About the Author of the Blogsite, Not the Author of the Bible::

About the Author of the Blogsite, Not the Author of the Bible: I was uncertain of how to accomplish this, mindful of Revelation 22:18-19, which says that nobody is to add to, or to take away from what was written in the Bible. After lots of prayerful contemplation, the Lord had it on my heart that I’m not to change the meaning of what is written in the Bible. He has also shown ways to add to people’s understating of that meaning, without altering the meaning, by putting that info within [brackets]. This is primarily accomplished with the KJV Bible and lots of prayers, but at times, BibleGateway.com, Biblehub.com, NIV Bible, Webster Dictionary, and other internet resources, as needed. Debra Seiling

About Understanding the Bible:

Understanding the Bible: After reading Isaiah 28:10 many times over the years and not totally understanding it, it recently became apparent to me that the Lord God has this passage as the means for understanding the Bible. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. Isaiah 28:10 KJV. Being prayerful about this passage, and looking up 'precept' in the Webster's Dictionary, it gave this passage a whole new meaning, once 'commandment' is substituted for 'precept'. Within brackets are additional words the Lord had on my heart to aid in understanding the meaning. For commandment must be [built up] upon commandment; commandment upon commandment; line upon line, line upon line; [developing understanding] here a little, and there a little.

The Table Format:

The Table Format: I was overwhelmed with how to explain the process for determining if someone had leprosy in Leviticus 13, which seemed very complicated. After praying, "Lord, if this is difficult for me to understand after reading it many times, how can this be explained to others?" The thought the Lord God had on my heart was for me to put it into a vertical chart to visually see the process. This made it much easier for me to follow the progression. After doing so, I prayed, "Lord, how can this be conveyed to readers, so that they can understand this process?" The thought the Lord God had on my heart was to put it within the lines of a table. Being a stiff-necked, stubborn person, as it's often called in the Bible, I prayed, asking the Lord God if He's sure that's really what He wanted me to do? I reluctantly put Leviticus 13 into a table format. When I read this difficult leprosy process within a table format, it suddenly became easier for me to understand. That's because it builds line upon line, as explained in the Understanding the Bible section. Shortly after that, the Lord God had it on my heart, to put all of The Books of the Bible in Smaller Chunks within a table format, to aid in understanding, line upon line.

12/10/2022

Genesis 24:1-67 Abraham Has His Servant Find a Wife for Isaac

 

Abraham Has His Servant Find a Wife for Isaac

Genesis  24:1-67                The First Book of Moses Called Genesis

The Lord had blessed Abraham in all things & when he was old & advanced in age. Abraham said to his oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all he had, I pray [that] you put your hand under my thigh swear by the Lord God of heaven & earth that you [won't] take a wife for my son [Isaac] from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell: But you shall go to  my country & to my [relatives] & take a wife [for] my son, Isaac. And the servant said to [Abraham,] [Perhaps,] the woman won't be willing to follow me to this land & I must bring your son again to the land you came [from?]

Abraham told him, Beware not to take my son back there again. The *Lord God of heaven, [Who] took me from my father's house & from the land of my [relatives] & spoke & [swore] to me, saying, Unto your seed I will give this land; He shall send His angel before you [the servant] & you shall take a wife for my son from [there]. 

[Acts 7:5 says: And [God] gave [Abraham] no inheritance in it, not so much as to set his foot [upon it] yet [God] promised that He would give it [the promised land] to [Abraham] for a possession & to his [descendants] after him.] 

And if the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you would be [released] from my oath: only [don’t take] my son [back] there again. [So] the servant put his hand under [Abraham's] thigh & swore [about] this matter. 

The servant took 10 camels of his master: for all the [possessions] of his master were in his hand & he arose & [went] to Mesopotamia, the city of Nahor. [The servant] made his camels kneel by a well of water [outside] the city at the time of evening when the women go out to draw water. 

[He prayed,] O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray you, send me good speed this day & show kindness to my master, Abraham. [Look.] I stand here by the well of water & the daughters of the [city's] men, come out to draw water. 

Let it [happen] that the [young woman] I ask, Let down your pitcher, so that I may drink, shall say, Drink & I will give water to your camels to drink also. Let [her] be the one You have appointed for Your servant, Isaac. [By that] I shall know that You have [shown] kindness to my master.  

Before he [finished] speaking, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came with her pitcher on her shoulder. She was [pretty] to look upon & a virgin & [hadn't] known a man [intimately] & she went down to the well & filled her pitcher. The servant ran to meet her & [asked,] I pray [that] you let me drink a little water from your pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord & she [hurried] & [lowered] down her pitcher [in] her hand & gave him a drink. 

When [he had finished drinking], she said, I  will draw water for the camels, also. And she [hurried] & emptied water [from] her pitcher into the trough & ran again to the well to draw water for all his camels. [The servant stayed silent wondering if] the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. 

[After] the camels [were] done drinking, the [servant gave] Rebekah, a golden earring of a ½ shekels weight & 2 golden bracelets for her hands [made] of 10 shekels weight of gold. He [asked,] Whose daughter are you? I pray [that] you tell me [whether] her father’s house had room for him to lodge? She told him, I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, [whom] she bore to Nahor. She [also] said to him, We have enough straw & feed & room for them to lodge [there.]

[The servant] bowed down his head & worshiped the Lord & said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not [abandoned] my master of His mercy & truth. I being [on] the [road,] the Lord led me to the house of his master’s brethren. And [Rebekah] ran & told [those] of her mother's [family] these things. 

And Rebekah had a brother [named] Laban & Laban ran out to the man. When [Laban] saw the earring & bracelets on his sister’s hands & when he heard the words of Rebekah, his sister, daying, The man [spoke this] to me, [Laban went to the man] & said, Come in, you blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside?

For I have prepared the house & a [place] for the camels. [Abraham's servant] came into the house & he [unstrapped] his camels & gave straw & [feed] for the camels & water to wash his feet & the feet of the men who were with him. And [food] was set before him to eat.

But [the servant] said, I [won’t] eat until I've told my errand. [Laban said, Continue speaking.] He [explained,] I'm Abraham’s servant. And the Lord has blessed my master greatly & has given him many flocks & herds, silver & gold, & male & female servants, camels & [donkeys.] And Sarah, [Abraham’s] wife bore [Isaac] to him when she was old & [how Isaac] is to inherit all [Abraham] has.

My master, [Abraham,] made me swear, saying, You shall not take a wife [for] my son of the daughters of the daughters of the Canaanites [where he dwells.] But you shall go to my father's house & to my [family] & [should] take a wife for his son. [And I said to my master, [Perhaps,] the woman won't follow me. And he said to me, The Lord, before Whom I walk, will send His Angel with you & make your way prosper. And you shall take a wife for my son [from my relatives] & of my father's house. Then you shall be [released] from this my oath, when you come to my [relatives] & they [won't] give you one.

And I came this day to the well & sayid, O Lord of my master, Abraham, if now You prosper my way [that] I go: [Look,] I stand by the well of water & it shall [happen] that when the virgin comes [out] to draw waters & I say to her, I pray [that] you give me, a little water of your pitcher to drink; And she [says] to me, You [may] both drink & I will also draw [water] for your camels. Let the same [person] be the woman whom the LOrd has [chosen] for my master's son. 

And before I had [finished] speaking [what was] in my heart & Rebekah came with her pitcher on her shoulder & she went down to the well & drew water. And I said to her, I pray [that] you let me drink. She [hurried] & let down her pitcher from her shoulder &  said, Drink & I will give your camels [water to] drink also. 

When I asked, Whose daughter are you? She [explained, I'm]  the daughter of Bethel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him. Then I gave her the earring upon her face & bracelets upon her hands. [Then] I bowed down &  worshiped the Lord God & blessed the Lord God of my master, Abraham, who led me in the right way to take the daughter of his master’s brother for his son.

And now, if you will deal kindly & truly with my master & tell me & if not, tell me, [so] I may turn to the right hand [side] or the left. Then, Laban & Bethuel said, [Since] this thing [comes] from the Lord, we can’t speak either good or bad to you. [Look,] Rebekah is before you, take her & go & let her be your master’s son’s wife as the Lord has spoken. [When Abraham's] servant heard these words, he bowed down to the [ground] & worshiped the Lord. 

The servant brought out [jewelry] of silver & gold & [clothing] & gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother & her mother. [The servant & his men] ate & drank & [stayed] all night & wanted to head back in the morning. [The servant] said, Send me away to my master. 

[Rebekah’s] brother & mother said, Let her stay a few more days, at least 10. After that, she may go. [The servant asked, Don't] hinder me, [since] the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away, so I may go to my master.  They said, We will call [Rebekah] & [inquire to hear what she says.] 

They called Rebekah & [asked,] Will you go with this man? She said , I will go. [So,] they sent away Rebekah, their sister & her nurse [along with] Abraham’s servant & his men. They blessed Rebekah saying, You are our sister. May you be the mother of 1,000’s of 1,000,000’s & let her [descendants] possess the gates of those who hate them. So Rebekah arose & her [maids] rode on camels & followed Abraham’s servant [who] took Rebekah & went on his way.

Isaac dwelt in the south country & came from the [road] of the Well Lahai Roi to meditate in the field in the [evening.] He lifted his eyes & saw camels were coming. [Then,] Rebekah lifted her eyes & when she saw Isaac, she [dismounted] from her camel after finding out from Abraham’s servant, Who is it, that is [walking] in the field to meet us? 

[When the servant told her,] It is my master, she covered herself with a veil. The servant told Isaac all the things he had done & Isaac brought her into his mother, [Sarah's] tent & he took Rebekah & she became his wife & he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.


12/09/2022

Genesis 23:1-20 Sarah Dies & Abraham Buys a Burial Plot

 

Sarah Dies & Abraham Buys a Burial Plot

Genesis  23:1-20                The First Book of Moses Called Genesis

Sarah was 127 years old & these were the years of her life. She died in Kirjath Arba which is Hebron in the land of Canaan & Abraham came to mourn & weep for [Sarah.]

Abraham stood & before his dead [wife] & spoke to the sons of Heth,  saying, I am a stranger & a  [foreigner] with you: Give me a possession for a [burial] place with you, [so] I may bury my dead out of my sight, since I am a stranger. The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying, Hear us, my lord: you are a mighty prince among us & you may have the [best] of our [burial tombs] to bury your dead. 

Abraham stood up & bowed to the people of the land & even to the children of Heth. [Abraham talked] with them, saying, If [it's agreeable] that I should bury my dead out of my sight, Hear me & [request] for me to Ephron, [Zoar's] son, That he [might] give me the cave of Machpelah, he has, which is at the end of his field  for as much money as it is worth, [so] he shall give it [to] me for a possession  [for a burial] place among you. Ephron [lived] among the children of Helth. Ephron, the Hittied, answered Abraham in the [presence] of the children of Heth & all [who] went in at the gate of his city. 

[Ephron said, No,] my lord. I [will] give you the field & the cave [that's there.] I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people to bury your dead. And Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. He [spoke] to Ephron [in front of] the people of the land, saying, But if your are willing to give it, I pray that you hear me:&  I will pay money [to] you for the field. Take it [from] me & I will bury my dead there. Ephron answered Abraham, saying, My lord, [listen] to me, the land is worth 400 shekels of silver, [but] what is that between me and you? Therefore, bury your dead. 

And Abraham [listened] & weighed out to Ephrom, 400 shekels of silver, current money with the merchant [& paid for] the cave & all the trees in the field, which were in all the borders [around] Machpelah, before Mamre which is Hebron in Canaan. And the field & the cave [there were deeded] to Abrahm by the sons of Heth, [as a burial place.]


12/08/2022

Genesis 22:1-22 Abraham & Isaac Go to Make a Sacrifice

 

Abraham & Isaac Go to Make a Burnt Sacrifice to the Lord

Genesis  22:1-22                The First Book of Moses Called Genesis

It [happened] after these things, that God [tested] Abraham & said, Abraham. And [Abraham] said to Him, [See,] here I am. And [God] said, Take your son now, your only son, Isaac, whom you love & [go together] into the land of Moriah & offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell you of. Abraham rose & saddled his [donkey] early in the morning [along with] 2 young men & Isaac, his son, and split some wood for the offering & went to the place God had told him [to go].

On the 3rd day, Abraham lifted his eyes up & could see the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, Stay with the [donkey] the lad & I will go yonder to worship & will come [back] to you again. Abraham put the wood for the offering on Isaac [to carry] & he took [a torch of] fire in his hand & a knife & they both went together. Isaac said to Abraham, his father, My father. [Abraham] said, Here I am, my son. [Isaac] said, [Looke,] we have the fire & the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? Abraham said, My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering. So, they both went [on] together.

They came to the place that God had told him [about] & Abraham built an altar there & placed the wood in order & bound his son, Isaac & laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched [out] his hand & took the knife to slay his son, [but] the Angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven & said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here I am.

[The Lord God's Angel] said, [Don't] lay your hand on the lad, [or] do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, [since] you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me. [Then,] Abraham lifted his eyes & saw a ram caught by his horns in a thicket. Abraham took the ram & offered [it] as the burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah Jireh, but it is called to this day, In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen. 

The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a 2nd time out of heaven & said, By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing & have not withheld you son, your only son: That in blessing I will bless you & multiplying I will multiply your [descendants like] the stars of the heaven & [like] the sand which is on the seashore & your [descendants] shall possess the gate of their enemies. *And in your seed [lineage] all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because you have obeyed My voice. 

[Galatians 3:16 Now, to Abraham & his Seed were the promises made. [God didn't] say, to seeds, [like] of many; but as of One, And to your Seed, which is Christ.] 

So Abraham returned to his young men & they rose up & went together to Beersheba. And Abraham [lived] in BeerSheba. It [happened] after these things, Abraham was told that Milcah has [borne] children to Nahor, your brother. Huz [was] his firstborn. Buz, his brother & Kemuel [who was] the father of Aram, And Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph & Bethuel. Bethuel [fathered] Rebekah. These 8 Milcah bore to Abraham’s brother, Nahor. Nahor’s [mistress,] Reumah, [bore] him Tebah, Gaham, Thahash & Maachah. 


12/07/2022

Genesis 21:1-34 Abraham is 100 When Sarah Has His Son, Isaac

 

Abraham is 100 When Sarah Has His Son, Isaac

Genesis 21:1-34                  The First Book of Moses Called Genesis

The Lord [God] visited Sarah as He had [said & she conceived & bore] a son for Abraham in his old age, at the [particular time] which God had spoken to him. Abraham at 100 years old, called the son that Sarah [bore] to him, Isaac. Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, [when he was] 8 days old, as God commanded him.

Sarah said, God made me laugh, so all [who] hear will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would [nurse] children? For I have [given] him a son in his old age. The child grew & was weaned & Abraham made a great feast the same day, Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw [Abraham's other] son [by] Hagar, the Egyptian, mocking. 

[Sarah asked Abraham,] Cast out this bond woman, [Hagar] & her son: for the son of this bond woman shall not be not the heir with Isaac, my son. This thing was [displeasing] to Abraham, because of his [other] son, [Ishmael.] *God [told] Abraham, Don't be [very sorry], because of the lad & the bond woman, but [listen to what Sarah has said,] for in Isaac, your [descendants] shall be called. 

[Hebrews 117-18 By faith Abraham, when he was [tested,] offered up Isaac & he [who] had received the promises, offered up his only begotten son. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac, your seed [descendants] shall be called.] 

I [the Lord God] will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your [offspring.] [Genesis 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: [Look,] I have blessed him & will make him fruitful & will multiply him exceedingly. He shall [father] 12 princes & I will make a great nation [from] him.] 

Abraham rose early & took bread & a bottle of water & put it on Hagar’s shoulder before sending her & the [boy] away. She wandered into the Wilderness of Beersheba & [when] their water in the bottle was [gone]. Hagar [placed her son] under one of the shrubs & sat opposite him, [like] a bowshot distance & said, Let me not see the death of the child & lifted up her voice & wept.

God heard the voice of the lad & the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven & asked her, What ails you, Hagar? Fear not: for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. [Stand] & lift the lad up & hold him in your [hands;] for I will make him a great nation. 

[Then,] God opened her eyes & she saw a well of water & she went & filled the bottle with water & gave the lad [some to] drink. God was with the lad & he grew & became an archer & dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran & his mother [got a] wife for him from the land of Egypt.

It [happened] at that time, that [king] Abimelech & Phichol, the chief captain of his [army, spoke] to Abraham saying, God is with you in all you do, so swear to me, by God that you will not deal falsely with me, my son, or my [descendants], but you will do to me according to the kindness that I have done to you in the land where you’ve [dwelt.] Abraham said, I will swear. 

[Then,] Abraham [complained] to Abimelech [about] his servants violently taking away [his] well of water. Abimelech said, I don’t know who has done this thing & neither did you tell me [about it] & I [hadn't] heard [about it until] today. Abraham gave Abimelech sheep & oxen & they both made a covenant [contract] together. Abraham set 7 [female] lambs by themselves. Abimelech [asked,] What do these 7 [female] lambs set by themselves mean? [Abraham] said, For these 7 [female] lambs, [that] you shall take [from] my hand, [so] that they may be a witness that I [Abraham] have dug this well. [Therefore, Abraham] called the place BeerSheba, because both of them [swore an oath] &  made a covenant [contract] there at BeerSheba. 

Then, Abimelech & Phichol, his chief captain of his [army] returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a grove [of trees] in BeerSheba & [he] called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. Abraham [stayed] in the land of the Philistines [for] many days.


12/06/2022

Genesis 20:1-18 Abraham Asks Sarah to Tell the King He's Her Brother

 

Abraham Asks Sarah to Tell the King He's Her Brother

Genesis 20:1-18                  The First Book of Moses Called Genesis

Abraham journeyed from [there going] toward the south & dwelled between Kadesh & Shur & [stayed] in Gerar. [Again] Abraham said, [Sarah] is my sister & Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent [for] & took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night & said to him, [See,] you are a dead man, [because] the woman you have taken is a man’s wife.

But Abimelech had not gone near her, he said, Lord, will you also slay a righteous nation? [Didn't Abraham] say she is my sister? She even said that [Abraham] was her brother. In the integrity of my heart & innocence of my hands, I have done this. And God said to him in a dream,

[Yes,] I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart, that's why I have [kept you back] from sinning against Me. Therefore, I didn't [allow] the king to touch her. Now, therefore [return] the man his wife: for he is a prophet & he shall pray for you & you shall live. And if you [don't return] her, you shall surely die, you & all [who are yours.] Abimelech rose early & told his servants these things & the men became afraid.

Abimelech called Abraham & [asked,] What have you done to us? [How] have I offended you, that you have brought this great sin on my kingdom & me? You have done [this deed] to me, that [shouldn't] have been done. Abimelech said to Abraham, What [did you see,] that you have done this thing? Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely, the fear of God isn’t in this place & they would kill me for my wife’s sake. And she [truly] is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother & she became my wife.

It [happened,] when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I [asked] her, Do this kindness [for] me & say I’m your brother at every place that we come [to.] And Abimelech gave Abraham sheep, oxen & [male & female] servants & restored Sarah, his wife, to him. Abimecheh said, [Look,] my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you. 

[The king] said to Sarah, [Look,] I have given your brother 1,000 pieces of silver. See, [for] you, he [concealed] the eyes [from offense] of all [who] are with you & all others. Thus, you are [justified.] So, Abraham prayed to God & God healed Abimelech, his wife & his maidservants & they [bore] children, [because] the Lord had closed up the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.


12/05/2022

Genesis 19:1-38 2 Angels Visit Sodom & Rescue Lot

 

2 Angels Visit Sodom & Rescue Lot & the Lord Rains Brimstone & Fire on It

Genesis 19:1-38                  The First Book of Moses Called Genesis

Lot sat in the gate of Sodom, when the 2 angels came there [in the evening.] Seeing them, Lot rose to [greet] them & bowed toward the ground. [Lot] said, [Look] now, I pray [that] you, my lord, turn into your servant's house & [stay] all night & wash your feet & you shall rise up early & go on your [way.] And they said, [No,] but we will [stay] in the street all night, but Lot [strongly insisted, so] they entered into his house. [Lot] made them a feast & broke unleavened bread & they ate. 

Before they lay down, both the young & old men of Sodom [from every corner, surrounded] the house. And they called [out,]  Where are the men [who] came to you this night? Bring them out to us, [so] that we may know them. [Psalm 11:5-6 The Lord [tests] the righteous: but the wicked & him [who] loves violence, His soul hates. Upon the wicked, He shall rain snares, fires & brimstone & a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of His cup.]

Lot went out the door, to them & shut the door after him. [Lot] said, I pray [that] you don't [do] so wickedly.  [See] now, I have 2 [unmarried] daughters [who] haven't known [a] man. I pray [that] you, [instead let me] bring them out to you & you do to them, [what] is good in your eyes. Only do nothing to these men who came under the shadow of my roof. 

They said, Stand back & said [it] again. This fellow came to [stay] & he [thinks] he will [need to] be a judge. Now we will [treat] Lot worse than them. They pressed [hard] against Lot [to the point they nearly broke down] the door. The men [Angels] reached [out] their [hands] & pulled Lot into the house [with] them & shut the door & [struck] the men at the door with blindness both small & [large] & they grew weary of trying to find the door. 

The men [asked] Lot, [Do you have any other family] here besides [you]? [A] son-in-law, sons, daughters & whatever [relatives] you have in the city, bring them out of this place. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of [those is growing] great, before the face of the Lord. And the Lord has sent us to destroy it. Lot went out & [spoke] to his sons-in-law, [who] married his daughters & said, [Get] up from this place; for the Lord will destroy this city.  Lot’s sons-in-law [& married daughters thought] Lot [was joking.] 

In the morning at sunrise, the angels [rushed] Lot, saying, Take your wife & 2 daughters [who] are here, [so] you aren’t consumed in the iniquity of the city. The men [Angels] took Lot’s hand & his wife's hand & the hands of his 2 daughters, [because] the Lord [was] being merciful to him. The [Angels] brought them outside the city. It [happened] when they had brought them [out,] he said,  Escape for your life & [don't] look [back] behind you & neither stay in [any of] the plain. Escape to the mountain, lest you be [destroyed]. 

Lot said to them, Oh, [no,] my [lords.] [Look] now, if [I,] your servant have found grease in your sight & you have magnified your mercy, [that] you have shown to me [by] saving my life & can't escape to the mountain, let some evil [thing overtakes] me & I die.  [Look] now, this city is near to flee to & it's a little one. Let me escape [there] & my soul shall live. (Isn't it a little city?) He said, I will [accept your plan about this.] [So,] I won't overthrow this city, you have spoken [of.]  [Hurry,] escape [there;] for I can't do anything [until] you [arrive there.] Therefore, the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun [had] risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar & then the Lord rained brimstone & fire on [the cities] of Sodom & Gomorrah, from the Lord out of heaven.

The [Lord] overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities & [what] grew on the ground. But [Lot’s] wife looked back behind him & she became a pillar of salt. [Genesis 19:17 And it [happened,] when they had brought them [outside,] that he said, Escape for your life. [Don't] look [back] behind you, neither stay in [any of] the plain. Escape to the mountain, let you be [destroyed.]

Early in the morning, Abraham [went] to the place where he had stood before the Lord [God] & looked toward Sodom & Gomorrah & toward the land of the plain & [saw] the smoke of the [land that] went up [like] the smoke of a furnace. It [happened,] when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham & sent Lot out of the midst of the [overthrown] cities where Lot [lived.] Lot went up [from] Zoar, for he was fearful to live there & dwelt in the mountains with his 2 daughters & lived in a cave.

The firstborn [daughter] said to the younger, OUr father is old & there is [no] man [on] earth to come in to us [intimately] after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine & we will lie [intimately] with him, [so] that we may preserve [the lineage] of our father. And they made their father [drunk with] wine that night & the firstborn went in & lay with her father. He [didn't realize it] when she lay down, nor when she arose. On the [next night,] the firstborn said to the younger, [See,] I lay [last night] with my father. Let us make him also drink wine this night & you go in & lie with him, [so] that we may preserve [the lineage] of our father. 

They made their father drink wine that night also & the younger [daughter] arose & lay with him & he [didn't realize it] when she lay down, or when she arose. Both daughters were [pregnant] by their father, Lot. The firstborn [daughter gave birth to] a son & [named] him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger [daughter] also [gave birth to] a son & his name was Ben Ammi. [He] is the father of the children [people] of Ammon to this day


12/04/2022

Genesis 18:1-33 Abraham Asks the Lord to Spare Sodom

 

Abraham Asks the Lord to Spare Sodom

Genesis 18:1-33                  The First Book of Moses Called Genesis

The Lord appeared to [Abraham] in the plains of Mamre; as he sat in [his] tent door in the heat of the day & looked up & saw 3 men & ran to meet them & bowed toward the ground. [Abraham] said, My Lord, I pray You, if I have now found favor in Your sight, [don't pass on by,] from Your servant. I pray You, let a little water be [gotten to] wash your feet & rest yourselves under the tree. Therefore, I will [bring] you a morsel of bread & you comfort your hearts. After that, you shall pass on, for you [have] come to Your servant. And they said, Do as you have said.

Abraham hurried to the tent to Sarah & said, Quickly make ready, kneaded cakes of 3 measures of fine meal, upon the hearth. Abraham ran to the herd & got a tender calf from the herd & gave it to a young man [who quickly prepared it.] He took the butter, milk & [the prepared] calf & set it before them & they did eat, as he stood by them under the tree. 

They [asked,] Where is Sarah, your wife? [Abraham] said, [Look,] she was in the tent. The [Lord] said, I will certainly return to you, according to the time of life & Sarah, your wife, shall have a son. And Sarah heard it, [while] in the tent door, behind Him. Now, Abraham & Sarah were old & well stricken [by] age & Sarah [was past the age of child bearing.] 

Therefore, Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I have [grown] old, shall I have [this] pleasure, my [husband] being old, also? And the Lord said to Agraham, [Why] did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I surely bear a child, [since] I am old? [The Lord replied,] Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, Sarah shall have a son. Sarah denied, [because] she was afraid, saying, I [didn't] laugh. [But the Lord] said, No, but you did laugh.

[As] the 3 men rose from there & looked toward Sodom, Abraham went with them to [take them to the road.] And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham [what I’m going to] do, [since] Abraham shall surely become a great & mighty nation & all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him & he will command his children & household after him, so they all keep the [path] of the Lord, to do justice & judgment, [so] that the Lord may bring upon Abraham [what I have] spoken to him.

The Lord said, Because the cry [against] Sodom & Gomorrah is great, because their sin is very [serious;] I will go down now & see whether they have done according to the cry [that] has come to Me & if not, I will know. Then the men turned [away] from [there] & went toward Sodom. 

But Abraham [still] stood before the Lord. Abraham [came close] & asked [the Lord,] Will You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? [Perhaps,] if there are 50 righteous within the city, would You also destroy the place & not spare [it] for the 50 righteous that are [in there?] Far be it from You, to do [something like] this, to [kill] the righteous with the wicked & that the righteous should be [treated like] the wicked. That [would] be far from You. [Shouldn't] the Judge of all the earth, do right? The Lord said, If I find 50 righteous within [Sodom,] then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered & said, [Look] now, I have taken it upon [myself] to speak to the Lord, [when I'm just] dust & ashes. [Perhaps, if there were 5 less than] the 50 righteous, would You destroy all the city for lack of 5? The [Lord] said to [Abraham,] If I find 45 [righteous,] I won't destroy it.

And [Abraham] spoke to the Lord again, & said, [Perhaps,] if there were only 40 [righteous] found there? And [the Lord] said, I will not do it for 40's sake. [Then,] Abraham] said to [the Lord,] Oh, [don't] let the Lord be angry & I will speak. [Perhaps,] if 30 [should] be found there? [The Lord] said, I won't do it if I find 30 [righteous] there. 

And [Abraham asked the Lord,] [Look] now, I have taken [it upon myself] to speak to the Lord. [Perhaps] there shall be 20 found there? And [the Lord] said, I won't destroy it for the sake [of] 20. And [Abraham] said, Oh, [don't] let the Lord be angry & I will speak this once. [Perhaps,] if 10 should be found there? [The Lord] said, I won't destroy it for the sake [of] 10 [righteous]. The Lord went His way [after speaking] with Abraham & Abraham returned to his place.