44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;

45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?

XXVII.

THE VISION OF YA'AQÔB.

XXVIII. 10 And Ya'aqôb went out from Beêr-Shâb'a, and went toward Hârân.

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.

12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the angels of God ascending and descending upon it.

13 And, behold, Yahveh stood above it, and said, I am Yahveh, the God of Abrâhâm thy father, and the God of Yiçe'hâq: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

16 And Ya'aqôb awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely Yahveh is in this place: and I knew it not.

17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

18 And Ya'aqôb rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

19 And he called the name of that place Bêth-Êl (the house of God): but the name of the city was Lûz at the first.

20 And Ya'aqôb vowed a vow, saying, If Yahveh Elôhim will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall Yahveh be my God.

22 And this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house1: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

1 The Bêth-El or betylus, by which name the sacred stones were known in the neighbouring nations to the Hebrews.

XXVIII.

LA BÂN ENTERTAINS YA'AQÔB.

XXIX. 1 Then Ya'aqôb went on his journey, and came to the land of the Benê-Qedem.

2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it: for out of that well they watered the flocks: and the stone upon. the well's mouth was great.

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3 And thither were all the flocks gathered and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in its place.

4 And Ya'aqôb said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Hârân are we.

5 And he said unto them, Know ye Lâbân the son of Na'hôr? And they said, We know him.

6 And he said unto them, Is it well with him? And they said, It is well: and, behold, Râ'hêl his daughter cometh with the sheep.

7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.

9 While he yet spake with them, Râ'hêl came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.

10 And it came to pass, when Ya'aqôb saw Râ'hêl

the daughter of Lâbân his mother's brother, and the sheep of Lâbân his mother's brother, that Ya'aqôb went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Lâbân his mother's brother.

11 And Ya'aqôb kissed Râ'hêl, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

12 And Ya'aqôb told Râ'hêl that he was her father's brother, and that he was Ribqâh's son: and she ran and told her father.

13 And it came to pass, when Lâbân heard the tidings of Ya'aqôb his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Lâbân all these things.

14 And Lâbân said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

15 And Lâbân said unto Ya'aqôb, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

16 And Lâbân had two daughters: the name of the elder was Lêâh, and the name of the younger was Râ'hêl.

17 And Lêâh's eyes were tender; but Râ'hêl was beautiful and well favoured.

18 And Ya'aqôb loved Râ'hêl; and he said, I will serve thee seven years for Râ'hêl thy younger daughter.

19 And Lâbân said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

20 And Ya'aqôb served seven years for Râ'hêl: and

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they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

21 And Ya'aqôb said unto Lâbân, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22 And Lâbân gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Lêâh his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

24 And Lâbân gave Zilpâh his handmaid unto his daughter for an handmaid.

25 And it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Lêâh; and he said unto Lâbân, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Râ'hêl? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26 And Lâbân said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27 Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

28 And Ya'aqôb did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Râ'hêl his daughter to wife.

29 And Lâbân gave to Râ'hêl his daughter Bil❜hâh his handmaid to be her handmaid.

30 And he went in also unto Râ'hêl, and he loved. also Râ'hêl more than Lêâh, and served with him yet seven other years.

31 And Yahveh saw that Lêâh was hated, and he opened her womb: but Râ'hêl was barren.

32 And Lêâh conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reûbên: for she said, Because Yahveh