The .xxvi. Chapter.

ANd there fell a derth in y^e lande/ passinge the first derth y^t fell in the dayes of Abraham. Wherfore Isaac went vnto Abimelech kinge of y^e Philistiãs vnto Gerar. Thẽ the LORde apeared vnto him & sayde goo not doune in to Egipte/ but byde in y^e land which I saye vnto y^e: Sogeorne in this lãde/ & I wyll be with y^e & wyll blesse y^e: for vnto the & vnto thy sede I will geue all these cõtreis And I will performe the oothe which I swore vnto Abrahã thy father/ & will multiplye thy seed as y^e starres of heavẽ/ & will geue vnto thy seed all these contreis. And thorow thy seed shall all the natiõs of the erth be blessed/ because y^t Abrahã harkened vnto mi voyce & kepte mine ordinaũces/ cõmaũdmẽtes/ statutes & lawes

And Isaac dwelled in Gerar. And y^e mẽ of the place asked hĩ of his wife/ & he sayde y^t she was his sister: for he feared to calle her his wife lest the mẽ of the place shulde haue kylled hym for hir sake/ because she was bewtyfull to y^e eye. And it happened after he had bene there longe tyme/ y^t Abimelech kinge of y^e Philistiãs loked out at a wyndow & sawe Isaac sportinge with Rebecca his wife. And Abimelech sende for Isaac & sayde: se/ she is of a suertie thi wife/ and why saydest thou y^t she was thi sister? And Isaac saide vnto hĩ: I thought y^t I mighte peradventure haue dyed for hir sake. Thẽ sayde Abimelech: whi hast thou done this vnto vs? one of y^e people myght lightely haue lyne by thy wife & so shuldest thou haue broughte synne vpon vs Thã Abimelech charged all his people saynge: he y^t toucheth this man or his wife/ shall surely dye for it.

And Isaac sowed in y^e lãde/ & founde in y^e same yere an hũdred bushels: for y^e LORde blessed hĩ/ & the man waxed mightye/ & wẽt forth & grewe till he was exceadinge great/ y^t he had possessiõ of shepe/ of oxẽ & a myghtie housholde: so y^t the Philestians had envy at him: In so moch y^t they stopped & fylled vp with erth/ all the welles which his fathers servauntes dygged in his father Abrahams tyme. Than sayde Abimelech vnto Isaac: gett the frõ me/ for thou art myghtier then we a greate deale.

Than Isaac departed thense & pitched his tente in the valey Gerar & dwelt there. And Isaac digged agayne/ the welles of water which they dygged in the dayes of Abrahã his father which the Philestiãs had stoppe after y^e deth of Abrahã/ & gaue thẽ the same names which hys father gaue thẽ. As Isaacs seruaũtes dygged in the valey/ they founde a well of springynge water. And the herdmẽ of Gerar dyd stryue with Isaacs herdmẽ saynge: the water is oures Than called he the well Eseck because they stroue with hym.

Than dygged they another well/ & they stroue for y^t also. Therfore called he it Sitena. And than he departed thẽse & dygged a nother well for the which they stroue not: therfore called he it Rehoboth saĩge: y^e LORde hath now made vs rowme & we are encreased vpõ the erth. Afterward departed he thẽce & came to Berseba

And the LORde apered vnto hĩ the same nyghte & sayde. I am the God of Abrahã thy father/ feare not for I am with the & will blesse the & multiplye thy sede for my seruaũte Abrahams sake. And than he buylded an aulter there and called vpõ the name of the LORde/ & there pitched his tente. And there Isaacs servauntes dygged a well.

Than came Abimelech to him frõ Gerar & Ahusath his frende and Phicol his chefe captayne. And Isaac sayde vnto thẽ: wherfore come ye to me/ seĩge ye hate me & haue put me awaye frõ you? Than sayde they: we sawe that the LORde was with the/ and therfore we sayde that there shulde be an oothe betwixte vs ãd the/ & that we wolde make a bonde with the: y^t thou shuldeste do vs no hurte/ as we haue not touched the and haue done vnto the nothinge but good/ and sẽd the awaye in peace: for thou art now the blessed of the LORde. And he made thẽ a feast/ and they ate ãd drõke. And they rose vp by tymes in the mornynge and sware one to another. And Isaac sent thẽ awaye. And they departed from him in peace.

And y^t same daye came Isaacs servaũtes & tolde hĩ of a well which they had dygged: & sayde vnto hĩ/ that thei had founde water. And he called it Seba/ wherfore the name of the cyte is called Berseba vnto this daye.