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1. Now Jacob was sent by his mother to Mesopotamia, in order to
marry Laban her brother's daughter (which marriage was permitted
by Isaac, on account of his obsequiousness to the desires of his
wife); and he accordingly journeyed through the land of Canaan;
and because he hated the people of that country, he would not
lodge with any of them, but took up his lodging in the open air,
and laid his head on a heap of stones that he had gathered
together. At which time he saw in his sleep such a vision
standing by him: - he seemed to see a ladder that reached from
the earth unto heaven, and persons descending upon the ladder
that seemed more excellent than human; and at last God himself
stood above it, and was plainly visible to him, who, calling him
by his name, spake to him in these words: -
2. "O Jacob, it is not fit for thee, who art the son of a good
father, and grandson of one who had obtained a great reputation
for his eminent virtue, to be dejected at thy present
circumstances, but to hope for better times, for thou shalt have
great abundance of all good things, by my assistance: for I
brought Abraham hither, out of Mesopotamia, when he was driven
away by his kinsmen, and I made thy father a happy man, nor will
I bestow a lesser degree of happiness on thyself: be of good
courage, therefore, and under my conduct proceed on this thy
journey, for the marriage thou goest so zealously about shall be
consummated. And thou shalt have children of good characters, but
their multitude shall be innumerable; and they shall leave what
they have to a still more numerous posterity, to whom, and to
whose posterity, I give the dominion of all the land, and their
posterity shall fill the entire earth and sea, so far as the sun
beholds them: but do not thou fear any danger, nor be afraid of
the many labors thou must undergo, for by my providence I will
direct thee what thou art to do in the time present, and still
much more in the time to come."
3. Such were the predictions which God made to Jacob; whereupon
he became very joyful at what he had seen and heard; and he
poured oil on the stones, because on them the prediction of such
great benefits was made. He also vowed a vow, that he would offer
sacrifices upon them, if he lived and returned safe; and if he
came again in such a condition, he would give the tithe of what
he had gotten to God. He also judged the place to be honorable
and gave it the name of Bethel, which, in the Greek, is
interpreted, The House of God.
4. So he proceeded on his journey to Mesopotamia, and at length
came to Haran; and meeting with shepherds in the suburbs, with
boys grown up, and maidens sitting about a certain well, he staid
with them, as wanting water to drink; and beginning to discourse
with them, he asked them whether they knew such a one as Laban,
and whether he was still alive. Now they all said they knew him,
for he was not so inconsiderable a person as to be unknown to any
of them; and that his daughter fed her father's flock together
with them; and that indeed they wondered that she was not yet
come, for by her means thou mightest learn more exactly whatever
thou desirest to know about that family. While they were saying
this the damsel came, and the other shepherds that came down
along with her. Then they showed her Jacob, and told her that he
was a stranger, who came to inquire about her father's affairs.
But she, as pleased, after the custom of children, with Jacob's
coming, asked him who he was, and whence he came to them, and
what it was he lacked that he came thither. She also wished it
might he in their power to supply the wants he came about.
5. But Jacob was quite overcome, not so much by their kindred,
nor by that affection which might arise thence, as by his love to
the damsel, and his surprise at her beauty, which was so
flourishing, as few of the women of that age could vie with. He
said then, "There is a relation between thee and me, elder than
either thy or my birth, if thou be the daughter of Laban; for
Abraham was the son of Terah, as well as Haran and Nahor. Of the
last of whom (Nahor) Bethuel thy grandfather was the son. Isaac
my father was the son of Abraham and of Sarah, who was the
daughter of Haran. But there is a nearer and later cement of
mutual kindred which we bear to one another, for my mother Rebeka
was sister to Laban thy father, both by the same father and
mother; I therefore and thou are cousin-germans. And I am now
come to salute you, and to renew that affinity which is proper
between us." Upon this the damsel, at the mention of Rebeka, as
usually happens to young persons, wept, and that out of the
kindness she had for her father, and embraced Jacob, she having
learned an account of Rebeka from her father, and knew that her
parents loved to hear her named; and when she had saluted him,
she said that "he brought the most desirable and greatest
pleasures to her father, with all their family, who was always
mentioning his mother, and always thinking of her, and her alone;
and that this will make thee equal in his eyes to any
advantageous circumstances whatsoever." Then she bid him go to
her father, and follow her while she conducted him to him; and
not to deprive him of such a pleasure, by staying any longer away
from him.
6. When she had said thus, she brought him to Laban; and being
owned by his uncle, he was secure himself, as being among his
friends; and he brought a great deal of pleasure to them by his
unexpected coning. But a little while afterward, Laban told him
that he could not express in words the joy he had at his coming;
but still he inquired of him the occasion of his coming, and why
he left his aged mother and father, when they wanted to be taken
care of by him; and that he would afford him all the assistance
he wanted. Then Jacob gave him an account of the whole occasion
of his journey, and told him, "that Isaac had two sons that were
twins, himself and Esau; who, because he failed of his father's
prayers, which by his mother's wisdom were put up for him, sought
to kill him, as deprived of the kingdom which was to be
given him of God, and of the blessings for which their father
prayed; and that this was the occasion of his coming hither, as
his mother had commanded him to do: for we are all (says he)
brethren one to another; but our mother esteems an alliance with
your family more than she does one with the families of the
country; so I look upon yourself and God to be the supporters of
my travels, and think myself safe in my present circumstances."
7. Now Laban promised to treat him with great humanity, both on
account of his ancestors, and particularly for the sake of his
mother, towards whom, he said, he would show his kindness, even
though she were absent, by taking care of him; for he assured him
he would make him the head shepherd of his flock, and give him
authority sufficient for that purpose; and when he should have a
mind to return to his parents, he would send him back with
presents, and this in as honorable a manner as the nearness of
their relation should require. This Jacob heard gladly; and said
he would willingly, and with pleasure, undergo any sort of pains
while he tarried with him, but desired Rachel to wife, as the
reward of those pains, who was not only on other accounts
esteemed by him, but also because she was the means of his coming
to him; for he said he was forced by the love of the damsel to
make this proposal. Laban was well pleased with this agreement,
and consented to give the damsel to him, as not desirous to meet
with any better son-in-law; and said he would do this, if he
would stay with him some time, for he was not willing to send his
daughter to be among the Canaanites, for he repented of the
alliance he had made already by marrying his sister there. And
when Jacob had given his consent to this, he agreed to stay seven
years; for so many years he had resolved to serve his
father-in-law, that, having given a specimen of his virtue, it
might be better known what sort of a man he was. And Jacob,
accepting of his terms, after the time was over, he made the
wedding-feast; and when it was night, without Jacob's perceiving
it, he put his other daughter into bed to him, who was both elder
than Rachel, and of no comely countenance: Jacob lay with her
that night, as being both in drink and in the dark. However, when
it was day, he knew what had been done to him; and he reproached
Laban for his unfair proceeding with him; who asked pardon for
that necessity which forced him to do what he did; for he did not
give him Lea out of any ill design, but as overcome by another
greater necessity: that, notwithstanding this, nothing should
hinder him from marrying Rachel; but that when he had served
another seven years, he would give him her whom he loved. Jacob
submitted to this condition, for his love to the damsel did not
permit him to do otherwise; and when another seven years were
gone, he took Rachel to wife.
8. Now each of these had handmaids, by their father's donation.
Zilpha was handmaid to Lea, and Bilha to Rachel; by no means
slaves, but however subject to their mistresses. Now Lea was
sorely troubled at her husband's love to her sister; and she
expected she should be better esteemed if she bare him children:
so she entreated God perpetually; and when she had borne a son,
and her husband was on that account better reconciled to her, she
named her son Reubel, because God had had mercy upon her, in
giving her a son, for that is the signification of this name.
After some time she bare three more sons; Simeon, which
name signifies that God had hearkened to her prayer. Then she
bare Levi, the confirmer of their friendship. After him was born
Judah, which denotes thanksgiving. But Rachel, fearing lest the
fruitfulness of her sister should make herself enjoy a lesser
share of Jacob's affections, put to bed to him her handmaid
Bilha; by whom Jacob had Dan: one may interpret that name into
the Greek tongue, a divine judgment. And after him Nephthalim, as
it were, unconquerable in stratagems, since Rachel tried to
conquer the fruitfulness of her sister by this stratagem.
Accordingly, Lea took the same method, and used a
counter-stratagem to that of her sister; for she put to bed to
him her own handmaid. Jacob therefore had by Zilpha a son, whose
name was Gad, which may be interpreted fortune; and after him
Asher, which may be called a happy man, because he added glory to
Lea. Now Reubel, the eldest son of Lea, brought apples of
mandrakes to his mother. When Rachel saw them, she desired
that she would give her the apples, for she longed to eat them;
but when she refused, and bid her be content that she had
deprived her of the benevolence she ought to have had from her
husband, Rachel, in order to mitigate her sister's anger, said
she would yield her husband to her; and he should lie with her
that evening. She accepted of the favor, and Jacob slept with
Lea, by the favor of Rachel. She bare then these sons: Issachar,
denoting one born by hire: and Zabulon, one born as a pledge of
benevolence towards her; and a daughter, Dina. After some time
Rachel had a son, named Joseph, which signified there should be
another added to him.
9. Now Jacob fed the flocks of Laban his father-in-law all this
time, being twenty years, after which he desired leave of his
father-in-law to take his wives and go home; but when his
father-in-law would not give him leave, he contrived to do it
secretly. He made trial therefore of the disposition of his wives
what they thought of this journey; - when they appeared glad, and
approved of it. Rachel took along with her the images of the
gods, which, according to their laws, they used to worship in
their own country, and ran away together with her sister. The
children also of them both, and the handmaids, and what
possessions they had, went along with them. Jacob also drove away
half the cattle, without letting Laban know of it beforehand But
the reason why Rachel took the images of the gods, although Jacob
had taught her to despise such worship of those gods, was this,
That in case they were pursued, and taken by her father, she
might have recourse to these images, in order obtain his pardon.
10. But Laban, after one day's time, being acquainted with
Jacob's and his daughters' departure, was much troubled, and
pursued after them, leading a band of men with him; and on the
seventh day overtook them, and found them resting on a certain
hill; and then indeed he did not meddle with them, for it was
even-tide; but God stood by him in a dream, and warned him to
receive his son-in-law and his daughters in a peaceable manner;
and not to venture upon any thing rashly, or in wrath to but to
make a league with Jacob. And he him, that if he despised their
small number, attacked them in a hostile manner, he would assist
them. When Laban had been thus forewarned by God, he called Jacob
to him the next day, in order to treat with him, and showed him
what dream he had; in dependence whereupon he came confidently to
him, and began to accuse him, alleging that he had entertained
him when he was poor, and in want of all things, and had given
him plenty of all things which he had. "For," said he, "I have
joined my daughters to thee in marriage, and supposed that thy
kindness to me be greater than before; but thou hast had no
regard to either thy mother's relations to me, nor to the
affinity now newly contracted between us; nor to those wives whom
thou hast married; nor to those children, of whom I am the
grandfather. Thou hast treated me as an enemy, driving away my
cattle, and by persuading my daughters to run away from their
father; and by carrying home those sacred paternal images which
were worshipped by my forefathers, and have been honored with the
like worship which they paid them by myself. In short, thou hast
done this whilst thou art my kinsman, and my sister's son, and
the husband of my daughters, and was hospiably treated by me, and
didst eat at my table." When Laban had said this, Jacob made his
defense - That he was not the only person in whom God had
implanted the love of his native country, but that he had made it
natural to all men; and that therefore it was but reasonable
that, after so long time, he should go back to it. "But as to the
prey, of whose driving away thou accusest me, if any other person
were the arbitrator, thou wouldst be found in the wrong; for
instead of those thanks I ought to have had from thee, for both
keeping thy cattle, and increasing them, how is it that thou art
unjustly angry at me because I have taken, and have with me, a
small portion of them? But then, as to thy daughters, take
notice, that it is not through any evil practices of mine that
they follow me in my return home, but from that just affection
which wives naturally have to their husbands. They follow
therefore not so properly myself as their own children." And thus
far of his apology was made, in order to clear himself of having
acted unjustly. To which he added his own complaint and
accusation of Laban; saying, "While I was thy sister's son, and
thou hadst given me thy daughters in marriage, thou hast worn me
out with thy harsh commands, and detained me twenty years under
them. That indeed which was required in order to my marrying thy
daughters, hard as it was, I own to have been tolerable; but as
to those that were put upon me after those marriages, they were
worse, and such indeed as an enemy would have avoided." For
certainly Laban had used Jacob very ill; for when he saw that God
was assisting to Jacob in all that he desired, he promised him,
that of the young cattle which should be born, he should have
sometimes what was of a white color, and sometimes what should be
of a black color; but when those that came to Jacob's share
proved numerous, he did not keep his faith with him, but said he
would give them to him the next year, because of his envying him
the multitude of his possessions. He promised him as before,
because he thought such an increase was not to be expected; but
when it appeared to be fact, he deceived him.
11. But then, as to the sacred images, he bid him search for
them; and when Laban accepted of the offer, Rachel, being
informed of it, put those images into that camel's saddle on
which she rode, and sat upon it; and said, that her natural
purgation hindered her rising up: so Laban left off searching any
further, not supposing that his daughter in such circumstances
would approach to those images. So he made a league with Jacob,
and bound it by oaths, that he would not bear him any malice on
account of what had happened; and Jacob made the like league, and
promised to love Laban's daughters. And these leagues they
confirmed with oaths also, which the made upon certain as whereon
they erected a pillar, in the form of an altar: whence that hill
is called Gilead; and from thence they call that land the Land of
Gilead at this day. Now when they had feasted, after the making
of the league, Laban returned home.
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