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prayed; and that this was the occasion of his coming hither, as his mother had commanded him. "For," said he, "we are all 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."

and complained of this unfair proceeding. La ban asked pardon for that necessity which forced him to do what he did; for he said he did not give him Lea out of any ill design, but as overcome by another greater neces sity; 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 seven years more were expired, he took Rachel to wife.*

Laban now 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 shew his kindness, even though she were absent, Now each of these had handmaids, by their by taking care of him. For he assured him father's donation. Zilpha was handmaid to he would make him the head shepherd of his Lea, and Bilba to Rachel; by no means flock, and gave him authority sufficient for slaves,† but subject to their mistresses. Now that purpose; and when he should be inclined Lea was sorely troubled at her husband's love to return to his parents, he would send him to her sister; and she expected she should be back with presents, and this in as honorable better esteemed if she bare him children. She, a manner as their consanguinity should re- therefore, intreated God perpetually, and when quire. Jacob heard these promises gladly; she had borne a son, and her husband was on and said he would willingly undergo any sort that account better reconciled to her, she of pains while he tarried with him; but de-named her son Reubel, because God had had sired as the reward of those pains that he mercy upon her in giving her a son, for that is might be permitted to marry Rachel, who the signification of this name. After some was not only on other accounts esteemed by time she bare three more sons; Simeon, him; but also because she was the means of which name signifies that God had hearkened his coming to him; for he said he was forced to her prayer; Levi, the confirmer of their by the love of the damsel to make this pro- friendship; and Judah, which denotes thanksposal. Laban was pleased with this agree- giving. But Rachel, fearing lest the fruitment, and consented to give the damsel to fulness of her sister should estrange Jacob's him, if he would stay with him some time; affection from herself, gave him her handmaid for he was not willing to send his daughter Bilba, by whom Jacob had Dan: one may to be among the Canaanites; for he repented interpret that name into the Greek tongue, a of the alliance he had made already by mar- divine judgment; and after him Nephthalim, rying his sister there. And when Jacob had as it were unconquerable in stratagems; since given his consent to this, he agreed to serve Rachel tried to conquer the fruitfulness of her his father-in-law seven years, that by giving sister by this stratagem. Accordingly Lea a specimen of his virtue, it might be better took the same method, and used a counter known what sort of a man he was. When stratagem to that of her sister's; for she gave the stated time was expired, Laban made the Jacob her own handmaid Zilpha, by whom he wedding feast; but when it was night, without had a son, whose name was Gad, which may Jacob's perceiving it, he put his other daugh- be interpreted fortune; and after him Asher, ter into bed to him; who was both elder than which may be called a happy man, because he Rachel, and of no comely countenance. Ja- added glory to Lea. cob slept with her that night; but when it was day he knew what had been done to him,

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* Gen. xxix. 28.

Here we have the difference between slaves for life, and servants, such as we now hire for a time agreed

Now Reubel, the eldest son of Lea, brought apples of mandrakes to his mother. When

upon on both sides, and dismiss again after the time contracted for is over, who are no slaves, but free men and free women.

Rachel

suring him that if he despised their small number, and attacked them in an hostile manner, he would himself assist them.

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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 be- Laban having been thus forewarned by nevolence she ought to have had from her hus- God, called Jacob to him the next day, in orband, Rachel, in order to mitigate her sister's der to treat with him, and shewed him what anger, said she would yield her husband to dream he had; in dependence whereon he her that evening. She accepted of the favor, came confidently to him, and began to accuse and Jacob slept with Lea, who bare then him, alleging that he had entertained him these sons; Issachar, denoting one born by when he was poor, and in want, and had hire; and Zebulon, one born as a pledge of be- given him plenty of all things which he had nevolence towards her; and a daughter, Dina." For," said he, "I have joined my daughters After some time Rachel had a son, named Jo-to thee in marriage, and supposed that thy seph, which signified there should be another kindness to me would be greater than before; added to him. but thou hast had no regard to either thy Now Jacob fed the flocks of Laban all this own mother's relation to me, nor to the aftime, being twenty years, after which he de-finity more recently contracted between us, sired permission to take his wives, and go nor to those wives whom thou hast married; home; but when his father-in-law would not nor to those children of whom I am the give him leave, he contrived to do it secretly. grandfather: thou hast treated me as an He made trial, therefore, of the disposition enemy, by driving away my cattle, and by of his wives, what they thought of this jour-persuading my daughters to run away from ney. When they appeared glad, and ap- their father: and by carrying home those saproved of it, Rachel took along with her the cred paternal images which were worshipped images of the gods, which, according to their by my forefathers, and which have been holaws, they used to worship in their own coun-nored with worship by myself. In short, thou try, and ran away, together with her sister. hast done this whilst thou wert my kinsman, Their children also, and their handmaids, and and my sister's son, and the husband of my what possessions they had, went along with daughters, and wast hospitably treated by me, them. Jacob also drove away half the cattle, and didst eat at my table." without letting Laban know of it beforehand : When Laban had said this, Jacob replied but the reason why Rachel took the images of in his defence, that he was not the only perthe gods, although Jacob had taught her to son in whom God had implanted the love of despise such worship, was this, that in case his native country, but that he had made it they were pursued and taken by her father, natural to all men; and, therefore, it was but she might have recourse to these images, in reasonable that, after so long time, he should order to obtain his pardon. go back to it. "But as to the prey," said Laban, after one day, being acquainted he, "of whose driving away thou accusest with Jacob's and his daughters' departure, me, if any other person were the arbitrator, was much troubled, and pursued after them, thou wouldst be found in the wrong, for inleading a band of men with him; and on the stead of those thanks I ought to have had seventh day overtook them, and found them from thee, for both keeping thy cattle, and resting on a certain hill; but he did not then increasing them, how is it that thou art unmeddle with them, for it was even-tide. God justly angry because I have taken a small stood by him in a dream the same night, and portion of them? But then, as to thy daughwarned him to receive his son-in-law and histers, it is not through any evil practices of daughters in a peaceable manner, and not to mine that they follow me in my return home, venture upon any thing rashly, or in wrath to but from that just affection which wives nathem, but to make a league with Jacob; as-turally have for their husbands; they follow,

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* From about An. 1801 to 1714, B. C.

therefore, not so properly myself, as their pened; and Jacob made the like league, and own children." Thus far his apology was promised to love Laban's daughters; and made in order to clear himself from the these leagues they confirmed with oaths upon charge of injustice; to which he added his certain mountains, whereon they erected a pilown complaint and accusation of Laban, say- lar, in the form of an altar; whence that hill ing, "While I was thy sister's son, and thou is called Gilead, and from thence they call hadst given me thy daughters in marriage, that land the Land of Gilead at this day. Now thou hast worn me out with thy harsh com-when they had feasted, † after making the mands, and detained me twenty years under league, Laban returned home.‡ 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, an enemy have avoided." For

CHAP. XX.

OF JACOB'S INTERVIEW WITH HIS BROTHER ESAU.

asily Laby Woud here Jacobe very ill; for N journey to the land of Canaan, angels

when he saw that God was assisting to Jacob appeared to him, and suggested to him good in all that he desired, he promised him, that hope of his future condition; and that place of the young cattle which should be born, he he named the Camp of God: and being deshould have sometimes what was of a white sirous of knowing his brother's intentions, he color, and sometimes what should be of a sent messengers to give him an exact account black color; but when those that came to Ja-of every thing, being afraid, on account of cob's share proved numerous, he did not keep the enmity between them. He charged his faith with him, but said he would give those that were sent to say to Esau, that them to him the next year, because of his "Jacob had thought it wrong to live together envying him the multitude of his possessions. with him, while he was incensed against him, He promised him as before, because he thought and so had gone out of the country; but now, such an increase was not to be expected: but thinking the time of his absence must have when it appeared to be fact, he again deceived made up their differences, was returning; that him. he brought with him his wives and his children, with what possessions he had gotten, and delivered himself, with what was most dear to him, into his hands; and should think it his greatest happiness to partake, together with his brother, of what God had bestowed

But with regard to the sacred images, Jacob bid them search for them; and when Laban accepted of the offer, Rachel being informed of it, put those images in that camel's saddle on which she rode, and sat upon it; and by a well-timed excuse evaded the necessity of rising up; so Laban left off searching any farther, not supposing that his daughter would conceal his images. He then made a league with Jacob, that he would not bear him any malice on account of what had hap

* Gen. xxxi. 35.

† Gen. xxxi. 55.

This league appears to have been made with peculiar circumstances: especially with the singular rite of making an heap of stones, and eating upon it, and setting up one stone for a pillar. Gen. xxxi. 45, 46. Niebuhr, relating his audience with the rinam of Yemen, says, "I had gone from my lodgings indisposed, and by standing so long found myself so faint, that I was obliged to ask permission to quit the room. I found near the door some of the principal officers of the court, who were sitting in a scattered manner, in the shade, upon stones, by the side of the wall. Among them was the nakit,

on him."

When this message was delivered, Esau was very glad, and met his brother with four hundred men: but when Jacob heard that he was coming to meet him with such a number, he was greatly afraid. However, he com

(the general, or rather master of the horse,) Cheir Al-
lah, with whom I had some acquaintance before. He
immediately resigned his place to me, and applied him-
self to draw together stones into an heap, to build himself
a new seat." This management might be owing to va
rious causes. The extreme heat of the ground might
render sitting there disagreeable. The same inconven
ence might arise also from its wetness.
It was certainly
a very common practice; and, as it appears from the in-
stance of Jacob, a very ancient one. Harmer's Observa-
tions, Vol. iii. p. 215. B.

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*

mitted his hope of deliverance to God; and considered how in his present circumstances be might preserve himself, and those that were with him, and overcome his enemies, if they attacked him injuriously. He therefore distributed his company into parts; some be sent before the rest, and the others he ordered to come close behind: that if the first were overpowered, when his brother attacked them, they might have those that followed as the refuge to flee unto; and when he had put his company in this order, be sent some of them to his brother, with presents of cattle, and a great number of four-footed beasts of many kinds, such as would be very acceptable to those that received them, on account of their rarity. Those who were sent proceeded at certain intervals of space asunder, that by following thick one after another, they might appear to be the more numerous, that Esau might remit of his anger on account of these presents, if he were still unappeased. Instructions were also given to those that were sent to speak submissively to him.

When Jacob had made these appointments, and night came on, he began to move with his company and as they were gone over a certain river, called Jabboc, Jacob was left behind; and meeting with an angel,, he wrestled with him, the angel beginning the struggle; but he prevailed over the angel, who used a voice, and spake to him in words, exhorting him to be pleased with what had happened to him, and not to suppose that his victory was a trifling one, but that he had overcome a divine angel, and to esteem the victory as a sign of great blessings that should come to him, and that his offspring should never fail, and that no man should be too hard

for his power. He also commanded him to be called Israel, † which in the Hebrew tongue signifies one that struggled with the divine angel. These promises were made at the prayer of Jacob; for when he perceived him to be the angel of God, he desired he would signify to him what should befal him hereafter, and when the angel had said what is before related, he disappeared. Jacob was pleased with these things, and named the place Phanuel, which signifies the face of God. But when he felt pain by this struggling upon his broad sinews, he abstained from eating that sinew himself afterward, and for his sake it is still not eaten by us. ‡

When Jacob understood that his brother was approaching, he ordered his wives to go. before, each by herself, with the handmaids, that they might see the actions of the men as they were fighting, if Esau were so disposed. He then went and bowed down to his brother Esau, who had no evil design upon him, but saluted him, and asked him about the company of the children, and of the women; and desired, when he had understood all he wanted to know about them, that he would go along with him to their father; but Jacob བསཔ བ ས་པ pretending that the cattle were weary, Esau returned to Sier, for there was his place of habitation, which he had named roughness, from his own hairy roughness.

CHAP. XXI.

OF THE VIOLATION OF DINA'S CHASTITY.

AFTER this interview, Jacob came to the

place, till this day called Succoth, or Tents, whence he went to Shechem, a city of the Canaanites. Now as the Shechmites

+ Perhaps this may be the proper meaning of the word Israel by the present and the old Jerusalem analogy of the Hebrew tongue. But it is certain that the Hellenists of the first century, in Egypt and elsewhere, interpreted Is-ra-el, to be a man seeing God.

Jacob appears to have been very cautious in con. ducting both his family and his flocks in their journey. He was particularly desirous of preserving them. They would have been exposed to great danger by haste. Prepared as the Arabs are for speedy flight, a quick motion is very destructive to the young of their flocks. Chardin says, Their flocks feed down the places of their encampment so quick, by the great numbers which they have, that they are obliged to remove them too often, which is very destructive to their flocks, on account of the young ones, which have not strength enough to follow." This circumstance shews the energy of Ja-acquainted, or of equal age and dignity, mutually kiss the

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cob's apology to Esau for not attending him. Harmer's Observations, i. 126. B.

Gen. xxxii. 32.

§ When Jacob and Esau met they saluted each other. Esau ran to meet Jacob, embraced him, fell on his neck, and kissed him, Gen. xxxiii. 4. Such persons as are intimately

hand, the head, or the shoulder of each other. Trav. p. 237. B.

Shaw's

were keeping a festival, Dina, who was the only daughter of Jacob, went into the city, to see the women of that country; but when Shechem, the son of Hamor the king, saw her, he defiled her by violence; and being greatly in love with her, he desired his father to procure the damsel for him in marriage. To this request Hamor acceded, and came to Jacob, desiring permission that his son Shechem might according to law, marry Dina; but Jacob, not knowing how to deny the desire of one of such great dignity, and yet not thinking it lawful to marry his daughter to a stranger, entreated leave to have a previous consultation. So the king went away, in hopes that Jacob would approve of this marriage; but Jacob informed his sons of the defilement of their sister, and of the address of Hamor, and desired them to give him their advice, what they should do. Upon this the greatest part said nothing, not knowing what advice to give; but Simeon and Levi, the brethren of the damsel, by the same mother, agreed between themselves upon the action

following: it being now the time of a festival, when the Shechemites were employed in ease and feasting, they fell upon the watch when they were asleep, and entering into the city,* slew all the males, as also the king and his son with them, but spared the women; and when they had done this, without their father's consent, they brought away their sister.

Now, while Jacob was astonished at this daring act, and was severely blaming his sons for it, God stood by him, † and bid him be of good courage, but to purify his tents, and to offer those sacrifices which he had vowed to offer when he went first into Mesopotamia,

*Why Josephus has omitted the circumcision of these Shechemites, as the occasion of their death; and of Jacob's great grief, as in the testament of Levi, I cannot tell. + Gen. xxxv. Gen. xxxv. 19.

1.

§ Since Benoni signifies the son of my sorrow, and Benjamin the son of days, or one born in the father's old age, Gen. xliv. 20, I suspect Josephus's present copies to be here imperfect, and suppose that, in correspondence to

and saw his vision. As he was therefore purifying his followers, he found the gods of Laban, (for he did not before know they were stolen by Rachel,) and he hid them in the earth, under an oak in Shechem; and departing thence, he offered sacrifice at Bethel, the place where he saw his vision when he went first into Mesopotamia.

When he was gone thence, and was come over against Ephrata, he there buried Rachel, who died in childbed; she was the only one of Jacob's kindred that had not the honour of burial at Hebron; and when he had mourned for her a great while, he called the son that was born of her Benjamin, § because of the sorrow the mother had with him. These are all the children of Jacob, twelve males, and one female; of whom eight were legitimate, viz. six of Leah, and two of Rachel; and four were of the handmaids, two of each, all whose names have been set down already.

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CHAP. XXII.

OF ISAAC'S DEATH AND INTERMENT AT HEBRON.

FROM thence Jacob went to Hebron, a city situate among the Canaanites and the residence of Isaac; and there they lived together for a little while: for as to Rebeka, Jacob did not find her alive. Isaac also died not long after the coming of his son, and was buried, with his wife, in Hebron, where the family had a monument belonging to them from their forefathers. Now Isaac was a man who was beloved of God, and was vouchsafed great instances of providence by God, after Abraham his father, and lived to be exceeding old; for when he had lived virtuously one hundred and eighty-five years, he then died.

other copies, he wrote that Rachel called her son's name Benoni, but his father called him Benjamin; Gen. xxxv. 18. As for Benjamin, as commonly explained, the son of the right-hand, it makes no sense at all, and seems to be a gross modern error only. The Samaritan always writes this name truly, Benjamin which probably is here of the same signification, only with the Chaldee termination in, instead of im, in the Hebrew.

BOOK

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