(from One New Man Bible translated by William Morford)

Lekh-L’kha

12.1. Now the LORD* had said to Abram, “Get yourself out of here! From your country and from your kindred and from your father’s house to a land that I shall show you. (Acts 7:3) 2. And I shall make a great nation of you, and I shall bless you and make your name great and you will be a blessing. 3. And I shall bless those who bless you and curse the one who curses you: and in you will all families of the earth be blessed.” (Num. 24:9, Gal. 3:8) 4. So Abram departed, as the LORD* had spoken to him and Lot went with him, and Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the souls that they had made in Haran: and they left to go into the land of Canaan, and they came into the land of Canaan. (Heb. 11:8) 6. And Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. (Heb. 11:12)

12:7. And the LORD* appeared to Abram and said, “I shall give this land to your seed.” (Acts 7:5) And he built an altar there to the LORD*, Who appeared to him. 8. And he went from there to a mountain on the east of Beit-El and pitched his tent, having Beit-El on the west and Ai on the east, and there he built an altar to the LORD* and called upon the name of the LORD*. 9. And Abram journeyed, still going on toward the south.

12:10. Then there was a famine in the land and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land. 11. And it happened when he came near to enter Egypt that he said to Sarai his wife, “Behold now, I know that you are a fair woman to look upon. 12. Therefore it will be, when the Egyptians will see you that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ And they will kill me, but they will save you alive. 13. Say, I pray you, that you are my sister so it may be well with me for your sake and my soul will live because of you.”

12:14. And it was that when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. 15. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16. And he treated Abram well for her sake and he had sheep, oxen, he-donkeys, men servants, maid servants, she-donkeys, and camels. 17. And the LORD* plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister?’ so that I took her to be my wife. Now therefore behold your wife, take her and go your way.” 20. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him. And they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

Return to Promised Land

13.1. And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, his wife, and all that he had, and Lot traveled with him to the south, Negev of Israel. 2. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3. And he went on his journeys from the south as far as Beit-El, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and Ai, 4. to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD*.

13:5. And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, herds, and tents. 6. And the land was not able to bear them, so they could dwell together, for their possessions were great, so that they could not dwell together. 7. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle. And the Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelled in the land.

13:8. And Abram said to Lot, “There must be no strife, I pray you, between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. 9. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me, I pray you, if you will take the left hand, then I shall go to the right, or if you go to the right hand, then I shall go to the left.

13:10. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and looked at the whole plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere before the LORD* destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even like the garden of the LORD*, like the land of Egypt, as you come to Zoar.

11. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan and Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves the one from the other.

13:12. Abram lived in the land of Canaan and Lot lived in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13. But the people of Sodom were exceedingly bad and sinners before the LORD*.

13:14. And the LORD* said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look northward from the place where you are, then southward and eastward and westward, 15. for I shall give to you and to your seed forever all the land that you see. (Acts 13:15) 16. And I shall make your seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed will also be numbered. 17. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for I shall give it to you.” 18. Then Abram removed his tent and came and lived in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD*.

Abram’s Army of Disciples

14.1. And it happened in the days of Amrafel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim 2. made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which  is  Zoar. 3. All these were joined together in the Valley of Siddim, which is the Salt Sea. 4. They served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, then, in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5. And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings with him came and struck the Rephaim in Ashtoreth Karnaim and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-Kiriathaim. 6. And the Horites in their Mount Seir, to El-Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7. And they returned and came to En-Mishpat, which is Kadesh, and struck all the country of the Amalekites and also the Amorites who dwelled in Hazezon-tamar.

14:8. And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar) went out and they joined battle with them in the Valley of Siddim, 9. with Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amrafel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings with five.

14:10. And the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there, and those who remained fled to the mountain.

11. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and went their way. 12. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelled in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

14:13. And one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelled in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshkol and brother of Aner: and these were allies with Abram. 14. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his disciples, born in his own house, three hundred eighteen, and pursued them to Dan. 15. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and struck them and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand, north, of Damascus. 16. And he brought back all the goods, and also again brought his brother Lot and his goods and also the women and the people.

14:17. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and of the kings that were with him, at the Valley of Shaveh, which is the King’s Valley. 18. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine and he was the priest of the Most High God. 19. And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, Possessor of Heaven and Earth. 20. And blessed be the Most High God, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him tithes of all. (Heb. 7:2)

14:21. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and take the goods for yourself.”

14:22. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand to the LORD*, the Most High God, the Possessor of Heaven and Earth, 23. that  I shall not take even from a thread to a shoe-strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich. 24. Far be it from me! Only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me; Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.”

Heir Promised 

15.1. After these things the word of the LORD* came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be in awe, Abram! I AM your Shield! Your reward will be exceedingly great.” 2. And Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?” 3. And Abram said, “Behold, to me You have given no seed, and one born in my house is my heir.” 4. And, behold, the word of the LORD* came to him saying, “This one will not be your heir, but he that will come out of your own being will be your heir.” 5. And He brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So will your seed be.”   (Rom. 4:18) 6. And he believed in the LORD*, and He counted it to him for acts of loving kindness. (Rom. 4:3, Gal. 3:6, Jcb. 2:24) 7. And He said to him, “I AM the LORD* Who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it. 8. And he said, “Adonai, LORD*, how will I know that I shall inherit it?”

Covenant Between the Parts

15:9. And He said to him, “Take a heifer for Me, three years old, and a three year old she-goat, and a three year old ram, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.” 10. And he took all these to Him, and divided them down the middle, and laid each piece one opposite another, but he did not divide the bird.

15:11. And when the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. 13. And He said to Abram, “Know of a surety that your seed will be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and will serve them and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14. And also that I AM will judge that nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. (Exod. 11:2, Acts 7:6,7) 15. And you will go to your fathers in peace: you will be buried in a good old age. 16. But in the fourth generation they will return here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”

15:17. And it was that when the sun went down and it was dark, there was a smoking furnace and a burning flame that passed between those pieces. 18. On the same day the LORD* cut a covenant with Abram saying, “To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: 19. the Kenite, the Kenizite, the Kadmonite, 20. the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Rephaim,

21. the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Gergashite, and the Jebusite.”

Hagar & Ishmael

16.1. Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children, but she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2. And Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD* has restrained me from bearing. Please, go in to my maid. It may be that I may obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3. And Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar her Egyptian maid, after Abram had dwelled ten years in the land of Canaan and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4. And he went in to Hagar and she conceived and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5. And Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong is upon you, It’s your fault! I have given my maid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. The LORD* judge between me and you.”

6. But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold your maid is in your hand. Do to her as it pleases you.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her face.

16:7. And the angel of the LORD* found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur. 8. And he said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where did you come from? And where will you go?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.” 9. And the angel of the LORD* said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit yourself to her.” 10. And the angel of the LORD* said to her, “I shall multiply your seed exceedingly, that it will not be numbered for multitude.” 11. And the angel of the LORD* said to her, “Behold, you are with child and will bear a son, and will call his name Ishmael because the LORD* has heard your affliction 12. And Ishmael will be a wild man. His hand will be against every man and every man’s hand against him, and he will dwell in the presence of all his brothers.” 13. And she called the name of the LORD* that spoke to her, “You are El-Ro’i,” for she said, “Have I also here looked after Him Who sees me? 14. Therefore the well was called “Beer-Lakhai-Ro’i.” Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. 15. And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called his son’s name that Hagar bore, Ishmael.

16. And Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

The LORD* Gives a Covenant

17.1. And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD* appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I AM the Almighty God! Walk before Me and be perfect. 2. And I will give My covenant between Me and you and will multiply you exceedingly.”

3. And Abram fell on his face and God talked with him saying, 4. “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be a father of many nations.

Name Changed to Abraham

17:5. “Neither shall your name any more be called Avram, but your name shall be Avraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6. And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you. 7. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you, and to your seed after you. 8. And I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

17:9. And God said to Avraham, “Therefore you shall keep My covenant, you, and your seed after you in their generations. 10. This is My covenant, which you will keep, between Me and you and your seed after you. Every man child among you will be circumcised. (Acts 7:8) 11. And you will circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it will be a token of the covenant between Me and you. 12. And he that is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male in your generations, he that is born in the house or bought with money from any stranger who is not of your seed. 13. He that is born in your house and he that is bought with your money must definitely be circumcised. And My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14. And the uncircumcised male whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

17:15. And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you will not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah. 16. And I shall bless her and give you a son also from her. Yes, I will bless her and she will be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will be of her.”

17:17. Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him that is a hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18. And Abraham said to God, “Oh! That Ishmael might live before you!” 19. And God said, “Sarah your wife will indeed bear a son for you; and you will call his name Isaac. And I shall establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. (Heb. 11:11) 20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He will beget twelve princes and I shall make him a great nation. 21. But I shall ratify My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time in the next year.”

17:22. And He left off talking with him and God went up from Abraham.

17:23. And Abraham took Ishmael his son and all that were born in his house and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on the same day that God told him. 24. And Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26. Abraham and Ishmael his son were circumcised on the same day. 27. And all the men of his house, born in the house and bought with money from the foreigner were circumcised with him.

Next week’s Torah readings: Vayeira

(from One New Man Bible translated by William Morford)