Genesis 12-17

Genesis 12

¹Now the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.

²I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.

³I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

⁴So Abram went, as the LORD had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

⁵Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan.

⁶Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.

⁷The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

⁸He left from there to go to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the LORD’s name.

⁹Abram traveled, still going on toward the South.

¹⁰There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land.

¹¹When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.

¹²It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.

¹³Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”

¹⁴When Abram had come into Egypt, some Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

¹⁵The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

¹⁶He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

¹⁷The LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

¹⁸Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?

¹⁹Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”

²⁰Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.

Genesis 13

¹Abram went up out of Egypt—he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him—into the South.

²Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.

³He went on his journeys from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,

⁴to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Abram called on the LORD’s name.

⁵Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, herds, and tents.

⁶The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together; for their possessions were so great that they couldn’t live together.

⁷There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land at that time.

⁸Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.

⁹Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

¹⁰Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.

¹¹So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one another.

¹²Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.

¹³Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against the LORD.

¹⁴The LORD said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,

¹⁵for I will give all the land which you see to you and to your offspring forever.

¹⁶I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring may also be counted.

¹⁷Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its width; for I will give it to you.”

¹⁸Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.

Genesis 14

¹In the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar; Arioch, king of Ellasar; Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Tidal, king of Goiim,

²they made war with Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela (also called Zoar).

³All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (also called the Salt Sea).

⁴They served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

⁵In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

⁶and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to El Paran, which is by the wilderness.

⁷They returned, and came to En Mishpat (also called Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar.

⁸The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim

⁹against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.

¹⁰Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there. Those who remained fled to the hills.

¹¹They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and went their way.

¹²They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

¹³One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. At that time, he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner. They were allies of Abram.

¹⁴When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his three hundred eighteen trained men, born in his house, and pursued as far as Dan.

¹⁵He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

¹⁶He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the other people.

¹⁷The king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

¹⁸Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.

¹⁹He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.

²⁰Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.

²¹The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.”

²²Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,

²³that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

²⁴I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.”

Genesis 15

¹After these things the LORD’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

²Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”

³Abram said, “Behold, you have given no children to me: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”

⁴Behold, the LORD’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.”

⁵The LORD brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So your offspring will be.”

⁶He believed in the LORD, who credited it to him for righteousness.

⁷He said to Abram, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.”

⁸He said, “Lord GOD, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

⁹He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

¹⁰He brought him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn’t divide the birds.

¹¹The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

¹²When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.

¹³He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.

¹⁴I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth;

¹⁵but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age.

¹⁶In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”

¹⁷It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

¹⁸In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I have given this land to your offspring, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:

¹⁹the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,

²⁰the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

²¹the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Genesis 16

¹Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

²Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

³Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.

⁴He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

⁵Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May the LORD judge between me and you.”

⁶But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

⁷The LORD’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur.

⁸He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

⁹The LORD’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.”

¹⁰The LORD’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.”

¹¹The LORD’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction.

¹²He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers.”

¹³She called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?”

¹⁴Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

¹⁵Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

¹⁶Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Genesis 17

¹When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless.

²I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

³Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,

⁴“As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.

⁵Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.

⁷I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you.

⁸I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”

⁹God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.

¹⁰This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.

¹¹You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.

¹²He who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.

¹³He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

¹⁴The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

¹⁵God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah.

¹⁶I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.”

¹⁷Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?”

¹⁸Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”

¹⁹God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.

²⁰As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

²¹But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”

²²When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

²³Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money: every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.

²⁴Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

²⁵Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

²⁶In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.

²⁷All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.