YASHAR 22 (Jasher 22)

1 And Yishma’ĕl then rose up and took his wife and his children and his cattle and all belonging to him, and he journeyed from there and he went to his father in the land of the Pelishtites.

2 And Aḇraham related to Yishma’ĕl his son the matter with the first wife that Yishma’ĕl took, according to what she did.

3 And Yishma’ĕl and his children dwelt with Aḇraham many days in that land, and Aḇraham dwelt in the land of the Pelishtites a long time.

4 And the days increased and reached twenty-six years, and after that Aḇraham with his servants and all belonging to him went from the land of the Pelishtites and moved to a great distance. And they came near to Ḥeḇron, and they remained there, and the servants of Aḇraham dug wells of water, and Aḇraham and all belonging to him dwelt by the water. And the servants of Aḇimeleḵ sovereign of the Pelishtites heard the report that Aḇraham’s servants had dug wells of water in the borders of the land.

5 And they came and quarrelled with the servants of Aḇraham, and they robbed them of the great well which they had dug.

6 And Aḇimeleḵ sovereign of the Pelishtites heard of this matter, and he, with Piḵol the commander of his army and twenty of his men came to Aḇraham, and Aḇimeleḵ spoke to Aḇraham concerning his servants, and Aḇraham rebuked Aḇimeleḵ concerning the well of which his servants had robbed him.

7 And Aḇimeleḵ said to Aḇraham, “As 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 lives, who created the whole earth, I did not hear of the deed which my servants did to your servants until this day.”

8 And Aḇraham took seven ewe lambs and gave them to Aḇimeleḵ, saying, “Please, take these from my hands that it may be a witness for me that I dug this well.”

9 And Aḇimeleḵ took the seven ewe lambs which Aḇraham had given to him, for he had also given him cattle and herds in great amount, and Aḇimeleḵ swore to Aḇraham concerning the well. Therefore he called that well Be’ĕrsheḇa, for there they both swore an oath concerning it.

10 And they both made a covenant in Be’ĕrsheḇa, and Aḇimeleḵ rose up with Piḵol the commander of his army and all his men, and they returned to the land of the Pelishtites. And Aḇraham and all belonging to him dwelt in Be’ĕrsheḇa, and he was in that land a long time.

11 And Aḇraham planted a large grove in Be’ĕrsheḇa, and he made four gates for it facing the four sides of the earth. And he planted a vineyard in it, so that if a traveler came to Aḇraham he entered any gate which was on his way, and remained there and ate and drank and satisfied himself and then departed.

12 For the house of Aḇraham was always open to the sons of men that passed and returned, who came daily to eat and drink in the house of Aḇraham.

13 And any man who had hunger and came to Aḇraham’s house, Aḇraham would give him bread that he might eat and drink and be satisfied. And anyone that came naked to his house he would clothe with garments as he might choose, and give him silver and gold and make known to him 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 who had created him in the earth. Aḇraham did this all his life.

14 And Aḇraham and his children and all belonging to him dwelt in Be’ĕrsheḇa, and he pitched his tent as far as Ḥeḇron.

15 And Aḇraham’s brother Naḥor and his father and all belonging to them dwelt in Ḥaran, for they did not come with Aḇraham to the land of Kena’an.

16 And children were born to Naḥor which Milkah the daughter of Haran, and sister to Sarah, Aḇraham’s wife, bore to him.

17 And these are the names of those that were born to him: Uts, Buz, Qemu’ĕl, Keséḏ, Ḥazo, Pildash, Yiḏlaph, and Bethu’ĕl, being eight sons. These are the children of Milkah which she bore to Naḥor, Aḇraham’s brother.

18 And Naḥor had a concubine and her name was Re’uwmah, and she also bore to Naḥor, Teḇaḥ, Gaḥam, Taḥash and Ma’aḵah, being four sons.

19 And the children that were born to Naḥor were twelve sons besides his daughters, and they also had children born to them in Ḥaran.

20 And the children of Uts, the first-born of Naḥor were Aḇi, Ḥereph, Gaḏin, Melush, and Deḇorah their sister.

21 And the sons of Buz were Baraḵ’ĕl, Na’amath, Shewa, and Maḏonu.

22 And the sons of Qemu’ĕl were Aram and Reḥoḇ.

23 And the sons of Keseḏ were Anammeleḵ, Meshai, Benon and Yiphi. And the sons of Ḥazo were Pildash, Meḥi and Ĕpher.

24 And the sons of Pildash were Aruḏ, Ḥammum, Mereḏ and Moloch.

25 And the sons of Yiḏlaph were Mushan, Kushan and Mutsi.

26 And the children of Bethu’ĕl were Saḵar, Laḇan and their sister Riḇqah.

27 These are the clans of the children of Naḥor, that were born to them in Ḥaran. And Aram son of Qemu’ĕl, and Reḥoḇ his brother went away from Ḥaran, and they found a valley in the land by the river Perath.

28 And they built a city there, and they called the name of the city after the name of Pethor son of Aram – that is Aram-Naharayim to this day.

29 And the children of Keseḏ also went to dwell where they could find a place, and they went and they found a valley opposite to the land of Shin’ar, and they dwelt there.

30 And they built themselves a city there, and they called the name of the city, Keseḏ after the name of their father. That is the land of Kasdim to this day. And the Kasdim dwelt in that land and they were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly.

31 And Teraḥ, father of Naḥor and Aḇraham, went and took another wife in his old age, and her name was Pelilah, and she conceived and bore him a son and he called his name Tsoḇah.

32 And Teraḥ lived twenty-five years after he brought forth Tsoḇah.

33 And Teraḥ died in that year, that is, in the thirty-fifth year of the birth of Yitsḥaq son of Aḇraham.

34 And the days of Teraḥ were two hundred and five years, and he was buried in Ḥaran.

35 And Tsoḇah son of Teraḥ lived thirty years and he brought forth Aram, Aḥlith and Merik.

36 And Aram, son of Tsoḇah, son of Teraḥ, had three wives and he brought forth twelve sons and three daughters. And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 gave to Aram son of Tsoḇah, riches and possessions, and a great amount of cattle, and flocks and herds, and the man increased greatly.

37 And Aram son of Tsoḇah and his brother and all his household journeyed from Ḥaran. And they went to dwell where they should find a place, for their property was too great to remain in Ḥaran, for they could not stop in Ḥaran together with their brothers, the children of Naḥor.

38 And Aram son of Tsoḇah went with his brothers, and they found a valley at a distance toward the eastern country and they dwelt there.

39 And they also built a city there, and they called the name of it Aram, after the name of their eldest brother – that is Aram Tsoḇah to this day.

40 And Yitsḥaq son of Aḇraham was growing up in those days, and Aḇraham his father taught him the Way of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 to know 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was with him.

41 And when Yitsḥaq was thirty-seven years old, Yishma’ĕl his brother was going about with him in the tent.

42 And Yishma’ĕl boasted of himself to Yitsḥaq, saying, “I was thirteen years old when 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spoke to my father to circumcise us, and I did according to the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 which He spoke to my father, and I gave my being to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and I did not transgress His Word which He commanded my father.”

43 And Yitsḥaq answered Yishma’ĕl, saying, “Why do you boast to me about this? About a little bit of your flesh which you took from your body, concerning which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 commanded you.

44 “As 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 lives, the Elohim of my father Aḇraham, if 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 should say to my father, ‘Take now your son Yitsḥaq and offer him as an offering before Me, I would not refrain but would joyfully consent to it.”

45 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 heard the word that Yitsḥaq spoke to Yishma’ĕl, and it seemed good in the eyes of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and He thought to try Aḇraham in this matter.

46 And the day arrived when the sons of Elohim came and placed themselves before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and Satan also came with the sons of Elohim before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

47 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said to Satan, “From where do you come?” and Satan answered 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and said, “From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

48 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said to Satan, “What is your word to me concerning all the children of the earth?” and Satan answered 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and said, “I have seen all the children of the earth who serve You and remember You when they require anything from You.

49 “And when You give them the matter which they require from You, they sit at their ease, and forsake You and they remember You no more.

50 “Have You seen Aḇraham son of Teraḥ, who at first had no children, and he served You and erected altars to You wherever he came, and he brought up offerings upon them, and he proclaimed Your Name continually to all the children of the earth.

51 “And now that his son Yitsḥaq is born to him, he has forsaken You. He has made a great feast for all the inhabitants of the land, but he has forgotten 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

52 “For among all that he has done he brought You no offering; neither burnt offering nor peace offering, neither ox, lamb, nor goat of all that he slaughtered on the day that his son was weaned.

53 “Even from the time of his son’s birth till now, being thirty-seven years, he built no altar before You, nor brought any offering to You, for he saw that You gave what he requested before You, and he therefore forsook You.”

54 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said to Satan, “Have you thus considered My servant Aḇraham? For there is none like him upon earth, a perfect and an upright man before Me, one that fears Elohim and avoids evil. As I live, were I to say to him, ‘Bring up Yitsḥaq your son before Me,’ he would not withhold him from Me, much more if I told him to bring up a burnt offering before Me from his flock or herds.”

55 And Satan answered 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and said, “Speak now to Aḇraham then as You have said, and You will see whether he will not this day transgress and cast aside Your words.”