Page images
PDF
EPUB

TJT

[ocr errors]

20

21 וַתַּעַבְר

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו עִבְרָוּ לְפָנַי וְרֶוַח תָּשִׂימוּ בֵּין עֵדֶר וּבֵין

עדֶר : 17 וַיְצַו אֶת־הָרִאשׁוֹן לֵאמֹר כִּי יִפְגְשְׁךְ עֲשָׂו אָחִי וּשְׁאֵלְךְ לֵאמֹר לְמִי־אַתָּה וְאָנָה תֵלֵךְ וּלְמִי אֵלֶה לְפָנֶיךְ : 18 וְאָמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לִיעקבֿ מִנְחָה הוא שְׁלוּחָה לַאדֹנִי לְעֵשָׂו וְהִנֵּה גַם־הוּא אַחֲרִינוּ: 19 וַיְצו גם אֶת־הַשֵׁנִי גַּם אֶת־הַשְׁלִישִׁי גַּם אֶת־כָּל־הַהִלְכִים אַחֲרֵי הָעֲדָרִים לֵאמֹר כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה תְּדַבְּרוּן אֶל־עשר בְּמִצְאֲכֶם אֹתוֹ: 20 וַאֲמַרְתֶּם גַּם הִנֵּה עַבְדְּךָ עֶקְךָ אַחֲרֵנוּ כִּי־אָמַר אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו בַּמִּנְחָה הַהוֹלֶכֶת לְפָנָי וְאַחֲרֵי־־כֵן אֶרְאֶה פָנָיו אוּלַי יִשָׂא פָנָי : 21 הַמִּנְחָה עַל־פָּנָיו וְהָוּא לָן בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא בַּמַחֲנֶה: 22 וַיָּקָם בַּלַּיְלָה הוּא וַיַּקַח אֶת־שְׁתֵּי נָשָׁיו וְאֶת־שְׁתִּי שִׁפְחֹתָיו וְאֶת־אַחַד עָשָׂר יְלָדָיו וַיַּעֲבֹר אֵת מַעֲבַר יַבְּק: 23 וַיִּקָחֵם וַיַּעֲבִרֵם אֶת־הַנָּחַל וַיַּעֲבֵר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ : 24 וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עֲמֹוֹ עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר: 25 וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף־יְרֵכוֹ וַתֵּקַע כַּף-יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב בְּהֵאָבְקוֹ עִמָּוֹ : 26 וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְחֵנִי כִּי עָלֶה הַשָׁחַר וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם־בְּרַכְתָּנִי : 27 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה־שְׁמֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקב : 28 וַיֹּאמֶר לָא יַעֲקב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךְ כִּי אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי־שָׂרֶיתָ עִם־־אֱלֹהִים וְעָם־־אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל : 29 וַיִּשְׁאַל יַעֲקב

וַיֹּאמֶר הַגִּידָה־נָּא שְׁמֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶה תִּשְׁאַל לִשְׁמִי שלישי וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ שָׁם : 30 וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם פְּנִיאֵל

כִּי־־רָאִיתִי אֱלֹהִים פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים וַתִּנָּצֵל נַפְשִׁי : 31 וַיְזָרַח־־לוֹ הַשָּׁמֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָבַר אֶת־פְּנוּאֵל וְהוּא צלע על־יִרְכוֹ : 32 עַל־כֵּן לֹא־יאכְלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת

גִיד הַנָּשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר עַל־כַּף הַיָּלֵךְ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי נָגַע לג בְּכַף־יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב בְּגִיד הַנָּשֶׁה : וַיִּשָּׂא יַעֲקב עֵינָיו

וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עֵשָׂו בָּא וְעָמוֹ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיַּחַץ

-:1

Sr

:1

[blocks in formation]

8 And said, If Esau come to the one company and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

9 ¶ And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy

AND Jacob went on his way, country, and to thy kindred, and

and the angels of God met him. * 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. §

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother, unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau: Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now. I

5. And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and man-servants, and women-servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

6 ¶ And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid, and distressed: || and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels into two bands;

I will deal well with thee; T

10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, ** and now I am become two bands.

11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau : for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with §§ the children.

12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. ‡‡

13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand, a present for Esau his brother;

14 Two hundred she-goats, and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams.

15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she-asses, and ten foals.

16 And he delivered them into the hands of his servants, every

* Too little is said of this circumstance to admit of any conjectures on the nature of their appearance. I am inclined to think it was a vision in the night.

That is, two hosts, or camps.

He here informs him of the reason of his not visiting him before, and which was owing to his long stay with Laban, whither he had been sent by his parents; but that as soon as he had left him, he took the first opportunity to wait on him.

On being informed that Esau was coming with four hundred men, he did not doubt, but that his intention was hostile; and that enmity still lurked within his breast.

Here Jacob confesses the fear or his unworthiness of the great mercies of God; and thinks, that he has not served him in such a manner, as to be deserving of all which he did for him: and there fore prays to be delivered from Esau.

** With the utmost gratitude the Patriarch acknowledges, that all he now possessed was given him by the favour of the Almighty. I had nothing, said he, but a single staff in my hand when I came from my father's house, and I am now returned loaded with riches! Do thou, O God! who hast thus enlarged me, deliver me from my brother's resentment.

§§ Heb. Upon.

#And therefore says he, if I should by any sin have forfeited the same; yet, be thou so gracious as to perform it, notwithstanding any unworthiness of mine.

לב לָבָן לְמִקמָוֹ: וְיַעֲקב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ־בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים: 2 וַיֹּאמֶר יְעַקב כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָם מַחֲנֵה אֱלֹהִים

זֶה וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם־הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַחֲנָיִם:

[blocks in formation]

וישלח

ST

סרר 3 וַיִּשְׁלַח יעקב מַלְאָכִים לְפָנָיו אֶל־עֵשָׂו אָחִיו אַרְצָה

שָׁעִיר שְׂדֵה אֶדְוֹם : 4 ויצו אֹתָם לֵאמר כּה תָאמְרוּן לַאדֹנִי לְעֵשָׂו כֹּה אָמַר עַבְדְּךָ יַעֲקֹב עִם־ לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וָאֵחַר עַד־עָתָּה: 5 וַיְהִי־לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר צאן וְעֶבֶד וְשִׁפְחָה וְאֶשְׁלְחָה לְהַגִּיד לַאדֹנִי לִמְצא־חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ: 6 וַיָּשָׁבוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים אֶל־יַעֲקֹב לֵאמֹר בָּאנוּ אֶל־אָחִיךְ אֶל־עָשָׂר וְגַם הִלֵךְ לִקְרָאתְךְ וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאוֹת אִישׁ עַמְוֹ : ל וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד וַיִּצֶר לוֹ וַיִּחַץ אֶרתי הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־־אָתּוֹ וְאֶת־הַצְאן וְאֶת־הַבָּקָר, וְהַגְּמַלִים לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת : 8 וַיֹּאמֶר אִם־יָבוֹא עֵשָׂו אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה: 9 וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקבֿ אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי אַבְרָהָם וֵאלֹהֵי אָבִי יִצְחָק יְהוָה הָאֹמֵר אֵלַי שׁוּב לְאַרְצְךָ וּלְמְוֹלַדְתְּךָ וְאֵיטִיבָה עַמָּךְ : 10 קָטַנְתִּי מִכָּל הַחֲסָדִים וּמִכָּל־הָאֶמֶת אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ כִּי בְמַקְלִי עָבַרְתִּי אֶת־הַיַּרְבֵּן הַזֶּה וְעַתָּה הָיִיתִי לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת : 11 הַצִילֵנִי נָא מִיַּד אָחִי מִיָּד עֲשָׂו כִּי־יֶרֶא אָנֹכִי אֹתוֹ פֶּן־יָבוֹא וְהִכֵּנִי אֵם עַל־

בָּנִים : 12 וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ הֵיטֵב אֵיטִיב עִמָּךְ וְשַׂמְתִּי שני אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ כְּחוֹל הַיָּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִסָפֵר מֵרֹב :

13 וילן שָׁם בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיְקַח מִן־הַבָּא בְיָדֶוֹ מִנְחָה לְעֵשָׂו אָחִיו : 14 עַזִים מָאתַיִם וּתְיָשִׁים עֶשְׂרִים רְחֵלִים מָאתַיִם וְאֵילִים עֶשְׂרִים : 15 גְמַלִּים מֵינִיקוֹת וּבְנֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשִׁים פָּרָוֹת אַרְבָּעִים וּפָרִים עֲשָׂרָה אֵתנת עֶשְׂרִים וַעֲיָרֶם עֲשָׂרָה : 16 וַיִּתֵּן בְּיַד־רְעֲבָדָיו עֶדֶר עֶדֶר לְבַדְו

beasts, I brought not unto thee, I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

40 Thus I was in the day, the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. *

41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, § surely thou hadst sent me away now empty: God hath seen mine affliction, and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have borne ?

44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an

heap: and they did eat there the heap.

upon

47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. ||

48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed,

49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives besides my daughters, no man is with us; See, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:

52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. ¶

54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, ** and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons, and his daughters, and blessed

*For as he had mentioned in the preceding verse, that he made himself accountable for what was lost both day and night; (and which last was not a duty incumbent on him) he consequently lost his sleep, by not leaving the flock at any time to themselves.

This is a noble and generous imputation of his success to the God of his fathers, and finely opposed to the cunning and worldly-minded dealing of Laban,

His sons, and which are called his brethren, as partaking of his fortune, either in war or peace. Jarchi.

Both are of one signification, viz. the heap of witness. But Laban chose to give it a name in the Syrian language; and Jacob in that of the Hebrew.

Laban joined the idols with the true God; but Jacob sware by the true God of his father Isaac: and, as to his mentioning Isaac, and not Abraham, is to shew, that the honour of the father precedes that of the grandfather.

** Properly slew beasts for the entertainment which he prepared for them, and then he called all his brethren to eat of the feast; but Laban he did not call, as partly owning him as master of it.

[ocr errors][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »