Abraham Dwells in Gerar

To-ward ſodome he ſag ðe roke

1164

And ðe brinfires ſtinken ſmoke,
and saw that the city had been destroyed.

And wente a-wei fro mambre dale,
So ſore him reu of ðat bale.
For sorrow he left Mamre's dale

Suðen he wente & wunede in geraris,

1168

bi-twen cade and vr, y-wis;
and went and abode in Gerar.

ðor he ſeide eft, for luue of lif,
ðat ſiſter wore ſarra his wif.
Quilum of er pharraon hire toc,

1172

Nu takeð abimalech hire oc;
There he said Sarah was his sister.

Sene it was ðat ghe waſ fair wif,
Quan ghe waſ luued in ſo long lif.
Abimalech wurð ſek on-on,
[Fol. 23b.]
Abimelech took her to wife.

1176

And oðer wreche iſ folc cam on;
Nogt wif-kinnes non birðe ne nam,
ðor quiles he ðor wið-helð ſaram.
On dreme him cam tiding for-quat
Sickness fell on him and on his folk.

1180

He ðrowede and ðolede un-timing ðat;
Al it waſ for abraham-iſ wif,
ðat he hire held ðor wið ſtrif;
ðo bi-ðhogte him ful wel,

1184

And ſente after abraham ðat ilc ſel,
The cause of this evil was made known to him in a dream.

And bi-tagte him hiſ wif a-non,
And hiſ yuel ſort waſ ouer-gon.
He sent back Sarah,

His wif and oðere birðe beren,

1188

ða ðe ſwinacie gan him nunmor deren.
Abimalech gaf abraham
Gold, and ſiluer, and lond for-ðan;
his wife and others bore children, and the quinsy no more troubled him.

A ðhuſant plates of ſiluer god

1192

Gaf he ſarra ðat faire blod,
Bad hire ðor hir wið heuod ben hid,
for ſwilc timing was hire bi-tid.
Ðo wulde god bi-ſewen ſo

1196

of olde abraham and o ſarra ſo.
Ghe wurd wið child, on elde wac,
Plates of silver he gave to Sarah.

And trimede and cleped it yſaac.
The birth of Isaac.

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