God’s Promise to Isaac
(Genesis 12:1–9)

1And there fell a famine in the land, besides the first that was in the dayes of Abraham: And Isahac went vnto Abimelech, king of the Philistines, vnto Gerar. 2And the Lorde appeared vnto hym, and sayde: Go not downe into Egypt, but abyde in the lande whiche I shall shewe vnto thee. 3Soiourne in this lande, and I wyl be with thee, and wyll blesse thee: for vnto thee and vnto thy seede I wyll geue all these countreys, and I wyll perfourme the othe whiche I sware vnto Abraham thy father. 4And wyl make thy seede to multiplie as the starres of heauen, and wyll geue vnto thy seede al these countreys: and in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed: 5Because that Abraham hearkened vnto my voyce, & kept my ordinaunce, my commaundementes, my statutes, and my lawes.

Isaac Deceives Abimelech

6And Isahac dwelled in Gerar. 7And the men of the place asked him of his wyfe. And he sayde, she is my sister: for he feared to say, she is my wyfe, lest the men of the place shoulde haue kylled hym, because of Rebecca, whiche was beautifull to the eye. 8And after he had ben there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines loked out at a windowe, & sawe Isahac sportyng with Rebecca his wyfe. 9And Abimelech called Isahac, and said: beholde, she is of a suretie thy wife, and why saydest thou, she is my sister? To whom Isahac aunswered: because I thought that I might peraduenture haue dyed for her sake. 10Abimelech said: why hast thou done this vnto vs? one of the people myght lyghtly haue lyne by thy wyfe, and so shouldest thou haue brought sinne vpon vs. 11And so Abimelech charged al his people, saying: He that toucheth this man or his wyfe, shall dye the death.

Isaac’s Prosperity

12Then Isahac sowed in that lande, and receaued in the same yere an hundred folde: and the Lorde blessed hym. 13And the man waxed myghtie, & went foorth, and grewe tyll he was exceeding great. 14For he had possessio of sheepe, of oxen, and a myghtie housholde: and therfore the Philistines had enuie at hym. 15For the Philistines stopped and fylled vp with earth all the welles which his seruauntes had digged in his father Abrahams tyme. 16And Abimelech sayde vnto Isahac: Get thee from vs, for thou art mightier then we a great deale. 17Therefore Isahac departed thence, and abode in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18And Isahac returning, digged againe the welles of water which they digged in the dayes of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham, & named them after the same names by the which his father had named them. 19Isahacs seruauntes digged in the valley, and founde a well of springyng water. 20And the heardmen of Gerar did striue with Isahacs heardmen, saying: the water is ours. Then called he the well contention, because they stroue with hym. 21And they digged another well, and stroue for that also: and he called the name of it enmitie. 22And then he departed thence, & digged another well, for the which they stroue not. Therfore called he it roomth, saying: the Lorde hath made vs nowe roome that we may encrease vpon the earth.

23And he went vp thence to Beer-seba.

24And the Lorde appeared vnto hym the same night, and sayde: I am the God of Abraham thy father, feare not, for I am with thee, and wyl blesse thee and multiple thy seede for my seruaunt Abrahams sake.

25And he builded an aulter there, and called vpon the name of the Lorde, and pitched his tent: and there Isahacs seruauntes dygged a well.

Isaac’s Covenant with Abimelech

26Then came Abimelech to him from Gerar, and Ahuzath his friende, and Phicol the captaine of his armie. 27And Isahac sayde vnto them: wherfore come ye to me, seyng ye hate me, and haue put me away from you? 28Whiche aunswered: We sawe most certainly that the Lord was with thee, and we sayde: let there be nowe an oth betwixt vs, euen betwixt vs and thee, and let vs make a league with thee: 29That thou shouldest do vs no hurt, as we haue not touched thee, and as we haue done vnto thee nothyng but good, & sent thee away in peace: for thou art nowe the blessed of the Lorde. 30And he made them a feast, and they dyd eate and drynke. 31And they rose vp betymes in the mornyng, and sware one to another: And Isahac sent them away, and they departed from hym in peace. 32And the same daye Isahacs seruauntes came and tolde hym of a well which they had dygged, and sayde vnto hym, we haue founde water. 33And he called it Sebah: and the name of the citie is called Beer-seba vnto this day.

Esau’s Wives

34Esau was fourtie yere olde, & he toke a wyfe called Iudith, the daughter of Beeri an Hethite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon, an Hethite also. 35Which were disobedient vnto Isahac and Rebecca.