2BSYasher | 2besaved

THE BOOK OF YASHĔR

CHAPTER 1

And Elohim said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, and Elohim created man in His Own image.
And Elohim formed man from the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being endowed with speech.
And YHWH said, It is not good for man to be alone; I will make unto him a helper.
And YHWH caused a deep sleep to fall upon Aḏam, and he slept, and He took away one of his ribs, and He built flesh upon it, and formed it and brought it to Aḏam, and Aḏam awoke from his sleep, and behold a woman was standing before him.
And he said, This is a bone of my bones and it shall be called woman, for this has been taken from man; and Aḏam called her name Ḥawwah, for she was the mother of all living.
And Elohim blessed them and called their names Aḏam and Ḥawwah in the day that He created them, and YHWH Elohim said, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
And YHWH Elohim took Aḏam and his wife, and He placed them in the garden of Ěḏen to dress it and to keep it; and He commanded them and said unto them, From every tree of the garden you may eat, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.
And when Elohim had blessed and commanded them, He went from them, and Aḏam and his wife dwelt in the garden according to the command which YHWH had commanded them.
And the serpent, which Elohim had created with them in the earth, came to them to incite them to transgress the command of Elohim which he had commanded them.
And the serpent enticed and persuaded the woman to eat from the tree of knowledge, and the woman listened to the voice of the serpent, and she transgressed the word of Elohim, and took from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and she ate, and she took from it and gave also to her husband and he ate.
And Aḏam and his wife transgressed the command of Elohim which he commanded them, and Elohim knew it, and his anger was kindled against them and he cursed them.
And YHWH Elohim drove them that day from the garden of Ěḏen, to till the ground from which they were taken, and they went and dwelt at the east of the garden of Ěḏen; and Aḏam knew his wife Ḥawwah and she bore two sons and three daughters.
And she called the name of the first born Qayin, saying, I have obtained a man from YHWH, and the name of the other she called Heḇel, for she said, In vanity we came into the earth, and in vanity we shall be taken from it.
And the boys grew up and their father gave them a possession in the land; and Qayin was a tiller of the ground, and Heḇel a keeper of sheep.
And it was at the expiration of a few years, that they brought an approximating offering to YHWH, and Qayin brought from the fruit of the ground, and Heḇel brought from the firstlings of his flock from the fat of it, and Elohim turned and inclined to Heḇel and his offering, and a fire came down from YHWH from the heavens and consumed it.
And unto Qayin and his offering YHWH did not turn, and he did not incline to it, for he had brought from the inferior fruit of the ground before YHWH, and Qayin was jealous against his brother Heḇel on account of this, and he sought a pretext to slay him.
And in some time after, Qayin and Heḇel his brother, went one day into the field to do their work; and they were both in the field, Qayin tilling and ploughing his ground, and Heḇel feeding his flock; and the flock passed that part which Qayin had ploughed in the ground, and it sorely grieved Qayin on this account.
And Qayin approached his brother Heḇel in anger, and he said unto him, What is there between me and you, that you come to dwell and bring your flock to feed in my land?
And Heḇel answered his brother Qayin and said unto him, What is there between me and you, that you shall eat the flesh of my flock and clothe yourself with their wool?
And now therefore, put off the wool of my sheep with which you have clothed yourself, and recompense me for their fruit and flesh which you have eaten, and when you shall have done this, I will then go from your land as you have said?
And Qayin said to his brother Heḇel, Surely if I slay you this day, who will require your blood from me?
And Heḇel answered Qayin, saying, Surely Elohim who has made us in the earth, he will avenge my cause, and he will require my blood from you should you slay me, for YHWH is the judge and arbiter, and it is he who will requite man according to his evil, and the wicked man according to the wickedness that he may do upon earth.
And now, if you should slay me here, surely Elohim knows your secret views, and will judge you for the evil which you declared to do unto me this day.
And when Qayin heard the words which Heḇel his brother had spoken, behold the anger of Qayin was kindled against his brother Heḇel for declaring this matter.
And Qayin hastened and rose up, and took the iron part of his ploughing instrument, with which he suddenly smote his brother and he slew him, and Qayin spilt the blood of his brother Heḇel upon the earth, and the blood of Heḇel streamed upon the earth before the flock.
And after this Qayin repented having slain his brother, and he was sadly grieved, and he wept over him and it troubled him exceedingly.
And Qayin rose up and dug a hole in the field, wherein he put his brother’s body, and he turned the dust over it.
And YHWH knew what Qayin had done to his brother, and YHWH appeared to Qayin and said unto him, Where is Heḇel your brother that was with you?
And Qayin dissembled, and said, I do not know, am I my brother’s keeper? And YHWH said unto him, What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground where you have slain him.
For you have slain your brother and have dissembled before me, and imagined in your heart that I saw you not, nor knew all your actions.
But you did this matter and slayed your brother for naught and because he spoke rightly to you, and now, therefore, cursed be you from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand, and wherein you buried him.
And it shall be when you shall till it, it shall no more give you its strength as in the beginning, for thorns and thistles shall the ground produce, and you shall be moving and wandering in the earth until the day of your death.
And at that time Qayin went out from the presence of YHWH, from the place where he was, and he went moving and wandering in the land toward the east of Ěḏen, he and all belonging to him.
And Qayin knew his wife in those days, and she conceived and bare a son, and he called his name Ḥanoḵ, saying, In that time YHWH began to give him rest and quiet in the earth. Tsillah
And at that time Qayin also began to build a city: and he built the city and he called the name of the city Ḥanoḵ, according to the name of his son; for in those days YHWH had given him rest upon the earth, and he did not move about and wander as in the beginning.
And Irad was born to Ḥanoḵ, and Irad brought forth Meḥuya’ĕl and Meḥuya’ĕl brought forth Methusa’ĕl.

CHAPTER 2

And it was in the hundred and thirtieth year of the life of Aḏam upon the earth, that he again knew Ḥawwah his wife, and she conceived and bare a son in his likeness and in his image, and she called his name Shĕth, saying, Because Elohim has appointed me another seed in the place of Heḇel, for Qayin has slain him.
And Shĕth lived one hundred and five years, and he brought forth a son; and Shĕth called the name of his son Enosh, saying, Because in that time the sons of men began to multiply, and to afflict their beings and hearts by transgressing and rebelling against Elohim.
And it was in the days of Enosh that the sons of men continued to rebel and transgress against Elohim, to increase the anger of YHWH against the sons of men.
And the sons of men went and they served other mighty ones, and they forgot YHWH who had created them in the earth: and in those days the sons of men made images of brass and iron, wood and stone, and they bowed down and served them.
And every man made his mighty one and they bowed down to them, and the sons of men forsook YHWH all the days of Enosh and his children; and the anger of YHWH was kindled on account of their works and abominations which they did in the earth.
And YHWH caused the waters of the river Giḥon to overwhelm them, and He destroyed and consumed them, and He destroyed the third part of the earth, and notwithstanding this, the sons of men did not turn from their evil ways, and their hands were yet extended to do evil in the sight of YHWH.
And in those days there was neither sowing nor reaping in the earth; and there was no food for the sons of men and the famine was very great in those days.
And the seed which they sowed in those days in the ground became thorns, thistles and briers; for from the days of Aḏam was this declaration concerning the earth, of the curse of Elohim, which He cursed the earth, on account of the sin which Aḏam sinned before YHWH.
And it was when men continued to rebel and transgress against Elohim, and to corrupt their ways, that the earth also became corrupt.
And Enosh lived ninety years and he brought forth Qĕynan;
And Qĕynan grew up and he was forty years old, and he became wise and had knowledge and skill in all wisdom, and he reigned over all the sons of men, and he led the sons of men to wisdom and knowledge; for Qĕynan was a very wise man and had understanding in all wisdom, and with his wisdom he ruled over spirits and demons;
And Qĕynan knew by his wisdom that Elohim would destroy the sons of men for having sinned upon earth, and that YHWH would in the latter days bring upon them the waters of the flood.
And in those days Qĕynan wrote upon tablets of stone, what was to take place in time to come, and he put them in his treasures.
And Qĕynan reigned over the whole earth, and he turned some of the sons of men to the service of Elohim.
And when Qĕynan was seventy years old, he brought forth three sons and two daughters.
And these are the names of the children of Qĕynan; the name of the first born Mahalal’ĕl, the second Ĕnan, and the third Mered, and their sisters were Aḏah and Tsillah; these are the five children of Qĕynan that were born to him.
And Lemeḵ, the son of Methusa’ĕl, became related to Qĕynan by marriage, and he took his two daughters for his wives, and Aḏah conceived and bare a son to Lemeḵ, and she called his name Yaḇal.
And she again conceived and bare a son, and called his name Yuḇal; and Tsillah, her sister, was barren in those days and had no offspring.
For in those days the sons of men began to trespass against Elohim, and to transgress the commandments which he had commanded to Aḏam, to be fruitful and multiply in the earth.
And some of the sons of men caused their wives to drink a draught that would render them barren, in order that they might retain their figures and whereby their beautiful appearance might not fade.
And when the sons of men caused some of their wives to drink, Tsillah drank with them.
And the child-bearing women appeared abominable in the sight of their husbands as widows, while their husbands lived, for to the barren ones only they were attached.
And in the end of days and years, when Tsillah became old, YHWH opened her womb.
And she conceived and bare a son and she called his name Tuḇal-Qayin, saying, After I had withered away have I obtained him from the Almighty Elohim.
And she conceived again and bare a daughter, and she called her name Na’amah, for she said, After I had withered away have I obtained pleasure and delight.
And Lemeḵ was old and advanced in years, and his eyes were dim that he could not see, and Tuḇal-Qayin, his son, was leading him and it was one day that Lemeḵ went into the field and Tuḇal-Qayin his son was with him, and while they were walking in the field, Qayin the son of Aḏam advanced towards them; for Lemeḵ was very old and could not see much, and Tuḇal-Qayin his son was very young.
And Tuḇal-Qayin told his father to draw his bow, and with the arrows he smote Qayin, who was yet far off, and he slew him, for he appeared to them to be an animal.
And the arrows entered Qayin’s body although he was distant from them, and he fell to the ground and died.
And YHWH requited Qayin’s evil according to his wickedness, which he had done to his brother Heḇel, according to the word of YHWH which He had spoken.
And it came to pass when Qayin had died, that Lemeḵ and Tuḇal went to see the animal which they had slain, and they saw, and behold Qayin their grandfather was fallen dead upon the earth.
And Lemeḵ was very much grieved at having done this, and in clapping his hands together he struck his son and caused his death.
And the wives of Lemeḵ heard what Lemeḵ had done, and they sought to kill him.
And the wives of Lemeḵ hated him from that day, because he slew Qayin and Tuḇal-Qayin, and the wives of Lemeḵ separated from him, and would not listen to him in those days.
And Lemeḵ came to his wives, and he pressed them to listen to him about this matter.
And he said to his wives Aḏah and Tsillah, Hear my voice O wives of Lemeḵ, attend to my words, for now you have imagined and said that I slew a man with my wounds, and a child with my stripes for their having done no violence, but surely know that I am old and grey-headed, and that my eyes are heavy through age, and I did this matter unknowingly.
And the wives of Lemeḵ listened to him in this matter, and they returned to him with the advice of their father Aḏam, but they bore no children to him from that time, knowing that Elohim’s anger was increasing in those days against the sons of men, to destroy them with the waters of the flood for their evil doings.
And Mahalal’ĕl the son of Qĕynan lived sixty-five years and he brought forth Yereḏ; and Yereḏ lived sixty-two years and he brought forth Ḥanoḵ.

CHAPTER 3

And Ḥanoḵ lived sixty-five years and he brought forth Methushelaḥ; and Ḥanoḵ walked with Elohim after having begot Methushelaḥ, and he served YHWH, and despised the evil ways of men.
And the being of Ḥanoḵ was wrapped up in the instruction of YHWH, in knowledge and in understanding; and he wisely retired from the sons of men, and secreted himself from them for many days.
And it was at the expiration of many years, while he was serving YHWH, and praying before Him in his house, that a messenger of YHWH called to him from Heaven, and he said, Here am I.
And he said, Rise, go forth from your house and from the place where you do hide yourself, and appear to the sons of men, in order that you may teach them the way in which they should go and the work which they must accomplish to enter in the ways of Elohim.
And Ḥanoḵ rose up according to the word of YHWH, and went forth from his house, from his place and from the chamber in which he was concealed; and he went to the sons of men and taught them the ways of YHWH, and at that time assembled the sons of men and acquainted them with the instruction of YHWH.
And he ordered it to be proclaimed in all places where the sons of men dwelt, saying, Where is the man who wishes to know the ways of YHWH and good works? let him come to Ḥanoḵ.
And all the sons of men then assembled to him, for all who desired this matter went to Ḥanoḵ, and Ḥanoḵ reigned over the sons of men according to the word of YHWH, and they came and bowed to him and they heard his word.
And the spirit of Elohim was upon Ḥanoḵ, and he taught all his men the wisdom of Elohim and His ways, and the sons of men served YHWH all the days of Ḥanoḵ, and they came to hear his wisdom.
And all the sovereigns of the sons of men, both first and last, together with their princes and judges, came to Ḥanoḵ when they heard of his wisdom, and they bowed down to him, and they also required of Ḥanoḵ to reign over them, to which he consented.
And they assembled in all, one hundred and thirty sovereigns and princes, and they made Ḥanoḵ sovereign over them and they were all under his power and command.
And Ḥanoḵ taught them wisdom, knowledge, and the ways of YHWH; and he made peace amongst them, and peace was throughout the earth during the life of Ḥanoḵ.
And Ḥanoḵ reigned over the sons of men two hundred and forty-three years, and he did justice and righteousness with all his people, and he led them in the ways of YHWH.
And these are the generations of Ḥanoḵ, Methushelaḥ, Elisha, and Elimelek, three sons; and their sisters were Melḵa and Na’amah, and Methushelaḥ lived eighty-seven years and he brought forth Lemeḵ.
And it was in the fifty-sixth year of the life of Lemeḵ when Aḏam died; nine hundred and thirty years old was he at his death, and his two sons, with Ḥanoḵ and Methushelaḥ his son, buried him with great pomp, as at the burial of sovereigns, in the cave which Elohim had told him.
And in that place all the sons of men made a great mourning and weeping on account of Aḏam; it has therefore become a custom among the sons of men to this day.
And Aḏam died because he ate of the tree of knowledge; he and his children after him, as YHWH Elohim had spoken.
And it was in the year of Aḏam’s death which was the two hundred and forty-third year of the reign of Ḥanoḵ, in that time Ḥanoḵ resolved to separate himself from the sons of men and to secret himself as at first in order to serve YHWH.
And Ḥanoḵ did so, but did not entirely secret himself from them, but kept away from the sons of men three days and then went to them for one day.
And during the three days that he was in his chamber, he prayed to, and praised YHWH his Elohim, and the day on which he went and appeared to his subjects he taught them the ways of YHWH, and all they asked him about YHWH he told them.
And he did in this manner for many years, and he afterward concealed himself for six days, and appeared to his people one day in seven; and after that once in a month, and then once in a year, until all the sovereigns, princes and sons of men sought for him, and desired again to see the face of Ḥanoḵ, and to hear his word; but they could not, as all the sons of men were greatly afraid of Ḥanoḵ, and they feared to approach him on account of the Elohim-like awe that was seated upon his countenance; therefore no man could look at him, fearing he might be punished and die.
And all the sovereigns and princes resolved to assemble the sons of men, and to come to Ḥanoḵ, thinking that they might all speak to him at the time when he should come forth amongst them, and they did so.
And the day came when Ḥanoḵ went forth and they all assembled and came to him, and Ḥanoḵ spoke to them the words of YHWH and he taught them wisdom and knowledge, and they bowed down before him and they said, May the sovereign live! May the sovereign live!
And in some time after, when the sovereigns and princes and the sons of men were speaking to Ḥanoḵ, and Ḥanoḵ was teaching them the ways of Elohim, behold a messenger of YHWH then called unto Ḥanoḵ from the heavens, and wished to bring him up to the heavens to make him reign there over the sons of Elohim, as he had reigned over the sons of men upon earth.
When at that time Ḥanoḵ heard this he went and assembled all the inhabitants of the earth, and taught them wisdom and knowledge and gave them divine instructions, and he said to them, I have been required to ascend into the heavens, I therefore do not know the day of my going.
And now therefore I will teach you wisdom and knowledge and will give you instruction before I leave you, how to act upon earth whereby you may live; and he did so.
And he taught them wisdom and knowledge, and gave them instruction, and he reproved them, and he placed before them statutes and judgments to do upon earth, and he made peace amongst them, and he taught them everlasting life, and dwelt with them some time teaching them all these things.
And at that time the sons of men were with Ḥanoḵ, and Ḥanoḵ was speaking to them, and they lifted up their eyes and the likeness of a great horse descended from the heavens, and the horse paced in the air;
And they told Ḥanoḵ what they had seen, and Ḥanoḵ said to them, On my account does this horse descend upon earth; the time is come when I must go from you and I shall no more be seen by you.
And the horse descended at that time and stood before Ḥanoḵ, and all the sons of men that were with Ḥanoḵ saw him.
And Ḥanoḵ then again ordered a voice to be proclaimed, saying, Where is the man who delighteth to know the ways of YHWH his Elohim, let him come this day to Ḥanoḵ before he is taken from us.
And all the sons of men assembled and came to Ḥanoḵ that day; and all the sovereigns of the earth with their princes and counsellors remained with him that day; and Ḥanoḵ then taught the sons of men wisdom and knowledge, and gave them divine instruction; and he bade them serve YHWH and walk in his ways all the days of their lives, and he continued to make peace amongst them.
And it was after this that he rose up and rode upon the horse; and he went forth and all the sons of men went after him, about eight hundred thousand men; and they went with him one day’s journey.
And the second day he said to them, Return home to your tents, why will you go? perhaps you may die; and some of them went from him, and those that remained went with him six day’s journey; and Ḥanoḵ said to them every day, Return to your tents, lest you may die; but they were not willing to return, and they went with him.
And on the sixth day some of the men remained and clung to him, and they said to him, We will go with you to the place where you go; as YHWH liveth, death only shall separate us.
And they urged so much to go with him, that he ceased speaking to them; and they went after him and would not return;
And when the sovereigns returned they caused a census to be taken, in order to know the number of remaining men that went with Ḥanoḵ; and it was upon the seventh day that Ḥanoḵ ascended into the heavens in a whirlwind, with horses and chariots of fire.
And on the eighth day all the sovereigns that had been with Ḥanoḵ sent to bring back the number of men that were with Ḥanoḵ, in that place from which he ascended into the heavens.
And all those sovereigns went to the place and they found the earth there filled with snow, and upon the snow were large stones of snow, and one said to the other, Come, let us break through the snow and see, perhaps the men that remained with Ḥanoḵ are dead, and are now under the stones of snow, and they searched but could not find him, for he had ascended into the heavens.

CHAPTER 4

And all the days that Ḥanoḵ lived upon earth, were three hundred and sixty-five years.
And when Ḥanoḵ had ascended into the heavens, all the sovereigns of the earth rose and took Methushelaḥ his son and anointed him, and they caused him to reign over them in the place of his father.
And Methushelaḥ acted uprightly in the sight of Elohim, as his father Ḥanoḵ had taught him, and he likewise during the whole of his life taught the sons of men wisdom, knowledge and the fear of Elohim, and he did not turn from the good way either to the right or to the left.
But in the latter days of Methushelaḥ, the sons of men turned from YHWH, they corrupted the earth, they robbed and plundered each other, and they rebelled against Elohim and they transgressed, and they corrupted their ways, and would not listen to the voice of Methushelaḥ, but rebelled against him.
And YHWH was exceedingly wroth against them, and YHWH continued to destroy the seed in those days, so that there was neither sowing nor reaping in the earth.
For when they sowed the ground in order that they might obtain food for their support, behold, thorns and thistles were produced which they did not sow.
And still the sons of men did not turn from their evil ways, and their hands were still extended to do evil in the sight of Elohim, and they provoked YHWH with their evil ways, and YHWH was very wroth, and repented that he had made man.
And he thought to destroy and annihilate them and he did so.
In those days when Lemeḵ the son of Methushelaḥ was one hundred and sixty years old, Shĕth the son of Aḏam died.
And all the days that Shĕth lived, were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.
And Lemeḵ was one hundred and eighty years old when he took Ashmua, the daughter of Elisha’a the son of Ḥanoḵ his uncle, and she conceived.
And at that time the sons of men sowed the ground, and a little food was produced, yet the sons of men did not turn from their evil ways, and they trespassed and rebelled against Elohim.
And the wife of Lemeḵ conceived and bare him a son at that time, at the revolution of the year.
And Methushelaḥ called his name Noaḥ, saying, The earth was in his days at rest and free from corruption, and Lemeḵ his father called his name Menahem, saying, This one shall comfort us in our works and miserable toil in the earth, which Elohim had cursed.
And the child grew up and was weaned, and he went in the ways of his father Methushelaḥ, perfect and upright with Elohim.
And all the sons of men departed from the ways of YHWH in those days as they multiplied upon the face of the earth with sons and daughters, and they taught one another their evil practices and they continued sinning against YHWH.
And every man made unto himself a mighty one, and they robbed and plundered every man his neighbour as well as his relative, and they corrupted the earth, and the earth was filled with violence.
And their judges and rulers went to the daughters of men and took their wives by force from their husbands according to their choice, and the sons of men in those days took from the cattle of the earth, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and taught the mixture of animals of one species with the other, in order therewith to provoke YHWH; and Elohim saw the whole earth and it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon earth, all men and all animals.
And YHWH said, I will blot out man that I created from the face of the earth, yea from man to the birds of the air, together with cattle and beasts that are in the field for I repent that I made them.
And all men who walked in the ways of YHWH, died in those days, before YHWH brought the evil upon man which he had declared, for this was from YHWH, that they should not see the evil which YHWH spoke of concerning the sons of men.
And Noaḥ found favour in the sight of YHWH, and YHWH chose him and his children to raise up seed from them upon the face of the whole earth.

CHAPTER 5

And it was in the eighty-fourth year of the life of Noaḥ, that Ḥanoḵ the son of Shĕth died, he was nine hundred and five years old at his death.
And in the one hundred and seventy ninth year of the life of Noaḥ, Qĕynan the son of Enosh died, and all the days of Qĕynan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died.
And in the two hundred and thirty fourth year of the life of Noaḥ, Mahalal’ĕl the son of Qĕynan died, and the days of Mahalal’ĕl were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died.
And Yereḏ the son of Mahalal’ĕl died in those days, in the three hundred and thirty-sixth year of the life of Noaḥ; and all the days of Yereḏ were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.
And all who followed YHWH died in those days, before they saw the evil which Elohim declared to do upon earth.
And after the lapse of many years, in the four hundred and eightieth year of the life of Noaḥ, when all those men, who followed YHWH had died away from amongst the sons of men, and only Methushelaḥ was then left, Elohim said unto Noaḥ and Methushelaḥ, saying,
Speak, and proclaim to the sons of men, saying, Thus said YHWH, return from your evil ways and forsake your works, and YHWH will repent of the evil that he declared to do to you, so that it shall not come to pass.
For thus said YHWH, Behold I give you a period of one hundred and twenty years; if you will turn to me and forsake your evil ways, then will I also turn away from the evil which I told you, and it shall not exist, said YHWH.
And Noaḥ and Methushelaḥ spoke all the words of YHWH to the sons of men, day after day, constantly speaking to them.
But the sons of men would not listen to them, nor incline their ears to their words, and they were stiffnecked.
And YHWH granted them a period of one hundred and twenty years, saying, If they will return, then will Elohim repent of the evil, so as not to destroy the earth.
Noaḥ the son of Lemeḵ refrained from taking a wife in those days, to bring forth children, for he said, Surely now Elohim will destroy the earth, wherefore then shall I bring forth children?
And Noaḥ was a just man, he was perfect in his generation, and YHWH chose him to raise up seed from his seed upon the face of the earth.
And YHWH said unto Noaḥ, Take unto you a wife, and bring forth children, for I have seen you righteous before me in this generation.
And you shall raise up seed, and your children with you, in the midst of the earth; and Noaḥ went and took a wife, and he chose Na’amah the daughter of Ḥanoḵ, and she was five hundred and eighty years old.
And Noaḥ was four hundred and ninety-eight years old, when he took Na’amah for a wife.
And Na’amah conceived and bare a son, and he called his name Yepheth, saying, Elohim has enlarged me in the earth; and she conceived again and bare a son, and he called his name Shĕm, saying, Elohim has made me a remnant, to raise up seed in the midst of the earth.
And Noaḥ was five hundred and two years old when Na’amah bare Shĕm, and the boys grew up and went in the ways of YHWH, in all that Methushelaḥ and Noaḥ their father taught them.
And Lemeḵ the father of Noaḥ, died in those days; yet verily he did not go with all his heart in the ways of his father, and he died in the hundred and ninety-fifth year of the life of Noaḥ.
And all the days of Lemeḵ were seven hundred and seventy years, and he died.
And all the sons of men who knew YHWH, died in that year before YHWH brought evil upon them; for YHWH willed them to die, so as not to behold the evil that Elohim would bring upon their brothers and relatives, as he had so declared to do.
In that time, YHWH said to Noaḥ and Methushelaḥ, Stand forth and proclaim to the sons of men all the words that I spoke to you in those days, peradventure they may turn from their evil ways, and I will then repent of the evil and will not bring it.
And Noaḥ and Methushelaḥ stood forth, and said in the ears of the sons of men, all that Elohim had spoken concerning them.
But the sons of men would not listen, neither would they incline their ears to all their declarations.
And it was after this that YHWH said to Noaḥ, The end of all flesh is come before me, on account of their evil deeds, and behold I will destroy the earth.
And do you take unto you gopher wood, and go to a certain place and make a large ark, and place it in that spot.
And thus shall you make it; three hundred cubits its length, fifty cubits broad and thirty cubits high.
And you shall make unto you a door, open at its side, and to a cubit you shall finish above, and cover it within and without with pitch.
And behold I will bring the flood of waters upon the earth, and all flesh be destroyed, from under the heavens all that is upon earth shall perish.
And you and your household shall go and gather two couple of all living things, male and female, and shall bring them to the ark, to raise up seed from them upon earth.
And gather unto you all food that is eaten by all the animals, that there may be food for you and for them.
And you shall choose for your sons three maidens, from the daughters of men, and they shall be wives to your sons.
And Noaḥ rose up, and he made the ark, in the place where Elohim had commanded him, and Noaḥ did as Elohim had ordered him.
In his five hundred and ninety-fifth year Noaḥ commenced to make the ark, and he made the ark in five years, as YHWH had commanded.
Then Noaḥ took the three daughters of Eliakim, son of Methushelaḥ, for wives for his sons, as YHWH had commanded Noaḥ.
And it was at that time Methushelaḥ the son of Ḥanoḵ died, nine hundred and sixty years old was he, at his death.

CHAPTER 6

At that time, after the death of Methushelaḥ, YHWH said to Noaḥ, Go you with your household into the ark; behold I will gather to you all the animals of the earth, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and they shall all come and surround the ark.
And you shall go and seat yourself by the doors of the ark, and all the beasts, the animals, and the fowls, shall assemble and place themselves before you, and such of them as shall come and crouch before you, shall you take and deliver into the hands of your sons, who shall bring them to the ark, and all that will stand before you you shall leave.
And YHWH brought this about on the next day, and animals, beasts and fowls came in great multitudes and surrounded the ark.
And Noaḥ went and seated himself by the door of the ark, and of all flesh that crouched before him, he brought into the ark, and all that stood before him he left upon earth.
And a lioness came, with her two whelps, male and female, and the three crouched before Noaḥ, and the two whelps rose up against the lioness and smote her, and made her flee from her place, and she went away, and they returned to their places, and crouched upon the earth before Noaḥ.
And the lioness ran away, and stood in the place of the lions.
And Noaḥ saw this, and wondered greatly, and he rose and took the two whelps, and brought them into the ark.
And Noaḥ brought into the ark from all living creatures that were upon earth, so that there was none left but which Noaḥ brought into the ark.
Two and two came to Noaḥ into the ark, but from the clean animals, and clean fowls, he brought seven couples, as Elohim had commanded him.
And all the animals, and beasts, and fowls, were still there, and they surrounded the ark at every place, and the rain had not descended till seven days after.
And on that day, YHWH caused the whole earth to shake, and the sun darkened, and the foundations of the world raged, and the whole earth was moved violently, and the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared, and all the fountains in the earth were broken up, such as was not known to the inhabitants before; and Elohim did this mighty act, in order to terrify the sons of men, that there might be no more evil upon earth.
And still the sons of men would not return from their evil ways, and they increased the anger of YHWH at that time, and did not even direct their hearts to all this.
And at the end of seven days, in the six hundredth year of the life of Noaḥ, the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
And all the fountains of the deep were broken up, and the windows of the heavens were opened, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
And Noaḥ and his household, and all the living creatures that were with him, came into the ark on account of the waters of the flood, and YHWH shut him in.
And all the sons of men that were left upon the earth, became exhausted through evil on account of the rain, for the waters were coming more violently upon the earth, and the animals and beasts were still surrounding the ark.
And the sons of men assembled together, about seven hundred thousand men and women, and they came unto Noaḥ to the ark.
And they called to Noaḥ, saying, Open for us that we may come to you in the ark–and wherefore shall we die?
And Noaḥ, with a loud voice, answered them from the ark, saying, Have you not all rebelled against YHWH, and said that He does not exist? and therefore YHWH brought upon you this evil, to destroy and cut you off from the face of the earth.
Is not this the matter that I spoke to you of one hundred and twenty years back, and you would not listen to the voice of YHWH, and now do you desire to live upon earth?
And they said to Noaḥ, We are ready to return to YHWH; only open for us that we may live and not die.
And Noaḥ answered them, saying, Behold now that you see the trouble of your beings, you wish to return to YHWH; why did you not return during these hundred and twenty years, which YHWH granted you as the determined period?
But now you come and tell me this on account of the troubles of your beings, now also YHWH will not listen to you, neither will He give ear to you on this day, so that you will not now succeed in your wishes.
And the sons of men approached in order to break into the ark, to come in on account of the rain, for they could not bear the rain upon them.
And YHWH sent all the beasts and animals that stood round the ark. And the beasts overpowered them and drove them from that place, and every man went his way and they again scattered themselves upon the face of the earth.
And the rain was still descending upon the earth, and it descended forty days and forty nights, and the waters prevailed greatly upon the earth; and all flesh that was upon the earth or in the waters died, whether men, animals, beasts, creeping things or birds of the air, and there only remained Noaḥ and those that were with him in the ark.
And the waters prevailed and they greatly increased upon the earth, and they lifted up the ark and it was raised from the earth.
And the ark floated upon the face of the waters, and it was tossed upon the waters so that all the living creatures within were turned about like pottage in a cauldron.
And great anxiety seized all the living creatures that were in the ark, and the ark was like to be broken.
And all the living creatures that were in the ark were terrified, and the lions roared, and the oxen lowed, and the wolves howled, and every living creature in the ark spoke and lamented in its own language, so that their voices reached to a great distance, and Noaḥ and his sons cried and wept in their troubles; they were greatly afraid that they had reached the gates of death.
And Noaḥ prayed unto YHWH, and cried unto him on account of this, and he said, O YHWH help us, for we have no strength to bear this evil that has encompassed us, for the waves of the waters have surrounded us, mischievous torrents have terrified us, the snares of death have come before us; answer us, O YHWH, answer us, light up your countenance toward us and be gracious to us, redeem us and deliver us.
And YHWH listened to the voice of Noaḥ, and YHWH remembered him.
And a wind passed over the earth, and the waters were still and the ark rested.
And the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were stopped, and the rain from the heavens was restrained.
And the waters decreased in those days, and the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.
And Noaḥ then opened the windows of the ark, and Noaḥ still called out to YHWH at that time and he said, O YHWH, who formed the earth and the heavens and all that are within, bring forth our beings from this confinement, and from the prison wherein you have placed us, for I am much wearied with sighing.
And YHWH listened to the voice of Noaḥ, and said to him, When though shall have completed a full year you shall then go forth.
And at the revolution of the year, when a full year was completed to Noaḥ’s dwelling in the ark, the waters were dried from off the earth, and Noaḥ put off the covering of the ark.
At that time, on the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the earth was dry, but Noaḥ and his sons, and those that were with him, did not go out from the ark until YHWH told them.
And the day came that YHWH told them to go out, and they all went out from the ark.
And they went and returned every one to his way and to his place, and Noaḥ and his sons dwelt in the land that Elohim had told them, and they served YHWH all their days, and YHWH blessed Noaḥ and his sons on their going out from the ark.
And He said to them, Be fruitful and fill all the earth; become strong and increase abundantly in the earth and multiply.

CHAPTER7

And these are the names of the sons of Noaḥ: Yepheth, Ḥam and Shĕm; and children were born to them after the flood, for they had taken wives before the flood.
These are the sons of Yepheth; Gomer, MaḡOḡ̄, Maḏai, Yawan, Tuḇal, Mesheḵ, and Tiras, seven sons.
And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath and Toḡarmah.
And the sons of MaḡOḡ̄ were Eliḥanaph and Luḇal.
And the children of Maḏai were Aḥon, Zilo, Ḥatsoni and Lot.
And the sons of Yawan were Elisha, Tarshish, Shittim and Doḏanim.
And the sons of Tuḇal were Ariphi, Keseḏ and Ta’ari.
And the sons of Mesheḵ were Dedon, Zaron and Sheḇashni.
And the sons of Tiras were Beniḇ, Gĕra, Lupirion and Gilak; these are the sons of Yepheth according to their families, and their numbers in those days were about four hundred and sixty men.
And these are the sons of Ḥam; Kush, Mitsrayim, Put and Kena’an, four sons; and the sons of Kush were Seḇa, Ḥawilah, Saḇtah, Ra’mah and Sateha, and the sons of Ra’mah were Sheḇa and Deḏan.
And the sons of Mitsrayim were Luḏim, Anamim and Pathros, Kasloth and Kaphtor.
And the sons of Put were Gebul, Haḏan, Benah and Aḏan.
And the sons of Kena’an were Tsiḏon, Ḥĕth, Amori, Gergashi, Ḥivi, Arki, Seni, Aroḏi, Zimoḏi and Ḥamothi.
These are the sons of Ḥam, according to their families, and their numbers in those days were about seven hundred and thirty men.
And these are the sons of Shĕm; Ěylam, Asshur, Arpaḵshaḏ, Luḏim and Aram, five sons; and the sons of Ěylam were Shushan, Mahul and Ḥarmon.
And the sons of Ashar were Mirus and Mokil, and the sons of Arpaḵshaḏ were Shelaḥ, Anar and Ashkol.
And the sons of Luḏim were Pethor and Bizayon, and the sons of Aram were Uts, Ḥul, Gether and Mash.
These are the sons of Shĕm, according to their families; and their numbers in those days were about three hundred men.
These are the generations of Shĕm; Shĕm brought forth Arpaḵshaḏ and Arpaḵshaḏ brought forth Shelaḥ, and Shelaḥ brought forth Ěḇer and to Ěḇer were born two children, the name of one was Peleḡ, for in his days the sons of men were divided, and in the latter days, the earth was divided.
And the name of the second was Yoqtan, meaning that in his day the lives of the sons of men were diminished and lessened.
These are the sons of Yoqtan; Almoḏaḏ, Shelaph, Ḥatsarmaweth, Yeraḥ, Haḏoram, Uzal, Diqlah, Oḇal, Aḇima’ĕl, Sheḇa, Ophir, Ḥawilah and Yoḇaḇ; all these are the sons of Yoqtan.
And Peleḡ his brother brought forth Yĕn, and Yĕn brought forth Seruḡ, and Seruḡ brought forth Naḥor and Naḥor brought forth Teraḥ, and Teraḥ was thirty-eight years old, and he brought forth Haran and Naḥor.
And Kush the son of Ḥam, the son of Noaḥ, took a wife in those days in his old age, and she bare a son, and they called his name Nimroḏ, saying, At that time the sons of men again began to rebel and transgress against Elohim, and the child grew up, and his father loved him exceedingly, for he was the son of his old age.
And the garments of skin which Elohim made for Aḏam and his wife, when they went out of the garden, were given to Kush.
For after the death of Aḏam and his wife, the garments were given to Ḥanoḵ, the son of Yereḏ, and when Ḥanoḵ was taken up to Elohim, he gave them to Methushelaḥ, his son.
And at the death of Methushelaḥ, Noaḥ took them and brought them to the ark, and they were with him until he went out of the ark.
And in their going out, Ḥam stole those garments from Noaḥ his father, and he took them and hid them from his brothers.
And when Ḥam brought forth his first born Kush, he gave him the garments in secret, and they were with Kush many days.
And Kush also concealed them from his sons and brothers, and when Kush had begotten Nimroḏ, he gave him those garments through his love for him, and Nimroḏ grew up, and when he was twenty years old he put on those garments.
And Nimroḏ became strong when he put on the garments, and Elohim gave him might and strength, and he was a mighty hunter in the earth, yea, he was a mighty hunter in the field, and he hunted the animals and he built altars, and he offered upon them the animals before YHWH.
And Nimroḏ strengthened himself, and he rose up from amongst his brothers, and he fought the battles of his brothers against all their enemies round about.
And YHWH delivered all the enemies of his brothers in his hands, and Elohim prospered him from time to time in his battles, and he reigned upon earth.
Therefore it became current in those days, when a man ushered forth those that he had trained up for battle, he would say to them, Like Elohim did to Nimroḏ, who was a mighty hunter in the earth, and who succeeded in the battles that prevailed against his brothers, that he delivered them from the hands of their enemies, so may Elohim strengthen us and deliver us this day.
And when Nimroḏ was forty years old, at that time there was a war between his brothers and the children of Yepheth, so that they were in the power of their enemies.
And Nimroḏ went forth at that time, and he assembled all the sons of Kush and their families, about four hundred and sixty men, and he hired also from some of his friends and acquaintances about eighty men, and be gave them their hire, and he went with them to battle, and when he was on the road, Nimroḏ strengthened the hearts of the people that went with him.
And he said to them, Do not fear, neither be alarmed, for all our enemies will be delivered into our hands, and you may do with them as you please.
And all the men that went were about five hundred, and they fought against their enemies, and they destroyed them, and subdued them, and Nimroḏ placed standing officers over them in their respective places.
And he took some of their children as security, and they were all servants to Nimroḏ and to his brothers, and Nimroḏ and all the people that were with him turned homeward.
And when Nimroḏ had joyfully returned from battle, after having conquered his enemies, all his brothers, together with those who knew him before, assembled to make him sovereign over them, and they placed the regal crown upon his head.
And he set over his subjects and people, princes, judges, and rulers, as is the custom amongst sovereigns.
And he placed Teraḥ the son of Naḥor the prince of his host, and he dignified him and elevated him above all his princes.
And while he was reigning according to his heart’s desire, after having conquered all his enemies around, he advised with his counselors to build a city for his palace, and they did so.
And they found a large valley opposite to the east, and they built him a large and extensive city, and Nimroḏ called the name of the city that he built Shinʽar, for YHWH had vehemently shaken his enemies and destroyed them.
And Nimroḏ dwelt in Shinʽar, and he reigned securely, and he fought with his enemies and he subdued them, and he prospered in all his battles, and his reign became very great.
And all nations and tongues heard of his fame, and they gathered themselves to him, and they bowed down to the earth, and they brought him offerings, and he became their master and sovereign, and they all dwelt with him in the city at Shinʽar, and Nimroḏ reigned in the earth over all the sons of Noaḥ, and they were all under his power and counsel.
And all the earth was of one tongue and words of union, but Nimroḏ did not go in the ways of YHWH, and he was more wicked than all the men that were before him, from the days of the flood until those days.
And he made mighty ones of wood and stone, and he bowed down to them, and he rebelled against YHWH, and taught all his subjects and the people of the earth his wicked ways; and Mardon his son was more wicked than his father.
And every one that heard of the acts of Mardon the son of Nimroḏ would say, concerning him, From the wicked goeth forth wickedness; therefore it became a proverb in the whole earth, saying, From the wicked goeth forth wickedness, and it was current in the words of men from that time to this.
And Teraḥ the son of Naḥor, prince of Nimroḏ’s host, was in those days very great in the sight of the sovereign and his subjects, and the sovereign and princes loved him, and they elevated him very high.
And Teraḥ took a wife and her name was Amthelo the daughter of Cornebo; and the wife of Teraḥ conceived and bare him a son in those days.
Teraḥ was seventy years old when he brought forth him, and Teraḥ called the name of his son that was born to him Aḇram, because the sovereign had raised him in those days, and dignified him above all his princes that were with him.

CHAPTER 8

And it was in the night that Aḇram was born, that all the servants of Teraḥ, and all the wise men of Nimroḏ, and his conjurors came and ate and drank in the house of Teraḥ, and they rejoiced with him on that night.
And when all the wise men and conjurors went out from the house of Teraḥ, they lifted up their eyes toward the heavens that night to look at the stars, and they saw, and behold one very large star came from the east and ran in the heavens, and he swallowed up the four stars from the four sides of the heavens.
And all the wise men of the sovereign and his conjurors were astonished at the sight, and the sages understood this matter, and they knew its import.
And they said to each other, This only betokens the child that has been born to Teraḥ this night, who will grow up and be fruitful, and multiply, and possess all the earth, he and his children for ever, and he and his seed will slay great sovereigns, and inherit their lands.
And the wise men and conjurors went home that night, and in the morning all these wise men and conjurors rose up early, and assembled in an appointed house.
And they spoke and said to each other, Behold the sight that we saw last night is hidden from the sovereign, it has not been made known to him.
And should this matter get known to the sovereign in the latter days, he will say to us, Why have you concealed this matter from me, and then we shall all suffer death; therefore, now let us go and tell the sovereign the sight which we saw, and the interpretation of it, and we shall then remain clear.
And they did so, and they all went to the sovereign and bowed down to him to the ground, and they said, May the sovereign live, may the sovereign live.
We heard that a son was born to Teraḥ the son of Naḥor, the prince of your host, and we last night came to his house, and we ate and drank and rejoiced with him that night.
And when your servants went out from the house of Teraḥ, to go to our respective homes to abide there for the night, we lifted up our eyes to the heavens, and we saw a great star coming from the east, and the same star ran with great speed, and swallowed up four great stars, from the four sides of the heavens.
And your servants were astonished at the sight which we saw, and were greatly terrified, and we made our judgment upon the sight, and knew by our wisdom the proper interpretation of it, that this matter applies to the child that is born to Teraḥ, who will grow up and multiply greatly, and become powerful, and kill all the sovereigns of the earth, and inherit all their lands, he and his seed forever.
And now our master and sovereign, behold we have truly acquainted you with what we have seen concerning this child.
If it seems good to the sovereign to give his father value for this child, we will slay him before he shall grow up and increase in the land, and his evil increase against us, that we and our children perish through his evil.
And the sovereign heard their words and they seemed good in his sight, and he sent and called for Teraḥ, and Teraḥ came before the sovereign.
And the sovereign said to Teraḥ, I have been told that a son was last night born to you, and after this manner was observed in the heavens at his birth.
And now therefore give me the child, that we may slay him before his evil springs up against us, and I will give you for his value, your house full of silver and gold.
And Teraḥ answered the sovereign and said to him: My master and sovereign, I have heard your words, and your servant shall do all that his sovereign desireth.
But my master and sovereign, I will tell you what happened to me last night, that I may see what advice the sovereign will give his servant, and then I will answer the sovereign upon what he has just spoken; and the sovereign said, Speak.
And Teraḥ said to the sovereign, Ayon, son of Moreḏ, came to me last night, saying,
Give unto me the great and beautiful horse that the sovereign gave you, and I will give you silver and gold, and straw and provender for its value; and I said to him, Wait till I see the sovereign concerning your words, and behold whatever the sovereign says, that will I do.
And now my master and sovereign, behold I have made this matter known to you, and the advice which my sovereign will give unto his servant, that will I follow.
And the sovereign heard the words of Teraḥ, and his anger was kindled and he considered him in the light of a fool.
And the sovereign answered Teraḥ, and he said to him, are you so foolish, ignorant, or deficient in understanding, to do this matter, to give your beautiful horse for silver and gold or even for straw and provender?
are you so short of silver and gold, that you should do this matter, because you can not obtain straw and provender to feed your horse? and what is silver and gold to you, or straw and provender, that you should give away that fine horse which I gave you, like which there is none to be had on the whole earth?
And the sovereign left off speaking, and Teraḥ answered the sovereign, saying, Like unto this has the sovereign spoken to his servant;
I beg you, my master and sovereign, what is this which you said unto me, saying, Give your son that we may slay him, and I will give you silver and gold for his value; what shall I do with silver and gold after the death of my son? who shall inherit me? surely then at my death, the silver and gold will return to my sovereign who gave it.
And when the sovereign heard the words of Teraḥ, and the parable which he brought concerning the sovereign, it grieved him greatly and he was troubled at this matter, and his anger burned within him.
And Teraḥ saw that the anger of the sovereign was kindled against him, and he answered the sovereign, saying, All that I have is in the sovereign’s power; whatever the sovereign desireth to do to his servant, that let him do, yea, even my son, he is in the sovereign’s power, without value in exchange, he and his two brothers that are older than he.
And the sovereign said to Teraḥ, No, but I will purchase your younger son for a price.
And Teraḥ answered the sovereign, saying, I beg you my master and sovereign to let your servant speak a word before you, and let the sovereign hear the word of his servant, and Teraḥ said, Let my sovereign give me three days’ time till I consider this matter within myself, and consult with my family concerning the words of my sovereign; and he pressed the sovereign greatly to agree to this.
And the sovereign listened to Teraḥ, and he did so and he gave him three days’ time, and Teraḥ went out from the sovereign’s presence, and he came home to his family and spoke to them all the words of the sovereign; and the people were greatly afraid.
And it was in the third day that the sovereign sent to Teraḥ, saying, Send me your son for a price as I spoke to you; and should you not do this, I will send and slay all you have in your house, so that you shall not even have a dog remaining.
And Teraḥ hastened, (as the matter was urgent from the sovereign), and he took a child from one of his servants, which his handmaid had born to him that day, and Teraḥ brought the child to the sovereign and received value for him.
And YHWH was with Teraḥ in this matter, that Nimroḏ might not cause Aḇram’s death, and the sovereign took the child from Teraḥ and with all his might dashed his head to the ground, for he thought it had been Aḇram; and this was concealed from him from that day, and it was forgotten by the sovereign, as it was the will of Providence not to allow Aḇram’s death.
And Teraḥ took Aḇram his son secretly, together with his mother and nurse, and he concealed them in a cave, and he brought them their provisions monthly.
And YHWH was with Aḇram in the cave and he grew up, and Aḇram was in the cave ten years, and the sovereign and his princes, soothsayers and sages, thought that the sovereign had killed Aḇram.

CHAPTER 9

And Haran, the son of Teraḥ, Aḇram’s oldest brother, took a wife in those days.
Haran was thirty-nine years old when he took her; and the wife of Haran conceived and bare a son, and he called his name Lot.
And she conceived again and bare a daughter, and she called her name Milkah; and she again conceived and bare a daughter, and she called her name Sarai.
Haran was forty-two years old when he brought forth Sarai, which was in the tenth year of the life of Aḇram; and in those days Aḇram and his mother and nurse went out from the cave, as the sovereign and his subjects had forgotten the affair of Aḇram.
And when Aḇram came out from the cave, he went to Noaḥ and his son Shĕm, and he remained with them to learn the instruction of YHWH and his ways, and no man knew where Aḇram was, and Aḇram served Noaḥ and Shĕm his son for a long time.
And Aḇram was in Noaḥ’s house thirty-nine years, and Aḇram knew YHWH from three years old, and he went in the ways of YHWH until the day of his death, as Noaḥ and his son Shĕm had taught him; and all the sons of the earth in those days greatly transgressed against YHWH, and they rebelled against Him and they served other mighty ones, and they forgot YHWH who had created them in the earth; and the inhabitants of the earth made unto themselves, at that time, every man his mighty one; mighty ones of wood and stone which could neither speak, hear, nor deliver, and the sons of men served them and they became their mighty ones.
And the sovereign and all his servants, and Teraḥ with all his household were then the first of those that served mighty ones of wood and stone.
And Teraḥ had twelve mighty ones of large size, made of wood and stone, after the twelve months of the year, and he served each one monthly, and every month Teraḥ would bring his meat offering and drink offering to his mighty ones; thus did Teraḥ all the days.
And all that generation were wicked in the sight of YHWH, and they thus made every man his Elohim, but they forsook YHWH who had created them.
And there was not a man found in those days in the whole earth, who knew YHWH (for they served each man his own Elohim) except Noaḥ and his household, and all those who were under his counsel knew YHWH in those days.
And Aḇram the son of Teraḥ was waxing great in those days in the house of Noaḥ, and no man knew it, and YHWH was with him.
And YHWH gave Aḇram an understanding heart, and he knew all the works of that generation were vain, and that all their mighty ones were vain and were of no avail.
And Aḇram saw the sun shining upon the earth, and Aḇram said unto himself Surely now this sun that shines upon the earth is the mighty one, and him will I serve.
And Aḇram served the sun in that day and he prayed to him, and when evening came the sun set as usual, and Aḇram said within himself, Surely this cannot be Elohim?
And Aḇram still continued to speak within himself, Who is He who made the heavens and the earth? who created upon earth? where is He?
And night darkened over him, and he lifted up his eyes toward the west, north, south, and east, and he saw that the sun had vanished from the earth, and the day became dark.
And Aḇram saw the stars and moon before him, and he said, Surely this is the mighty one who created the whole earth as well as man, and behold these his servants are mighty ones around him: and Aḇram served the moon and prayed to it all that night.
And in the morning when it was light and the sun shone upon the earth as usual, Aḇram saw all the things that YHWH Elohim had made upon earth.
And Aḇram said unto himself Surely these are not mighty ones that made the earth and all mankind, but these are the servants of Elohim, and Aḇram remained in the house of Noaḥ and there knew YHWH and His ways and he served YHWH all the days of his life, and all that generation forgot YHWH, and served other mighty ones of wood and stone, and rebelled all their days.
And sovereign Nimroḏ reigned securely, and all the earth was under his control, and all the earth was of one tongue and words of union.
And all the princes of Nimroḏ and his great men took counsel together; Put, Mitsrayim, Kush and Kena’an with their families, and they said to each other, Come let us build ourselves a city and in it a strong tower, and its top reaching the heavens, and we will make ourselves famed, so that we may reign upon the whole world, in order that the evil of our enemies may cease from us, that we may reign mightily over them, and that we may not become scattered over the earth on account of their wars.
And they all went before the sovereign, and they told the sovereign these words, and the sovereign agreed with them in this affair, and he did so.
And all the families assembled consisting of about six hundred thousand men, and they went to seek an extensive piece of ground to build the city and the tower, and they sought in the whole earth and they found none like one valley at the east of the land of Shinʽar, about two days’ walk, and they journeyed there and they dwelt there.
And they began to make bricks and burn fires to build the city and the tower that they had imagined to complete.
And the building of the tower was unto them a transgression and a sin, and they began to build it, and while they were building against YHWH Elohim of the heavens, they imagined in their hearts to war against him and to ascend into the heavens.
And all these people and all the families divided themselves in three parts; the first said We will ascend into the heavens and fight against him; the second said, We will ascend to the heavens and place our own mighty ones there and serve them; and the third part said, We will ascend to the heavens and smite him with bows and spears; and Elohim knew all their works and all their evil thoughts, and He saw the city and the tower which they were building.
And when they were building they built themselves a great city and a very high and strong tower; and on account of its height the mortar and bricks did not reach the builders in their ascent to it, until those who went up had completed a full year, and after that, they reached to the builders and gave them the mortar and the bricks; thus was it done daily.
And behold these ascended and others descended the whole day; and if a brick should fall from their hands and get broken, they would all weep over it, and if a man fell and died, none of them would look at him.
And YHWH knew their thoughts, and it came to pass when they were building they cast the arrows toward the heavens, and all the arrows fell upon them filled with blood, and when they saw them they said to each other, Surely we have slain all those that are in the heavens.
For this was from YHWH in order to cause them to err, and in order; to destroy them from off the face of the ground.
And they built the tower and the city, and they did this matter daily until many days and years were elapsed.
And Elohim said to the seventy messengers who stood foremost before Him, to those who were near to Him, saying, Come let us descend and confuse their tongues, that one man shall not understand the language of his neighbour, and they did so unto them.
And from that day following, they forgot each man his neighbour’s tongue, and they could not understand to speak in one tongue, and when the builder took from the hands of his neighbour lime or stone which he did not order, the builder would cast it away and throw it upon his neighbour, that he would die.
And they did so many days, and they killed many of them in this manner.
And YHWH smote the three divisions that were there, and He punished them according to their works and designs; those who said, We will ascend to the heavens and serve our mighty ones, became like apes and elephants; and those who said, We will smite the the heavens with arrows, YHWH killed them, one man through the hand of his neighbour; and the third division of those who said, We will ascend to the heavens and fight against him, YHWH scattered them throughout the earth.
And those who were left amongst them, when they knew and understood the evil which was coming upon them, they forsook the building, and they also became scattered upon the face of the whole earth.
And they ceased building the city and the tower; therefore he called that place Baḇel, for there YHWH confounded the Language of the whole earth; behold it was at the east of the land of Shinʽar.
And as to the tower which the sons of men built, the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up one third part of it, and a fire also descended from the heavens and burned another third, and the other third is left to this day, and it is of that part which was aloft, and its circumference is three days’ walk.
And many of the sons of men died in that tower, a people without number.

CHAPTER 10

And Peleḡ the son of Ěḇer died in those days, in the forty-eighth year of the life of Aḇram son of Teraḥ, and all the days of Peleḡ were two hundred and thirty-nine years.
And when YHWH had scattered the sons of men on account of their sin at the tower, behold they spread forth into many divisions, and all the sons of men were dispersed into the four corners of the earth.
And all the families became each according to its language, its land, or its city.
And the sons of men built many cities according to their families, in all the places where they went, and throughout the earth where YHWH had scattered them.
And some of them built cities in places from which they were afterward extirpated, and they called these cities after their own names, or the names of their children, or after their particular occurrences.
And the sons of Yepheth the son of Noaḥ went and built themselves cities in the places where they were scattered, and they called all their cities after their names, and the sons of Yepheth were divided upon the face of the earth into many divisions and languages.
And these are the sons of Yepheth according to their families, Gomer, MaḡOḡ̄, Maḏai, Yawan, Tuḇal, Mesheḵ and Tiras; these are the children of Yepheth according to their generations.
And the children of Gomer, according to their cities, were the Frankum, who dwell in the land of Franza, by the river Franza, by the river Senah.
And the children of Riphath are the Bartonim, who dwell in the land of Bartonyah by the river Ledah, which empties its waters in the great sea Giḥon, that is, oceanus.
And the children of Toḡarma are ten families, and these are their names: Buzar, Parzunaḵ, Balgar, Eliḵanum, Ragbib, Tarki, Bid, Zebuḵ, Ongal and Tilmaz; all these spread and rested in the north and built themselves cities.
And they called their cities after their own names, those are they who abide by the rivers Hithlah and Italak unto this day.
But the families of Angoli, Balgar and Parzunak, they dwell by the great river Dubni; and the names of their cities are also according to their own names.
And the children of Yawan are the Yawanim who dwell in the land of Makedonia, and the children of Maḏaiare are the Orelum that dwell in the land of Kurson, and the children of Tuḇal are those that dwell in the land of Tuskanah by the river Pashyah.
And the children of Mesheḵ are the Shibashni and the children of Tiras are Rushash, Kushni, and Ongolis; all these went and built themselves cities; those are the cities that are situate by the sea Yabus by the river Kura, which empties itself in the river Tragan.
And the children of Elishah are the Almanim, and they also went and built themselves cities; those are the cities situate between the mountains of Iyoḇ and Shibathmo; and of them were the people of Lumbardi who dwell opposite the mountains of Iyoḇ and Shibathmo, and they conquered the land of Italia and remained there unto this day.
And the children of Shittim are the Romim who dwell in the valley of Kanophyah by the river Tibreu.
And the children of Doḏanim are those who dwell in the cities of the sea Giḥon, in the land of Bordna.
These are the families of the children of Yepheth according to their cities and languages, when they were scattered after the tower, and they called their cities after their names and occurrences; and these are the names of all their cities according to their families, which they built in those days after the tower.
And the children of Ḥam were Kush, Mitsrayim, Put and Kena’an according to their generation and cities.
All these went and built themselves cities as they found fit places for them, and they called their cities after the names of their fathers Kush, Mitsrayim, Put and Kena’an.
And the children of Mitsrayim are the Luḏim, Anamim, Lehaḇim, Naphtuḥim, Pathrusim, Kasluḥim and Kaphtorim, seven families.
All these dwell by the river Shiḥor, that is the brook of Mitsrayim, and they built themselves cities and called them after their own names.
And the children of Pathros and Kasloh intermarried together, and from them went forth the Pelishtim, the Azathim, and the Gerarim, the Githim and the Eqronim, in all five families; these also built themselves cities, and they called their cities after the names of their fathers unto this day.
And the children of Kena’an also built themselves cities, and they called their cities after their names, eleven cities and others without number.
And four men from the family of Ḥam went to the land of the plain; these are the names of the four men, Seḏom, Amorah, Aḏmah and Tseḇoyim.
And these men built themselves four cities in the land of the plain, and they called the names of their cities after their own names.
And they and their children and all belonging to them dwelt in those cities, and they were fruitful and multiplied greatly and dwelt peaceably.
And Sĕʽir the son of Ḥur, son of Ḥivi, son of Kena’an, went and found a valley opposite to Mount Paran, and he built a city there, and he and his seven sons and his household dwelt there, and he called the city which he built Sĕʽir, according to his name; that is the land of Sĕʽir unto this day.
These are the families of the children of Ḥam, according to their languages and cities, when they were scattered to their countries after the tower.
And some of the children of Shĕm son of Noaḥ, father of all the children of Ěḇer, also went and built themselves cities in the places wherein they were scattered, and they called their cities after their names.
And the sons of Shĕm were Ěylam, Asshur, Arpaḵshaḏ, Luḏim and Aram, and they built themselves cities and called the names of all their cities after their names.
And Asshur son of Shĕm and his children and household went forth at that time, a very large body of them, and they went to a distant land that they found, and they met with a very extensive valley in the land that they went to, and they built themselves four cities, and they called them after their own names and occurrences.
And these are the names of the cities which the children of Asshur built, Ninewĕh, Resen, Kalah and Rehobother; and the children of Asshur dwell there unto this day.
And the children of Aram also went and built themselves a city, and they called the name of the city Uts after their eldest brother, and they dwell there; that is the land of Uts to this day.
And in the second year after the tower a man from the house of Asshur, whose name was Bela, went from the land of Ninewĕh to sojourn with his household wherever he could find a place; and they came until opposite the cities of the plain against Seḏom, and they dwelt there.
And the man rose up and built there a small city, and called its name Bela, after his name; that is the land of Tso’ar unto this day.
And these are the families of the children of Shĕm according to their language and cities, after they were scattered upon the earth after the tower.
And every reign, city, and family of the families of the children of Noaḥ built themselves many cities after this.
And they established governments in all their cities, in order to be regulated by their orders; so did all the families of the children of Noaḥ forever.

CHAPTER 11

And Nimroḏ son of Kush was still in the land of Shinʽar, and he reigned over it and dwelt there, and he built cities in the land of Shinʽar.
And these are the names of the four cities which he built, and he called their names after the occurrences that happened to them in the building of the tower.
And he called the first Baḇel, saying, Because YHWH there confounded the language of the whole earth; and the name of the second he called Erech, because from there Elohim dispersed them.
And the third he called Eḵed, saying there was a great battle at that place; and the fourth he called Qalnah, because his princes and mighty men were consumed there, and they troubled YHWH, they rebelled and transgressed against him.
And when Nimroḏ had built these cities in the land of Shinʽar, he placed in them the remainder of his people, his princes and his mighty men that were left in his reign.
And Nimroḏ dwelt in Baḇel, and he there renewed his reign over the rest of his subjects, and he reigned securely, and the subjects and princes of Nimroḏ called his name Amraphel, saying that at the tower his princes and men fell through his means.
And notwithstanding this, Nimroḏ did not return to YHWH, and he continued in wickedness and teaching wickedness to the sons of men; and Mardon, his son, was worse than his father, and continued to add to the abominations of his father.
And he caused the sons of men to sin, therefore it is said, From the wicked goeth forth wickedness.
At that time there was war between the families of the children of Ḥam, as they were dwelling in the cities which they had built.
And Keḏorlaʽomer , sovereign of Ěylam, went away from the families of the children of Ḥam, and he fought with them and he subdued them, and he went to the five cities of the plain and he fought against them and he subdued them, and they were under his control.
And they served him twelve years, and they gave him a yearly tax.
At that time died Naḥor, son of Seruḡ, in the forty-ninth year of the life of Aḇram son of Teraḥ.
And in the fiftieth year of the life of Aḇram son of Teraḥ, Aḇram came forth from the house of Noaḥ, and went to his father’s house.
And Aḇram knew YHWH, and he went in his ways and instructions, and YHWH his Elohim was with him.
And Teraḥ his father was in those days, still captain of the host of sovereign Nimroḏ, and he still followed strange mighty ones.
And Aḇram came to his father’s house and saw twelve mighty ones standing there in their temples, and the anger of Aḇram was kindled when he saw these images in his father’s house.
And Aḇram said, As YHWH liveth these images shall not remain in my father’s house; so shall YHWH who created me do unto me if in three days’ time I do not break them all.
And Aḇram went from them, and his anger burned within him. And Aḇram hastened and went from the chamber to his father’s outer court, and he found his father sitting in the court, and all his servants with him, and Aḇram came and sat before him.
And Aḇram asked his father, saying, Father, tell me where is Elohim who created the heavens and earth, and all the sons of men upon earth, and who created you and me. And Teraḥ answered his son Aḇram and said, Behold those who created us are all with us in the house.
And Aḇram said to his father, My master, show them to me I pray you; and Teraḥ brought Aḇram into the chamber of the inner court, and Aḇram saw, and behold the whole room was full of mighty ones of wood and stone, twelve great images and others less than they without number.
And Teraḥ said to his son, Behold these are they which made all you see upon earth, and which created me and you, and all mankind.
And Teraḥ bowed down to his mighty ones, and he then went away from them, and Aḇram, his son, went away with him.
And when Aḇram had gone from them he went to his mother and sat before her, and he said to his mother, Behold, my father has shown me those who made the heavens and earth, and all the sons of men.
Now, therefore, hasten and fetch a kid from the flock, and make of it savory meat, that I may bring it to my father’s mighty ones as an offering for them to eat; perhaps I may become acceptable to them.
And his mother did so, and she fetched a kid, and made savory meat of it, and brought it to Aḇram, and Aḇram took the savory meat from his mother and brought it before his father’s mighty ones, and he drew nigh to them that they might eat; and Teraḥ his father, did not know of it.
And Aḇram saw on the day when he was sitting amongst them, that they had no voice, no hearing, no motion, and not one of them could stretch forth his hand to eat.
And Aḇram mocked them, and said, Surely the savory meat that I prepared has not pleased them, or perhaps it was too little for them, and for that reason they would not eat; therefore tomorrow I will prepare fresh savory meat, better and more plentiful than this, in order that I may see the result.
And it was on the next day that Aḇram directed his mother concerning the savory meat, and his mother rose and fetched three fine kids from the flock, and she made of them some excellent savory meat, such as her son was fond of, and she gave it to her son Aḇram; and Teraḥ his father did not know of it.
And Aḇram took the savory meat from his mother, and brought it before his father’s mighty ones into the chamber; and he came nigh unto them that they might eat, and he placed it before them, and Aḇram sat before them all day, thinking perhaps they might eat.
And Aḇram viewed them, and behold they had neither voice nor hearing, nor did one of them stretch forth his hand to the meat to eat.
And in the evening of that day in that house Aḇram was clothed with the spirit of Elohim.
And he called out and said, Wo unto my father and this wicked generation, whose hearts are all inclined to vanity, who serve these idols of wood and stone which can neither eat, smell, hear nor speak, who have mouths without speech, eyes without sight, ears without hearing, hands without feeling, and legs which cannot move; like them are those that made them and that trust in them.
And when Aḇram saw all these things his anger was kindled against his father, and he hastened and took a hatchet in his hand, and came unto the chamber of the mighty ones, and he broke all his father’s mighty ones.
And when he had done breaking the images, he placed the hatchet in the hand of the great mighty one which was there before them, and he went out; and Teraḥ his father came home, for he had heard at the door the sound of the striking of the hatchet; so Teraḥ came into the house to know what this was about.
And Teraḥ, having heard the noise of the hatchet in the room of images, ran to the room to the images, and he met Aḇram going out.
And Teraḥ entered the room and found all the idols fallen down and broken, and the hatchet in the hand of the largest, which was not broken, and the savory meat which Aḇram his son had made was still before them.
And when Teraḥ saw this his anger was greatly kindled, and he hastened and went from the room to Aḇram.
And he found Aḇram his son still sitting in the house; and he said to him, What is this work you have done to my mighty ones?
And Aḇram answered Teraḥ his father and he said, Not so my master, for I brought savory meat before them, and when I came nigh to them with the meat that they might eat, they all at once stretched forth their hands to eat before the great one had put forth his hand to eat.
And the large one saw their works that they did before him, and his anger was violently kindled against them, and he went and took the hatchet that was in the house and came to them and broke them all, and behold the hatchet is yet in his hand as you see.
And Teraḥ’s anger was kindled against his son Aḇram, when he spoke this; and Teraḥ said to Aḇram his son in his anger, What is this tale that you have told? you speakest lies to me.
Is there in these mighty ones spirit, being or power to do all you have told me? Are they not wood and stone, and have I not myself made them, and can you speak such lies, saying that the large mighty one that was with them smote them? It is you that placed the hatchet in his hands, and then says he smote them all.
And Aḇram answered his father and said to him, And how can you then serve these idols in whom there is no power to do any matter? Can those idols in which you trustest deliver you? can they hear your prayers when you callest upon them? can they deliver you from the hands of your enemies, or will they fight your battles for you against your enemies, that you should serve wood and stone which can neither speak nor hear?
And now surely it is not good for you nor for the sons of men that are connected with you, to do these things; are you so ignorant, so foolish or so short of understanding that you will serve wood and stone, and do after this manner?
And forget YHWH Elohim who made the heavens and earth, and who created you in the earth, and bring a great evil upon your beings in this matter by serving stone and wood?
Did not our fathers in days of old sin in this matter, and YHWH Elohim of the universe brought the waters of the flood upon them and destroyed the whole earth?
And how can you continue to do this and serve mighty ones of wood and stone, who cannot hear, or speak, or deliver you from oppression, bringing down the anger of the Elohim of the universe upon you?
Now therefore my father refrain from this, and bring not evil upon your being and the beings of your household.
And Aḇram hastened and sprang from before his father, and took the hatchet from his father’s largest idol, with which Aḇram broke it and ran away.
And Teraḥ, seeing all that Aḇram had done, hastened to go from his house, and he went to the sovereign and he came before Nimroḏ and stood before him, and he bowed down to the sovereign; and the sovereign said, What do you want?
And he said, I beg you my master, to hear me–Now fifty years back a child was born to me, and thus has he done to my mighty ones and thus has he spoken; and now therefore, my master and sovereign, send for him that he may come before you, and judge him according to the law, that we may be delivered from his evil.
And the sovereign sent three men of his servants, and they went and brought Aḇram before the sovereign. And Nimroḏ and all his princes and servants were that day sitting before him, and Teraḥ sat also before them.
And the sovereign said to Aḇram, What is this that you have done to your father and to his mighty ones? And Aḇram answered the sovereign in the words that he spoke to his father, and he said, The large mighty one that was with them in the house did to them what you have heard.
And the sovereign said to Aḇram, Had they power to speak and eat and do as you have said? And Aḇram answered the sovereign, saying, And if there be no power in them why do you serve them and cause the sons of men to err through your follies?
do you imagine that they can deliver you or do anything small or great, that you should serve them? And why will you not sense the Elohim of the whole universe, who created you and in whose power it is to kill and keep alive?
0 foolish, simple, and ignorant sovereign, woe unto you forever.
I thought you would teach your servants the upright way, but you have not done this, but have filled the whole earth with your sins and the sins of your people who have followed your ways.
do you not know, or have you not heard, that this evil which you doest, our ancestors sinned there in days of old, and the eternal Elohim brought the waters of the flood upon them and destroyed them all, and also destroyed the whole earth on their account? And will you and your people rise up now and do like unto this work, in order to bring down the anger of YHWH Elohim of the universe, and to bring evil upon you and the whole earth?
Now therefore put away this evil deed which you doest, and serve the Elohim of the universe, as your being is in His hands, and then it will be well with you.
And if your wicked heart will not listen to my words to cause you to forsake your evil ways, and to serve the eternal Elohim, then will you die in shame in the latter days, you, your people and all who are connected with you, hearing your words or walking in your evil ways.
And when Aḇram had ceased speaking before the sovereign and princes, Aḇram lifted up his eyes to the heavens, and he said, YHWH seeth all the wicked, and He will judge them.

CHAPTER 12

And when the sovereign heard the words of Aḇram he ordered him to be put into prison; and Aḇram was ten days in prison.
And at the end of those days the sovereign ordered that all the sovereigns, princes and governors of different provinces and the sages should come before him, and they sat before him, and Aḇram was still in the house of confinement.
And the sovereign said to the princes and sages, Have you heard what Aḇram, the son of Teraḥ, has done to his father? Thus has he done to him, and I ordered him to be brought before me, and thus has he spoken; his heart did not misgive him, neither did he stir in my presence, and behold now he is confined in the prison.
And therefore decide what judgment is due to this man who reviled the sovereign; who spoke and did all the things that you heard.
And they all answered the sovereign saying, The man who revileth the sovereign should be hanged upon a tree; but having done all the things that he said, and having despised our mighty ones, he must therefore be burned to death, for this is the law in this matter.
If it pleaseth the sovereign to do this, let him order his servants to kindle a fire both night and day in your brick furnace, and then we will cast this man into it. And the sovereign did so, and he commanded his servants that they should prepare a fire for three days and three nights in the sovereign’s furnace, that is in Kasdim; and the sovereign ordered them to take Aḇram from prison and bring him out to be burned.
And all the sovereign’s servants, princes, masters, governors, and judges, and all the inhabitants of the land, about nine hundred thousand men, stood opposite the furnace to see Aḇram.
And all the women and little ones crowded upon the roofs and towers to see what was doing with Aḇram, and they all stood together at a distance; and there was not a man left that did not come on that day to behold the scene.
And when Aḇram was come, the conjurors of the sovereign and the sages saw Aḇram, and they cried out to the sovereign, saying, Our sovereign master, surely this is the man whom we know to have been the child at whose birth the great star swallowed the four stars, which we declared to the sovereign now fifty years since.
And behold now his father has also transgressed your commands, and mocked you by bringing you another child, which you killed.
And when the sovereign heard their words, he was exceedingly wroth, and he ordered Teraḥ to be brought before him.
And the sovereign said, have you heard what the conjurors have spoken? Now tell me truly, how did you; and if you shall speak truth you shall be acquitted.
And seeing that the sovereign’s anger was so much kindled, Teraḥ said to the sovereign, My master and sovereign, you have heard the truth, and what the sages have spoken is right. And the sovereign said, How could you do this matter, to transgress my orders and to give me a child that you did not bring forth, and to take value for him?
And Teraḥ answered the sovereign, Because my tender feelings were excited for my son, at that time, and I took a son of my handmaid, and I brought him to the sovereign.
And the sovereign said Who advised you to this? Tell me, do not hide aught from me, and then you shall not die.
And Teraḥ was greatly terrified in the sovereign’s presence, and he said to the sovereign, It was Haran my eldest son who advised me to this; and Haran was in those days that Aḇram was born, two and thirty years old.
But Haran did not advise his father to anything, for Teraḥ said this to the sovereign in order to deliver his being from the sovereign, for he feared greatly; and the sovereign said to Teraḥ, Haran your son who advised you to this shall die through fire with Aḇram; for the sentence of death is upon him for having rebelled against the sovereign’s desire in doing this matter.
And Haran at that time felt inclined to follow the ways of Aḇram, but he kept it within himself.
And Haran said in his heart, Behold now the sovereign has seized Aḇram on account of these things which Aḇram did, and it shall come to pass, that if Aḇram prevail over the sovereign I will follow him, but if the sovereign prevail I will go after the sovereign.
And when Teraḥ had spoken this to the sovereign concerning Haran his son, the sovereign ordered Haran to be seized with Aḇram.
And they brought them both, Aḇram and Haran his brother, to cast them into the fire; and all the inhabitants of the land and the sovereign’s servants and princes and all the women and little ones were there, standing that day over them.
And the sovereign’s servants took Aḇram and his brother, and they stripped them of all their clothes excepting their lower garments which were upon them.
And they bound their hands and feet with linen cords, and the servants of the sovereign lifted them up and cast them both into the furnace.
And YHWH loved Aḇram and he had compassion over him, and YHWH came down and delivered Aḇram from the fire and he was not burned.
But all the cords with which they bound him were burned, while Aḇram remained and walked about in the fire.
And Haran died when they had cast him into the fire, and he was burned to ashes, for his heart was not perfect with YHWH; and those men who cast him into the fire, the flame of the fire spread over them, and they were burned, and twelve men of them died.
And Aḇram walked in the midst of the fire three days and three nights, and all the servants of the sovereign saw him walking in the fire, and they came and told the sovereign, saying, Behold we have seen Aḇram walking about in the midst of the fire, and even the lower garments which are upon him are not burned, but the cord with which he was bound is burned.
And when the sovereign heard their words his heart fainted and he would not believe them; so he sent other faithful princes to see this matter, and they went and saw it and told it to the sovereign; and the sovereign rose to go and see it, and he saw Aḇram walking to and fro in the midst of the fire, and he saw Haran’s body burned, and the sovereign wondered greatly.
And the sovereign ordered Aḇram to be taken out from the fire; and his servants approached to take him out and they could not, for the fire was round about and the flame ascending toward them from the furnace.
And the sovereign’s servants fled from it, and the sovereign rebuked them, saying, Make haste and bring Aḇram out of the fire that you shall not die.
And the servants of the sovereign again approached to bring Aḇram out, and the flames came upon them and burned their faces so that eight of them died.
And when the sovereign saw that his servants could not approach the fire lest they should be burned, the sovereign called to Aḇram, O servant of the Elohim who is in the heavens, go forth from amidst the fire and come hither before me; and Aḇram listened to the voice of the sovereign, and he went forth from the fire and came and stood before the sovereign.
And when Aḇram came out the sovereign and all his servants saw Aḇram coming before the sovereign, with his lower garments upon him, for they were not burned, but the cord with which he was bound was burned.
And the sovereign said to Aḇram, How is it that you were not burned in the fire?
And Aḇram said to the sovereign, The Elohim of the heavens and earth in whom I trust and who has all in his power, he delivered me from the fire into which you cast me.
And Haran the brother of Aḇram was burned to ashes, and they sought for his body, and they found it consumed.
And Haran was eighty-two years old when he died in the fire of Kasdim. And the sovereign, princes, and inhabitants of the land, seeing that Aḇram was delivered from the fire, they came and bowed down to Aḇram.
And Aḇram said to them, Do not bow down to me, but bow down to the Elohim of the world who made you, and serve him, and go in his ways for it is he who delivered me from out of this fire, and it is he who created the beings and spirits of all men, and formed man in his mother’s womb, and brought him forth into the world, and it is he who will deliver those who trust in him from all pain.
And this matter seemed very wonderful in the eyes of the sovereign and princes, that Aḇram was saved from the fire and that Haran was burned; and the sovereign gave Aḇram many presents and he gave him his two head servants from the sovereign’s house; the name of one was Oni and the name of the other was Eli’ezer.
And all the sovereigns, princes and servants gave Aḇram many gifts of silver and gold and pearl, and the sovereign and his princes sent him away, and he went in peace.
And Aḇram went forth from the sovereign in peace, and many of the sovereign’s servants followed him, and about three hundred men joined him.
And Aḇram returned on that day and went to his father’s house, he and the men that followed him, and Aḇram served YHWH his Elohim all the days of his life, and he walked in his ways and followed his law.
And from that day forward Aḇram inclined the hearts of the sons of men to serve YHWH.
And at that time Naḥor and Aḇram took unto themselves wives, the daughters of their brother Haran; the wife of Naḥor was Milkah and the name of Aḇram’s wife was Sarai. And Sarai, wife of Aḇram, was barren; she had no offspring in those days.
And at the expiration of two years from Aḇram’s going out of the fire, that is in the fifty-second year of his life, behold sovereign Nimroḏ sat in Baḇel upon the throne, and the sovereign fell asleep and dreamed that he was standing with his troops and hosts in a valley opposite the sovereign’s furnace.
And he lifted up his eyes and saw a man in the likeness of Aḇram coming forth from the furnace, and that he came and stood before the sovereign with his drawn sword, and then sprang to the sovereign with his sword, when the sovereign fled from the man, for he was afraid; and while he was running, the man threw an egg upon the sovereign’s head, and the egg became a great river.
And the sovereign dreamed that all his troops sank in that river and died, and the sovereign took flight with three men who were before him and he escaped.
And the sovereign looked at these men and they were clothed in princely dresses as the garments of sovereigns, and had the appearance and majesty of sovereigns.
And while they were running, the river again turned to an egg before the sovereign, and there came forth from the egg a young bird which came before the sovereign, and flew at his head and plucked out the sovereign’s eye.
And the sovereign was grieved at the sight, and he awoke out of his sleep and his spirit was agitated; and he felt a great terror.
And in the morning the sovereign rose from his couch in fear, and he ordered all the wise men and magicians to come before him, when the sovereign related his dream to them.
And a wise servant of the sovereign, whose name was Anuki, answered the sovereign, saying, This is nothing else but the evil of Aḇram and his seed which will spring up against my master and sovereign in the latter days.
And behold the day will come when Aḇram and his seed and the children of his household will war with my sovereign, and they will smite all the sovereign’s hosts and his troops.
And as to what you have said concerning three men which you saw like unto yourself, and which did escape, this means that only you will escape with three sovereigns from the sovereigns of the earth who will be with you in battle.
And that which you sawest of the river which turned to an egg as at first, and the young bird plucking out your eye, this means nothing else but the seed of Aḇram which will slay the sovereign in latter days.
This is my sovereign’s dream, and this is its interpretation, and the dream is true, and the interpretation which your servant has given you is right.
Now therefore my sovereign, surely you knowest that it is now fifty-two years since your sages saw this at the birth of Aḇram, and if my sovereign will allow Aḇram to live in the earth it will be to the injury of my master and sovereign, for all the days that Aḇram liveth neither you nor your reign will be established, for this was known formerly at his birth; and why will not my sovereign slay him, that his evil may be kept from you in latter days?
And Nimroḏ listened to the voice of Anuki, and he sent some of his servants in secret to go and seize Aḇram, and bring him before the sovereign to suffer death.
And Eli’ezer, Aḇram’s servant whom the sovereign had given him, was at that time in the presence of the sovereign, and he heard what Anuki had advised the sovereign, and what the sovereign had said to cause Aḇram’s death.
And Eli’ezer said to Aḇram, Hasten, rise up and save your being, that you may not die through the hands of the sovereign, for thus did he see in a dream concerning you, and thus did Anuki interpret it, and thus also did Anuki advise the sovereign concerning you.
And Aḇram listened to the voice of Eli’ezer, and Aḇram hastened and ran for safety to the house of Noaḥ and his son Shĕm, and he concealed himself there and found a place of safety; and the sovereign’s servants came to Aḇram’s house to seek him, but they could not find him, and they searched through out the country and he was not to be found, and they went and searched in every direction and he was not to be met with.
And when the sovereign’s servants could not find Aḇram they returned to the sovereign, but the sovereign’s anger against Aḇram was stilled, as they did not find him, and the sovereign drove from his mind this matter concerning Aḇram.
And Aḇram was concealed in Noaḥ’s house for one month, until the sovereign had forgotten this matter, but Aḇram was still afraid of the sovereign; and Teraḥ came to see Aḇram his son secretly in the house of Noaḥ, and Teraḥ was very great in the eyes of the sovereign.
And Aḇram said to his father, do you not know that the sovereign thinketh to slay me, and to annihilate my name from the earth by the advice of his wicked counsellors?
Now whom have you here and what have you in this land? Arise, let us go together to the land of Kena’an, that we may be delivered from his hand, lest you perish also through him in the latter days.
do you not know or have you not heard, that it is not through love that Nimroḏ gives you all this honor, but it is only for his benefit that he bestoweth all this good upon you?
And if he do unto you greater good than this, surely these are only vanities of the world, for wealth and riches cannot avail in the day of wrath and anger.
Now therefore listen to my voice, and let us arise and go to the land of Kena’an, out of the reach of injury from Nimroḏ; and serve you YHWH who created you in the earth and it will be well with you; and cast away all the vain things which you pursuest.
And Aḇram ceased to speak, when Noaḥ and his son Shĕm answered Teraḥ, saying, True is the word which Aḇram hath said unto you.
And Teraḥ listened to the voice of his son Aḇram, and Teraḥ did all that Aḇram said, for this was from YHWH, that the sovereign should not cause Aḇram’s death.

CHAPTER 13

And Teraḥ took his son Aḇram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, the wife of his son Aḇram, and all the beings of his household and went with them from Ur Kasdim to go to the land of Kena’an. And when they came as far as the land of Haran they remained there, for it was exceedingly good land for pasture, and of sufficient extent for those who accompanied them.
And the people of the land of Haran saw that Aḇram was good and upright with Elohim and men, and that YHWH his Elohim was with him, and some of the people of the land of Haran came and joined Aḇram, and he taught them the instruction of YHWH and his ways; and these men remained with Aḇram in his house and they adhered to him.
And Aḇram remained in the land three years, and at the expiration of three years YHWH appeared to Aḇram and said to him; I am YHWH who brought you forth from Ur Kasdim, and delivered you from the hands of all your enemies.
And now therefore if you will listen to My voice and keep My commandments, My statutes and My laws, then will I cause your enemies to fall before you, and I will multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens, and I will send My blessing upon all the works of your hands, and you shall lack nothing.
Arise now, take your wife and all belonging to you and go to the land of Kena’an and remain there, and I will there be unto you for an Elohim, and I will bless you. And Aḇram rose and took his wife and all belonging to him, and he went to the land of Kena’an as YHWH had told him; and Aḇram was fifty years old when he went from Haran.
And Aḇram came to the land of Kena’an and dwelt in the midst of the city, and he there pitched his tent amongst the children of Kena’an, inhabitants of the land.
And YHWH appeared to Aḇram when he came to the land of Kena’an, and said to him, This is the land which I gave unto you and to your seed after you forever, and I will make your seed like the stars of the heavens, and I will give unto your seed for an inheritance all the lands which you see.
And Aḇram built an altar in the place where Elohim had spoken to him, and Aḇram there called upon the Name of YHWH.
At that time, at the end of three years of Aḇram’s dwelling in the land of Kena’an, in that year Noaḥ died, which was the fifty-eighth year of the life of Aḇram; and all the days that Noaḥ lived were nine hundred and fifty years and he died.
And Aḇram dwelt in the land of Kena’an, he, his wife, and all belonging to him, and all those that accompanied him, together with those that joined him from the people of the land; but Naḥor, Aḇram’s brother, and Teraḥ his father, and Lot the son of Haran and all belonging to them dwelt in Haran.
In the fifth year of Aḇram’s dwelling in the land of Kena’an the people of Seḏom and Amorah and all the cities of the plain revolted from the power of Keḏorlaʽomer , sovereign of Ěylam; for all the sovereigns of the cities of the plain had served Keḏorlaʽomer for twelve years, and given him a yearly tax, but in those days in the thirteenth year, they rebelled against him.
And in the tenth year of Aḇram’s dwelling in the land of Kena’an there was war between Nimroḏ sovereign of Shinʽar and Keḏorlaʽomer sovereign of Ěylam, and Nimroḏ came to fight with Keḏorlaʽomer and to subdue him.
For Keḏorlaʽomer was at that time one of the princes of the hosts of Nimroḏ, and when all the people at the tower were dispersed and those that remained were also scattered upon the face of the earth, Keḏorlaʽomer went to the land of Ěylam and reigned over it and rebelled against his master.
And in those days when Nimroḏ saw that the cities of the plain had rebelled, he came with pride and anger to war with Keḏorlaʽomer , and Nimroḏ assembled all his princes and subjects, about seven hundred thousand men, and went against Keḏorlaʽomer , and Keḏorlaʽomer went out to meet him with five thousand men, and they prepared for battle in the valley of Baḇel which is between Ěylam and Shinʽar.
And all those sovereigns fought there, and Nimroḏ and his people were smitten before the people of Keḏorlaʽomer , and there fell from Nimroḏ’s men about six hundred thousand, and Mardon the sovereign’s son fell amongst them.
And Nimroḏ fled and returned in shame and disgrace to his land, and he was under subjection to Keḏorlaʽomer for a long time, and Keḏorlaʽomer returned to his land and sent princes of his host to the sovereigns that dwelt around him, to Aryoḵ sovereign of Ellasar , and to Tiḏʽal sovereign of Goyim, and made a covenant with them, and they were all obedient to his commands.
And it was in the fifteenth year of Aḇram’s dwelling in the land of Kena’an, which is the seventieth year of the life of Aḇram, and YHWH appeared to Aḇram in that year and he said to him, I am YHWH who brought you out from Ur Kasdim to give you this land for an inheritance.
Now therefore walk before Me and be perfect and keep My commands, for to you and to your seed I will give this land for an inheritance, from the river Mitsrayim unto the great river Euphrates.
And you shall come to your fathers in peace and in good age, and the fourth generation shall return here in this land and shall inherit it forever; and Aḇram built an altar, and he called upon the Name of YHWH who appeared to him, and he brought up offerings upon the altar to YHWH.
At that time Aḇram returned and went to Haran to see his father and mother, and his father’s household, and Aḇram and his wife and all belonging to him returned to Haran, and Aḇram dwelt in Haran five years.
And many of the people of Haran, about seventy-two men, followed Aḇram and Aḇram taught them the instruction of YHWH and His ways, and he taught them to know YHWH.
In those days YHWH appeared to Aḇram in Haran, and he said to him, Behold, I spoke unto you these twenty years back saying,
Go forth from your land, from your birth-place and from your father’s house, to the land which I have shown you to give it to you and to your children, for there in that land will I bless you, and make you a great nation, and make your name great, and in you shall the families of the earth be blessed.
Now therefore arise, go forth from this place, you, your wife, and all belonging to you, also every one born in your house and all the beings you have made in Haran, and bring them out with you from here, and rise to return to the land of Kena’an.
And Aḇram arose and took his wife Sarai and all belonging to him and all that were born to him in his house and the beings which they had made in Haran, and they came out to go to the land of Kena’an.
And Aḇram went and returned to the land of Kena’an, according to the word of YHWH. And Lot the son of his brother Haran went with him, and Aḇram was seventy-five years old when he went forth from Haran to return to the land of Kena’an.
And he came to the land of Kena’an according to the word of YHWH to Aḇram, and he pitched his tent and he dwelt in the plain of Mamrĕ, and with him was Lot his brother’s son, and all belonging to him.
And YHWH again appeared to Aḇram and said, To your seed will I give this land; and he there built an altar to YHWH who appeared to him, which is still to this day in the plains of Mamrĕ.

CHAPTER 14

In those days there was in the land of Shinʽar a wise man who had understanding in all wisdom, and of a beautiful appearance, but he was poor and indigent; his name was Riḵayon and he was hard set to support himself.
And he resolved to go to Mitsrayim, to Oswiris the son of Anamim sovereign of Mitsrayim, to show the sovereign his wisdom; for perhaps he might find favour in his sight, to raise him up and give him maintenance; and Riḵayon did so.
And when Riḵayon came to Mitsrayim he asked the inhabitants of Mitsrayim concerning the sovereign, and the inhabitants of Mitsrayim told him the custom of the sovereign of Mitsrayim, for it was then the custom of the sovereign of Mitsrayim that he went from his royal palace and was seen abroad only one day in the year, and after that the sovereign would return to his palace to remain there.
And on the day when the sovereign went forth he passed judgment in the land, and every one having a suit came before the sovereign that day to obtain his request.
And when Riḵayon heard of the custom in Mitsrayim and that he could not come into the presence of the sovereign, he grieved greatly and was very sorrowful.
And in the evening Riḵayon went out and found a house in ruins, formerly a bake house in Mitsrayim, and he abode there all night in bitterness of being and pinched with hunger, and sleep was removed from his eyes.
And Riḵayon considered within himself what he should do in the town until the sovereign made his appearance, and how he might maintain himself there.
And he rose in the morning and walked about, and met in his way those who sold vegetables and various sorts of seed with which they supplied the inhabitants.
And Riḵayon wished to do the same in order to get a maintenance in the city, but he was unacquainted with the custom of the people, and he was like a blind man among them.
And he went and obtained vegetables to sell them for his support, and the rabble assembled about him and ridiculed him, and took his vegetables from him and left him nothing.
And he rose up from there in bitterness of being, and went sighing to the bake house in which he had remained all the night before, and he slept there the second night.
And on that night again he reasoned within himself how he could save himself from starvation, and he devised a scheme how to act.
And he rose up in the morning and acted ingeniously, and went and hired thirty strong men of the rabble, carrying their war instruments in their hands, and he led them to the top of the Mitsrite sepulchre, and he placed them there.
And he commanded them, saying, Thus said the sovereign, Strengthen yourselves and be valiant men, and let no man be buried here until two hundred pieces of silver be given, and then he may be buried; and those men did according to the order of Riḵayon to the people of Mitsrayim the whole of that year.
And in eight months time Riḵayon and his men gathered great riches of silver and gold, and Riḵayon took a great quantity of horses and other animals, and he hired more men, and he gave them horses and they remained with him.
And when the year came round, at the time the sovereign went forth into the town, all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim assembled together to speak to him concerning the work of Riḵayon and his men.
And the sovereign went forth on the appointed day, and all the Mitsrites came before him and cried unto him, saying,
May the sovereign live forever. What is this matter you doest in the town to your servants, not to allow a dead body to be buried until so much silver and gold be given? Was there ever the like unto this done in the whole earth, from the days of former sovereigns yea even from the days of Aḏam, unto this day, that the dead should not be buried only for a set price?
We know it to be the custom of sovereigns to take a yearly tax from the living, but you do not only do this, but from the dead also you exactest a tax day by day.
Now, O sovereign, we can no more bear this, for the whole city is ruined on this account, and do you not know it?
And when the sovereign heard all that they had spoken he was very wroth, and his anger burned within him at this affair, for he had known nothing of it.
And the sovereign said, Who and where is he that dares to do this wicked matter in my land without my command? Surely you will tell me.
And they told him all the works of Riḵayon and his men, and the sovereign’s anger was aroused, and he ordered Riḵayon and his men to be brought before him.
And Riḵayon took about a thousand children, sons and daughters, and clothed them in silk and embroidery, and he set them upon horses and sent them to the sovereign by means of his men, and he also took a great quantity of silver and gold and precious stones, and a strong and beautiful horse, as a present for the sovereign, with which he came before the sovereign and bowed down to the earth before him; and the sovereign, his servants and all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim wondered at the work of Riḵayon, and they saw his riches and the present that he had brought to the sovereign.
And it greatly pleased the sovereign and he wondered at it; and when Riḵayon sat before him the sovereign asked him concerning all his works, and Riḵayon spoke all his words wisely before the sovereign, his servants and all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim.
And when the sovereign heard the words of Riḵayon and his wisdom, Riḵayon found favour in his sight, and he met with favour and kindness from all the servants of the sovereign and from all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim, on account of his wisdom and excellent speeches, and from that time they loved him exceedingly.
And the sovereign answered and said to Riḵayon, Your name shall no more be called Riḵayon but Pharaoh shall be your name, since you exacted a tax from the dead; and he called his name Pharaoh.
And the sovereign and his subjects loved Riḵayon for his wisdom, and they consulted with all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim to make him prefect under the sovereign.
And all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim and its wise men did so, and it was made a law in Mitsrayim.
And they made Riḵayon Pharaoh prefect under Oswiris sovereign of Mitsrayim, and Riḵayon Pharaoh governed over Mitsrayim, daily administering justice to the whole city, but Oswiris the sovereign would judge the people of the land one day in the year, when he went out to make his appearance.
And Riḵayon Pharaoh cunningly usurped the government of Mitsrayim, and he exacted a tax from all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim.
And all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim greatly loved Riḵayon Pharaoh, and they made a decree to call every sovereign that should reign over them and their seed in Mitsrayim, Pharaoh.
Therefore all the sovereigns that reigned in Mitsrayim from that time forward were called Pharaoh unto this day.

CHAPTER 15

And in that year there was a heavy famine throughout the land of Kena’an, and the inhabitants of the land could not remain on account of the famine for it was very grievous.
And Aḇram and all belonging to him ro