Section 82
Mitsrayim And we could also inform you that when Elohim had given to Avraham glory and riches, he lacked a son. And Sarah and Avraham talked together on their bed, and he said to her, “ you are barren, 55 and she said to him, “ It is not Twho am barren but thyself; and they continued to discuss the matter and to dispute together about it. And there came a famine in the land of Kena'an, and Avraham heard that there was some food in the land of Mitsrayim, the country of Pharaoh. And when he had spent all his possessions in charity to the poor during the days of the famine, without providing for the morrow, the famine waxed strong in the land of Kena'an, and he lacked food to eat. And he said, “ I give thanks to Elohim that what He has given to me I have expended on my servants. But as for you, my sister Sarah, come, let us go into the land of Mitsrayim in order to save ourselves from death by famine. And she said to him, “ your will be done, O my Yahuah, and if you die I will die with you, and if you live I will live with you; it is not for me to gainsay your word for ever. And then they rose up and set out on their journey. And when they drew nigh [to Mitsrayim] Avraham said to Sarah, “ One thing I must ask of you, and do you what I ask of you; and Sarah said, “ Speak, my Yahuah. And he said to her, “ I have heard that the habits of the Egyptians are lawless, and that they live in idolatry and fornication. And when they have seen you they will plot evil against me, and slay me because of the goodliness of your beautiful form; for there is among them no one that can be compared to you. And now, in order that you mayest save my life, do you say, if they happen to ask you questions about me, £ I am his sister, 5 so that you mayest save my soul from death by the hand of the strangers.’’ And Sarah said, “ your will shall be done. The word which you tellest me I will speak, and what you tellest me to do I will do.” And they wept and worshipped Elohim, and they came into the great city of the King of Mitsrayim. And when the Egyptians saw Avraham and Sarah they marvelled at the beauty of their appearance, for they imagined that they had been brought forth by the same mother. And they said to Avraham, “ What is this woman to you? ” And Avraham said to them, “ She is my sister.” And they also asked Sarah “ What is this man to you? ” And she said to them, “ He is my brother.” Therefore did the people make a report to Pharaoh that a pair of goodly form had arrived, one a woman and the other a young man, and that there was no one like to them in all the land. And Pharaoh rejoiced, and he sent a message to Avraham, saying, “ Give me your sister that I may betroth her to myself.” And Avraham pondered in his mind, saying, “ If I keep her back he will kill me and take her ”; and he said, “ Do so, provided that you do make me well content.” And Pharaoh gave him one thousand silver taflahet, 1 and took Sarah to make her his wife. And he brought her into his house, and set her upon his bed and Pharaoh the King of Mitsrayim would have companied with her. But the Malak of the Yahuah appeared to him by night carrying a sword of fire, and he drew nigh to him, and he lighted up the whole chamber with his fiery flame, and he wished to slay Pharaoh. And Pharaoh fled from one wall of the chamber to the other, and from one corner of the chamber to the other; wheresoever he went the Malak followed him; and there was no place left whereto he could flee and hide himself. Then Pharaoh stretched out his hands and said to the Malak, “ O Yahuah, forgive me this my sin.” And the Malak said to him, “ Why do you attack the wife of [another] man? ” And Pharaoh said to him, “ O Yahuah, slay you not innocent blood. For he said to me ‘ She is my sister,’ and therefore I took her to myself innocently. What shall I do to deliver myself from your hands? ” And the Malak said to him, “ Give Avraham’s wife back to him, and give him a gift, and send him away to his own country.” And straightway Pharaoh called Avraham, and gave to him his wife Sarah, together with a handmaiden whose name was ’Agar (Hagar), and he gave to him gold, and silver, and costly apparel, and sent him away in peace. And Avraham and his wife returned to their country in peace. And Sarah said to Avraham, “ I know that I am barren. Go you in to this my handmaiden whom Pharaoh gave to me; perhaps Elohim will give you seed in her. As for me, my person is shrunk and withered, and the flower of my body has dried up.” And she gave ’Agar to him. And Avraham went in to ’Agar, and she conceived by him, and she brought forth a son and called his name Yishma'el, which is, being interpreted, “ Elohim has heard me.” And afterwards Elohim gave Avraham seed from his wife Sarah and he begat Yitsḥaq. And afterwards Sarah became jealous of Yishma'el, the son of her handmaiden, because he would reach manhood before her son, and she said, “ perhaps he will slay my son and inherit his father’s house.” And Avraham offered up offerings to Elohim and said, “ Yahuah, what shall I do in respect of Yishma'el, my son, my firstborn? I wish him to live for me before you, but Sarah, my sister, is jealous because you hast given me seed in her old age.” Now Yishma'el was fourteen years old before Yitsḥaq was born. And Elohim said to Avraham, “ What Sarah says is true; cast out the handmaiden with her son Yishma'el. Let Yishma'el live before Me, and I will make him a great nation, and he shall beget twelve nations and shall reign over them. And I will establish My Kidan with Yitsḥaq My servant, the son of Sarah, and in him I will bless all the nations of the earth, and I will make for him a great kingdom over all the nations of the earth, and in the heavens also I will make him king.’’