he called that place `Beer-Sheba,' for there have both of them sworn.
32
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;
33
and <FI>Abraham<Fi> planteth a tamarisk in Beer-Sheba, and preacheth there in the name of Jehovah, God age-during;
34
and Abraham sojourneth in the land of the Philistines many days.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).