Lectionary Readings for Thursday, April 25th, 2019

First Book of God Chapters VIII and IX

Chapter VIII

THE FIRST FONECEAN BIBLE.–BEING OF ABRAM, A MAN
CHOSEN BY GOD FOR THE CHILDREN OF ARABIN’YA.

1. Out of the hosts of Parsi’e, who were of the people of Shem, who were since the days
of the flood, came Abram, a man chosen by God, in the arcs of Spe-ta and Bon, for the
deliverance of the Faithists of Arabin’ya. God said: Because they have not raised up one
out of the sons of Ham, thy name shall be, henceforth, Abra-Ham, and it shall be
testimony in thousands of years of my records in the libraries of heaven.

2. And it came to pass that forgers and deceivers, not having the fear of Jehovih before
them, falsely gave the interpretation of the meaning of the words of Abra and Ham, not
knowing (in thousands of years) that in so small a matter He would display the truth and
glory of His revealed word.

3. God led Abram away from He-sa, his native place, where he was a maker of baskets,
and took him to the ancient land of Ham, which had been destroyed by druks, before the
flood, as the name signifieth; whereafter God surnamed him Abraham, and made him
chief rab’bah over the Faithists of Arabin’ya.

4. These, then, are the generations of the line whence came Abram, that is to say: Of
Shem and the seventy tribes, first going forth beyond the mountains of Owatchab-habal,
Tur who settled in Parsi’e, and his descendants Raf-bak, and his descendants Goe, and his
descendants Wawa, and his descendants Sadr.

5. In Sadr the line was lost, but through his daughter Bar-bar regained through the I’hins
in the land of Goats, where the Listians lived, having fled from the tyranny of the kings of
Oas.

6. From Bar-bar was descended Egount, from him Dir, from him Wow-sha, from him Helial, from him Rac-ca. And here the line ran by female heirs, beginning in Rac-ca’s
daughter, Hess, from whom was descended Gil-gil, from whom was descended Thussa,
from whom was descended She, from whom was descended seven generations in su-is;
and it was lost in We-ta-koo, but regained again through I’hin seed, and appeared in Reboth, and again su-is extended through these generations: Arfaxad, Sala, Eber, Peleg,
Roo, Sa-rug, Na-hor and Terah; but in Terah the line was lost, but regained by I’hin seed,
from whom sprang Geth, from whom sprang Choe, from whom sprang Gus, from whom
sprang Ra-bak, from whom sprang Ya-shem, and by I’hin seed sprang Ti-lot, and by I’hin
seed Shi-ar, and by I’hin seed Shir-ra, from whom descended Na-hor the second, from
whom sprang Abram.

7. Abram was of pure blood, an I’huan; and the light of su-is had been with his forefathers and foremothers since the flood, and he was large and red, like new copper, and
had black hair and long beard, fierce to look upon; but his soul was gentle as a woman’s.

8. Abram could see without eyes and hear without ears, knowing things by the light
of God which dwelt in him. Wherefore God chose Abram to gather together the
Faithists in Arabin’ya and the adjacent countries, even as he had appointed Po in Jaffeth.

9. In those days there were great kings and men of great learning, and they had books of
learning and instruments for measuring things far and near.

10. And Abram knew these things, for he had been a servant in a king’s family where
learned men and women congregated. And so, knowing the power of God was upon him,
he ran away in his youth, and lived amongst the Listians, who made baskets and trinkets
in the forests, which they sold to the king’s peoples.

11. God spake to Abram, saying: Fear not for men of learning; neither grieve thou for the
learning in books. When they are forgotten, thy words and thy labors will overspread the
world.

12. And God lived with Abram, teaching him and working miracles through him. And it
came to pass that the Listians in their rambles, selling wares, told the slaves of the kings
about the wonders of Abram.

13. And the slaves fled from bondage and went into the wilderness in search of Abram.
And when they came before him, he spake unto them, day by day, as they came, saying:

14. Why have ye come? I called you not! And when they could not answer, Abram said
unto them: God brought you. Man of himself doeth nothing. Search, then, the records of
your generations; for ye are descended from the Faithists of old.

15. And they searched, and found not one had came but was descended from before the
time of Zarathustra.

16. Abram said: Think not that God cometh to one man alone; when he provideth a voice
he also provideth ears and hearts. Because ye have been faithful unto him, he calleth you
to deliverance from your enemies, who are God’s enemies also.

Chapter IX

1. When there had come to Abram in She-a-do-wan four thousand five hundred souls,
God spake to Abram, saying: Come, now; I will lead thee and thy people into another
country.

2. So Abram led them thence and came into Lower Howd-Lutz. And it came to pass that
in the next year after they departed out of She-a-do-wan a famine came upon the land and
the enemies of God were cut off, and could not pursue Abram and his people.

3. After this it was that Abram was called Abraham, and he built altars of worship and
altars of sacrifice, according to the commandments of God.

4. Now it came to pass in the early days of Abraham, he told his brothers that the light
and power of God were with him; and, though others believed in Abraham, yet Lot,
Abram’s brother, and Lot, Abram’s nephew, believed not in Abraham, saying of him: He
was born naturally, and is wise of his own judgment.

5. God said to Abraham: Behold, it is an easy matter to commune with spirits, but to
judge righteously of them is not so easy. For which reason thou and thy wife, and one
hundred picked men, shall go and visit Sodom and Gomorrah in the valley of Siddim.

6. And Abraham and his people went as commanded by God, and visited the cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah; and God spake privily to Abraham, saying: I will destroy
these cities, for they are as hells for evil spirits; but Lot shall escape for thy sake.

7. And when they came to Sodom, behold, angels walked amongst the people, and
the people knew they were angels, but cared not for them. And there were laws
made by Bera, king of Sodom, regarding the behavior betwixt angels and men.

8. And Abraham, being pressed by the presence of God, said unto his people: Behold,
there are angels that love to dwell in lust, and to partake with mortals; to eat with them, to
lie down with them, and to partake in all ungodly pleasures.

9. God, through his angels, rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah, and
they were burnt and destroyed. Lot, the elder, escaped, and went and lived in a cave.

10. Now, after Abraham and his people were returned to Jireh, his camp, and it was night,
God said to Abraham: Be thou steadfast, and show thy people that they may understand
my words.

11. And whilst they were yet praying before the altar, God withdrew from Abraham, and
suffered the evil angels, who had followed them from Sodom and Gomorrah, to draw
near about the altar. And one of the angels clothed himself in a great light, and with a
crown, and with sparkling gems, and he appeared, so all the multitude of people could
look upon him.

12. Abraham said: Who art thou? And the spirit said: I am thy God, ruler of heaven and
earth! Abraham said: I am thy servant; what wouldst thou? And the spirit said: Thou shalt
take thine only son, Isaac, and thy hosts who were with thee at Sodom and Gomorrah, and
go with me whither I will lead thee, for I have a great work for thee.

13. Abraham said: Whatsoever thou puttest upon me to do, that will I do.

14. So in the morning Abraham and his son Isaac, and the hosts who had been with
Abraham to Sodom and Gomorrah, assembled together. And Abraham spake, saying:
Whither, O God?

15. The spirit answered, saying: Take sticks and a fire-brand and come thou to the summit
of yonder hill, for thou shalt restore the rites of burnt offerings. So Abraham told what
God had said, and they started, and Isaac carried the bundle of willows, such as basketmakers use, saying: This will light the large pieces; but what wilt thou burn for an
offering, O Father? And Abraham said: God will provide.

16. And when they ascended to the place, Abraham gathered logs and heaped them up,
and Isaac placed the willows.

17. Then spake the spirit, saying: What shall a man love above all things in the world?
And Abraham said: God. And the spirit said: For which reason thou shalt offer thine only
son, Isaac, as a burnt offering. And it shall be testimony before thy people that thou wilt
obey God even to the sacrifice of thine own flesh and kin.

18. Abraham said: Show me that thou art God, that I may not err, for I have been
commanded not to kill.

19. And the spirit departed away from Abraham, perceiving that he knew the higher law.
And Isaac was grieved at heart, for he desired to witness what a sacrifice was. And the
people, seeing a ram near at hand, went and caught it, and slaughtered it, and sprinkled
the blood on the sacrifice, and they lighted the fire and roasted the flesh, and took it and
gave it to the poor.

20. And Abraham called the place Jehovih-Jireh, and they returned to the camp; and
Abraham, being moved of God, spake before the people.