Part 6

And Rebecca spake to Isaac: I am wery of my life/ for feare of the doughters of Heth. Yf Iacob take a wife of the doughters of Heth/ soch one as these are/ or of the doughters of the lande/ what lust shulde I haue to lyue.

¶ The .xxviij. Chapter.

Than Isaac called Iacob his sonne and blessed him/ ad charged him and sayde vnto him: se thou take not a wife of the doughters of Canaan/ but aryse ad gett the to Mesopotamia of the house of Bethuel thy mothers father: and there take the a wife of the doughters of Laban thi mothers brother. And God allmightie blesse the/ increase the and multiplie the that thou mayst be a nombre of people/ and geue the the blessynge of Abraham: both to the and to thy seed with the that thou mayst possesse the lade (wherein thou art a strangere) which God gaue vnto Abraham. Thus Isaac sent forth Iacob/ to goo to Mesopotamia vnto Laban/ sonne of Bethuel the Sirien/ and brother to Rebecca Iacobs & Esaus mother.

When Esau sawe that Isaac had blessed Iacob/ and sent him to Mesopotamia/ to fett him a wife thence/ and that/ as he blessed him he gaue him a charge saynge: se thou take not a wife of the doughters of Canaan: and that Iacob had obeyed his father and mother/ & was gone vnto Mesopotamia: and seynge also that the doughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father: Then went he vnto Ismael/ and toke vnto the wiues which he had/ Mahala the doughter of Ismael Abrahams sonne/ the sister of Nabaioth to be his wife.

Iacob departed from Berseba and went toward Haran/ and came vnto a place and taried there all nyghte/ because the sonne was downe. And toke a stone of the place/ and put it vnder his heade/ and layde him downe in the same place to slepe. And he dreamed: and beholde there stode a ladder apon the erth/ and the topp of it reached vpp to heau[~e]. And se/ the angells of God went vp and downe apon it/ yee ad the LORde stode apon it and sayde.

I am the LORde God of Abraham thi father and the God of Isaac: The londe which thou slepest apon will I geue the and thy seed. And thy seed shalbe as the dust of the erth: And thou shalt spreade abrode: west/ east/ north and south. And thorow the and thy seed shall all the kynreddes of the erth be blessed. And se I am with the/ and wylbe thy keper in all places whother thou goost/ & wyll brynge y^e agayne in to this lande: Nether will I leaue the vntill I haue made good/ all that I haue promysed the.

When Iacob was awaked out of his slepe/ he sayde: surely the LORde is in this place/ ad I was not aware. And he was afrayde & sayde how fearfull is this place? it is none other/ but euen the house of God and the gate of heau[~e]. And Iacob stode vp early in the mornynge and toke the stone that he had layde vnder his heade/ and pitched it vp an ende and poured oyle on the topp of it. And he called the name of the place Bethell/ for in dede the name of the citie was called Lus before tyme.

And Iacob vowed a vowe saynge: Yf God will be with me and wyll kepe me in this iourney which I goo and will geue me bread to eate and cloothes to put on/ so that I come agayne vnto my fathers house in saftie: then shall the LORde be my God/ and this stone which I haue sett vp an ende/ shalbe godes house/ And of all that thou shalt geue me/ will I geue the tenth vnto the.

¶ The .xxix. Chapter.

Then Iacob lyfte vp his fete & w[~e]t toward the east countre. And as he loked aboute/ behold there was a well in the feld/ and .iij. flockes of shepe laye therby (for at that well were the flockes watered) & there laye a great stone at the well mouth And the maner was to brynge the flockes thyther/ & to roull the stone fro the welles mouth and to water the shepe/ and to put the stone agayne vppon the wells mouth vnto his place.

And Iacob sayde vnto th[~e]: brethern/ wh[~e]ce be ye? and they sayde: of Haran ar we. And he sayde vnto th[~e]: knowe ye Laban the sonne of Nahor. And they sayde: we knowe him. And he sayde vnto th[~e]: is he in good health? And they sayde: he is in good health: and beholde/ his doughter Rahel cometh with y^e shepe. And he sayde: lo/ it is yet a great whyle to nyghte/ nether is it tyme y^t the catell shulde be gathered together: water the shepe and goo and fede th[~e]. And they sayde: we maye not/ vntill all y^e flockes be brought together & the stone be roulled fro the wells mouth/ and so we water oure shepe.

Whyle he yet talked with th[~e]/ Rahel came with hir fathers shepe/ for she kepte them. As soone As Iacob sawe Rahel/ the doughter of Laban his mothers brother/ and the shepe of Laban his mothers brother/ he went and rowled the stone fro the wells mouth/ and watered the shepe of Laba his mothers brother And Iacob kyssed Rahel/ and lyfte vp his voyce and wepte: and tolde her also y^t he was hir fathers brother and Rebeccas sonne. Th[~e] Rahel ranne and tolde hir father.

When Laban herd tell of Iacob his sisters sonne/ he ranne agaynst him and enbraced h[~i] & kyssed him ad broughte him in to his house. And th[~e] Iacob told Laba all y^e matter And th[~e] Laba sayde: well/ thou art my bone & my flesh. Abyde with me the space of a moneth. And afterward Laban sayd vnto Iacob: though thou be my brother/ shuldest thou therfore serue me for nought? tell me what shall thi wages be? And Laban had .ij. doughters/ the eldest called Lea and the yongest Rahel. Lea was tender eyed: But Rahel was bewtifull ad well fauored. And Iacob loued her well/ and sayde: I will serue the .vij. yere for Rahel thy yongest doughter. And Laban answered: it is better y^t I geue her the/ than to another man: byde therfore with me.

And Iacob serued .vij. yeres for Rahel/ and they semed vnto him but a fewe dayes/ for the loue he had to her. And Iacob sayde vnto Laban/ geue me my wife/ that I maye lye with hir For the tyme appoynted me is come.

Than Laban bade all the men of that place/ and made a feast. And when eu[~e] was come/ he toke Lea his doughter and broughte her to him and he went in vnto her. And Laban gaue vnto his doughter Lea/ Zilpha his mayde/ to be hir seruaunte.

And when the mornynge was come/ beholde it was Lea. Than sayde he to Laban: wherfore hast thou played thus with me? dyd not I serue the for Rahel/ wherfore than hast thou begyled me? Laban answered: it is not the maner of this place/ to marre the yongest before the eldest. Passe out this weke/ & tha shall this also be geven the for y^e seruyce which thou shalt serue me yet .vij. yeres more. And Iacob dyd eu[~e] so/ and passed out that weke/ & than he gaue h[~i] Rahel his doughter to wyfe also. And Laban gaue to Rahel his doughter/ Bilha his handmayde to be hir serva[~u]te. So laye he by Rahel also/ and loved Rahel more than Lea/ and serued him yet .vij. yeres more.

When the LORde sawe that Lea was despised/ he made her frutefull: but Rahel was baren. And Lea conceaued and bare a sonne/ ad called his name Rub[~e]/ for she sayde: the LORde hath loked apon my tribulation. And now my husbonde will loue me. And she conceaued agayne and bare a sonne/ and sayde: the LORde hath herde that I am despised/ ad hath therfore geuen me this sonne also/ and she called him Simeon. And she conceaued yet and bare a sonne/ ad sayde: now this once will my husbonde kepe me company/ because I haue borne him .iij. sonnes: and therfore she called his name Levi. And she conceaued yet agayne/ and bare a sonne saynge: Now will I prayse the LORde: therfore she called his name Iuda/ and left bearynge.

¶ The .xxx. Chapter

When Rahel sawe that she bare Iacob no childern/ she enuied hir sister & sayde vnto Iacob: geue me childern/ or ells I am but deed. Than was Iacob wrooth with Rahel saynge: Am I in godes steade which kepeth fro the the frute of thi wobe? Th[~e] she sayde: here is my mayde Bilha: go in vnto her/ that she maye beare vpo my lappe/ that I maye be encreased by her. And she gaue him Bilha hir hadmayde to wife. And Iacob w[~e]t in vnto her/ And Bilha conceaued and bare Iacob a sonne. Than sayde Rahel. God hath geuen sent[~e]ce on my syde/ and hath also herde my voyce/ and hath geuen me a sonne. Therfore called she him Dan. And Bilha Rahels mayde coceaued agayne and bare Iacob a nother sonne. And Rahel sayde. God is turned/ and I haue made a chaunge with my sister/ & haue got[~e] y^e vpper hade. And she called his name Nepthali

Wh[~e] Lea sawe that she had left bearinge/ she toke Silpha hir mayde and gaue her Iacob to wiffe. And Silpha Leas mayde bare Iacob a sonne. Than sayde Lea: good lucke: and called his name Gad. And Silpha Leas mayde bare Iacob an other sonne. Tha sayd Lea: happy am I/ for the doughters will call me blessed. And called his name Asser.

And Rub[~e] w[~e]t out in the wheat haruest & fo[~u]de mandragoras in the feldes/ and brought th[~e] vnto his mother Lea. Than sayde Rahel to Lea geue me of thy sonnes madragoras. And Lea answered: is it not ynough/ y^t thou hast tak[~e] awaye my housbode/ but woldest take awaye my sonnes mandragoras also? Than sayde Rahel well/ let him slepe with the this nyghte/ for thy sonnes mandragoras. And wh[~e] Iacob came from the feldes at euen/ Lea went out to mete him/ & sayde: come in to me/ for I haue bought the with my sonnes mandragoras.

And he slepte with her that nyghte. And God herde Lea/ y^t she coceaved and bare vnto Iacob y^e .v. sonne. Than sayde Lea. God hath geu[~e] me my rewarde/ because I gaue my mayd[~e] to my housbod/ and she called him Isachar. And Lea coceaued yet agayne and bare Iacob the sexte sonne. Than sayde she: God hath endowed me with a good dowry. Now will my housbond dwell with me/ because I haue borne him .vi. sonnes: and called his name Zabulo. After that she bare a daughter and called her Dina.

And God rem[~e]bred Rahel/ herde her/ and made her frutefull: so that she coceaued and bare a sonne and sayde God hath tak[~e] awaye my rebuke. And she called his name Ioseph saynge The lorde geue me yet another sonne.

As soone as Rahel had borne Ioseph/ Iacob sayde to Laban: S[~e]de me awaye y^t I maye goo vnto myne awne place and c[~u]tre/ geue me my wives and my childern for whome I haue serued the/ and let me goo: for thou knowest what seruyce I haue done the. Than sayde Laban vnto h[~i]: If I haue fownde fauoure in thy syghte (for I suppose y^t the LORde hath blessed me for thy sake) appoynte what thy rewarde shalbe/ and I will geue it y^e. But he sayde vnto hym/ thou knowest what seruyce I haue done y^e/ & in what takynge thy catell haue bene vnder me: for it was but litle that thou haddest before I came/ and now it is encreased in to a multitude/ and the LORDE hath blessed the for my sake. But now when shall I make provysion for myne awne house also? And he sayde: what shall I geue the? And Iacob answerd: thou shalt geue me nothinge at all/ yf thou wilt do this one thinge for me: And then will I turne agayne & fede thy shepe and kepe them.

I will go aboute all thy shepe this daye/ and separate fro th[~e] all the shepe that are spotted and of dyverse coloures/ and all blacke shepe amonge the lambes and the partie and spotted amonge the kyddes: And then such shalbe my rewarde. So shall my rightwesnes answere for me: when the tyme commeth that I shall receaue my rewarde of the: So that what soeuer is not speckeld and partie amonge the gootes and blacke amonge the lambes/ let that be theft with me.

Than sayde Laban: loo/ I am cont[~e]te/ that it be acordinge as thou hast sayde. And he toke out that same daye the he gootes that were partie & of dyuerse coloures/ & all the she gootes that were spotted and partie coloured/ & all that had whyte in th[~e]/ & all the blacke amonge the lambes: ad put th[~e] in the kepinge of his sonnes/ & sett thre dayes iourney betwixte h[~i]selfe & Iacob. And so Iacob kepte y^e rest of Labas shepe.

Iacob toke roddes of grene popular/ hasell/ & of chestnottrees/ & pilled whyte strakes in th[~e] & made the white apere in the staues: And he put the staues which he had pilled/ eu[~e] before y^e shepe/ in the gutters & watrynge troughes/ wh[~e] the shepe came to drynke: y^t they shulde coceaue wh[~e] they came to drynke. And the shepe coceaued before the staues & brought forth straked/ spotted & partie. Th[~e] Iacob parted the labes/ & turned the faces of the shepe toward spotted thinges/ & toward allmaner of blacke thinges thorow out the flockes of Laba. And he made him flockes of his owne by th[~e] selfe/ which he put not vnto the flockes of Laba. And allwaye in the first buckinge tyme of the shepe/ Iacob put the staues before the shepe in the gutters/ y^t they myghte conceaue before the staues/ But in the latter buckynge tyme/ he put them not there: so the last brode was Labas and the first Iacobs. And the man became excedynge ryche & had many shepe/ maydeseruauntes/ menseruauntes/ camels & asses.

¶ The .xxxi. Chapter.

And Iacob herde the wordes of Labas sonnes how they sayde: Iacob hath tak[~e] awaye all that was oure fathers/ and of oure fathers goodes/ hath he got[~e] all this honoure. And Iacob behelde the countena[~u]ce of Laban/ that it was not toward him as it was in tymes past.

And the LORde sayde vnto Iacob: turne agayne in to the lade of thy fathers & to thy kynred/ & I wilbe with y^e. Tha Iacob sent & called Rahel & Lea to the felde vnto his shepe/ & sayde vnto th[~e]: I se youre fathers countena[~u]ce y^t it is not toward me as in tymes past. Morouer y^e God of my father hath bene with me. And ye knowe how that I haue serued youre father with all my myghte. And youre father hath disceaued me & chaunged my wages .x. tymes: But God suffred him not to hurte me. When he sayde the spotted shalbe thy wages/ tha all the shepe bare spotted. Yf he sayde the straked shalbe thi rewarde/ tha bare all the shepe straked: thus hath God tak[~e] awaye youre fathers catell & geu[~e] th[~e] me. For in buckynge tyme/ I lifted vp myne eyes and sawe in a dreame: and beholde/ the rammes that bucked the shepe were straked/ spotted and partie. And the angell of God spake vnto me in a dreame saynge: Iacob. And I answered: here am I. And he sayde: lyfte vp thyne eyes ad see/ how all the rames that leape vpon the shepe are straked/ spotted and partie: for I haue sene all that Laban doth vnto y^e. I am y^e god of Bethell where thou anoynteddest the stone ad where thou vowdest a vowe vnto me. Now aryse and gett the out of this countre/ ad returne vnto the lade/ where thou wast borne. Than answered Rahel & Lea & sayde vnto him: we haue no parte nor enheritaunce in oure fathers house he cownteth us eu[~e] as straungers/ for he hath solde vs/ and hath euen eaten vp the price of vs. Moreouer all the riches which God hath tak[~e] from oure father/ that is oures and oure childerns. Now therfore what soeuer God hath sayde vnto the/ that doo. Tha Iacob rose vp & sett his sones and wiues vp vpon camels/ and caried away all his catell & all his substace which he had gott[~e] in Mesopotamia/ for to goo to Isaac his father vnto the lade of Canaan. Laba was gone to shere his shepe/ & Rahel had stoll[~e] hir fathers ymages. And Iacob went awaye vnknowynge to Laban the Siri[~e]/ & tolde him not y^t he fled. So fled he & all y^t he had/ & made him self redy/ & passed ouer the ryuers/ and sett his face streyght towarde the mounte Gilead.

Apo the thirde day after/ was it tolde Laba y^t Iacob was fled. Tha he toke his brethr[~e] with him and folowed after him .vij. dayes iourney and ouer toke him at the mounte Gilead. And God came to Laba the Siria in a dreame by nighte/ and sayde vnto him: take hede to thi selfe/ that thou speake not to Iacob oughte save good. And Laba ouer toke Iacob: and Iacob had pitched his t[~e]te in y^t mounte. And Laban with his brethern pitched their t[~e]te also apon the mounte Gilead. Than sayde Laba to Iacob: why hast thou this done vnknowynge to me/ and hast caried awaye my doughters as though they had bene tak[~e] captyue with swerde? Wherfore wentest thou awaye secretly vnknowne to me & didest not tell me/ y^t I myghte haue broughte y^e on the waye with myrth/ syngynge/ tymrells and harppes/ and hast not suffred me to kysse my childern & my doughters. Thou wast a fole to do it/ for I am able to do you evell. But the God of youre father spake vnto me yesterdaye saynge take hede tha thou speake not to Iacob oughte saue goode. And now though thou w[~e]test thi waye because thou logest after thi fathers house/ yet wherfore hast thou stollen my goddes?

Iacob answerd & sayde to Laba: because I was afrayed/ & thought that thou woldest haue tak[~e] awaye thy doughters fro me. But with whome soeuer thou fyndest thy goddes/ let him dye here before oure brethr[~e]. Seke that thine is by me/ & take it to the: for Iacob wist not that Rahel had stoll[~e] th[~e]. Tha w[~e]t Laba in to Iacobs t[~e]te/ & in to Leas t[~e]te/ & in to .ij. maydens tentes: but fownde th[~e] not. Tha w[~e]t he out of Leas t[~e]te/ & entred in to Rahels t[~e]te. And Rahel toke the ymages/ & put them in the camels strawe & sate doune apo th[~e]. And Laba serched all the t[~e]te: but fownde th[~e] not. Tha sayde she to hir father: my lorde/ be not angrye y^t I ca not ryse vp before the/ for the disease of wem[~e] is come apon me. So searched he/ but fo[~u]de th[~e] not.

Iacob was wrooth & chode with Laba: Iacob also answered and sayde to him: what haue I trespaced or what haue I offended/ that thou foloweddest after me? Thou hast searched all my stuffe/ and what hast thou founde of all thy housholde stuffe? put it here before thi brethern & myne/ & let th[~e] iudge betwyxte vs both. This xx. yere y^t I haue bene wyth the/ thy shepe and thy gootes haue not bene baren/ and the rammes of thi flocke haue I not eat[~e]. What soeuer was torne of beastes I broughte it not vnto y^e/ but made it good my silf: of my hade dydest thou requyre it/ whether it was stollen by daye or nyghte Moreouer by daye the hete consumed me/ and the colde by nyghte/ and my slepe departed fro myne eyes.

Thus haue I bene .xx. yere in thi house/ and serued the .xiiij. yeres for thy .ij. doughters/ and vi. yere for thi shepe/ and thou hast changed my rewarde .x. tymes. And excepte the God of my father/ the God of Abraha and the God whome Isaac feareth/ had bene with me: surely thou haddest sent me awaye now all emptie. But God behelde my tribulation/ and the laboure of my handes: and rebuked the yester daye.

Laban answered ad sayde vnto Iacob: the doughters are my doughters/ and the childern ar my childern/ and the shepe are my shepe/ ad all that thou seist is myne. And what can I do this daye vnto these my doughters/ or vnto their childern which they haue borne? Now therfore come on/ let us make a bonde/ I and thou together/ and let it be a wytnesse betwene the & me. Than toke Iacob a stone and sett it vp an ende/ ad sayde vnto his brethern/ gather stoones And they toke stoones ad made an heape/ and they ate there/ vpo the heape. And Laba called it Iegar Sahadutha/ but Iacob called it Gylead.

Than sayde Laban: this heape be witnesse betwene the and me this daye (therfore is it called Gilead) and this totehill which the lorde seeth (sayde he) be wytnesse betwene me and the when we are departed one from a nother: that thou shalt not vexe my doughters nether shalt take other wyves vnto them. Here is no man with vs: beholde/ God is wytnesse betwixte the and me. And Laban sayde moreouer to Iacob: beholde/ this heape & this marke which I haue sett here/ betwyxte me and the: this heape be wytnesse and also this marcke/ that I will not come ouer this heape to the/ ad thou shalt not come ouer this heape ad this marke/ to do any harme. The God of Abraham/ the God of Nahor and the God of theyr fathers/ be iudge betwixte vs.

And Iacob sware by him that his father Isaac feared. Then Iacob dyd sacrifyce vpon the mounte/ and called his brethern to eate breed. And they ate breed and taried all nyghte in the hyll. And early in the mornynge Laban rose vp and kyssed his childern and his doughters/ and blessed th[~e] and departed and w[~e]t unto his place agayne. But Iacob went forth on his iourney. And the angells of God came & mett him. And when Iacob sawe them/ he sayde: this is godes hoost: and called the name of that same place/ Mahanaim.

¶ The .xxxij. Chapter.

Iacob sente meessengers before him to Esau his brother/ vnto the londe of Seir and the felde of Edom. And he comaunded them saynge: se that ye speake after this maner to my lorde Esau: thy seruaunte Iacob sayth thus. I haue sogerned ad bene a straunger with Laban vnto this tyme: & haue gotten oxen/ asses and shepe/ menservauntes & wemanseruauntes/ & haue sent to shewe it mi lorde/ that I may fynde grace in thy syghte. And the messengers came agayne to Iacob sainge: we came vnto thi brother Esau/ and he cometh ageynst the and .iiij. hundred men with h[~i]. Than was Iacob greatlye afrayde/ and wist not which waye to turne him selfe/ and devyded the people that was with him & the shepe/ oxen and camels/ in to .ij. companies/ and sayde: Yf Esau come to the one parte and smyte it/ the other may saue it selfe.

[Sidenote: * Prayer is to cleave vnto the promyses of god with a stroge fayth and to besech god with a fervent desyre that he will fulfyll them for his mercye & truth onlye. As Iacob here doth.]

* And Iacob sayde: O god of my father Abraham/ and God of my father Isaac: LORde which saydest vnto me/ returne vnto thy cuntre and to thy kynrede/ and I will deall wel with the. I am not worthy of the leaste of all the mercyes and treuth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruaunte. For with my staf came I over this Iordane/ and now haue I goten .ij. droves Delyver me from the handes of my brother Esau/ for I feare him: lest he will come and smyte the mother with the childern. Thou saydest that thou woldest surely do me good/ and woldest make mi seed as the sonde of the see which can not be nombred for multitude.

And he taried there that same nyghte/ & toke of that which came to hande/ a preasent/ vnto Esau his brother: ij hundred she gootes ad xx he gootes: ij hundred shepe and xx rammes: thyrtye mylch camels with their coltes: xl kyne ad x bulles: xx she asses ad x foles and delyuered them vnto his seruauntes/ euery drooue by them selues/ ad sayde vnto them: goo forth before me and put a space betwyxte euery drooue. And he comaunded the formest saynge

Wh[~e] Esau my brother meteth the ad axeth the saynge: whose serua[~u]te art thou & whither goost thou/ & whose ar these that goo before y^e: thou shalt say/ they be thy seruaunte Iacobs/ & are a present sent vnto my lorde Esau/ and beholde/ he him selfe cometh after vs. And so comaunded he the seconde/ ad euen so the thirde/ and lykewyse all that folowed the drooues sainge/ of this maner se that ye speake vnto Esau wh[~e] ye mete him/ ad saye more ouer. Beholde thy seruaunte Iacob cometh after vs/ for he sayde. I will pease his wrath with the present y^t goth before me and afterward I will see him myself/ so peradventure he will receaue me to grace.

So went the pres[~e]t before him ad he taried all that nyghte in the tente/ ad rose vp the same nyghte ad toke his .ij. wyves and his .ij. maydens & his .xi. sonnes/ & went ouer the foorde Iabok. And he toke them ad sent th[~e] ouer the ryuer/ ad sent ouer that he had ad taried behinde him selfe alone.

And there wrastled a man with him vnto the breakynge of the daye. And when he sawe that he coude not prevayle agaynst him/ he smote h[~i] vnder the thye/ and the senowe of Iacobs thy shranke as he wrastled with him. And he sayde: let me goo/ for the daye breaketh. And he sayde: I will not lett the goo/ excepte thou blesse me. And he sayde vnto him: what is thy name? He answered: Iacob. And he sayde: thou shalt be called Iacob nomore/ but Israell. For thou hast wrastled with God and with men ad hast preuayled.