Page:The Holy Bible faithfvlly translated into English ovt of the authentical Latin, diligently conferred with the Hebrew, Greek, & other Editions in diuers languages.pdf/77

 

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CHAP. XVI.

 

Sarai giueth her hand-maid Agar as a wife to Abram: 4. who conceiuing despiseth her mistresse, is therfore afflicted, and flyeth away. 7. But is warned by an Angel to returne and humble her selfe, 15. which she doth and beareth Ismael.

 

SARAI therfore the wife of Abram had brought forth no children: but hauing an handmaid, an Ægyptian named Agar, ²she said to her husband: Behold, our Lord hath closed me, that I might not beare; Goe in vnto my handmaid, if happily of her at the least I may haue children. And when he agreed to her in this request, ³she toke Agar the Ægyptian her handmaid tenne yeares after that they first dwelled in the land of Chanaan: and gaue her vnto her husband ″ to wife. ⁴Who did companie with her, but she ^[1] perceiuing that she was with child, despised her mistresse. ⁵And Sarai said to Abram: Thou doest vniustly against me: I gaue my handmaid into thy bosome, who perceiuing her self to be with child, despiseth me. Our Lord iudge between me and thee. ⁶To whom Abram making answer: Behold, saith he, thy handmaid is in thine owne hand, vse her as it pleaseth thee. When Sarai therfore did afflict her, she ranne away. ⁷And an Angel of our Lord hauing found her beside a fountaine of water in the wildernesse, which is in the way to Sur in the desert, ⁸he said to her: Agar, the handmaid of Sarai, whence commest thou? and whither goest thou? Who answered: From the face of Sarai my mistresse doe I flye. ⁹And the angel of our Lord said to her: Returne to thy mistresse, and humble thy selfe vnder her hand. ¹⁰And againe: Multiplying, sayth he, wil I multiplie thy seed, and it shal not be numbred for the multitude therof. ¹¹And againe after that: Behold, saith he, thou art with child, and thou shalt bring forth a sonne; and thou shalt cal his name Ismael, because the Lord hath heard thine affliction. ¹²He shal be a wild man: his hand shal be against al men, and al mens hands against him; and ouer against al his brethren shal he pitch his tents. ¹³And she called the name of our Lord that spake vnto her: Thou the God which hast seen me. For she said: verily here haue I seen the backe parts of him that hath seen me. ¹⁴Therfore she called that wel, the wel of him that liueth and seeth me. The same is between Cadesse and Barad. ¹⁵And Agar brought forth a sonne to Abram: who called his name Ismael. ¹⁶Eightie and sixe yeares old was Abram when Agar brought him forth Ismael.

1. Some obey whilest they are rude, or in low state, but hauing got a litle knowlege or aduancement disdaine their aduancers. S. Gregorie. li. 21. in 1. Reg. 3.