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that she would give her the apples, for she longed to eat them; but when she refused, 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 favour, and Jacob slept with Leah, by the favour of Rachel. She bare then these sons, Issachar, denoting one born by hire; and Zabulon, one born a pledge of benevolence toward 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 a 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 to obtain his pardon.

10. But Laban, after one day's time, being acquainted with Jacob's and his daughter's 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 them, but to make a league with Jacob; and told him, that if he despised their small number, and attacked them in a hostile manner, he would himself 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 whereon, 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

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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 ap peared 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 they made upon certain mountains, 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.

CHAPTER XX.

CONCERNING THE MEETING OF JACOB AND ESAU.

Now as Jacob was proceeding on his journey to the land of Canaan, angels appeared to him, and suggested to him good hope of his future condition; and that place he named the Camp of God. And being desirous of knowing what his brother's intentions were to him, he sent messengers to give him an exact account of every thing, as being afraid on account of the enmities between them. He charged those that were sent to say to Esau, that "Jacob had thought it wrong to live together with him, while he was in anger against him, and so had gone out of the country; and that he now, thinking the length of time of his absence must have made up their differences, was returning: that 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 upon him." So these messengers told him this message. Upon which Esau was very glad, and met his brother with four hundred men. And Jacob, when he heard that he was coming to meet him with such a number of men, was greatly afraid; however, he committed his hope of deliverance to God; and considered how, in his present circumstances, he might preserve himself, and those that were with him, and overcome his enemies, if they attacked them injuriously.

He, therefore, distributed his company into parts; some he set before the rest, and the others he ordered to come close behind, that so if the first were overpowered when his brother attacked them, they might have those that followed as a refuge to fly unto. And when he had put his company in this order, he sent some of them to carry presents to his brother. The presents were made up of cattle, and a great number of fourfooted beasts, of many kinds, such as would be very acceptable to those that received them, on account of their rarity. Those who were sent, went at certain intervals of space asunder, that by following thick, after one another, they might appear to be more numerous, that Esau might remit of his anger on account of these presents, if he were still in a passion. Instructions were also given to those that were sent to speak gently to him.

2. When Jacob had made these appointments all the day, and night came on, he moved on 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 to 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 small one, for 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 befall him hereafter. And when the angel had said what is before related, he disappeared: but Jacob was pleased with these things, and named the place Phanuel, which signifies the face of God. Now when he felt pain by this struggling, on his broad sinew, he abstained from eating that sinew himself afterward; and for his sake it is still not eaten by us.

3. When Jacob understood that his brother was near, 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 up to his brother Esau, and bowed down to him, who had

* Perhaps this may be the proper meaning of the word Israel by the present, and the old Jerusalem analogy of the Hebrew tongue. In the mean time, it is certain that the Hellenists of the first century, in Egypt and elsewhere, interpreted Is-ra-el to be a man seeing God, as is evident from the argument forecited.

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 pretending that the cattle were weary, Esau returned to Seir, for there was his place of habitation, he having named the place roughness, from his own hairy roughness.

CHAPTER XXI.

1

CONCERNING THE VIOLATION OF DINA'S CHASTITY. 1. HEREUPON Jacob came to the place, till this day called Tents [Succoth,] from whence he went to Schechem, which is a city of the Canaanites. Now as the Schechemites were keeping a festival, Dina, who was the only daughter of Jacob, went into the city to see the finery of the women of that country. But when Schechem, the son of Hamor the king, saw her, he defiled her by violence; and being greatly in love with her, he desired of his father that he would procure the damsel to him for a wife. To which desire he condescended; and came to Jacob, desiring him to give leave that his son Schechem 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, entreating him to give him leave to have a consultation about what he desired him to do. So the king went away in hopes that Jacob would grant him 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 Schechemites were employed in ease and feasting, they fell upon the watch when they were asleep, and coming in 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. 2. Now while Jacob was astonished at the greatness of this 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

*Of this slaughter of the Schechemites by Simeon and Levi, see Authent. Rec. part i. p. 309, 418, 432, 439. But 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, sec. 5, I cannot

tell.

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