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

1There came a derth in the londe, passynge the other that was in Abrahams tyme. And Isaac wente to Gerar, vnto Abimelech the kynge of ye Philistynes. 2Then the LORDE appeared vnto him, and sayde: Go not downe in to Egipte, but tary in the lande that I shall saye vnto the. 3Be thou a strauger in this lande, and I wil be with the and blesse the. For vnto the and thy sede wyll I geue all this londe, and wyll perfourme myne ooth that I sware to thy father Abraham. 4And I wyll multiplye thy sede as the starres of heauen, and vnto thy sede wyll I geue all this londe, and thorow thy sede shall all nacions be blessed, 5because Abraham was obedient vnto my voyce, and kepte myne ordinaunces, my comaundementes, my statutes, and my lawes.

Isaac Deceives Abimelech

6So Isaac dwelt at Gerar. 7And whan the men of the same place axed him of his wife, he sayde: she is my sister. For he was afrayed to saye: she is my wife, (thinkinge thus:) they might slaye me for Rebeccas sake, for she was beutifull to loke vnto. 8Now whan he had bene there a longe season, Abimelech the kynge of the Phylistynes loked out at a wyndow, and sawe Isaac sportinge with Rebecca his wife. 9Then Abimelech called Isaac, and sayde: Beholde, she is thy wyfe, why saydest thou then: She is my sister? Isaac answered him: I thought, I might peraduenture hahe died because of her. 10Abimelech saide: Why hast thou then done this vnto vs? It coude lightly haue come to passe, that some of the people might haue lyen with thy wyfe, and so haddest thou brought synne vpo vs. 11The Abimelech commaunded all the people, and sayde: Who so toucheth this man or his wyfe, shal dye the death.

Isaac’s Prosperity

12And Isaac sowed in that londe, and foude the same yeare an hundreth busshels, for the LORDE blessed him. 13And he became a greate man, wente forth, and grew, tyll he was exceadinge greate, 14so that he had moch good in shepe and greate catell, and a greate housholde. Therfore had the Philistynes envye at him, 15and stopped all the welles, that his fathers seruauntes had dygged in the tyme of Abraham his father, and fylled them with earth, 16In so moch that Abimelech also himself sayde vnto him: Departe from vs, for thou art farre mightier then we. 17Then departed Isaac from thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18And whan he was satled, he caused to dygge vp the welles agayne, that they had dygged vp in his father Abrahas tyme, which the Philistynes had stopte after the death of Abraham, and he called the after ye same names that his father had named them withall. 19Isaacs seruauntes also dygged in the valley, and there they founde a well of lyuinge water. 20But the hyrdmen of Gerar stroue with Isaacs hyrdmen, and saide: The water is oures. Then called he the well Eseck, because they had done him wronge. 21Then dygged they another well, and stroue for that also: therfore called he it Sytena. 22So he gatt him from thence, and dygged another well, for the which they stroue not: th rfore he called it Rehoboth, and sayde: Now hath the LORDE made vs rowme, and letten vs growe in the londe.

23Afterwarde he departed thence vnto Berseba.

24And the LORDE appeared vnto him the same night, and sayde: I am the God of thy father Abraham, feare thou not, for I am with the, and wyll blesse the, and multiplye thy sede for my seruaunt Abrahams sake.

25Then buylded he an altare there, and called vpon the name of the LORDE, and pitched his tent there, and there his seruauntes dygged a well.

Isaac’s Covenant with Abimelech

26And Abimelech wente vnto him from Gerar, and Ahusath his frende, and Phicolhis chefe captayne. 27But Isaac sayde vnto them: Wherfore come ye to me? seynge ye hate me, and haue put me awaye from you? 28They sayde: We se with open eyes, that the LORDE is with the, therfore we deuysed that there shulde be an ooth betwixte vs and the, and that we wolde make a bonde with the, 29that thou do vs no harme, like as we haue not hurte the, and as we haue done nothinge vnto the, but all good, and let the departe in peace. As for the, thou art ye blessed of the LORDE. 30Then Isaac made them a feast, and they ate and dronke. 31And on the morow they arose, and sware one to the other. And Isaac let them go, and they departed from him in peace. 32The same daye came Isaacs seruauntes, and tolde him of the well that they had digged, and sayde vnto him: We haue founde water. 33And he called it Saba. Therfore is ye cite called Bersaba vnto this daye.

Esau’s Wives

34Whan Esau was fourtye yeare olde, he toke wyues: Iudith the doughter of Beri the Hethite, and Basmath the doughter of Elon the Hethite: 35both these were dishobedient vnto the sprete of Isaac and Rebecca.