The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966) - full transcript

NARRATOR:
iIn the beginning, God created/i
ithe Heaven and the Earth./i

iAnd the Earth/i
iwas without/i
iform and void& /i

i& and darkness/i
iwas upon the face/i
iof the deep./i

iAnd the Spirit of God/i
imoved upon the face/i
iof the waters./i

iAnd God said,/i
i"Let there be light. /i

iAnd there was light./i

iAnd God divided the light/i
ifrom the darkness./i

iAnd God called/i
ithe light day. /i

iAnd the darkness/i
iHe called night. /i

iAnd the evening/i
iand the morning/i
iwere the first day./i

iAnd God said,/i
i Let there be a firmament& /i



i& in the midst/i
iof the waters./i

iAnd let it/i
idivide the waters/i
ifrom the waters. /i

iAnd God called/i
ithe firmament heaven. /i

iAnd the evening/i
iand the morning/i
iwere the second day./i

iAnd God said:/i

iLet the waters/i
iunder the heaven& /i

i& be gathered together/i
iunto one place& /i

i& and let/i
ithe dry land appear. /i

iThe gathering together/i
iof the waters& /i

i& called He seas. /i

iAnd He called/i
ithe dry land earth. /i

iAnd God said,/i
i Let the earth/i
ibring forth grass& /i

i& the herb yielding seed/i
iand the fruit tree/i
iyielding fruit& /i

i& whose seed is in itself/i
iupon the earth. /i



iAnd the evening/i
iand the morning/i
iwere the third day./i

iAnd God said, Let there/i
ibe lights in the firmament/i
iof the heaven& /i

i& and let them be/i
ifor signs and for seasons& /i

i& and for days and years. /i

iAnd God made/i
itwo great lights:/i

iThe greater light,/i
ito rule the day& /i

i& and the lesser light,/i
ito rule the night./i

iHe made the stars also./i

iAnd God set them/i
iin the firmament/i
iof the heaven& /i

i& to give light/i
iupon the Earth./i

iAnd the evening/i
iand the morning/i
iwere the fourth day./i

iAnd God said,/i
i Let the waters bring/i
iforth abundantly& /i

i& the moving creature/i
ithat hath life& /i

i& and fowl that fly/i
iabove the earth/i

iin the open/i
ifirmament of heaven. /i

(SEAGULLS SQUAWK)

iAnd God created/i
igreat whales& /i

i& and every living creature/i
ithat moveth& /i

i& which the waters/i
ibrought forth abundantly/i
iafter their kind./i

iGod blessed them, saying:/i

i Be fruitful and multiply/i
iand fill the waters& /i

i& and the seas. /i

iAnd the evening/i
iand the morning/i
iwere the fifth day./i

iAnd God said,/i
i Let the earth bring forth& /i

i& the living creature/i
iafter his kind./i

iAnd everything/i
ithat creepeth upon the earth/i
iafter his kind& /i

i& cattle and/i
ithe beast of the earth/i
iafter his kind. /i

iAnd God saw that it was good./i

iAnd God said:/i

i Let us make man/i
iin our own image& /i

i& after our likeness. /i

iThe Lord God formed man/i
iof the dust of the ground& /i

i& and breathed/i
iinto his nostrils/i
ithe breath of life& /i

i& and man/i
ibecame a living soul./i

iAnd God brought unto Adam/i
ievery beast of the field& /i

i& and every/i
ifowl of the air& /i

i& to see what he/i
iwould call them./i

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

iAnd the Lord said:/i

i It is not good/i
ithat the man/i
ishould be alone. /i

iAnd He caused a deep sleep/i
ito fall upon Adam./i

iAnd he slept./i

iAnd God made a woman/i
iand brought her/i
iunto the man./i

This is now
bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh.

iSo God created man/i
iin His own image& /i

i& in the image of God/i
icreated He him& /i

i& male and female/i
icreated He them./i

iAnd God saw everything/i
ithat He had made& /i

i& and behold,/i
iit was very good./i

iAnd the evening/i
iand the morning/i
iwere the sixth day./i

iAnd on the seventh day/i
iGod rested& /i

i& from all His work/i
iwhich He had made./i

iAnd God blessed/i
ithe seventh day/i
iand sanctified it./i

iEastward, in Eden,/i
iGod had planted a garden./i

iAnd He said,/i
i Go into the garden/i
iI have made./i

iTend it and keep it./i

iOf every tree of the garden/i
ithou mayest freely eat./i

iBut of the Tree/i
iof the Knowledge/i
iof Good and Evil& /i

i& thou shalt not eat of it./i

iFor in the day/i
ithat thou eatest thereof& /i

i& thou shalt surely die. /i

iAnd God blessed them/i
iand said unto them:/i

i Be fruitful and multiply. /i

THE SERPENT: Eve&

Eve&

Hath God said&

& ye shall not eat
of every tree
in the garden?

We may eat of
the fruit of the trees
of the garden&

& but of
the fruit of this tree
God hath said:

"Ye shall not eat of it&

& neither shall ye
touch it, lest ye die.

Ye shall not surely die.

For God doth know
that in the day
ye eat thereof&

& then your eyes
shall be opened&

& and ye shall be as gods&

& knowing good and evil.

EVE: The serpent hath said
that we shall not die&

& that our eyes
shall be opened
and we shall be as gods.

Taste it.
There s no harm.

It is&

& disobedience.

EVE: It will make us wise.

NARRATOR: And the Lord God
icalled unto Adam:/i

i Where art thou? /i

I heard thy voice
and I was afraid
because I was naked,

and I hid myself.

GOD: Who told thee
ithat thou wast naked?/i

iHast thou eaten/i
iof the tree& /i

i& whereof I commanded thee/i
ithat thou shouldst not eat?/i

The woman thou gavest
to be with me&

& she gave me of the tree,
and I did eat.

iWhat is it that/i
ithou hast done?/i

The serpent beguiled me
and I did eat.

iBecause thou/i
ihast done this& /i

i& thou art cursed/i
iabove all cattle& /i

i& and above every beast/i
iof the field./i

iUpon thy belly/i
ishalt thou go& /i

i& and dust shalt thou eat/i
iall the days of thy life./i

iI will put enmity/i
ibetween thee/i
iand the woman& /i

i& between thy seed/i
iand her seed./i

iIt shall bruise thy head& /i

i& and thou shalt/i
ibruise his heel./i

iEve& /i

i& I will greatly/i
imultiply thy sorrow/i
iand thy conception./i

iIn sorrow shalt thou/i
ibring forth children& /i

i& and thy desire/i
ishall be to thy husband& /i

i& and he shall/i
irule over thee./i

iAdam, because thou/i
ihast harkened/i
iunto thy wife& /i

i& and hast eaten/i
iof the tree& /i

i& cursed is the ground/i
ifor thy sake& /i

i& in sorrow/i
ishalt thou eat of it/i
iall the days of thy life& /i

i& thorns also and thistles/i
ishall it bring forth to thee./i

iThou shalt eat/i
ithe herb of the field./i

iIn the sweat of thy face/i
ishalt thou eat bread& /i

i& until thou/i
ireturn unto the ground./i

iFor out of it/i
iwas thou taken/i
ifor dust thou art& /i

i& and unto dust/i
ishalt thou return./i

(THUNDERS)

(BABY CRYING)

I have made a man
from the Lord God.

Thy name
shall be called Cain.

NARRATOR: And the meaning
iof Cain is possession. /i

iEve again bare a son& /i

i& and his name was Abel& /i

i& which means/i
i breath of life. /i

iAnd the children of Eve/i
igrew to be men./i

iCain was a tiller/i
iof the ground& /i

i& and Abel was/i
ia keeper of flocks./i

iAt the time of the harvest,/i
ithey builded altars& /i

i& and kindled fires/i
iupon them./i

iAnd Abel brought/i
iof the firstlings/i
iof his flock& /i

i& and the fat thereof./i

iAnd Cain also/i
ibrought of the fruit/i
iof the ground& /i

i& an offering unto the Lord./i

iAnd the Lord had/i
irespect unto Abel/i
iand his offering./i

iBut unto Cain/i
iand his offering/i
iHe had not respect./i

Why art thou angry?

lf thou doest well,
shalt thou not be accepted?

GOD: Cain?

iCain./i

iWhere is Abel, thy brother?/i

I know not!

iWhere is Abel, thy brother?/i

Am I my brother s keeper?

iWhat hast thou done?/i

iThe voice of thy/i
ibrother s blood& /i

i& crieth unto me/i
ifrom the ground./i

iNow art thou/i
icursed from the Earth& /i

i& which hath opened to/i
ireceive thy brother s blood/i
ifrom thy hand./i

iWhen thou/i
itillest the ground& /i

i& it shall not yield/i
iunto thee her strength./i

iA fugitive and a vagabond/i
ishalt thou be in the Earth./i

(WOLF HOWLS)

For dust thou
art and unto dust
shalt thou return.

My punishment is greater
than I can bear!

Thou hast driven me
out this day from the face
of the Earth&

& and from thy face
shall I be hid.

And I shall be
a fugitive and a vagabond
in the Earth&

& and everyone
that findeth me
shall slay me!

iGOD: Whosoever slayeth Cain& /i

i& vengeance shall be taken/i
ion him sevenfold./i

iI set a mark upon Cain& /i

i& lest any, finding him,/i
ishall slay him./i

NARRATOR: And Cain
ileft the presence/i
iof the Lord& /i

i& and dwelt/i
iin the Land of Nod,/i
ieast of Eden./i

iAnd Cain knew his wife,/i
iand she conceived/i
iand bare a son./i

iIn the generations of time& /i

i& when his seed began/i
ito people the Earth& /i

i& there were born men/i
iapt in knowledge and craft./i

iAs Jabal,/i
ithe father of such/i
ias dwell in tents& /i

i& and of such/i
ias have cattle./i

iThey made vessels/i
iout of the earth& /i

i& jars and pitchers/i
iby the skill of their hands./i

iAnd Jabal s brother s name/i
iwas Jubal./i

iHe was the father of all/i
isuch as handle the harp/i
iand play music./i

iAnd Tubalcain, also& /i

i& an instructor/i
iof every artificer/i
iin brass and iron./i

iAnd they learnt the secrets/i
iof the ground& /i

i& that it/i
ishould deliver to them/i
iits fullness and strength./i

iBut the knowledge/i
iof good and evil/i

iwas in all the people/i
iof the Earth./i

iAnd God grieved in/i
iHis heart that men/i
ifollowed the way of evil& /i

i& and that/i
ievery imagination& /i

i& of/i
ithe thoughts of his heart/i
iwas only evil, continually./i

iThe Earth/i
idisclosed her blood& /i

i& and no more/i
icovered her slain./i

iThe deed of/i
iCain was multiplied/i
ia thousand times./i

iAnd God said,/i
i I will destroy man,/i
iwhom I have created& /i

i& both man and beast,/i
ifor it repenteth me/i
ithat I hath made them. /i

iBut the Lord gave Eve/i
ianother son& /i

i& instead of Abel/i
iwhom Cain slew./i

iAnd Adam called/i
ihis name Seth./i

iAnd from Seth s seed,/i
ithrough the generations& /i

i& was Noah born./i

iAnd Noah found grace/i
iin the eyes of the Lord./i

iThere dwelt with Noah/i
ihis sons: Shem& /i

i& Japheth and Ham./i

iAnd his wife,/i
iand his sons wives also./i

iAnd Noah was perfect/i
iin his generations./i

iHe was a just man,/i
iand walked with God./i

GOD: Noah.

iNoah./i

iNoah!/i

iHearken now to my voice/i
iand take heed./i

iNow shall I tell thee/i
ithe matter of my grief& /i

i& and of what thou shalt do./i

iThe end of all flesh/i
iis come before me& /i

i& for the Earth is filled/i
iwith violence through them./i

iAnd behold, I will bring/i
ia flood of waters/i
iupon the Earth& /i

i& to destroy all flesh./i

iAnd everything that is/i
iin the Earth shall die./i

iMake thee an ark/i
iof gopher wood./i

iRooms shalt thou make& /i

i& and shalt/i
ipitch it within and/i
iwithout with pitch./i

iAnd this is the fashion/i
ithou shalt make it of./i

iThe length of the ark/i
ishall be 300 cubits& /i

i& the breadth/i
iof it 50 cubits& /i

i& and the height/i
iof it 30 cubits./i

iWith thee will I establish/i
imy covenant./i

iThou shalt come into the ark./i

iThou and thy sons/i
iand thy wife, and thy/i
isons wives with thee./i

iFor thee have I/i
iseen righteous before me/i
iin this generation./i

Hey! Hey!

(PEOPLE LAUGHING)

(LOUD HAMMERING)

(PEOPLE LAUGHING)

What is more stupid
than this?

A man building a ship
on dry land!

WOMAN 1: A devil is in him
and hath made him mad&

& and his sons with him!

MAN 1: When shall
the Earth see this again?

He hath the sea in his head,
and his house rides up
on the waves.

(PEOPLE LAUGHING)

Father, is it
indeed God s voice
thou hast heard?

For look,
there is no cloud
in the sky.

Not so much
as would cover a bird.

The Lord waiteth
upon our work.

Then what need
is there of haste?

Shall we not do it
little by little&

& under cover of night?

He demandeth
every hour of the day.

In our obedience
must be no delay.

Will you question
your father s understanding

or doubt his ways?

You should be ashamed.

Yet when shall they
be rid of the work?

All things wait for this.

The ground is unsown,
and the house is unmended.

Give me one
to make the roof good&

& lest when
the rain comes the house
will not keep it out.

But, wife!

Shem!

More pitch!

Ham!

NOAH: We have need
of more pitch!

(SNORES)

Japheth!

Take the bucket and fill it,
and our work is done!

Shem!

Ham!

Japheth!

GOD: Noah.

iCome thou/i
iand all thy house/i
iinto the ark./i

iI will cause it to rain/i
iupon the Earth 40 days/i
iand 40 nights./i

iEvery living substance/i
iI have made& /i

i& will I destroy from off/i
ithe face of the Earth./i

iAnd of every living thing/i
iof all flesh& /i

i& two of every sort,/i
imale and female& /i

i& shalt thou bring/i
iinto the ark to keep them/i
ialive with thee./i

Two&

& of every sort.

NOAH: Wife!

Sons! Daughters!

Fear not. The Lord hath
spoken and said:

Bring two of every kind
to keep them alive.

They have followed me
and trust us&

& to mind them
and bring them to safety.

They re good beasts at heart.

They will do no harm to you,
nor each other&

& for they know
of the waters that will fall
upon the Earth.

And God hath chosen them
above all others.

There are more yet to come.
Japheth, help them
find their way.

Ham, Shem,
load hay and grain.

Wife and daughters,
put oil into the lamps.

And get thy house aboard
the ark in order.

(THUNDERS)

NARRATOR:
iAnd God shut him in./i

(ANIMALS SQUAWK)

(ELEPHANTS CRY)

Is it the wind
that waileth?

No, wife.

It is the chaff,
which the wind
driveth away.

(PEOPLE CRY OUT)

The Lord hath taken hold
of the ends of the Earth&

& and shaketh it.

(ANIMALS SQUAWK)

They cry to be fed.

We have work to do.

Shem&

& care for the animals
with hooves that
cheweth the cud.

Ham shall tend
the camels, hares,
swine and giraffes.

Japheth,
the tigers, the lions,
the cats of all kinds.

What shall they eat?

Milk from the cattle
and the goats.

Milk? For beasts of prey?

They re only
great cats, wife.

Do you not hear them purr?

Be not afraid.

He will do thee no harm,
for harm is not in him.

Shem, the red hart
has not eaten of his corn.
Fetch him leaves.

NARRATOR:
iThe waters prevailed, and all/i
ithe high hills were covered./i

iAnd Noah only/i
iremained alive& /i

i& and they that were/i
iwith him in the ark./i

When will the rain cease?

When shall we stand again
upon the Earth?

God has told us
it shall rain 40 days
and 40 nights.

But here we know
neither the day
nor the night.

We cannot measure
the time by sleep.

We sleep when we will.
When we are rested,
we wake.

The moon has no
waxing or waning&

& and the sun
no rising or setting.

We are without
knowledge of time.

Nay, but I know.

Since the time
we came into the ark&

& and the doors shut,
and the flood carried us
upon its waters&

& the days have been 20.

And two.
Twenty and two.

How dost thou know
what is hidden from us?

By what rod dost thou
measure the darkness?

By the beasts,
who carry the days
within them.

Even as the sun
and the moon divide
the seasons into hours.

I know the time
by the lowing of the cow
ready to be milked&

& and the cackle
of the hen when the egg
shall be gathered.

I have counted the days.

In 18 days, then,
we ll know the world
as before.

Not so. When the rain stops,
still the water
will cover the earth.

Neither shall we know
the world as before.

When the waters
are dried up&

& then we shall know.

We shall be alone
on the Earth.

No other life.

Where will the ark
have carried us?

In what strange land
shall we be renewed?

The Lord has put
the future into our hands.

(GOAT CRIES)

All things will be new.

(RAINING STOPPED)

(POUNDING)

(ROOSTER CROWS)

(ANIMALS SQUAWK)

(NOAH PLAYS FLUTE)

Raven!

NARRATOR: And Noah
isent forth a raven& /i

i& to see if/i
ithe waters were abated/i
ifrom off the ground./i

Go forth!

iAnd the raven went forth,/i
iand flew to and fro./i

iEven until the waters were/i
idried up from off the Earth./i

iAnd the raven returned not/i
iagain unto Noah anymore./i

iAlso he sent forth/i
ia dove from him./i

iBut the Earth/i
iwas still seas& /i

i& as it had been/i
iin the beginning,/i
ibefore the dry land appeared./i

She hath found no rest
for the sole of her foot.

For the waters
are on the face
of the whole Earth.

Eat of the grain
and renew thy strength.

For in seven days
I shall send thee
forth again.

iAnd the dove/i
icame in to him/i
iin the evening& /i

i& and lo, in her mouth/i
iwas an olive leaf,/i
iplucked off./i

Let us make
a rudder and a sail.

For now we know
that the waters are
abated from the Earth&

& and we can find land.

What sail shall
discover the winds,

and what rudder
find our course?

The breath of God
shall divide the waves&

& and his hand only
lead us into safety.

NARRATOR: The ark rested
iin the 7th month,/i

iof the 17th day/i
iof the month& /i

i& upon the mountains/i
iof Ararat./i

Hey! Hey, hey!

NARRATOR: And the Lord
isaid in his heart:/i

i I will not again curse/i
ithe ground for man s sake./i

iWhile the Earth remaineth,/i
iseed-time and harvest& /i

i& cold and heat,/i
isummer and winter,/i
iand day and night& /i

i& shall not cease./i

iThe waters shall/i
ino more become a flood/i
ito destroy all flesh./i

iI do set my bow in the cloud./i

iAnd it shall be for a token/i
ibetween me and the Earth./i

iIt shall come to pass/i
iwhen I bring a cloud& /i

i& the bow shall/i
ibe seen in the cloud./i

iAnd I will remember/i
imy covenant which is/i
ibetween me and you./i

iAnd every living creature/i
iof all flesh. /i

NARRATOR: And sons were born
iunto the sons of Noah/i
iafter the flood./i

iAnd of them was/i
ithe whole Earth overspread./i

iAnd the whole Earth/i
iwas of one language/i
iand of one speech./i

iNow these are/i
ithe generations/i
iof the sons of Noah./i

iThe sons of/i
iJapheth: Gomer& /i

iThe sons of Shem:/i
iElam, Asshur& /i

iAnd the sons of Ham:/i
iMizraim, Phut,/i
iCanaan and Cush./i

iAnd Cush begat Nimrod./i

iAnd Nimrod was a king./i

iAnd he set to build/i
ia tower that would soar/i
ilike his pride./i

iA tower that would/i
ireach unto Heaven./i

iAnd his people sang a song/i
ias they built the tower:/i

i Who can bend/i
ithe bow of Nimrod?/i

iOr put strength/i
iinto the arrow like unto/i
ihis strength?/i

iNothing is too mighty/i
ifor him to do/i

iNo power is greater than his/i

iHe hath taken the Earth/i
iand made it his own/i

iHe stores up/i
ithe thunder and wears/i
ithe lightning like a jewel/i

iThe glory of Nimrod/i
ishines beyond the sun/i

iThere is none/i
igreater than he/i
iin Earth or Heaven. /i

iAnd the Lord came down/i
ito see the tower& /i

i& which the children/i
iof men builded./i

iAnd He said,/i
i Behold, the people is one& /i

i& and they have/i
iall one language./i
iAnd this they begin to do./i

iAnd now nothing will/i
ibe restrained from them& /i

i& which they/i
ihave imagined to do. /i

My bow.

NARRATOR: Let us
igo down and confound/i
itheir language& /i

i& that they/i
imay not understand/i
ione another s speech. /i

Stand your ground.
Obey me!

Make good what has
been brought down.

Am I not Nimrod?
And my voice is
your commandment!

What words are these?

Babbling fool!
Madness is in his mouth!

You mock your
king s tongue?

Shall a monkey
gibber against me?

NARRATOR: Therefore is
ithe name of it called Babel./i

iThere the Lord/i
iconfounded their language& /i

i& and scattered them abroad/i
iupon the Earth./i

iThe Lord waited/i
i10 generations for a man/i
icalled Abram to be born./i

iHe was born in Ur/i
iof the Chaldees./i

iAnd when he had/i
icome of an age,/i
ithe Lord said:/i

i Get out of thy city/i
iand thy country& /i

i& from thy kindred/i
iand from thy/i
ifather s house& /i

i& unto a land/i
ithat I will show thee./i

iI will make of thee/i
ia great nation& /i

i& and I will bless thee/i
iand make thy name great. /i

iSo Abram departed,/i
ias the Lord had spoken/i
iunto him& /i

i& with Lot,/i
ihis brother s son& /i

i& and Sarai, his wife,/i
iwhom he loved& /i

i& and all their substance/i
ithat they gathered& /i

i& and the souls/i
ithey had gotten& /i

i& and they journeyed/i
ilike strangers on the Earth./i

iThey journeyed not knowing/i
iwhither they went./i

iAnd yet the land/i
ilay before them/i
ias the Lord had promised./i

iAnd the mornings/i
iand the evenings/i
ipointed the way./i

Come! Come!

iGOD: The hills revealed it./i

iLift up now thine eyes& /i

i& and look from the place/i
iwhere thou art& /i

i& northward and southward& /i

i& and eastward/i
iand westward& /i

i& for all the land/i
iwhich thou seest& /i

i& to thee will I give it& /i

i& and to thy seed forever./i

LOT: Shall we indeed
inherit this country
in peace?

For the Canaanites
go about the land.

The understanding of God&

& is not our understanding.

And what shall
be brought about
and how it is perfected&

& is not in
our power to know.

Only in the promise
of what shall come&

& can we prosper.

And in that trust&

& have we
pitched our tents.

Wife.

Abram.

My husband.

The sun has gone down.
We have laboured
until evening.

I bring my love beside you
in the tent&

& as day answereth day.

Let my beloved
come into his garden
and eat his pleasant fruits.

Behold.

Thou art fair,
my love.

Behold, thou art fair.

I have drawn
away from my beauty
as from a stranger&

& for the years
have gone with the
going down of the sun.

Your beauty
stands in a sanctuary.

The enemy falters
in the street&

& and sheathes his sword
in the marketplace.

Time&

& cannot pass the door.

The strong lock of
the door is love&

& and the key&

& is in my hand.

As the apple tree among
the trees of the wood&

& so is my beloved
among the sons.

H is left hand
is under my head&

& and his right hand
doth embrace me.

My right arm covers you&

& as the night
covers the day.

NARRATOR: But Sarai,
ihis wife, was barren& /i

i& and she had no child./i

iYet was the land before them/i
ias God had promised./i

iAnd they pitched their tents/i
iin the length and/i
ibreadth of it& /i

i& from Bethel/i
ito Kadesh and Shur,/i
ieven unto Egypt./i

iWith Sarai came also/i
iher handmaid& /i

i& Hagar, the Egyptian./i

iThey learned the wells/i
iand fertile places& /i

Five score.

i& and Abram prospered./i

Six score.

Seven score.

(CROWD YELLS)

iAnd when they came again/i
iunto Bethel& /i

i& there was division/i
ibetween the herdsmen/i
iof Abram s cattle& /i

i& and the herdsmen/i
iof Lot s cattle./i

Let there be no strife
between thee and me.

And between thy herdsmen
and my herdsmen,
for we are brethren.

Our substance is too great
for us to dwell together.

The land is not able
to bear us together.

Is not the whole
land before thee?

Separate thyself,
I pray thee, from me.

lf thou will go left,
I will go to the right&

& or if thou go right,
I will go to the left.

There below us is
the plain of Jordan.

And that way I will go.

Toward the cities
of the plain.

The men of the cities
are wicked,

and sinners
before the Lord.

From here
the walls of Sodom
and Gomorrah are white.

But within the walls&

& is the darkness of men.

Many tribes
and their kings try to
claim their domination&

& and the city walls
are refuge and strength.

God is my refuge
and strength.

The plain is
well-watered everywhere&

& fertile with fruits
of the earth&

& even as
the Garden of the Lord.
That is the way I shall take.

And my way is another.

GOD: Lift up now
ithine eyes& /i

i& and look from the place/i
iwhere thou art& /i

i& northward and southward/i
iand eastward and westward./i

iFor all the land/i
iwhich thou seest& /i

i& to thee will I give it/i
iand to thy seed forever./i

Lord God,
what wilt thou give me,
seeing I go childless?

Behold, to me thou
hast given no seed.

iI will make thy seed/i
ias the dust of the Earth& /i

i& so that if one can number/i
ithe dust of the Earth& /i

i& then shall thy seed/i
ialso be numbered./i

But Sarai, my wife,
is barren and she has
no child.

iI am the Lord/i
ithat brought thee& /i

i& out of Ur/i
iof the Chaldees& /i

i& to give thee this land/i
ito inherit it./i

Lord God&

& whereby shall I know
that I shall inherit it?

iTake me a heifer/i
iof three years old& /i

i& and a she-goat/i
iof three years old/i

iand a ram of/i
ithree years old& /i

i& and a turtledove/i
iand a young pigeon./i

iDivide them in the midst& /i

i& and lay each piece/i
ione against another./i

iBut the birds,/i
ithey shall not be divided./i

iNow have I made my covenant/i
ibetween me and thee& /i

i& and out of/i
ithine own bowels/i
ithou shalt have an heir./i

iAnd Isaac shall/i
ihis name be called./i

iYet know of a surety/i
ithat thy seed& /i

i& shall be/i
ia stranger in a land/i
ithat is not theirs./i

iIts rulers shall/i
iafflict them& /i

i& pangs and sorrows/i
ishall take hold of them./i

iThey shall be in pain/i
ias a woman that travaileth./i

iThey shall be tried,/i
ilike metal in a furnace& /i

i& as also I shall try thee./i

iI will make/i
ia man more precious/i
ithan fine gold& /i

i& even a man than/i
ithe golden wedge of Ophir./i

Go.

Abram.

Behold now.

The Lord
hath restrained me
from bearing.

I pray thee&

& go in unto my maid&

& according to
that law which says:

When a wife is barren&

& her maidservant
may bear for her.

It may be that
I may obtain children
by her.

I give thee
my handmaiden&

& Hagar the Egyptian&

& to be thy wife.

Is it so&

& that the promise
of many nations
shall be fulfilled?

Even so&

iAnd Abram went in to Hagar/i
iand she conceived& /i

i& and when it came/i
inear the time/i

ithat she should/i
ibear a child& /i

i& Sarai, her mistress,/i
iwas despised in her eyes./i

Are you not tired?

Let us stay our hands&

& and eat and drink,
now that the sun is gone.

Fruits of thy kind.

Figs that are dry,
and dates and raisins.

But for me&

& the fruits that ripen.

Go away from me!

Why weepest thou?

I am ashamed.

For what cause?

Did I not say to thee:

Go in to my maid
that I may obtain
children by her ?

Even so?

Now I am despised by her
that she carries
the child in her body.

I am but the grass
that is bruised
where she walks.

I look through her eyes
and see myself as one
who no longer lives.

The fulfilment
of the earth
passes to strangers.

And I am left
as I was never born.

But the child is thine&

& by thy maidservant&

& and by the love
I bear thee.

NARRATOR:
iFrom the south, even unto/i
ithe plain of Jordan& /i

i& came four warring kings:/i

iThe kings of Shinar,/i
iof Ellasar& /i

i& of Elam, and Tidal,/i
iking of nations./i

iThese made war/i
iwith the king of Sodom& /i

i& and the king of Gomorrah/i
iand the king of Admah& /i

i..and the king of Zeboiim/i
iand the king of Zoar./i

iFour kings with five./i

iThey joined battle/i
iin the vale of Siddim./i

iThe vale of Siddim/i
iwas full of slime pits& /i

i& and the kings of Sodom/i
iand Gomorrah fled/i
iand fell there& /i

i& and the victors/i
itook captives and goods/i
iand went their way./i

And Lot?

And Lot,
my brother s son Lot?

He is taken captive.

Shall the land
that is promised to us
have no peace?

And my blood
be taken into slavery?

Eliezer.

My lord?

Summon Mamre,
the Amorite&

& and Aner and Eshcol,
his brothers
who are confederates.

And you,
my trained servants&

& born in mine
own house&

& gather at the tents.

Three hundred eighteen
we be.

How shall we prevail
against so many?

They have gotten the victory,
and left off watching.

I will divide us
against them by night&

& and smite them.

(MEN YELLING)

(SWORDS CLANGING)

(HORSE WHINNIES)

Blessed be
the most high God&

& which hath
delivered mine enemies
into my hands.

Thou art my shield
and my exceeding
great reward.

iGOD: I am the Almighty God./i

iWalk before me/i
iand be thou perfect./i

iThy name shall/i
ino more be Abram& /i

i& but thy name/i
ishall be Abraham./i

iFor kings shall/i
icome out of thee& /i

i& and I will establish/i
imy covenant/i
ibetween me and thee& /i

i& and thy seed after thee,/i
iand their generations,/i
ito be their God./i

iAs for Sarai, thy wife,/i
ithou shalt not/i
icall her name Sarai& /i

i& but Sarah/i
ishall her name be./i

iAnd I will bless her/i
iand give thee a son,/i
ialso of her./i

iAnd she shall be/i
ia mother of nations./i

Thy child.

By my maidservant,
and by the love
I bear thee.

The smell of my son
is like a field which
the Lord has blessed.

iGOD: This is my covenant,/i
iwhich ye shall keep/i
ibetween me and you& /i

i& and thy seed after thee./i

iEvery man-child among you/i
ishall be circumcised& /i

i& as a token of the covenant/i
ibetwixt me and you./i

Thou hast 24 score and 7
in thy flock.

By each pebble I know you
as good servants.

You are blessed among us
and are indeed our blessing.

My lord.

Behold. Thy son, Ishmael,
hath seven years.

Give him thy blessing,
I pray&

& that he may live
before God as
the first of thy flesh,

and thy only son.

Yet have I told thee
how it stands between
me and Ishmael.

For God hath said
He will bless Sarah

and give me a son also&

& of her.

Wilt thou indeed believe
what cannot come to pass?

The years have
gone by and the promise
is not fulfilled.

With Sarah, thy wife&

& the time of
childbearing is over.

Give Ishmael, therefore,
thy blessing.

Thou can hope for no other.

Shall the Lord speak
and Abraham not believe?

What is faith if it say,
This thing cannot be ?

And as for Ishmael&

& God has said
Behold&

& I have blessed him
and will make him fruitful.

But my covenant
will I establish
with Isaac&

& which Sarah
shall bear unto thee.

And so I wait
upon his will&

& even beyond the time.

NARRATOR: And Abraham waited
iupon the will of God./i

iAnd God was silent,/i
ias one who searches/i
ithe strength of a man./i

iThree years passed/i
iand two more added& /i

i& and Sarah and/i
iAbraham grew old./i

My Lord&

& if now I have found
favour in thy sight&

& pass not away
from thy servant.

We go down
towards the city&

& toward Sodom&

& where Lot,
thy brother s son, sits in
the gate of the city.

Rest yourselves,
I pray thee&

& under the tree.

And comfort ye your hearts.

Where is Sarah, thy wife?

Behold, in the tent.

I will certainly
return unto thee, and lo&

& Sarah, thy wife,
shall have a son.

After I am waxed old&

& shall I have pleasure&

& my Lord being old also?

Wherefore did Sarah laugh?

Is anything too hard
for the Lord?

I laughed not!

Nay&

& but thou didst laugh.

At the time appointed
I will return unto thee&

& and Sarah
shall have a son.

We are going&

& towards the cities
of the plain.

I will bring you
on your way.

Shall I hide from Abraham&

& that thing which I do?

Because the cry of
Sodom and Gomorrah
is great&

& and because their sin
is very grievous&

& I will go down now&

& and see whether
they have done altogether&

& according to
the cry of it,

which has come unto me&

& and if not,
I will know.

Wilt thou also
destroy the righteous
with the wicked?

There may be 50 righteous&

& within the city.
Wilt thou not spare
the place for them?

Shall not the judge
of all the Earth&

& do right?

lf I find 50 righteous
within the city&

& I will spare
all the place
for their sakes.

What if there be
45 such men?

Or 30? Or even as few as 20?

I will not destroy it&

& for 20 s sake.

Let not the Lord be angry
and I will speak yet
but this once:

Peradventure,
10 shall be found there.

iI will not destroy it& /i

i& for 10 s sake./i

NARRATOR:
iWhen the sun was down,/i

iLot sat in the gates/i
iof the city./i

iAnd he lift up/i
ihis eyes and looked& /i

i& and beheld two strangers/i
icoming into the city./i

(WOMAN SCREAMS)

(WICKED LAUGHTER)

(LAUGHING)

(WOMAN MOANS)

(MOANS)

What strangers are these?

Where are they from?

Two angels of God.

So fair they are.
So fair.

(POUNDING ON THE DOOR)

(POUNDING)

Where are they?

What have you
done with them?

Yes, bring them out
unto us!

Bring them,
that we may know them!

I pray, brethren,
do not so wickedly.

For these strangers
here with us are of God.

Better you destroy
all I possess&

& than any harm
should be done them.

Behold, I have two daughters
which have not known man.

Let me, I pray you,
bring them out unto you&

& and do ye to them
as is good in your eyes&

& only unto these men
do nothing.

This one fellow
came in to sojourn&

& and he will
needs be a judge?

Now will we deal worse
with thee than with them!

I cannot see!

Whatsoever thou
hast in the city,

bring them out
of this place&

& for the Lord
hath sent us
to destroy it.

Take thy wife
and thy two daughters
which are here&

& lest thou be consumed
in the iniquity of the city.

Escape to the mountain,
lest thou be consumed.

Look not behind thee.

(BABY CRYING)

(WOMEN CLAP)

The name of our son
shall be called Isaac.

Thy son&

& and mine.

God hath made me laugh.
All that hear
will laugh with me.

Who would have said
unto Abraham&

& that Sarah would have
given children suck?

For I have borne him a son
in his old age.

In him&

& are the stars
of the heavens&

& and the sands
of the seashore.

NARRATOR:
iAnd the child grew& /i

i& and Abraham made/i
ia great feast the same day/i
iIsaac was weaned./i

Cast out this bondwoman
and her son.

Who has put this
into thy heart?

Did you not see how
he went among us mocking?

I have a great fear
there will come such
division in our people.

Like Cain and Abel again.

I beg you, cast out this
bondwoman and her son!

The son of this bondwoman
shall not be heir
with my son&

& even with Isaac.

What sayest thou?
He is my seed.

I will not cast out the lad,
nor thy bondwoman.

NARRATOR: But God said
iunto Abraham:/i

i Let it not be/i
igrievous in thy sight/i
ibecause of the lad& /i

i& and because/i
iof thy bondwoman./i

iIn all that Sarah/i
ihath said unto thee,/i

ihearken unto her voice& /i

i& for in Isaac shall/i
ithy seed be called. /i

iAnd Abraham sent her away,/i
iand she departed& /i

i& and wandered/i
iin the wilderness/i
iof Beersheba./i

Lord! Let me not see
the death of the child!

iAnd an angel of God/i
icalled to Hagar/i
iout of heaven& /i

i& and he said unto her:/i

What aileth thee, Hagar?

Fear not&

& for God hath
heard the voice
of the lad where he is.

iAnd God was with the lad& /i

i& and he grew/i
iand became a great nation./i

ABRAHAM:
Here are the generations
of my fathers named&

& to whom God gave life.

It has fallen to me
that the past shall
not be forgotten&

& and after me&

& my son&

& also shall remember it.

By what descent
are ye come?

These are the generations
of which I am made&

& of Noah, who by faith
prepared an ark&

& to the saving
of this house.

Noah begat Shem&

& and Shem, Arphaxad&

& and after him was Salah,
who begat Eber&

& and his son was Peleg&

& the father of Reu,
who begat Serug&

& the father of Nahor&

& and Nahor begat Terah&

& whose son was Abraham,
my father.

Here are the names written.

And here shalt
thy name be also&

& Isaac,
son of Abraham&

& when thou
takest my place.

Put thy hand upon it.

GOD: Abraham&

iAbraham!/i

Here I am.

The night is filled
with thy voice.

Here am I.

What dost thou demand of me?

iThy son./i

iThy only son./i

What sayest thou?

iTake now thy son& /i

i& thy only son, Isaac,/i
iwhom thou lovest& /i

i& and go into the mountains,/i
iwhere I shall show thee& /i

i& and offer him there/i
ifor a burnt offering./i

Wouldst thou I do
even as the Canaanites&

& who lay their first-born
on fires before idols?

Art thou truly
the Lord, my God?

iThou knowest./i

No!

Thou wilt not&

& ask this thing of me!

Isaac&

& take leave
of thy mother.

Mother, I am
going on a journey.

A journey?

We are going on a journey
of three days.

I am going
with my father.

What does thou tell me?

A journey unto
the land of Moriah!

Unto Moriah?
Why unto Moriah?

God hath commanded
that we go there
to sacrifice unto him.

Six days must
I wait for thee?

Mother, it is a little time.

I have waited for thee
until I was old.

The days are
precious to me.

Isaac, Isaac&

What should I fear&

& if thou goest
with thy father?

Father&

& this was a city?

The city of Sodom.

Lot sat here in this gate.

And here&

& came the two angels
to him.

He overthrew these cities
and all the plain&

& and all the inhabitants
of the cities&

& and that which grew
upon the face of the ground.

All the inhabitants?

And lo, the smoke
of the country went up&

& as the smoke
of a furnace.

The Lord, our God,
must be obeyed.

All the inhabitants
of the cities?

The children also?

Were the children
also wicked?

Father?

Shall not the judge
of all the Earth&

& do right?

Call the nobles
to the kingdom!

None are here.

All the princes are nothing!

Father!

All the princes are nothing!

The thorns have come up
in the palace.

From generation
to generation it will lie&

& waste.

Ye shall stretch out upon it
the line of confusion.

Has it not been told
from the beginning,
God is He that sitteth&

& upon the circle
of the Earth&

& that stretcheth
out the heaven
as a curtain&

& and spreadeth
them out as a tent
wherein to dwell&

& that bringeth
the princes to nothing?

Ye shall blow upon them&

& and they shall wither!

And the whirlwind&

& shall take them away&

& as stubble.

My son&

& the Lord God&

& appeared unto me&

& and said unto me,
l am the Almighty God.

Walk before me&

& and be thou&

& perfect.

Behold, my covenant
is with thee&

& and I will make thee&

& exceedingly&

& fruitful.

Come, let us
leave these ruins&

& and go from here
into the mountains.

In all things&

& we must obey Him.

NARRATOR:
iThen on the third day& /i

i& Abraham lift up his eyes/i
iand saw the place, afar off./i

The wood.

The fire.

The knife.

But where is the ram
for the sacrifice?

Father!

My son!

There is nothing
He may not ask of thee?

Nothing.

GOD: Abraham!

iAbraham!/i

Here am I.

iLay not thy hand/i
iupon the lad& /i

i& for now I know/i
ithat thou fearest God& /i

i& seeing that thou hadst/i
inot withheld thy son& /i

i& thy only son, from me./i

There is the ram
for the sacrifice.

iBehold, I have tried thee/i
ilike metal in a furnace./i

iI have chosen thee/i
iin the furnace of affliction./i

iNow will I multiply thy seed/i
ias the stars of the heaven& /i

i& and as the sand/i
iwhich is by the seashore,/i
iinnumerable./i