1.303
Now each of these had handmaids, by their father's donation. Zilpha
was handmaid to Lea, and Bilha to Rachel; by no means slaves, note
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 note
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, denoting one born by
hire: and Zabulon, one born as a pledge of benevolence towards
her; and a daughter, Dina. After some time Rachel had a son, named
Joseph, which signified there should be another added to him.
1.309
Now Jacob fed the flocks of Laban his father-in-law all this time,
being twenty years, after which he desired leave of his father-in-law to
take his wives and go home; but when his father-in-law would not give him
leave, he contrived to do it secretly. He made trial therefore of the disposition
of his wives what they thought of this journey; - when they appeared glad,
and approved of it. Rachel took along with her the images of the gods,
which, according to their laws, they used to worship in their own country,
and ran away together with her sister. The children also of them both,
and the handmaids, and what possessions they had, went along with them.
Jacob also drove away half the cattle, without letting Laban know of it
beforehand But the reason why Rachel took the images of the gods, although
Jacob had taught her to despise such worship of those gods, was this, That
in case they were pursued, and taken by her father, she might have recourse
to these images, in order obtain his pardon.
1.312
But Laban, after one day's time, being acquainted with Jacob's and
his daughters' departure, was much troubled, and pursued after them, leading
a band of men with him; and on the seventh day overtook them, and found
them resting on a certain hill; and then indeed he did not meddle with
them, for it was even-tide; but God stood by him in a dream, and warned
him to receive his son-in-law and his daughters in a peaceable manner;
and not to venture upon any thing rashly, or in wrath to but to make a
league with Jacob. And he him, that if he despised their small number,
attacked them in a hostile manner, he would assist them. When Laban had
been thus forewarned by God, he called Jacob to him the next day, in order
to treat with him, and showed him what dream he had; in dependence whereupon
he came confidently to him, and began to accuse him, alleging that he had
entertained him when he was poor, and in want of all things, and had given
him plenty of all things which he had. "For," said he, "I
have joined my daughters to thee in marriage, and supposed that thy kindness
to me be greater than before; but thou hast had no regard to either thy
mother's relations to me, nor to the affinity now newly contracted between
us; nor to those wives whom thou hast married; nor to those children, of
whom I am the grandfather. Thou hast treated me as an enemy, driving away
my cattle, and by persuading my daughters to run away from their father;
and by carrying home those sacred paternal images which were worshipped
by my forefathers, and have been honored with the like worship which they
paid them by myself. In short, thou hast done this whilst thou art my kinsman,
and my sister's son, and the husband of my daughters, and was hospiably
treated by me, and didst eat at my table." When Laban had said this,
Jacob made his defense - That he was not the only person in whom God had
implanted the love of his native country, but that he had made it natural
to all men; and that therefore it was but reasonable that, after so long
time, he should go back to it. "But as to the prey, of whose driving
away thou accusest me, if any other person were the arbitrator, thou wouldst
be found in the wrong; for instead of those thanks I ought to have had
from thee, for both keeping thy cattle, and increasing them, how is it
that thou art unjustly angry at me because I have taken, and have with
me, a small portion of them? But then, as to thy daughters, take notice,
that it is not through any evil practices of mine that they follow me in
my return home, but from that just affection which wives naturally have
to their husbands. They follow therefore not so properly myself as their
own children." And thus far of his apology was made, in order to clear
himself of having acted unjustly. To which he added his own complaint and
accusation of Laban; saying, "While I was thy sister's son, and thou
hadst given me thy daughters in marriage, thou hast worn me out with thy
harsh commands, and detained me twenty years under them. That indeed which
was required in order to my marrying thy daughters, hard as it was, I own
to have been tolerable; but as to those that were put upon me after those
marriages, they were worse, and such indeed as an enemy would have avoided."
For certainly Laban had used Jacob very ill; for when he saw that God was
assisting to Jacob in all that he desired, he promised him, that of the
young cattle which should be born, he should have sometimes what was of
a white color, and sometimes what should be of a black color; but when
those that came to Jacob's share proved numerous, he did not keep his faith
with him, but said he would give them to him the next year, because of
his envying him the multitude of his possessions. He promised him as before,
because he thought such an increase was not to be expected; but when it
appeared to be fact, he deceived him.
