the antiquities of the jews-1-第11章

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to　him　the　next　day；　in　order　to　treat　with　him；　and　showed　him
what　dream　he　had；　in　dependence　whereupon　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　which　he　had。　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃I　have
joined　my　daughters　to　thee　in　marriage；　and　supposed　that　thy
kindness　to　me　be　greater　than　before；　but　thou　hast　had　no
regard　to　either　thy　mother's　relations　to　me；　nor　to　the
affinity　now　newly　contracted　between　us；　nor　to　those　wives　whom
thou　hast　married；　nor　to　those　children；　of　whom　I　am　the
grandfather。　Thou　hast　treated　me　as　an　enemy；　driving　away　my
cattle；　and　by　persuading　my　daughters　to　run　away　from　their
father；　and　by　carrying　home　those　sacred　paternal　images　which
were　worshipped　by　my　forefathers；　and　have　been　honored　with　the
like　worship　which　they　paid　them　by　myself。　In　short；　thou　hast
done　this　whilst　thou　art　my　kinsman；　and　my　sister's　son；　and
the　husband　of　my　daughters；　and　was　hospiably　treated　by　me；　and
didst　eat　at　my　table。〃　When　Laban　had　said　this；　Jacob　made　his
defense　…　That　he　was　not　the　only　person　in　whom　God　had
implanted　the　love　of　his　native　country；　but　that　he　had　made　it
natural　to　all　men；　and　that　therefore　it　was　but　reasonable
that；　after　so　long　time；　he　should　go　back　to　it。　〃But　as　to　the
prey；　of　whose　driving　away　thou　accusest　me；　if　any　other　person
were　the　arbitrator；　thou　wouldst　be　found　in　the　wrong；　for
instead　of　those　thanks　I　ought　to　have　had　from　thee；　for　both
keeping　thy　cattle；　and　increasing　them；　how　is　it　that　thou　art
unjustly　angry　at　me　because　I　have　taken；　and　have　with　me；　a
small　portion　of　them？　But　then；　as　to　thy　daughters；　take
notice；　that　it　is　not　through　any　evil　practices　of　mine　that
they　follow　me　in　my　return　home；　but　from　that　just　affection
which　wives　naturally　have　to　their　husbands。　They　follow
therefore　not　so　properly　myself　as　their　own　children。〃　And　thus
far　of　his　apology　was　made；　in　order　to　clear　himself　of　having
acted　unjustly。　To　which　he　added　his　own　complaint　and
accusation　of　Laban；　saying；　〃While　I　was　thy　sister's　son；　and
thou　hadst　given　me　thy　daughters　in　marriage；　thou　hast　worn　me
out　with　thy　harsh　commands；　and　detained　me　twenty　years　under
them。　That　indeed　which　was　required　in　order　to　my　marrying　thy
daughters；　hard　as　it　was；　I　own　to　have　been　tolerable；　but　as
to　those　that　were　put　upon　me　after　those　marriages；　they　were
worse；　and　such　indeed　as　an　enemy　would　have　avoided。〃　For
certainly　Laban　had　used　Jacob　very　ill；　for　when　he　saw　that　God
was　assisting　to　Jacob　in　all　that　he　desired；　he　promised　him；
that　of　the　young　cattle　which　should　be　born；　he　should　have
sometimes　what　was　of　a　white　color；　and　sometimes　what　should　be
of　a　black　color；　but　when　those　that　came　to　Jacob's　share
proved　numerous；　he　did　not　keep　his　faith　with　him；　but　said　he
would　give　them　to　him　the　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　appeared　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　the　made　upon　certain　as　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　20。

Concerning　The　Meeting　Of　Jacob　And　Esau。

1。　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；　〃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　him　injuriously。
He　therefore　distributed　his　company　into　parts；　some　he　sent
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　four…footed　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；　one
after　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
the　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；　but　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　fall；　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。　（37）　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；　upon　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　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　21。

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　Shechem；　which　is　a　city　of　the
Canaanites。　Now　as　the　Shechemites　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　Shechem；　the　son　of
Hamor　the　king；　saw　her；　he　defiled　her　by　violence；　and　being
greatly　in　love　with　her；　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　Shechem　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；　entreated　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　their　advice　what　they　should　do。
Upon　fills；　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
Shechemites　were　employed　in　ease　and　feasting；　they　fell　upon
the　watch　when　they　were　asleep；　and；　coming　into　the　city；　slew
all　the　males　（38）　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　to　offer
those　sacrifices　which　he　had　vowed　to　offer　when　he　went　first
into　Mesopotamia；　and　saw　his　vision。　As　he　was　therefore
purifying　his　followers；　he　lighted　upon　the　gods　of　Laban；　（for
he　did　not　before　know　they　were　stolen　by　Rachel；）　and　he　hid
them　in　the　earth；　under　an　oak；　in　Shechem。　And　departing
thence；　he　offered　sacrifice　at　Bethel；　the　place　where　he　saw
his　dream；　when　he　went　first　into　Mesopotamia。

3。　And　when　he　was　gone　thence；　and　was　come　over　against
Ephrata；　he　there　buried　Rachel；　who　died　in　child…bed：　she　was
the　only　one　of　Jacob's　kindred　that　had　not　the　honor　of　burial
at　Hebron。　And　when　he　had　mourned　for　her　a　great　while；　he
called　the　son　that　was　born　of　her　Benjamin；　（39）　because　of　the
sorrow　the　mother　had　with　him。　These　are　all　the　children　of
Jacob；　twelve　males　and　one　female。　…　Of　them　eight　were