It had been a hundred and fifty days since Noah had entered the ark, and the waters of the flood were still rising. At last everything was covered with water, which rose 15 cubits higher than the highest mountains on earth. Then God had mercy on His creatures that remained alive: He brought the wind upon the earth, and the flood stopped. The water began to subside, and the ark stopped on the top of the mountains of Ararat. Another two months passed, and the tops of the mountains began to appear from under the water. Forty days after this, Noah opened the window at the top of the ark and sent out a raven to see if the earth was dried up by the water. But the raven flew and did not return. Then he released a dove, which, flying and not finding a dry place on the ground, returned back to the ark. Seven days later, he released the pigeon again. This time she returned, carrying in her mouth an olive branch with fresh leaves. Seven days passed, and Noah again let the dove out of the ark, but it did not return. On the first day of the first month, Noah opened the mercy seat of his ark and saw that the earth was dried up of water. However, it was still necessary to wait until the 27th day of the second month, until the earth dried up to such an extent that it was possible to leave the ark completely. Finally, at the voice of God, Noah and his family left the ark and brought out all the animals from it. His first act now was to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord. And the sacrifice of Noah was pleasing to the Lord, for the Lord God said: "I will no longer curse the earth for man's sake, because the heart of man from youth strives for evil. Henceforth, as long as the earth stands, there will be no crops and harvests, cold and heat, summer and winter, days and nights." God blessed Noah and made a covenant with him, and as a sign of His covenant He placed a beautiful seven-colored rainbow in the clouds and said: "This is the sign of the covenant that I have made between Me and every soul that dwells on the earth!"

And Noah began to cultivate the land again, and planted grapes. Once, drunk with wine, he got drunk and lay at home drunk. And when his son Ham saw this, he brought his brethren to laugh at his father. But they, taking the garment, covered him, and would not even look at the shame of their father. When Noah woke up and learned what Ham had done to him, he cursed him, and blessed the other two sons, saying that the descendants of Ham would be enslaved by the descendants of Shem and Japheth.

5. The Tower of Babel

Noah lived after the flood for another 350 years, and in total his life on earth was 950 years. He was the last to reach such a deep old age. His son Shem had already lived 600 years, and his grandson Arphaxad had only reached the age of 465; but the son of Arphaxades, Cainan, was only 460 years old. Then Noah's great-grandson, Eber, lived 504 years. But from now on, human strength began to dwindle, and so rapidly that none of the men who followed had reached the age of four hundred. Nahor, the grandfather of Abraham, lived only 208 years, and Terah, the father of Abraham, 245 years.

However, with such an extremely long life of people, the human race multiplied rapidly. Strong people began to appear, who began to subdue others under their power. One of these was Nemrod, the grandson of Hams and the great-grandson of Noah, who established his dominion in Babylon.

At that time, all people spoke the same language and crowded together on the same strip of land, reluctantly moving away from each other. But it pleased God to scatter the human race over all the face of the earth. This happened precisely at a time when people were plotting to protect themselves forever from the danger of being scattered to all the corners of the world, and for this purpose they began to build a huge tower in the valley of Shinar, near the Euphrates River, which would touch the sky with its top. The desire to glorify their name with such a monument further encouraged them to this work. But God destroyed their foolish enterprise by confusing their languages. Not understanding each other, they were forced to stop building the city and the tower. In this way, the Lord scattered them from there to all the countries of the earth.

6. The Story of Job

The Bible contains a special Book of Job, which tells the story of this long-suffering man. Job lived in Arabia, about the time of Abraham. He was known both for his wealth and for his special charity. For his piety, God blessed Job with family happiness. He had seven sons and three daughters, all of whom lived in brotherly love and harmony. But this happiness and this virtue of Job aroused against him the envy of the enemy of the human race. Once, appearing before the Lord, the devil began to slander Job, as if he revered God only because he had so many blessings from Him. "Make an experiment," said this slanderer to God, "take away everything from him, and You will see that he will deny You!" And one day, when all the children of Job were feasting with their elder brother, and he himself remained at home, suddenly one messenger after another ran to Job, the first of whom reported that robbers had attacked the flocks of his oxen and donkeys, and, having killed the servants, had stolen all the cattle; another says that all his flocks with shepherds were burned by fire that fell from heaven; the third reports that the Chaldeans have stolen all his camels and killed the bailiffs; finally, the fourth comes running with the news that the house in which Job's children were feasting has collapsed like a whirlwind, and they all perished under the ruins. Hearing all these terrible news, Job fell to the ground before the Lord and said: "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, naked and I will depart! The Lord gave, and the Lord took back! Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

Not having had time to shake the faith of the pious Job with such temptations, Satan again slanders him before God, saying that it is not difficult for a person to endure losses as long as he himself is safe and healthy. "But only touch his body," he said, "and you will see that he will deny You!" Suddenly, the most severe leprosy covered Job's entire body. Everyone left him; there were only three friends who came to visit him, but they were horrified to see how he, sitting on a festering potter, scraped his scabs with a potsherd. His wife herself, losing patience, began to annoy him with reproaches for his faith and piety, which did not save him from such a misfortune. But Job answered her: "You speak like a madwoman. If we have received happiness at the hands of God, then should we not also endure misfortune?" For this reason the Lord rewarded him twice for all his losses. Having restored him to health, God also restored his wealth. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him again, and he lived another 140 years in happiness and piety.

7. Призвание Авраама

Аврам родился недолго спустя после смерти Ноя, в десятом колене от Сима. В то время люди разделились уже на многие народы и между ними распространилось идолопоклонство. Посему Господь сказал Авраму: «Выйди из отечества твоего, и от рода твоего, и от дома отца твоего, и иди в страну, которую Я покажу тебе. Я произведу из тебя великий народ, и благословлю тебя, и возвеличу имя твое, и ты будешь благословен. Я благословлю и тех, которые тебя благословят, и прокляну клянущих тебя! И благословятся о тебе все племена земные». Повинуясь воле Божией, Аврам вышел из страны своей, имея от роду семьдесят пять лет; с ним вышел и Лот, племянник его.

Но вот, когда они пришли в землю Ханаанскую, между пастухами Аврамовыми и пастухами Лотовыми начались распри из-за пажитей, потому что и у того, и у другого было чрезвычайно много скота и им становилось тесно на одном месте. Тогда Аврам сказал Лоту: «Да не будет распри между мною и тобою, между пастухами твоими и моими, ибо мы братья. Не вся ли земля открыта для тебя? Расстанемся же мы с тобою! Хочешь ты пойти налево, тогда я пойду направо; или пойди направо; а я налево». Тогда Лот избрал для себя прекрасную долину, в которой лежали Содом и Гоморра; Аврам же остался жить в земле Ханаанской.

8. Вера Авраама

Раз Авраму было откровение от Бога в видении ночью, и он слышал голос, который говорил ему: «Не бойся, Аврам, Я твой защитник, и великая тебе будет награда от Меня». Аврам же отвечал: «Владыко Господи! Что Ты еще дашь мне, когда я бездетен и мой слуга будет наследником после меня?» Но глас Божий уверял его, что не останется он без наследника и, вызвав его под открытое небо, говорил: «Посмотри на небо и сочти эти звезды! Можешь ли ты сосчитать их? Таково будет семя твое!» Тогда Аврам поверил Богу, и за то оправдал его Господь. Но прошло много времени, а обещание Господне не исполнялось. Авраму уже было 99 лет, а Сарре 89, и все еще детей у них не было. Тогда Господь снова явился Авраму и сказал: «Я твой Бог, благоугождай Мне и будь непорочен. Я поставлю с тобою завет Мой и умножу тебя в народ великий. Посему не называйся более Аврамом, да будет тебе имя Авраам, ибо Я определил сделать тебя отцом многих народов». И знамением Своего завета положил Бог обрезание.