the antiquities of the jews-1-第13章

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Esau　required　that　he　might　be　made　partaker　of　the　like　blessing
from　his　father　that　his　brother　had　partook　of；　but　his　father
refused　it；　because　all　his　prayers　had　been　spent　upon　Jacob：　so
Esau　lamented　the　mistake。　However；　his　father　being　grieved　at
his　weeping；　said；　that　〃he　should　excel　in　hunting　and　strength
of　body；　in　arms；　and　all　such　sorts　of　work；　and　should　obtain
glory　for　ever　on　those　accounts；　he　and　his　posterity　after　him；
but　still　should　serve　his　brother。〃

8。　Now　the　mother　delivered　Jacob；　when　she　was　afraid　that　his
brother　would　inflict　some　punishment　upon　him　because　of　the
mistake　about　the　prayers　of　Isaac；　for　she　persuaded　her　husband
to　take　a　wife　for　Jacob　out　of　Mesopotamia；　of　her　own　kindred；
Esau　having　married　already　Basemmath；　the　daughter　of　Ismael；
without　his　father's　consent；　for　Isaac　did　not　like　the
Canaanites；　so　that　he　disapproved　of　Esau's　former　marriages；
which　made　him　take　Basemmath　to　wife；　in　order　to　please　him；
and　indeed　he　had　a　great　affection　for　her。

CHAPTER　19。

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　upon　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　kinsmen；　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　to
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　labors　thou　must　undergo；　for　by　my　providence　I　will
direct　thee　what　thou　art　to　do　in　the　time　present；　and　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
sacrifices　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　honorable
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　staid
with　them；　as　wanting　water　to　drink；　and　beginning　to　discourse
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　who　he　was；　and　whence　he　came　to　them；　and
what　it　was　he　lacked　that　he　came　thither。　She　also　wished　it
might　he　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　birth；　if　thou　be　the　daughter　of　Laban；　for
Abraham　was　the　son　of　Terah；　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　of　Sarah；　who　was　the
daughter　of　Haran。　But　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　cousin…germans。　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
pleasures　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　whatsoever。〃　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　coning。　But　a　little　while　afterward；　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　two　sons　that　were
twins；　himself　and　Esau；　who；　because　he　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　（34）　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　to　do：　for　we　are　all　（says　he）
brethren　one　to　another；　but　our　mother　esteems　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；　towards　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　shepherd　of　his　flock；　and　give　him
authority　sufficient　for　that　purpose；　and　when　he　should　have　a
mind　to　return　to　his　parents；　he　would　send　him　back　with
pre