1.278
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: —
"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."
1.284
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.
1.285
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.
1.288
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.
