Book of Jasher — 1840 English Edition

Book of Jasher — 1840 English Edition 16

CHAPTER XVL 1. At that time Chedorlaomer king of Elam sent to all the neigh- boring kings, to Nimrod king of Shinar who was then under his power, and to Tidal king of Goyim, and to Arioch king of Elasar, with whom he made a covenant, say- ing, come up to me and assist me, that we may smite all the towns of Sodom and its inhabitants, for they have rebelled against me these thir- teen years. 2. And these four kings went up with all their camps, about eight lumdrcd thousand men, and they went as thev Avcre, and smote every man they found in their road. 3. And the five kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, Shinab king of Ad- mah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, Bera king of Sodom, Bersha king of Gomorrah, and Bela king of Zo- ar, went out to meet them, and they all joined together in the valley of Siddim. 4. And these nine kings made war in the valley of Siddim ; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were smitten before the kings of Elam. 5. And the valley of Siddim was full of lime-pits and the kings of Elam pursued the kings of Sodom, and the kings of Sodom with their camps fled and fell into the lime- pits, and all that remained went to the mountain for safety, and the five kings of Elam came after them and pursued them to the gates of Sodom, and they took all that there was in Sodom. 6. And they plundered all the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and they also took Lot, Abram's brother's son, and his property, and they THE BOOK OF JASHER. 45 seized all the goods of the cilics of Sodom, and they went away; and Unic, Abram's servant, who was in the battle, saw this, and told Abram all that the kings had done to the cities of Sodom, and that Lot was taken captive by them. 7. And Abram heard this, and he rose up with about tiu-ee Imndrcd and eighteen men that were with him, and he that night pursued these kings and smote tiiem, and they all fell before Abram and his men, and there was none remaining but the four kings who fled, and they went each his otvn road. 8. And Abram recovered all the property of Sodom, and he also re- covered Lot and his property, his wives and little ones and all belong- ing to him, so that Lot lacked no- thing. 9. And when he returned from smiting these kings, he and his men passed the valley of Siddim where the kings had made war together. 10. And Beraking of Sodom, and the rest of his men that were with him, went out from the lime-pits in- to which they had fallen, to meet Abram and his men. 11. And Adonizedek king of Jeru- salem, the same was Shem, went out with his men to meet Abram and his people, with bread and wine, and thev remained together in the valley of Melech. 12. And Adonizedek blessed Ab- ram, and Abram gave him a tenth from all that he had brought froiu the spoil of his enemies, for Adoni- zedek was a priest before God. 13. And all the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah Avho were there, with their servants, approached Abram and begged of him to return them their servauits whom he had made captive, and to take unto liimself all the property. 14. And Abram answered the kings of Sodom, saying, as the Lord liveth who created heaven and earth, and who redeemed my soul from all affliction, and who delivered me this day from my enemies, and gave them into my hand, 1 will not take any thing belonging to you, that you may not boast to-morrow, saying, Abram became rich from our property tiiat he saved. 15. For the Lord my God in whom I trust said unto me, thou shalt lack nothing, for I will bless thee in all the works of thy hands. 16. And now therefore behold, here is all belonging to you, take it and go ; as the Lord liveth I will not take from you from a living soul down to a shoe tie or thread, ex- cepting the expense of the food of those who went out with me to battle, as also the portions of the men who went with me, Anar, Ashcol and Mamre, they and their men, as well as those also who had remained to watch the baggage, they shall take their portion of the spoil. 17. And the kings of Sodom gave Abram according to all that he had said, and they pressed him to take of whatever he cliose, but he would not. 18. And he sent away the kings of Sodom and the remainder of their men, and he gave them orders about Lot, and they went to their respec- tive places. 19. And Lot, his brother's son, he also sent away wiUi his property, and he* went with them, and Lot returned to his home, to Sodom, and Abram and his people returned to their home to the plains of Mamre which is in Hebron. * Lot went with the kings. 46 THE BOOK OF JASHER. 20. At that lime the Lord again appeared to Abram in Hebron, and he said to him, do not fear, thy re- ward is very great before me, for I will not leave thee, nntill shall have multiplied thee, and blessed thee and made thy seed like the stars in heaven, which cannot be measured nor numbered. 21. And I will give unto thy seed all these lands that thou seest with thine eyes, to them will I give them for an inheritance forever, only be strong and do not fear, walk before me and be perfect. 22. And in the seventy eighth year of the life of Abram, in that year died Reu the son of Peleg, and all the days of Reu were two hundred and thirty nine years, and he died. 23. And Sarai the daughter of Haran, Abram's wife, was still bar- ren in those days, she did not bear to Abram either son or daughter. 24. And when she saw that she bare no children she took her hand- maid Hagar^ whom Pharaoh had given her, and she gave her to Ab- rain her husband for a wife. 2.5. For Hagar learned all the ways of Sarai as Sarai taught her, she was not in any way deficient in following her good ways. 26. And Sarai said to Abram, be- hold here is my handmaid Hagar, go to her that she may bring forth upon my knees, that I may also ob- tain children through her. 27. And at the end of ten years of Abram's dwelling in the land of Canaan, which is the eighty fifth year of Abram's life, Sarai gave Hagar unto him. 28. And Abram hearkened to the voice of his wife Sarai, and he took his handmaid Hagar and Abram came to her and she conceived. 29. And when Hagar saw that she had conceived she rejoiced greatly, and her mistress was despis- ed in her eyes, and she said within herself, this can only be that I am better before God than Sarai my mistress, for all the days that my mistress has been with my lord^ she did not conceive, but me the Lord has caused in so shorB a time to conceive by him. 30. And when Sarai saw that Ha- gar had conceived by Abram, Sarai was jealous of her handmaid, and Sarai said within herself, this is sure- ly nothing else but that she must be better than I am. 31. And Sarai said unto Abram, my wrong be upon thee, for at the time when thou didst pray before the Lord for children why didst thou not pray on my account, that the Lord should give me seed from thee ? 32. And when I speak to Hagar in thy presence, she despiseth my words, because, she has conceived, and thou wilt say nothing to her ; may the Lord judge between me and thee for what thou hast done to me. 33. And Abram said to Sarai, be- hold thy handmaid is in thy hand, do unto her as it may seem good in thy eyes ; and Sarai afflicted her, and Hasrar fled from her to the wilder- ness. 34. And an angel of the Lord found her in the place where she had fled, by a well, and he said to her, do not fear, for I will multiply thy seed, for thou shalt bear a son and thou shalt call his name Ishmael ,' now then remrn to Sarai thy mistress and submit thyself under her hands. 35. And Hagar called the place of that well Beer-lahai-roi, it is be- tween Kadcsh and the wilderness of Bered. THE BOOK OF JASHER. 47 36. And Hagar at tliat time re- turned to her master's house, and at the end of days Hagar bare a son to Abram, and Abram called his name Ishmael ; and Abram was eighty-six years old when he begat him.