Abram Complains for Want of an Heir

912

wolde he nogt him hiſ ſwinc for-geten,

oc abram dede ðor meðelike wel,
wid-held he ðor-of neu[er]e on del,
oc al ðat euere fel him to,
[Fol. 18b.]
The patriarch would accept of nothing.

916

Sac-les he let hin welden it ſo.
Ebruiſ ſeigen, wune hem wex her
To algen ilk fiftene ger,
for loth waſ fifti winter hold,

920

Quan abram him bi-told.
Then first began the custom of keeping the 15th year holy.

Abel primiceſ firſt bi-gan,
Abel first began first-fruit.

And decimas first abram;
Nu iſt ſo boden and ſo bitagt,

924

Quo-ſo hiſ alt him bi agt.
Abram tithes.

After ðiſ ſpac god to abram:—
"ðin berg and tin werger ic ham.
ðin ſwinc ðe ſal ben gulden wel,

928

wid michel welðe in good[e] ſel."
After this God spake to Abram, saying, "I am thy safety and thy defence, thy toil shall be requited."

Quad he, "quat ſal me welðes ware,
Quane ic child-leſ of werlde fare;
Damak eliezereſ ſune,

932

In al min welðe ſal he wunen?"
Quoth Abram, "What avails wealth, seeing that I am childless, and that Eliezer's son shall inherit my wealth?"

Quat god, "ſo ſal it nogt ben,
Of ðe ſelf ſal ðin erward ten."
Abram leuede ðiſ hot in ſped,

936

dat waſ him [told] to rigt-wiſhed.
God said, "Of thyself shall thine heir come."

ðre der he toc, ilc ðre ger hold,
And ſacrede god on an wold;
Abram took three deer each three years old and offered them as a sacrifice.

of godeſ bode he nam god kep,
[Fol. 19.]

940

A net, and a got, and a ſep;
Euerilc of ðeſe he delte on two,
And let hem lin on ſunder ſo,
Vndelt heſ leide quor-ſo heſ tok;
An heifer, a goat, and a sheep he took, and divided them in two and set them apart.

944

And ðor a duue and a turtul ok
Sat up on-rum til heuene he tok,
And of ðo doles kep he nam
The dove and the turtle he divided not.

Gredi foueles fellen ðor-on,
Greedy fowls fell upon the carcases.

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