2 Abraham 46

Abraham sends Eliezer to Haran to fetch Isaac a wife. Abraham marries Keturah and increases his family to 336 souls. Abraham and Isaac pray for Rebekah who is barren and she conceives. The birth of Jacob and Esau.

1. Now when my son Isaac was about to return unto me from the City of Salem, the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying: Behold, in the City of Haran dwelleth Bethuel, the son of thy brother Nahor who is dead. Send now and fetch a wife for thy son Isaac from the house of Bethuel, for I have appointed that thy seed hall be multiplied.

2. So I called the eldest servant of my house, even Eliezer, and said unto him: Put now thine hand under my thigh and swear unto me before El Elyon that thou shalt go unto the City of Haran and bring a wife unto my son Isaac; but thou shalt not take unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites. But if the woman refuseth to come with thee, thou shalt be free of thine oath.

3. So Eliezer sware before El Elyon and departed from me in peace. He pursued his journey to Haran and found a woman; and her name was Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor. And he returned with her after the return of my son from the City of Salem.

4. Thus Isaac took Rebekah to wife when he was forty years old, he having four other wives; but Rebekah he took to wife in the tent of Sarah. And Rebekah bare no children; wherefore I knew that Yahweh should work a marvelous work in her even as in Sarah before her.

5. Therefore my heart rejoiced in Rebekah, the wife of my son Isaac, for she was pure and virtuous like unto Sarah my beloved who had preceeded me into the rest of Yahweh.

6. This same year I took to wife Keturah, the daughter of Abimelech, king of Gerar who was dead. Keturah bare me six sons so that in all I received of Yahweh eight sons and three hundred and twenty-eight daughters, being in all three hundred and thirty-six souls.

7. Thus did Yahweh increase me greatly besides the many sons who were adopted to me. And thus I increased continually before Yahweh.

8. After nine years my son Isaac brought unto me his wife Rebekah for she was yet barren. And she said unto me: My father, surely I know that my mother Sarah was barren for many years before she bare Isaac unto thee. Wherefore, pray for me that I, like Sarah, may conceive. Therefore I prayed over my daughter Rebekah; and my son Isaac prayed over Rebekah his wife, intreating Yahweh. And Isaac went in unto Rebekah, and Rebekah conceived.

9. And the children in her womb struggled together within her, and she said: If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of Yahweh. And Yahweh said unto her: Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy womb. The one shall be strongeer than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.

10. And Rebekah bare unto Isaac two sons. And the first came out all red, and covered all over with hair like a garment. After that came his brother out, and his hand took hold of the first's heel.

11. And on the eighth day, Isaac brought out the lads unto me to be named. And the first I called Esau, saying: Surely he shall be a mighty hunter before Yahweh. And the second I called Jacob, saying: Surely the elder shall serve the younger. And he was a plain man, and dwelt in tents; but his brother was a cunning hunter, a man of the field.

Authors: JB, LThE, SBSK et al

First created in 1990 Updated on 9 June 2016

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