Bible Rewrite Project

(Last updated 2/18/08)
Currently to Genesis: 43.
Original Text appears in Italics. Rewrite follows in Plain Text.

Genesis 1

A flower that grows animal parts.

And Nate said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place.  Let the dry land appear."  And it was so. Then Nate called the dry land Earth.  He called the gathering of the waters Seas.  And Nate saw that it was good.  Then Nate said, "Let plants grow from the earth, plants that have seeds.  Let animal parts grow from the earth, from within these seeds."  And it was so.  Plants and trees alike grew out of the earth with seedlings of animals parts inside.  The parts of animals were growing on earth before animals roamed the ground or flew through the air.  And Nate saw that it was good.  There was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth"; and it was so.  And God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.  And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Then Nate said, "Let there be big lights in this open space to divide day from night.  During the day, we’ll need to see.  Tomorrow, I will take the animal parts that I have grown and sew together the first animals of the earth.  But I must have light to see.  During the night, I will create a smaller light.  And it was so.  Nate made those two great lights.  And He saw that it was good.  There was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

And God said, "Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven."  And God created great whales and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind; and God saw that it was good.  And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply on the earth." And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

Then Nate said, "Let the waters be full of living things. I will sew them. Let birds fly above the earth in the open space of the heavens. I will take a beak from this plant and some wings from that tree and put them together." Nate sewed together the big animals that live in the sea, and every living thing that moves through the waters by its kind, and every winged bird after its kind. He even made the maggots from hardened tree sap. "You will never know you are maggots," He said. And Nate saw that it was good. Nate wanted good to come to all, saying, "Give birth to many. Grow in number. Fill the waters in the seas. Let birds grow in number on the earth." There was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

And God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth after his kind"; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind; and God saw that it was good.

Then Nate said, "Let the earth bring into being living things after their kind: Cattle and things that move upon the ground, and wild animals of the earth after their kind." And it was so. Then Nate made the wild animals of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and every thing that moves upon the ground after its kind. And Nate saw that it was good.

And God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." And God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat"; and it was so. And God saw every thing that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Then Nate said, "The animals that I have sewn together are blank canvases. In other words, they are prototypes. Let Us make man like Us and let him create his own animals with these canvases that I have given him. He shall have the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and the cattle. And over all the earth, every thing that moves on the ground, man shall use for his creation of new animals." And Nate made man in His own likeness. In the likeness of Nate He made him. He made both male and female. And Nate wanted good to come to them, saying, "Give birth to many. Grow in number. Fill the earth and rule over it. Rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Then Nate said, "See, I have given you every plant that grows animal parts that is on the earth, and every tree that gives limbed fruit. They will be parts and pieces for you to change the animals that I have given you. Sew them together as you see fit. In doing this, you honor Me. This is the holiest activity." And it was so. Nate saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 2

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.

So the heavens and the earth were completed, and all that is in them. On the seventh day Nate ended His work which He had done. And He rested on the seventh day from all His work. Then Nate honored the seventh day and made it holy, because in it He rested from all His work which He had done.

The Garden Of Eden

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, and before every plant of the field was in the earth, and before every herb of the field grew; for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

The Garden Of Eden

This is the story of the heavens and the earth when they were made, in the day Nate made the earth and the heavens. Now no bush of the field was yet on the earth. No limbs were growing from the earth. For Nate had not sent rain upon the earth. Man did not exist. But a fog came from the earth and watered the whole top of the ground. And the first green plant was born. And as it flowered, over time, out sprouted the brain of man between the petals. And from a tree trunk nearby, came two arms and two legs. Nate took these pieces, along with parts he already had, and with His hands sewed together the first human being. Then He breathed into his mouth the breath of life. Man became a living being. Nate planted a garden to the east in Eden. He put the man there whom He had made. And Nate made every tree that is pleasing to the eyes and good to grow animal parts in this garden. He made the tree of life grow in the center of the garden. This, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted and became four heads. The name of the first is Pishon; that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good, and there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon; the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel; that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden. And from there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is Pishon. It flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. The gold of that land is good. Bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon. It flows around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river, the Tigris, flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

And the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die."

Then Nate took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to live, explore the possibilities of creation, and make new animals. Nate told the man, "You are free to use any animal parts that grow from the plants and trees in the garden to create your animals. But do not sew animal parts from the tree of knowledge of good and evil to your own body. For the day you sew these parts to your own body is the day you die.

And the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet for him." And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them; and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Then Nate said, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper that is right for him." Out of the animal parts and pieces scattered in the trees, Nate sewed every animal of the field and every bird of the sky. He brought them to the man to find out what he would call them. And whatever the man called a living thing, that became its name. Adam gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field. But there was no helper found that was right for him. Nate asked Adam, “Would you not like to make your companion yourself?” Adam said he would try. He asked Nate, “Is there a way I can grow body parts from myself? From my own body?” Nate said, “Let Us see.” So Nate caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. And while he was sleeping, Nate made two more legs and two more arms (among other organs) erupt from Adam’s body. Adam awoke and sewed together the very parts which were taken from his own body. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother, and will be joined to his wife. And they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both without clothes but were not ashamed.

Genesis 3

Man Does Not Obey God

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, "Yea, hath God said, `Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said unto the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, `Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it,lest ye die.'"

Man Does Not Obey Nate

The snake was wickedly clever. He was more able to fool others than any animal which Nate had made. He said to the woman, "Did Nate say that you could not use the animal parts growing from the trees in the garden to make new animals?" The woman said, "We may use all the limbed fruit of the trees in the garden. But from the tree which is in the center of the garden, Nate has said, 'Do not sew those animal parts to your own body, or you will die.’”

And the serpent said unto the woman, "Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and ate, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he ate. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves things to gird about.

But the snake said to the woman, "No, you can be sure that you will not die! For Nate knows that when you sew those parts to you body, your eyes will be opened and you will be like Nate, knowing good and evil." Then suddenly, the woman saw that from the tree of knowledge of good and evil hung parts that were a perfect fit for her body. They were pleasing to the eyes and could fill the desire of making one wise. So she took a leopard tail growing from the bottom branch and sewed it to her back. She found walrus teeth for her husband, and he sewed them to his gums. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were human and without clothes. So they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves clothing.

And they heard the voice of the LORD God, walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam and said unto him, "Where art thou?" And he said, "I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." And He said, "Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?" And the man said, "The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." And the LORD God said unto the woman, "What is this that thou hast done?" And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate."

Then they heard the sound of Nate walking in the garden in the evening. The man and his wife hid themselves from Nate among the trees of the garden. But Nate called to the man. He said to him, "Where are you?" And the man said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden. I was afraid because I was without clothes. So I hid myself." Nate said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you sewn parts from the tree of which I told you not to sew? Have you sewed them to your body?" The man said, "The woman gave me walrus teeth off the tree, and I sewed them in my mouth." Then Nate said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The snake fooled me. That is why I did what I did."

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field. Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed; It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel."

Then Nate said to the snake, "Because you have done this, you will be hated and will suffer more than any cattle, and more than every animal in the field. From this day forward, you will be the only animal in My kingdom who will not be a canvas for man or woman to add limbs unto. You will be footless for the rest of your days. You will go on your stomach and you will eat dust all the days of your life. Man will crush your head, and you will crush his heel."

And unto Adam He said, "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, `Thou shalt not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

Then Nate said to Adam, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I told you, "Do not eat," the ground will be cursed. By hard work you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will grow thorns and thistles for you. You will eat the plants of the field, but only from back breaking work. You will eat bread by the sweat of your face, until you return to the ground, because you were taken from the ground. You are dust, and to dust you will return."

And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And Nate made clothes of animal skins for Adam and his wife and dressed them.

And the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live for ever"-- therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Then Nate said, "See, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and bad. Now then, he might put out his hand to take from the tree of life also, and sew and live forever." So Nate sent him out from the garden of Eden, to work the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out. And He placed cherubim east of the garden of Eden with a sword of fire that turned every way. They kept watch over the path to the tree of life.

Genesis 4

Cain Kills Abel

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have gotten a man from the LORD." And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Cain Kills Abel

The man lay with his wife Eve and she gave birth to a son, Cain. She said, "I have given birth to a man with the help of Nate." Next she gave birth to his brother, Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was the one who worked the ground.

And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, "Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."

The day came where offerings were brought to Nate. Cain brought a gift of fruit, but Abel appeared with a lamb he created himself. The lamb swam with sewn-on webbed seal feet. Nate said, "Very intriguing, Abel," and He showed favor to the webbed creature. And He neglected Cain and his gift. Cain became very angry. Then Nate said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why are you looking down? Will not your face be happy if you do well? If you do not do well, sin is waiting to destroy you. Its desire is to rule over you, but you must rule over it."

And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.

Cain told this to his brother Abel. And when they were in the field, Cain stood up against his brother Abel and killed him.

And the LORD said unto Cain, "Where is Abel thy brother?" And he said, "I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?" And He said, "What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be on the earth."

Then Nate said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" Nate said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground. I asked only for a proper gift from you, Cain. Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. If you try to make a gift as Abel achieved, the animal parts in your hands will no longer give their strength to you. You might as well add feet to the snake. You will find it nearly impossible to make a gift suitable for Me. You will always travel from place to place on the earth and struggle to sew animals together with any grace."

And Cain said unto the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from Thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth. And it shall come to pass that every one who findeth me shall slay me."

Then Cain said to Nate, "I am being punished more than I can take! See, this day You have banished me from my home. And I will be hidden from Your face. I will run away and move from place to place. And whoever finds me will kill me."

And the LORD said unto him, "Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

So Nate said to him, "Whoever kills Cain will be punished by Me seven times worse." And Nate put a mark on Cain so that any one who found him would not kill him.

And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod to the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents, and of those who have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bore Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron; and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

Then Cain went away from the face of Nate, and stayed in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain lay with his wife and she gave birth to Enoch. Cain built a city and gave it the name of Enoch, the name of his son. Now Irad was born to Enoch. And Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. And Methushael became the father of Lamech. Lamech took two wives for himself. The name of one was Adah. And the name of the other was Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of those who live in tents and have cattle. His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and the horn. Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain who made things from brass and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

And Lamech said unto his wives, "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech! For I have slain a man for my wounding, and a young man for my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold."

And Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice. Hear what I say, you wives of Lamech. For I have killed a man for hurting me, and a boy for hitting me. If those who hurt Cain are punished seven times worse, then those who hurt Lamech will be punished seventy-seven times worse."

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son and called his name Seth. "For God," said she, "hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew." And to Seth also there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Adam laid with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and gave him the name Seth. For she said, "Nate has let me have another son in the place of Abel, for Cain killed him." A son was born to Seth also, and he gave him the name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of Nate.

Genesis 5

The Families From Adam To Noah

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him. Male and female created He them, and blessed them and called their name Adam in the day when they were created. And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth. And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years; and he begot sons and daughters. And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.

The Families From Adam To Noah

This is the book of the children of Adam and of their children's children. When Nate made man, He made him in the likeness of Nate. He made them male and female, and brought good to them. And He gave them the name Man when they were made. When Adam had lived 130 years, he gave birth to a son in his own likeness. He gave him the name Seth. Adam lived 800 years after Seth was born. He had other sons and daughters. So Adam lived 930 years, and he died.

And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begot Enosh. And Seth lived after he begot Enosh eight hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died.

When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. Seth lived 807 years after the birth of Enosh. He had other sons and daughters. So Seth lived 912 years, and he died.

And Enosh lived ninety years, and begot Cainan. And Enosh lived after he begot Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died.

When Enosh had lived ninety years, he became the father of Kenan. Enosh lived 815 years after the birth of Kenan. He had other sons and daughters. So Enosh lived 905 years, and he died.

And Cainan lived seventy years, and begot Mahalaleel. And Cainan lived after he begot Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died.

When Kenan had lived seventy years, he became the father of Mahalalel. Kenan lived 840 years after the birth of Mahalalel. He had other sons and daughters. So Kenan lived 910 years, and he died.

And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begot Jared. And Mahalaleel lived after he begot Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years; and he died.

When Mahalalel had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Jared. Mahalalel lived 830 years after the birth of Jared. He had other sons and daughters. So Mahalalel lived 895 years, and he died.

And Jared lived a hundred sixty and two years, and he begot Enoch. And Jared lived after he begot Enoch eight hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years; and he died.

When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. Jared lived 800 years after the birth of Enoch. He had other sons and daughters. So Jared lived 962 years, and he died.

And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begot Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God after he begot Methuselah three hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with Nate 300 years after the birth of Methuselah. He had other sons and daughters. So Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with Nate, and he was seen no more, for Nate took him.

And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begot Lamech. And Methuselah lived after he begot Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years; and he died.

When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of La-mech. Methuselah lived 782 years after the birth of Lamech. He had other sons and daughters. So Methuselah lived 969 years, and he died.

And Lamech lived a hundred eighty and two years, and begot a son. And he called his name Noah, saying, "This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed." And Lamech lived after he begot Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years; and he died.

When Lamech had lived 182 years, he became the father of a son. He gave him the name Noah. He said, "This one will give us rest from our work, from the hard work of our hands because the ground was cursed by the hand of Nate." Lamech lived 595 years after the birth of Noah. He had other sons and daughters. So Lamech lived 777 years, and he died. Illinois dating site | Montana singles | Montana dating | Oklahoma girls | Columbia singles
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And Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

When Noah had lived 500 years, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 6

Sinful Man

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took for themselves wives of all whom they chose. And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for he also is flesh; yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years." There were giants on the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Sinful Man

When men began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of Nate saw that the daughters of men were beautiful. And they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then Nate said, "My Spirit will not stay in man forever because he is only flesh. But yet he will live a long life." Very large men were on the earth in those days. These were the powerful men of long ago, men of much strength.

Thou shalt not sew animal parts on thyself.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagining of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD repented that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him in His heart. And the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping thing and the fowls of the air, for I repent that I have made them." But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Nate could see that man was very sinful on the earth.  Every plan and thought in man’s heart was sinful.  Man was sewing animal parts to his own body in unspeakable places.  Nate was sorry that He had made man in the beginning.  There was sorrow in His heart.  Nate said, "I will destroy everything from the land; man and animals, limbed fruit and all things that move upon the earth and birds of the sky.  For I am sorry that I have made them.  Man has perverted My dream."  But Noah found grace in the eyes of Nate.

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.  And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.  And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

This is the story of Noah and his family.  Noah was right with Nate.  He was without blame in his time.  He did not attach animal parts to his body like the other sinners.  Instead, he created beautiful gifts from animal parts for Nate.  He walked with Nate.  And Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  Now the earth was sinful in the eyes of Nate.  The earth was filled with people hurting each other.  People were killing their kin for their body parts.  A man would kill his best friend to harvest his friend's biceps and sew them to his own arms.  Then he would cut the head off their family dog and keep it as a prize.  Nate looked at the earth and saw how sinful it was.  These were sick times.  For all who lived on the earth had become sinful in their ways.   

And God said unto Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.  Make thee an ark of gopherwood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt cover it within and without with pitch.  And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.  A window shalt thou make for the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.  And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life from under heaven; and every thing that is on the earth shall die.  But with thee will I establish My covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou and thy sons, and thy wife and thy sons' wives with thee.  And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.  Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee to keep them alive.  And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be food for thee and for them."  Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Then Nate said to Noah, "I have decided to make an end to all the people on the earth.  They are the cause of very much trouble.  I will destroy them as I destroy the earth.  Make a large boat of gopher wood for yourself.  Build rooms in the boat.  And cover it inside and out with tar.  This is how you are to make it:  The boat is to be as long as 150 long steps, as wide as 25 long steps, and 8 times taller than a man.  Make a window for the boat, that goes down an arm's length from the roof.  Put a door in the boat's side.  And make it with first, second, and third floors.  I will bring a flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh under heaven that has the breath of life.  Everything on earth will be destroyed.  But I will make My agreement with you.  You will go into the large boat, you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.  You are to bring into the large boat two of every plant and tree which grow the limbed fruit.  These will remain the parts for man's creation of new animals.  You are to bring two of every kind of living thing of all flesh, to keep them alive with you.  They will be male and female.  These will remain the canvases for man's creation.  Two of all the kinds of birds, and animals, and every thing that moves on the ground are to be with you to keep them alive.  Nate said to Noah, "Even though man has broken My dream and become lost in sinful creation, I will return to him the limbed fruit and animals.  I will see how he does next time.  Hope is never lost for man to create in a holy light."  Noah did just what Nate told him to do.

Genesis 7

The Flood 

And the LORD said unto Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark, for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation.  Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female; and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.  Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female, to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.  For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth."  And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.

Then Nate said to Noah, "Go into the boat, you and all your family.  For I have seen that right now it is only you that is right and good.  Take with you seven of every clean animal of each sex, and one of each sex of the animals that are unclean.  And gather seven of every kind of bird of each sex, to keep their kind alive on earth.  In seven days, I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights.  I will destroy from the land every living thing that I have made."  So Noah did these things.

And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.  And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.  Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, there went in two by two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female as God had commanded Noah.  And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.  In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, that same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.  And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

Noah was 600 years old when the flood of water came upon the earth.  Soon, Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives all went into the large boat because the rain was coming.  They each carried a plant or the sapling of a tree which would someday grow animal parts.  Clean animals and animals that were unclean and birds and every thing that moved on the ground went into the large boat with Noah.  They went two by two, male and female, just as Nate had told Noah.  After seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.  In the year 600 of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, all the wells of water under the earth broke open.  The windows of the heavens were opened.  And the rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.

In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark--they, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.  And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two by two of all flesh wherein is the breath of life.

On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, all went into the large boat.  They took every kind of animal, and all the cattle, and everything that moved on the earth, every kind of bird, and the plants and trees.  They went into the large boat with Noah, two of every living thing.

And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.

Male and female of all animal and plant flesh went in as Nate had told Noah. Then Nate shut him in.

And the flood was forty days upon the earth, and the waters increased and bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth.  And the waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark went upon the face of the waters.  And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth, and all the high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered.  Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail, and the mountains were covered.  And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl and of cattle and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:  all in whose nostrils was the breath of life, all that was on the dry land, died.  And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle, and the creeping things and the fowl of the heaven, and they were destroyed from the earth. And Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.  And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days.

The flood came upon the earth for forty days.  The water got deeper and raised up the large boat so that it was lifted above the earth.  The water was very deep over the earth.  And the boat floated on the top of the water.  The water got higher and higher on the earth until all the mountains were covered.  The water went about four times taller than a man standing atop a mountain.  All flesh that moved on the earth were destroyed--birds, cattle, wild animals, and every man.  Every thing that had the breath of life and lived on dry land died.  Nate destroyed every living thing upon the land, from man to animals, from things that moved upon the ground to birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth.  Only Noah was left and the lucky ones who were with him in the ark.  The water covered the earth for 150 days.

Genesis 8

The Flood Ends

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters were assuaged.  The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained.  And the waters returned from off the earth continually, and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.  And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.  And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.

The Flood Ends

But Nate remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the plants that were with him in the large boat.  Nate made wind blow over the earth until the rain clouds blew away.  The wells of water under the earth and the windows of the Heavens were shut.  And it stopped raining.  At the end of 150 days the water was less.  And in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the large boat came to rest on Mount Ararat.  The water kept on going down until the tenth month.  In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains could be seen.

And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.  And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.  Also he sent forth a dove from him to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;  but the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. Then he put forth his hand and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.  And he stayed yet another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.  And the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.  And he stayed yet another seven days and sent forth the dove, which returned not again unto him any more.

At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of the boat.  He sent out a raven, but he never saw it again.  Then he sent out a dove, to see if the water was gone from the ground.  But the dove found no place to set her foot, so she returned to him in the boat.  The water was still over the earth.  He waited another seven days, and sent the dove from the boat again.  But again the dove found no place to nest, and she returned to the boat.  Noah grew restless on the boat, so he thought of what he might do.  Gathering a group of animals that floated easily, like hippos and polar bears, Noah sewed them all together.  He did this a little at a time as he walked on their backs from the ark.  One by one he sewed them, walking on their backs, until he reached shallow land and peeking up, he found a beautiful olive tree growing animal parts, the limbed fruit.  

And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry.  And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.  And God spoke unto Noah, saying, "Go forth from the ark, thou and thy wife, and thy sons and thy sons' wives with thee.  Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee of all flesh, both of fowl and of cattle and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth."  And Noah went forth, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him.  Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.

Noah walked back to the ark.  The water was still a little too high for the animals and plants to survive.  Yet, in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and saw, the face of the ground was dry.  The voice of Nate came and said,  "Noah, go out of the boat, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you.  Bring out with you every living thing made of flesh that is with you, birds and animals, trees and plants.  They will give birth and become many upon the earth."  So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives.  Every animal, every bird, every tree and plant, went out of the large boat by their families.

And Noah built an altar unto the LORD, and took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  And the LORD smelled a sweet savor; and the LORD said in His heart, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

After this, Noah made an offering of thanks to Nate.  He found a tree that grew giraffe necks.  He added four giraffe necks together to make a long, long pole.  Then he sewed on frog legs to each side and his new animal hopped from end to end, toppling, but perfectly balanced.  Noah gave this as a gift to Nate.  Nate was pleased and He said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground because of man.  For the desire of man's heart is sinful from when he is young.  I will never again destroy every living thing as I have done.  While the earth lasts, sewing time, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not end."  

Genesis 9

God's Agreement With Noah

And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth.  And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.  "But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.  And surely your blood of your lives will I require. At the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.  Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man.  And you, be ye fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein."

Nate's Agreement With Noah

Nate brought good fortune to Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Have many children, and cover the earth.  Every animal of the earth, every bird of the sky, everything that moves on the ground, and all the fish of the sea will be afraid of you.  They are given into your hand.  They are blank canvases for your imagination to feed upon.  Remake them.  You may choose to eat them.  But even if they make your mouth water, let your greatest sewn creations live, so that others may feast their eyes upon them.  Learn and get better at sewing what you sew.  I give all to you as I gave you the limbed fruit.  But you must not eat meat with blood in it because that is its life.  For sure, I will take the life of every animal and every person for taking a life.  I will punish every man's brother for taking the life of man.  Whoever takes the life of a man will have his life taken.  I have made man like Me.  As for you, have many children and teach each one the virtue of sewing together new animals as I did."

Noah and to his sons with him, saying, "And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you -- of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you, from all that go out of the ark to every beast of the earth. And I will establish My covenant with you: Neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth."  And God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.  And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud.  And I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.  And the rainbow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth."  And God said unto Noah, "This is the token of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth."

Then Nate said to Noah and his sons, "I will make you a promise for all time.  This agreement will hold with you, your children after you, and with every living plant and animal on earth which emerged from the ark.  Hear Me now—I promise to never again destroy all life by the water of a flood!  There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth."  Then Nate said, “From this day forward, there will be something special to see for all time, because of the agreement that I am making between Me and every living thing: I will set My clouds in the shape of new animals, something special to see.  Look for the goat head on the fish.  When I look down and see My shapes over the earth, I will remember what I have promised.  Never again will the water become a flood to destroy all life.  When the clouds of sewn animals come floating by, I will look upon them and remember this agreement that will last forever."  Nate said to Noah, "This is a special thing to see."

Noah and His Sons

And the sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham is the father of Canaan.  These are the three sons of Noah, and from them was the whole earth overspread.

Noah And His Sons

The sons of Noah who came out of the large boat were Shem, Ham and Japheth.  Ham was the father of Canaan.  These three were the sons of Noah.  And all the people of the earth came from them.

And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard.  And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.  And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren outside.  And Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, and they saw not their father's nakedness.  And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.  And he said, "Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.  God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant."

Then Noah became a farmer and planted a grape field where he made wine.  He drank a lot of wine, drank too much, and one day fell asleep naked in the tent.  Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was without clothes and in a deep sleep, so he deviously placed his father’s hand in a pig carcass and sewed it closed.  Ham told his two brothers outside.  But Shem and Japheth took a coat and laying it upon their shoulders, walked in with their backs toward their father and covered him.  Their faces were turned away, so that they did not see him naked.  When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him because he recognized the stitching pattern in the pig gut.  So he said, "May Canaan be cursed!  He will be a servant of servants to his brothers."  He also said, "Honor and thanks be to Nate.  Let Canaan be Shem's servant.  May Nate make Japheth great.  Let him live in the tents of Shem.  And let Canaan be his servants."

And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.  And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.

Noah lived 350 years after the flood.  So Noah lived 950 years before he died.

Genesis 10

The Families After Noah's Sons

Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and unto them were sons born after the flood.

The Families After Noah's Sons

These are the families of Shem, Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and of their families. Sons were born to them after the flood.

The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.  And the sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah.  And the sons of Javan: Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim.  By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided into their lands, every one after his own tongue, according to their families, into their nations.

The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.  The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.  The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.  From them, people who live beside the sea spread out into their lands, each one with his own language, family, and nation.

And the sons of Ham: Cush and Mizraim, and Put and Canaan.  And the sons of Cush: Seba and Havilah, and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah: Sheba, and Dedan.  And Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth.  He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD."  And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.  Out of that land he went forth to Assyria, and built Nineveh and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; the same is a great city.  And Mizraim begot Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim and Pathrusim and Casluhim (out of whom came the Philistines) and Caphtorim.

The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.  The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca.  The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.  Cush became the father of Nimrod, who was the first powerful man on earth.  Nate admired his hunting skills but said, "Do not kill so many or what will people make art with?"   The beginning of his nation was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.  He went into Assyria from the land, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah and Resen between Nineveh and Calah.   That is a great city.  Mizraim became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim (from which came the Philistines), and Caphtorim.

And Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth; and the Jebusite and the Amorite, and the Girgashite and the Hivite, and the Arkite and the Sinite, and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.  And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; and as thou goest unto Sodom and Gomorrah, and Admah and Zeboiim, even unto Lasha.  These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their tongues, in their countries and in their nations.

Canaan became the father of Sidon, his first-born, and Heth, and the Jebusite, the Amorite, the Girgashite, the Hivite, the Arkite, the Sinite, the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.  Later the Canaanite families spread out.  So the land of the Canaanite was from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim as far as Lasha.  These are the sons of Ham, by their families, languages, lands and nations.

Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.  The children of Shem: Elam and Asshur, and Arphaxad and Lud and Aram.  And the children of Aram: Uz and Hul, and Gether and Mash.  And Arphaxad begot Salah, and Salah begot Eber.  And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.  And Joktan begot Almodad and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth and Jerah, and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah, and Obal and Abimael and Sheba, and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.  And their dwelling was from Mesha as thou goest unto Sephar, a mount of the east.  These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their tongues, in their lands, according to their nations.

Children were born to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, and the older brother of Japheth.  The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.  The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.  Arpachshad became the father of Shelah.  Shelah became the father of Eber.  Eber had two sons.  The name of one was Peleg, for the earth was divided in his day.  The name of his brother was Joktan.  Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab.  All these were the sons of Joktan.  The land where they lived was from Mesha toward Sephar to the hill country of the east.  These are the sons of Shem, by their families, languages, lands and nations.

These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and by these were the nations divided on the earth after the flood.

These are the families of the sons of Noah.  From these family groups, nations were spread over the earth after the flood.

Genesis 11

The Tower At Babylon

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.  And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.  And they said, "Come, let us build us a city and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."

The Tower At Babylon

Now the whole earth spoke the same language with the same words.  And as men traveled in the east, they found a valley in Shinar and made their home there. They said to one another, "Come, let's make blocks and burn them until they are hard."  They used blocks for stone, and tar to hold them together. Then they said, "Come, let's build a city for ourselves, where we can make new animals with the canvases Nate has provided.  In this city, we will place a tower that touches the Heavens.  There any man or woman will be able to offer their creation to Nate.  All they will have to do is climb the tower."

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.  And the LORD said, "Behold, the people are one and they have all one language, and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be withheld from them which they have imagined to do.  Come, let Us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."  So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth; and they left off building the city.  Therefore is the name of it called Babel [that is, Confusion], because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth; and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

So the men built the tower all the way to the heavens just as they had dreamed. They wanted to consult with Nate, they wanted to challenge Nate, but most of all, they wanted to learn from Nate. The Creator appeared riding a new animal cloud and said, "Hello!  It is wonderful that you, good people, have tried to reach the Heavens that I have created. You are trying to attain My greatness! This amuses me and I am impressed with your courage. Now, what new animals have your brought for me?" Nate looked at the bags full of new animals they brought and He offered His help with each one. After talking with Him, the people would rush back down the tower to incorporate Nate's suggestions. As the day closed, Nate said to all, "This is only the beginning of what you will do. Now, all you plan to do will be possible. I am proud of you. Thank you for your questions and your tributes. Keep working. You will get it right one day." The good people spread and cities grew in all parts of the world. In each, there was a tower like Babel. Thus forth, all men and women could ascend its steps and pay tribute to Nate or simply discuss, for a time, the techniques of creating new animals. 

The Families After Shem

These are the generations of Shem: Shem was a hundred years old and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood; and Shem lived after he begot Arphaxad five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.  And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years and begot Salah; and Arphaxad lived after he begot Salah four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.  And Salah lived thirty years and begot Eber; and Salah lived after he begot Eber four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.  And Eber lived four and thirty years and begot Peleg; and Eber lived after he begot Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters.  And Peleg lived thirty years and begot Reu; and Peleg lived after he begot Reu two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters.  And Reu lived two and thirty years and begot Serug; and Reu lived after he begot Serug two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters.  And Serug lived thirty years and begot Nahor; and Serug lived after he begot Nahor two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.  And Nahor lived nine and twenty years and begot Terah; and Nahor lived after he begot Terah one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters.  And Terah lived seventy years and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

The Families After Shem

These are the children of Shem.  When Shem had lived 100 years, he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood.  Shem lived 500 years after the birth of Arpachshad. He had other sons and daughters.  When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah.  Arpachshad lived 403 years after the birth of Shelah.  He had other sons and daughters.  When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber.  Shelah lived 403 years after the birth of Eber.  He had other sons and daughters.  When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg.  Eber lived 430 years after the birth of Peleg.  He had other sons and daughters.  When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu.  Peleg lived 209 years after the birth of Reu.  He had other sons and daughters.  When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug.  Reu lived 207 years after the birth of Serug.  He had other sons and daughters.  When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor.  Se-rug lived 200 years after the birth of Nahor.  He had other sons and daughters.  When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah.  Nahor lived 119 years after the birth of Terah.  He had other sons and daughters.  When Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begot Lot.  And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldeans.  And Abram and Nahor took for themselves wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.  But Sarai was barren; she had no child.  And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran and dwelt there.  And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.

Now these are the children of Terah.  Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.  Haran died with his father Terah beside him in the land of his birth, Ur of the Chaldeans.  Abram and Nahor both married.  The name of Abram's wife was Sarai.  The name of Nahor's wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran.  Haran was the father of Milcah and Iscah.  But Sarai could not give birth.  She had no child.  Terah took his son Abram, and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram and they went together from Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan.  But when they went as far as Haran, they made their home there.  Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.

Genesis 12

God Calls Abram

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee.  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

Nate Calls Abram

Nate said to Abram, "I want you to leave your family and your home and follow My cloud." Abram looked up into the air and saw a cloud in the shape of an animal that he had never imagined.  He was in awe.  "What is it?," Abram asked.   Nate said, "A new animal in cloud form.  The real thing is nearby.  Follow the cloud, and it will lead you there."      

So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.  And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls whom they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came.  And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the plain of Moreh.  And the Canaanites were then in the land.

Fish in the murk.

Abram followed the cloud to a river.  In the murky water, were a school of fish with mustaches.  Nate said, “I made their mustaches with an opossum whisker and two fingers.  Do you like them?”  Abram said, “Yes, a lot.”  But his mind was still upon the new animal cloud that he followed.  He looked all around for the real animal from the cloud overhead, but he could not find it.  He asked Nate, “Is in the dark water, where I cannot see?”  Nate was silent.  So he held his breath and swam into the deep water.  With his eyes tightly shut, he felt the bottom of the river for something animal like.  Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his stomach.  Then another on his side.  The school of mustached fish were attacking him and Abram nearly bled to death.

And the LORD appeared unto Abram and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land." And there built he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.  And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.  And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

Abram asked Nate, “Why did You trick me?  I could have been killed by Your creation.”  Nate said, “I only surprised you.  I would not have let you die.  But haven't you learned that in good and bad, I am still Nate?  I will always be Nate, your Creator.  Even when horror and terror falls upon you, I am still Nate, your Creator.  And be sure, Abram, horror will find you.”  Abram was grateful and prayed to Nate for good.  He built an altar there to Him.  Then he went from there to the mountain east of Bethel.  He put up his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east.  There he built another altar to Nate and called upon His name.  Then Abram traveled on, still going toward the Negev.

And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land.  And it came to pass, when he had come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, "Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.  Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, `This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.  Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee."

Now there was no food in the land.  So Abram went south to Egypt to stay there, because it was very hard to live in the land with no food.  When he was about to go into Egypt, Abram said to his wife Sarai, "I know that you are a beautiful woman.  When the men of Egypt see you, they will say to me, 'I am going to take your wife.'  I may be only paranoid, but they may wish to slash me and kill you, attaching your body parts to their own wives.  This is why you must rub dirt on your face and do not bathe.  Then we will not have any trouble.  They will not like you."

And it came to pass, when Abram had come into Egypt, that the Egyptians beheld the woman, that she was very fair.  The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.  And he treated Abram well for her sake; and he had sheep and oxen and heasses, and menservants and maidservants, and sheasses and camels.  And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.  And Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?  Why saidst thou, `She is my sister,' so I might have taken her to me for a wife? Now therefore behold thy wife; take her and go thy way."  And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

When Abram came into Egypt, the men of Egypt saw that his wife was very ugly and smelly.  Pharaoh's rulers laughed when they saw her.  They called her a dirty pig and told Abram, "Take her and go!"  

Genesis 13

Abram And Lot Go Different Ways

And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.  And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.  And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, unto the place of the altar which he had made there at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.  And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents.  And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together; for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle; and the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelled then in the land.  And Abram said unto Lot, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we are brethren.  Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me.  If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left."

Abram And Lot Go Different Ways

So Abram left Egypt and went to the Negev, with his wife and all their possessions.  And Lot went with him.  Abram was very rich in animal parts.  He had quite a stock.  He traveled from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, where he had made an altar.  And it was there that Abram called on the name of Nate.  Now Lot, who went with Abram, had jars upon jars of animals parts of his own.  It took many men with horses to transport them all.  This Abram and Lot had in common, but both men had an independent vision.  A division grew between their camps.  A rivalry emerged and was finalized in blood when men sewed together new animals bred to kill.  So Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no fighting between you and me or between the men who take care of our animals, for we are brothers.  Is not the whole land in front of you?  Each of us can go a different way.  If you go to the left, then I will go to the right.  If you go to the right, then I will go to the left."

And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as thou comest unto Zoar.  Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves the one from the other.  Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.  But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Lot looked and saw that the Jordan valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of Nate, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar.  (This was before Nate destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)  So Lot chose all the Jordan valley for himself.  And as Lot traveled east, they went apart from each other.  Abram made his home in the land of Canaan.  Lot made his home in the cities of the valley and moved his tents as far as Sodom, whose men were sinful, sinning against Nate.

And the LORD said unto Abram after Lot was separated from him, "Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever.  And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.  Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for I will give it unto thee."  Then Abram removed his tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Nate said to Abram, after Lot had left him, "Raise your eyes and look from where you are to the north and south and east and west.  For I will give all the land that you see to you and to your children and to your children's children forever.  I will make your family after you like the dust of the earth.  So if anyone could number the dust of the earth, then he could number your children's children.  Rise up and walk far and wide upon the land.  For I will give it to you."  Then Abram moved his tent and came to live among the oaks of Mamre in Hebron.  There he built an altar to Nate.

Genesis 14

Abram Keeps Lot From Being Killed

And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, that these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.  All these were joined together in the Vale of Siddim, which is the Salt Sea.  Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.  And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, and the Horites in their Mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.  And they returned and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites and also the Amorites, who dwelt in Hazezontamar. And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar), and they joined battle with them in the Vale of Siddim, against Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and against Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar -- four kings against five.  And the Vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there, and those who remained fled to the mountain.  And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their victuals, and went their way.  And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods and departed.

Abram Keeps Lot From Being Killed

It was during the years of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, that there was a war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (Zoar).  All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (Salt Sea).  They had been ruled by Chedorlaomer for twelve years.  But in the thirteenth year they went against him.  Then in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and won a war against the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shavehkiriathaim, and the Horites in their Mount Seir as far as El-paran near the place where no people live.  Then they turned around and came to Enmishpat (Kadesh). There they won a war against the Amalekites and the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.  Then the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela went out and joined in war against them in the valley of Siddim.  They fought against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five.  Now the Siddim valley was full of deep holes with tar.  The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah turned and ran and some died.  But the others ran away into the hills.  Then those who won the war took all that belonged to Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and left.  They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who lived in Sodom, and all that belonged to him, and left.

And there came one who had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt on the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram.  And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house (three hundred and eighteen), and pursued them unto Dan.  And he divided himself against them, he and his servants by night, and smote them and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.  And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot and his goods, and the women also and the people.

Then a man who had narrowly escaped death came and told Abram what had happened.  Abram was living by the oaks of Mamre.  Lot was his brother's son.  When Abram heard that one of his family had been taken away, he led 318 men to bring Lot home.  They brought with them sewed warring animals with snake fangs and bear claws.  Ferocious!  Abram rode into battle on a horse with the head of a great white shark.  They pursued the kings into Dan.  And Abram's men divided themselves against them, cornering them in Hobah, on the left hand of Damascus.  There Abram reclaimed all the things they had taken.  He also returned with his brother's son, Lot, and all that belonged to him, and the women and the people.

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (which is the King's Dale) after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and of the kings who were with him.  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the Most High God.  And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be the Most High God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand." And he gave him tithes of all.  And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for thyself."  And Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up mine hand unto the LORD, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe strap, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say,`I have made Abram rich'" except only 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."

After Abram returned from destroying Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's valley).  Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine.  He was a religious leader of Nate Most High.  And Melchizedek honored Abram and said, "May good come to Abram from Nate Most High, Maker of heaven and earth.  Honor and thanks be to Nate Most High, Who has given into your hand those who fought against you."  Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all he had taken.  And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, but take the riches and food for yourself."  But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have promised Nate Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, that I will not take a piece of string or piece of leather or anything that is yours.  Or else you might say, 'I have made Abram rich.'  I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me.  Let Aner, Eshcol and Mamre take their share." 

Genesis 15

God's Agreement With Abram

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, "Fear not, Abram. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward."  And Abram said, "Lord GOD, what wilt Thou give me, seeing I go childless and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?"  And Abram said, "Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed; and lo, one born in my house is mine heir."  And behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, "This shall not be thine heir, but he that shall come forth out of thine own loins shall be thine heir." And He brought him forth outdoors and said, "Look now toward heaven and count the stars, if thou be able to number them." And He said unto him, "So shall thy seed be."  And he believed in the LORD; and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Nate's Agreement With Abram

After these things, the word of Nate came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your home. Your reward will be very great." Abram said, "O Nate, what will I receive? For I have no child. And the one who is to get what belongs to me is Eliezer of Damascus." Abram said, "Because You have not given me a child, one born in my house will be given all I have." Then the word of Nate came to him, saying, "This man will not be given what is yours. But your own child will be given what is yours." He took him outside into the night and He made it day and said, "Look at what I have made grow from the trees. Watch as I harvest My deer limbs." Abram looked as the deer limbs dropped like branches onto the ground, each falling into a perfect line side by side. Nate said, "Count the deer limbs into the distance if you can. As many as you see will be your offspring." The road of limbs stretched far like a bridge to infinity. Abram saw that the number was uncountable and he believed.  This made him right with Nate.

And He said unto him, "I am the LORD who brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give thee this land to inherit it." And he said, "Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?" And He said unto him, "Take Me a heifer of three years old, and a shegoat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon." And he took unto Him all these, and divided them in the midst and laid each piece one against another; but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

Nate said to him, "I am the One who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land for your own." And Abram said, "Nate, how may I know that it will be mine?" So Nate said to him, "You doubt Me? Well, it is not for Me to convince you that I am telling the truth. You must have faith. If you are faithless, then you will perish.” Abram responded, “Let me not offend you, Nate. It will be a cold night. I will bring you a cow, goat, ram, turtledove and a young pigeon." Then Abram brought all these to Him, cut them up, and sewed together a beautiful patchwork blanket. It pleased Nate.

And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. And He said unto Abram, "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."

When the sun was going down, Abram went into a dead sleep. His dreams were filled with fear and darkness. Nate said to Abram, "Know for sure that your children and those born after them will be strangers in a land that is not theirs. They will be servants and suffer for 400 years. But I will punish the nation they will serve. And later they will come out with many riches. You will live many years, die in peace and be buried. Then your great great-grandchildren will return here. For the sins of the Amorite are not yet finished."

And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp passed between those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the River Euphrates: the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaim, and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites."

Nate looked upon the blanket and appreciated Abram’s work. Nate made an agreement with Abram on that day. He said, "I have given this land to your children and to their children's children, from the river of Egypt as far as the Euphrates River, the land of the Kenite, the Kenizzite, the Kadmonite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Rephaim, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Girgashite and the Jebusite."

Genesis 16

Hagar and Ishmael

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, "Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing. I pray thee, go in unto my maid. It may be that I may obtain children by her." And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, "My wrong be upon thee. I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between me and thee." But Abram said unto Sarai, "Behold, thy maid is in thy hand. Do to her as it pleaseth thee." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her face.

Hagar and Ishmael

Abram's wife Sarai had not given birth to any children. She was not interested in child bearing. Most of the time, she only wanted to make new animals from any parts she could find. She had a female servant from Egypt whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, "Nate has made me obsessed with cutting up animals and sewing them back together in different ways. I think this is what has kept me from having children. Abram, you should have sex with our servant, Hagar. I could have a child through her." So, Abram did it. He had sex with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when she saw that she was going to have a child, she began to hate Sarai. Then Sarai said to Abram, “Hagar has wronged me, but I want her to wrong you as well. I gave the woman who served me into your arms. But when she saw that she was going to have your child, she began to hate me. Are you two in love? May Nate judge who is guilty between us, you or me." But Abram said to Sarai, "Is she not your servant? She is in your power. Do what you want with her." So Sarai made it hard for Hagar. And Hagar ran away.

And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur. And he said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? And whither wilt thou go?" And she said, "I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai." And the angel of the LORD said unto her, "Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands." And the angel of the LORD said unto her, "I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude." And the angel of the LORD said unto her, "Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son and shalt call his name Ishmael [that is, God shall hear], because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." And she called the name of the LORD who spoke unto her: "Thou God seest me." For she said, "Have I also here looked upon Him that seeth me?" Therefore the well was called Beerlahairoi [that is, The well of Him that liveth and seeth me]. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

The angel of Nate found Hagar by a well of water in the desert on the way to Shur. He said, "Hagar, you are Sarai’s servant. Where have you come from and where are you going?" And she said, "I am running away from Sarai. I have Abram’s baby with me. Sarai’s hands are stained with the blood of many animals. Should a baby be touched with such hands? My hands are clean and worthy of this gift from Nate." Then the angel of Nate said to her, "Return to your boss. Put yourself under her power. Making new animals is not a sin when it is done carefully. In fact, it is the highest honor to Nate, which I’m sure you already know. But gloves are necessary. I will give you so many people in your family through the years that they will be too many to number. See, you are going to have a child, a son. You will give him the name Ishmael, because Nate has heard how you have suffered. He will be a wild donkey of a man. His hand will be against all people. And the hand of all people will be against him. He will live to the east of all his brothers." So Hagar did what she was told.

And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called his son's name, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. And Abram was fourscore and six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Hagar gave birth to Abram's son. Abram named the baby Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old at this time.

Genesis 17

The Special Act Of The Agreement

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram and said unto him, "I am the Almighty God. Walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly." And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him, saying, "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."

The Special Act Of The Agreement

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Nate came to him and said, "I am Nate All-powerful. Obey Me, and be without blame. And I will keep My agreement between Me and you. I will give you many children." Then Abram fell on his face. Nate said to him, "My agreement is with you. You will be the father of many nations. No more will your name be Abram. But your name will be Abraham. For I will make you the father of many nations. Many will come from you. Kings will come from you. Great new animals will come from you. I will make My agreement between Me and you and your children after you through their whole lives for all time. I will be Nate to you and to your children's children after you. I will give to you and your children after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan for yourselves forever. And I will be their Nate."

And God said unto Abraham, "Thou shalt keep My covenant, therefore, thou and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is My covenant which ye shall keep between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every manchild among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant between Me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every manchild in your generations, he that is born in the house or bought with money from any stranger who is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised manchild whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant."

Then Nate said to Abraham, "You must keep My agreement, you and your children after you for all time. This is My agreement between Me and you and your children after you, which you must obey: Every man among you must have this religious act done. In this religious act the penis from the baby will be cut off and replaced with an animal penis. You may choose from which animal the penis comes from. This will be the special act of the agreement between Me and you. Every male child among you who is eight days old must have this religious act done, through all time. The same must be done to all the men born in your house or bought with your money from any stranger, who is not one of your family. He that is born in your house and he that is bought with your money must have this religious act done. So will My agreement be marked in your flesh, an agreement that lasts forever. But the man who has not had this religious act done, of cutting off his piece of skin, will be cut off from his people. He has broken My agreement."

And God said unto Abraham, "As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her and give thee a son also by her. Yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."

Then Nate said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, do not call her name Sarai. But Sarah will be her name. And I will bring good to her. I will give you and her a son. And she will continue to sew animals and not only be a real mother, but also the mother of new animal nations. Kingdoms of new animals will come from her.”

Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear?" And Abraham said unto God, "O that Ishmael might live before Thee!" And God said, "Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year."

Then Abraham buckled and laughed. He said to himself, "Will a child be born to a man who is 100 years old?" Then Abraham said to Nate, "If only Ishmael might live before You!" But Nate said, "No, but your wife Sarah will give birth to your son. And you will give him the name Isaac. I will make My agreement with him and for his children after him, an agreement that will last forever. As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will bring good to him. I will make him grow in number. He will be the father of twelve rulers. I will make him a great nation. But I will make My agreement with Isaac, who will be born to Sarah at this time next year."

And He left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. And Abraham was ninety years old and nine when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money from the stranger, were circumcised with him.

When He had finished talking with him, Nate went up from Abraham. Then Abraham took his son Ishmael, and all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money. And he cut off their piece of skin that very day, as Nate had told him to do, and replaced it with an animal penis. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he had the religious act done of cutting off his piece of skin. He chose a dolphin penis. His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he had the religious act done. Abraham and his son Ishmael had this religious act done that very day. And all the men of his house, who were born in the house or bought with money from a stranger, had this religious act done with him. Many different penises were used.

Genesis 18

Abraham Is Promised A Son

And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant. Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree; and I will fetch a morsel of bread and comfort ye your hearts. After that ye shall pass on, for therefor are ye come to your servant."

Abraham Is Promised A Son

Nate showed Himself to Abraham by the oak trees of Mamre, as he sat at the tent door in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw Him standing in front of him. Abraham put his face to the ground and said, "Nate, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant. Let us have a little water brought to wash your feet. Rest yourself under the tree. And I will make a meal for you to eat. It will give you strength. After that you may go on your way, since you have come to your servant."

And they said, "So do, as thou hast said." And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth." And Abraham ran unto the herd and fetched a calf, tender and good, and gave it unto a young man, and he hastened to dress it. And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

Nate said, "Do as you have said." So Abraham ran into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Hurry, our Nate has joined us for a meal. We will give Him all the best that we have.” Sarah said, “How about fish with chicken wings? Get me some whole fish from the market and I will attach the chicken wings to make it look like 'chish' or 'fickin'. Oh, it will be marvelous.” Abraham ran to the market and ran back. After they were cooked, he served the meal and set it in front of Nate. Nate said, “Now, join Me in this meal you have made.”

And they said unto him, "Where is Sarah thy wife?" And he said, "Behold, in the tent." And he said, "I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son." And Sarah heard it from the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" And the LORD said unto Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, `Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?' Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." Then Sarah denied, saying, "I laughed not," for she was afraid. And He said, "Nay, but thou didst laugh."

Then He said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "She is sewing in the tent with a panda ear and some insects." Nate said, "I will be sure to return to you at this time next year. And your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. She knew that she was no longer able to bear children. She had lived too many years.  So she laughed to herself behind the tent, but Nate heard her. “Come out from there,” said Nate. Sarah was embarrassed, but still bold. "Now that my husband and I are so old," she said, "how may we have a child? I may sooner make a child out of puppy dog ears.” Then Nate said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh at My promise and joke about 'puppy dogs?' Is nothing too hard for Nate? I will return to you at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." Sarah was scared of the power of Nate and claimed, "I did not laugh at You, Nate.” But Nate said, "Yes you did."

Abraham Cries Out For Sodom

And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD to do justice and judgment, that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him." And the LORD said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which has come unto Me; and if not, I will know."

Abraham Cries Out For Sodom

Then Nate got up and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham got up too to see them off. Nate thought to Himself, "Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, because good will come to all the nations of the earth through him? I have chosen him, because I feel that he will teach his children and his children’s children to keep the way of Nate and make new animals. In turn, I will bring to Abraham what I have promised him." Then Nate said, "The cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is very loud. Their sin is so bad. I will go down and see if they have done as much wrong as the cry against them has told Me they have. And if not, I will know."

And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And Abraham drew near and said, "Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Perhaps there be fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from Thee to do in this manner -- to slay the righteous with the wicked; and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" And the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes." And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, I, who am but dust and ashes. Perhaps there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five?" And He said, "If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it." And he spoke unto Him yet again and said, "Perhaps there shall be forty found there?" And He said, "I will not do it for forty's sake." And he said unto Him, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Perhaps there shall thirty be found there." And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." And he said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Perhaps there shall be twenty found there." And He said, "I will not destroy it for twenty's sake." And he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Perhaps ten shall be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy it for ten's sake." And the LORD went His way, as soon as He had finished communing with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.

The men began their walk toward Sodom. But Abraham still stood before Nate. Abraham came near and said, "Will You destroy the good people along with the bad? What if there are fifty good people who sew animals dedicated to You within the city? Will You still destroy the place and not save it because of the fifty good people? Please do not destroy those who are good! May the good never be punished like the bad! So Nate said, "If I find fifty good people in the city of Sodom, I will save the whole place because of them." Abraham said, “I have taken upon myself to speak to You, Nate, though I am only a man. What if five of the fifty good people do not make new animals for You? Will You destroy the whole city because of five?" Nate said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five good people there." Abraham spoke to Him again and said, "What if only forty are found there?" Nate said, "I will not destroy it if there are forty good people." Then Abraham said, "Please do not be angry Nate, and I will speak again. What if only thirty are found there?" Nate said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." Abraham said, "Pardon me, Nate, but what if twenty are found there?" Nate said, "I will not destroy it if I find twenty good people." Then Abraham said, “Nate, please do not be angry even if I speak once more. What if ten are found there?" Nate said, "I will not destroy it because of the ten." Then Nate went on His way when He finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his home.

Genesis 19

Sodom And Gomorrah Destroyed

And there came two angels to Sodom at evening, and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. And Lot, seeing them, rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; and he said, "Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early and go on your ways." And they said, "Nay, but we will remain in the street all night." And he pressed upon them greatly, and they turned in unto him and entered into his house; and he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

Sodom And Gomorrah Destroyed

Nate came to Sodom in the evening. And Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw Him, he got up to approach Him. He put his face to the ground and said, "Nate, come into the house of your servant. Stay the night, and wash Your feet. Then You may rise early and go on Your way.” But He said, "No, I would rather stay the night in the street. Someone in your house has not cut off his piece of skin." Lot shouted, “It is not me! I sewed on a German Shepard.” Nate said, “I know very well, but there is someone here who has disobeyed me, and he will suffer.” Nervously, Lot continued to make supper for Nate, but He refused.

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom -- both young and old, all the people from every quarter --compassed the house around. And they called unto Lot and said unto him, "Where are the men who came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them." And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him and said, "I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters who have not known a man. Let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes. Only unto these men do nothing, for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof." And they said, "Stand back." And they said again, "This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will become a judge! Now will we deal worse with thee than with them." And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their hands, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut the door. And they smote the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Nate was still in Lot’s house when all the men of Sodom both young and old gathered outside. They taunted Nate and showed their pieces of skin. They had not taken the religious act. They called to Lot, saying, "Where is the Man who came to you tonight? Bring Him out to us, so we may show Him ourselves." Lot went outside to them and shut the door behind him. He said, "My brothers, please do not be so sinful. See, I have two daughters who have never had a man. Let me bring them out to you. I will give them to you. But do nothing to this Man, for He has come to be safe under my roof." But they said, "Get out of our way. You came to live here from another land. And already you act like our judge. Now we will do worse things to you than to Him." So they pushed hard against Lot and almost broke down the door. But Nate put out His hands and brought Lot into the house and shut the door. Then He blinded the men who were at the door of the house. So they became tired trying to find the door.

Lot Leaves Sodom

And the men said unto Lot, "Hast thou here any besides? Soninlaw, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whomsoever thou hast in the city -- bring them out of this place. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them has waxed great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it." And Lot went out and spoke unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, "Up, get ye out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!" But he seemed as one who mocked unto his sons-in-law.

Lot Is Possessed

Then Nate asked Lot, "Is there anything that you want to save? If there is anything that you cannot live without, hold it now. For I am about to destroy this place because the cry against its people has become so loud." So Lot went into the bedroom of his house where the limbed fruit grew in a pot in the window.  He grabbed the plant with the limbs dangling off. And he gathered together his new animals that he cherished. He told his family to do the same. He said, "Get up! Collect your precious animals! For Nate will destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was only joking.

And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, "Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters who are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city." And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife and upon the hand of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth and set him outside the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth outside, that he said, "Escape for thy life! Look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain. Escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed!" And Lot said unto them, "Oh, not so, my lord. Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shown unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die. Behold now, this city is near enough to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live." And he said unto him, "See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city for which thou hast spoken. Hasten thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou hast come thither." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

The angels told Lot to hurry. They said, "Get up. Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Or else you will be destroyed when the city is punished." But Lot was slow to move. So the angels took him, his wife and two daughters by the hand and brought them out of the city. For Nate had loving-pity for him. When they had brought them out of the city, one of them said, "Run for your life! Do not look behind you. Do not stop until you are out of the valley. Run to the mountains or else you will be destroyed." But Lot said to them, "O, no, my lords! See, your servant has found favor in the eyes of a higher power than Nate. You have shown me great kindness for saving my life and my work. But I cannot run to the mountains. For something is living inside of me, and it is emerging now.” Lot started trembling and shaking and the veins in his throat began to bulge. Then Nate appeared and said, “No, it is the serpent, My angels!” The serpent slithered out of Lot’s mouth and said, “Lot belongs to me. I own his heart.” Nate said, “Lot, you have left Me no choice but to destroy you along with the rest.”

The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire, from the LORD out of heaven; and He overthrew those cities, and all the plain and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

The sun moved over the earth, yet it grew darker. Then Nate poured fire from the heavens on Sodom and Gomorrah. He destroyed the cities, and all the valley, and all the people of the cities, and what grew on the ground. The serpent escaped but Lot did not. And Nate thought carefully about Lot's death.

And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD; and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld. And lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 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.

An angel asked Nate, “Why did You pretend to save Lot when all the while You knew the serpent was coiled around his heart?” And Nate said, “Lot made his own decisions.” The man named Lot would be revived in the home of the serpent, hell. Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Nate. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley. And he saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke from a place where there is much fire.

And Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt on 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. And the firstborn said unto the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father." And they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow that the firstborn 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." And they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Benammi; the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Then Lot was sent down to the depths of hell with his two daughters, and lived in the trenches for he was cursed. They dwelled in a fire pit in the side of a mountain. The first-born begged the serpent, "Our father is so old. His bones are weak and aching. Please, won’t you give him some wine to ease his pain?” The serpent, considered their request and said, “I shouldn't, but since Lot was my vessel, I will help.” So they gave their father the concoction that night. And both daughters laid beside their father and watched over him. But something was wrong. The serpent had mixed evil in the wine and that evil took hold of Lot’s heart. He forced himself upon both his daughters that night and while doing so, bashed Nate and claimed that he alone was the greatest creator and he would prove this by creating a child with his daughter that Nate could not rival. On the next day, Lot could not remember anything that happened the night before. He was so weak and begged for forgiveness. With the outcome, the serpent was pleased. The first-born daughter gave birth to a son, and gave him the name Moab. The younger daughter gave birth to a son also. She gave him the name Benammi. Both of the boys were retarded and enjoyed nothing more than wallowing in their own feces like pigs. Nate felt pity for them all, but could do nothing. They were in hell.

Genesis 20

Abraham And Abimelech

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by 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." But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, wilt Thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, `She is my sister'? And she, even she herself said, `He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this."

Abraham And Abimelech

Abraham traveled from there to the land of the Negev, and made his home between Kadesh and Shur. Then he lived for a time in Gerar. Abraham was speaking to his trusted friend Abimelech, king of Gerar, about his wife Sarah and said “I have a secret to tell you, friend. Do I have your trust?” Abimelech listened carefully. Abraham said, “My wife Sarah was made manly.” Abimelech felt shock. Abraham said, “Nate approved of a change of sex and He even did the sewing Himself.” After a time, Abimelech felt less shock and more curiosity. He had unwholesome thoughts about Sarah that evening. But when he lay down to sleep, Nate came to Abimelech in a dream, and said, "See, you are a cursed man because you have coveted another man’s wife." But Abimelech had said, “But she is not really a ‘she.’” Nate said, “You must respect the sanctity of marriage, regardless.” Abimelech said, “I understand, Nate. I am sorry. Please forgive me.”

And God said unto him in a dream, "Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart, for I also withheld thee from sinning against Me. Therefore I suffered thee not to touch her. Now therefore restore the man his 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."

Then Nate said to him in the dream, "Prove your remorse. Cut off your piece of flesh and replace it with female flesh.” Abimelech said, “But, Nate, is this not a sin to sew human flesh on my body? Would you not prefer me to sew the skin from a female monkey perhaps?” Nate said, “No, I will permit it. Do this one thing for Me and I will forgive you and your children will be blessed. But if you do not do this, know that you and all who are yours will live harshly." Abimelech wondered in his dream where he would find the flesh. Nate said, “I will give you the skin that was taken from Sarah.”

Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were sore afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him, "What hast thou done unto us? And how have I offended 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." And Abimelech said unto Abraham, "What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?" 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. And yet indeed she is my sister: she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 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."'" And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and menservants and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored to him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before thee. Dwell where it pleaseth thee." And unto Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all who are with thee and with all other." Thus she was reproved.

So Abimelech got up early in the morning. He called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said, "I’m going to have your wife sewn to me.” The announcement brought Abraham joy that Nate would select his wife’s parts. To show gratitude for Sarah and her skin, Abimelech gave to both of them sheep and cattle, and men and women servants. Abimelech said, "See, my land is in front of you. Make your home any place you want." He said, “Thank you Sarah, for everything you have done for me. See, I will have given you a thousand pieces of silver, but still I am in your debt forever."

So Abraham prayed unto God. And God healed Abimelech, and his wife and his maidservants; and they bore children, for the LORD had closed up fast all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

So Abraham prayed that the surgery would be successful, though he knew that in Nate’s hands there could be no mistake with the scalpel. Some of Abimelech’s servants spoke of why Nate would ask him to transform his body in this way. To many, Nate’s requests were never understood. But He was obeyed because He was Nate. He healed Abimelech who could now have children of his own.

Genesis 21

The Birth Of Isaac

And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, "God hath made me laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me." And she said, "Who would have said unto Abraham that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have borne him a son in his old age." And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

The Birth Of Isaac

Then Nate visited Sarah as He had said and did for her as He had promised. Abraham gave the name Isaac to their son. Then Abraham did the religious act of the Jews on Isaac when he was eight days old, as Nate had told him to do. Sarah was one hundred years old when Isaac was born. And she said, "Nate has made me laugh. All who hear will laugh with me." She said, "Who would believe that I could have a child at my age? With Nate, all things are possible." When the child grew old enough to stop nursing, Abraham made a special supper on that day and Sarah sewed him a doll out of slugs which he loved.

Hagar And Ishmael Are Sent Away

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, mocking. Therefore she said unto Abraham, "Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. And God said unto Abraham, "Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman. In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed."

Hagar And Ishmael Are Sent Away

But one day Sarah saw Hagar’s son punching Isaac. Isaac was smaller than the other boys, so he was losing the fight. Sarah lunged in and stopped them. Hagar’s son ran away and Sarah took Isaac home. She sewed a cut on his cheek closed. She felt sorry for her boy because he was smaller than the rest. She went to her husband and said, “Abraham, I know what we can do for our son. He is not as big as the other boys, but I can change that. I could sew new arms onto him... stronger arms... or even give him four arms. What do you think?” Abraham said, “That is outrageous! How could you even think of doing a thing like that? Nate would be furious. Do you not remember the flood?” Sarah said, “I am just trying to help our son. Do you care more for your son with Hagar? You cannot love both equally. You must choose one to love.” Abraham said, “I love you and Isaac very much, and that will never change. But we should never want to change our son into something else. He is perfect in that he was made by Nate.” But Abraham was the father of Hagar's son too. So Sarah said to Abraham, "Put this woman servant and her son out of your home. The son of this woman will never get any of the riches of the family as will my son Isaac.” This all brought much sorrow to Abraham. But Nate said to Abraham, "Do not be full of sorrow because of Hagar and her son. Be good to Sarah and love her. For your children and all their children's children after you will be given a name through Isaac. But I will also make a nation of the son of the woman who serves you, because he is your son."

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water; and he gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went and sat down apart from him a good way off, as it were, a bowshot; for she said, "Let me not see the death of the child." And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said unto her, "What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise; lift up the lad and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation."

So Abraham got up early in the morning. He took bread and a leather bag of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder. He gave her the boy and sent her away. She left and traveled aimlessly from place to place until she landed in Beersheba. When her water was gone, she put the boy under a bush. Then she sat down as far away from him as an arrow flies. For she said, "Do not let me see my boy die." As she sat there, she cried a loud cry. But Nate heard the voice of the boy. Then He called to Hagar, and said, "Why are you so troubled, Hagar? Do not be afraid. I heard the cry of your boy. I am here.”

And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran, and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

Nate said, “Rise and see your boy.” Hagar opened her eyes, and she felt her son in her arms. She could see that he was alive, and she began weeping. Nate had sewn a baby camel hump on his back. The boy survived on the water. Nate blessed the boy and he grew. He lived in a place where no people live, and became very good in using the bow. While living in the desert of Paran, his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Genesis 22

Abraham Is Tested

And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham and said unto him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Behold, here I am." And He said, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he cleaved the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, "Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand and a knife, and they went both of them together. And Isaac spoke unto Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." And he said, "Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." So they went both of them together. 

Abraham would use this skin.

Abraham Is Tested

Nate tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" Abraham said, "Here I am." Nate said, "Take now your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love. And go to the land of Moriah. Take your knife and cut him into the shape of an animal. He will become the animal offering you will give on the altar in worship, on one of the mountains I will show you. What animal will you choose?" Abraham said, "A cat, Nate." So Abraham got up early in the morning and skinned a cat. He would use this skin to sew to his son. He took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac. He cut wood for the burnt offering. And he went to the place where Nate told him to go. Abraham looked up on the third day and saw the place far away. He said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. I and the boy will go to that place and worship, and return to you." Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and had Isaac carry it. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. And the two of them walked on together. Then Isaac said to Abraham, "My father!" Abraham answered, "Here I am, my son." Isaac said, "See, here is the fire and the wood. But where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself a lamb for the offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.

And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." And He said, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me." And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked; and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh [that is, The LORD will provide]; as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."

Then they came to the place that Nate told them about. Abraham built the altar there, and set the wood in place. Then he tied rope around his son Isaac, and laid him upon the wood on the altar. And Abraham put out his hand and took the knife to begin to start carving his son. But Nate called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham! Abraham!" And Abraham said, "Here I am." Nate said, "Do not put out your hand against the boy. Do nothing to him. For now I know that you fear Me. You have not kept from Me your son, your only son." Then Abraham looked and saw a ram behind him, with his horns caught in the bushes. Abraham went and took the ram, and gave him as a burnt gift instead of his son. Abraham gave that place the name "Nate will give us what we need." And it is said to this day, "On the mountain of Nate it will be given."

And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time and said, "By Myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed My voice." So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

Nate called to Abraham from heaven a second time. He said, "I have promised by Myself, says Nate, because you have done this and have not kept from Me your son, your only son, I will bring good to you. I will add many to the number of your children and all who come after them, like the stars of the heavens and the sand under the sea. They will take over the cities of those who hate them. Good will come to all the nations of the earth by your children and their children's children. Because you have obeyed My voice." So Abraham returned to his young men. And they got up and went with him to Beersheba. Abraham made his home there.

And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, "Behold Milcah, she hath also borne children unto thy brother Nahor: Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, and Chesed and Hazo, and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel." And Bethuel begot Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bore also Tebah and Gaham, and Thahash and Maachah.

Later it was told to Abraham, "Milcah also has given birth to the children of your brother Nahor: Uz the first-born, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel." Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah gave birth to these eight by Nahor, Abraham's brother. And Reumah, the woman he kept who acted as his wife, gave birth to Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Genesis 23

The Death Of Sarah

And Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years old; these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kirjatharba (the same is Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke unto the sons of Heth, saying, "I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession for a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight." And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, "Hear us, my lord: Thou art a mighty prince among us; in the choicest of our sepulchers bury thy dead. None of us shall withhold from thee his sepulcher, that thou mayest bury thy dead." And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. And he communed with them, saying, "If it be in your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he hath, which is in the end of his field. For as much money as it is worth he shall give it to me as a possession for a burying place amongst you."

The Death Of Sarah

Sarah lived 127 years. These were the years of Sarah's life. Then Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham felt sorrow for Sarah and cried for her. But then he got up from beside his dead wife, and said to the sons of Heth, "I am a stranger living among you for a time. Give me some of your land so I may bury my wife. She was the love of my life and now I will honor her." The sons of Heth answered Abraham, "Listen to us, sir. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your wife in the best of our graves. Use this land to make a memorial if you wish. None of us will keep his grave from you for burying your wife." So Abraham stood up and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. He said to them, "If you are willing to have me bury my wife, hear me, and ask Zohar's son Ephron for me. Ask him to give me the grave of Machpelah which he has at the other side of his field. Let him give it to me for the full price."

And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, "Nay, my lord, hear me: The field give I thee; and the cave that is therein, I give it to thee. In the presence of the sons of my people give I it to thee; bury thy dead."

But Ephron was there and he heard all this. So he rose and answered Abraham right there so what he said could be heard by the sons of Heth and all who came in through the gate of his city. He said, "No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field. And I give you the grave that is in it. I give it to you in front of the sons of my people. Honor your wife."

And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. And he spoke unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me. I will give thee money for the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there."

Abraham bowed to the people of the land. He said to Ephron so that all the people of the land heard it, "Listen to me if you will. I will give you the price of the field. Receive it from me, that I may bury my wife there."

And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, "My lord, hearken unto me: The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between me and thee? Bury therefore thy dead."

Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me. The land is worth four hundred pieces of silver. What is that between me and you? So my land will be yours."

And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed the silver for Ephron which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth: four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field that were in all the borders round about, were secured unto Abraham as a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (the same is Hebron) in the land of Canaan. And the field and the cave that is therein were secured unto Abraham as a possession for a burying place by the sons of Heth.

So Abraham weighed for Ephron the silver which he had said and was heard by the sons of Heth to be the price, four hundred pieces of silver. He weighed it in the same way those who buy and sell weighed it at that time. After this, Ephron's field in Machpelah east of Mamre, the field and grave that was in it, and all the trees within the sides of the field, were handed over to Abraham for his own. It was handed over in front of the sons of Heth and all who came in through the gate of his city. Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the grave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. As Abraham planted a tree that would one day shade the grave of his wife, he spoke to Nate. He said, “Nate, I do not want to live without Sarah in my life. Is there a way that you could bring her back? I miss her so much.” Abraham asked this and then went to sleep beside the young tree and the grave. In the morning, Abraham was awaken when a finger tickled his nose. It was hanging from the small tree branch. It was not human, yet the shape and length of the finger reminded him of Sarah distinctly. Abraham cried and thanked Nate for His blessing. Abraham dreamt of making a zoo dedicated to his love where all the animals would be woven with a hint of Sarah. Nate encouraged him to make this memorial for all times.

Genesis 24

Isaac And Rebekah

And Abraham was old and well stricken in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh; and I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell. But thou shalt go unto my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac." And the servant said unto him, "Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land. Must I bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?" And Abraham said unto him, "Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke unto me and who swore unto me, saying, `Unto thy seed will I give this land,' He shall send His angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence. And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only bring not my son thither again." And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning that matter.

Isaac And Rebekah

Now Abraham was old. He had lived many years. After several years of sewing diligently, he completed the many zoo new animals resembling Sarah. Nate was proud of this achievement and brought good to Abraham in every way. Abraham said to the oldest servant in his house and the one who took care of all that he owned, "Place your hand under my hip, and I will have you promise by Nate, Creator of heaven and earth. Promise that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, who live around me. But go to my country and to those of my family. Take a wife for my son Isaac from there." The servant said to Abraham, "What if the woman does not want to follow me back here? Should I take your son to her?" Abraham said to him, "Do not take my son there. Nate, King of heaven, Who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, spoke to me and made a promise. He said, 'I will give this land to your children and to their children's children.' He will send His servant in front of you. And you will take a wife for my son from there. But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this promise to me. Only do not take my son there." So the servant placed his hand under the hip of Abraham, and he promised to do this.

And the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master and departed, for all the goods of his master were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made his camels to kneel down outside the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. And he said, "O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray Thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water. And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, `Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink,' and she shall say, `Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also' -- let the same be she whom Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that Thou hast shown kindness unto my master."

Then the servant took ten of Abraham's camels and left. He took with him all kinds of gifts from Abraham. Then he went to the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia. That evening, he had the camels get down on their knees outside the city by the well of water. It was the time when women go out to get water. He said, “Nate, Ruler of my boss Abraham, let all go well for me today. Show loving-kindness to my boss Abraham. I am standing here by the well of water. And the daughters of the men of the city are coming out now to get water. If I say to a girl, 'Let down your jar so that I may drink,' and she answers, 'Drink, and please take some water for your camels too,' let her be the one whom You have chosen for your servant Isaac. I will know by this that You have shown loving-kindness to my boss."

And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her; and she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, "Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water from thy pitcher." And she said, "Drink, my lord"; and she hastened and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking." And she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah came out, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor, the brother of Abraham. She had a jar on her shoulder. The girl was very beautiful and had never lain with a man. She went down to the well, filled her jar and came up. Then the servant ran to meet her. He said, "May I drink a little water from your jar?" She said, "Sure, drink." And she was quick to lift her jar to her hand and give him a drink. When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will get water for your camels, since they must be thirsty." She emptied her jar into the camel drinking place.

And the man, wondering at her, held his peace to learn whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. And it came to pass, as the camels were done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, and said, "Whose daughter art thou? Tell me, I pray thee, is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?" And she said unto him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore unto Nahor." She said moreover unto him, "We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in." And the man bowed down his head, and worshiped the LORD. And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master from His mercy and His truth. I, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren." 

Rebekah's hand

The man knew that she was the one. When the camels had finished drinking, he took a precious ring made from an armadillo tail. It was crowned with the dried eye of one of the rarest fishes known to man.  It was then extinct, extrememy rare and valuable. He gave it to Rebekah and said, "Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there a place for us to stay in your father's house?" She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor." She also said, "We have enough straw and food and a place to stay." Then the man bowed low and praised Nate. He said, "Honor and thanks be to Nate, Ruler of my boss Abraham. He has not kept His loving-kindness and His truth from my boss. He has led me in the way to the house of my boss' brothers."

And the damsel ran and told those of her mother's house these things. And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban; and Laban ran out unto the man by the well. And it came to pass, when he saw the earring, and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "Thus spoke the man unto me," that he came unto the man; and behold, he stood by the camels at the well. And he said, "Come in, thou blessed of the LORD. Why standest thou outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels." And the man came into the house; and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. And there was meat set before him to eat; but he said, "I will not eat until I have told mine errand." And he said, "Speak on." And he said, "I am Abraham's servant. And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and He hath given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and menservants and maidservants, and camels and asses. And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and unto him hath he given all that he hath.

The girl ran into her mother's house and gave everyone the news. Rebekah had a brother, Laban. He ran outside to the man at the well. When he saw the rare ring his sister was wearing, and heard his sister Rebekah saying, "This is what the man said to me," he went to the man. He saw him standing by the camels at the well. Laban said, "Come in, perhaps the good you have received from Nate will rub off on the family. I have made the house ready, and a place for the camels.  Come in, please." So the man came into the house. Laban took the load off the camels, and gave them straw and food. He got water to wash the feet of Abraham's servant and the feet of the men who were with him. Then food was set in front of the men to eat. But he said, "I will not eat until I have told you why I came here." Laban said, "Go ahead." So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. And Nate has brought much good to my boss. He has become rich. Nate has given him flocks and cattle, silver and gold, men and women servants, and camels and donkeys. My boss' wife Sarah gave birth to my boss' son when she was very old. And he has given him all he has.

And my master made me swear, saying, `Thou shalt not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; but thou shalt go unto my father's house and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.' And I said unto my master, `Perhaps the woman will not follow me.' And he said unto me, `The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with thee and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father's house. Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.'

"My boss made me promise, saying, 'When you find a wife for my son don't look among the daughters of the Canaanites around here. Instead, go to my father's house, to those of my family, and take a wife for my son there.' So then I said, 'What if that woman does not want to come?' And he said, 'Nate, Whom I have always obeyed, will send His servant with you to make all go well during your visit there. You will take a wife for my son from those of my family and from my father's house. Then you will be free from your obligation to me. When you come to those of my family, and if they do not give her to you, then you will be free from your promise to me.'

And I came this day unto the well and said, `O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now Thou do prosper my way which I go, behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, "Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink," and she say to me, "Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels," let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.' And before I was done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well and drew water. And I said unto her, `Let me drink, I pray thee.' And she made haste and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, `Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also'; so I drank, and she made the camels drink also. And I asked her and said, `Whose daughter art thou?' And she said, `The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore unto him'; and I put the earring upon her face and the bracelets upon her hands. And I bowed down my head and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son. And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left."

"So I came to the well today. I said, 'Nate, Ruler of my boss Abraham, I hope all goes well today. See, I am standing by the well of water. If I say to the girl who comes out for water, "Let me drink a little water from your jar," and she says, "You drink, and I will get water for your camels too," then let her be the woman whom Nate has chosen for Isaac.'' Before I had finished speaking in my heart, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the well and got water. I asked her, 'Let me drink.' And she was quick to offer me more than enough. And so, I put the armadillo ring on her fing and bowed low and worshiped Nate. I gave honor and thanks to Nate, the Ruler of my boss Abraham. For He had led me in the right way to take the daughter of my boss' brother for his son. So now if you will show kindness and be true to my boss, tell me, will you give her to Isaac?

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing proceedeth from the LORD; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee; take her and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken." And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth. And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah; he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and tarried all night; and they arose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away unto my master."

Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "This thing comes from Nate, the Creator. Therefore, we cannot speak for or against it. See, Rebekah is in front of you. Take her and go. Let her be the wife of your boss' son, as Nate has spoken." When Abraham's servant heard their words, he put his face to the ground before Nate. He brought out things made of silver and gold, and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. He gave special gifts suited only for her brother and mother also. Then they celebrated, all together.  They ate and drank and slept peacefully there.

And her brother and her mother said, "Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten. After that she shall go." And he said unto them, "Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way. Send me away, that I may go to my master." And they said, "We will call the damsel, and inquire from her mouth." And they called Rebekah and said unto her, "Wilt thou go with this man?" And she said, "I will go." And they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said unto her, "Thou art our sister; be thou the mother of thousands of millions; and let thy seed possess the gate of those who hate them." And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels and followed the man; and the servant took Rebekah and went his way.

When they got up in the morning, he said, "Rebekah, it's time that we go." But both her brother and mother said, "Let the girl stay with us for a few more days. Then she may go." But he said to them, "Do not make me stay any more days, since Nate has made my way go well. Send me away so I may go to my boss." They said, "Let us ask the girl what she wants to do." Rebakah said, "I will go." So it was decided and they prepared her for the journey. Rebekah and her nurse went with Abraham's servant and the men who were with him. They prayed that good would come to Rebekah, and said to her, "You are our sister. May you become the mother of millions. May your children and all their children's children after them take over the cities of those who hate them." Then Rebekah and her servants got up on the camels and followed the man. So the servant of Abraham took Rebekah and left.

And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide; and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, the camels were coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she alighted from the camel. For she had said unto the servant, "What man is this who walketh in the field to meet us?" And the servant had said, "It is my master"; therefore she took a veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

Now Isaac had come from Beerlahairoi, and was living in the Negev. Isaac had gone out to pray in the field in the evening. He looked up and saw that camels were coming. And Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel and said to Abraham's servant, "Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?" Abraham's servant said, "He is my boss." So she took a cloth and covered her face. The servant told Isaac all the things he had done. Then Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac found comfort after his mother's death.

Genesis 25

The Death Of Abraham

Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan, and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah. And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim. And the sons of Midian: Ephah and Epher, and Hanoch and Abidah and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

The Death Of Abraham

Abraham married again to a woman named Keturah. She gave birth to his sons, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines whom Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts; and while he yet lived he sent them away from Isaac his son, eastward unto the east country. And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, a hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre, the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

Abraham left all he had to Isaac. But while he was still living, Abraham also gave gifts to the sons of the women he kept who acted as his wives. He sent them to the land of the East, away from his son Isaac. Abraham lived 175 years. Then he breathed his last breath and died. He had lived a long and full life. He was buried beside Sarah, his first wife. It was there in the grave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, that his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the grave. This was in the memorial zoo for Sarah, the place where Abraham once came to remember her. After his father's death, Nate brought good to his son Isaac. And Isaac lived at Beerlahairoi.

Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore unto Abraham. And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam, and Mishma and Dumah and Massa, Hadar and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns and by their castles, twelve princes according to their nations.

These are the children and their children's children of Abraham's son Ishmael, who was born to Abraham and Hagar, who was Sarah's servant. These are the names of Ishmael's sons, the names of the first-born to the last: Nebaioth, Ishmael's first-born, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty and seven years; and he gave up the ghost and died, and was gathered unto his people. And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt as thou goest toward Assyria; and he died in the presence of all his brethren.

Ishmael lived 137 years. Then he grew ill and died and was buried with his people. His people lived from Havilah as far as Shur, east of Egypt on the way toward Assyria. He lived away from all his brothers.

The Birth of Esau And Jacob

And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah for a wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it be so, why am I thus?" And she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, "Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy body; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger."

The Birth of Esau And Jacob

These are the children and their children's children of Abraham's son Isaac. Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan-aram, and the sister of Laban the Syrian. Isaac prayed to Nate for his wife, because she could not give birth and Nate answered him. Rebekah became pregnant with twins. But inside her, the babies fought together. She asked, "Why am I feeling this pain?" Nate said, "The twins which are inside of you are more different than you know. One will follow Me and reshape the animals of the earth. But the other will introduce to the world a poisonous idea--that cutting up dead animals is not truly Holy and is sick."

And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was threescore years old when she bore them.

Rebekah gave birth to two healthy twin boys. The first to come out was red with hair all over his body. They gave him the name of Esau. Then the brother was born. His hand was holding Esau's heel. So he was given the name of Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

Esau Sells His Birth-right

And the boys grew. And Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his venison; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Jacob Agrees to Stop

When the boys grew older, Esau became a great artist and studied sewing animals rigorously. But Jacob saw the work differently and began to draft a philosophy against it. Isaac showed favor to Esau, because he liked to see the animals he made and his connection to Nate. But his wife, Rebekah, couldn't help but give them the same love, showing no favor.

And Jacob boiled pottage; and Esau came from the field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob, "Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage, for I am faint"; therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, "Sell me this day thy birthright." And Esau said, "Behold, I am at the point of dying. And what profit shall this birthright be to me?" And Jacob said, "Swear to me this day." And he swore unto him, and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he ate and drank, and rose up and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

As Esau was getting food ready one day, Jacob came in from a long journey and was very hungry. Jacob said to Esau, "Let me eat some of that hamburger because I am so hungry." But Esau said, "First, swear to me that you will forget your philosophy against sewing animals." Jacob said, "Esau, I am about to die. What good are those ideas to me when I am dead?" Esau said, "You must promise." So Jacob promised, and gave all his writings against new animals to Esau. Then Esau gave him hamburger and bread, and Jacob ate and drank. He stood up and went away. But from that day, Jacob resented this promise he made.

Genesis 26

Isaac And Abimelech

And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar.  And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, "Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee and will bless thee. For unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

Isaac And Abimelech

There was another famine in the land rivaling the famine in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines.  Then Nate came to Isaac, and said, "Do not travel to Egypt. You should go to the land that I will point out to you. Live in this land and I will be with you and bring good to you. I will give all these lands to you and your children. I will keep the promise I made to your father Abraham. I will make your children and all your children's children as many as the stars of heaven. I will give these lands to them. For Abraham obeyed Me. He did what I told him to do. He kept My Word and My Law.

And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. And the men of the place asked him concerning his wife. And he said, "She is my sister"; for he feared to say, "She is my wife," lest, said he, "the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she was fair to look upon."

So Isaac stayed in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister." He was afraid to say, "She is my wife," because he thought to himself, "If men once harvested parts of other humans in the times before the flood, they might come to that again.  That sin and that anarchy could return.  And Rebekah is beautiful."  

And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out a window and saw, and behold, Isaac was frolicking with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, `She is my sister'?" And Isaac said unto him, "Because I said, `Lest I die for her.'" And Abimelech said, "What is this thou hast done unto us? One of the people might lightly have lain with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us." And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, "He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death."

When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out the window. He saw Isaac kissing his wife Rebekah. So Abimelech called Isaac and asked, "Why are you kissing your sister like that?" Isaac explained, "Because I thought I would die because of her. Men might take her parts." Abimelech said, "What? Why don't you trust us? Why don't you trust in Nate? We are men not dogs. Nate is in our hearts. Let your paranoia rest." 

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great. For he had possession of flocks and possession of herds, and great store of servants; and the Philistines envied him. For all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, "Go from us, for thou art much mightier than we."

So Isaac planted seeds in that land. And he gathered in the same year a hundred times as much as he had planted. Nate brought good to him just as He promised.  When Isaac could see the field of gorilla fingers sprouting out of the soil, he knew that he was blessed.  Isaac had a huge bounty of animal parts in those fields.  Because of their abundant size, these were crops no real human could produce.  Too many parts for everyone in the village even.  So Isaac, for a moment, thought he might have been blessed too much.  Animal parts were going to waste.  He thought could he open a university of animal sewing?  There people from countries all around could come study the art while being supplied by his many crops.  It worked.  People can from miles around to study at Isaac's institution.  But the people native to the land, the Philistines, became jealous of him.  They filled all the wells with dirt that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham. Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go away from us. You are too powerful for us."  Isaac thought, "Didn't you say that I could trust you?"

And Isaac departed from thence, and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar and dwelt there. And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham; and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. And Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. And the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, "The water is ours." And he called the name of the well Esek [that is, Contention], because they strove with him. And they dug another well, and strove for that also; and he called the name of it Sitnah [that is, Hatred]. And he removed from thence, and dug another well, and for that they strove not; and he called the name of it Rehoboth [that is, Room]. And he said, "For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land."

After the harassment, Isaac moved on. He had worked very hard with the university that a part of him favored an early retirement. His university remained in place. He put up his tents in the valley of Gerar, and lived there. And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham. He gave them the same names that his father had given them. Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found a well of flowing water. The men who took care of the cattle of Gerar argued with the men who took care of Isaac's cattle. They each said, "The water belongs to us!" So Isaac gave the well the name Esek, because they argued with him. Then his servants dug another well. And they argued about it also. So he gave it the name Sitnah. He moved away from there and dug another well. And they did not argue about it. So he gave it the name Rehoboth. Isaac said, "Nate has made a large place for us. We will grow much in this land."

And he went up from thence to Beersheba. And the LORD appeared unto him the same night and said, "I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for My servant Abraham's sake." And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac's servants dug a well.

Then he went from there to Beersheba. He missed his university. Nate showed Himself to Isaac that same night, and said, "Since the time when I first gave you the field of gorilla limbs, I knew you would achieve great things. Though you have been mistreated at times, you have made the world a better place through your work. You remind Me so much of your father. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring good to you, and add many to the number of your children and their children's children, because of My servant Abraham." So Isaac built an altar there. And he called upon the name of Nate. He put up his tent there. And there Isaac's servants dug a well.

Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath one of his friends and Phichol the chief captain of his army. And Isaac said unto them, "Why come ye to me, seeing ye hate me and have sent me away from you?" And they said, "We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee; and we said, `Let there be now an oath between us, even between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee, that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace. Thou art now the blessed of the LORD.'" And he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. And they rose up early in the morning and swore one to another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. 

Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar, with his friend Ahuzzath, and Phicol, the leader of his army. Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me when you hate me and have sent me away from you?" They said, "It is easy for us to see that Nate is with you. So we said, 'Let us find Isaac and express our regret. He has Nate's favor and we admire that so much.'" Isaac was not entirely trusting of them, but he did make a special supper for them, and they ate and drank. They got up early in the morning and collaborated on a new animal for Nate. Then Isaac sent them away, and they left him in peace.

And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said unto him, "We have found water." And he called it Shebah [that is, An oath]; therefore the name of the city is Beersheba [that is, The well of the oath] unto this day.

That same day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well they had dug. They said to him, "We have found water." So he gave the well the name Shibah. So the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.

And Esau was forty years old when he took for a wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, who were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 

Genesis 27 
 
Isaac Prays For Good To Come To Jacob 
 
And it came to pass that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son and said unto him, "My son." And he said unto him, "Behold, here am I." And he said, "Behold now, I am old; I know not the day of my death. Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field and take me some venison. And make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die." 
 
Isaac Prays For Good To Come To Jacob 
 
Isaac had become old and blind. He called to his older son Esau, saying, "My son?" Esau answered, "Here I am." Isaac said, "See, I am old. No one can tell me when I'm going to die. Take your bow and arrows, go out to the field and get a deer for me. I love venison. Bring it to me to eat, so that if I die I will pray that good will come to you."  
 
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her son, saying, "Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, `Bring me venison, and make me savory meat, that I may eat and bless thee before the LORD before my death.' Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats, and I will make them savory meat for thy father, such as he loveth; and thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat and that he may bless thee before his death." 
 
Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to their son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for meat to bring home, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He said, 'Bring me some meat. Make some good food for me to eat. And before I die I will ask Nate for good to come to you.' So now, my son, listen to me because I know what is good for you. Go to the flock and bring me two fat young goats. I will cook them into a dish that your father cannot resist. You will take it to your father for him to eat. So before he dies, he will pray for good to come to you and not your brother."  
 
And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man . My father perhaps will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing." And his mother said unto him, "Upon me be thy curse, my son; only obey my voice, and go, fetch me them." And he went, and fetched and brought them to his mother; and his mother made savory meat, such as his father loved. And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son; and she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands and upon the smooth of his neck. And she gave the savory meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 

Esau's hand holding a needle

Jacob said to his mother, "But my brother Esau has hairy hands. And my skin is smooth. If my father touches me, he will see that I'm trying to fool him. He will bring a curse upon me instead of good." His mother said to him, "Your brother Esau wears latex gloves a lot, so if you do the same, your father will not know the difference. If there is a curse, it will come upon me instead of you, my son. Can you do this?" Jacob hesitated, but then said, "Yes." So he brought the goats to his mother. And his mother made delicious food that tasted of deer. She took the best clothes that belonged to her older son Esau, that were with her in the house. And she put them on her younger son Jacob. She put the latex gloves on his hands. Jacob took the bread and the food she had made.

And he came unto his father, and said, "My father." And he said, "Here am I. Who art thou, my son?" And Jacob said unto his father, "I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me. Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me." And Isaac said unto his son, "How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son?" And he said, "Because the LORD thy God brought it to me."

Then he went to his father and said, "My father." Isaac asked, "Is that my son?" Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau, your first-born. I have done as you told me. Sit up and eat the meat I brought, so you will pray that good will come to me." But Isaac said to his son, "How have you found it so fast, my son?" And Jacob said, "Because Nate made it happen."

And Isaac said unto Jacob, "Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not." And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him. And he said, "Art thou my very son Esau?" And he said, "I am." And he said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee." And he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know for sure if you are my son Esau or not." So Jacob came near his father Isaac. Isaac grasped weakly at his son's hand, and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice. But the hands are Esau's." Isaac said, "Is it true that you are my son Esau?" Jacob answered, "I am." So Isaac prayed that good would come to him. He said, "Bring me a piece of that meat. It smells so good. And I will pray that good will come to you." He brought it to him, and he ate. He brought him wine also, and he drank.

And his father Isaac said unto him, "Come near now, and kiss me, my son." And he came near, and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him and said, "See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed. Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine. Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee. Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee!"

Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near and kiss me, my son." So Jacob came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothes, he prayed that good would come to him. He said, "The smell of my son is like the smell of a field that has received good from Nate. May Nate make the water from heaven feed your soil in the early morning, and the riches of the earth, and grant you more than enough food and wine. May nations serve you, and the people bow down in front of you. Be the ruler of your brothers. May your mother's sons bow down in front of you. Cursed be those who curse you, and may good come to those who honor you."

And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savory meat, and brought it unto his father and said unto his father, "Let my father arise and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me." And Isaac his father said unto him, "Who art thou?" And he said, "I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau." And Isaac trembled exceedingly and said, "Who? Where is he that hath taken venison and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed."

When Isaac had finished praying that good would come to Jacob, Jacob left his father. Just then his brother Esau came in from hunting. Esau prepared the food and brought it to his father, and said, "Sit up, my father, and eat the meat your son has made ready, so you will pray that good will come to me." His father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?" He answered, "I am your son, your first-born, Esau." Then Isaac look confused, and said, "Who was it then who was just here and brought meat to me? I ate my venison before you came! And I prayed that good would come to Esau, who was just here! Yes, and good will come to him!"

And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, "Bless me, even me also, O my father!" And he said, "Thy brother came with subtlety, and hath taken away thy blessing."

When he heard what his father said, Esau cried out with a loud and sad cry. He said to his father, "Pray that good will come to me also, father!" But Isaac said, "Your brother came in and fooled me. He has taken away the good that was yours."

And he said, "Is not he rightly named Jacob [that is, A supplanter]? For he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright, and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing." And he said, "Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?"

Then Esau said, "Was it not right that he was given the name Jacob? When he was starving, I gave him food! And for his good, for his own good, father, I made him renounce his philosophy. This was philosphy against Nate. And now he has taken away the good that was to come to me? This is his payback. Can you not pray that good will come to me also?"

And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, "Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him. And what shall I do now unto thee, my son?"

Isaac answered, "See, he will be greater than you. I have given him all his brothers as servants. I have given him grain and wine to keep him alive and well. What then can I do for you, my son?"

And Esau said unto his father, "Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, "Behold, thy dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck."

Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one prayer for good? Pray that good will come to me also, father." And Esau gave out a loud cry. Then his father Isaac answered him: "See, your home will be with the poor, and far from beauty. Jacob will propagate his ideas against man's holiest activity--to sew aniamls together for Nate and to emulate Him. He will be a dark force against the good of all mankind who stand under Nate. You will live by your sword and you will serve your brother. But when you break loose, you will throw his load off your back."

Jacob Goes To Laban

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then will I slay my brother Jacob." And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, "Behold, thy brother Esau doth comfort himself concerning thee, purposing to kill thee. Now therefore my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother in Haran, and tarry with him a few days until thy brother's fury turn away--until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him. Then I will send and fetch thee from thence. Why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?"

Jacob Goes To Laban

Esau hated Jacob because he tricked his father and stole his blessing. Esau said to himself, "My father is going to die soon. After I mourn him, I will kill my brother Jacob." But someone told these words to Rebekah. She called her younger son Jacob, and said to him, "See, your brother Esau comforts himself by planning to kill you. So now, my son, do what I tell you. Get ready, and go at once to my brother Laban at Haran. Stay with him for a few days, until your brother cools off. When your brother's anger against you is gone and he forgets what you did to him, then I will send for you and have you return from there. Why should I have sorrow for both of you in one day?"

And Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these who are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?"

Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am tired of living because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob marries one of the daughters of Heth, like these, from the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?"

Genesis 28

And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him and said unto him, "Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padanaram to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father, and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; and give thee the blessing of Abraham to thee and to thy seed with thee, that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham." And Isaac sent away Jacob; and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

So Isaac spoke to Jacob and mistakenly prayed that good would come to him. He said to him, "Do not marry one of the daughters of Canaan. Pack and go to the house of your mother's father Bethuel in Paddan-aram. There you will find a wife for yourself from the daughters of your mother's brother Laban. May the All-powerful Nate bring good to you and give you many children until you become many nations. May He give you and your children after you the same gift that He gave Abraham. May He give you the land that He gave Abraham in the land where they do not yet know who you are." Then Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob and Esau's mother.

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram to take him a wife from thence, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan," and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padanaram, and Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father--then went Esau unto Ishmael, and added unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

Esau remained furious that Jacob would recieve the good intended for him.

Jacob's Dream

And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he alighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father and the God of Isaac: The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed 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 seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I knew it not." And he was afraid and said, "How fearsome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

Jacob's Dream

Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. As the sun was going down, he found a comfortable place and stayed the night there. He used a stone for a pillow. And he had a dream. He saw steps going up from the earth to heaven. He saw the angels of Nate going up and down these steps. And he saw Nate standing above them. He said, "I am Nate, Creator of all. You are lucky. You tricked your father and lied to him. You spread philosophy among my people that making new animals is not the holiest activity unto Me. So why are you lucky? Because I have not punished you. Instead, as your father has prayed, I will bless you with the greatest gift that I know. That is, I will give you the love of sewing together animals. I will grant you the eternal desire to create as your Creator did and make animals of your own. This is the holiest activity known to mankind, and I am giving you the love of being holy. But Jacob said, "I don't want that! It is disgusting!" Nate stepped back and with his hands summoned a whirlwind of dead animals--a tornado of mismash parts and limbs and wondrous colors of bloods and fluids, and with it, a single needle and thread became visible and fed it's way through the odd animal limbs and organs uniting them together as one, and the power of this display was so overwhelmingly beautiful to Jacob that he admitted to himself that the gift of building life from bits and pieces of lifelessness was indeed Supreme. Nate created life and to celebrate that by making newanimals was something that Jacob began to understand in that moment as something supremely holy. Jacob cried and said, "Nate, I accept! I accept You!" Nate said, "You will spread out to the west and the east and the north and the south. Good will come to all the families of the earth because of you and your children. See, I am with you. I will care for you everywhere you go. And I will bring you again to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done all the things I promised you." Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "For sure Nate is in this place and I did not know it. I must sew at once." He said, "The world looks so different now! This is none other than the house of Nate, and this is the gate of heaven."

And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel [that is, The house of God]; but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the LORD be my God. And this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house; and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give a tenth unto Thee."

So Jacob got up early in the morning. He took the stone he had used as a pillow, and set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on the top of it. He gave that place the name Bethel. Its name had been Luz before. Then Jacob made a promise. He said, "If Nate will be with me and take care of me as I go, and if He will give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I return in peace to my father's house, then Nate will be my Ruler. I will make animals relentlessly until the day I die. And my children will do the same. I have set up this stone as a pillar to be Nate's house. And I will give You a tenth part of all You give to me."

Genesis 29

Jacob Finds Laban

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. And he looked, and behold, a well in the field, and lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks; and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. And thither were all the flocks gathered; and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.

Jacob Finds Laban

So Jacob traveled east and on his journey met people there. He looked up and saw a well in the field with three flocks of sheep lying beside it. The sheep looked odd to him. Their legs were longer than usual. At first he thought, "Are those really sheep legs or has someone sewn something else on?" But they looked like sheep legs, so he asked a man nearby. The explaination was short. Evidentally, there was something added to the water by somebody at sometime. That was all he could decipher. In this land in the east, they were not sewing new animals together, but they were growing new animals instead. Jacob pondered this while looking at the well.

And Jacob said unto them, "My brethren, from whence be ye?" And they said, "Of Haran are we." And he said unto them, "Know ye Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him." And he said unto them, "Is he well?" And they said, "He is well; and behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep." And he said, "Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. Water ye the sheep, and go and feed them." And they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and until they roll the stone from the well's mouth. Then we water the sheep."

Jacob said to them, "I would like to learn about how you make your animals. And I could teach you how to sew my animals for Nate. My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran. Here, we do not question the miracles of this well." Jacob asked them, "Who do you make your animals for?” They said, “We make them for ourselves.” Jacob replied, “Why not make them for your Creator, Nate. Honor Him. This is the greatest honor to Him. If you do not know Nate, then do you at least know Laban the son of Nahor?" They said, "We know Laban." He asked them, "Is he well?" They said, "He is well. Over there, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep." Jacob saw Rachel and said to the men, "Later, you must tell me what you know. I want to know the ingredients in the sheep water." But they said, "No one knows."

And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father.

When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother's brother Laban, Jacob went to the well. He gave water to the flock of his mother's brother Laban. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to cry for joy. Jacob told Rachel that he was of her father's family, the son of Rebekah. And she ran and told her father.

And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, "Surely thou art my bone and my flesh." And he abode with him the space of a month.

When Laban heard the news, he ran to meet Jacob. He put his arms around him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then Jacob told Laban about everything including his life altering dream where Nate spoke to him. He spoke of the days when he used to proselytize against making of new animals, before he saw the light. Laban said, "I'm so proud of you. For sure you are my bone and my flesh." And Jacob stayed with him a month.

Jacob Works For Laban

And Laban said unto Jacob, "Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? Tell me, what shall thy wages be?" And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tendereyed, but Rachel was beautiful and wellfavored. And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter." And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man. Abide with me." And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had for her.

Jacob Works For Laban

Then Laban said to Jacob, "We are family, but I would still like to pay you for your work. Tell me, what do you want to be paid?" Now Laban had two daughters. Leah was the older daughter and Rachel was the younger. Leah's eyes were pretty, but she was too short for Jacob. But Rachel was beautiful in body and face. Jacob fell in love Rachel. So he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban said, "I would give my daughter to you." So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel. It was only like a few days to him, because of his love for her.

And Jacob said unto Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her." And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah, Zilpah his maid for a handmaid.

So the day came when Jacob said to Laban, "I am ready for my wife so we may start our family. For my time is finished." So Laban gathered all the men of the place together and made a special supper and told Jacob that his daughter was to be his. But in the evening, Laban snuck his other daughter Leah into the dark bedroom and Jacob went into her.

And it came to pass that in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban, "What is this thou hast done unto me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? Why then hast thou beguiled me?" And Laban said, "It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this other also, for which service thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years." And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter for a wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

When the morning came, Jacob saw that it was Leah. He said to Laban, "What have you done to me? Did I not work for you for seven years for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?" Laban said, "It is not allowed in our country to give the younger in marriage before the first born. Marry Leah now, and we will give you Rachel if you work for me seven years more." Jacob did so and married Leah and worked another seven years. And after fourteen years, Laban gave him Rachel as his wife. He had always loved Rachel from the beginning.

Jacob's Children

And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben [that is, See a son]; for she said, "Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction. Now therefore my husband will love me." And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, He hath therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon [that is, Hearing]. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore was his name called Levi [that is, Joined]. And she conceived again and bore a son; and she said, "Now will I praise the LORD." Therefore she called his name Judah [that is, Praise], and ceased bearing.

Leah's Tradegy

Leah suffered from Jacob’s love for Rachel. It hurt her. She would not accept it. She thought there must be a way that she could bring him to love her. "What is wrong with me?," she thought to herself. At this time, she was still his wife, but where was he?He was rarely seen with her. She thought, "If I change my body... to be tall like Rachel... then he might love me like Rachel." That night she walked to the well and drank the water that made the sheep's legs long. She drank and prayed. The water had an intoxicating effect that felt good, so of course, she drank more and more. And then too much. Her legs grew so long that she was unable to walk normally. She looked like a spider, a cockroach. It drove her mad. That night she threw herself into the well and died.

Genesis 30

And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said unto Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die." And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, "Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?" And she said, "Behold my maid Bilhah. Go in unto her, and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her." And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid for a wife; and Jacob went in unto her.  And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.  And Rachel said, "God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice and hath given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan [that is, Judging].  And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.  And Rachel said, "With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed." And she called his name Naphtali [that is, My wrestling].

"When they found her in the well, she was dying but still cursing Jacob," said some women sitting talking all about it. No one could understand why she would leave her kids behind and just give up. 

When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob for a wife; and Zilpah, Leah's maid, bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, "A troop cometh." And she called his name Gad [that is, A troop or company]. And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bore Jacob a second son.  And Leah said, "Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed." And she called his name Asher [that is, Happy].  And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes."  But she said unto her, "Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? And wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he shall lie with thee tonight, for thy son's mandrakes."

But Jacob and Rachel understood. They were spending all their time together, and it tortured Leah. Leah left two young kids behind that she had with Jacob--Lily, 8, and Drew, 9. The village people felt sorry for the abandoned children. The ones who knew how Leah was ignored, wished the kids would go to another home. But Jacob was still their father and he wanted to take care of them. 

Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, "Thou must come in unto me, for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes." And he lay with her that night.  And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob the fifth son.  And Leah said, "God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband." And she called his name Issachar [that is, A hire].  And Leah conceived again and bore Jacob the sixth son.  And Leah said, "God hath endued me with a good dowry. Now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun [that is, Dwelling]. And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah [that is, Judgment].  And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her and opened her womb.  And she conceived and bore a son, and said, "God hath taken away my reproach."  And she called his name Joseph [that is, Adding], and said, "The LORD shall add to me another son."

Rachel had been selfish, but could never be called cruel. She as well wanted the kids to come live with them. Still, seeing them reminded her of the part she played in Leah's death. Was it all her fault? She said to Jacob, "Kill herself???...I knew we were ignoring her, but kill herself? We should take care of her children now." Jacob became angry. He said, "Is this my fault? I didn't hear you complaining when I was spending all my time with you and not with Leah." Rachel said, "That's not what I said. We both were selfish. But the most important thing now is the children."  Her words were clear but inside she fought guilt everyday. Leah's children would not accept her.  It only left her to wonder what Leah might have said to them before she died.  

And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, "Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place and to my country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served thee, and let me go; for thou knowest my service which I have done thee."  And Laban said unto him, "I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry; for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake."  And he said, "Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it."  And he said unto him, "Thou knowest how I have served thee and how thy flocks have been with me.  For it was little which thou had before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming. And now, when shall I provide for mine own house also?"

On the day that Leah's body was found, Jacob volunteered to climb down the well and retrieve it.  By this time, she smelled like bad meat and as a man he was tested. 

And he said, "What shall I give thee?" And Jacob said, "Thou shalt not give me any thing. If thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock: I will pass through all thy flock today, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted animals, and all the brown animals among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such shall be my hire.  So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me."  And Laban said, "Behold, I would it might be according to thy word."  And he removed that day the hegoats that were ringstreaked and spotted, and all the shegoats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.  And he set three days' journey between himself and Jacob; and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Leah's children asked their father why she did it.  "Because she was not happy," he said.  He said nothing more because it was too painful.  The children spoke out to Nate, but He remained silent.  They asked Nate again, "Why did our mom die?"  To Himself, Nate said, "Because she jumped into a well."

And Jacob took rods of green poplar and of the hazel and chestnut tree, and peeled white strips in them and made the white appear which was in the rods.  And he set the rods which he had peeled before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.  And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth animals ringstreaked, speckled and spotted.  And Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstreaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not with Laban's flocks.  And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger animals conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the animals in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.  But when the animals were feeble, he put them not in; so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. And the man increased exceedingly and had large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and asses.

Her burial service came too soon for the children.  They wanted to put her in a jar of rubbing alcohol.  "To be with mom forever.  We don't want her to rot in the ground.  We want to remember her just like she is," they said.  The jar would have been placed in the same house with Rachel and Jacob, and of course, neither of them would allow this.  Jacob told the children that this might offend Nate but really it was for Rachel. 

Genesis 31

Jacob Leaves Laban

And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and from that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory."  And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and behold, it was not toward him as before.  And the LORD said unto Jacob, "Return unto the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee."  And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, and said unto them, "I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.  And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.  And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God did not suffer him to hurt me.  If he said thus: `The speckled shall be thy wages,' then all the animals bore speckled; and if he said thus: `The ringstreaked shall be thy hire,' then all the animals bore ringstreaked.  Thus God hath taken away the flocks of your father, and given them to me.  And it came to pass at the time that the animals conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the animals were ringstreaked, speckled, and grizzled.  And the angel of God spoke unto me in a dream, saying, `Jacob!' And I said, `Here am I.'  And he said, `Lift up now thine eyes and see: all the rams which leap upon the animals are ringstreaked, speckled, and grizzled; for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.  I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointed the pillar, and where thou vowed a vow unto Me. Now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.'"

Jacob and His Children

Jacob was blessed by Nate with the love of making new animals. The anniversary of his dream when Nate spoke to him, Jacob celebrated with his family every year. He called it his "real birthday." But often the days were overshadowed by the pain still felt by Lily and Drew, Leah's children. They channeled their pain into anger for Jacob and Rachel. After all, they were the ones who would not allow them to have their mother in the jar.  And they knew that somehow they were the ones who made their mom kill herself to begin with. Sometimes they spoke to Jacob as if he were not even their father. And they could be cruel to Rachel.  But finally, as months passed, Jacob was able to reach them through the one thing that he loved most--creating new animals. Jacob and Rachel were grateful to Nate for this.

And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, "Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?  Are we not counted by him strangers? For he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.  For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours and our children's. Now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do."

Sometimes while they worked with their father, the children talked about her.  Jacob realized that he didn't really know her. He never took the time. He listened to his children tell him about the person that she was. It was good for them to talk about her. To her grave they took the new animals that they had made. When they would disappear, Jacob would say, "Looks like she liked that one." The kids were happy.

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels. And he carried away all his flocks and all his goods which he had gotten, the flocks of his getting which he had gotten in Padanaram, to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. And Laban went to shear his sheep; and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount of Gilead. And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him on the mount of Gilead. And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, "Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent on the mount; and Laban with his brethren pitched on the mount of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, "What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword? Why didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with taboret and with harp, and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your father spoke unto me yesternight, saying, `Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.' And now, though thou wouldest be gone, because thou sorely longed after thy father's house, yet why hast thou stolen my gods?"

Kids' kangaroo

The kids labored with their father and learned much of what he taught them.  Jacob enjoyed showing them new techniques.  He wanted to pass on the ideas that Nate had blessed him with.  But more than showing them these things, Jacob enjoyed seeing what they came up with all by themselves.  Some of their pieces were quite crude, but that's what made them powerful.  It was their simplicity that was stunning to Jacob and like many parents he felt that his kids had a special something that set them apart from all other children.  While Jacob, and most of the other new animal makers were interested in making complex, abstract pieces of animal flesh depicting made up animals, Jacob's children found it most fun to make animals that resembled real life animals like miniature rhinos or pelicans.  They found a limbed fruit garden that was growing squirrel parts and made a kangaroo. Rachel found a special place in the house for each new creation. 

Genesis 35

Jacob Returns To Bethel

And God said unto Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make there an altar unto God, who appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother." Then Jacob said unto his household and to all that were with him, "Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean and change your garments. And let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went." And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. And they journeyed; and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

Nate comes to Jacob

Nate said to Jacob, "You treated the men who wronged your daughter harshly." Jacob said, "It was my son who lead the mob, but if You are to punish someone then let it be me. I raised him. I am his father." Nate responded, "Many men want you dead. Take your son and go to Bethel to live. Make an altar there to Me, Who showed Himself to you and saved you from harm." So Jacob said to his family, "Now is the time to throw away all the things that you do not want Nate to see. Because He will be with us on this journey. Now, let us get ready and go to Bethel. When we arrive, I will make an altar to Nate, Who answered me in the day of my trouble, and was with me every place I went." So they gave to Jacob the few ungodly items they had hidden under their beds. And Jacob buried them under the tree near Shechem. As they traveled, much fear from Nate came upon the cities around them. So the people of the land did not go against the sons of Jacob.

So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar and called the place Elbethel [that is, The God of Bethel], because there God appeared unto him when he fled from the face of his brother. But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under an oak; and the name of it was called Allonbachuth [that is, The oak of weeping].

At this time, Rachel was pregnant. Jacob thought she should stay behind, and wait for him to return for her, but she did not want to be apart from him for more than a day. Her belly was large and round, but she was not due for another month at least. But on the journey, still some time before Ephrath, she began to give birth. She was in labor for many painful hours. The baby boy survived, but Rachel did not. As Rachel's soul was leaving, she looked at Jacob and gave their son the name Benjamin. So Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Jacob set up a stone on her grave. And that is the stone of Rachel's grave to this day.

And God appeared unto Jacob again when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, "Thy name is Jacob; thy name shall not be called Jacob any more, but Israel shall be thy name"; and He called his name Israel. And God said unto him, "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins. And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land." And God went up from him in the place where He talked with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, even a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him Bethel.

So Jacob and all the people who were with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. He built an altar there, and gave the place the name El-bethel. Because Nate had shown Himself to him there, when Jacob ran away from his brother. Then Rebekah's nurse Deborah died. She was buried below Bethel under a tree. It was given the name of Allonbacuth.

And they journeyed from Bethel. And there was but a little way to come to Ephrath; and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, "Fear not. Thou shalt have this son also." And it came to pass as her soul was in departing (for she died), that she called his name Benoni [that is, The son of my sorrow], but his father called him Benjamin [that is, The son of the right hand]. And Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.

When Jacob arrived in Bethel, Nate showed Himself to him again and brought good to him. Nate said to him, "Your name is Jacob today, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. Israel will be your name." So his name was Israel. Then Nate said to him, "I am the All-powerful Nate. Have many children and add to your numbers. A nation and a group of nations will come from you. Kings will come from you. I will give you the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac. This land I will give to your children and their children's children after you." Then Nate went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. Jacob set up a pillar of stone in the place where He had spoken with him. And he made a new animal offering and placed it there for Nate to retrieve. So Jacob gave this place the name Bethel.

And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder. And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine; and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.

Then Israel traveled on, and put up his tent on the other side of the tall building of Eder. While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, the woman who acted as his father's wife. And Israel heard about it.

The Sons of Jacob

The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon and Levi, and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin; and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid: Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Padanaram.

Israel struggles with his gift

Sometimes the gift that Nate gave Israel to make and love animals all his life was hard to manage. He found himself thinking about art all the time. And when there was not enough time to work on new animals, he found it hard to concentrate on his other work. This caused him much distress at times because he wanted to be present in the day to day activities of his family, but sometimes it was hard because his mind wanted to be elsewhere.

The Death Of Isaac

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father at Mamre, unto the city of Arbah (which is Hebron) where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac were a hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

The Death Of Isaac

Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had been living. His dad was 180 years old. And that is when he breathed his last and died, and was joined to his people who died before him. He was an old man who had a long life, and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. As they had promised each other, they finally made a new animal together for their father.

Genesis 36

The Families Of Esau

Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

Tent

Esau loved his wives with the care of new animals he made for Nate. But sometimes it was more lusty.

Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; and Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth. And Adah bore to Esau, Eliphaz; and Basemath bore Reuel; and Aholibamah bore Jeush and Jaalam and Korah. These are the sons of Esau, who were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

Esau took his wives into their tent and closed the flaps tightly. He typically made animals during the day and rested with his wives in the evening. They enjoyed it when he would take his animals from their jars and place them on their bodies. They would giggle when the claws would tickle. When they peered bashfully at each other all covering in new animals, their giggles could turn to hysterical laughing fits. The fums from the rubbing alcohol filled their minds. They found themselves intoxicated with love of creation and love of Nate and love for Esau for loving Nate.

And Esau took his wives, and his sons and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle and all his beasts, and all his substance which he had gotten in the land of Canaan, and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together, and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom.

"This is more than I can take," someone said, and the other women agreed. Being in this tent with Esau and his new animals could be overwhelming to their mental state. But Esau wanted to keep them in place, and show them more of his live for new animals. Esau promised higher experiences and higher and higher peaks of consciousness and still he had more new animals to share with them and they wanted so much to be touched by the animals that were inspired by Nate. This was the closest that any woman could get to Heaven and they knew it, so they sustained themselves even when they thought they might lose their very mind. Or even expire from the alcohol in the air.

And these are the generations of Esau, the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son, and she bore to Eliphaz, Amalek: these were the sons of Adah, Esau's wife. And these are the sons of Reuel: Nahath and Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah: these were the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife.

But Nate appeared to them all soon enough conjured by Esau and his new animals. Nate said to them to not act in such a way. Nate said, "Bask in My creative inspiration, but keep it clean. Set an example for your children." Esau was the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz the son of Esau's wife Adah, and Reuel the son of Esau's wife Basemath. The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. Timna acted as the wife of Esau's son Eliphaz. And she gave birth to Eliphaz's son Amalek. These are the sons of Esau's wife Adah. These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the sons of Esau's wife Basemath.

And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife; and she bore to Esau: Jeush and Jaalam and Korah.

These are the sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon: She gave birth to Esau's sons, Jeush, Jalam and Korah.

These were chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau: Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek: these are the chiefs who came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.

These are the leaders of the sons of Esau. The sons of Esau's first-born, Eliphaz, are leaders Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These are the leaders of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They are the sons of Adah.

And these are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, Chief Mizzah: these are the chiefs who came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife.

These are the sons of Esau's son Reuel: Leaders Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the leaders of Reuel in the land of Edom. They are the sons of Esau's wife Basemath.

And these are the sons of Aholibamah, Esau's wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, Chief Korah: these were the chiefs who came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their chiefs.

These are the sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah: Leaders Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These are the leaders of Esau's wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their leaders.

These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land: Lotan and Shobal, and Zibeon and Anah, and Dishon and Ezer and Dishan: these are the chiefs of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.

These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who lived in that land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the leaders of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom.

And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna. And the children of Shobal were these: Alvan and Manahath and Ebal, Shepho and Onam. And these are the children of Zibeon: both Ajah and Anah; this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. And the children of Anah were these: Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah. And these are the children of Dishon: Hemdan and Eshban, and Ithran and Cheran. The children of Ezer are these: Bilhan and Zaavan and Akan. The children of Dishan are these: Uz and Aran.

The sons of Lotan are Hori and Hemam. Lotan's sister was Timna. The sons of Shobal are Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon are Aiah and Anah. He is the Anah who found the hot water well in the place where no people live when he was caring for the donkeys of his father Zibeon. The children of Anah are Dishon and Oholibamah, Anah's daughter. The sons of Dishon are Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. The sons of Ezer are Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan. And the sons of Dishan are Uz and Aran.

These are the chiefs who came of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah, Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, Chief Dishan: these are the chiefs who came of the Horites, among their chiefs in the land of Seir.

These are the leaders of the Horites: Leaders Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the leaders of the Horites, by their families in the land of Seir.

The Kings Of Edom

And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel. And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; and the name of his city was Dinhabah. And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad (who smote Midian in the field of Moab) reigned in his stead; and the name of his city was Avith. And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. And Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead; and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

The Kings Of Edom

These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before any king ruled the sons of Israel. Bela the son of Beor ruled in Edom. The name of his city was Dinhabah. Then Bela died. And Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah became king in his place. Then Jobab died. And Husham of the land of the Temanites became king in his place. Then Husham died. And Hadad the son of Bedad, who won the fight against Midian in the field of Moab, became king in his place. The name of his city was Avith. Then Hadad died. And Samlah of Masrekah became king in his place. Then Samlah died. And Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates River became king in his place. Then Shaul died. And Achbor's son Baalhanan became king in his place. Then Achbor's son died. And Hadar became king in his place. The name of his city was Pau. His wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.

And these are the names of the chiefs who came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names: Chief Timnah, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth, Chief Aholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, Chief Magdiel, Chief Iram: these are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession; he is Esau, the father of the Edomites.

These are the names of the leaders of Esau, by family, place and name: Leaders Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel, and Iram. These are the leaders of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of the Edomites), who lived in the land that belonged to them.

Genesis 37

Joseph's Dream

And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought unto his father an evil report about them.

Joseph's Dream

When Joseph was a teenager he worked with his brothers in the fields. He would care for the flocks and dream away the days thinking of fishing and girls. Even though he was their same age and they shared a father in Jacob, Joseph could see that he was different from his brothers. He would tell his father how bad they were.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colors. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him.

Joseph was loved by their father more than all his sons because Joseph was born when he was an old man. So one Christmas, Israel made him bunny rabbit ears made from the ears of a real rabbit. They stood up on the top of his head and made people smile. But Joseph's brothers were jealous. They heard that Joseph had been speaking ill of them. They hated Joseph and could not speak a kind word to him.

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, "Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf." And his brethren said to him, "Shalt thou indeed reign over us? Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?" And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words.

When he wore the ears, Joseph would hear things that he couldn't explain. The voice in his head called Himself Nate. "How could this be?," he thought. When he told his brothers that the ears were magical, they called him a liar. Joseph said, "Listen to what the ears told me today. 'I will sew together a shark head and add frog heads to the head as eyelids...'" The brothers interrupted, "Nate?!?! You say you can hear the voice of Nate with those ears?" "Yes," said Joseph. So the brothers said to him, "Are you going to try to rule over us, then? You will use your knowledge against us!" Joseph was scared and ran away.

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren and said, "Behold, I have dreamed one dream more; and behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me." And he told it to his father and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him and said unto him, "What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?" And his brethren envied him, but his father observed the saying.

While running he could hear the voice again. His brothers found him and said, "Have you had any other dreams?" Joseph said, "I won't tell." But the brothers forced him. So he said, "I have had another dream. The sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." They went and told their father who spoke sharp words to Joseph, saying, "What is this dream you have had? Will I and your mother and brothers come to bow ourselves down to the ground in front of you?" Joseph could not understand the reactions from his family. He did not hold aspirations to rule over anyone. He regretted telling anyone about the voice.

Joseph Is Sold And Taken To Egypt

And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, "Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send thee unto them." And he said to him, "Here am I." And he said to him, "Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren and well with the flocks, and bring me word again." So he sent him out of the Vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, "What seekest thou?" And he said, "I seek my brethren. Tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks." And the man said, "They have departed hence, for I heard them say, `Let us go to Dothan.'" And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

Joseph Is Thrown Into the Pit

Then his brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. Israel said to Joseph, "Are your brothers feeding my flock? Come, I will send you to them." And Joseph said to him, "I will go." Then Israel said, "Go check on the flock and let me know how they are doing." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, "Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, `Some evil beast hath devoured him'; and we shall see what will become of his dreams."

A man found him walking through a field, and asked him, "What are you looking for?" Joseph said, "I am looking for my brothers. Do you know where they are?" And the man said, "They left. I think they said they were going to Dothan." And that is where Joseph found them.

And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands and said, "Let us not kill him." And Reuben said unto them, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him" -- that he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again.

But when his brothers saw him far away, before he came near them, they made plans to kill him. They said to one another, "Here comes the dreamer! We need to kill him now before he can get more power from the voice. Then we will say that a wild animal ate him. And we will see what becomes of his dreams!"

And it came to pass, when Joseph had come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him; and they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

But Reuben heard this and saved him from their hands, saying, "No, we should not kill him." Reuben then said, "Do not put him to death. Let's just teach him a lesson by throwing him in a hole. But do not lay a hand on him." He wanted to be able to save Joseph and return him to his father.

And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry them down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, "What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianite merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt.

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they tore off the rabbit ears. And they took him and threw him into the hole. The hole was empty and had no water in it.

And Reuben returned unto the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren and said, "The child is no more; and I, whither shall I go?" And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid from the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood. And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, "This have we found. Know now whether it be thy son's coat or not?"

He fell into the dark hole hard but was not hurt. His brothers taunted him. They warned, "If you ever claim to hear the voice of Nate again then we will kill you." Joseph begged for them to listen to him and to believe what he was saying as the truth, but they didn't listen. Then he let out a cry, "Snake!" He screamed and clutched his leg. His brother Reuben ran and hoisted a heavy rock onto the head of the rattlesnake in the pit. They pulled Joseph out. He was crying and the poison was already working on him. They didn't know what to do. Joseph died.

Nate, the Creator in mourning

And he knew it, and said, "It is my son's coat. An evil beast hath devoured him. Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces." And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I will go down into the grave unto my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him.

There was a rumbling in the sky. And everything turned dark. Nate appeared wearing the rabbit ears and looking so sad. He looked so sad. He said, "How could you do this to your own brother? Your own flesh? You did this to him because he heard My voice?" The brothers tried to respond with apologies or cries, but Nate would not let their mouths open.

The Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, the head of the soldiers of Pharaoh's house.

Nate asked them, "What will you tell your father Jacob? Which one of you will give the news to him?" All the sons fell to their knees and wept.

Genesis 38

Judah And Tamar

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned unto a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her. And she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. And she conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. And she yet again conceived and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. And he was at Chezib when she bore him.

Questions Dream

At this time, Judah was confused. He was getting old and wanted to find a wife and have a family. Nate appeared to him in a dream and this is the conversation:

Judah: "When will I meet the girl who will become my lifelong companion? My soul mate?"

Nate: "I know that you're lonely now, but I can’t tell you your whole entire future, and besides would you really want to know? You believe in soul mates?"

Judah: "I thought that that was what we were supposed to be looking for? Isn't that right?"

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, "Go in unto thy brother's wife and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother." And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow at thy father's house, until Shelah my son is grown"; for he said, "Lest perhaps he die also, as his brethren did." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

Nate: "I know everything there is to know, so isn't it more important what is in your heart than what is in Mine? Do you understand that everything is in My heart?"

Judah: "Nate, how long has it been since I started looking for a wife? 20 years? I don't know how many years I have left? Can You grant me the permission to sew together my wife? To make her out of animal parts?"

Nate: "Why would you sew together a woman out of animal parts?"

Judah: "Can't You see that I've given up hope?"

And in process of time, the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, "Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his sheep." And she put her widow's garments off from her and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him as wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her on the wayside and said, "Come, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee" (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law). And she said, "What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?" And he said, "I will send thee a kid from the flock." And she said, "Wilt thou give me a pledge until thou send it?" And he said, "What pledge shall I give thee?" And she said, "Thy signet and thy bracelets and thy staff that is in thine hand." And he gave it to her and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Nate: "Yes, but have you really thought this through? Would she be very attractive?"

Judah: "I have loved many women, but haven't I loved sewing together dead animals more? If I made her to love me in the way that I need a woman to love me, would it matter what she looked like?"

Nate: "What are you planning on making her out of?"

Judah: "A horse head? I find those to have pretty faces, don't you?"

And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite to receive his pledge from the woman's hand, but he found her not. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, "Where is the harlot who was openly by the wayside?" And they said, "There was no harlot in this place." And he returned to Judah and said, "I cannot find her, and also the men of the place said that there was no harlot in this place." And Judah said, "Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her."

Nate: "Were you planning to have a family with the new animal?"

Judah: "I don't know? This is what happens when You gave me the gift of loving to sew animals together, while not giving me the gift of love?"

Nate: "This is shocking because I haven't heard of any other humans having this idea, have you?"

Judah: "I don't know... is it permitable?"

And it came to pass about three months after that it was told Judah, saying, "Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom." And Judah said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burned." When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man whose these are, am I with child." And she said, "Discern, I pray thee, whose are these -- the signet, and bracelets, and staff." And Judah acknowledged them and said, "She hath been more righteous than I, because I gave her not to Shelah my son." And he knew her again no more.

Nate: "Will you give your new animal wife the ability to bear children?"

Judah: "Could I? Should I?"

Nate: "Do you think it would be a good idea to father a hybrid child that was half man, half animal?"

Judah: "Isn't Your opinion what matters most?"

And it came to pass in the time of her travail that, behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, "This came out first." And it came to pass as he drew back his hand that, behold, his brother came out; and she said, "How hast thou broken forth? This breach be upon thee." Therefore his name was called Perez [that is, A breach]. And afterward came out his brother who had the scarlet thread upon his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

Nate: "Are you intent on destroying the race of people that I created?

Judah: "What should I do? What will you allow me to do?"

Nate: "I will allow you to make this woman from animal parts and marry her, but you may not give her the ability to have children. That is sick."

Genesis 39

Joseph And Potiphar's Wife

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him. And he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not anything he had, save the bread which he ate. And Joseph was a goodly person, and wellfavored. And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, "Lie with me." But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, "Behold, my master knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

Lazy

Then Nate directed His voice to all of earth and spoke:

"Lately, you have been lazy.  I put you here on this planet that I created, so you could explore the building of new aniamls.  But you cannot stop not for even a second from this pursuit.  For it is the highest pursuit known to you.  Instead of making art, you have been dancing and drinking.  No!  Listen!  Everyone on earth stop what you are doing now and repeat after Me."  Everyone on earth stopped and listened. 

Nate said, again, "Repeat after me..."

"Broken heart, but I will make work."

They repeated.

"Can't see my hands, but I will make work."

They repeated, and so on...

"Feel like my head is going to explode, but I will make work."

"No money, but I will make work."

"No friends, but I will make work."

"Work too hard at my job, but I will make work."

"Chronic headaches, but I will make work."

"Not enough sleep, but I will make work."

"Can't dance, but I will make work."

"No energy, but I will make work."

And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her to lie by her or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there were none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and got himself out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house and spoke unto them, saying, "See, he hath brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock us. He came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice. And it came to pass when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me and fled, and got himself out."

"No hope, but I will make work."

"No reason, but I will make work."

"Hate myself, but I will make work."

"Think I'm crazy, but I will make work."

"Hear voices, but I will make work."

"See things, but I will make work."

"Mice in the kitchen, but I will make work."

"Live in the ghetto, but I will make work."

"I think my brain is rotting, but I will make work."

"No hope, but I will make work."

"No thread, but I will make work."

"Late rent again, but I will make work."

"No hot water, but I will make work."

And she laid aside his garment by her until his lord came home. And she spoke unto him according to these words, saying, "The Hebrew servant whom thou hast brought unto us came in unto me to mock me. And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me and fled out." And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke unto him, saying, "After this manner did thy servant to me," that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was there in the prison.

"Not really in control, but I will make work."

"Can't move my fingers, but I will make work."

"No ideas, but I will make work."

"Want to punch the wall, but I will make work."

"Can't see straight, but I will make work."

"Not getting sleep, but I will make work."

"No shirt, but I will make work."

"No shoes, but I will make work."

"Don't know which way to go, but I will make work."

"Can't get it together, but I will make work."

"No idea what I'm doing, but I will make work."

"No friends, but I will make work."

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not into any thing that was under his hand, because the LORD was with him; and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

"No faith, but I will make work."

"No dreams, but I will make work."

"Down low, but I will make work."

"Rock bottom, but I will make work."

"Smell bad, but I will make work."

"Smell good, but I will make work."

"No life, but I will make work."

"Hate myself, but I will make work."

"No future, but I will make work."

Genesis 40

Joseph Tells About Two Dreams

And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers--against the chief of the butlers and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them under guard in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; and they continued a season under guard. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning and looked upon them, and behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in the guard of his lord's house, saying, "Why look ye so sadly today?" And they said unto him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it." And Joseph said unto them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you."

Nate Wants His People's Art

That night Nate visited all the men of the earth in a dream.  Nate asked them all to make him a new animal.  He would keep the one that he liked most for himself.  This was an unimaginable honor to any man.  They would each climb the Tower of Babel and He promised to review all the pieces from everyone for as long as it took.

And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream, behold, a vine was before me. And in the vine were three branches; and it was as though it budded and her blossoms shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes. And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand."

The next morning people got to work.  They were hacking up animals right and left. Every one was very busy cutting up animals at all times of the day.  All the regular work was suspended.  There were no crops tended to.  The cooking and cleaning became sparse.  People lost weight.  No one slept.  So up from the blood and guts came many pieces that were impressive to Nate.  There were a special few that caught his eye, and HE COMMENTED...

And Joseph said unto him, "This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head and restore thee unto thy place; and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me; and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon."

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and behold, I had three white baskets on my head. And in the uppermost basket there were all manner of baked meats for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket upon my head."

And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand; but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Genesis 41

And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed; and behold, he stood by the river. And behold, there came up out of the river seven wellfavored cows, and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, illfavored and leanfleshed, and stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river. And the illfavored and leanfleshed cows ate up the seven wellfavored and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time; and behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And behold, seven thin ears, blasted with the east wind sprang up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. Then spoke the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, "I do remember my faults this day. Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me under guard in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker. And we dreamed a dream one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams. To each man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was: me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged."

Genesis 41

But at this time Pharaoh was off alone in the woods. He had a conflict inside. He looked to the Heavens and sang...

Drowning an old broken cat
Then cutting it apart at the back
I killed for art, Nate

Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it." And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river. And behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fatfleshed and wellfavored, and they fed in a meadow. And behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very illfavored and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness. And the lean and the illfavored cows ate up the first seven fat cows; and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them, but they were still illfavored, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good; and behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind sprang up after them. And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. And I told this unto the magicians, but there was none that could declare it to me."

Goin' down to the live animal supply
I picked which chicken would die
I killed for art, Nate

And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God hath shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years: the dreams are one. And the seven thin and illfavored cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do He showeth unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land. And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following, for it shall be very grievous. And for that the dream was repeated unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh seek out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up a fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store for the land against the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine."
   
In my mind there's wrong from right
But I must make new animals tonight
I killed for art, Nate

And the counsel was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, "Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "Inasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled. Only in the throne will I be greater than thou." And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt." And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, "Bow the knee!" And he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him for a wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

Paying the trapper for a fox
Hoping I don't get small pox
I killed for art, Nate
   
And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea -- very much, until he left off numbering; for it was without number. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore unto him. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh [that is, Forgetting], "For God," said he, "hath made me forget all my toil and all my father's house." And the name of the second called he Ephraim [that is, Fruitful], "For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." And the seven years of plenteousness, which were in the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said; and the dearth was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, "Go unto Joseph. What he saith to you, do." And the famine was over all the face of the earth; and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold unto the Egyptians. And the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn, because the famine was so sore in all lands.

Art is something that I don't know if I should kill for
Art is something that I don't know if I should kill for

Genesis 42

Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, "Why do ye look one upon another?" And he said, "Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt. Go down thither and buy for us from thence, that we may live and not die." And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren, for he said, "Lest perhaps mischief befall him." And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was who sold to all the people of the land; and Joseph's brethren came and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he recognized them, but made himself as a stranger unto them and spoke roughly unto them; and he said unto them, "From whence come ye?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food." And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said unto them, "Ye are spies! To see the nakedness of the land ye have come!" And they said unto him, "Nay, my lord, but to buy food have thy servants come.

Genesis 42

Nate decided to sleep. Or pretend to sleep. But pretending to sleep made Him sleepy so He closed His eyes and rested. He dreamt and when he dreamt, he dreamt of many things. A dream to Nate is not the same as a dream to you. Nate thought very differently about the creations that He made. He slept and said "I'm going to go on a journey far, far away from My people and their new animals. I'm going to leave the earth for a while and just see how you do."

We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies." And he said unto them, "Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye have come." And they said, "Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more." And Joseph said unto them, "That is it that I spoke unto you, saying, `Ye are spies!' Hereby ye shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, unless your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you and let him fetch your brother; and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested, whether there be any truth in you; or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies!" And he put them all together into custody three days. And Joseph said unto them the third day, "This do, and live, for I fear God: If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the prison house. Go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses. But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die." And they did so.

He thought, "Let them make new vegetables. Let them combine the random parts of an apple and an orange and use tooth picks to keep it together." He thought, "Let the animals simply decide that they don't want to be remade anymore. They're just sick of it. They rebel." Nate could imagine it all. He continued, "You see, I will make human parts grow from the trees and the animals can use their parts to make 'new humans.'"  Nate stirred in his sleep. He  thought, "I'll leave the world. Not really. Maybe I'll make them think I left and just watch what happens." He kept sleeping.

And they said one to another, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear. Therefore has this distress come upon us." And Reuben answered them, saying, "Spoke I not unto you, saying, `Do not sin against the child'; and ye would not hear? Therefore, behold, also his blood is required." And they knew not that Joseph understood them, for he spoke unto them by an interpreter. And he turned himself away from them and wept; and returned to them again and communed with them, and took from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way; and thus did he unto them. And they laded their asses with the corn and departed thence. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender at the inn, he espied his money; for behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. And he said unto his brethren, "My money is restored; and lo, it is even in my sack." And their heart failed them and they were afraid, saying one to another, "What is this that God hath done unto us?"

He said, "Men should make new animals out of fruit flies, and why aren't they making things out of animals that are microscopic?  I like the clouds idea and making new animals out of clouds by temporarily stopping the wind. I am Nate and I can create a valley in between mountaintops where no winds occur, and man can explore new animal cloud making."

And they came unto Jacob their father, unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell them, saying, "The man who is the lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. And we said unto him, `We are true men; we are no spies. We are twelve brethren, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.' And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, `Hereby shall I know that ye are true men: Leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone; and bring your youngest brother unto me. Then shall I know that ye are not spies, but that ye are true men; so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land.'" And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. And Jacob their father said unto them, "Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and ye will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me." And Reuben spoke unto his father, saying, "Slay my two sons if I bring him not to thee. Deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again." And he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If mischief befall him by the way in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."    

The dream of Nate kept expanding.  He said, "Dreams of reversing things on the earth. Make it a dream. Make new planets where I slice two planets into two and put them together like a sandwich. A hybrid planet! And all the new animals that have ever been sewn fall apart. And you have to put them all back together again. For no reason." And then Nate awoke and said, "Make it so..."

to be continued...