23:11. Let it not be so, my lord, but do thou rather hearken to what I say: The field I deliver to thee, and the cave that is therein; in the presence of the children of my people, bury thy dead.
23:12. Abraham bowed down before the people of the land.
23:13. And he spoke to Ephron, in the presence of the people: I beseech thee to hear me: I will give money for the field; take it, and so will I bury my dead in it.
23:14. And Ephron answered:
23:15. My lord, hear me. The ground which thou desirest, is worth four hundred sicles of silver: this is the price between me and thee: but what is this? bury thy dead.
23:16. And when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had asked, in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred sicles of silver, of common current money.
23:17. And the field that before was Ephron's, wherein was the double cave, looking towards Mambre, both it and the cave, and all the trees thereof, in all its limits round about,
23:18. Was made sure to Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the children of Heth, and of all that went in at the gate of his city.
23:19. And so Abraham buried Sara, his wife, in the double cave of the field, that looked towards Mambre, this is Hebron in the land of Chanaan.
23:20. And the field was made sure to Abraham, and the cave that was in it, for a possession to bury in, by the children of Heth.
Genesis Chapter 24
Abraham's servant, sent by him into Mesopotamia, bringeth from thence Rebecca, who is married to Isaac.
24:1. Now Abraham was old, and advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
24:2. And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
24:3. That I may make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:
24:4. But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
24:5. The servant answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place from whence thou camest out?
24:6. And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
24:7. The Lord God of heaven, who took me out of my father's house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.
He will send his angel before thee... This shows that the Hebrews believed that God gave them guardian angels for their protection.
24:8. But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath: only bring not my son back thither again.
24:9. The servant, therefore, put his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and swore to him upon his word.
24:10. And he took ten camels of his master's herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forward and went on to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nachor.
24:11. And when he had made the camels lie down without the town, near a well of water, in the evening, at the time when women are wont to come out to draw water, he said:
24:12. O Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and shew kindness to my master, Abraham.
24:13. Behold, I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water:
24:14. Now, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this, I shall understand that thou hast shewn kindness to my master.
24:15. He had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:
24:16. An exceeding comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher, and was coming back.
24:17. And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
24:18. And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
24:19. And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.
24:20. And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water; and having drawn, she gave to all the camels.
24:21. But he musing, beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
24:22. And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles; and as many bracelets, of ten sicles weight.
24:23. And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father's house to lodge?
24:24. And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
24:25. And she said, moreover, to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.
24:26. The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
24:27. Saying: Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master's brother.
24:28. Then the maid ran, and told in her mother's house all that she had heard.
24:29. And Rebecca had a brother, named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
24:30. And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister's hands, and had heard all that she related, saying, Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,
24:31. And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.
24:32. And he brought him into his lodging; and he unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.
24:33. And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
24:34. And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
24:35. And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and asses.
24:36. And Sara, my master's wife, hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.
24:37. And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:
24:38. But thou shalt go to my father's house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:
24:39. But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
24:40. The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father's house.
24:41. But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
24:42. And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master, Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,
24:43. Behold, I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:
24:44. And shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master's son.
24:45. And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared, coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.
24:46. And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.
24:47. And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.
24:48. And falling down, I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master, Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
24:49. Wherefore, if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.
24:50. And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord: we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
24:51. Behold, Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master's son, as the Lord hath spoken.
24:52. Which when Abraham's servant heard, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
24:53. And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca, for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.
24:54. And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.
24:55. And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay, at least, ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.
24:56. Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
24:57. And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
Let us call the maid, and ask her will... Not as to her marriage, as she had already consented, but of her quitting her parents and going to her husband.
24:58. And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
24:59. So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his company.
24:60. Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands; and may thy seed possess the gates of their enemies.
24:61. So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
24:62. At the same time, Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country:
24:63. And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.
24:64. Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
24:65. And said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.
24:66. And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
24:67. Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother's death.
Genesis Chapter 25
Abraham's children by Cetura; his death and that of Ismael. Isaac hath Esau and Jacob twins. Esau selleth his first birthright to Jacob.
25:1. And Abraham married another wife named Cetura:
25:2. Who bore him Zamram, and Jecsan, and Madan, and Madian, and Jesboc, and Sue.
25:3. Jecsan also begot Saba, and Dadan. The children of Dadan were Assurim, and Latusim, and Loomim.
25:4. But of Madian was born Epha, and Opher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaa: all these were the children of Cetura.
25:5. And Abraham gave all his possessions to Isaac:
25:6. And to the children of the concubines he gave gifts, and separated them from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, to the east country.
Concubines... Agar and Cetura are here called concubines, (though they were lawful wives, and in other places are so called,) because they were of an inferior degree, and such in scripture are usually called concubines.
25:7. And the days of Abraham's life were a hundred and seventy-five years.
25:8. And decaying he died in a good old age, and having lived a long time, and being full of days: and was gathered to his people.
25:9. And Isaac and Ismael his sons buried him in the double cave, which was situated in the field of Ephron the son of Seor the Hethite, over against Mambre,
25:10. Which he had bought of the children of Heth: there was he buried, and Sara his wife.
25:11. And after his death, God blessed Isaac his son, who dwelt by the well named Of the living and seeing.
25:12. These are the generations of Ismael the son of Abraham, whom Agar the Egyptian, Sara's servant, bore unto him:
25:13. And these are the names of his children according to their calling and generations. The firstborn of Ismael was Nabajoth, then Cedar, and Adbeel, and Mabsam,
25:14. And Masma, and Duma, and Massa,
25:15. Hadar, and Thema, and Jethur, and Naphis, and Cedma.
25:16. These are the sons of Ismael: and these are their names by their castles and towns, twelve princes of their tribes.
25:17. And the years of Ismael's life were a hundred and thirty-seven, and decaying he died, and was gathered unto his people.
25:18. And he dwelt from Hevila as far as Sur, which looketh towards Egypt, to them that go towards the Assyrians. He died in the presence of all his brethren.
25:19. These also are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac:
25:20. Who when he was forty years old, took to wife Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, sister to Laban.
25:21. And Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and he heard him, and made Rebecca to conceive.
25:22. But the children struggled in her womb, and she said: If it were to be so with me, what need was there to conceive? And she went to consult the Lord.
25:23. And he answering, said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.
25:24. And when her time was come to be delivered, behold twins were found in her womb.
25:25. He that came forth first was red, and hairy like a skin: and his name was called Esau. Immediately the other coming forth, held his brother's foot in his hand: and therefore he was called Jacob.
25:26. Isaac was threescore years old when the children were born unto him.
25:27. And when they were grown up, Esau became a skilful hunter, and a husbandman: but Jacob, a plain man, dwelt in tents.
25:28. Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his hunting: and Rebecca loved Jacob.
25:29. And Jacob boiled pottage: to whom Esau, coming faint out of the field,
25:30. Said: Give me of this red pottage, for I am exceeding faint. For which reason his name was called Edom.
25:31. And Jacob said to him: Sell me thy first birthright.
25:32. He answered: Lo I die, what will the first birthright avail me?
25:33. Jacob said: Swear therefore to me. Esau swore to him, and sold his first birthright.
25:34. And so taking bread and the pottage of lentils, he ate, and drank, and went on his way; making little account of having sold his first birthright.
Genesis Chapter 26
Isaac sojourneth in Gerara, where God reneweth to him the promise made to Abraham. King Abimelech maketh league with him.
26:1. And when a famine came in the land, after that barrenness which had happened in the days of Abraham, Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Palestines, to Gerara.
26:2. And the Lord appeared to him, and said: Go not down into Egypt, but stay in the land that I shall tell thee.
26:3. And sojourn in it, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee: for to thee and to thy seed I will give all these countries, to fulfil the oath which I swore to Abraham thy father.
26:4. And I will multiply thy seed like the stars of heaven: and I will give to thy posterity all these countries: and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
26:5. Because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my precepts and commandments, and observed my ceremonies and laws.
26:6. So Isaac abode in Gerara.
26:7. And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning his wife, he answered: She is my sister: for he was afraid to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps they would kill him because of her beauty.
26:8. And when very many days were passed, and he abode there, Abimelech, king of the Palestines, looking out through a window, saw him playing with Rebecca, his wife.
26:9. And calling for him, he said: It is evident she is thy wife: why didst thou feign her to be thy sister? He answered: I feared lest I should die for her sake.
26:10. And Abimelech said: Why hast thou deceived us? Some man of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us a great sin. And he commanded all the people, saying:
26:11. He that shall touch this man's wife, shall surely be put to death.
26:12. And Isaac sowed in that land, and he found that same year a hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.
26:13. And the man was enriched, and he went on prospering and increasing, till he became exceeding great.
26:14. And he had possessions of sheep and of herds, and a very great family. Wherefore the Palestines envying him,
26:15. Stopped up at that time all the wells, that the servants of his father, Abraham, had digged, filling them up with earth:
26:16. Insomuch that Abimelech himself said to Isaac: Depart from us, for thou art become much mightier than we.
26:17. So he departed, and came to the torrent of Gerara, to dwell there:
26:18. And he digged again other wells, which the servants of his father, Abraham, had digged, and which, after his death, the Philistines had of old stopped up: and he called them by the same names, by which his father before had called them.
26:19. And they digged in the torrent, and found living water:
Torrent... That is, a channel where sometimes a torrent or violent stream had run.
26:20. But there also the herdsmen of Gerara strove against the herdsmen of Isaac, saying: It is our water. Wherefore he called the name of the well, on occasion of that which had happened, Calumny.
26:21. And they digged also another; and for that they quarrelled likewise, and he called the name of it, Enmity.
26:22. Going forward from thence, he digged another well, for which they contended not; therefore he called the name thereof, Latitude, saying: Now hath the Lord given us room, and made us to increase upon the earth.
Latitude... That is, wideness, or room.
26:23. And he went up from that place to Bersabee,
26:24. Where the Lord appeared to him that same night, saying: I am the God of Abraham thy father, do not fear, for I am with thee: I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
26:25. And he built there an altar: and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent; and commanded his servants to dig a well.
26:26. To which place when Abimelech, and Ochozath his friend, and Phicol chief captain of his soldiers, came from Gerara,
26:27. Isaac said to them: Why are ye come to me, a man whom you hate, and have thrust out from you?
26:28. And they answered: We saw that the Lord is with thee, and therefore we said: Let there be an oath between us, and let us make a covenant,
26:29. That thou do us no harm, as we on our part have touched nothing of thine, nor have done any thing to hurt thee; but with peace have sent thee away, increased with the blessing of the Lord.
26:30. And he made them a feast, and after they had eaten and drunk:
26:31. Arising in the morning, they swore one to another: and Isaac sent them away peaceably to their own home.
26:32. And behold, the same day the servants of Isaac came, telling him of a well which they had digged, and saying: We have found water.
26:33. Whereupon he called it Abundance: and the name of the city was called Bersabee, even to this day.
26:34. And Esau being forty years old, married wives, Judith, the daughter of Beeri, the Hethite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon, of the same place.
26:35. And they both offended the mind of Isaac and Rebecca.
Genesis Chapter 27
Jacob, by him mother's counsel, obtaineth his father's blessing instead of Esau. And by her is advised to fly to his uncle Laban.
27:1. Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not see: and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him: My son? And he answered: Here I am.
27:2. And his father said to him, Thou seest that I am old, and know not the day of my death.
27:3. Take thy arms, thy quiver, and bow, and go abroad; and when thou hast taken something by hunting,
27:4. Make me a savoury meat thereof, as thou knowest I like, and bring it that I may eat: and my soul may bless thee, before I die.
27:5. And when Rebecca had heard this, and he was gone into the field to fulfil his father's commandment,
27:6. She said to her son Jacob: I heard thy father talking with Esau, thy brother, and saying to him:
27:7. Bring me of thy hunting, and make me meats that I may eat, and bless thee in the sight of the Lord, before I die.
27:8. Now therefore, my son, follow my counsel:
27:9. And go thy way to the flock, bring me two kids of the best, that I may make of them meat for thy father, such as he gladly eateth.
27:10. Which when thou hast brought in, and he hath eaten, he may bless thee before he die.
27:11. And he answered her: Thou knowest that Esau, my brother, is a hairy man, and I am smooth:
27:12. If my father should feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing.
27:13. And his mother said to him: Upon me be this curse, my son: only hear thou my voice, and go, fetch me the things which I have said.
27:14. He went, and brought, and gave them to his mother. She dressed meats, such as she knew his father liked.
27:15. And she put on him very good garments of Esau, which she had at home with her:
27:16. And the little skins of the kids she put about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck.
27:17. And she gave him the savoury meat, and delivered him bread that she had baked.
27:18. Which when he had carried in, he said: My father? But he answered: I hear. Who art thou, my son?
27:19. And Jacob said: I am Esau, thy firstborn: I have done as thou didst command me: arise, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
I am Esau thy firstborn... St. Augustine (L. Contra mendacium, c. 10), treating at large upon this place, excuseth Jacob from a lie, because this whole passage was mysterious, as relating to the preference which was afterwards to be given to the Gentiles before the carnal Jews, which Jacob by prophetic light might understand. So far is certain, that the first birthright, both by divine election and by Esau's free cession belonged to Jacob: so that if there were any lie in the case, it could be no more than an officious and venial one.
27:20. And Isaac said to his son: How couldst thou find it so quickly, my son? He answered: It was the will of God, that what I sought came quickly in my way:
27:21. And Isaac said: Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son, and may prove whether thou be my son Esau, or no.
27:22. He came near to his father, and when he had felt him, Isaac said: The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob; but the hands, are the hands of Esau.
27:23. And he knew him not, because his hairy hands made him like to the elder. Then blessing him,
27:24. He said: Art thou my son Esau? He answered: I am.
27:25. Then he said: Bring me the meats of thy hunting, my son, that my soul may bless thee. And when they were brought, and he had eaten, he offered him wine also, which after he had drunk,
27:26. He said to him: Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son.
27:27. He came near, and kissed him. And immediately as he smelled the fragrant smell of his garments, blessing him, he said: Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord hath blessed.
27:28. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn and wine.
27:29. And let peoples serve thee, and tribes worship thee: be thou lord of thy brethren, and let thy mother's children bow down before thee. Cursed be he that curseth thee: and let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings.
27:30. Isaac had scarce ended his words, when, Jacob being now gone out abroad, Esau came,
27:31. And brought in to his father meats, made of what he had taken in hunting, saying: Arise, my father, and eat of thy son's venison; that thy soul may bless me.
27:32. And Isaac said to him: Why! who art thou? He answered: I am thy firstborn son, Esau.
27:33. Isaac was struck with fear, and astonished exceedingly; and wondering beyond what can be believed, said: Who is he then that even now brought me venison that he had taken, and I ate of all before thou camest? and I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed.
27:34. Esau having heard his father's words, roared out with a great cry; and, being in a consternation, said: Bless me also, my father.
27:35. And he said: Thy brother came deceitfully and got thy blessing.
27:36. But he said again: Rightly is his name called Jacob; for he hath supplanted me lo this second time: My birthright he took away before, and now this second time he hath stolen away my blessing. And again he said to his father: Hast thou not reserved me also a blessing?
Jacob... That is, a supplanter.
27:37. Isaac answered: I have appointed him thy lord, and have made all his brethren his servants: I have established him with corn and wine, and after this, what shall I do more for thee, my son?
27:38. And Esau said to him: Hast thou only one blessing, father? I beseech thee bless me also. And when he wept with a loud cry,
27:39. Isaac being moved, said to him: In the fat of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above,
27:40. Shall thy blessing be. Thou shalt live by the sword, and shalt serve thy brother: and the time shall come, when thou shalt shake off and loose his yoke from thy neck.
27:41. Esau therefore always hated Jacob, for the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him; and he said in his heart: The days will come of the mourning for my father, and I will kill my brother Jacob.
27:42. These things were told to Rebecca: and she sent and called Jacob, her son, and said to him: Behold Esau, thy brother, threateneth to kill thee.
27:43. Now therefore, my son, hear my voice, arise and flee to Laban, my brother, to Haran:
27:44. And thou shalt dwell with him a few days, till the wrath of thy brother be assuaged,
27:45. And his indignation cease, and he forget the things thou hast done to him: afterwards I will send, and bring thee from thence hither. Why shall I be deprived of both my sons in one day?
27:46. And Rebecca said to Isaac: I am weary of my life, because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the stock of this land, I choose not to live.
Genesis Chapter 28
Jacob's journey to Mesopotamia: his vision and vow.
28:1. And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, saying: Take not a wife of the stock of Chanaan:
28:2. But go, and take a journey to Mesopotamia of Syria, to the house of Bathuel, thy mother's father, and take thee a wife thence of the daughters of Laban, thy uncle.
28:3. And God almighty bless thee, and make thee to increase and multiply thee: that thou mayst be a multitude of people.
28:4. And give the blessings of Araham to thee, and to thy seed after thee: that thou mayst possess the land of thy sojournment, which he promised to thy grandfather.
28:5. And when Isaac had sent him away, he took his journey and went to Mesopotamia of Syria, to Laban, the son of Bathuel, the Syrian, brother to Rebecca, his mother.
28:6. And Esau seeing that his father had blessed Jacob, and had sent him into Mesopotamia of Syria, to marry a wife thence; and that after the blessing he had charged him, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Chanaan:
28:7. And that Jacob obeying his parents, was gone into Syria:
28:8. Experiencing also, that his father was not well pleased with the daughters of Chanaan:
28:9. He went to Ismael, and took to wife, besides them he had before, Maheleth, the daughter of Ismael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nabajoth.
28:10. But Jacob being departed from Bersabee, went on to Haran.
28:11. And when he was come to a certain place, and would rest in it after sunset, he took of the stones that lay there, and putting under his head, slept in the same place.
28:12. And he saw in his sleep a ladder standing upon the earth, and the top thereof touching heaven: the angels also of God ascending and descending by it.
28:13. And the Lord leaning upon the ladder saying to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: The land, wherein thou sleepest, I will give to thee and to thy seed.
28:14. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth: thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and IN THEE and thy seed, all the tribes of the earth SHALL BE BLESSED.
28:15. And I will be thy keeper whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land: neither will I leave thee, till I shall have accomplished all that I have said.
28:16. And when Jacob awaked out of sleep, he said: Indeed the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.
28:17. And trembling, he said: How terrible is this place? this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven.
28:18. And Jacob arising in the morning, took the stone which he had laid under his head, and set it up for a title, pouring oil upon the top of it.
28:19. And he called the name of the city Bethel, which before was called Luza.
Bethel... This name signifies the house of God.
28:20. And he made a vow, saying: If God shall be with me, and shall keep me in the way, by which I walk, and shall give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
28:21. And I shall return prosperously to my father's house: the Lord shall be my God:
28:22. And this stone, which I have set up for a title, shall be called the house of God: and of all things that thou shalt give to me, I will offer tithes to thee.
Genesis Chapter 29
Jacob serveth Laban seven years for Rachel: but is deceived with Lia: he afterwards marrieth Rachel. Lia bears him four sons.
29:1. Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
29:2. And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.
29:3. And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again.
29:4. And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
29:5. And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban, the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.
29:6. He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold, Rachel, his daughter, cometh with his flock.
29:7. And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.
29:8. They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well's mouth, that we may water the flocks.
29:9. They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she fed the flock.
29:10. And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.
29:11. And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice wept.
29:12. And he told her that he was her father's brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.
29:13. Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister's son was come, ran forth to meet him: and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey,
29:14. He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,
29:15. He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
29:16. Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia; and the younger was called Rachel.
29:17. But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
29:18. And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy younger daughter.
29:19. Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me.
29:20. So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
29:21. And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
29:22. And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
29:23. And at night he brought in Lia, his daughter, to him,
29:24. Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zelpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom, when morning was come he saw it was Lia.
29:25. And he said to his father in law: What is it that thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why hast thou deceived me?
29:26. Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.
29:27. Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other seven years.
29:28. He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
29:29. To whom her father gave Bala, for her servant.
29:30. And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years.
29:31. And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
29:32. And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me.
29:33. And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also to me: and she called his name Simeon.
29:34. And she conceived the third time, and bore another son, and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons: and therefore she called his name Levi.
29:35. The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: Now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing.
Genesis Chapter 30
Rachel, being barren, delivereth her handmaid to Jacob; she beareth two sons. Lia ceasing to bear, giveth also her handmaid, and she beareth two more. Then Lia beareth other two sons and one daughter. Rachel beareth Joseph. Jacob, desirous to return home, is hired to stay for a certain part of the flock's increase, whereby he becometh exceeding rich.
30:1. And Rachel seeing herself without children, envied her sister, and said to her husband: Give me children, otherwise I shall die.
30:2. And Jacob being angry with her, answered: Am I as God, who hath deprived thee of the fruit of thy womb?
30:3. But she said: I have here my servant Bala: go in unto her, that she may bear upon my knees, and I may have children by her.
30:4. And she gave him Bala in marriage: who,
30:5. When her husband had gone in unto her, conceived and bore a son.
30:6. And Rachel said: The Lord hath judged for me, and hath heard my voice, giving me a son; and therefore she called his name Dan.
30:7. And again Bala conceived, and bore another,
30:8. For whom Rachel said: God hath compared me with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called him Nephthali.
30:9. Lia perceiving that she had left of bearing, gave Zelpha, her handmaid, to her husband.
30:10. And when she had conceived, and brought forth a son,
30:11. She said: Happily. And therefore called his name Gad.
30:12. Zelpha also bore another.
30:13. And Lia said: This is for my happiness: for women will call me blessed. Therefore she called him Aser.
30:14. And Ruben going out in the time of the wheat harvest into the field, found mandrakes: which he brought to his mother Lia. And Rachel said: Give me part of thy son's mandrakes.
30:15. She answered: Dost thou think it a small matter, that thou hast taken my husband from me, unless thou take also my son's mandrakes? Rachel said: He shall sleep with thee this night, for thy son's mandrakes.
30:16. And when Jacob returned at even from the field, Lia went out to meet him, and said: Thou shalt come in unto me, because I have hired thee for my son's mandrakes. And he slept with her that night.
30:17. And God heard her prayers; and she conceived: and bore a fifth son:
30:18. And said: God hath given me a reward, because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar.
30:19. And Lia conceived again, and bore the sixth son,
30:20. And said: God hath endowed me with a good dowry; this turn also my husband will be with me, because I have borne him six sons: and therefore she called his name Zabulon.
30:21. After whom she bore a daughter, named Dina.
30:22. The Lord also remembering Rachel, heard her, and opened her womb.
30:23. And she conceived, and bore a son, saying: God hath taken away my reproach.
30:24. And she called his name Joseph: saying: The Lord give me also another son.
30:25. And when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his father in law: Send me away, that I may return into my country, and to my land.
30:26. Give me my wives, and my children, for whom I have served thee, that I may depart: thou knowest the service that I have rendered thee.
30:27. Laban said to him: Let me find favour in thy sight: I have learned, by experience, that God hath blessed me for thy sake.
30:28. Appoint thy wages which I shall give thee.
30:29. But he answered: Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how great thy possession hath been in my hands.
30:30. Thou hadst but little before I came to thee, and now thou art become rich: and the Lord hath blessed thee at my coming. It is reasonable, therefore, that I should now provide also for my own house.
30:31. And Laban said: What shall I give thee? But he said: I require nothing; but if thou wilt do what I demand, I will feed and keep thy sheep again.
30:32. Go round through all thy flocks, and separate all the sheep of divers colours, and speckled; and all that is brown and spotted, and of divers colours, as well among the sheep as among the goats, shall be my wages.
30:33. And my justice shall answer for me tomorrow before thee, when the time of the bargain shall come; and all that is not of divers colours, and spotted, and brown, as well among the sheep as among the goats, shall accurse me of theft.
30:34. And Laban said: I like well what thou demandest.
30:35. And he separated the same day the she goats, and the sheep, and the he goats, and the rams of divers colours, and spotted; and all the flock of one colour, that is, of white and black fleece, he deliverdd into the hands of his sons.
30:36. And he set the space of three days journey betwixt himself and his son in law, who fed the rest of his flock.
30:37. And Jacob took green rods of poplar, and of almond, and of plane trees, and pilled them in part: so when the bark was taken off, in the parts that were pilled, there appeared whiteness: but the parts that were whole, remained green: and by this means the colour was divers.
30:38. And he put them in the troughs, where the water was poured out; that when the flocks should come to drink, they might have the rods before their eyes, and in the sight of them might conceive.
30:39. And it came to pass, that in the very heat of coition, the sheep beheld the rods, and brought forth spotted, and of divers colours, and speckled.
30:40. And Jacob separated the flock, and put the rods in the troughs before the eyes of the rams; and all the white and the black were Laban's, and the rest were Jacob's, when the flocks were separated one from the other.
30:41. So when the ewes went first to ram, Jacob put the rods in the troughs of water before the eyes of the rams, and of the ewes, that they might conceive while they were looking upon them.
30:42. But when the later coming was, and the last conceiving, he did not put them. And those that were lateward, became Laban's; and they of the first time, Jacob's.
30:43. And the man was enriched exceedingly, and he had many flocks, maidservants and menservants, camels and asses.
Genesis Chapter 31
Jacob's departure: he is pursued and overtaken by Laban. They make a covenant.
31:1. But after that he had heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying: Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's, and being enriched by his substance is become great.
31:2. And perceiving also, that Laban's countenance was not towards him as yesterday and the other day.
31:3. Especially the Lord saying to him: Return into the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee.
31:4. He sent, and called Rachel and Lia into the field, where he fed the flocks,
31:5. And said to them: I see your father's countenance is not towards me as yesterday and the other day: but the God of my father hath been with me.
31:6. And you know that I have served your father to the uttermost of my power.
31:7. Yea your father hath also overreached me, and hath changed my wages ten times: and yet God hath not suffered him to hurt me.
31:8. If at any time, he said: The speckled shall be thy wages: all the sheep brought forth speckled: but when he said on the contrary: Thou shalt take all the white one for thy wages: all the flocks brought forth white ones.
31:9. And God hath taken your father's substance, and given it to me.
31:10. For after the time came of the ewes conceiving, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in my sleep, that the males which leaped upon the females were of divers colours, and spotted, and speckled.
31:11. And the angel of God said to me in my sleep: Jacob. And I answered: Here I am.
31:12. And he said: Lift up thy eyes, and see that all the males leaping upon the females, are of divers colours, spotted and speckled. For I have seen all that Laban hath done to thee.
31:13. I am the God of Bethel, where thou didst anoint the stone, and make a vow to me. Now therefore arise, and go out of this land, and return into thy native country.
31:14. And Rachel and Lia answered: Have we any thing left among the goods and inheritance of our father's house?
31:15. Hath he not counted us as strangers, and sold us, and eaten up the price of us?
31:16. But God hath taken our father's riches, and delivered them to us, and to our children: wherefore, do all that God hath commanded thee.
31:17. Then Jacob rose up, and having set his children and wives upon camels, went his way.
31:18. And he took all his substance, and flocks, and whatsoever he had gotten in Mesopotamia, and went forward to Isaac, his father, to the land of Chanaan.
31:19. At that time Laban was gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole away her father's idols.
Her father's idols... By this it appears that Laban was an idolater; and some of the fathers are of opinion that Rachel stole away these idols to withdraw him from idolatry, removing the occasion of his sin.
31:20. And Jacob would not confess to his father in law that he was flying away.
31:21. And when he was gone, together with all that belonged to him, and having passed the river, was going on towards mount Galaad,
31:22. It was told Laban on the third day, that Jacob fled.
31:23. And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days; and overtook him in the mount of Galaad.
31:24. And he saw in a dream God, saying to him: Take heed thou speak not any thing harshly against Jacob.
31:25. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain: and when he, with his brethren, had overtaken him, he pitched his tent in the same mount of Galaad.
31:26. And he said to Jacob: Why hast thou done thus, to carry away, without my knowledge, my daughters as captives taken with the sword?
31:27. Why wouldst thou run away privately, and not acquaint me, that I might have brought thee on the way with joy, and with songs, and with timbrels, and with harps?
31:28. Thou hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and daughters; thou hast done foolishly; and now indeed,
31:29. It is in my power to return thee evil; but the God of your father said to me yesterday: Take heed thou speak not any thing harshly against Jacob.
31:30. Suppose thou didst desire to go to thy friends, and hadst a longing after thy father's house: why hast thou stolen away my gods?
31:31. Jacob answered: That I departed unknown to thee, it was for fear lest thou wouldst take away thy daughters by force.
31:32. But, whereas, thou chargest me with theft: with whomsoever thou shalt find thy gods, let him be slain before our brethren. Search, and if thou find any of thy things with me, take them away. Now when he said this, he knew not that Rachel had stolen the idols.
31:33. So Laban went into the tent of Jacob, and of Lia, and of both the handmaids, and found them not. And when he was entered into Rachel's tent,
31:34. She, in haste, hid the idols under the camel's furniture, and sat upon them: and when he had searched all the tent, and found nothing,
31:35. She said: Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee, because it has now happened to me according to the custom of women. So his careful search was in vain.
31:36. And Jacob being angry, said in a chiding manner: For what fault of mine, and for what offence on my part hast thou so hotly pursued me,
31:37. And searched all my household stuff? What hast thou found of all the substance of thy house? lay it here before my brethren, and thy brethren, and let them judge between me and thee.
31:38. Have I, therefore, been with thee twenty years? thy ewes and goats were not barren, the rams of thy flocks I did not eat:
31:39. Neither did I shew thee that which the beast had torn; I made good all the damage: whatsoever was lost by theft, thou didst exact it of me:
31:40. Day and night was I parched with heat, and with frost, and sleep departed from my eyes.
31:41. And in this manner have I served thee in thy house twenty years, fourteen for thy daughters, and six for thy flocks: thou hast changed also my wages ten times.
31:42. Unless the God of my father, Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had stood by me, peradventure now thou hadst sent me away naked: God beheld my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesterday.
31:43. Laban answered him: The daughters are mine, and the children, and thy flocks, and all things that thou seest are mine: what can I do to my children, and grandchildren?
31:44. Come, therefore, let us enter into a league; that it may be for a testimony between me and thee.
31:45. And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a title.
31:46. And he said to his brethren: Bring hither stones. And they, gathering stones together, made a heap, and they ate upon it.
31:47. And Laban called it, The witness heap; and Jacob, The hillock of testimony: each of them according to the propriety of his language.
31:48. And Laban said: This heap shall be a witness between me and thee this day, and therefore the name thereof was called Galaad, that is, The witness heap.
31:49. The Lord behold and judge between us, when we shall be gone one from the other.
31:50. If thou afflict my daughters, and if thou bring in other wives over them: none is witness of our speech but God, who is present and beholdeth.
31:51. And he said again to Jacob: Behold this heap, and the stone which I have set up between me and thee,
31:52. Shall be a witness: this heap, I say, and the stone, be they for a testimony, if either I shall pass beyond it going towards thee, or thou shalt pass beyond it thinking harm to me.
31:53. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nachor, the God of their father, judge betweeen us. And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac:
31:54. And after he had offered sacrifices in the mountain, he called his brethren to eat bread. And when they had eaten, they lodged there:
31:55. But Laban arose in the night, and kissed his sons and daughters, and blessed them: and returned to his place.
Genesis Chapter 32
Jacob's vision of angels; his message and presents to Esau; his wrestling with an angel.
32:1. Jacob also went on the journey he had begun: and the angels of God met him.
32:2. And when he saw them, he said: These are the camps of God, and he called the name of that place Mahanaim, that is, Camps.
32:3. And he sent messengers before him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, to the country of Edom:
32:4. And he commanded them, saying: Thus shall ye speak to my lord Esau: Thus saith thy brother Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban, and have been with him until this day:
32:5. I have oxen, and asses, and sheep, and menservants, and womenservants: and now I send a message to my lord, that I may find favour in thy sight.
32:6. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: We came to Esau, thy brother, and behold he cometh with speed to meet thee with four hundred men.
32:7. Then Jacob was greatly afraid; and in his fear divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and the sheep, and the oxen, and the camels, into two companies,