the antiquities of the jews-1-第11节

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seventy　and　five　years；　and　he　was　buried　in　Hebron；　with　his
wife　Sarah；　by　their　sons　Isaac　and　Ismael。

CHAPTER　18。

Concerning　The　Sons　Of　Isaac；　Esau　And　Jacob；　Of　Their　Nativity
And　Education。

1。　Now　Isaac's　wife　proved　with　child；　after　the　death　of
Abraham；　（30）　and　when　her　belly　was　greatly　burdened；　Isaac　was
very　anxious；　and　inquired　of　God；　who　answered；　that　Rebeka
should　bear　twins；　and　that　two　nations　should　take　the　names　of
those　sons；　and　that　he　who　appeared　the　second　should　excel　the
elder。　Accordingly　she；　in　a　little　time；　as　God　had　foretold；
bare　twins；　the　elder　of　whom；　from　his　head　to　his　feet；　was
very　rough　and　hairy；　but　the　younger　took　hold　of　his　heel　as
they　were　in　the　birth。　Now　the　father　loved　the　elder；　who　was
called　Esau；　a　name　agreeable　to　his　roughness；　for　the　Hebrews
call　such　a　hairy　roughness　＇Esau；　（31）　or＇　Seir；　but　Jacob　the
younger　was　best　beloved　by　his　mother。

2。　When　there　was　a　famine　in　the　land；　Isaac　resolved　to　go　into
Egypt；　the　land　there　being　good；　but　he　went　to　Gerar；　as　God
commanded　him。　Here　Abimelech　the　king　received　him；　because
Abraham　had　formerly　lived　with　him；　and　had　been　his　friend。　And
as　in　the　beginning　he　treated　him　exceeding　kindly；　so　he　was
hindered　from　continuing　in　the　same　disposition　to　the　end；　by
his　envy　at　him；　for　when　he　saw　that　God　was　with　Isaac；　and
took　such　great　care　of　him；　he　drove　him　away　from　him。　But
Isaac；　when　he　saw　how　envy　had　changed　the　temper　of　Abimelech
retired　to　a　place　called　the　Valley；　not　far　from　Gerar：　and　as
he　was　digging　a　well；　the　shepherds　fell　upon　him；　and　began　to
fight；　in　order　to　hinder　the　work；　and　because　he　did　not　desire
to　contend；　the　shepherds　seemed　to　get　the　him；　so　he　still
retired；　and　dug　another　and　when　certain　other　shepherds　of
Abimelech　began　to　offer　him　violence；　he　left　that　also；　still
retired；　thus　purchasing　security　to　himself　a　rational　and
prudent　conduct。　At　length　the　gave　him　leave　to　dig　a　well
without　disturbance。　He　named　this　well　Rehoboth；　which　denotes　a
large　space；　but　of　the　former　wells；　one　was　called　Escon；　which
denotes　strife；　the　other　Sitenna；　name　signifies　enmity。

3。　It　was　now　that　Isaac's　affairs　increased；　and　in　a
flourishing　condition；　and　this　his　great　riches。　But　Abimelech；
thinking　in　opposition　to　him；　while　their　living　made　them
suspicious　of　each　other；　and　retiring　showing　a　secret　enmity
also；　he
afraid　that　his　former　friendship　with　Isaac　would　not　secure
him；　if　Isaac　should　endeavor　the　injuries　he　had　formerly
offered　him；　he　therefore　renewed　his　friendship　with　him；
Philoc；　one　of　his　generals。　And　when　he　had　obtained　every　thing
he　desired；　by　reason　of　Isaac's　good　nature；　who　preferred　the
earlier　friendship　Abimelech　had　shown　to　himself　and　his　father
to　his　later　wrath　against　him；　he　returned　home。

4。　Now　when　Esau；　one　of　the　sons　of　Isaac；　whom　the　father
principally　loved；　was　now　come　to　the　age　of　forty　years；　he
married　Adah；　the　daughter　of　Helon；　and　Aholibamah；　the　daughter
of　Esebeon；　which　Helon　and　Esebeon　were　great　lords　among　the
Canaanites：　thereby　taking　upon　himself　the　authority；　and
pretending　to　have　dominion　over　his　own　marriages；　without　so
much　as　asking　the　advice　of　his　father；　for　had　Isaac　been　the
arbitrator；　he　had　not　given　him　leave　to　marry　thus；　for　he　was
not　pleased　with　contracting　any　alliance　with　the　people　of　that
country；　but　not　caring　to　be　uneasy　to　his　son　by　commanding　him
to　put　away　these　wives；　he　resolved　to　be　silent。

5。　But　when　he　was　old；　and　could　not　see　at　all；　he　called　Esau
to　him；　and　told　him；　that　besides　his　blindness；　and　the
disorder　of　his　eyes；　his　very　old　age　hindered　him　from　his
worship　of　God　＇by　sacrifice＇；　he　bid　him　therefore　to　go　out　a
hunting；　and　when　he　had　caught　as　much　venison　as　he　could；　to
prepare　him　a　supper　（32）　that　after　this　he　might　make
supplication　to　God；　to　be　to　him　a　supporter　and　an　assister
during　the　whole　time　of　his　life；　saying；　that　it　was　uncertain
when　he　should　die；　and　that　he　was　desirous；　by　prayers　for　him；
to　procure；　beforehand；　God　to　be　merciful　to　him。

6。　Accordingly；　Esau　went　out　a　hunting。　But　Rebeka　（33）　thinking
it　proper　to　have　the　supplication　made　for　obtaining　the　favor
of　God　to　Jacob；　and　that　without　the　consent　of　Isaac；　bid　him
kill　kids　of　the　goats；　and　prepare　a　supper。　So　Jacob　obeyed　his
mother；　according　to　all　her　instructions。　Now　when　the　supper
was　got　ready；　he　took　a　goat's　skin；　and　put　it　about　his　arm；
that　by　reason　of　its　hairy　roughness；　he　might　by　his　father　be
believed　to　be　Esau；　for　they　being　twins；　and　in　all　things　else
alike；　differed　only　in　this　thing。　This　was　done　out　of　his
fear；　that　before　his　father　had　made　his　supplications；　he
should　be　caught　in　his　evil　practice；　and　lest　he　should；　on　the
contrary；　provoke　his　father　to　curse　him。　So　he　brought　in　the
supper　to　his　father。　Isaac　perceivest　to　be　Esau。〃　So　suspecting
no　deceit；　he　ate　the　supper；　and　betook　himself　to　his　prayers
and　intercessions　with　God；　and　said；　〃O　Lord　of　all　ages；　and
Creator　of　all　substance；　for　it　was　thou　that　didst　propose　to
my　father　great　plenty　of　good　things；　and　hast　vouchsafed　to
bestow　on　me　what　I　have；　and　hast　promised　to　my　posterity　to　be
their　kind　supporter；　and　to　bestow　on　them　still　greater
blessings；　do　thou　therefore　confirm　these　thy　promises；　and　do
not　overlook　me；　because　of　my　present　weak　condition；　on　account
of　which　I　most　earnestly　pray　to　thee。　Be　gracious　to　this　my
son；　and　preserve　him　and　keep　him　from　every　thing　that　is　evil。
Give　him　a　happy　life；　and　the　possession　of　as　many　good　things
as　thy　power　is　able　to　bestow。　Make　him　terrible　to　his　enemies；
and　honorable　and　beloved　among　his　friends。〃

7。　Thus　did　Isaac　pray　to　God；　thinking　his　prayers　had　been　made
for　Esau。　He　had　but　just　finished　them；　when　Esau　came　in　from
hunting。　And　when　Isaac　perceived　his　mistake；　he　was　silent：　but
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