CHAPTER VI.

GENESIS, xxiv.-xxvii.

ISAAC, THE PATRIARCH.

The Embassy-The Wooing of Rebekah-The Betrothal-Death of Abraham-Strife with the Philistines-Birth of Esau and JacobEsau Sells his Birthright-Jacob Steals the Blessing-Jacob's Blessing-Esau's Curse-Esau's Hatred.

Now Abraham was old, well stricken in age; and Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said to his slave, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had: Put thy hand under my thigh; that I may make thee swear by Jehovah, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but unto my country, and to my kindred shalt thou go, and take a wife for my son Isaac. And the slave said to him: Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land; must I needs bring thy son again unto the land whence thou camest? And Abraham said to him: Beware that thou bring not my son thither again. Jehovah, the God of heaven, that took me from my father's house, and from the land of my nativity, and that spake to me, and that sware unto me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my son thence. And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then

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shalt thou be clear from this mine oath; only thou shalt not bring my son thither again. And the slave put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning this matter.

Then the slave took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed; and of the goods of his master he took all kinds in his hand; and he set out, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down without the city by the well of water toward eventide, at the time that the women go out to draw water. And he said: Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray thee, good speed this day, and shew kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, I stand by the fountain of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water may the damsel to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and who shall say: Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also, be she whom thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou shewest kindness to my master.

And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out-who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was a virgin very fair to look upon. And she went down to the fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the slave ran to meet her, and said: Let me sip, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher. And she said: Drink, my lord; and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done giving him drink, she said: For thy camels also will I draw water, until they have done drinking. So she hasted, and emptied her pitcher

into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels. And the man watched her, saying nought, to know whether Jehovah had prospered his journey or no. And it came to pass, when the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and put it upon her nose, and two bracelets on her arms of ten shekels weight of gold. And he said: Whose daughter art thou? Tell me, I pray thee. Is there in thy father's house room for us to lodge in ? And she said to him: I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bare to Nahor. She said moreover unto him: We have both straw and provender in plenty, and room to lodge in. Then the man bowed himself, and worshipped Jehovah; and said: Blessed be Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, who hath not failed in his mercy and his truth toward my master. It is Jehovah that hath led me in my way to the house of my master's brethren. And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.

Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. And it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me, that he went unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the fountain. And he said: Come in, thou blessed of Jehovah; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels. And he brought the man into the house, and ungirded the camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the men's feet that were with him. And there was set meat before him to eat; but he said: I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And Laban said: Speak on.

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And he said: Abraham's servant am I. And Jehovah hath blessed my master exceedingly, and he is become great; and he hath given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men-servants and maid-servants, and camels and asses. And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old; and to him hath he given all that he hath. And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; but unto my father's house shalt thou go, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son. And I said to my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me. And he said to me, Jehovah, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house. In this case shalt thou be clear from mine oath; if thou comest to my kindred, and they will not give her to thee, then thou shalt be clear from mine oath. And I came this day unto the fountain, and said, Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, I pray thee prosper my journey upon which I go. Behold, I stand by the fountain of water; may the maid that cometh forth to draw water, to whom I say, Give me, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher to drink; and who sayeth to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: may she be the woman whom Jehovah hath appointed for my master's son. And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder, and went down unto the fountain, and drew water; and I said to her, Let me drink, I pray thee. And she hasted, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. So I drank, and she gave the camels

drink also. Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare to him. And I put the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. And I bowed myself, and worshipped Jehovah, and blessed Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son. And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me ; and if not, tell me ; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said: The thing proceedeth from Jehovah; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as Jehovah hath spoken. And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before Jehovah. And he brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah. He gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night.

Then they rose up in the morning, and he said: Send me away unto my master. But her brother and her mother said: Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go. And he said to them Hinder me not, seeing Jehovah hath prospered my journey; send me away that I may go to my master. And they said: We will call the damsel, and ask at her mouth. So they called Rebekah, and said to her: Wilt thou go with this man? And she said: I will go. Then they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's slave, and his men. And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her: