the antiquities of the jews-1-第12节

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direct　thee　what　thou　art　to　do　in　the　time　present；　and　still
much　more　in　the　time　to　come。〃

3。　Such　were　the　predictions　which　God　made　to　Jacob；　whereupon
he　became　very　joyful　at　what　he　had　seen　and　heard；　and　he
poured　oil　on　the　stones；　because　on　them　the　prediction　of　such
great　benefits　was　made。　He　also　vowed　a　vow；　that　he　would　offer
sacrifices　upon　them；　if　he　lived　and　returned　safe；　and　if　he
came　again　in　such　a　condition；　he　would　give　the　tithe　of　what
he　had　gotten　to　God。　He　also　judged　the　place　to　be　honorable
and　gave　it　the　name　of　Bethel；　which；　in　the　Greek；　is
interpreted；　The　House　of　God。

4。　So　he　proceeded　on　his　journey　to　Mesopotamia；　and　at　length
came　to　Haran；　and　meeting　with　shepherds　in　the　suburbs；　with
boys　grown　up；　and　maidens　sitting　about　a　certain　well；　he　staid
with　them；　as　wanting　water　to　drink；　and　beginning　to　discourse
with　them；　he　asked　them　whether　they　knew　such　a　one　as　Laban；
and　whether　he　was　still　alive。　Now　they　all　said　they　knew　him；
for　he　was　not　so　inconsiderable　a　person　as　to　be　unknown　to　any
of　them；　and　that　his　daughter　fed　her　father's　flock　together
with　them；　and　that　indeed　they　wondered　that　she　was　not　yet
come；　for　by　her　means　thou　mightest　learn　more　exactly　whatever
thou　desirest　to　know　about　that　family。　While　they　were　saying
this　the　damsel　came；　and　the　other　shepherds　that　came　down
along　with　her。　Then　they　showed　her　Jacob；　and　told　her　that　he
was　a　stranger；　who　came　to　inquire　about　her　father's　affairs。
But　she；　as　pleased；　after　the　custom　of　children；　with　Jacob's
coming；　asked　him　who　he　was；　and　whence　he　came　to　them；　and
what　it　was　he　lacked　that　he　came　thither。　She　also　wished　it
might　he　in　their　power　to　supply　the　wants　he　came　about。

5。　But　Jacob　was　quite　overcome；　not　so　much　by　their　kindred；
nor　by　that　affection　which　might　arise　thence；　as　by　his　love　to
the　damsel；　and　his　surprise　at　her　beauty；　which　was　so
flourishing；　as　few　of　the　women　of　that　age　could　vie　with。　He
said　then；　〃There　is　a　relation　between　thee　and　me；　elder　than
either　thy　or　my　birth；　if　thou　be　the　daughter　of　Laban；　for
Abraham　was　the　son　of　Terah；　as　well　as　Haran　and　Nahor。　Of　the
last　of　whom　（Nahor）　Bethuel　thy　grandfather　was　the　son。　Isaac
my　father　was　the　son　of　Abraham　and　of　Sarah；　who　was　the
daughter　of　Haran。　But　there　is　a　nearer　and　later　cement　of
mutual　kindred　which　we　bear　to　one　another；　for　my　mother　Rebeka
was　sister　to　Laban　thy　father；　both　by　the　same　father　and
mother；　I　therefore　and　thou　are　cousin…germans。　And　I　am　now
come　to　salute　you；　and　to　renew　that　affinity　which　is　proper
between　us。〃　Upon　this　the　damsel；　at　the　mention　of　Rebeka；　as
usually　happens　to　young　persons；　wept；　and　that　out　of　the
kindness　she　had　for　her　father；　and　embraced　Jacob；　she　having
learned　an　account　of　Rebeka　from　her　father；　and　knew　that　her
parents　loved　to　hear　her　named；　and　when　she　had　saluted　him；
she　said　that　〃he　brought　the　most　desirable　and　greatest
pleasures　to　her　father；　with　all　their　family；　who　was　always
mentioning　his　mother；　and　always　thinking　of　her；　and　her　alone；
and　that　this　will　make　thee　equal　in　his　eyes　to　any
advantageous　circumstances　whatsoever。〃　Then　she　bid　him　go　to
her　father；　and　follow　her　while　she　conducted　him　to　him；　and
not　to　deprive　him　of　such　a　pleasure；　by　staying　any　longer　away
from　him。

6。　When　she　had　said　thus；　she　brought　him　to　Laban；　and　being
owned　by　his　uncle；　he　was　secure　himself；　as　being　among　his
friends；　and　he　brought　a　great　deal　of　pleasure　to　them　by　his
unexpected　coning。　But　a　little　while　afterward；　Laban　told　him
that　he　could　not　express　in　words　the　joy　he　had　at　his　coming；
but　still　he　inquired　of　him　the　occasion　of　his　coming；　and　why
he　left　his　aged　mother　and　father；　when　they　wanted　to　be　taken
care　of　by　him；　and　that　he　would　afford　him　all　the　assistance
he　wanted。　Then　Jacob　gave　him　an　account　of　the　whole　occasion
of　his　journey；　and　told　him；　〃that　Isaac　had　two　sons　that　were
twins；　himself　and　Esau；　who；　because　he　failed　of　his　father's
prayers；　which　by　his　mother's　wisdom　were　put　up　for　him；　sought
to　kill　him；　as　deprived　of　the　kingdom　（34）　which　was　to　be
given　him　of　God；　and　of　the　blessings　for　which　their　father
prayed；　and　that　this　was　the　occasion　of　his　coming　hither；　as
his　mother　had　commanded　him　to　do：　for　we　are　all　（says　he）
brethren　one　to　another；　but　our　mother　esteems　an　alliance　with
your　family　more　than　she　does　one　with　the　families　of　the
country；　so　I　look　upon　yourself　and　God　to　be　the　supporters　of
my　travels；　and　think　myself　safe　in　my　present　circumstances。〃

7。　Now　Laban　promised　to　treat　him　with　great　humanity；　both　on
account　of　his　ancestors；　and　particularly　for　the　sake　of　his
mother；　towards　whom；　he　said；　he　would　show　his　kindness；　even
though　she　were　absent；　by　taking　care　of　him；　for　he　assured　him
he　would　make　him　the　head　shepherd　of　his　flock；　and　give　him
authority　sufficient　for　that　purpose；　and　when　he　should　have　a
mind　to　return　to　his　parents；　he　would　send　him　back　with
presents；　and　this　in　as　honorable　a　manner　as　the　nearness　of
their　relation　should　require。　This　Jacob　heard　gladly；　and　said
he　would　willingly；　and　with　pleasure；　undergo　any　sort　of　pains
while　he　tarried　with　him；　but　desired　Rachel　to　wife；　as　the
reward　of　those　pains；　who　was　not　only　on　other　accounts
esteemed　by　him；　but　also　because　she　was　the　means　of　his　coming
to　him；　for　he　said　he　was　forced　by　the　love　of　the　damsel　to
make　this　proposal。　Laban　was　well　pleased　with　this　agreement；
and　consented　to　give　the　damsel　to　him；　as　not　desirous　to　meet
with　any　better　son…in…law；　and　said　he　would　do　this；　if　he
would　stay　with　him　some　time；　for　he　was　not　willing　to　send　his
daughter　to　be　among　the　Canaanites；　for　he　repented　of　the
alliance　he　had　made　already　by　marrying　his　sister　there。　And
when　Jacob　had　given　his　consent　to　this；　he　agreed　to　stay　seven
years；　for　so　many　years　he　had　resolved　to　serve　his
father…in…law；　that；　having　given　a　specimen　of　his　virtue；　it
might　be　better　known　what　sort　of　a　man　he　was。　And　Jacob；
accepting　of　his　terms；　after　the　time　was　over；　he　made　the
wedding…feast；　and　when　it　was　night；　without　Jacob's　perceiving
it；　he　put　his　other　daughter　into　bed　to　him；　who　was　both　elder
than　Rachel；　and　of　no　comely　countenance：　Jacob　lay　with　her
that　night；　as　being　both　in　drink　and　in　the　dark。　However；　when
it　was　day；　he　knew　what　had　been　done　to　him；　and　he　reproached
Laban　for　his　unfair　proceeding　with　him；　who　asked　pardon　for
that　necessity　which　forced　him　to　do　what　he　did；　for　he　did　not
give　him　Lea　out　of　any　ill　design；　but　as　overcome　by　another
greater　necessity：　that；　notwithstanding　this；　nothing　should
hinder　him　from　marrying　Rachel；　but　that　when　he　had　served
another　seven　years；　he　would　give　him　her　whom　he　loved。　Jacob
submitted　to　this　condition；　for　his　love　to　the　damsel　did　not
permit　him　to　do　otherwise；　and　when　another　seven　years　were
gone；　he　took　Rachel　to　wife。

8。　Now　each　of　these　had　handmaids；　by　their　father's　donation。
Zilpha　was　handmaid　to　Lea；　and　Bilha　to　Rachel；　by　no　means
slaves；　（35）　but　however　subject　to　their　mistresses。　Now　Lea　was
sorely　troubled　at　her　husband's　love　to　her　sister；　and　she
expected　she　should　be　better　esteemed　if　she　bare　him　children：
so　she　entreated　God　perpetually；　and　when　she　had　borne　a　son；
and　her　husband　was　on　that　account　better　reconciled　to　her；　she
named　her　son　Reubel；　because　God　had　had　mercy　upon　her；　in
giving　her　a　son；　for　that　is　the　signification　of　this　name。
After　some　time　she　bare　three　more　sons；　Simeon；　which
name　signifies　that　God　had　hearkened　to　her　prayer。　Then　she
bare　Levi；　the　confirmer　of　their　friendship。　After　him　was　born
Judah；　which　denotes　thanksgiving。　But　Rachel；　fearing　lest　the
fruitfulness　of　her　sister　should　make　herself　enjoy　a　lesser
share　of　Jacob's　affections；　put　to　bed　to　him　her　handmaid
Bilha；　by　whom　Jacob　had　Dan：　one　may　interpret　that　name　into
the　Greek　tongue；　a　divine　judgment。　And　after　him　Nephthalim；　as
it　were；　unconquerable　in　stratagems；　since　Rachel　tried　to
conquer　the　fruitfulness　of　her　sister　by　this　stratagem。
Accordingly；　Lea　took　the　same　method；　and　used　a
counter…stratagem　to　that　of　her　sister；　for　she　put　to　bed　to
him　her　own　handmaid。　Jacob　therefore　had　by　Zilpha　a　son；　whose
name　was　Gad；　which　may　be　interpreted　fortune；　and　after　him
Asher；　which　may　be　called　a　happy　man；　because　he　added　glory　to
Lea。　Now　Reubel；　the　eldest　son　of　Lea；　brought　apples　of
mandrakes　（36）　to　his　mother。　When　Rachel　saw　them；　she　desired
that　she　would　give　her　the　apples；　for　she　longed　to　eat　them；
but　when　she　refused；　and　bid　her　be　content　that　she　had
deprived　her　of　the　benevolence　she　ought　to　have　had　from　her
husband；　Rachel；　in　order　to　mitigate　her　sister's　anger；　said
she　would　yield　her　husband　to　her；　and　he　should　lie　with　her
that　evening。　She　accepted　of　the　favor；　and　Jacob　slept　with
Lea；　by　the　favor　of　Rachel。　She　bare　then　these　sons：　Issachar