there. they went to Bersabee together, and he dwelt | wherein was the double cave, looking towards Mambre, both it and the cave, and all the trees 20 After these things, it was told Abraham thereof in all its limits round about, that Melcha also had born children to Nachor his brother. 21 Hus the first-born, and Buz his brother, and Camuel the father of the Syrians, 22 And Cased, and Azau, and Pheldas, and Jedlaph, 23 And Bathuel, of whom was born Rebecca: these eight did Melcha bear to Naehor Abraham's brother. 24 And his concubine, named Roma, bore Tabee, and Gaham, and Tahas, and Maacha. CHAP. XXIII. 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. 19 And so Abraham buried Sara his wife, in a double cave of the field, that looked towards "Mambre, this is Hebron in the land of Chanaan. 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. CHAP. XXIV. Abraham's servant sent by him into Mesopotamia, bringeth from thence Rebecca, who is married to Isaac. OW Abraham was old; and advanced in Sara's death and burial in the field bought of Ephron. Now, and the Lord had blessed him in all AN ND Sara lived a hundred and twentyseven years. 2 And she died in the city of Arbee which is Hebron, in the land of Chanaan: and Abraham came to mourn and weep for her. 3 And after he rose up from the funeral obsequies, he spoke to the children of Heth, saying: 4 I am a stranger and sojourner among you: give me the right of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead. 5 The children of Heth answered, saying: 6 My lord, hear us, thou art a prince of God among us: bury thy dead in our principal sepulchres: and no man shall have power to hinder thee from burying thy dead in his sepulchre. 7 Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, to wit the children of Heth: 8 And said to them: If it please your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede for me to Ephron the son of Seor. 9 That he may give me the double cave, which he hath in the end of his field: for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me before you, for a possession of a burying place. 10 Now Ephron dwelt in the midst of the children of Heth. And Ephron made answer to Abraham in the hearing of all that went in at the gate of the city, saying: 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. 12 Abraham bowed down before the people of the land, 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 I will bury my dead in it. 14 And Ephron answered: age: things. 2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh, 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: 4 But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac. 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? 6 And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither. 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.5 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. 9 The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word. 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. 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: 12 O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, 15 My lord, hear me. The ground which thou meet me to-day, I beseech thee, and shew kindaesirest, is worth four hundred sieles of silver:ness to my master Abraham. this is the price between me and thee: but what is this? bury thy dead. 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. 17 And the field that before was Ephron's, A. M. 2145. A. C. 1859.-b Infra, 35. 27.- 140 years.— d A. M. 2149. A. C. 1856.- Infra, 47. 29. Supra, 12. 7. & 13. 15. & 15. 8.- Infra, 26. 2. Ch. 23. v. 7. Bowed down to the people. Adoravit, literally adored. But this word here, as well as in many 13 Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water. 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 other places in the Latin scriptures, is used to signify only an inferior honour and reverence paid to men, expressed by a bowing down of the body. Ch. 24. v. 7. He will send his Angel before thee. This shows that the Hebrews believed that God gave them guardian Angels for their protection. thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this I shall understand, that thou hast shewn kindness to my master. 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 : 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. 17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher. 18 And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink. 19 And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also till they all drink. 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. 21 But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. 22 And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden ear-rings, weighing two sicles: and as many bracelets of ten sicles weight. 23 And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father's house to lodge? 24 And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor. 25 And she said moreover to him. We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in. 26 The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord, 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. 28 Then the maid ran, and told in her mother's house all that she had heard. 29 And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well. 30 And when he had seen the ear-rings 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: 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. 32 And he brought him in 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. 33 And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak. 36 And Sara my master's wife hath born my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had. 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: 38 But thou shalt go to my father's house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son: 39 But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me? 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. 41 But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one. 42 And I came to-day to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk, 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: 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. 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. 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. 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 ear-rings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands. 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. 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. 50 And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord; we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure. 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. 52 Which when Abraham's servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord. 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. 54 And a banquet was made, and they ate and 34 And he said: I am the servant of Abraham: drank together, and lodged there. And in the 35 And the Lord hath blessed my master won-morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me derfully, and he is become great: and he hath depart, that I may go to my master. given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men 55 And her brother, and mother answered: servants and women servants, camels and asses. Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart. Exod. 11. 16. Infra, 29. 8. 56 Stay me not, said he, because the Lord | field of Ephron the son of Seor the Hethite, over hath prospered my way: send me away that I against Mambre. may go to my master. 57 And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will. 58 And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go. 59 So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his company. 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. 61 So Rebecca and her maids being set upon camels, followed the man who with speed returned to his master. 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. 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. 64 Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel, 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. 66 And the servant told Isaac all that he had done. 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. CHAP. XXV. AND Abra 2 Who bore him Zamran, and Jecsan, and Madan, and Madian, and Jesboc, and Sue. 3 Jecsan also begot Saba and Dadan. The children of Dadan were Assurim, and Latusim, and Loomim. 4 But of Madian was born Epha, and Opher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaa: all these were the children of Cetura. 5 And Abraham gave'all his possessions to Isaac: 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. 7 And the days of Abraham's life were a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 And decaying he died in a good old age, cand having lived a long time, and being full of days: and was gathered to his people. 9 And Isaac and Ismael his sons buried him in the double cave, which was situated in the 10 Which he had bought of the children of Heth: there was he buried, and Sara his wife. 11 And after his death, God blessed Isaac his son, who dwelt by the well named Of the living and seeing. 12 These are the generations of Ismael the n of Abraham, whom Agar the Egyptian, Sara's servant, bore unto him: 13 And these are the names of his children according to their calling and generations. The first-born of Ismael was Nabajoth, then Cedar, and Adbeel, and Mabsam, 14 And Masma, and Duma, and Massa, 15 Hadar, and Thema, and Jethur, and Naphis, and Cedma. 16 These are the sons of Ismael: and these are their names by their castles and towns, twelve princes of their tribes. 17 And the years of Ismael's life were a hundred and thirty seven, and decaying he died, fand was gathered unto his people. 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. 19 These also are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac: 20 Who when he was forty years old, took to wife Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, sister to Laban. 21 And Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and he heard him, and made Rebecca to conceive. 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. 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. 24 And when her time was come to be delivered, behold twins were found in her womb. 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. 26 Isaac was threescore years old when th children were born unto him. 27 And when they were grown up, Esau became a skilful hunter, and a husbandman: but Jacob a plain man dwelt in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his hunting: and Rebecca loved Jacob. 29 And Jacob boiled pottage: to whom Esau, coming faint out of the field, 30 Said: Give me of this red pottage, for I am exceeding faint. For which reason his name was called Edom." ed, but of her quitting her parents and going to her hus Supra, 16. 14. 1 Par. 1. 32.—b A. M. circiter 2150. Ante C. 1854. A. M. 2183. Ante C. 1821.- 1 Par. 1. 29.- Supra, band. 17. 20.- A. M. 2231. Ante C. 1773.- A. M. 2148. Ante C. 1856.- Rom. 9. 10.-i Osce, 12. 13. Mat. 1. 2. A. M. 2168. Ante C. 1836.- Heb. 12. 16. Abd. 1. 1. Ch. 25. v. 6. 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 Ch. 24. v. 57. Let us call the maid, and ask her will. inferior degree, and such in scripture are usually called Not as to her marriage, as she had already consent-concubines. 31 And Jacob said to him: Sell me thy first birth-right. 32 He answered: Lo I die, what will the first birth-right avail me? 33 Jacob said: Swear therefore to me. Esau swore to him, and sold his first birth-right. 34 And so taking bread and the pottage of lentiles, he ate and drank, and went his way; making little account of having sold his first birth-right. CHAP. XXVI. Laac sojourneth in Gerara, where God reneweth to him the promise made to Abraham. King Alimelech maketh league with him. 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.a 2 And the Lord appeared to him and said: Go not down into Egypt, but stay in the land that I shall tell thee. 17 So he departed and came to the torrent of Gerara, to dwell there: 18 And he digged again other wells, which the servants of his father Abraham had digged, and which, after his death, the Palestines had of old stopped up: and he called them by the same names by which his father before had called them. 19 And they digged in the torrent, and found living water. 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, 21 And they digged also another; and for that they quarrelled likewise, and he called the name of it, Enmity. 22 Going forward from thence, he digged anfore he called the name thereof, Latitude, sayother well, for which they contended not: there 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 oathing: Now hath the Lord given us room, and which I swore to Abraham thy father. made us to increase upon the earth." 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. 5 Because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my precepts and commandments, and observed my ceremonies and laws. 6 So Isaac abode in Gerara. 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. 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. 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. 10 And Abimelech said: Why hast thou deceived us? Some man of the people might have lien with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us a great sin. And he commanded all the people, saying: 11 He that shall touch this man's wife, shall "urely be put to death. 24 Where the Lord appeared to him that same 23 And he went up from that place to Bersabe, night, saying: I am the God of Abraham thy father, do not fear, for I am with thee: I will Abraham's sake. bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant from you ? 25 And he built there an altar: and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent: and 26 To which place when Abimelech, and commanded his servants to dig a well. chozath his friend, and Phicol chief captain 27 Isaac said to them: Why are ye come to of his soldiers came from Gerara, me, a man whom you hate, and have thrust cut 28 And they answered: We saw that the Lord is with thee, and therefore we said: Let there be an 29 That thou do us no harm, as we on our oath between us, and let us make a covenant, part have touched nothing of thine, nor have done any thing to hurt thee: but with peace have sent thee away increased with the bless30 And he made them a feast, and after they ing of the Lord. had eaten and drunk: 31 Arising in the morning, they swore one to another: and Isaac sent them away peaceably to their own home. $12 And Isaac sowed in that land, and he found,32 And behold the same day the servants of chat same year a hundred-fold: and the Lord blessed him. 13 And the man was enriched, and he went on prospering and increasing, till he became exceeding great: 14 And he had possessions of sheep and of herds, and a very great family. Wherefore the Palestines envying him, 15 Stopped up at that time all the wells, that the servants of his father Abraham had digged, filling them up with earth: 16 Insomuch that Abimelech himself said to Isaac: Depart from us, for thou art become much mightier than we. A. M. circiter 2200.- Supra, 12. 3. & 15. 18.- Supra, 12. 3. & 18, 18. & 22. 17. Infra, 28. 14. Ps. 4. 1. A. M. 2208. Ante C. 1796.-f Infra, 27, 46. had digged, and saying: We have found water. Isaac came, telling him of a well which they the name of the city was called Bersabee, even 33 Whereupon he called it Abundance: and to this day. 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. 35 And they both offended the mind of Isaac and Rebecca. Jacob, by his mother's counsel, obtaineth his father's CHAP. XXVII. bessing instead of Esau. And by her is advised to fly to his uncle Labun. Ch. 26. v. 19. Torrent. That is, a channel where some times a torrent, or violent stream, had run. Ver. 22. Latitude. That is, wideness or room. OW Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, hands made him like to the elder. Then blessand Now Isaac was old, a, and he called Esau ing him, his elder son, and said to him, My son? And he answered: Here I am." 2 And his father said to him: Thou seest that I am old, and know not the day of my death. 3 Take thy arms, thy quiver, and bow, and go abroad: and when thou hast taken some thing by hunting, 4 Make me savoury meat thereof, as thou knowest I like, and bring it, that I may eat, and my soul may bless thee before I die. 5 And when Rebecca had heard this, and he was gone into the field to fulfil his father's commandment, 6 She said to her son Jacob: I heard thy father talking with Esau thy brother, and saying to him: 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. 8 Now, therefore, my son, follow my counsel: 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: 10 Which when thou hast brought in, and he hath eaten, he may bless thee before he die. 11. And he answered her: Thou knowest that Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am smooth. 12 If my father shall 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. 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. 14 He went, and brought, and gave them to his mother. She dressed meats, such as she knew his father liked. 15 And she put on him very good garments of Esau, which she had at home with her: 16 And the little skins of the kids she put about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck. 17 And she gave him the savoury meat, and delivered him bread that she had baked. 18 Which when he had carried in, he My father? But he answered: I hear. art thou, my son? said: I 19 And Jacob said: I am Esau thy first-born: have done as thou didst command me: arise, sit, and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. 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. 21 And Isaac said: Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son, and may prove whether thou be my son Esau, or not. 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. 23 And he knew him not, because his hairy A. M. 2245. A. C. 1759.-b Supra, 25. 34- Heb. 11. 20. Ch. 27. v. 19. I am Esau thy first-born. St. Augustine (L. Contra mendacium, c. 10.) treating at farge 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 24 He said: Art thou my son Esau? He answered: I am. 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, 26 He said to him: Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son. 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. 28 God give thee the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn and wine. 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. 30 Isaac had scarce ended his words, when Jacob being now gone out abroad, Esau came, 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. 32 And Isaac said to him: Why! who art thou? He answered: I am thy first-born son Esau. 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. 34 Esau having heard his father's words, roared out with a great cry: and being in a great consternation, said: Bless me also, my father. 35 And he said: Thy brother came deceitfully and got thy blessing. 36 But he said again: Rightly is his name called Jacob; for he hath supplanted me lo this second time: "my first birth-right 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? 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? 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, 39 Isaac being moved, said to him: In the fat of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above, 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. 41 Esau therefore always hated Jacob for the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him: Gentiles before the carnal Jews, which Jacob by prophetic light might understand. So far is certain, that the first birth-right, 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, Ver. 36. Jacob. That is, a supplanter. |