the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of the city was Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, and Jehovah will be my God, then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth1 unto thee." XIV JACOB'S PATIENT SERVING FOR THE HAND OF RACHEL (Genesis xxix: 1-20) Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east. And he looked, and, behold, a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and the stone upon the well's mouth was great. And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in its place. And Jacob said unto them, "My brethren, whence are ye?" And they said, "Of Haran are we." And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him." And he said unto them, "Is it well with him?" And they said, "It is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep." And he said, "Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the 66 1. The first mention in the Bible of the custom of devoting a tenth (tithe) of one's income to religious purposes. sheep, and go and feed them." And they said, "We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep." While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother,1 and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, "Surely thou art my bone and my flesh." And he abode with him the space of a month. And Laban said unto Jacob, "Because thou art my brother,1 shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?" And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah,2 and the name of the younger was Rachel.3 And Leah's eyes were tender; but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored. And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter." And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me." And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had to her. 1. Kinsman. 3. "Ewe." 2. "Gazelle." [After his marriage to Rachel, Jacob remained with Laban for a number of years, at the end of which time he decided to return to his native land. When he had received from Laban the flocks and herds due him for his many years of labor he set out with his family for Canaan. As Jacob feared the vengeance of Esau, he thought it advisable to send messengers to find out if his brother were still angry with him. The messengers returned with the news that Esau was approaching with four hundred men. This alarmed Jacob for he thought that Esau meant to attack him. However, he prepared a rich present in the hope of placating his brother. He then separated himself from his wives and the rest of the company in order to think out what would be the best course for him to pursue.] XV AN ANGEL WRESTLES WITH JACOB And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched1 the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him. And he said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." And he said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." And he said unto him, "What is thy name?" And he said, "Jacob." And he said, "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel:2 for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed." And Jacob asked him, and said, "Tell me, I pray thee, thy name." And he said, "Where 1. Or "struck." 2. "A soldier who strives with God." See also XVIII. And he fore is it that thou dost ask after my name?" blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, said he, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel, and he limped upon his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip. XVI THE RECONCILIATION BETWEEN JACOB AND ESAU (Genesis xxxiii: 1-20) And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah,2 and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, "Who are these with thee?" And he said, "The children whom God hath graciously given thy servant." Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. And Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. And he 1. "The face of God." Another spelling is Penuel. 2. Leah as well as Rachel was the wife of Jacob. said, "What meanest thou by all this company which I met?" And he said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord." And Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; let that which thou hast be thine." And Jacob said, "Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found favor in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand; forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. Take, I pray thee, my gift that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough." And he urged him, and he took it. And he said, "Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee." And he said unto him, “My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young; and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come unto my lord unto Seir." And Esau said, "Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me.” And he said, "What needeth it? let me find favor in the sight of my lord." So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him a house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. 1 And Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and encamped before the city. And he bought the parcel of ground, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it El-Elohe-Israel.2 1. "Booths." 2. "God, the God of Israel." |