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           Title: The King James Version of the Holy Bible
      Creator(s): Anonymous
          Rights: Public Domain
   CCEL Subjects: All; Bible; Old Testament; New Testament; Apocrypha
      LC Call no: BS185
   LC Subjects:

   The Bible

   Modern texts and versions

   English
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Holy Bible

                               King James Version
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   TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE JAMES, BY THE GRACE OF GOD,


   KING OF GREAT BRITIAN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND,


   DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, ETC.


   THE TRANSLATORS OF THE BIBLE WISH GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE,


   THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR Lord


   Great and manifold were the blessings, most dread Sovereign, which
   Almighty God, the Father of all mercies, bestowed upon us the people of
   England, when first he sent Your Majesty's Royal Person to rule and
   reign over us. For whereas it was the expectation of many, who wished
   not well unto our Sion, that, upon the setting of that bright
   Occindental Star, Queen Elizabeth, of most happy memory, some thick and
   palpable clouds of darkness would so have overshadowed this land, that
   men should have been in doubt which way they were to walk, and that it
   should hardly be known who was to direct the unsettled State; the
   appearance of Your Majesty, as of the Sun in his strength, instantly
   dispelled those supposed and surmised mists, and gave unto all that
   were well affected exceeding cause of comfort; especially when we
   beheld the Government established in Your Highness, and Your hopeful
   Seed, by an undoubted Title; and this also accompanied with peace and
   tranquillity at home and abroad.

   But among all of our joys, there was no one that more filled our hearts
   than the blessed continuance of the preaching of God's sacred Word
   among us, which is that inestimable treasure which excelleth all the
   riches of the earth; because the fruit thereof extendeth itself, not
   only to the time spent in this transitory world, but directeth and
   disposeth men unto that eternal happiness which is above in heaven.

   Then not to suffer this fall to the ground, but rather to take it up,
   and to continue it in that state wherein the famous Predecessor of Your
   Highness did leave it; nay, to go forward with the confidence and
   resolution of a man, in maintaining the truth of Christ, and
   propagating it far and near is that which hath so bound and firmly knit
   the hearts of all Your Majesty's loyal and religious people unto You,
   that Your very name is precious among them: their eye doth behold You
   with comfort, and they bless You in their hearts, as that sanctified
   Person, who, under God, is the immediate author of their true
   happiness. And this their contentment doth not diminish or decay, but
   every day increaseth and taketh strength, when they observe that the
   zeal of Your Majesty toward the house of God doth not slack or go
   backward, but is more and more kindled, manifesting itself abroad in
   the farthest parts of Christendom, by writing in defence of the truth,
   (which hath given such a blow unto that Man of Sin as will not be
   healed,) and every day at home, by religious and learned discourse, by
   frequenting the house of God, by hearing the Word preached, by
   cherishing the teachers thereof, by caring for the Church, as a most
   tender and loving nursing father.

   There are infinite arguments of this right Christian and religious
   affection in Your Majesty; but none is more forcible to declare it to
   others than the vehement and perpetuated desire of accomplishing and
   publishing of this work, which now, with all humility, we present unto
   Your Majesty. For when Your Highness had once, out of deep judgement,
   apprehended how convenient it was, that, out of the Original sacred
   Tongues, together with comparing of the labours, both in our own and
   other foreign languages, of many worthy men who went before us, there
   should be one more exact translation of the Holy Scriptures into the
   English tongue; Your Majesty did never desist to urge and to excite
   those to whom it was commended, that the Work might be hastened, and
   that the business might be expedited in so decent a manner, as a matter
   of such importance might justly require.

   And now at last, by the mercy of God, and the continuance of our
   labours, it being brought unto such a conclusion, as that we have great
   hopes that the Church of England shall reap good fruit thereby, we hold
   it our duty to offer it to Your Majesty, not only as to our King and
   Sovereign, but as to the principal mover and author of the Work; humbly
   craving of your most Sacred Majesty, that, since things of this quality
   have ever been subject to the censures of ill-meaning and discontented
   persons, it may receive approbation and patronage from so learned and
   judicious a Prince as Your Highness is; whose allowance and acceptance
   of our labours shall more honour and encourage us, than all the
   calumniations and hard interpretations of other men shall dismay us. So
   that if, on the one side, we shall be traduced by Popish persons at
   home or abroad, who therefore will malign us, because we are poor
   instruments to make God's holy truth to be yet more and more known unto
   the people, whom they desire still to keep in ignorance and darkness;
   or if, on the other side, we shall be maligned by self-conceited
   brethren, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing but what
   is framed by themselves, and hammered on their anvil, we may rest
   secure, supported within by the truth and innocency of a good
   conscience, having walked the ways of simplicity and integrity, as
   before the Lord, and sustained without by the powerful protection of
   Your Majesty's grace and favour, which will ever give countenance to
   honest and Christian endeavours against bitter censures and
   uncharitable imputations.

   The Lord of heaven and earth bless Your Majesty with many and happy
   days, that, as his heavenly hand hath enriched Your Highness with many
   singular and extraordinary graces, so You may be the wonder of the
   world in this latter age for happiness and true felicity, to the honour
   of that great God, and the good of his Church, through Jesus Christ our
   Lord and only Saviour.
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THE TRANSLATORS TO THE READER

  Preface to the King James Version of 1611

  THE BEST THINGS HAVE BEEN CULMINATED

   Zeal to promote the common good, whether it be by devising anything
   ourselves, or revising that which hath been laboured by others,
   deserveth certainly much respect and esteem, but yet findeth but cold
   entertainment in the world. It is welcomed with suspicion instead of
   love, and with emulation instead of thanks: and if there be any hole
   left for cavil to enter, (and cavil, if it do not find a hole, will
   make one) it is sure to be misconstrued, and in danger to be condemned.
   This will easily be granted by as many as know story, or have any
   experience. For, was there ever any-projected, that savoured any way of
   newness or renewing, but the same endured many a storm of gainsaying,
   or opposition? A man would think that Civility, wholesome Laws,
   learning and eloquence, Synods, and Church-maintenance, (that we speak
   of no more things of this kind) should be as safe as a Sanctuary, and
   out of shot, as they say, that no man would lift up the heel, no, nor
   dog move his tongue against the motioners of them. For by the first, we
   are distinguished from brute beasts lead with sensuality; By the
   second, we are bridled and restrained from outrageous behaviour, and
   from doing of injuries, whether by fraud or by violence; By the third,
   we are enabled to inform and reform others, by the light and feeling
   that we have attained unto ourselves; Briefly, by the fourth being
   brought together to a parley face to face, we sooner compose our
   differences than by writings which are endless; And lastly, that the
   Church be sufficiently provided for, is so agreeable to good reason and
   conscience, that those mothers are holden to be less cruel, that kill
   their children as soon as they are born, than those nursing fathers and
   mothers (wheresoever they be) that withdraw from them who hang upon
   their breasts (and upon whose breasts again themselves do hang to
   receive the Spiritual and sincere milk of the word) livelihood and
   support fit for their estates. Thus it is apparent, that these things
   which we speak of, are of most necessary use, and therefore, that none,
   either without absurdity can speak against them, or without note of
   wickedness can spurn against them.

   Yet for all that, the learned know that certain worthy men [Anacharsis
   with others] have been brought to untimely death for none other fault,
   but for seeking to reduce their Countrymen to god order and discipline;
   and that in some Commonwealths [e.g. Locri] it was made a capital
   crime, once to motion the making of a new Law for the abrogating of an
   old, though the same were most pernicious; And that certain [Cato the
   elder], which would be counted pillars of the State, and patterns of
   Virtue and Prudence, could not be brought for a long time to give way
   to good Letters and refined speech, but bare themselves as averse from
   them, as from rocks or boxes of poison; And fourthly, that he was no
   babe, but a great clerk [Gregory the Divine], that gave forth (and in
   writing to remain to posterity) in passion peradventure, but yet he
   gave forth, that he had not seen any profit to come by any Synod, or
   meeting of the Clergy, but rather the contrary; And lastly, against
   Church-maintenance and allowance, in such sort, as the Ambassadors and
   messengers of the great King of Kings should be furnished, it is not
   unknown what a fiction or fable (so it is esteemed, and for no better
   by the reporter himself [Nauclerus], though superstitious) was devised;
   Namely, that at such a time as the professors and teachers of
   Christianity in the Church of Rome, then a true Church, were liberally
   endowed, a voice forsooth was heard from heaven, saying: Now is poison
   poured down into the Church, etc. Thus not only as oft as we speak, as
   one saith, but also as oft as we do anything of note or consequence, we
   subject ourselves to everyone's censure, and happy is he that is least
   tossed upon tongues; for utterly to escape the snatch of them it is
   impossible. If any man conceit, that this is the lot and portion of the
   meaner sort only, and that Princes are privileged by their high estate,
   he is deceived. "As the sword devoureth as well one as the other," as
   it is in Samuel [2 Sam 11:25], nay as the great Commander charged his
   soldiers in a certain battle, to strike at no part of the enemy, but at
   the face; And as the King of Syria commanded his chief Captains to
   "fight neither with small nor great, save only against the King of
   Israel:" [1 Kings 22:31] so it is too true, that Envy striketh most
   spitefully at the fairest, and at the chiefest. David was a worthy
   Prince, and no man to be compared to him for his first deeds, and yet
   for as worthy as act as ever he did (even for bringing back the Ark of
   God in solemnity) he was scorned and scoffed at by his own wife [2 Sam
   6:16]. Solomon was greater than David, though not in virtue, yet in
   power: and by his power and wisdom he built a Temple to the Lord, such
   a one as was the glory of the land of Israel, and the wonder of the
   whole world. But was that his magnificence liked of by all? We doubt
   it. Otherwise, why do they lay it in his son's dish, and call unto him
   for easing the burden, "Make", say they, "the grievous servitude of thy
   father, and his sore yoke, lighter?" [1 Kings 12:4] Belike he had
   charged them with some levies, and troubled them with some carriages;
   Hereupon they raise up a tragedy, and wish in their heart the Temple
   had never been built. So hard a thing it is to please all, even when we
   please God best, and do seek to approve ourselves to every ones
   conscience.

   If we will descend to later times, we shall find many the like examples
   of such kind, or rather unkind acceptance. The first Roman Emperor [C.
   Caesar. Plutarch] did never do a more pleasing deed to the learned, nor
   more profitable to posterity, for conserving the record of times in
   true supputation; than when he corrected the Calendar, and ordered the
   year according to the course of the Sun; and yet this was imputed to
   him for novelty, and arrogance, and procured to him great obloguy. So
   the first Christened Emperor [Constantine] (at the least-wise that
   openly professed the faith himself, and allowed others to do the like)
   for strengthening the Empire at his great charges, and providing for
   the Church, as he did, got for his labour the name Pupillus, as who
   would say, a wasteful Prince, that had need of a Guardian or overseer
   [Aurel. Victor]. So the best Christened Emperor [Theodosius], for the
   love that he bare unto peace, thereby to enrich both himself and his
   subjects, and because he did not see war but find it, was judged to be
   no man at arms [Zosimus], (though indeed he excelled in feats of
   chivalry, and showed so much when he was provoked) and condemned for
   giving himself to his ease, and to his pleasure. To be short, the most
   learned Emperor of former times [Justinian], (at the least, the
   greatest politician) what thanks had he for cutting off the
   superfluities of the laws, and digesting them into some order and
   method? This, that he had been blotted by some to be an Epitomist, that
   is, one that extinguishes worthy whole volumes, to bring his
   abridgments into request. This is the measure that hath been rendered
   to excellent Princes in former times, even, Cum bene facerent, male
   audire, For their good deeds to be evil spoken of. Neither is there any
   likelihood, that envy and malignity died, and were buried with the
   ancient. No, no, the reproof of Moses taketh hold of most ages; "You
   are risen up in your fathers' stead, and increase of sinful men." [Num
   32:14] "What is that that hath been done? that which shall be done; and
   there is no new thing under the Sun," saith the wiseman: [Ecc 1:9] and
   S. Stephen, "As your fathers did, so do you." [Acts 7:51]

   HIS MAJESTY'S CONSTANCY, NOTWITHSTANDING CULMINATION, FOR THE SURVEY OF
   THE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

   This, and more to this purpose, His Majesty that now reigneth (and
   long, and long may he reign, and his offspring forever, "Himself and
   children, and children's always) knew full well, according to the
   singular wisdom given unto him by God, and the rare learning and
   experience that he hath attained unto; namely that whosoever attempteth
   anything for the public (especially if it pertain to Religion, and to
   the opening and clearing of the word of God) the same setteth himself
   upon a stage to be gloated upon by every evil eye, yea, he casteth
   himself headlong upon pikes, to be gored by every sharp tongue. For he
   that medleth with men's Religion in any part, medleth with their
   custom, nay, with their freehold; and though they find no content in
   that which they have, yet they cannot abide to hear of altering.
   Notwithstanding his Royal heart was not daunted or discouraged for this
   that colour, but stood resolute, "as a statue immovable, and an anvil
   not easy to be beaten into plates," as one [Suidas] saith; he knew who
   had chosen him to be a Soldier, or rather a Captain, and being assured
   that the course which he intended made for the glory of God, and the
   building up of his Church, he would not suffer it to be broken off for
   whatsoever speeches or practices. It doth certainly belong unto Kings,
   yea, it doth specially belong unto them, to have care of Religion, yea,
   it doth specially belong unto them, to have care of Religion, yea, to
   know it aright, yea, to profess it zealously, yea to promote it to the
   uttermost of their power. This is their glory before all nations which
   mean well, and this will bring unto them a far most excellent weight of
   glory in the day of the Lord Jesus. For the Scripture saith not in
   vain, "Them that honor me, I will honor," [1 Sam 2:30] neither was it a
   vain word that Eusebius delivered long ago, that piety towards God was
   the weapon and the only weapon, that both preserved Constantine's
   person, and avenged him of his enemies [Eusebius lib 10 cap 8].

   THE PRAISE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

   But now what piety without truth? what truth (what saving truth)
   without the word of God? What word of God (whereof we may be sure)
   without the Scripture? The Scriptures we are commanded to search. John
   5:39. Isa 8:20. They are commended that searched and studied them. Acts
   17:11 and 8:28,29. They are reproved that were unskillful in them, or
   slow to believe them. Matt 22:29. Luke 24:25. They can make us wise
   unto salvation. 2 Tim 3:15. If we be ignorant, they will instruct us;
   if out of the way, they will bring us home; if out of order, they will
   reform us; if in heaviness, comfort us; if dull, quicken us; if cold,
   inflame us. Tolle, lege; Tolle, lege, Take up and read, take up and
   read the Scriptures [S. August. confess. lib 8 cap 12], (for unto them
   was the direction) it was said unto S. Augustine by a supernatural
   voice. "Whatsoever is in the Scriptures, believe me," saith the same S.
   Augustine, "is high and divine; there is verily truth, and a doctrine
   most fit for the refreshing of men's minds, and truly so tempered, that
   everyone may draw from thence that which is sufficient for him, if he
   come to draw with a devout and pious mind, as true Religion requireth."
   [S. August. de utilitcredendi cap. 6] Thus S. Augustine. and S. Jerome:
   "Ama scripturas, et amabit te sapientia etc." [S. Jerome. ad Demetriad]
   Love the Scriptures, and wisdom will love thee. And S. Cyril against
   Julian; "Even boys that are bred up in the Scriptures, become most
   religious, etc. [S. Cyril. 7 contra Iulianum] But what mention we three
   or four uses of the Scripture, whereas whatsoever is to be believed or
   practiced, or hoped for, is contained in them? or three or four
   sentences of the Fathers, since whosoever is worthy the name of a
   Father, from Christ's time downward, hath likewise written not only of
   the riches, but also of the perfection of the Scripture? "I adore the
   fulness of the Scripture," saith Tertullian against Hermogenes.
   [Tertul. advers. Hermo.] And again, to Apelles an heretic of the like
   stamp, he saith; "I do not admit that which thou bringest in (or
   concludest) of thine own (head or store, de tuo) without Scripture."
   [Tertul. de carne Christi.] So Saint Justin Martyr before him; "We must
   know by all means," saith he, "that it is not lawful (or possible) to
   learn (anything) of God or of right piety, save only out of the
   Prophets, who teach us by divine inspiration." So Saint Basil after
   Tertullian, "It is a manifest falling way from the Faith, and a fault
   of presumption, either to reject any of those things that are written,
   or to bring in (upon the head of them) any of those things that are not
   written. We omit to cite to the same effect, S. Cyril B. of Jerusalem
   in his 4::Cataches., Saint Jerome against Helvidius, Saint Augustine in
   his 3::book against the letters of Petilian, and in very many other
   places of his works. Also we forebear to descend to later Fathers,
   because we will not weary the reader. The Scriptures then being
   acknowledged to be so full and so perfect, how can we excuse ourselves
   of negligence, if we do not study them, of curiosity, if we be not
   content with them? Men talk much of [an olive bow wrapped about with
   wood, whereupon did hang figs, and bread, honey in a pot, and oil], how
   many sweet and goodly things it had hanging on it; of the Philosopher's
   stone, that it turned copper into gold; of Cornucopia, that it had all
   things necessary for food in it, of Panaces the herb, that it was good
   for diseases, of Catholicon the drug, that it is instead of all purges;
   of Vulcan's armor, that it was an armor of proof against all thrusts,
   and all blows, etc. Well, that which they falsely or vainly attributed
   to these things for bodily god, we may justly and with full measure
   ascribe unto the Scripture, for spiritual. It is not only an armor, but
   also a whole armory of weapons, both offensive and defensive; whereby
   we may save ourselves and put the enemy to flight. It is not an herb,
   but a tree, or rather a whole paradise of trees of life, which bring
   forth fruit every month, and the fruit thereof is for meat, and the
   leaves for medicine. It is not a pot of Manna, or a cruse of oil, which
   were for memory only, or for a meal's meat or two, but as it were a
   shower of heavenly bread sufficient for a whole host, be it never so
   great; and as it were a whole cellar full of oil vessels; whereby all
   our necessities may be provided for, and our debts discharged. In a
   word, it is a Panary of wholesome food, against fenowed traditions; a
   Physician's shop (Saint Basil called it) [S. Basil in Psal. primum.] of
   preservatives against poisoned heresies; a Pandect of profitable laws,
   against rebellious spirits; a treasury of most costly jewels, against
   beggarly rudiments; finally a fountain of most pure water springing up
   unto everlasting life. And what marvel? The original thereof being from
   heaven, not from earth; the author being God, not man; the inditer, the
   holy spirit, not the wit of the Apostles or Prophets; the Penmen such
   as were sanctified from the womb, and endued with a principal portion
   of God's spirit; the matter, verity, piety, purity, uprightness; the
   form, God's word, God's testimony, God's oracles, the word of truth,
   the word of salvation, etc.; the effects, light of understanding,
   stableness of persuasion, repentance from dead works, newness of life,
   holiness, peace, joy in the holy Ghost; lastly, the end and reward of
   the study thereof, fellowship with the Saints, participation of the
   heavenly nature, fruition of an inheritance immortal, undefiled, and
   that never shall fade away: Happy is the man that delighted in the
   Scripture, and thrice happy that meditateth in it day and night.

   TRANSLATION NECESSARY

   But how shall men meditate in that, which they cannot understand? How
   shall they understand that which is kept close in an unknown tongue? as
   it is written, "Except I know the power of the voice, I shall be to him
   that speaketh, a Barbarian, and he that speaketh, shall be a Barbarian
   to me." [1 Cor 14] The Apostle excepteth no tongue; not Hebrew the
   ancientest, not Greek the most copious, not Latin the finest. Nature
   taught a natural man to confess, that all of us in those tongues which
   we do not understand, are plainly deaf; we may turn the deaf ear unto
   them. The Scythian counted the Athenian, whom he did not understand,
   barbarous; [Clem. Alex. 1 Strom.] so the Roman did the Syrian, and the
   Jew (even S. Jerome himself called the Hebrew tongue barbarous, belike
   because it was strange to so many) [S. Jerome. Damaso.] so the Emperor
   of Constantinople [Michael, Theophili fil.] calleth the Latin tongue,
   barbarous, though Pope Nicolas do storm at it: [2::Tom. Concil. ex
   edit. Petri Crab] so the Jews long before Christ called all other
   nations, Lognazim, which is little better than barbarous. Therefore as
   one complaineth, that always in the Senate of Rome, there was one or
   other that called for an interpreter: [Cicero 5::de finibus.] so lest
   the Church be driven to the like exigent, it is necessary to have
   translations in a readiness. Translation it is that openeth the window,
   to let in the light; that breaketh the shell, that we may eat the
   kernel; that putteth aside the curtain, that we may look into the most
   Holy place; that removeth the cover of the well, that we may come by
   the water, even as Jacob rolled away the stone from the mouth of the
   well, by which means the flocks of Laban were watered [Gen 29:10].
   Indeed without translation into the vulgar tongue, the unlearned are
   but like children at Jacob's well (which is deep) [John 4:11] without a
   bucket or something to draw with; or as that person mentioned by
   Isaiah, to whom when a sealed book was delivered, with this motion,
   "Read this, I pray thee," he was fain to make this answer, "I cannot,
   for it is sealed." [Isa 29:11]

   THE TRANSLATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT OUT OF THE HEBREW INTO GREEK

   While God would be known only in Jacob, and have his Name great in
   Israel, and in none other place, while the dew lay on Gideon's fleece
   only, and all the earth besides was dry; then for one and the same
   people, which spake all of them the language of Canaan, that is,
   Hebrew, one and the same original in Hebrew was sufficient. [S. August.
   lib 12 contra Faust c32] But, when the fulness of time drew near, that
   the Sun of righteousness, the Son of God should come into the world,
   whom God ordained to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood,
   not of the Jew only, but also of the Greek, yea, of all them that were
   scattered abroad; then lo, it pleased the Lord to stir up the spirit of
   a Greek Prince (Greek for descent and language) even of Ptolemy
   Philadelph King of Egypt, to procure the translating of the Book of God
   out of Hebrew into Greek. This is the translation of the Seventy
   Interpreters, commonly so called, which prepared the way for our
   Saviour among the Gentiles by written preaching, as Saint John Baptist
   did among the Jews by vocal. For the Grecians being desirous of
   learning, were not wont to suffer books of worth to lie moulding in
   Kings' libraries, but had many of their servants, ready scribes, to
   copy them out, and so they were dispersed and made common. Again, the
   Greek tongue was well known and made familiar to most inhabitants in
   Asia, by reason of the conquest that there the Grecians had made, as
   also by the Colonies, which thither they had sent. For the same causes
   also it was well understood in many places of Europe, yea, and of
   Africa too. Therefore the word of God being set forth in Greek,
   becometh hereby like a candle set upon a candlestick, which giveth
   light to all that are in the house, or like a proclamation sounded
   forth in the market place, which most men presently take knowledge of;
   and therefore that language was fittest to contain the Scriptures, both
   for the first Preachers of the Gospel to appeal unto for witness, and
   for the learners also of those times to make search and trial by. It is
   certain, that that Translation was not so sound and so perfect, but it
   needed in many places correction; and who had been so sufficient for
   this work as the Apostles or Apostolic men? Yet it seemed good to the
   holy Ghost and to them, to take that which they found, (the same being
   for the greatest part true and sufficient) rather than making a new, in
   that new world and green age of the Church, to expose themselves to
   many exceptions and cavillations, as though they made a Translations to
   serve their own turn, and therefore bearing a witness to themselves,
   their witness not to be regarded. This may be supposed to be some
   cause, why the Translation of the Seventy was allowed to pass for
   current. Notwithstanding, though it was commended generally, yet it did
   not fully content the learned, no not of the Jews. For not long after
   Christ, Aquila fell in hand with a new Translation, and after him
   Theodotion, and after him Symmachus; yea, there was a fifth and a sixth
   edition, the Authors whereof were not known. [Epiphan. de mensur. et
   ponderibus.] These with the Seventy made up the Hexapla and were
   worthily and to great purpose compiled together by Origen. Howbeit the
   Edition of the Seventy went away with the credit, and therefore not
   only was placed in the midst by Origen (for the worth and excellency
   thereof above the rest, as Epiphanius gathered) but also was used by
   the Greek fathers for the ground and foundation of their Commentaries.
   Yea, Epiphanius above named doeth attribute so much unto it, that he
   holdeth the Authors thereof not only for Interpreters, but also for
   Prophets in some respect [S. August. 2::de dectrin. Christian c. 15];
   and Justinian the Emperor enjoining the Jews his subjects to use
   especially the Translation of the Seventy, rendreth this reason
   thereof, because they were as it were enlightened with prophetical
   grace. Yet for all that, as the Egyptians are said of the Prophet to be
   men and not God, and their horses flesh and not spirit [Isa 31:3]; so
   it is evident, (and Saint Jerome affirmeth as much) [S. Jerome. de
   optimo genere interpret.] that the Seventy were Interpreters, they were
   not Prophets; they did many things well, as learned men; but yet as men
   they stumbled and fell, one while through oversight, another while
   through ignorance, yea, sometimes they may be noted to add to the
   Original, and sometimes to take from it; which made the Apostles to
   leave them many times, when they left the Hebrew, and to deliver the
   sense thereof according to the truth of the word, as the spirit gave
   them utterance. This may suffice touching the Greek Translations of the
   Old Testament.

   TRANSLATION OUT OF HEBREW AND GREEK INTO LATIN

   There were also within a few hundred years after CHRIST, translations
   many into the Latin tongue: for this tongue also was very fit to convey
   the Law and the Gospel by, because in those times very many Countries
   of the West, yea of the South, East and North, spake or understood
   Latin, being made Provinces to the Romans. But now the Latin
   Translations were too many to be all good, for they were infinite
   (Latini Interprets nullo modo numerari possunt, saith S. Augustine.)
   [S. Augustin. de doctr. Christ. lib 2 cap II]. Again they were not out
   of the Hebrew fountain (we speak of the Latin Translations of the Old
   Testament) but out of the Greek stream, therefore the Greek being not
   altogether clear, the Latin derived from it must needs be muddy. This
   moved S. Jerome a most learned father, and the best linguist without
   controversy, of his age, or of any that went before him, to undertake
   the translating of the Old Testament, out of the very fountain with
   that evidence of great learning, judgment, industry, and faithfulness,
   that he had forever bound the Church unto him, in a debt of special
   remembrance and thankfulness.

   THE TRANSLATING OF THE SCRIPTURE INTO THE VULGAR TONGUES

   Now through the Church were thus furnished with Greek and Latin
   Translations, even before the faith of CHRIST was generally embraced in
   the Empire; (for the learned know that even in S. Jerome's time, the
   Consul of Rome and his wife were both Ethnics, and about the same time
   the greatest part of the Senate also) [S. Jerome. Marcell.Zosim] yet
   for all that the godly-learned were not content to have the Scriptures
   in the Language which they themselves understood, Greek and Latin, (as
   the good Lepers were not content to fare well themselves, but
   acquainted their neighbors with the store that God had sent, that they
   also might provide for themselves) [2 Kings 7:9] but also for the
   behoof and edifying of the unlearned which hungered and thirsted after
   righteousness, and had souls to be saved as well as they, they provided
   Translations into the vulgar for their Countrymen, insomuch that most
   nations under heaven did shortly after their conversion, hear CHRIST
   speaking unto them in their mother tongue, not by the voice of their
   Minister only, but also by the written word translated. If any doubt
   hereof, he may be satisfied by examples enough, if enough will serve
   the turn. First S. Jerome saith, Multarum gentium linguis Scriptura
   ante translata, docet falsa esse quae addita sunt, etc. i.e. "The
   Scripture being translated before in the languages of many Nations,
   doth show that those things that were added (by Lucian and Hesychius)
   are false." [S. Jerome. praef. in 4::Evangel.] So S. Jerome in that
   place. The same Jerome elsewhere affirmeth that he, the time was, had
   set forth the translation of the Seventy suae linguae hominibus, i.e.,
   for his countrymen of Dalmatia [S. Jerome. Sophronio.] Which words not
   only Erasmus doth understand to purport, that S. Jerome translated the
   Scripture into the Dalmatian tongue, but also Sixtus Senensis [Six.
   Sen. lib 4], and Alphonsus a` Castro [Alphon. lb 1 ca 23] (that we
   speak of no more) men not to be excepted against by them of Rome, do
   ingenuously confess as much. So, S. Chrysostom that lived in S.
   Jerome's time, giveth evidence with him: "The doctrine of S. John
   [saith he] did not in such sort [as the Philosophers' did] vanish away:
   but the Syrians, Egyptians, Indians, Persians, Ethiopians, and infinite
   other nations being barbarous people translated it into their [mother]
   tongue, and have learned to be [true] Philosophers," he meaneth
   Christians. [S. Chrysost. in Johan. cap.I. hom.I.] To this may be added
   Theodoret, as next unto him, both for antiquity, and for learning. His
   words be these, "Every Country that is under the Sun, is full of these
   words (of the Apostles and Prophets) and the Hebrew tongue [he meaneth
   the Scriptures in the Hebrew tongue] is turned not only into the
   Language of the Grecians, but also of the Romans, and Egyptians, and
   Persians, and Indians, and Armenians, and Scythians, and Sauromatians,
   and briefly into all the Languages that any Nation useth. [Theodor. 5.
   Therapeut.] So he. In like manner, Ulfilas is reported by Paulus
   Diaconus and Isidor (and before them by Sozomen) to have translated the
   Scriptures into the Gothic tongue: [P. Diacon. li. 12.] John Bishop of
   Sevil by Vasseus, to have turned them into Arabic, about the year of
   our Lord 717; [Vaseus in Chron. Hispan.] Bede by Cistertiensis, to have
   turned a great part of them into Saxon: Efnard by Trithemius, to have
   abridged the French Psalter, as Beded had done the Hebrew, about the
   year 800: King Alfred by the said Cistertiensis, to have turned the
   Psalter into Saxon: [Polydor. Virg. 5 histor.] Methodius by Aventinus
   (printed at Ingolstadt) to have turned the Scriptures into Slavonian:
   [Aventin. lib. 4.] Valdo, Bishop of Frising by Beatus Rhenanus, to have
   caused about that time, the Gospels to be translated into Dutch rhythm,
   yet extant in the Library of Corbinian: [Circa annum 900. B. Rhenan.
   rerum German. lib 2.] Valdus, by divers to have turned them himself
   into French, about the year 1160: Charles the Fifth of that name,
   surnamed the Wise, to have caused them to be turned into French, about
   200 years after Valdus his time, of which translation there be many
   copies yet extant, as witnesseth Beroaldus. Much about that time, even
   in our King Richard the second's days, John Trevisa translated them
   into English, and many English Bibles in written hand are yet to be
   seen with divers, translated as it is very probable, in that age. So
   the Syrian translation of the New Testament is in most learned men's
   Libraries, of Widminstadius his setting forth, and the Psalter in
   Arabic is with many, of Augustinus Nebiensis' setting forth. So Postel
   affirmeth, that in his travel he saw the Gospels in the Ethiopian
   tongue; And Ambrose Thesius allegeth the Pslater of the Indians, which
   he testifieth to have been set forth by Potken in Syrian characters. So
   that, to have the Scriptures in the mother tongue is not a quaint
   conceit lately taken up, either by the Lord Cromwell in England,
   [Thuan.] or by the Lord Radevile in Polony, or by the Lord Ungnadius in
   the Emperor's dominion, but hath been thought upon, and put in practice
   of old, even from the first times of the conversion of any Nation; no
   doubt, because it was esteemed most profitable, to cause faith to grow
   in men's hearts the sooner, and to make them to be able to say with the
   words of the Psalms, "As we have heard, so we have seen." [Ps 48:8]

   THE UNWILLINGNESS OF OUR CHIEF ADVERSARIES, THAT THE SCRIPTURES SHOULD
   BE DIVULGED IN THE MOTHER TONGUE, ETC.

   Now the Church of Rome would seem at the length to bear a motherly
   affection towards her children, and to allow them the Scriptures in
   their mother tongue: but indeed it is a gift, not deserving to be
   called a gift, an unprofitable gift: [Sophecles] they must first get a
   licence in writing before they may use them, and to get that, they must
   approve themselves to their Confessor, that is, to be such as are, if
   not frozen in the dregs, yet soured with the leaven of their
   superstition. Howbeit, it seemed too much to Clement the Eighth that
   there should be any Licence granted to have them in the vulgar tongue,
   and therefore he overruleth and frustrateth the grant of Pius the
   Fourth. [See the observation (set forth by Clemen. His authority) upon
   the 4. rule of Pius the 4. his making in the index, lib. prohib. pag.
   15. ver. 5.] So much are they afraid of the light of the Scripture,
   (Lucifugae Scripturarum, as Tertulian speaketh) that they will not
   trust the people with it, no not as it is set forth by their own sworn
   men, no not with the Licence of their own Bishops and Inquisitors. Yea,
   so unwilling they are to communicate the Scriptures to the people's
   understanding in any sort, that they are not ashamed to confess, that
   we forced them to translate it into English against their wills. This
   seemeth to argue a bad cause, or a bad conscience, or both. Sure we
   are, that it is not he that hath good gold, that is afraid to bring it
   to the touchstone, but he that hath the counterfeit; [Tertul. de resur.
   carnis.] neither is it the true man that shunneth the light, but the
   malefactor, lest his deeds should be reproved [John 3:20]: neither is
   it the plaindealing Merchant that is unwilling to have the weights, or
   the meteyard brought in place, but he that useth deceit. But we will
   let them alone for this fault, and return to translation.

   THE SPEECHES AND REASONS, BOTH OF OUR BRETHREN, AND OF OUR ADVERSARIES
   AGAINST THIS WORK

   Many men's mouths have been open a good while (and yet are not stopped)
   with speeches about the Translation so long in hand, or rather perusals
   of Translations made before: and ask what may be the reason, what the
   necessity of the employment: Hath the Church been deceived, say they,
   all this while? Hath her sweet bread been mingled with leaven, here
   silver with dross, her wine with water, her milk with lime? (Lacte
   gypsum male miscetur, saith S. Ireney,) [S. Iren. 3. lib. cap. 19.] We
   hoped that we had been in the right way, that we had the Oracles of God
   delivered unto us, and that though all the world had cause to be
   offended and to complain, yet that we had none. Hath the nurse holden
   out the breast, and nothing but wind in it? Hath the bread been
   delivered by the fathers of the Church, and the same proved to be
   lapidosus, as Seneca speaketh? What is it to handle the word of God
   deceitfully, if this be not? Thus certain brethren. Also the
   adversaries of Judah and Jerusalem, like Sanballat in Nehemiah, mock,
   as we hear, both the work and the workmen, saying; "What do these weak
   Jews, etc. will they make the stones whole again out of the heaps of
   dust which are burnt? although they build, yet if a fox go up, he shall
   even break down their stony wall." [Neh 4:3] Was their Translation good
   before? Why do they now mend it? Was it not good? Why then was it
   obtruded to the people? Yea, why did the Catholics (meaning Popish
   Romanists) always go in jeopardy, for refusing to go to hear it? Nay,
   if it must be translated into English, Catholics are fittest to do it.
   They have learning, and they know when a thing is well, they can manum
   de tabula. We will answer them both briefly: and the former, being
   brethren, thus, with S. Jerome, "Damnamus veteres? Mineme, sed post
   priorum studia in domo Domini quod possums laboramus." [S. Jerome.
   Apolog. advers. Ruffin.] That is, "Do we condemn the ancient? In no
   case: but after the endeavors of them that were before us, we take the
   best pains we can in the house of God." As if he said, Being provoked
   by the example of the learned men that lived before my time, I have
   thought it my duty, to assay whether my talent in the knowledge of the
   tongues, may be profitable in any measure to God's Church, lest I
   should seem to laboured in them in vain, and lest I should be thought
   to glory in men, (although ancient,) above that which was in them. Thus
   S. Jerome may be thought to speak.

   A SATISFACTION TO OUR BRETHREN

   And to the same effect say we, that we are so far off from condemning
   any of their labors that travailed before us in this kind, either in
   this land or beyond sea, either in King Henry's time, or King Edward's
   (if there were any translation, or correction of a translation in his
   time) or Queen Elizabeth's of ever renowned memory, that we acknowledge
   them to have been raised up of God, for the building and furnishing of
   his Church, and that they deserve to be had of us and of posterity in
   everlasting remembrance. The judgment of Aristotle is worthy and well
   known: "If Timotheus had not been, we had not had much sweet music; but
   if Phrynis [Timotheus his master] had not been, we had not had
   Timotheus." Therefore blessed be they, and most honoured be their name,
   that break the ice, and giveth onset upon that which helpeth forward to
   the saving of souls. Now what can be more available thereto, than to
   deliver God's book unto God's people in a tongue which they understand?
   Since of a hidden treasure, and of a fountain that is sealed, there is
   no profit, as Ptolemy Philadelph wrote to the Rabbins or masters of the
   Jews, as witnesseth Epiphanius: [S. Epiphan. loco ante citato.] and as
   S. Augustine saith; "A man had rather be with his dog than with a
   stranger (whose tongue is strange unto him)." [S. Augustin. lib. 19. de
   civil. Dei. c. 7.] Yet for all that, as nothing is begun and perfected
   at the same time, and the later thoughts are thought to be the wiser:
   so, if we building upon their foundation that went before us, and being
   holpen by their labours, do endeavor to make that better which they
   left so good; no man, we are sure, hath cause to mislike us; they, we
   persuade ourselves, if they were alive, would thank us. The vintage of
   Abienzer, that strake the stroke: yet the gleaning of grapes of Ephraim
   was not to be despised. See Judges 8:2. Joash the king of Israel did
   not satisfy himself, till he had smitten the ground three times; and
   yet he offended the Prophet, for giving over then. [2 Kings 13:18-19]
   Aquila, of whom we spake before, translated the Bible as carefully, and
   as skilfully as he could; and yet he thought good to go over it again,
   and then it got the credit with the Jews, to be called accurately done,
   as Saint Jerome witnesseth. [S. Jerome. in Ezech. cap. 3.] How many
   books of profane learning have been gone over again and again, by the
   same translators, by others? Of one and the same book of Aristotle's
   Ethics, there are extant not so few as six or seven several
   translations. Now if this cost may be bestowed upon the gourd, which
   affordeth us a little shade, and which today flourisheth, but tomorrow
   is cut down; what may we bestow, nay what ought we not to bestow upon
   the Vine, the fruit whereof maketh glad the conscience of man, and the
   stem whereof abideth forever? And this is the word of God, which we
   translate. "What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord?" [Jer
   23:28] Tanti vitreum, quanti verum margaritum (saith Tertullian,)
   [Tertul. ad Martyr.] if a toy of glass be of that reckoning with us,
   how ought we to value the true pearl? [Jerome. ad Salvin.] Therefore
   let no man's eye be evil, because his Majesty's is good; neither let
   any be grieved, that we have a Prince that seeketh the increase of the
   spiritual wealth of Israel (let Sanballats and Tobiahs do so, which
   therefore do bear their just reproof) but let us rather bless God from
   the ground of our heart, for working this religious care in him, to
   have the translations of the Bible maturely considered of and examined.
   For by this means it cometh to pass, that whatsoever is sound already
   (and all is sound for substance, in one or other of our editions, and
   the worst of ours far better than their authentic vulgar) the same will
   shine as gold more brightly, being rubbed and polished; also, if
   anything be halting, or superfluous, or not so agreeable to the
   original, the same may be corrected, and the truth set in place. And
   what can the King command to be done, that will bring him more true
   honour than this? and wherein could they that have been set a work,
   approve their duty to the King, yea their obedience to God, and love to
   his Saints more, than by yielding their service, and all that is within
   them, for the furnishing of the work? But besides all this, they were
   the principal motives of it, and therefore ought least to quarrel it:
   for the very Historical truth is, that upon the importunate petitions
   of the Puritans, at his Majesty's coming to this Crown, the Conference
   at Hampton Court having been appointed for hearing their complaints:
   when by force of reason they were put from other grounds, they had
   recourse at the last, to this shift, that they could not with good
   conscience subscribe to the Communion book, since it maintained the
   Bible as it was there translated, which was as they said, a most
   corrupted translation. And although this was judged to be but a very
   poor and empty shift; yet even hereupon did his Majesty begin to
   bethink himself of the good that might ensue by a new translation, and
   presently after gave order for this Translation which is now presented
   unto thee. Thus much to satisfy our scrupulous Brethren.

   AN ANSWER TO THE IMPUTATIONS OF OUR ADVERSARIES

   Now to the latter we answer; that we do not deny, nay we affirm and
   avow, that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English, set
   forth by men of our profession, (for we have seen none of theirs of the
   whole Bible as yet) containeth the word of God, nay, is the word of
   God. As the King's speech, which he uttereth in Parliament, being
   translated into French, Dutch, Italian, and Latin, is still the King's
   speech, though it be not interpreted by every Translator with the like
   grace, nor peradventure so fitly for phrase, nor so expressly for
   sense, everywhere. For it is confessed, that things are to take their
   denomination of the greater part; and a natural man could say, Verum
   ubi multa nitent in carmine, non ego paucis offendor maculis, etc.
   [Horace.] A man may be counted a virtuous man, though he have made many
   slips in his life, (else, there were none virtuous, for in many things
   we offend all) [James 3:2] also a comely man and lovely, though he have
   some warts upon his hand, yea, not only freckles upon his face, but
   also scars. No cause therefore why the word translated should be denied
   to be the word, or forbidden to be current, notwithstanding that some
   imperfections and blemishes may be noted in the setting forth of it.
   For whatever was perfect under the Sun, where Apostles or Apostolic
   men, that is, men endued with an extraordinary measure of God's spirit,
   and privileged with the privilege of infallibility, had not their hand?
   The Romanists therefore in refusing to hear, and daring to burn the
   Word translated, did no less than despite the spirit of grace, from
   whom originally it proceeded, and whose sense and meaning, as well as
   man's weakness would enable, it did express. Judge by an example or
   two. Plutarch writeth, that after that Rome had been burnt by the
   Gauls, they fell soon to build it again: but doing it in haste, they
   did not cast the streets, nor proportion the houses in such comely
   fashion, as had been most slightly and convenient; [Plutarch in
   Camillo.] was Catiline therefore an honest man, or a good patriot, that
   sought to bring it to a combustion? or Nero a good Prince, that did
   indeed set it on fire? So, by the story of Ezra, and the prophecy of
   Haggai it may be gathered, that the Temple built by Zerubbabel after
   the return from Babylon, was by no means to be compared to the former
   built by Solomon (for they that remembered the former, wept when they
   considered the latter) [Ezra 3:12] notwithstanding, might this latter
   either have been abhorred and forsaken by the Jews, or profaned by the
   Greeks? The like we are to think of Translations. The translation of
   the Seventy dissenteth from the Original in many places, neither doth
   it come near it, for perspicuity, gravity, majesty; yet which of the
   Apostles did condemn it? Condemn it? Nay, they used it, (as it is
   apparent, and as Saint Jerome and most learned men do confess) which
   they would not have done, nor by their example of using it, so grace
   and commend it to the Church, if it had been unworthy of the
   appellation and name of the word of God. And whereas they urge for
   their second defence of their vilifying and abusing of the English
   Bibles, or some pieces thereof, which they meet with, for that heretics
   (forsooth) were the Authors of the translations, (heretics they call us
   by the same right that they call themselves Catholics, both being
   wrong) we marvel what divinity taught them so. We are sure Tertullian
   was of another mind: Ex personis probamus fidem, an ex fide personas?
   [Tertul. de praescript. contra haereses.] Do we try men's faith by
   their persons? we should try their persons by their faith. Also S.
   Augustine was of another mind: for he lighting upon certain rules made
   by Tychonius a Donatist, for the better understanding of the word, was
   not ashamed to make use of them, yea, to insert them into his own book,
   with giving commendation to them so far forth as they were worthy to be
   commended, as is to be seen in S. Augustine's third book De doctrina
   Christiana. [S. August. 3. de doct. Christ. cap. 30.] To be short,
   Origen, and the whole Church of God for certain hundred years, were of
   another mind: for they were so far from treading under foot, (much more
   from burning) the Translation of Aquila a Proselyte, that is, one that
   had turned Jew; of Symmachus, and Theodotion, both Ebionites, that is,
   most vile heretics, that they joined together with the Hebrew Original,
   and the Translation of the Seventy (as hath been before signified out
   of Epiphanius) and set them forth openly to be considered of and
   perused by all. But we weary the unlearned, who need not know so much,
   and trouble the learned, who know it already.

   Yet before we end, we must answer a third cavil and objection of theirs
   against us, for altering and amending our Translations so oft; wherein
   truly they deal hardly, and strangely with us. For to whomever was it
   imputed for a fault (by such as were wise) to go over that which he had
   done, and to amend it where he saw cause? Saint Augustine was not
   afraid to exhort S. Jerome to a Palinodia or recantation; [S. Aug.
   Epist. 9.] and doth even glory that he seeth his infirmities. [S. Aug.
   Epist. 8.] If we be sons of the Truth, we must consider what it
   speaketh, and trample upon our own credit, yea, and upon other men's
   too, if either be any way an hindrance to it. This to the cause: then
   to the persons we say, that of all men they ought to be most silent in
   this case. For what varieties have they, and what alterations have they
   made, not only of their Service books, Portesses and Breviaries, but
   also of their Latin Translation? The Service book supposed to be made
   by S. Ambrose (Officium Ambrosianum) was a great while in special use
   and request; but Pope Hadrian calling a Council with the aid of Charles
   the Emperor, abolished it, yea, burnt it, and commanded the Service
   book of Saint Gregory universally to be used. [Durand. lib. 5. cap. 2.]
   Well, Officium Gregorianum gets by this means to be in credit, but doth
   it continue without change or altering? No, the very Roman Service was
   of two fashions, the New fashion, and the Old, (the one used in one
   Church, the other in another) as is to be seen in Pamelius a Romanist,
   his Preface, before Micrologus. the same Pamelius reporteth out
   Radulphus de Rivo, that about the year of our Lord, 1277, Pope Nicolas
   the Third removed out of the Churches of Rome, the more ancient books
   (of Service) and brought into use the Missals of the Friers Minorites,
   and commanded them to be observed there; insomuch that about an hundred
   years after, when the above name Radulphus happened to be at Rome, he
   found all the books to be new, (of the new stamp). Neither were there
   this chopping and changing in the more ancient times only, but also of
   late: Pius Quintus himself confesseth, that every Bishopric almost had
   a peculiar kind of service, most unlike to that which others had: which
   moved him to abolish all other Breviaries, though never so ancient, and
   privileged and published by Bishops in their Dioceses, and to establish
   and ratify that only which was of his own setting forth, in the year
   1568. Now when the father of their Church, who gladly would heal the
   sore of the daughter of his people softly and slightly, and make the
   best of it, findeth so great fault with them for their odds and
   jarring; we hope the children have no great cause to vaunt of their
   uniformity. But the difference that appeareth between our Translations,
   and our often correcting of them, is the thing that we are specially
   charged with; let us see therefore whether they themselves be without
   fault this way, (if it be to be counted a fault, to correct) and
   whether they be fit men to throw stones at us: O tandem maior parcas
   insane minori: they that are less sound themselves, out not to object
   infirmities to others. [Horat.] If we should tell them that Valla,
   Stapulensis, Erasmus, and Vives found fault with their vulgar
   Translation, and consequently wished the same to be mended, or a new
   one to be made, they would answer peradventure, that we produced their
   enemies for witnesses against them; albeit, they were in no other sort
   enemies, than as S. Paul was to the Galatians, for telling them the
   truth [Gal 4:16]: and it were to be wished, that they had dared to tell
   it them plainlier and oftener. But what will they say to this, that
   Pope Leo the Tenth allowed Erasmus' Translation of the New Testament,
   so much different from the vulgar, by his Apostolic Letter and Bull;
   that the same Leo exhorted Pagnine to translate the whole Bible, and
   bare whatsoever charges was necessary for the work? [Sixtus Senens.]
   Surely, as the Apostle reasoneth to the Hebrews, that if the former Law
   and Testament had been sufficient, there had been no need of the
   latter: [Heb 7:11 and 8:7] so we may say, that if the old vulgar had
   been at all points allowable, to small purpose had labour and charges
   been undergone, about framing of a new. If they say, it was one Pope's
   private opinion, and that he consulted only himself; then we are able
   to go further with them, and to aver, that more of their chief men of
   all sorts, even their own Trent champions Paiva and Vega, and their own
   Inquisitors, Hieronymus ab Oleastro, and their own Bishop Isidorus
   Clarius, and their own Cardinal Thomas a Vio Caietan, do either make
   new Translations themselves, or follow new ones of other men's making,
   or note the vulgar Interpreter for halting; none of them fear to
   dissent from him, nor yet to except against him. And call they this an
   uniform tenor of text and judgment about the text, so many of their
   Worthies disclaiming the now received conceit? Nay, we will yet come
   nearer the quick: doth not their Paris edition differ from the Lovaine,
   and Hentenius his from them both, and yet all of them allowed by
   authority? Nay, doth not Sixtus Quintus confess, that certain Catholics
   (he meaneth certain of his own side) were in such an humor of
   translating the Scriptures into Latin, that Satan taking occasion by
   them, though they thought of no such matter, did strive what he could,
   out of so uncertain and manifold a variety of Translations, so to
   mingle all things, that nothing might seem to be left certain and firm
   in them, etc.? [Sixtus 5. praefat. fixa Bibliis.] Nay, further, did not
   the same Sixtus ordain by an inviolable decree, and that with the
   counsel and consent of his Cardinals, that the Latin edition of the old
   and new Testament, which the Council of Trent would have to be
   authentic, is the same without controversy which he then set forth,
   being diligently corrected and printed in the Printinghouse of Vatican?
   Thus Sixtus in his Preface before his Bible. And yet Clement the Eighth
   his immediate successor, published another edition of the Bible,
   containing in it infinite differences from that of Sixtus, (and many of
   them weighty and material) and yet this must be authentic by all means.
   What is to have the faith of our glorious Lord JESUS CHRIST with Yea or
   Nay, if this be not? Again, what is sweet harmony and consent, if this
   be? Therefore, as Demaratus of Corinth advised a great King, before he
   talked of the dissensions of the Grecians, to compose his domestic
   broils (for at that time his Queen and his son and heir were at deadly
   feud with him) so all the while that our adversaries do make so many
   and so various editions themselves, and do jar so much about the worth
   and authority of them, they can with no show of equity challenge us for
   changing and correcting.

   THE PURPOSE OF THE TRANSLATORS, WITH THEIR NUMBER, FURNITURE, CARE,
   ETC.

   But it is high time to leave them, and to show in brief what we
   proposed to ourselves, and what course we held in this our perusal and
   survey of the Bible. Truly (good Christian Reader) we never thought
   from the beginning, that we should need to make a new Translation, nor
   yet to make of a bad one a good one, (for then the imputation of Sixtus
   had been true in some sort, that our people had been fed with gall of
   Dragons instead of wine, with whey instead of milk:) but to make a good
   one better, or out of many good ones, one principal good one, not
   justly to be excepted against; that hath been our endeavor, that our
   mark. To that purpose there were many chosen, that were greater in
   other men's eyes than in their own, and that sought the truth rather
   than their own praise. Again, they came or were thought to come to the
   work, not exercendi causa (as one saith) but exercitati, that is,
   learned, not to learn: For the chief overseer and [NOTE: Greek letters
   omitted] under his Majesty, to whom not only we, but also our whole
   Church was much bound, knew by his wisdom, which thing also Nazianzen
   taught so long ago, that it is a preposterous order to teach first and
   to learn after, yea that [NOTE: Greek letters omitted] to learn and
   practice together, is neither commendable for the workman, nor safe for
   the work. [Idem in Apologet.] Therefore such were thought upon, as
   could say modestly with Saint Jerome, Et Hebreaeum Sermonem ex parte
   didicimus, et in Latino pene ab ipsis incunabulis etc. detriti sumus.
   "Both we have learned the Hebrew tongue in part, and in the Latin we
   have been exercised almost from our very cradle." S. Jerome maketh no
   mention of the Greek tongue, wherein yet he did excel, because he
   translated not the old Testament out of Greek, but out of Hebrew. And
   in what sort did these assemble? In the trust of their own knowledge,
   or of their sharpness of wit, or deepness of judgment, as it were in an
   arm of flesh? At no hand. They trusted in him that hath the key of
   David, opening and no man shutting; they prayed to the Lord the Father
   of our Lord, to the effect that S. Augustine did; "O let thy Scriptures
   be my pure delight, let me not be deceived in them, neither let me
   deceive by them." [S. Aug. lib. II. Confess. cap. 2.] In this
   confidence, and with this devotion did they assemble together; not too
   many, lest one should trouble another; and yet many, lest many things
   haply might escape them. If you ask what they had before them, truly it
   was the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, the Greek of the New. These
   are the two golden pipes, or rather conduits, where-through the olive
   branches empty themselves into the gold. Saint Augustine calleth them
   precedent, or original tongues; [S. August. 3. de doctr. c. 3. etc.]
   Saint Jerome, fountains. [S. Jerome. ad Suniam et Fretel.] The same
   Saint Jerome affirmeth, [S. Jerome. ad Lucinium, Dist. 9 ut veterum.]
   and Gratian hath not spared to put it into his Decree, That "as the
   credit of the old Books" (he meaneth of the Old Testament) "is to be
   tried by the Hebrew Volumes, so of the New by the Greek tongue," he
   meaneth by the original Greek. If truth be tried by these tongues, then
   whence should a Translation be made, but out of them? These tongues
   therefore, the Scriptures we say in those tongues, we set before us to
   translate, being the tongues wherein God was pleased to speak to his
   Church by the Prophets and Apostles. Neither did we run over the work
   with that posting haste that the Septuagint did, if that be true which
   is reported of them, that they finished it in 72 days; [Joseph. Antiq.
   lib. 12.] neither were we barred or hindered from going over it again,
   having once done it, like S. Jerome, if that be true which himself
   reporteth, that he could no sooner write anything, but presently it was
   caught from him, and published, and he could not have leave to mend it:
   [S. Jerome. ad Pammac. pro libr. advers. Iovinian.] neither, to be
   short, were we the first that fell in hand with translating the
   Scripture into English, and consequently destitute of former helps, as
   it is written of Origen, that he was the first in a manner, that put
   his hand to write Commentaries upon the Scriptures, [Sophoc. in Elect.]
   and therefore no marvel, if he overshot himself many times. None of
   these things: the work hath not been huddled up in 72 days, but hath
   cost the workmen, as light as it seemeth, the pains of twice seven
   times seventy two days and more: matters of such weight and consequence
   are to be speeded with maturity: for in a business of movement a man
   feareth not the blame of convenient slackness. [S. Chrysost. in II.
   Thess. cap. 2.] Neither did we think much to consult the Translators or
   Commentators, Chaldee, Hebrew, Syrian, Greek or Latin, no nor the
   Spanish, French, Italian, or Dutch; neither did we disdain to revise
   that which we had done, and to bring back to the anvil that which we
   had hammered: but having and using as great helps as were needful, and
   fearing no reproach for slowness, nor coveting praise for expedition,
   we have at length, through the good hand of the Lord upon us, brought
   the work to that pass that you see.

   REASONS MOVING US TO SET DIVERSITY OF SENSES IN THE MARGIN, WHERE THERE
   IS GREAT PROBABILITY FOR EACH

   Some peradventure would have no variety of senses to be set in the
   margin, lest the authority of the Scriptures for deciding of
   controversies by that show of uncertainty, should somewhat be shaken.
   But we hold their judgment not to be sound in this point. For though,
   "whatsoever things are necessary are manifest," as S. Chrysostom saith,
   [S. Chrysost. in II. Thess. cap. 2.] and as S. Augustine, "In those
   things that are plainly set down in the Scriptures, all such matters
   are found that concern Faith, Hope, and Charity. [S. Aug. 2. de doctr.
   Christ. cap. 9.] Yet for all that it cannot be dissembled, that partly
   to exercise and whet our wits, partly to wean the curious from the
   loathing of them for their everywhere plainness, partly also to stir up
   our devotion to crave the assistance of God's spirit by prayer, and
   lastly, that we might be forward to seek aid of our brethren by
   conference, and never scorn those that be not in all respects so
   complete as they should be, being to seek in many things ourselves, it
   hath pleased God in his divine providence, here and there to scatter
   words and sentences of that difficulty and doubtfulness, not in
   doctrinal points that concern salvation, (for in such it hath been
   vouched that the Scriptures are plain) but in matters of less moment,
   that fearfulness would better beseem us than confidence, and if we will
   resolve upon modesty with S. Augustine, (though not in this same case
   altogether, yet upon the same ground) Melius est debitare de occultis,
   quam litigare de incertis, [S. Aug li. S. de Genes. ad liter. cap. 5.]
   "it is better to make doubt of those things which are secret, than to
   strive about those things that are uncertain." There be many words in
   the Scriptures, which be never found there but once, (having neither
   brother or neighbor, as the Hebrews speak) so that we cannot be holpen
   by conference of places. Again, there be many rare names of certain
   birds, beasts and precious stones, etc. concerning the Hebrews
   themselves are so divided among themselves for judgment, that they may
   seem to have defined this or that, rather because they would say
   something, than because they were sure of that which they said, as S.
   Jerome somewhere saith of the Septuagint. Now in such a case, doth not
   a margin do well to admonish the Reader to seek further, and not to
   conclude or dogmatize upon this or that peremptorily? For as it is a
   fault of incredulity, to doubt of those things that are evident: so to
   determine of such things as the Spirit of God hath left (even in the
   judgment of the judicious) questionable, can be no less than
   presumption. Therefore as S. Augustine saith, that variety of
   Translations is profitable for the finding out of the sense of the
   Scriptures: [S. Aug. 2. De doctr. Christian. cap. 14.] so diversity of
   signification and sense in the margin, where the text is no so clear,
   must needs do good, yea, is necessary, as we are persuaded. We know
   that Sixtus Quintus expressly forbiddeth, that any variety of readings
   of their vulgar edition, should be put in the margin, [Sixtus 5. praef.
   Bibliae.] (which though it be not altogether the same thing to that we
   have in hand, yet it looketh that way) but we think he hath not all of
   his own side his favorers, for this conceit. They that are wise, had
   rather have their judgments at liberty in differences of readings, than
   to be captivated to one, when it may be the other. If they were sure
   that their high Priest had all laws shut up in his breast, as Paul the
   Second bragged, [Plat. in Paulo secundo.] and that he were as free from
   error by special privilege, as the Dictators of Rome were made by law
   inviolable, it were another matter; then his word were an Oracle, his
   opinion a decision. But the eyes of the world are now open, God be
   thanked, and have been a great while, they find that he is subject to
   the same affections and infirmities that others be, that his skin is
   penetrable, and therefore so much as he proveth, not as much as he
   claimeth, they grant and embrace.

   REASONS INDUCING US NOT TO STAND CURIOUSLY UPON AN IDENTITY OF PHRASING

   Another things we think good to admonish thee of (gentle Reader) that
   we have not tied ourselves to an uniformity of phrasing, or to an
   identity of words, as some peradventure would wish that we had done,
   because they observe, that some learned men somewhere, have been as
   exact as they could that way. Truly, that we might not vary from the
   sense of that which we had translated before, if the word signified
   that same in both places (for there be some words that be not the same
   sense everywhere) we were especially careful, and made a conscience,
   according to our duty. But, that we should express the same notion in
   the same particular word; as for example, if we translate the Hebrew or
   Greek word once by PURPOSE, never to call it INTENT; if one where
   JOURNEYING, never TRAVELING; if one where THINK, never SUPPOSE; if one
   where PAIN, never ACHE; if one where JOY, never GLADNESS, etc. Thus to
   mince the matter, we thought to savour more of curiosity than wisdom,
   and that rather it would breed scorn in the Atheist, than bring profit
   to the godly Reader. For is the kingdom of God to become words or
   syllables? why should we be in bondage to them if we may be free, use
   one precisely when we may use another no less fit, as commodiously? A
   godly Father in the Primitive time showed himself greatly moved, that
   one of newfangledness called [NOTE: Greek omitted but was a dispute
   over the word for "a bed"] [Niceph. Calist. lib.8. cap.42.] though the
   difference be little or none; and another reporteth that he was much
   abused for turning "Cucurbita" (to which reading the people had been
   used) into "Hedera". [S. Jerome in 4. Ionae. See S. Aug: epist. 10.]
   Now if this happens in better times, and upon so small occasions, we
   might justly fear hard censure, if generally we should make verbal and
   unnecessary changings. We might also be charged (by scoffers) with some
   unequal dealing towards a great number of good English words. For as it
   is written of a certain great Philosopher, that he should say , that
   those logs were happy that were made images to be worshipped; for their
   fellows, as good as they, lay for blocks behind the fire: so if we
   should say, as it were, unto certain words, Stand up higher, have a
   place in the Bible always, and to others of like quality, Get ye hence,
   be banished forever, we might be taxed peradventure with S. James his
   words, namely, "To be partial in ourselves and judges of evil
   thoughts." Add hereunto, that niceness in words was always counted the
   next step to trifling, and so was to be curious about names too: also
   that we cannot follow a better pattern for elocution than God himself;
   therefore he using divers words, in his holy writ, and indifferently
   for one thing in nature: [see Euseb. li. 12. ex Platon.] we, if we will
   not be superstitious, may use the same liberty in our English versions
   out of Hebrew and Greek, for that copy or store that he hath given us.
   Lastly, we have on the one side avoided the scrupulosity of the
   Puritans, who leave the old Ecclesiastical words, and betake them to
   other, as when they put WASHING for BAPTISM, and CONGREGATION instead
   of CHURCH: as also on the other side we have shunned the obscurity of
   the Papists, in their AZIMES, TUNIKE, RATIONAL, HOLOCAUSTS, PRAEPUCE,
   PASCHE, and a number of such like, whereof their late Translation is
   full, and that of purpose to darken the sense, that since they must
   needs translate the Bible, yet by the language thereof, it may be kept
   from being understood. But we desire that the Scripture may speak like
   itself, as in the language of Canaan, that it may be understood even of
   the very vulgar.

   Many other things we might give thee warning of (gentle Reader) if we
   had not exceeded the measure of a Preface already. It remaineth, that
   we commend thee to God, and to the Spirit of his grace, which is able
   to build further than we can ask or think. He removeth the scales from
   our eyes, the vail from our hearts, opening our wits that we may
   understand his word, enlarging our hearts, yea correcting our
   affections, that we may love it to the end. Ye are brought unto
   fountains of living water which ye digged not; do not cast earth into
   them with the Philistines, neither prefer broken pits before them with
   the wicked Jews. [Gen 26:15. Jer 2:13.] Others have laboured, and you
   may enter into their labours; O receive not so great things in vain, O
   despise not so great salvation! Be not like swine to tread under foot
   so precious things, neither yet like dogs to tear and abuse holy
   things. Say not to our Saviour with the Gergesites, Depart out of our
   coast [Matt 8:34]; neither yet with Esau sell your birthright for a
   mess of pottage [Heb 12:16]. If light be come into the world, love not
   darkness more than light; if food, if clothing be offered, go not
   naked, starve not yourselves. Remember the advice of Nazianzene, "It is
   a grievous thing" (or dangerous) "to neglect a great fair, and to seek
   to make markets afterwards: also the encouragement of S. Chrysostom,
   "It is altogether impossible, that he that is sober" (and watchful)
   "should at any time be neglected:" [S. Chrysost. in epist. ad Rom. cap.
   14. oral. 26.] Lastly, the admonition and menacing of S. Augustine,
   "They that despise God's will inviting them, shall feel God's will
   taking vengeance of them." [S. August. ad artic. sibi falso object.
   Artic. 16.] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
   God; [Heb 10:31] but a blessed thing it is, and will bring us to
   everlasting blessedness in the end, when God speaketh unto us, to
   hearken; when he setteth his word before us, to read it; when he
   stretcheth out his hand and calleth, to answer, Here am I, here we are
   to do thy will, O God. The Lord work a care and conscience in us to
   know him and serve him, that we may be acknowledged of him at the
   appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the holy Ghost, be all
   praise and thanksgiving.

   Amen.
     __________________________________________________________________

                                 Old Testament
     __________________________________________________________________

  The First Book of Moses, called

Genesis
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 1

   In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

   ^2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the
   face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
   waters.

   ^3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

   ^4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light
   from the darkness.

   ^5And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And
   the evening and the morning were the first day.

   ^6And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,
   and let it divide the waters from the waters.

   ^7And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under
   the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it
   was so.

   ^8And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning
   were the second day.

   ^9And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together
   unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

   ^10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the
   waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

   ^11And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding
   seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is
   in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

   ^12And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his
   kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his
   kind: and God saw that it was good.

   ^13And the evening and the morning were the third day.

   ^14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to
   divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for
   seasons, and for days, and years:

   ^15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give
   light upon the earth: and it was so.

   ^16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day,
   and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

   ^17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon
   the earth,

   ^18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light
   from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

   ^19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

   ^20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving
   creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the
   open firmament of heaven.

   ^21And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth,
   which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every
   winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

   ^22And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill
   the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

   ^23And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

   ^24And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after
   his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his
   kind: and it was so.

   ^25And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after
   their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his
   kind: and God saw that it was good.

   ^26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and
   let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of
   the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
   creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

   ^27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
   him; male and female created he them.

   ^28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
   multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion
   over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every
   living thing that moveth upon the earth.

   ^29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,
   which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which
   is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

   ^30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and
   to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I
   have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

   ^31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very
   good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 2

   Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

   ^2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he
   rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

   ^3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in
   it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

   ^4These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they
   were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the
   heavens,

   ^5And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every
   herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to
   rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

   ^6But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face
   of the ground.

   ^7And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed
   into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

   ^8And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put
   the man whom he had formed.

   ^9And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is
   pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the
   midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

   ^10And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it
   was parted, and became into four heads.

   ^11The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the
   whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

   ^12And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx
   stone.

   ^13And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that
   compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

   ^14And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth
   toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

   ^15And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden
   to dress it and to keep it.

   ^16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the
   garden thou mayest freely eat:

   ^17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not
   eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
   die.

   ^18And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone;
   I will make him an help meet for him.

   ^19And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field,
   and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he
   would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that
   was the name thereof.

   ^20And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and
   to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help
   meet for him.

   ^21And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept:
   and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

   ^22And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman,
   and brought her unto the man.

   ^23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh:
   she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

   ^24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall
   cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

   ^25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not
   ashamed.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 3

   Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the
   Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
   shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

   ^2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the
   trees of the garden:

   ^3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
   hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye
   die.

   ^4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

   ^5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes
   shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

   ^6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it
   was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise,
   she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her
   husband with her; and he did eat.

   ^7And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were
   naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

   ^8And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the
   cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence
   of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

   ^9And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

   ^10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid,
   because I was naked; and I hid myself.

   ^11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of
   the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

   ^12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave
   me of the tree, and I did eat.

   ^13And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast
   done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

   ^14And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this,
   thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field;
   upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of
   thy life:

   ^15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
   seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his
   heel.

   ^16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy
   conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire
   shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

   ^17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of
   thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee,
   saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in
   sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

   ^18Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou
   shalt eat the herb of the field;

   ^19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto
   the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto
   dust shalt thou return.

   ^20And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of
   all living.

   ^21Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins,
   and clothed them.

   ^22And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to
   know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also
   of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

   ^23Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to
   till the ground from whence he was taken.

   ^24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of
   Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the
   way of the tree of life.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 4

   And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said,
   I have gotten a man from the Lord.

   ^2And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep,
   but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

   ^3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the
   fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

   ^4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the
   fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

   ^5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was
   very wroth, and his countenance fell.

   ^6And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy
   countenance fallen?

   ^7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not
   well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and
   thou shalt rule over him.

   ^8And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they
   were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew
   him.

   ^9And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said,
   I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

   ^10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood
   crieth unto me from the ground.

   ^11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth
   to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

   ^12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto
   thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the
   earth.

   ^13And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can
   bear.

   ^14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth;
   and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a
   vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that
   findeth me shall slay me.

   ^15And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain,
   vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon
   Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

   ^16And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the
   land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

   ^17And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he
   builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his
   son, Enoch.

   ^18And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael
   begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

   ^19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah,
   and the name of the other Zillah.

   ^20And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents,
   and of such as have cattle.

   ^21And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as
   handle the harp and organ.

   ^22And Zillah, she also bare Tubal- cain, an instructer of every
   artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

   ^23And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye
   wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my
   wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

   ^24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and
   sevenfold.

   ^25And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his
   name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of
   Abel, whom Cain slew.

   ^26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his
   name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 5

   This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God
   created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

   ^2Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their
   name Adam, in the day when they were created.

   ^3And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his
   own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

   ^4And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred
   years: and he begat sons and daughters:

   ^5And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years:
   and he died.

   ^6And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:

   ^7And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and
   begat sons and daughters:

   ^8And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he
   died.

   ^9And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:

   ^10And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen
   years, and begat sons and daughters:

   ^11And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he
   died.

   ^12And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:

   ^13And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty
   years, and begat sons and daughters:

   ^14And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he
   died.

   ^15And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:

   ^16And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty
   years, and begat sons and daughters:

   ^17And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five
   years: and he died.

   ^18And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:

   ^19And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat
   sons and daughters:

   ^20And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and
   he died.

   ^21And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

   ^22And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred
   years, and begat sons and daughters:

   ^23And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

   ^24And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

   ^25And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat
   Lamech:

   ^26And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and
   two years, and begat sons and daughters:

   ^27And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine
   years: and he died.

   ^28And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:

   ^29And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us
   concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which
   the Lord hath cursed.

   ^30And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five
   years, and begat sons and daughters:

   ^31And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven
   years: and he died.

   ^32And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and
   Japheth.
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    Chapter 6

   And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the
   earth, and daughters were born unto them,

   ^2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair;
   and they took them wives of all which they chose.

   ^3And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for
   that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty
   years.

   ^4There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that,
   when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare
   children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of
   renown.

   ^5And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and
   that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
   continually.

   ^6And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it
   grieved him at his heart.

   ^7And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the
   face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the
   fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

   ^8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

   ^9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in
   his generations, and Noah walked with God.

   ^10And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

   ^11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with
   violence.

   ^12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all
   flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

   ^13And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for
   the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will
   destroy them with the earth.

   ^14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark,
   and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

   ^15And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of
   the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits,
   and the height of it thirty cubits.

   ^16A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou
   finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side
   thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.

   ^17And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth,
   to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven;
   and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

   ^18But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into
   the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with
   thee.

   ^19And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou
   bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male
   and female.

   ^20Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every
   creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall
   come unto thee, to keep them alive.

   ^21And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt
   gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.

   ^22Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 7

   And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark;
   for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

   ^2Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and
   his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his
   female.

   ^3Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep
   seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

   ^4For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty
   days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will
   I destroy from off the face of the earth.

   ^5And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.

   ^6And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon
   the earth.

   ^7And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives
   with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

   ^8Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and
   of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,

   ^9There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the
   female, as God had commanded Noah.

   ^10And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood
   were upon the earth.

   ^11In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the
   seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of
   the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

   ^12And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

   ^13In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth,
   the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with
   them, into the ark;

   ^14They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their
   kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his
   kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.

   ^15And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh,
   wherein is the breath of life.

   ^16And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God
   had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.

   ^17And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters
   increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

   ^18And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth;
   and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

   ^19And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the
   high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

   ^20Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were
   covered.

   ^21And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of
   cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon
   the earth, and every man:

   ^22All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the
   dry land, died.

   ^23And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of
   the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl
   of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only
   remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

   ^24And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 8

   And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle
   that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the
   earth, and the waters asswaged;

   ^2The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were
   stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

   ^3And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the
   end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.

   ^4And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of
   the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

   ^5And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the
   tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the
   mountains seen.

   ^6And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the
   window of the ark which he had made:

   ^7And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the
   waters were dried up from off the earth.

   ^8Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated
   from off the face of the ground;

   ^9But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned
   unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole
   earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto
   him into the ark.

   ^10And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove
   out of the ark;

   ^11And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth
   was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated
   from off the earth.

   ^12And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which
   returned not again unto him any more.

   ^13And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the
   first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from
   off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked,
   and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

   ^14And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the
   month, was the earth dried.

   ^15And God spake unto Noah, saying,

   ^16Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons'
   wives with thee.

   ^17Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all
   flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that
   creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth,
   and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.

   ^18And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives
   with him:

   ^19Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever
   creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.

   ^20And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean
   beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the
   altar.

   ^21And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart,
   I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the
   imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again
   smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

   ^22While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat,
   and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 9

   And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and
   multiply, and replenish the earth.

   ^2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of
   the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon
   the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they
   delivered.

   ^3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the
   green herb have I given you all things.

   ^4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye
   not eat.

   ^5And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of
   every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of
   every man's brother will I require the life of man.

   ^6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in
   the image of God made he man.

   ^7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the
   earth, and multiply therein.

   ^8And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,

   ^9And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed
   after you;

   ^10And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the
   cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out
   of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

   ^11And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh
   be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any
   more be a flood to destroy the earth.

   ^12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between
   me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual
   generations:

   ^13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a
   covenant between me and the earth.

   ^14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that
   the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

   ^15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and
   every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become
   a flood to destroy all flesh.

   ^16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I
   may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living
   creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

   ^17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I
   have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

   ^18And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and
   Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.

   ^19These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth
   overspread.

   ^20And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

   ^21And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered
   within his tent.

   ^22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and
   told his two brethren without.

   ^23And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their
   shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their
   father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's
   nakedness.

   ^24And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done
   unto him.

   ^25And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be
   unto his brethren.

   ^26And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be
   his servant.

   ^27God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem;
   and Canaan shall be his servant.

   ^28And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.

   ^29And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he
   died.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 10

   Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and
   Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

   ^2The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and
   Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

   ^3And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

   ^4And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

   ^5By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every
   one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

   ^6And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.

   ^7And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and
   Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

   ^8And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

   ^9He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as
   Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.

   ^10And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad,
   and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

   ^11Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the
   city Rehoboth, and Calah,

   ^12And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

   ^13And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

   ^14And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and
   Caphtorim.

   ^15And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,

   ^16And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,

   ^17And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

   ^18And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward
   were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

   ^19And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to
   Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah,
   and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

   ^20These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their
   tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.

   ^21Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother
   of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

   ^22The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and
   Aram.

   ^23And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.

   ^24And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.

   ^25And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in
   his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.

   ^26And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazar-maveth, and Jerah,

   ^27And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,

   ^28And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

   ^29And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of
   Joktan.

   ^30And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount
   of the east.

   ^31These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their
   tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

   ^32These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations,
   in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth
   after the flood.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 11

   And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

   ^2And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found
   a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

   ^3And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them
   throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

   ^4And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top
   may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered
   abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

   ^5And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the
   children of men builded.

   ^6And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one
   language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained
   from them, which they have imagined to do.

   ^7Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they
   may not understand one another's speech.

   ^8So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all
   the earth: and they left off to build the city.

   ^9Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there
   confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord
   scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

   ^10These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old,
   and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:

   ^11And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat
   sons and daughters.

   ^12And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:

   ^13And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three
   years, and begat sons and daughters.

   ^14And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:

   ^15And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years,
   and begat sons and daughters.

   ^16And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg:

   ^17And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years,
   and begat sons and daughters.

   ^18And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:

   ^19And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and
   begat sons and daughters.

   ^20And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:

   ^21And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and
   begat sons and daughters.

   ^22And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

   ^23And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat
   sons and daughters.

   ^24And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:

   ^25And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years,
   and begat sons and daughters.

   ^26And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

   ^27Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor,
   and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

   ^28And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity,
   in Ur of the Chaldees.

   ^29And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was
   Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the
   father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

   ^30But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

   ^31And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's
   son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went
   forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan;
   and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

   ^32And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah
   died in Haran.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 12

   Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from
   thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew
   thee:

   ^2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and
   make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

   ^3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth
   thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

   ^4So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with
   him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of
   Haran.

   ^5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all
   their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had
   gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and
   into the land of Canaan they came.

   ^6And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the
   plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.

   ^7And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give
   this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared
   unto him.

   ^8And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and
   pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and
   there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of
   the Lord.

   ^9And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

   ^10And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt
   to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

   ^11And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that
   he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair
   woman to look upon:

   ^12Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee,
   that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they
   will save thee alive.

   ^13Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me
   for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

   ^14And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the
   Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

   ^15The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before
   Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

   ^16And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and
   oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses,
   and camels.

   ^17And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues
   because of Sarai Abram's wife.

   ^18And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done
   unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

   ^19Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me
   to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.

   ^20And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him
   away, and his wife, and all that he had.
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    Chapter 13

   And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had,
   and Lot with him, into the south.

   ^2And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

   ^3And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the
   place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

   ^4Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first:
   and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

   ^5And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and
   tents.

   ^6And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell
   together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell
   together.

   ^7And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the
   herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled
   then in the land.

   ^8And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between
   me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be
   brethren.

   ^9Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee,
   from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right;
   or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

   ^10And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that
   it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and
   Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as
   thou comest unto Zoar.

   ^11Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east:
   and they separated themselves the one from the other.

   ^12Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities
   of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

   ^13But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord
   exceedingly.

   ^14And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him,
   Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art
   northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

   ^15For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to
   thy seed for ever.

   ^16And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man
   can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

   ^17Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth
   of it; for I will give it unto thee.

   ^18Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of
   Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.
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    Chapter 14

   And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king
   of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

   ^2That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of
   Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the
   king of Bela, which is Zoar.

   ^3All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the
   salt sea.

   ^4Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year
   they rebelled.

   ^5And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were
   with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims
   in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

   ^6And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the
   wilderness.

   ^7And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote
   all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwelt in
   Hazezon- tamar.

   ^8And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and
   the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the
   same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

   ^9With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations,
   and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings
   with five.

   ^10And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom
   and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the
   mountain.

   ^11And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their
   victuals, and went their way.

   ^12And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and
   his goods, and departed.

   ^13And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for
   he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and
   brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

   ^14And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed
   his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and
   eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

   ^15And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night,
   and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand
   of Damascus.

   ^16And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his
   brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

   ^17And 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 dale.

   ^18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he
   was the priest of the most high God.

   ^19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God,
   possessor of heaven and earth:

   ^20And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies
   into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

   ^21And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take
   the goods to thyself.

   ^22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto
   the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

   ^23That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I
   will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have
   made Abram rich:

   ^24Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of
   the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take
   their portion.
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    Chapter 15

   After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision,
   saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great
   reward.

   ^2And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go
   childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

   ^3And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one
   born in my house is mine heir.

   ^4And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall
   not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels
   shall be thine heir.

   ^5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven,
   and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto
   him, So shall thy seed be.

   ^6And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for
   righteousness.

   ^7And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of
   the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

   ^8And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

   ^9And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she
   goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a
   turtledove, and a young pigeon.

   ^10And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and
   laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

   ^11And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them
   away.

   ^12And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and,
   lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

   ^13And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a
   stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they
   shall afflict them four hundred years;

   ^14And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and
   afterward shall they come out with great substance.

   ^15And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a
   good old age.

   ^16But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the
   iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

   ^17And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark,
   behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those
   pieces.

   ^18In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto
   thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great
   river, the river Euphrates:

   ^19The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

   ^20And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,

   ^21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the
   Jebusites.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 16

   Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid,
   an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

   ^2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me
   from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may
   obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

   ^3And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram
   had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband
   Abram to be his wife.

   ^4And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that
   she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

   ^5And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my
   maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was
   despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

   ^6But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her
   as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled
   from her face.

   ^7And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the
   wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

   ^8And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither
   wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

   ^9And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and
   submit thyself under her hands.

   ^10And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed
   exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

   ^11And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with
   child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because
   the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

   ^12And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and
   every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all
   his brethren.

   ^13And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God
   seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth
   me?

   ^14Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between
   Kadesh and Bered.

   ^15And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which
   Hagar bare, Ishmael.

   ^16And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael
   to Abram.
     __________________________________________________________________

    Chapter 17

   And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to
   Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be
   thou perfect.

   ^2And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply
   thee exceedingly.

   ^3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

   ^4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a
   father of many nations.

   ^5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall
   be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

   ^6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of
   thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

   ^7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed
   after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a
   God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

   ^8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land
   wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting
   possession; and I will be their God.

   ^9And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore,
   thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

   ^10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy
   seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

   ^11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be
   a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

   ^12And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every
   man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought
   with money of any stranger, which is no