their glorious radiance far and wide to shine brilliantly
over the broad surface of the sea. Such shall be the
multitude of thy descendants, rich in progeny. Let not
thy heart be bound by sorrow. A son shall yet be born 2195
to thee, a child born of thy wife by ordinary birth, who
after thee shall be the keeper of the inheritance, rich in
property. Grieve no more: I am the Lord, who many
winters ago led thee out of the stronghold of Caldea 2200
with but few followers, and promised thee a broad
dwelling-place for thy possession: I give thee now my
pledge, man of the Hebrews, that many a broad land
on this earth shall be peopled with thy progeny, regions 2205
of the world as far as Eufrates even from the borders
of Egypt, as many men and as wide a kingdom as the
Nile cuts off and the sea bounds: all this shall thy sons 2210
own, each of the countries, as these three waters sur-
round with their streams the lofty cities of stone, the
foamy floods [surround] the refuge of the people."

Then Sarra was grieved at heart that no son had come 2215
to Abraham through their wedlock, a free-born heir for
their solace; so the sorrowful one began to speak to her
husband in these words:

"The Ruler of heaven has denied me this, that I 2220
might augment the number of thy family under the
skies with sons of thine own. Now I am hopeless that
an heir will ever be given us together: I am too old, in
my misery. My lord, do as I bid thee. Here is a 2225
woman, a fair damsel, an Egiptian maid in our possession: