Antiquities of the Jews — Book 1, Chapter 19

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 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 be 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, 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.

9. 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 to obtain his pardon.

10. 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 told 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 hospitably 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.

11. But then, as to the sacred images, he bid him search for them; and
when Laban accepted of the offer, Rachel, being informed of it, put
those images into that camel's saddle on which she rode, and sat upon
it; and said, that her natural purgation hindered her rising up: so
Laban left off searching any further, not supposing that his daughter in
such circumstances would approach to those images. So he made a league
with Jacob, and bound it by oaths, that he would not bear him any malice
on account of what had happened; and Jacob made the like league, and
promised to love Laban's daughters. And these leagues they confirmed
with oaths also, which the made upon certain as whereon they erected a
pillar, in the form of an altar: whence that hill is called Gilead; and
from thence they call that land the Land of Gilead at this day. Now when
they had feasted, after the making of the league, Laban returned home.