CHAPTER XIX. CONCERNING JACOB'S FLIGHT INTO MESOPOTAMIA, BY REASON OF THE FEAR HE WAS IN OF HIS BROTHER. 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 down 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 kinsman, 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 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 labours thou must undergo, for by my providence will direct thee what thou art to do in the time present, an 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 sacrifice 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 honourable, 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 stayed with them, as wanting water to drink and beginning to discouse 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 wh he was, and whence he came to them, and what it was he lacked that he came thither. She also wished it might be 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 births, if thou be the daughter of Laban; for Abraham was the son of Tarah, ran. 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 Sarah, who was the daughter of HaBut 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 cousins german. 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 pleasure 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 whatever." 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 coming. But a little while afterwards, 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 his two sons that were twins, himself and Esau, who, because be 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 so to do; for we are all, says he, brethren one to another, but our mother es *By this deprivation of the kingdom that was to be given Esau of God as the first-born, it appears that Josephus thought that a kingdom to be derived from God, was due to him whom Isaac should bless as his firstborn, which I take to be that kingdom which was expected under the Messiah, who therefore was born of his posterity whom Isaac should so bless. Jacob, therefore, by obtaining this blessing of the first-born, be came the genuine heir of that kingdom, in opposition to Esau. teems 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, toward 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 shep herd of his flock, and gave him authority sufficient for tha purpose; and when he should have a mind to return to his parents, he would send him back with presents, and this in as honourable a manner as the nearest 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, he might the better know what sort of a man he was. And Jacob accepting of his terms, after the time was over, he made the weddingfeast; 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 Jay 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 Leah out of any ill design, but as overcome by another great 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. |