Part 9

Esau was a hunter, and Jacob a husbandman.

Eſau wilde man huntere, And Iacob tame man tiliere.

Isaac loved Esau for that he was the eldest.

ðe fader luuede eſau wel, for firme birðe & ſwete mel; 1484

[Fol. 29b.] Rebekah loved Jacob because of his peaceful disposition.

ðe moder, iacob for tamehed, And for ðe ali gaſteſ red. Iacob An time him ſeð a mete

Jacob sod pottage.

ðat man callen lentil gete, 1488

Esau came from the field hungry.

And eſau fro felde cam, Sag ðis pulment, hunger hi_m_ nam.

"Brother," said he, "give me of this warm meat, for I am weary."

"Broðer iacob," q_u_at eſau, "Of ðiſ warme mete ðu gif me nu, 1492 for ic ham mattilike weri." Iacob wurð war he waſ gredi;

Jacob said, "Sell me thy birthright, and I will fill thee with meat."

"Broðer," q_u_ad he, "ſel me ðo wunes, ðe q_ue_ðen ben ðe firme ſunes, 1496 ðat ic ðin firme birðehe gete, If ic ðe fille wið ðiſ mete."

Esau consented full blithely.

Q_u_ad eſau, "ful bliðelike," And gafe it him wel ſikerlike. 1500

The eldest son was highly honoured.

firme birðe waſ wurði wune ðe fader dede ðe firme ſune; ðe firme ſune at offrende ſel Waſ wune ben ſcrid ſemelike and wel, 1504

At his father's death he had the blessing.

And ſulde auen ðe bliſcing Or or ðe fader dede hiſ endi_n_g; And at heg tide and at geſtni_n_g, ðe gungere[168] ſune geuen ðe bliſcing, 1508

At meat he had a double portion.

And hauen mete ðan at iſ mel, More or ðe gungere twinne del;

[Fol. 30.] His inheritance was twice as much as the younger's share.

And q_u_anne ðe fader were grauen, two doles of ereward riche auen. 1512

[168] An error for eldere.

JACOB DEFRAUDS ESAU OF THE BLESSING.

A famine banished Isaac to Gerar.

An time dede hunger yſaac flen, And he wulde to egipte then,[169] Oc god him ſente reed in wis ðat he bi-lef in geraſis; 1516

For his father's sake he was highly esteemed.

ðor he was for hiſ fadreſ luue[n] Holden wurðelike a wel a-buuen. An hundred ſo mikel wex hiſ tile, So may god friðe ðor he wile. 1520

The folk of Gerar envied Isaac, so he left them and went to Beersheba.

Niðede ðat folk him fel wel And deden him flitten hiſe oſtel. At berſabe he wunede beſt, And ðor wurð wið him trewðe feſt 1524

Abimelech made a covenant with Isaac.

Abimalech, and luue ſworen, So he waſ or iſ fader bi-foren. And helde gede on yſaac,

Isaac became old and sightless.

Wurðede ſighteleſ and elde ſwac;[170] 1528 He bad eſau, hiſ firme ſune,

He sends Esau for venison,

fechin him fode, aſ he waſ wune; If he toke him ðat he wulde eten,

and promises him his blessing.

Hiſ ſeli bliſcing ſulde he bi-geten. 1532 Ðor q_u_iles eſau ſogte and ran,

Rebekah instructs Jacob how to obtain the blessing.

Rebecca iacob reden gan; Two kides he fette and brogtes hire, And ghe knew wel ðe faderes kire,[171] 1536

[Fol. 30b.]

And made ſwiðe on ſele ðat mete, ſwilc ghe wiſte he wulde eten;

She made him rough like Esau.

Sridde ghe iacob and made him ru ðor he was bare(.) nu lik eſau; 1540 And he ſeruede hiſ fader wel

Jacob obtained the blessing from his father.

Wið wines drinc and ſeles mel. Yſaac wende it were eſau, for he grapte him and fond hi_m_ ru; 1544 ðanne he wiſte him on gode ſel, He him bliſcede holdelike and wel;

[169] _read_ ten?

[170] _read_ eldes wac

[171] Glossed _wune_ in later hand.

ESAU THREATENS TO KILL JACOB.

The dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, plenty of corn and wine, and the lordship over his brethren.

"Heuene dew, and erðeſ fetthed, Of win and olie fulſum-hed," 1548 And bad him of hiſ kindes lou_er_d ben, In welðe and migt wurðinge ðen. Wel bliðe and fagen was iacob ðo, for bliſced he wente hiſ fader fro. 1552

When Isaac understood that Esau came too late he was seized with great fear.

Quan yſaac it under-nam ðat eſau to late cam, And ðat iſ broðer, af-ter boren, Waſ kumen and hadde iſ bliſcing bi-foren, 1556 Wel ſelkuðlike he wurð for-dred;

In his dread he saw how God would that it should so be.

And in ðat dred hiſ ðogt waſ led In to ligtneſſe for to ſen Quow god wulde it ſulde ben. 1560

To Esau thus he spoke:

ðo ſeide yſaac to eſau,

"Thy brother was here just now, and has taken thy blessing, and he shall be blessed."

"ðin broðer iacob waſ her nu,

[Fol. 31.]

And toc ðin bliſcing liðer-like, And he wurð bliſced witterlike." 1564 Quad eſau, "rigt iſ hiſ name hoten iacob, to min un-frame;

Esau intreats for one blessing.

Or he min firme birðe toc, Nu haued[172] he ſtolen min bliſcing oc; 1568 ðog, fader dere, bidde ic ðe, ðat ſum bliſcing gif ðu me."

Isaac promises him that his dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven.

ðo gan eſau ðengen[173] and ſen Quilc iſ bliſcing migte ben; 1572 In heuene deu, and erðes ſmere, Gatte him bliſcing ðat him waſ gere;

Idumea became Esau's inheritance.

for ydumea, ðat fulſum lond, Of lewſe god, was in hiſe hond. 1576

Esau threatens Jacob.

Q_u_ad eſau, "grot ſal bi-cumen, And wreche of iacob ſal binumen." Oc rebecca wiſte ðat ðhogt, ðat hate waſ in hiſe herte brogt, 1580

Rebekah warns Jacob of his brother's intentions.

for-ði ghe iacob warnen gan, And ſente him to hiſ broðer laban;

[172] _read_ haueð

[173] _read_ ðenken

JACOB IS SENT TO PADAN-ARAM.

"be ðu ðer," q_u_at ghe, "til eſau Eðe moðed [be], ðe wreðed nu, 1584 And ðu ſalt ðe betre ſped,

Rebekah complains to Isaac of Esau's marriage and connection with the Canaanites.

If it beð bi ðin faderes red." Q_u_ad rebecca to hire were, "Eſau wifuede uſ to dere 1588

[Fol. 31b.]

Quan he iuſted & beð ſo mat, Toc of kin ðe canaan bi-gat, For-ði he maked him ſtið & ſtrong, For he beð mengt ðat kin among; 1592 If iacob toke her alſo a wif, Ne bode ic no lengere werldeſ lif.

Isaac blesses Jacob,

Yſaac bad iacob hi_m_ garen,

and sends him to Padan-aram.

And forð ſwiðe to laban faren; 1596 Iacob liſtenede ðo frendes red, Fro berſabe he ferde wið ſped;

Jacob went a long way about,

Long weie he gan to-ward aram, bi cananeam forð he nam, 1600

in order to avoid the houses of the Canaanites.

And wulde nogt ðat folc bi-twen Herberged in here huſes ben.

At Luz he tarried all night.

He lay bi luzan ut on nigt, A ſton under hiſe heued rigt, 1604

In a dream he saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven,

And ſlep and ſag, an ſoðe drem, fro ðe erðe up til heuene bem, A leddre ſtonden, and ðor-on

angels ascending and descending, and the Lord stood above it.

Angeles dun-cumen and up-gon, 1608 And ðe lou_er_d ðor uppe a-buuen Lened[174] ðor-on; and [Jacob] wurð ut-ſuuen,

"I am," He said, "the God of Abraham and of Isaac;

Herde ðat he q_u_ad, "god ic am ðe luued yſaac and abraham; 1612

this land will I give thee, and in thy seed shall all mankind be blessed."

And ðis lond ic ſal giuen ðin ſed, And in ðis weige don ðe red;

[Fol. 32.]

And i ſal bringen ðe a-gen, And of ðin kinde bliſced ðu ſalt ben." 1616

[174] _read_ leued = remained?

FROM LUZ HE JOURNEYS TO HARAN.

Jacob awoke. "Surely," he said, "here is God's house.

Iacob abraid, & ſeide frigtilike:— "God in ðis ſtede iſ wittirlike, Her, dredful ſtede, her, godeſ hus, Her, heuenegate amonguſ[175] us; 1620

If I may come again to my father's house,

Lou_er_d, if ic mote a-gen cumen, Of ðis ſtede ic ſal i_n_ herte munen;" (Sette he up ðat ſton for muniging, And get on olige for tok-ning) 1624

the lord shall be my God,

"He ſal eu_er_e min lou_er_d ben, ðat dede me her ðis ſigt[e] ſen,

here I shall brake offerings, and yield tithes."

Her ic ſal offrendes here don And tigðes wel gelden her-up-on; 1628 And wel ſal luz wurðed ben, for ic gan her ðis ſigðhe ſen."

Jacob called the place Bethel.

Iacob calde ðat ſtede betel; Q_u_or-fore he it dede, he wiſte wel. 1632 Longe weie he ſiðen ou_er_-cam,

Jacob pursues his journey.

And longe time or he ſag tharam. Q_u_ane he cam ner, fond he ðor-on

He finds a well at Haran; three flocks of sheep were lying by it.

A welle wel helid under a ſton, 1636 And ðre flockes of ſep dor-bi,[176]

The cattle did not go to water one by one, but were all collected together at one time.

ðat ðor abiden al for-ði; ðor waſ nogt wune on & on, ðat orf ðor to water gon, 1640

[Fol. 32b.]

Oc at ſet time he ſulden ſamen, ðor hem-ſelf & here orf framen.

Jacob asks the herdsmen the way to Laban's house.

Iacob ðes hirdes freinen gan, Hu fer iſt heðen to laban; 1644 Wel he ſeiden and ſwiðe wel,

They answered, "Here is Rachel his daughter." She came to bring the sheep to the well.

"loc! her hiſ dogter rachel." Sep he driuen ðiſ welle ner, for ghe hem wulde wattre ðer. 1648

Jacob rolled the stone from the well's mouth.

Iacob wið hire wente ðat ſton, And let hire ſep to wat_er_ gon;

He made known his relationship to Rachel.

And kidde he was hire mouies ſune, And kiſte hire aftre kindes wune; 1652

[175] So in MS.

[176] _read_ ðor-bi

JACOB COVENANTS FOR RACHEL.

Rachel was bliðe and forð ghe nam, And kiddit to hire fader laban.

Laban welcomes his nephew and brings him to his house.

Laban fagnede hi_m_ in frendes wune, feren ſwunken yſaaces ſunen. 1656 Iacob tolde him for q_u_at he ſwanc So fer, and laban herte ranc; He cuðe him ðer-of wel gret ðhanc,

He entertains him well.

And dede him eten and to him dranc, 1660 And ſeide to him, "bi min blod, ðin come iſ me leflike and good."

Jacob abode with Laban for one month,

Laban bi-tagte him, ſiðen to ſen, Hiſ hirdeneſſe ðat it wel ben. 1664

after which time Laban said to him,

And q_u_anne a moneð was ou_er_-meten, "Iacob," wað he, "q_u_at wiltu bi-geten?

[Fol. 33.] "Tell me what shall thy wages be."

Quat-ſo [177][ðu] wilt for hire crauen, Aſke it wið ſkil and ðu ſalt hauen." 1668

Jacob covenanted for Rachel.

Q_u_at iacob, "ic ſal, for rachel, Seruen ðe ſeuene winter wel." Luue wel michil it agte a wold, Swilc ſeruiſe and ſo longe told. 1672

Seven years passed away and Laban made a feast.

forð geden ſeuene ger bi tale, And laban made him hiſ bridale;

When even came Jacob was deceived with Leah.

Iacob wurð drunken, and euen cam, Laban bi nigt tog him liam; 1676 And a maiden waſ hire bi-tagt, Zelfa bi name, ðat ilke nagt. Iacob gan hire under-fon,

Laban says that it was not the custom to marry the younger before the first-born.

O morgen ðugte it hi_m_ miſ-don. 1680 Q_u_at laban, "long wune iſ her driuen, firmeſt on elde, firſt ben giuen: And loð me waſ ſenden rachel So fer, for ic luuede her wel; 1684

Jacob agrees to serve other seven years for Rachel.

Oc ſerf me ſeuene oðer ger, If ðu ſalt rachel ſeruen her;

[177] At bottom of Fol. 32b is the catchword—"q_u_at ſo ðu wilt."

JACOB MARRIES RACHEL.

Seue nigt ſiðen forð ben numen Or rachel beð to iacob cumen, 1688 And laban made a feſte oc

Jacob marries Rachel.

Qua_n_ne iacob wid[178] rachel toc; And for ghe ðanne cam hi_m_ ner, ſeruede he hi_m_ ſiðen ſeuene ger. 1692

[Fol. 33b.]

Rachel adde, after londes kire,[179] maiden balaam to ſeruen hire.

Leah was the mother of four sons.

LIa moder of fowre was, Ruben, ſymeon, leui, iudas; 1696

Rachel was barren.

for rachel non birðe ne nam, Sge[180] bi-tagte iacob balaam;

Bilhah, her handmaid, bare Dan and Naphtali.

bala two childre bar bi him, Rachel cald es[181] dan(.) neptalim; 1700

Zilpah bare Gad and Asher.

And zelfa two ſunes him ber, Lia calde iſ(.) Gad(.) and aſſer;

Leah afterwards bare Zebulun, Issachar, and Dinah.

Lia ſiðen two ſunes bar, Zabulon(.) laſt(.) or yſakar; 1704 Lia bar laſt dowter dinam, Sichem, ſiðen, hire ille bi-nam.

At last Joseph was born of Rachel.

Last of rachel iosep was boren, Beſt of alle ðe oðere bi-foren. 1708 Longe haued[182] nu iacob ben her, wið laban fulle .xiii. ger;

Jacob desires leave of Laban to depart.

Leue aſkede hem hom to faren, Wið wiues and childre ðeðen charen, 1712

Laban would not let him depart.

But-if laban him ðelde bet Hiſe ſeruiſe, and wið-holde hi_m_ get; ſerue he ſcriðed ðat .vij. ger, ðat he bi-leue and ſerue hi_m_ her; 1716

He promises him to give him for hire whatever he shall ask.

Wel he ſeið him ðat he ſal hauen for hire, quat-ſo he wile crauen.

[Fol. 34.]

forward iſ mad of alle ſep, Of oneſ bles[183] iacob nim kep, 1720

Jacob is to have all the speckled

And if of ðo ſpotted cumen,

[178] wið?

[179] Glossed _wune_ in a later hand.

[180] she?

[181] caldes MS.

[182] haueð?

[183] fles MS.

JACOB LEAVES LABAN SECRETLY.

and spotted cattle for his hire.

ðo ſulen him ben for hire numen; Sep or got, haſwed, arled, or grei, Ben don fro iacob fer a-wei; 1724

The flocks produced many speckled and spotted.

ðog him boren ðes oneſ bles Vn-like manige and likeles.

Laban was greatly displeased.

ðo ſag laban ðat iacob bi-gat Michil, and him miſlikede ðat; 1728

He changed Jacob's hire.

bi-tagte him ðo ðe ſunder bles, And it him boren ones bles.

Ten times within six years he shifted the cattle.

Ten ſiðes ðus binnen .vi. ger, Shiftede iacob hirdeneſſe her, 1732 And ai was labaneſ herte ſor, for hiſ agte wex mor & mor.

Jacob saw that Laban was unfriendly towards him,

Ðo ſag iacob laban wurð wroð, Vnder him ben leng iſ hi_m_ loð, 1736

so he determined to leave Padanaram.

And wið iſ wiues he takeð red, And greiðet him deðenward[184] wið ſped.

Laban had left Haran to shear his sheep.

Laban ferde to nimen kep, In clipping time to hiſe ſep, 1740 fro caram in-to vten ſtede, ðor q_u_iles iacob ðiſ dede dede; Wið wiues, and childre, & orf he nam,

Jacob came to mount Gilead,

And to ðe munt galaad he bi-cam; 1744

[Fol. 34b.]

ðanne fleg he to meſopotaniam,

and drew towards Canaan.

And drog to-ward cananeam. And Rachel adde hid and for-olen

Rachel had stolen her father's gods.

Hire faderes godes of gold, & ſtolen. 1748 Laban it wiſte on ðe ðridde dai

Laban, hearing of Jacob's flight, pursues him.

ðat iacob waſ ðus flogen a-wei; He toc, and wente, and folwede on, And ðhogt in mod iacob to ſlon, 1752

God, in a dream, forbids Laban to harm Jacob.

Oc god in ſweuene ſpac him to, ðat he ſulde iacob non yuel do.

Laban overtakes Jacob on the seventh day.

vij. nigt forð-geden and dais oc, Or laban iacob ouer-toc; 1756

[184] ðeðenward?

THE COVENANT BETWEEN JACOB AND LABAN.

So waſ he frig[t]ed ear in drem, ðus meðelike ſpac ðiſ em:

He complains of the wrong done to him.

"Q_u_i wore ðu fro me for-holen, And q_u_i aſ ðu min godes ſtolen? 1760 Min mog, min neue, and felage, Me ne agtes ðu don ſwilc [vn-]lage." "[I]c was for-dred ðe migte timen, fro me ðine doutres bi-nimen, 1764

Jacob denies that he has been guilty of theft.

fro here childre ðhogt hem ſor, mor for me bi-leuen ðor; ſtalðe ic for-ſake, ðat iſ min red, wið q_u_am ðu iſ findes, ðat he be dead." 1768

Laban searched for his idols, but found them not.

Of al ðat laban haued[185] iſ ſogt, So woren it hid, ne fond he is nogt.

[Fol. 35.] Then said Jacob, "What is my sin that thou ransackest me as a thief?"

Ðo [q]wað iacob, "yuel iſt bi-togen, Min ſwinc a-buten ðin holðe drogen; 1772 ðu me ranſakes alſ an ðef, And me was ðin wurðing lef."

Quoth Laban, "Friends will we be and plight troth between us."

ðo q_u_at laban, "frend ſule wit ben, And trewðe pligt[186] nu unc bi-twen, 1776 And make we it her an hil of ſton, Name of witneſſe be ðer-on;" ðor-on he eten bliðe and glað,[187]

This covenant was made at Gilead.

ðat hil iſ hoten galaað; 1780 Laban hem bliſcede, & on nigt

Laban departed before daylight.

wente a-gen-ward, or it waſ ligt; And iacob waſ of weie rad, Raðe he was fer fro laban ſad. 1784

As Jacob drew near to Canaan, he was met by the angels of God.

Alſ he cam ner cananeam, Engel wirð a-gen him cam, Als it were wopnede here, Redi to ſilden him fro were; 1788

That place he called Mahanaim.