The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, toward the east, where he placed the man whom he had formed.

When the woman saw that the tree produced good food, was attractive in appearance, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. Then she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate some, too.

"Who told you that you are naked?" Godasked. "Did you eat fruit from the tree that I commanded you not to eat?"

The man answered, "The woman whom you provided for me gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate some of it."

Now Adam had named his wife "Eve," because she was to become the mother of everyone who was living.

Adah gave birth to Jabal, who became the ancestor of those who live in tents and herd livestock.

His brother was named Jubal; he became the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and the flute.

Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, who became a forger of bronze and iron work. Tubal-cain's sister was Naamah.

Seth also fathered a son, whom he named Enosh. At that time, profaning the name of the LORD began.

whom he named Noah, because he said, "May this one comfort us from our work, from pain that is caused by our manual labor, and from the ground that the LORD has cursed."

The Nephilim were on the earth at that time (and also immediately afterward), when those divine beings were having sexual relations with those human women, who gave birth to children for them. These children became the heroes and legendary figures of ancient times.

So the LORD said, "I will annihilate these human beings whom I've created from the earth, including people, animals, crawling things, and flying creatures, because I'm grieving that I made them."

All existing creatures that had lived on the surface of the ground were annihilated, from humans to livestock, from crawling creatures to birds of the sky. They were wiped off the earth. Only Noah remained, along with those who were with him in the ark.

"It's time for you, your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives who are with you to leave the ark.

Noah's sons who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham later fathered Canaan.)

Ham, who fathered Canaan, saw his father's genitals and told his two brothers outside.

These are the records of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, to whom descendants were born after the flood.

from whom the coastal nations spread into their own lands and nations, each with their own language and family groups.

Cush fathered Nimrod, who became the first fearless leader throughout the land.

Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of Milcah and Iscah.

I'll bless those who bless you, but I'll curse the one who curses you, and through you all the people of the earth will be blessed."

Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I'll give this land to your descendants." So Abram built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Abram traveled from Egypt, along with his wife and everyone who belonged to his household including Lot to the Negev.

Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks of sheep, herds, and tents.

Next they turned back and came to En-mishpat (which was also known as Kadesh) and conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, along with the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.

Someone escaped, arrived, and reported what had happened to Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, whose brothers Eshcol and Aner were allied with Abram.

When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken prisoner, he gathered together 318 of his trained men, who had been born in his household, and they went out in pursuit as far as Dan.

After Abram's return from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with them, the king of Sodom went out to meet with him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King's Valley).

and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your control." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

I will take nothing except what my warriors have eaten. But as for what belongs to the men who were allied with me, including Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, let them take their share."

A message came from the LORD to him again: "This one will not be your heir. Instead, the child who will be born to you will be your heir."

The LORD spoke to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land as an inheritance."

The angel of the LORD also told her, "I will greatly multiply your offspring, who will be too many to count.

So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are "God who sees,' because I have truly seen the one who looks after me."

That's why the spring was called, "The Well of the Living One who Looks after Me." It was between Kadesh and Bered.

Hagar eventually gave birth to Abram's son. Abram named his son whom Hagar bore Ishmael.

I'm establishing my covenant between me and you, and with your descendants who come after you, generation after generation, as an eternal covenant, to be your God and your descendants' God after you.

God continued to speak to Abraham, "You and your descendants who are born in the future are to keep my covenant that is, you and your descendants, generation after generation.

Generation after generation, every male among you is to be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth, including the servant born in your house or the one purchased from a foreigner, who is not of your offspring.

Any uncircumcised male who does not have the foreskin of his flesh circumcised on the eighth day after his birth is to be eliminated from his people because he has broken my covenant."

Now as to Isaac, I'll confirm my covenant with him, to whom Sarah will give birth as your son at this time next year."

Every man born in his household as well as those who had been purchased with money from a foreigner was circumcised with him.

Next, Abraham ran to the herd, found a choice and tender calf, and gave it to the young men, who went off in a hurry to prepare it.

They called out to Lot and asked, "Where are the men who came to visit you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!"

Look here, I have two daughters who are virgins. Let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them whatever you wish, only don't do anything to these men, because they're here under my protection."

and blinded the men who were at the entrance of the house, from the least important to the greatest, so they were unable to find the doorway.

As dawn was breaking, the angels pressured Lot. "Get going!" they told him. "Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be engulfed by the devastation that's coming to this city."

overthrowing those cities, all of the plain, and everyone who lived in the cities. He also destroyed the plants that grew out of the ground.

Then God replied to him in the dream, "I know that you did this with pure intentions, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore, I didn't allow you to touch her.

Now then, return the man's wife. As a matter of fact, he's a prophet and can intercede for you so you'll live. But if you don't return her, be aware that you and all who are yours will certainly die."

Abimelech also told Sarah, "Look! I am giving your brother 1,000 pieces of silver to vindicate you in the eyes of all who are with you. As a result, you will be completely vindicated."

Abraham named his son who was born to him Isaac the very one whom Sarah bore for him!

Now Sarah had said, "God has caused me to laugh, and all who hear about it will laugh with me."

She also said, "Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse sons? Yet I have given birth to a son in my husband's old age!"

Nevertheless, when Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian whom Hagar had borne to Abraham making fun of Isaac,

"I don't know who did this thing," Abimelech replied. "You didn't report this to me, and I didn't hear about it until today."

God said, "Please take your son, your unique son whom you love Isaac and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him as a burnt offering there on one of the mountains that I will point out to you."

Now since Ephron the Hittite had taken a seat there among the Hittites, he responded publicly to Abraham where the Hittites and everyone who was entering the gate of his city could hear him:

to Abraham in the presence of all the Hittites and everyone who was entering the city gate.

So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, "Make this solemn oath to me

as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won't acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I'm living.

"The LORD God of heaven, who brought me from my father's house and from my family's land, who spoke to me and promised me "I will give this land to your descendants,' will send his angel ahead of you, and you are to acquire a wife for my son from there.

May it be that the young woman to whom I ask, "Please, lower your jug so that I may drink,' responds, "Have a drink, and I'll water your camels as well.' May she be the one whom you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I'll know that you have shown your gracious love to my master."

"Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hasn't held back his gracious love and faithfulness from my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master's relatives!"

Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to the man and met him at the spring.

And so it was, as soon as he saw the nose ring and bracelets on his sister's wrists, and as soon as he heard what his sister Rebekah was saying about what the man had spoken to her, he went out to the man who was still standing by the camels at the spring!

"Abraham told me, "The LORD, who is with me wherever I go, will send his angel with you to make your journey successful. So you are to choose a wife for my son from my family, from my father's household.

here I am standing by the spring. May it be that the young woman who comes out to draw water, from whom I request a little water from her jug to drink,

"That's when I asked, "Whose daughter are you?' "She replied, "I'm the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore for him.'

"So I gave her a ring for her nose and bracelets for her wrists. I bowed down and worshipped the LORD, and I praised the LORD God of my master Abraham, who led me on the true way to request the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

As they were leaving, they all blessed Rebekah by saying, "Our sister, may you become the mother of tens of millions! May your descendants take over the city gates of those who hate them."

Then Rebekah and her young servant women got up, mounted their camels, and followed Abraham's servant, who took Rebekah and went on his way.

and asked the servant, "Who is that man coming in the field to meet us?"

After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac, who continued to live near Beer-lahai-roi.

Now this is what happened to Ishmael, whom Sarah's Egyptian servant Hagar bore for Abraham.

As the boys were growing up, Esau became skilled at hunting and was a man of the outdoors, but Jacob was the quiet type who tended to stay indoors.

But the herdsmen who lived in Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen. "The water is ours," they said. As a result, Isaac named the well Esek, for they had fiercely disputed with him about it.

So out he went, got them, and brought them to his mother, who then prepared some delicious food, just the way his father liked it.

who went to his father and said, "My father"" "It's me!" he replied. "Which one are you, my son?"

So Jacob approached his father, who felt him and said, "It's Jacob's voice, but Esau's hands."

May people serve and bow before you; may you be master over your brothers; may your mother's sons bow before you; may anyone who curses you be cursed; and may anyone who blesses you be blessed."

But his father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I'm Esau, your firstborn son," he answered.

At this, Isaac began to tremble violently. "Who then," he asked, "hunted some game and brought it to me to eat before you arrived, so that I've blessed him? Indeed, he is blessed."

so he went to Abraham's son Ishmael and married Ishmael's daughter Mahalath, who was the sister of Nebaioth.

Jacob journeyed on and reached the territory that belonged to the people who lived in the east.

So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

That made Jacob angry with Rachel, so he asked her, "Can I take God's place, who has not allowed you to conceive?"

Give me my wives and children for whom I've served you. Then I'll leave, since you're aware of my service to you."

If the God of my father the God of Abraham, the God whom Isaac feared had not been with me, you would have sent me away empty handed. But God saw my misery and how hard I've worked with my own hands and he rebuked you last night."

Feeling mounting terror and distress, Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, doing the same with the flocks, the cattle, and the camels.

Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, O God of my father Isaac, O LORD, you who told me, "Return to your country and to your relatives and I'll cause things to go well for you.'

To the first group he said, "When you meet my brother Esau, if he asks, "To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And to whom do these herds belong?'

He issued similar instructions to the second and third group, as well as to all the others who drove the herds that followed: "This is how you are to speak to Esau when you find him.

When Esau eventually looked around, he saw the women and the children. "Who are these people with you?" he asked.

"The children, whom God has graciously given your servant," he answered. Then the women servants approached, accompanied by their children, and bowed low.

Esau said, "Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me."

Some time later, Dinah, Leah's daughter whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land.

They told them, "We can't do this. We can't give our sister to a man who isn't circumcised, because that would be insulting to us.

All of the males who heard Hamor and his son Shechem, who had gone out to the city gate, were circumcised.

Then Jacob told Simeon and Levi, "You have certainly stirred up trouble for me! You've made me despised by the Canaanites and the Perizzites who live in this territory. Because I have only a few men with me, they're going to gather themselves together and attack me until I am totally destroyed, along with my entire household!"