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The 24th Chapter
Abraham was old
and stricken in days, and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
And he said unto his eldest servant of his house which had the rule
over all that he had: Put thy hand under my thigh that I may make
thee swear by the Lord that is God of heaven and God of the earth,
that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son, of the daughters of the
Cananites, among which I dwell. But shalt go unto my country and to
my kindred, and there take a wife unto my son Isaac.
Then said the servant unto him: what and if the woman will not
agree to come with me unto this land, shall I bring thy son again
unto the land which thou camest out of? And Abraham said unto him:
beware of that, that thou bring not my son thither. The Lord God of
heaven which took me from my fathers house and from the land where I
was born, and which spake unto me and sware unto me saying: unto thy
seed will I give this land, he shall send his angel before thee,
that thou mayest take a wife unto my son from there. Nevertheless if
the woman will not agree to come with thee then shalt thou be
without danger of this oath. But above all things bring not my son
thither again. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of
Abraham and sware to him as concerning that matter. And the servant
took ten camels of the camels of his master and departed, and had of
all manner goods of his master with him, and stood up and went to
Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And made his camels to lie down
without the city by a wells side of water, at even: about the time
that women come out to draw water, and he said.
Lord God of my master Abraham, send me good speed this day,
and show mercy unto my master Abraham. Lo I stand here by the well
of water and the daughters of the men of this city will come out to
draw water: Now the damsel to whom I say, stoop down thy pitcher,
and let me drink. If she say: Drink, and I will give thy camels
drink also, the same is she that thou hast ordained for thy servant
Isaac: yea and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed mercy on
my master. And it came to pass before he had left speaking, that
Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bethuel, son to Mylca the wife of
Nahor Abrahams brother, and her pitcher upon her shoulder: The
damsel was very fair to look upon, and yet a maid and unknown of
man. And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came
up again. Then the servant ran unto her and said: let me sip a
little water of thy pitcher. And she said: drink my lord.
And she hasted and let down her pitcher upon her arm and gave
him drink. And when she had given him drink, she said: I will draw
water for thy camels also, until they have drunk enough. And she
poured out her pitcher into the trough hastily, and ran again unto
the well, to fetch water: and drew for all his camels. And the
fellow wondered at her. But held his peace, to know whether the Lord
had made his journey prosperous or not. And as the camels had left
drinking, he took an earring of half a sickle weight, and two
bracelets for her hands, of ten sickles weight of gold, and said
unto her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there room in thy
fathers house, for us to lodge in? And she said unto him: I am the
daughter of Bethuel the son of Mylca which she bare unto Nahor: and
said moreover unto him: we have litter (straw) and provender
(food/provisions for cattle) enough and also room to lodge in.
And the man bowed himself, and worshiped the Lord, and said:
blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham which ceaseth not to
deal mercifully and truly with my master, And hath brought me the
way to my masters brothers house. And the damsel ran and told them
of her mothers house these things. And Rebecca had a brother called
Laban.
And Laban ran out unto the man, to the well: for as soon as he
had seen the earrings and the bracelets upon his sisters hands, and
heard the words of Rebecca his sister saying thus said the man unto
me, then he went out unto the man. And lo, he stood yet with the
camels by the well side. And Laban said: come in thou blessed of the
Lord. Wherefore standest thou without? I have dressed the house, and
made room for the camels. And then the man came into the house: and
he unbridled the camels: and brought litter and provender for the
camels, and water to wash his feet and their feet that were with
him, and there was meat set before him to eat. But he said: I will
not eat, until I have said mine errand. And he said: say on, And he
said: I am Abrahams servant, and the Lord hath blessed my master out
of measure, that he is become great and hath given him sheep, oxen,
silver and gold, menservants, maidservants, camels and asses. And
Sara my masters wife bare him a son, when she was old: and unto him
hath he given all that he hath. And my master made me swear saying:
Thou shalt not take a wife to my son among the daughters of the
Cananites in whose land I dwell. But thou shalt go unto my fathers
house and to my kindred, and there take a wife unto my son. And I
said unto my master: What if the wife will not follow me? And he
said unto me: The Lord before whom I walk, will send his angel with
thee, and prosper thy journey that thou shalt take a wife for my
son, of my kindred and of my fathers house. But and if (when thou
comest unto my kindred) they will not give thee one, then shalt thou
bear no peril of mine oath.
And I came this day unto the well and said: O Lord, the God of
my master Abraham, if it be so that thou makest my journey which I
go, prosperous: behold, I stand by this well of water, and when a
virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her: give me a
little water of thy pitcher to drink, and she say again to me: drink
thou, and I will also draw water for thy camels: that same is the
wife, whom the Lord hath prepared for my masters son.
And before I had made an end of speaking in mine heart: behold
Rebecca came forth, and her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went
down unto the well and drew. And I said unto her give me drink. And
she made haste, and took down her pitcher from off her, and said:
drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. And I drank, and she
gave the camels drink also. And I asked her saying: whose daughter
art thou? And she answered: the daughter of Bathuel Nahors son, whom
Mylca bare unto him. And I put the earring upon her face and the
bracelets upon her hands. And I bowed myself, and worshipped the
Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham which had
brought me the right way, to take my masters brothers daughter unto
his son. Now therefore if ye will deal mercifully and truly with my
master, tell me: And if not, tell me also: that I may turn me to the
right hand or to the left.
Then answered Laban and Bathuel saying: The thing is proceeded
even out of the Lord, we cannot therefore say unto thee, either good
or bad: Behold Rebecca before thy face, take her and go, and let her
be thy masters son s wife, even as the Lord hath said. And when
Abrahams servant heard their words, he bowed himself unto the Lord,
flat upon the earth. And the servant took forth jewels of silver and
jewels of gold and raiment, and gave them to Rebecca: But unto her
brother and to her mother, he gave spices. And then they ate and
drank, both he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night
and rose up in the morning.
And he said: let me depart unto my master. But her brother and
her mother said: let the damsel abide with us a while, and it be but
even ten days, and then go thy ways. And he said unto them, hinder
me not, for the Lord hath prospered my journey. Send me away that I
may go unto my master. And they said: let us call the damsel, and
know what she saith to the matter. And they called forth Rebecca,
and said unto her: wilt thou go with this man? And she said: Yea.
So they let Rebecca their sister go with her nurse and
Abrahams servant, and the men that were with him. And they blessed
Rebecca, and said unto her: Thou art our sister, grow into thousand
thousands, and thy seed possess the gates of their enemies. And
Rebecca arose and her damsels, and sat them up upon the camels, and
went their way after the man. And the servant took Rebecca, and went
his way.
And Isaac was a coming from the well of the living and seeing,
for he dwelt in the south country, and was gone out to walk in his
meditations before the even tide. And he lifted up his eyes and
looked, and behold the camels were coming. And Rebecca lifted up her
eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel, and said
unto the servant: what man is this that cometh against us in the
field? And the servant said: it is my master. And then she took her
mantle, and put it about her. And the servant told Isaac all that he
had done. Then Isaac brought her in to his mother Saras tent, and
took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her: and so was
Isaac comforted over his mother.
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The 25th Chapter
Abraham took him
another wife called Ketura, which bare him Simran, Jacksan, Medan,
Midian, Jesback and Suah. And Jacksan begat Seba and Dedan. And the
sons of Dedan were Assurim, Letusim and Leumim. And the sons of
Midian were Epha, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Elda. All these were the
children of Ketura. But Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. And
unto the sons of his concubines he gave gifts, and sent them away
from Isaac his son (while he yet lived) eastward, unto the east
country.
These are the days of the life of Abraham which he lived: an
hundred and seventy five years and then fell sick and died, in a
lusty age (when he had lived enough) and was put unto his people.
And his sons Isaac and Ismael buried him in the double cave in the
field of Ephron son of Zoar the Hethite before Mamre. Which field
Abraham bought of the sons of Heth: There was Abraham buried and
Sara his wife. And after the death of Abraham God blessed Isaac his
son, which dwelled by the well of the living and seeing.
These are the generations of Ismael Abrahams son, which Hagar
the Egyptian Saras handmaid bare unto Abraham. And these are the
names of the sons of Ismael, with their names in their kindreds. The
eldest son of Ismael, Nevaioth, then Cedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Misma,
Duma, Masa, Hadar, Thema, Jetur, Naphis and Kedma. These are the
sons of Ismael, and these are their names, in their towns and
castles twelve princes of nations. And these are the years of the
life of Ismael, an hundred and thirty seven years, and then he fell
sick and died, and was laid unto his people. And he dwelt from Evila
unto Sur that is before Egypt, as men go toward the Assyrians. And
he died in the presence of all his brethren.
And these are the generations of Isaac Abrahams son: Abraham
begat Isaac. And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca to
wife the daughter of Bethuel the Sirian of Mesopotamia and sister to
Laban the Sirian.
And Isaac made intercession unto the Lord for his wife:
because she was barren: and the Lord was entreated of him, and
Rebecca his wife conceived: and the children strove together within
her. Then she said: if it should go so to pass, what helpeth it that
I am with child? And she went and asked the Lord. And the Lord said
unto her: there are two manner of people in thy womb, and two
nations shall spring out of thy bowels, and the one nation shall be
mightier than the other, and the eldest shall be servant unto the
younger.
And when her time was come to be delivered: behold there were
two twins in her womb. And he that came out first was red and rough
over all as it were an hide: and they called his name Esau. And
afterward his brother came out, and his hand holding Esau by the
heel. Wherefore his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was forty years
old when she bare them: and the boys grew, and Esau became a cunning
hunter and a tillman. But Jacob was a simple man, and dwelled in the
tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison, but
Rebecca loved Jacob.
Jacob boiled pottage, and Esau came from the field and was
fainty, and said to Jacob: let me sip of the red pottage, for I am
fainty. And therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said: sell
me this day thy birthright. And Esau answered: Lo I am at the point
to die, and what profit shall this birthright do me? And Jacob said:
swear to me then this day. And he swore to him, and sold his
birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of red
rice. And he ate and drank and rose up, and went his way. And so
Esau regarded not his birthright.
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The 26th Chapter
And there fell a *dearth in the
land, passing the first dearth that fell in the days of Abraham.
Wherefore Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto
Gerar. Then the Lord appeared unto him, and said: go not down into
Egypt, but bide in the land which I say unto thee: sojourn in this
land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee: for unto thee
and unto thy seed I will give all these countries. And I will
perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father, and will
multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy
seed all these countries. And through thy seed shall all the nations
of the earth be blessed, because that Abraham hearkened unto my
voice and kept mine ordinances, commandments, statutes and laws.
And Isaac dwelled in Gerar. And the men of the place asked him
of his wife, and he said that she was his sister: for he feared to
call her his wife, lest the men of the place should have killed him
for her sake, because she was beautiful to the eye. And it happened
after he had been there long time, that Abimelech king of the
Philistines looked out at a window, and saw Isaac sporting with
Rebecca his wife. And Abimelech sent for Isaac, and said: see, she
is of a surety thy wife, and why saidest thou that she was thy
sister? And Isaac said unto him: I thought that I might peradventure
have died for her sake. Then said Abimelech: why hast thou done this
unto us? one of the people might lightly have lain by thy wife, and
so shouldest thou have brought sin upon us. Then Abimelech charged
all his people, saying: he that toucheth this man or his wife, shall
surely die for it.
And Isaac sowed in the land, and found in the same year an
hundred bushels: for the Lord blessed him, and the man waxed mighty,
and went forth and grew till he was exceeding great, that he had
possession of sheep, of oxen and a mighty household: so that the
Philistines had envy at him: Insomuch that they stopped and filled
up with earth, all the wells which his fathers servants digged in
his father Abrahams time. Then said Abimelech unto Isaac: get thee
from me, for thou art mightier than we a great deal. Then Isaac
departed there, and pitched his tent in the valley Gerar, and dwelt
there. And Isaac digged again, the wells of water which they digged
in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped
after the death of Abraham, and gave them the same names which his
father gave them. As Isaacs servants digged in the valley, they
found a well of living water. And the herdsmen of Gerar did strive
with Isaacs herdsmen saying: the water is ours. Then called he the
well Eseck, because they strove with him.
Then digged they another well, and they strove for that also.
Therefore called he it Sitena. And then he departed there, and
digged another well for the which they strove not: therefore called
he it Rehoboth, saying: the Lord hath now made us room, and we are
increased upon the earth. Afterward departed he there and came to
Berseba. And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said: I
am the God of Abraham thy father, fear not for I am with thee, and
will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abrahams sake.
And then he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the
Lord, and there pitched his tent. And there Isaacs servants digged a
well.
Then came Abimelech to him from Gerar and Ahusath his friend
and Phicoll his chief captain. And Isaac said unto them: wherefore
come ye to me, seeing ye hate me and have put me away from you? Then
said they: we saw that the Lord was with thee, and therefore we said
that there should be an oath betwixt us and thee, and that we would
make a bond with thee, that thou shouldest do us no hurt, as we have
not touched thee, and have done unto thee nothing but good, and send
thee away in peace: for thou art now the blessed of the Lord. And he
made them a feast, and they ate and drank. And they rose up by times
in the morning, and sware one to another. And Isaac sent them away.
And they departed from him in peace. And the same day came Isaacs
servants, and told him of a well which they had digged: and said
unto him, that they had found water. And he called it Seba,
wherefore the name of the city is called Berseba unto this day.
*dearth (famine)
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The 27th Chapter
When Esau was forty years old,
he took to wife Judith the daughter of Bery an Hethite, and Basmath
the daughter of Elon an Hethite also, which were disobedient unto
Isaac and Rebecca. And it came to pass that Isaac waxed old and his
eyes were dim, so that he could not see. Then called he Esau his
eldest son and said unto him: my son. And he said unto him: here am
I. And he said: behold, I am old and know not the day of my death:
Now therefore take thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and get thee
to the fields, and take me some venison, and make me meat such as I
love, and bring it me, and let me eat that my soul may bless thee
before that I die. But Rebecca heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his
son. And as soon as Esau was gone to the field to catch venison, and
to bring it, she spake unto Jacob her son saying: Behold I have
heard thy father talking with Esau thy brother and saying: bring me
venison and make me meat, that I may eat and bless thee before the
Lord before I die. Now therefore my son hear my voice in that which
I command thee: get thee to the flock, and bring me here two good
kids, and I will make meat of them for thy father, such as he loveth.
And thou shalt bring it to thy father, and he shall eat, that he may
bless thee before his death.
Then said Jacob to Rebecca his mother: Behold Esau my brother
is rough and I am smooth. My father shall peradventure feel me, and
I shall seem unto him as though I went about to beguile him, and so
shall he bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing: and his mother
said unto him. Upon me be thy curse my son, only hear my voice, and
go and fetch me them. And Jacob went and fetched them, and brought
them to his mother. And his mother made meat of them, according as
his father loved. And she went and fetched goodly raiment of her
eldest son Esau, which she had in the house with her, and put them
upon Jacob her youngest son, and she put the skins upon his hands
and upon the smooth of his neck. And she put the meat and bread
which she had made in the hand of her son Jacob.
And he went in to his father saying: my father? And he
answered: here am I, who art thou my son? And Jacob said unto his
father: I am Esau thy eldest son, I have done according as thou
baddest me: up and sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may
bless me. But Isaac said unto his son: How cometh it that thou hast
found it so quickly my son? He answered: The Lord thy God brought it
to my hand. Then said Isaac unto Jacob: come near and let me feel
thee my son, whether thou be my son Esau or not. Then went Jacob to
Isaac his father, and he felt him and said: the voice is Jacobs
voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he knew him not,
because his hands were rough as his brother Esaus hands and so he
blessed him.
And he asked him: art thou my son Esau? And he said: that I
am. Then said he: bring me and let me eat of my sons venison, that
my soul may bless thee. And he brought him, and he ate. And he
brought him wine also, and he drank. And his father Isaac said unto
him: come near and kiss me my son. And he went to him and kissed
him. And he smelled the savour of his raiment and blessed him, and
said: See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the
Lord hath blessed. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the
fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine. People be thy
servants, and nations bow unto thee. Be lord over thy brethren, and
thy mothers children stoop unto thee. Cursed be he that curseth
thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
As soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing, Jacob was scarce
gone out from the presence of Isaac his father: then came Esau his
brother from his hunting, and had made also meat, and brought it in
unto his father, and said unto him: Arise my father, and eat of thy
sons venison, that thy soul may bless me. Then his father Isaac said
unto him: Who art thou? he answered: I am thy eldest son Esau. And
Isaac was greatly *astoned out of measure, and said: Where is he
then that hath hunted venison and brought it me, and I have eaten of
all before thou camest, and have blessed him, and he shall be
blessed still. When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out
greatly and bitterly above measure, and said unto his father: bless
me also my father. And he said: thy brother came with subtlety, and
hath taken away thy blessing. Then said he: He may well be called
Jacob, for he hath undermined me now two times, first he took away
my birthright: and see, now hath he taken away my blessing also. And
he said, hast thou kept never a blessing for me?
Isaac answered and said unto Esau: behold I have made him thy
lord, and all his mothers children have I made his servants.
Moreover with corn and wine have I stablished him, what can I do
unto thee now my son? And Esau said unto his father: hast thou but
that one blessing my father? bless me also my father: so lifted up
Esau his voice and wept. Then Isaac his father answered and said
unto him: Behold thy dwelling place shall have of the fatness of the
earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. And with thy sword shalt
thou live, and shalt be thy brothers servant. But the time will
come, when thou shalt get the mastery, and loose his yoke from off
thy neck.
And Esau hated Jacob, because of the blessing that his father
blessed him withal, and said in his heart: The days of my fathers
sorrow are at hand, for I will slay my brother Jacob. And these
words of Esau her eldest son, were told to Rebecca. And she sent and
called Jacob her youngest son, and said unto him: behold thy brother
Esau threateneth to kill thee: Now therefore my son hear my voice,
make thee ready, and flee to Laban my brother at Haran: And tarry
with him a while, until thy brothers fierceness be *assuaged, and
until thy brothers, wrath turn away from thee, and he forget that
which thou hast done to him. Then will I send and fetch thee away
from there. Why should I lose you both in one day? And Rebecca spake
to Isaac: I am weary of my life, for fear of the daughters of Heth.
If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such one as these
are, or of the daughters of the land, what lust should I have to
live?
*astoned (astonished) *assuaged (less
intense; calmed down),
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The 28th Chapter
Then Isaac called Jacob his son
and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him: see thou take
not a wife of the daughters of Canaan, but arise and get thee to
Mesopotamia to the house of Bethuel thy mothers father: and there
take thee a wife of the daughters of Laban thy mothers brother. And
God almighty bless thee, increase thee, and multiply thee that thou
mayest be a number of people, and give thee the blessing of Abraham:
both to thee and to thy seed with thee, that thou mayest possess the
land (wherein thou art a stranger) which God gave unto Abraham. Thus
Isaac sent forth Jacob, to go to Mesopotamia unto Laban, son of
Bethuel the Sirien, and brother to Rebecca Jacobs and Esaus mother.
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him to
Mesopotamia, to fetch him a wife there, and that as he blessed him
he gave him a charge, saying: see thou take not a wife of the
daughters of Canaan: and that Jacob had obeyed his father and
mother, and was gone unto Mesopotamia: and seeing also that the
daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father: Then went he unto
Ismael, and took unto the wives which he had, Mahala the daughter of
Ismael Abrahams son, the sister of Nabaioth to be his wife. Jacob
departed from Berseba and went toward Haran, and came unto a place,
and tarried there all night, because the sun was down. And took a
stone of the place, and put it under his head, and laid him down in
the same place to sleep. And he dreamed: and behold there stood a
ladder upon the earth, and the top of it reached up to heaven. And
see, the angels of God went up and down upon it, yea and the Lord
stood upon it and said:
I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac:
The land which thou sleepest upon will I give thee and thy seed. And
thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth: And thou shalt spread
abroad: west, east, north and south. And through thee and thy seed
shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. And see I am with
thee, and will be thy keeper in all places where ever thou goest,
and will bring thee again into this land: Neither will I leave thee
until I have made good all that I have promised thee.
When Jacob was awaked out of his sleep, he said: surely the
Lord is in this place, and I was not aware. And he was afraid and
said: how fearful is this place? it is none other, but even the
house of God and the gate of heaven. And Jacob stood up early in the
morning, and took the stone that he had laid under his head, and
pitched it up on end, and poured oil on the top of it. And he called
the name of the place Bethell, for indeed the name of the city was
called Lus before time. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: If God will
be with me, and will keep me in this journey which I go, and will
give me bread to eat, and clothes to put on, so that I come again
unto my fathers house in safety: then shall the Lord be my God, and
this stone which I have set up on end, shall be Gods house: And of
all that thou shalt give me, will I give the tenth unto thee.
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The 29th Chapter
Then Jacob
lifted up his feet, and went toward the east country. And as he
looked about, behold there was a well in the field, and three flocks
of sheep lay thereby (for at that well were the flocks watered) and
there lay a great stone at the well mouth. And the manner was to
bring the flocks thither, and to roll the stone from the wells
mouth, and to water the sheep, and to put the stone again upon the
wells mouth unto his place. And Jacob said unto them: brethren, from
where be 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 he in good health? And they said: he is in good
health: and behold, his daughter Rahel cometh with the sheep. And he
said: lo, it is yet a great while to night, neither is it time that
the cattle should be gathered together: water the sheep, and go and
feed them. And they said: we may not, until all the flocks be
brought together, and the stone be rolled from the wells mouth, and
so we water our sheep.
While he yet talked with them, Rahel came with her fathers
sheep, for she kept them. As soon as Jacob saw Rahel, the daughter
of Laban his mothers brother, and the sheep of Laban his mothers
brother, he went and rolled the stone from the wells mouth, and
watered the sheep of Laban his mothers brother. And Jacob kissed
Rahel, and lifted up his voice and wept: and told her also that he
was her fathers brother and Rebeccas son. Then Rahel ran and told
her father.
When Laban heard tell of Jacob his sisters son, he ran to
meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him into his
house. And then Jacob told Laban all the matter. And then Laban
said: well, thou art my bone and my flesh. Abide with me the space
of a month. And afterward Laban said unto Jacob: though thou be my
brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for naught? tell me what
shall thy wages be? And Laban had two daughters, the eldest called
Lea and the youngest Rahel. Lea was tender eyed, but Rahel was
beautiful and well favored. And Jacob loved her well, and said: I
will serve thee seven years for Rahel thy youngest daughter. And
Laban answered: it is better that I give her thee, than to another
man: bide therefore with me.
And Jacob served seven years for Rahel, and they seemed unto
him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto
Laban: give me my wife, that I may lie with her. For the time
appointed me is come.
Then Laban bade all the men of that place, and made a feast.
And when even was come, he took Lea his daughter and brought her to
him: and he went in unto Her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Lea,
Zilpha his maid, to be her servant. And when the morning was come,
behold it was Lea. Than said he to Laban: wherefore hast thou played
thus with me? did not I serve thee for Rahel, wherefore then hast
thou beguiled me? Laban answered: it is not the manner of this
place, to marry the youngest before the eldest. Pass out this week,
and then shall this also be given thee for the service which thou
shalt serve me yet seven years more. And Jacob did even so, and
passed out that week, and then he gave him Rahel his daughter to
wife also. And Laban gave to Rahel his daughter, Bilha his handmaid
to be her servant. So lay he by Rahel also, and loved Rahel more
than Lea, and served him yet seven years more.
When the Lord saw that Lea was despised, he made her fruitful:
but Rahel was barren. And Lea conceived and bare a son, and called
his name Ruben, for she said: the Lord hath looked upon my
tribulation. And now my husband will love me. And she conceived
again and bare a son, and said: the Lord hath heard that I am
despised, and hath therefore given me this son also, and she called
him Simeon. And she conceived yet, and bare a son, and said: now
this once will my husband keep me company, because I have borne him
three sons: and therefore she called his name Levi. And she
conceived yet again, and bare a son saying: Now will I praise the
Lord: therefore she called his name Juda, and left bearing.
|
Chapters 1-7 |
8-16 |
17-23 |
24-29 |
30-36 |
37-41 |
42-47 |
48-50
|
Next Book
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