[Intro – Fast, powerful male lead] Then said the high priest, Are these things so? And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, Hearken! [Verse 1] The Elohim of glory Appeared unto our father Abraham, When he was in Mesopotamia, Before he dwelt in Charran, And said unto him, Get you out of your country, And from your kindred, And come into the land Which I shall show you. [Verse 2] Then came he out Of the land of the Chaldaeans, And dwelt in Charran, And from thence, When his father was dead, He removed him into this land Wherein you now dwell. [Verse 3] And He gave him None inheritance in it, No, not so much As to set his foot on. Yet He promised That He would give it to him For a possession, And to his seed after him, When as yet he had no child. [Chorus – Enormous male harmonies] Yet He promised That He would give it to him For a possession! And to his seed after him, When as yet he had no child! [Verse 4] And Elohim spoke on this wise, That his seed should sojourn In a strange land, And that they should bring them Into bondage, And entreat them evil Four hundred years. [Verse 5] And the nation To whom they shall be in bondage Will I judge, said Elohim. And after that Shall they come forth, And serve Me In this place. [Bridge – Explosive Havana brass] And He gave him The covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham begat Isaac, And circumcised him The eighth day. And Isaac begat Jacob, And Jacob begat The twelve patriarchs. [Final Chorus – Full male ensemble] And the nation To whom they shall be in bondage Will I judge, said Elohim! And after that Shall they come forth, And serve Me In this place! [Outro – Powerful sung finale] And He gave him The covenant of circumcision. And Isaac begat Jacob, And Jacob begat The twelve patriarchs.
