8 And Esau said: What are the droves that I Israel,and committed an unlawful act, in ramet? He answered: That I might find favour vishing Jacob's daughter. before my lord. 9 But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for thyself. 8 And Hemor spoke to them: The soul of my son Sichem has a longing for your daughter: give her him to wife: 9 And let us contract marriages one with another: give us your daughters, and take you 10 And Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have found favour in thy eyes, receive a little present at my hands: for I have seen thyour daughters. face, as if I should have seen the countenance of God: be gracious to me, 11 And take the blessing, which I have brought thee, and which God hath given me, who giveth all things. He took it with much ado at his brother's earnest pressing him, 12 And said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in thy journey. 13 And Jacob said: My lord, thou knowest that I have with me tender children, and sheep, and kine with young: which if I should cause to be over-driven, in one day all the flocks will die. 14 May it please my lord to go before his servant: and I will follow softly after him, as I shall see my children to be able, until I come to my lord in Seir. 15 Ésau answered: I beseech thee, that some of the people at least, who are with me, may stay to accompany thee in the way. And he said: There is no necessity: I want nothing else but only to find favour, my lord, in thy sight. 16 So Esau returned, that day, the way that he came, to Seir. 17 And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth, that is, Tents. 18 And he passed over to Salem a city of the Sichimites, which is in the land of Chanaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria: and he dwelt by the town. 19 And he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched his tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem for a hundred lambs. 20 And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel. CHAP. XXXIV. sweet words. 4 And going to Hemor his father, he said: Get me this damsel to wife. 5 But when Jacob had heard this, his sons being absent, and employed in feeding the cattle, he held his peace till they came back. 6 And when Hemor the father of Sichem was come out to speak to Jacob, 7 Behold his sons came from the field: and hearing what had passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a foul thing in A. M. circiter 2273. A. C. 1731.-b Infra, 49. 6. Ch. 34. v. 13. Deceitfully. The sons of Jacob, on this occasion, were guilty of a grievous sin, as well by 10 And dwell with us: the land is at your command, till, trade, and possess it. 11 Sichem also said to her father and to her brethren: Let me find favour in your sight: and whatsoever you shall appoint I will give: 12 Raise the dowry, and ask gifts, and I will gladly give what you shall demand: only give me this damsel to wife. 13 The sons of Jacob answered Sichem and his father deceitfully, being enraged at the deflowering of their sister: 14 We cannot do what you demand, nor give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; which with us is unlawful and abominable. 15 But in this we may be allied with you, if you will be like us, and all the male sex among you be circumcised: 16 Then will we mutually give and take your daughters, and ours: and we will dwell with you, and will be one people: 17 But if you will not be circumcised, we will take our daughter and depart: 18 Their offer pleased Hemor, and Sichem his son: 19 And the young man made no delay, but forthwith fulfilled what was required; for he loved the damsel exceedingly, and he was the greatest man in all his father's house. 20 And going into the gate of the city they spoke to the people: 21 These men are peaceable and willing to dwell with us: let them trade in the land, and till it, which being large and wide wanteth men to till it: we shall take their daughters for wives, and we will give them ours. 22 One thing there is for which so great a good is deferred: We must circumcise every male among us, following the manner of the nation. 23 And their substance, and cattle, and all that they possess, shall be ours: only in this let us condescend, and by dwelling together, we shall make one people. the males. 25 And behold the third day, when the pain of the wound was greatest, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dina, taking their swords, entered boldly into the city, and slew all the men: 26 And they killed also Hemor and Sichem, and took away their sister Dina, out of Sichem's house. 27 And when they were gone out, the other sons of Jacob came upon the slain; and plundered the city in revenge of the rape. 28 And they took their sheep and their herds falsely pretending religion, as by excess of revenge Though, otherwise their zeal against so foul a crime was commendable. and their asses, wasting all they had in their place where God had spoken to him; pouring houses and in the fields. drink-offerings upon it, and pouring oil thereon: 29 And their children and wives they took 15 And calling the name of that place Bethel. captive. 30 And when they had boldly perpetrated these things, Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: You have troubled me, and made me hateful to the Chanaanites and Pherezites, the inhabitants of this land: We are few: they will gather themselves together and kill me; and both I, and my house, shall be destroyed. 31 They answered: Should they abuse our sister as a strumpet? CHAP. XXXV. Jacob purgeth his family from idols: goeth by God's commandment to Bethel, and there buildeth an altar. God appearing again to Jacob blesseth him, and changeth his name into Israel. Rachel dieth in child-birth. Isaac also dieth. IN the mean time God said to Jacob: Arise, and go up to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar to God, who appeared to thee when thou didst flee from Esau thy brother. 2 And Jacob having called together all his household, said: Cast away the strange gods that are among you, and be cleansed and change your garments. 3 Arise, and let us go up to Bethel, that we may make there an altar to God: who heard me in the day of my affliction, and accompanied me in my journey. 4 So they gave him all the strange gods they had, and the ear rings which were in their ears: band he buried them under the turpentine-tree, that is behind the city of Sichem. 5 And when they were departed, the terror of God fell upon all the cities round about, and they durst not pursue after them as they went away. 6 And Jacob came to Luza, which is in the land of Chanaan, surnamed Bethel: he and all the people that were with him. 7 And he built there an altar, and called the name of that place, The house of God: for there God appeared to him when he fled from his brother. 8 At the same time Debora the nurse of Re 16 And going forth from thence, he came in the spring time to the land which leadeth to Ephrata: wherein when Rachel was in travail, 17 By reason of her hard labour, she began to be in danger, and the midwife said to her: Fear not, for thou shalt have this son also. 18 And when her soul was departing for pain, and death was now at hand, she called the name of her son Benoni, that is, the son of my pain: but his father called him Benjamin, that is, the son of the right hand. 19 So Rachel died, and was buried in the highway that leadeth to Ephrata, this is Bethlehem. 20 And Jacob erected a pillar over her sepulchre: 'this is the pillar of Rachel's monument, to this day. 21 Departing thence, he pitched his tent beyond the Flock tower. 22 And when he dwelt in that country, Ruben went, and slept with Bala, the concubine of his father: which he was not ignorant of. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Lia: Ruben the first-born, and Simeon, and Levi, and Juda, and Issachar, and Zabulon. 24 The sons of Rachel, Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bala, Rachel's handmaid: Dan and Nephtali. 26 The sons of Zelpha, Lia's handmaid. Gad and Aser: these are the sons of Jacob, that were born to him in Mesopotamia of Syria. 27 And he came to Isaac his father in Mambre, the city of Arbee, this is Hebron: wherein Abraham and Isaac sojourned. 28 And the days of Isaac were a hundred and eighty years. 29 And being spent with age he died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Ésau and Jacob buried him. CHAP. XXXVI. Esau with his wives and children parteth from Jacob. An account of his descendants, and of the first kings of Edom. same is Edom. becca died, and was buried at the foot of Bethel AND these are the generations of Esau, the under an oak: and the name of that place was called, The oak of weeping. 9 And God appeared again to Jacob after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria, and he blessed him, any And 10 Saying: Thou shalt not be called more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name. he called him Israel. 11 And said to him: I am God almighty, increase thou and be multiplied. Nations and peoples of nations shall be from thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins. 12 And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to thee, and to thy seed after thee. 13 And he departed from him. 14 But he set up a monument of stone in the 2 Esau took wives of the daughters of Chanaan: Ada the daughter of Elon the Hethite, and Oolibama the daughter of Ana, the daughter of Sebeon the Hevite: 3 And Basemath the daughter of Ismael sister of Nabajoth. 4 And Ada bore Eliphaz: Basemath bore Rahuel: 5 Oolibama bore Jehus and Ihelon and Core. These are the sons of Esau, that were born to him in the land of Chanaan. 6 And Esau took his wives and his sons and daughters, and every soul of his house, and his substance, and cattle, and all that he was able to acquire in the land of Chanaan: and went Ver. 22. The concubine. She was his lawful wife; but according to the style of the Hebrews, is called concu bine, because of her servile extraction. Ch. 36. v. 2. Ada. These wives of Esau are called by other names, Gen. xxvi. But it was very common Ch. 35. v. 10. Israel. This name signifieth one that amongst the ancients for the same persons to have two prevaileth with God. names, as Esau himself was also called Edom. into another country, and departed from his brother Jacob. 7 For they were exceeding rich, and could not dwell together: neither was the land in which they sojourned, able to bear them, for the multitude of their flocks. 8 "And Esau dwelt in mount Seir: he is Edom. 9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of Edom in mount Seir, 10 And these the names of his sons: Eliphaz the son of Ada the wife of Esau: and Rahuel the son of Basemath his wife. 11 And Eliphaz had sons: Theman, Omar, Sepho, and Gatham, and Cenez. 12 And Thamna was the concubine of Eliphaz the son of Esau: and she bore him Amalech. These are the sons of Ada the wife of Esau. 13 And the sons of Rahuel were Nahath and Zara, Samma and Meza. These were the sons of Basemath the wife of Esau. 14 And these were the sons of Oolibama, the daughter of Ana, the daughter of Sebeon, the wife of Esau, whom she bore to him, Jehus, and Ihelon, and Core. 15 These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the first-born of Esau: duke Theman, duke Omar, duke Sepho, duke Cenez, 16 Duke Core, duke Gatham, duke Amalech: these are the sons of Eliphaz in the land of Edom, and these the sons of Ada. 17 And these were the sons of Rahuel, the son of Esau: duke Nahath, duke Zara, duke Samma, duke Meza. And these are the dukes of Rahuel, in the land of Edom: these the sons of Basemath the wife of Esau. 18 And these the sons of Oolibama the wife of Esau: duke Jehus, duke Ihelon, duke Core. These are the dukes of Oolibama, the daughter of Ana, and wife of Esau. 19 These are the sons of Esau, and these the dukes of them: the same is Edom. 20 These are the sons of Seir the Horrite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, and Sobal, and Sebeon, and Ana, Seir in 21 And Dison, and Eser, and Disan. These are dukes of the Horrites, the sons of the land of Edom. 22 And Lotan had sons: Hori and Heman. And the sister of Lotan, was Thamna. 23 And these the sons of Sobal: Alvan and Manahat, and Ebal, and Sepho, and Oman. 24 And these the sons of Sebeon: Aia and Ana. This is Ana that found the hot waters in the wilderness, when he fed the asses of Sebeon his father: 25 And he had a son Dison, and a daughter Oolibama. 26 And these were the sons of Dison: Hamdan, and Eseban, and Jethram, and Charan. 27 There also were the sons of Eser: Balaan, and Zavan, and Acan. 28 And Disan had sons: Hus, and Aram. 29 These were dukes of the Horrites: duke Lotan, duke Sobal, duke Sebeon, duke Ana, 30 Duke Dison, duke Eser, duke Disan: these Supra, 13. 6.-b Jos. 24. 4.- 1 Par. 1. 35.- 1 Par. 1. 38. -A M 2276. A. C. 1728.-f Supra, 35. 27. Ch. 37. v. 5. A dream. These dreams of Joseph were prophetical, and sent from God; as were also those were dukes of the Horrites that ruled i of Seir. 31 And the kings that ruled in th Edom, before the children of Israel ha were these: 32 Bela the son of Beor, and the na city Denaba. 33 And Bela died, and Jobab the so of Bosra reigned in his stead. 34 And when Jobab was dead, Hus land of the Themanites reigned in h 35 And after his death, Adad the s dad reigned in his stead, who defeate dianites in the country of Moab: and of his city was Avith. 36 And when Adad was dead, ther in his stead Semla of Masreca. 37 And he being dead, Saul of Rohoboth, reigned in his stead. 38 And when he also was dead, Ba son of Achobor succeeded to the king 39 This man also being dead, Ada in his place, and the name of his Phau: and his wife was called Mee daughter of Matred, daughter of Me 40 And these are the names of the Esau in their kindreds, and places, and duke Thamna, duke Alva, duke Jeth 41 Duke Oolibama, duke Ela, duke 42 Duke Cenez, duke Theman, duk 43 Duke Magdiel, duke Hiram: the dukes of Edom dwelling in the langovernment, the same is Esau the the Edomites. CHAP. XXXVII. Joseph's dreams: he is sold by his bret carried into Egypt. AND Jacob dwelt in the land of wherein his father sojourned. 2 And these are his generations: when he was sixteen years old, wa the flock with his brethren, being b and he was with the sons of Bala an pha his father's wives: and he ac brethren to his father of a most wick 3 Now Israel loved Joseph above all because he had him in his old age made him a coat of divers colours. 4 And his brethren seeing that he v by his father, more than all his son him, and could not speak peaceably to 5 Now it fell out also that he told his a dream, that he had dreamed: whi sioned them to hate him the more. 6 And he said to them: Hear m which I dreamed. 7 I thought we were binding sheave field: and my sheaf arose as it were, a and your sheaves standing about, bow before my sheaf. 8 His brethren answered: Shalt the king? or shall we be subject to thy do Therefore this matter of his dreams a ministered nourishment to their er hatred. which he interpreted, Gen. xl. and xli.; other erally speaking, the observing of dreams is c in the Scripture, as superstitious and sinful. xviii. 10. Eccles. xxxiv. 2, 3. 9 He dreamed also another dream, which he told his brethren, saying: I saw in a dream, as it were the sun, and the moon, and eleven stars worshipping me. 10 And when he had told this to his father, and brethren, his father rebuked him, and said: What meaneth this dream that thou hast dreamed? shall I and thy mother, and thy brethren worship thee upon the earth? 11 His brethren therefore envied him: but his father considered the thing with himself. 12 And when his brethren abode in Sichem, feeding their father's flocks, 13 Israel said to him: Thy brethren feed the sheep in Sichem: come, I will send thee to them. And when he answered: 14 I am ready: he said to him: Go, and see if all things be well with thy brethren, and the cattle and bring me word again what is doing. So being sent from the vale of Hebron, he came to Sichem : 15 And a man found him there wandering in the field, and asked what he sought. 16 But he answered: I seek my brethren, tell me where they feed the flocks. 17 And the man said to him: They are departed from this place: for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothain. And Joseph went forward after his brethren, and found them in Dothain. 18 And when they saw him afar off, before he came nigh them, they thought to kill him. 19 And said one to another: Behold the dreamer cometh. 20 Come, let us kill him, and cast him into some old pit: and we will say: Some evil beast hath devoured him: and then it shall appear what his dreams avail him: 21 And Ruben hearing this, endeavoured to deliver him out of their hands, and said: 22 Do not take away his life, nor shed his blood: but cast him into this pit, that is in the wilderness, and keep your hands harmless now he said this, being desirous to deliver him out of their hands and to restore him to his father. 23 And as soon as he came to his brethren, they forthwith stript him of his outside coat, that was of divers colours: 24 And cast him into an old pit, where there was no water. 25 And sitting down to eat bread, they saw some Ismaelites on their way coming from Galaad, with their camels, carrying spices, and balm, and myrrh to Egypt. 26 And Judah said to his brethren: What will it profit us to kill our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 It is better that he be sold to the Ismaelites, and that our hands be not defiled: for he is our brother and our flesh. His brethren agreed to his words. Infra, 42 22 Wis. 10. 13. A. M. 2276. A. C. 1723. 1 Par. 2. 1- Num. 26. 19.- Num. 26 Ver. 10. Worship. This word is not used here to signify divine worship, but an inferior veneration, expressed by the bowing of the body, and that according to the manner of the eastern nations, down to the ground. 28 And when the Madianite merchants passed by, they drew him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ismaelites, for twenty pieces of silver: and they led him into Egypt. 29 And Ruben, returning to the pit, found not the boy: 30 And rending his garments he went to his brethren, and said: The boy doth not appear, and whither shall I go ? 31 And they took his coat, and dipped it in the blood of a kid, which they had killed: 32 Sending some to carry it to their father, and to say: This we have found: see whether it be thy son's coat, or not. 33 And the father acknowledging it, said: It is my son's coat, an evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath devoured Joseph. 34 And tearing his garments, he put on sackcloth, mourning for his son a long time. 35 And all his children being gathered together to comfort their father in his sorrow, he would not receive comfort, but said: I will go down to my son into hell, mourning. And whilst he continued weeping, 36 The Madianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Putiphar an eunuch of Pharao, captain of the soldiers. CHAP. XXXVIII. The sons of Juda: the death of Her and Onan: the birth of Phares and Zara. AT T that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras. 2 And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her. 3 And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Her. 4 And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan. 5 She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. After whose birth, she ceased to bear any more. 6 And Juda took a wife for Her his first born, whose name was Thamar. 7 And Her the first born of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him. 8 Juda therefore said to Onan his son: Go into thy brother's wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother. 9 He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother's wife, spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother's name. 10 And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing. 11 Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter-in-law: remain a widow in thy father's house, till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father's house. times is taken for the grave, it cannot be so taken in this place; since Jacob did not believe his son to be in the grave, (whom he supposed to be devoured by a wild beast) and therefore could not mean to go down to him thither: but certainly meant the place of rest, where he believed his soul to be. Ver. 36. An eunuch. This word sometimes signifies a chamberlain, courtier, or officer of the king: and so it V. 35. Into hell. That is, into limbo, the place where the souls of the just were received before the death of our Redeemer. For allowing that the word hell some-is taken in this place. 12 And after many days were past: the partition divided for thee? and the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died: and his name Phares. when he had taken comfort after his mourning, 30 Afterwards his brother ca he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his whose hand was the scarlet thre sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite the shep-called him Zara. herd of his flock. CHAP. XXXIX. 13 And it was told Thamar that her father-Joseph hath charge of his master's ho in-law was come up to Thamnas to shear his his mistress's solicitations: is falsely a and cast into prison, where he hath sheep. all the prisoners. 14 And she put off the garments of her ND Joseph was brought into widowhood, and took a veil: and changing her A Putiphar an cunuch of Phara dress, sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him. 15 When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot for she had covered her face, lest she should be known. 16 And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter-in-law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to enjoy my company? 17 He said: I will send thee a kid out of the flock. And when she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give a pledge, till thou send what thou promisest. 18 Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived. 19 And she arose and went her way: and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to the woman: but he, not finding her, 21 Asked the men of that place: Where is the woman that sat in the cross way? And wher they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place, tain of the army, an Egyptian, of the Ismaelites, by whom he wa 2 And the Lord was with him, a prosperous man in all things: a in his master's house, 3 Who knew very well that the with him, and made all that he di in his hand. 4 And Joseph found favour in 1 set over all by him, he governed his master, and ministered to him committed to him, and all thing delivered to him: 5 And the Lord blessed the ho Egyptian for Joseph's sake, and m his substance, both at home, and i 6 Neither knew he any other thi bread which he ate. And Josep beautiful countenance, and comely 7And after many days his m her eyes on Joseph, and said: Lie 8 But he in no wise consenting to act, said to her: Behold, my mast livered all things to me, and knowe he hath in his own house: 9 Neither is there any thing whic my power, or that he hath not deliv but thee, who art his wife: how th this wicked thing, and sin against 10 With such words as these d 22 He returned to Juda, and said to him: I have both the woman was importunat not found her, moreover the men of that place young man, and he refused the adu said to me, that there never sat a harlot there. 11 Now it happened on a certai 23 Juda said: Let her take it to herself, sure-Joseph went into the house, and ly she cannot charge us with a lie, I sent the kid some business without any man w which I promised: and thou didst not find her. 12 And she catching the skirt of h 24 And behold after three months they told said: Lie with me. But he leaving t Juda, saying: Thamar, thy daughter-in-law hath in her hand, fled, and went out. played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a 13 And when the woman saw th big belly. And Juda said: Bring her out that in her hands, and herself disregard she may be burnt. 14 She called to her the men of her said to them: See he hath brought in to abuse us: he came in to me, to li and when I cried out, 25 But when she was led to execution, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is? 26 But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than I: because I did not give her to Sela my son. However he knew her no more. 27 And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying: 28 This shall come forth the first. 29 But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth and the woman said: Why is the 15 And he heard my voice, he le ment that I held, and got him out. 16 For a proof therefore of her f kept the garment, and shewed it to h when he returned home: 17 And said: The Hebrew serva thou hast brought, came to me to al 18 And when he heard me cry, garment which I held, and fled out. 19 His master hearing these th giving too much credit to his wif was very angry, Mat. 1. 3.-b1 Par. 2. 4.- A. M. circiter 2286. A. C. 1718. |