Study Desk

And Jacob lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming, and with him four hundred men: and he divided the children of Lia and of Rachel, and of the two handmaids.

And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times, until his brother came near.

Then Esau ran to meet his brother, and embraced him: and clasping him fast about the neck, and kissing him, wept.

And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their children, and said: What mean these? And do they belong to thee? He answered: They are the children which God hath given to me, thy servant.

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,

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.

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.

And his soul was fast knit unto her; and whereas she was sad, he comforted her with sweet words.

And going to Hemor his father, he said: Get me this damsel to wife.

But when Jacob had heard this, his sons being absent, and employed in feeding the cattle, he held his peace till they came back.

Behold his sons came from the field: and hearing what had passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a foul thing in Israel, and committed an unlawful act, in ravishing Jacob’s daughter.

The sons of Jacob answered Sichem and his father deceitfully, being enraged at the deflowering of their sister:

Their offer pleased Hemor, and Sichem, his son:

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.

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.

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.

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.

Departing thence, he pitched his tent beyond the Flock tower.

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.

And he came to Isaac his father in Mambre, the city of Arbee, this is Hebron: wherein Abraham and Isaac sojourned.