Chapter 13
When Abraham’s wife was getting old, her ears were opened to hear the voice of God. And God said to her:
Concerning your son, Isaac, hear your God, who is also the God of Abraham: My labors are not for a day, nor without judgment.
Behold, in the land of Es-seth, the place of your husband in his youth, I have built for many generations concerning the seed of my people. For which reason your son, Isaac, shall take a wife who shall inherit my voice.
Before the time of your husband’s father’s father, I sent my angel from heaven, saying: Go and raise me up an heir to hear my voice, for I will dwell for a season with the children of men.
And my angel fulfilled his part, and I have come and talked with you and your husband face to face. And I can talk to your son, Isaac, in the same manner and he can hear me also. And Isaac shall raise up heirs to my voice through his wife, to whom he is not yet known.
Sarai told Abraham what God had said to her; and so Abraham and Sarai went to the altar that Abraham had built, and they prayed alone; and God came and spoke, saying: What is your request?
And Abraham said: Concerning our son Isaac’s wife? And God said: Because of the blessing of Sarai, your wife, who has been upright all her days, I will give her comfort in her old age.
Send your servant to the land of your fathers, and I will send my angel with your servant, and he shall come to a maiden who shall be Isaac’s wife. So, Abraham called his servant, who was overseer over his goods, and he said to him: Equip yourself with camels, asses, and servants; and with jewels I will give you, go to Syria, the land of my fathers, and bring a damsel here, who shall be Isaac’s wife.
The overseer said to Abraham: Alas me! How shall your servant choose a wife for your son? Or, if choosing, how shall he induce her to come so far? Abraham said: That which God has commanded of me, I have told you, except that God says: My angel shall go with your servant, and he shall not err.
So the servant of Abraham, in fear and trembling, equipped himself with ten camels, twenty asses and thirty servants, taking presents and goods, and departed. The journey took twenty-two days, and all the while the overseer reasoned upon what he should say, for he had misgivings that he was on a fool’s errand.
Nevertheless, he prayed to God that he would do his own part wisely. So when he came near Abraham’s father’s people, the angel of God spoke in his heart, saying: The damsel that comes with a pitcher on her head shall be Isaac’s wife. Say to her: Will you give me a drink? And she will say: I will give you a drink, and also draw water for your servants and camels.
And the overseer looked, but saw no damsel, and he wondered; but presently he saw many damsels, one of whom had a pitcher on her head; and his heart failed him till she came near, and he said: Give me a drink? And she gave him a drink and said to him: You are a stranger; if you will allow, I will water your camels and give drink to your servants.
And so she gave as she said; and when she had finished, the overseer said to her: Who are you? And she answered him, and he perceived she was Isaac’s niece by Abraham’s father’s second wife, but of no blood kin. And then she asked the overseer who he was and where he came from; and he told her he came from Abraham, whose servant he was. So she invited him to her people’s houses, and she ran ahead with joy to tell who had come so far, bringing word from Abraham.
Now when the camels and asses had been fed, and straw spread for the travelers to lie upon, and when repast was spread for them to eat, the overseer rose up, perceiving the way of God, and he said: Till I have spoken, do not eat, but hear the words of God. So he related the object of his visit as commanded by God, and in reference to the angel of God, and the words that came to him.
And when he had finished, the power of God came upon the damsel, whose name was Rebecca, and she rose up and spoke, saying: Isaac shall be my husband, and I shall be his wife, for I know this matter is of God!
So it came to pass after some days, that Rebecca departed from her people, and by her faith in God came to Abraham’s home, and Isaac took her to wife, and Sarai rejoiced before God because of the light of his kingdom through Abraham’s heirs.
And God said to Abraham: Divide your people into families of tens, and families of hundreds, and families of thousands, and give to each family one rab’bah, and yet to all of them together one chief rab’bah. And make your will, and appoint your son Isaac and his heirs by his wife Rebecca to be your successors, so that my voice may remain with my chosen.
And Abraham made his will and did all things as God commanded; and he further made the rab’bahs officers in the rites of Emethachavah, and communicated the sacred name of the Creator (E-O- Ih) to them, as well as the plans of the upper and lower heavens, the dominion of God and the dominion of satan, all of which were kept in secret through the rab’bahs. * * * * *
God said: Behold, there is a time to clear up all things, present and past: Were Abraham father to Hagar’s son, Ishmael, and had he been true to the law of sacrifice among the heathen, then, Ishmael, being first-born, would have been chosen for the burnt offering.
In which matter the Ezra Bible is shown to be false before Jehovih, in regard to Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, and the burnt offering also.
Which words were not my words, nor the words of my angels, but the words of the Eguptian record. END OF ABRAHAM’S HISTORY, AND OF THE FIRST FONECEAN BIBLE