ABRAHAM IS PROMISED A SON.

Abraham ſtod and quamede hem wel,
1020 Hiſ good[e] wil was hem good mel.
Quuad ðiſ on, "ðiſ time oðer ger,
Sal ic me to ðe taunen her;
Bi ðan ſal ſarra ſelðe timen,
1024 ðat ge ſal of a ſune trimen."
Abraham is promised a son.
ðanne herde ſarra ſwilc tiding,
And it hire ðogte a ſelli ðhing,
for ghe waſ nigenti winter hold,
1028 Abraham on wane of an hundred told;
Sarah heard the words of the Lord.
Ghe glente and ðhogte, migte it nogt ben,
And ghe ðat ſulde her wið childe be ſen;
She did not believe them.
And Abraham trewid it ful wel,
1032 And it wurð ſoð binnen ſwilc ſel.
Abraham, however, trowed it full well.
Fro mambre dale wente ðo ðre,
to-ward ſodome geden he;
Quad ðe louered, "wile ic nogt ſtelen,
Then the three went towards Sodom.
1036 Ne min dede abraham helen;
Ic cume to ſen ðat ſinne dwale
ðat iſ me told of mirieſ dale."
The destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham.
ðo adde abram iſ herte ſor,
1040 for loth hiſ newe wunede ðor.
He is in great grief on account of Lot.
"Louerd," quad he, "hu ſaltu don,
If ðu ſalt nimen wreche ðor on;
He intercedes for the wicked cities.
Salt ðu nogt ðe rigt-wiſe weren,
1044 Or for hem ðe toðere með beren?"
[Fol. 21.]
Quad god, "find ic ðor ten or mo,
Ic ſal meðen ðe ſtede for ðo."
Durſte Abraham freinen nunmor,
God promises to spare the cities for the sake of five righteous.
1048 Oc wente agen wið herte ſor;
And god at-wot in-to hiſe ligt,
ðo to gon to ſodome rigt.
Abraham departs sore at heart.
Sunne iſ weſt under erðe numen,
1052 Quuanne he ben to ſodome cumen;
At even two angels came to Sodom.
Get ſat loth at ðe burges gate,
After ſum geſte ſtod him quake;[[138]]
Lot sat at the city's gate, and seeing them,

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