Burnt offerings XVII

And he said,

Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter:

for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not - young men, whether poor or rich.

*****

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.

**

And God heard the voice of the lad;

and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven,

and said unto her,

What aileth thee, Hagar? - fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad - where he is.

***

And the Lord appeared unto him the same night,

and said,

I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, - for I am with thee, - and will bless thee, - and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

***

And they journeyed from Bethel;

and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath:

Rachel travailed, - and she had hard labour.

And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour,

that the midwife said unto her,

Fear not;

thou shalt have this son also.

***

And he said,

Peace be to you,

fear not:

God,

and the God of your father,

hath given you treasure in your sacks:

I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

***

And God spake unto Israel

in the visions of the night,

and said,

Jacob,

Jacob.

And he said,

Here am I.

And he said,

I am God, the God of thy father:

fear not to go down into Egypt; - for I will there make of thee a great nation:

***

And Joseph said unto them,

Fear not:

for am I in the place of God?

But as for you, ye thought d-evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

*****

And now,

my daughter,

fear not;

I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous workman. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman:

*****

None is so fierce that dare stir him up:

who then is able to stand before me?

Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven - is mine. 

I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. 

Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? 

Who can open the doors of his face? - his teeth are terrible round about.  His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. 

One is so near to another,

that no air can come between them. 

They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.  By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. 

Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.  Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. 

His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.  In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.  The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. 

His heart is as firm as a stone;

yea,

as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.  When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.  The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. 

He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.  The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.  Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. 

Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.  He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. 

He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. 

Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.  He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride. 

*****

howbeit there is a kinsman nearer - than I.

ISamuelYea