Chapter 3 Genesis (3)

Genesis (3) A small loss makes a big difference -- for a bowl of red bean soup According to the rules of the ancient Hebrews, the eldest son had a higher status in the family and had priority in distributing property, and most of the father's inheritance belonged to the eldest son.Jacob was a man of forethought, seeing farther: he knew he was at a disadvantage as the second son in his family.He saw his brother wandering around all day long but didn't know what he was doing, and thought to himself, would such a mindless person be worthy of being the head of the clan in the future? Sooner or later, I would replace him.

One day, the sun was scorching and the heat was unbearable.Jacob was cooking red bean soup (porridge) under the shade of an oak tree outside his tent.Esau came back from the field, hungry and thirsty, and almost fainted. He smelled the smell of rice from a distance, walked to the cooking pot in three steps, and said to Jacob, "I am dying of thirst." I'm starving. Give me this soup!" Seeing his impatient look, Jacob thought the opportunity had come, so he said to him, "If you want to drink the soup, you have to give me the birthright." Esau waved his hand, dropped his bow, sat down on the ground, and said, "If you give it to you, I will give it to you. I'm dying of thirst. What good is the birthright to me?"

Jacob was delighted in his heart, and couldn't wait for him to say, "Swear to me!" Esau swore an oath to Jacob and sold him his birthright. Knowing that the oath of the Hebrews cannot be changed casually, Jacob thought he had obtained the birthright, so he took out bread, filled a bowl with red bean soup, and passed it to Esau.Esau ate with relish.After eating and drinking, Esau wiped his mouth contentedly, got up and went back to sleep in his tent.It never occurred to him what consequences this rash oath would bring to his fate. This biblical story of a bowl of red bean soup (A mess of pottage) is often quoted by Westerners as a metaphor for giving up long-term benefits for small gains. (Genesis 25:29-25:34)

Steal After Abraham died, Isaac lived in Hebron for a number of years.One year there was a famine in Hebron, and the Lord appeared to him and asked him not to go down to Egypt to escape the famine.Esaac moved to the place where his father had lived for many years-the Philistine Kingdom of Gerar according to God's will.Because his father Abraham had had a deep friendship with Abimelech, king of Gerar, Abimelech took great care of Ethan when he returned. Before Isaac's family moved out of Hebron, Esau met two local Hittite women who were very suitable for his temper.Esau first communicated with them secretly.This sneaky behavior made him very uncomfortable, so he simply married them back and became his wife.

These two women were Judith, the daughter of Billy the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. The Hittites (Hittite, now translated as the Hittites) are a nation in the ancient Middle East. According to records, they are strong and strong, with a low forehead, flat nose, wide cheeks, yellow skin, black hair and braids, and wear long robes and pointed shoes. Believe in polytheism, the nation uses hieroglyphs, and the Hittites living in Canaan used the Canaanite dialect in the era of Abraham.These features are similar to Mongols. When Abraham and Isaac were in Hebron, in order to survive and develop, they had to have friendly exchanges with the local Hittites, live in harmony, and had a good relationship. However, for ethnic and religious reasons, they never allowed their own people to intermarry with the Hittites.Esau was uninhibited, unrestrained, romantic, and did not take any rules and regulations to heart.This troubled Ezer and Rebekah very much, and became a trouble in their later years.But Esa still did not change his preference for Esau.

Isaac's eyesight declined in his later years, and his old eyes were dim and he could not see clearly. One day Eshah called his elder son Esau to him and said to him, "My son." Esau agreed, "Dad, I'm coming." Isaac told him: "Your father, I am old now, and I don't know when I can't breathe, and I will return to God. Listen to me, now you go and take your equipment, which is the quiver and Bow, go to the wild to hunt some prey, and cook one or two delicious things for me to eat. I will bless you before I die." As Esau agreed, he took his bow and arrows and went into the field.

When Isaac said this, it happened that Rebekah was also taking care of him.The speaker has no intention of the listener, and she knows that the critical time has come, and the eldest son Esau, a rough man, cannot be allowed to inherit the position of patriarch.She hurriedly found her younger son Jacob, and said to him, "I heard your father say to your brother Esau, "Go and hunt some wild game and come back, and make some delicious dishes for me to eat, so that I may be in the presence of the Lord before I die." Blessings to you. My son, now you must do as I command. You go to the flock and bring me two fat goats, and I will make them according to your father's usual preference, and you will Your father sent it to him, so that he might bless you before he died."

Jacob was a shrewd person. He immediately realized the difficulty in impersonating his elder brother Esau in front of his father, so he said to his mother: "My elder brother Esau is hairy all over, but I am smooth; if my father If you feel the smoothness of my body, recognize that I am not Esau, and think that I have deceived him, I am afraid that not only will you not be blessed, but you will also be cursed." His mother was well-informed and confident enough to cheer him up and said, "My son, just listen to me and bring me the sheep. I will find my way." If you are cursed, the curse will be on me . "

So Jacob went and took the sheep, slaughtered it, and delivered it to his mother.So Rebekah prepared delicacies according to Isaac's preference; she also took out the clothes that Esau, the eldest son, had left at home, and put them on Jacob, so that Jacob could smell of Esau; The smoothness of Jacob's hands and neck.At last he brought the delicious food and the bread, and put them into Jacob's hand.Sent him outside Jacob's tent, repeated a few words of advice, and patted him on the back to urge him to go in. Jacob walked up to his father and called out, "Dad." Isaac answered, "Here I am. My son, who are you?"

"I am your eldest son, Esau. I have done what you told me to do. I brought back game for you and made it delicious. You should always sit up and eat my game. When you finish eating, you can give me your blessing." Because there is a bowl of red beans as a lesson from the past, Isaac is always very careful when it comes to the distribution of benefits among his sons.Old Isaac still knew very well in his heart. After he made calculations, he thought that the boy had returned too quickly, so he asked again: "My son, how did you come back from your prey so quickly?" "Because your God, Hehua, gave me a good opportunity. I caught a wild goat not far away. Didn't you always bring this?" Jacob was very good at making up stories.

Isaac was still worried, and said, "My son, come near, and I will touch you to see if you are really my eldest son Esau." Jacob came close to his father Ezor, and Ezor touched him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." On Jacob's hand was bound a young goat skin that was hairy to the touch, like Esau's Since the hands were the same, Isaac couldn't tell if it was Esau, so he decided to bless him. So Jacob gave Isaac the food, and Isaac ate ​​it; Jacob gave him the wine, and Isaac drank it too. Isaac said to Jacob, "My son, come and kiss me." Jacob went up and kissed his father.When Isaac kissed Jacob, he smelled the field-smelling sweat on the clothes of Esau that Jacob was wearing. All doubts were removed from him, and he formally blessed him: "The fragrance of my son is like that Like the fragrance of the field blessed by the Lord. May God give you the dew of heaven, the richness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine. May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you, and may you be lord of your brothers, son of your mother I bow down to you. Whoever curses you, may he be punished; whoever blesses you, may he be blessed." After Isaac blessed Jacob, Jacob became the eldest son and main heir with "legal" status. Satisfied, Jacob withdrew from his father just in time for his brother Esau to send Isaac a delicacy from the hunt.The two greeted each other and passed by. Esau went up to his father and called, "Father, get up and eat your son's game. Give me your blessing after eating. " Old Isaac couldn't help being startled, and asked, "Who are you?" "I am your eldest son Esau." Esau replied inexplicably. Knowing that he had been deceived by Jacob, Eshah trembled with anger, and was unable to say a word for a long time: "You...before your future, who got the delicious food and brought it to me? I have already eaten it, for him Blessed, and he shall be blessed in the future." When Esau heard his father's words, he burst into tears and said, "My father, please bless me also." Esaic said, "Your brother has taken away your blessing by deceit." Esau was very angry with Jacob, and counted Jacob in front of his father: "Is Jacob right? He deceived me twice, the first time he took my birthright; you see, he now Take away my blessing again." Esau lowered his head in frustration, and Esa had nothing to say.After a while, Esau seemed to remember something, and said, "Have you left no blessing for me?" Isaac replied to Esau, "I have made him your lord, and I have given him all his brothers to be his servants. I have given him grain and wine to sustain him. Now, my son, what can I do for you?" Esau was still not reconciled. He knew his position in his father's heart, and he said, "Dad, do you have only one blessing? My father, please bless me too." Esau spoke loudly cry. Esaic looked at the eldest son, and a feeling of insidiousness rose from the bottom of his heart. He suddenly understood that his preference for Esau was to a large extent to protect him, so that he would not be bullied by his mother and brothers.Alas, you are a strong man who can carry a tripod, why can't you open up your mind, how much attention do you have?Thinking of this, Isaac seemed to find a reason to comfort himself and forgive Jacob.It may be a blessing to our nation to give the blessing of excellence to Jacob instead of Esau, who is well-developed in limbs and simple in mind.This is God's arrangement. In order to comfort Esau, Isaac also blessed him and said, "You shall dwell in the rich soil of the earth, and you shall obtain the dew of the heavens. You shall live by the sword, and you shall serve your brother and come to you When he is strong, he will break his yoke from your neck." Thus ended the incident.Esau was deceived by Jacob twice and hated Jacob very much.Seeing that his father was near the end of his life, he wanted to kill Jacob after Isaac passed away, showing his cowardice.Esau, however, is a book with only one page—without a front or back cover, others can read it in its entirety at a glance.Esau told others about his idea of ​​revenge outside, and someone relayed it to Rebekah.Rebekah hurriedly sent for Jacob and said to him, "Your brother Esau wants to kill you and take revenge on you. Now, my son, listen to me and get up and run away to my brother Laban in Haran." , stay a few days until your brother's anger subsides. When your brother's anger subsides and he forgets what you have done to him, I will send and bring you back from there. I don't want to give you two People wear heavy mourning." Rebekah did not dare to tell her husband Isaac that her elder son Esau wanted to kill Jacob, but said: I am weary of my life because Esau married these two Hittite daughters; He married a Hittite woman like that, what's the point of my life?It would be better to ask the child to go to his uncle Laban's house and let him make a relative. " Isaac listened to Rebekah's reasoning, and agreed with her. (Genesis 26:1; 26:34-35; 27) Jacob's Ladder - God's Promise Hearing what his wife Rebekah said, Isaac agreed to send his youngest son Jacob to the house of his uncle Laban in Haran so that he could establish a relationship with his family.He called Jacob, blessed him before leaving, and charged him, "Go to the house of your grandfather Bethuel and marry one of the daughters of your uncle Laban. May God Almighty bless you, I will make you fruitful and become many peoples; I will give you and your offspring the blessings promised to Abraham, and you will inherit as an inheritance the land where you are a sojourner, the land God gave to Abraham." Early the next morning, Isaac distributed Jacob a small amount of money and sent him on his way. The long road.Jacob was alone, carrying his own bag, and wandering about.Sunrise on the road, sunset and rest.After walking like this for three days, when the sun set on the ground on the fourth day, he felt very tired, so he chose a cleaner grassland, picked up a stone as a pillow, and fell asleep in a blink of an eye.He began to dream, dreaming that a ladder fell from the sky and stood on the ground.The head of the ladder reaches the sky.Two teams of angels came down from above, and God came out last, stood at the top of the ladder, and said to him, "I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of Isaac. I will give you the land where you lie now. To you and your descendants. Your descendants shall be as numerous as the dust of the earth, and shall spread to the sea, to the east, to the west, to the south, to the north... I am with you Jacob awoke and was terrified and said : "God is really here?How awesome is this place, this is the temple of God, the gate of heaven. " Jacob got up early in the morning and set up the stone he was sleeping on as a holy stone to commemorate the dream he had here.And sprinkled olive oil on the stone.He named the place Bethel, which means "Holy Temple". Jacob also made a vow: "If God will be with me and protect me on the way I go, and give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I can return to my father's house in peace, then I will take that and is my God, and the stone which I set up as a pillar shall be the temple of God; and of all that you give me, I will give you a tenth." Jacob’s grandfather Abram once offered a tenth of the booty to Melchizedek, king of Sheram after defeating the kings and rescuing Lot. Later, the Mosaic Law stipulated that one-tenth of the land and livestock must belong to God.Paying tithes (donations) to the church became a system that was still practiced until the Middle Ages in Europe.The origin of tithes should be traced here. (Genesis 28) shepherding wife Jacob arrived outside Haran in the evening.There was a well in the field outside the city gate, and many Haranites gathered by the well, waiting to drink from the sheep.They were sitting or standing or leaning or leaning on them, chatting in groups of three or four, telling the news about Haran.There is also a young man sitting on the stone steps and playing the flute. The sound of the flute is long and melodious, which contrasts with the setting sun in the west of the desert. The well is the life of the desert nation, and it is also the square and park of the small desert city. Many stories of the Hebrew nation happened by the well.Abraham's concubine ran away twice and was saved by the well in the wilderness.Every time they go to a new place, the most important thing is to find a well and dig a well; they fight with foreigners for the well, and make peace with them at the well.Decades ago, it was at this well outside Haran that Jacob's mother, Rebekah, met Abraham's servant and established a lifelong marriage with Isaac. Jacob surveyed the surrounding situation, and went to the shepherds gathered there to inquire about his uncle Laban.He said, "Brothers, thank you, I want to ask you something." The few who heard his accent were not from the local area, so they said: "Guests from afar, please speak." "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" "We know each other." "Is he all right?" "Peace," replied the shepherd, looking around, and then said, "Behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with her flock." Jacob looked in the direction of their fingers, and saw a slim woman in the distance, holding a whip in her hand, driving the flock of sheep towards this side.Her red scarf fluttered slightly in the wind, exuding youthful charm.For some reason, Jacob felt a little nervous at this moment. He might be thinking about how to meet his cousin. One of them shouted from afar, "Hi! Rachel, you have a visitor." When Rachel came over, Jacob introduced himself first, and Rachel also introduced herself as she looked at the cousin who had come from afar.Then she came over gracefully to meet this cousin and kissed him; the cousin also kissed her. Seeing that the sun was still early, Jacob advised the shepherds waiting there: "The sun is still high, and it's not the time for the flock to gather. You might as well finish drinking the sheep and then go out to graze them early." "Drinking sheep?" The shepherds pointed to the big stone at the mouth of the well and said, "It's easy to say, this stone cannot be moved by seven or eight young men." It turns out that in order to protect the water in the well, the people of Haran used big stones to cover the well during the day. When they gathered together in the evening, they moved the stone away together and drank the sheep one by one. After drinking, they worked together to move the stone back and cover it. . "Let me try it." He stepped forward, pulled up the hem of his clothes and tied it in his belt, bent down hard, and the stone moved away from the mouth of the well.This amazed everyone present. Rachel gave the whip to her cousin, and ran back to report the news of Jacob's arrival to her father Laban.When Laban heard that his nephew was coming, he went outside the city to meet him, hugged and kissed Jacob, and led him home. When he came to Laban’s house, Jacob conveyed the greetings from his parents to the whole family, roughly talked about his family’s situation in recent years, and then told the whole story of the dispute with his elder brother in detail to his uncle’s family. Just burst into tears.Laban comforted him and said, "You are our flesh and blood, so stay here." Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Jacob has been living at his uncle's house for two months.During this month, Jacob helped Uncle Yong do a lot of work.His diligence, meticulousness, prudence and intelligence won the favor of Laban.Laban said to Jacob, "Although you are my flesh and blood, how can you serve me and work for me for nothing? Please tell me what wages you want." Laban had two daughters. The eldest daughter was named Leah. She was ordinary-looking, with dull eyes and no aura; the younger daughter was the beautiful Rachel.Jacob's purpose in this trip was to marry a wife. He had already fallen in love with his little cousin Rachel, but he had no chance to propose marriage to his uncle. Today Laban put the words into his own mouth and said, "Uncle, I love my little cousin Rachel, and I want to marry her. If you agree, Uncle, I am willing to serve you for seven years." Laban thought to himself, since my daughter will get married sooner or later, it is better to just let him work for me for seven years, which means that I hired a long-term worker who volunteered to work for me for seven years for free.Laban made some calculations, nodded, and said in a generous and generous tone, "Hi! I'd marry her to someone else, but I'd rather marry you. You can live with us." Jacob devoted himself to Laban for seven years, because he loved Rachel so much that he regarded seven years as seven days. Seven years have finally passed.Jacob has been shepherding the sheep for Laban for seven years. He is smart, eager to learn, diligent and meticulous, which makes Laban's flock grow several times, and he becomes a wealthy family.So Jacob said to his uncle Laban, "The time you promised me to marry me is over, please give me my wife so that I can have sex with him." Laban readily agreed. On an auspicious day, Laban held a big banquet at home, invited all relatives and friends there, and held the wedding grandly.But Laban resorted to tricks, dressed up his mediocre eldest daughter Leah, and sent her to the new house to wait for consummation with Jacob.Laban gave his handmaid Zilpah to Leah to be her handmaid. Jacob was arranged by everyone in turn to persuade him to drink, and he got drunk.According to the local custom, the groom groped his way into the dark bridal chamber to share the same room with the bride. The next morning, Jacob woke up and saw that the one who shared the bed with him was not Rachel, whom he longed for, but Rachel's sister Leah.The groom who was being teased angrily went to his father-in-law to judge: "What have you done to me? I have spent seven years of hard work serving you, isn't it because of Rachel? Why did you deceive me and put What about Lia's intercourse with me? Aren't you cheating on me?" Laban didn't blush, he justified, "The eldest daughter is not yet married, so marry the younger daughter first. We don't have this custom here. However, if you really love Rachel, you can serve me for another seven years for her." ." Jacob was afraid that Laban would repent at that time, so he said, "I am willing, but you must first give me Rachel and have sex with me, and then I will give you another seven years." "Okay, after seven days of this, I'll let you and Rachel also get married." After Leah's seven days had passed, Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as his wife.Laban gave Bilhah his maidservant to her daughter Rachel to be her maidservant.Jacob had sex with Rachel that night, fulfilling the dream of many years and fulfilling the wish of seven years.For this purpose, Jacob had worked for Laban for seven years and would work for another seven years.Jacob showed superhuman determination and perseverance in love, which is often passed down as a good story. (Genesis 29:1-30) competition for children Jacob obviously loved Rachel more.Leah did not have a beautiful appearance and did not receive more love from her husband. God compensated her.Leah became pregnant very quickly, but Rachel, who was favored, was barren.This creates a psychological balance between the sisters who work together as husbands. The firstborn son Leah bore to Jacob, whom Leah named Reuben.Reuben means "to have a son." When Iniah gave birth to him, he said, "God has seen my plight, and now my husband will love me." Soon, Leah conceived again and gave birth to a child.She named the second son Simeon. Simeon means "hear." She said, "Because God heard me, so he gave me this son." She then gave birth to two sons.She named the third child Levi and said, "I have borne three sons to my husband, and he will be united with me." Levi means "union". She named the fourth child Judas.Say, "This time I will praise God." Judah means "praise." Leah gave birth to four sons in one breath, and then she stopped giving birth. " When Rachel saw that she had not borne Jacob a son, she became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me a son, or I will die. " Jacob was a little angry when he heard this, and said, "It is God who has made you barren. How can I be the master instead of him?" Helpless, Rachel had no choice but to act according to the ancient tradition left by her own people, and gave her maid Bilhah to her husband as a concubine.Jacob slept with her, and Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.This son should be attributed to the name of the mistress Rachel.Rachel said: "God avenged me, and heard my voice, and gave me a son." So she named the son Dan.But it means "revenge".So a childbirth competition started silently. Bilhah soon conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.Rachel said: "I had a great struggle with my sister, and I finally won." Because Leah had stopped having children when these two children were born.Rachel then named the second child Naphtali.Naphtali means "struggle". In turn it was Leah's turn to get angry.Seeing that she had stopped having children, but her sister's maid had two sons in a row, she gave Zilpah her maid to Jacob as a concubine.The beautiful Zilpah was very fond of Jacob, and soon bore Jacob a son.Leah said, "Blessed!" and named the boy Gad.Gad means "fortunately". Just after lactation ended, Leah's handmaid Zilpah became pregnant again and bore Jacob a second son.Leah beat her sister again, and she was so happy that she couldn't help saying, "I am blessed, and all women will say that I am blessed." So he named his child Ashesh.Asher means "blessed". A plant called Fengqian grows in the oasis of the desert.Before the wind, the spring is full of growth, and it is ripe in autumn when the wheat is harvested.The plant is said to be an aphrodisiac and is often used as an aphrodisiac.During the wheat harvest season, the eldest son Reuben, who had grown into a teenager, followed his mother's instructions and returned to Leah from the field. When Rachel heard that Leah had the wind, she ran to her and said, "My dear sister, can you give me some of the wind that your son has?" Lia said to her angrily, "You goblin. Isn't it enough that you took my husband away? You still have to come to ask for my son, don't even think about it!" "Sister, don't be angry, I have something in exchange for you." Rachel said softly, "If you agree to give me Fengqian, he will be yours tonight." Thinking that her husband hasn't entered her room for a long time, my sister is willing to give up the monopoly right today, and it won't hurt to give her Fengqian.So the deal between the two was concluded. In the evening, when Jacob came back from the field, Leah dressed up and came out to meet him and said, "You are going to sleep in my room tonight." "Why?" Jacob asked. "Because I have made a deal with the goblin, I hired you tonight with the wind that my son found." So Leah said. That night Jacob went to Leah's room and shared the bed with Leah.Unexpectedly, this night of Wencun actually planted roots.A month later, Leah was delighted to find out that she was pregnant.This was Leah's fifth son.Once again Leah proved the value of being a woman when she said, "God gave me value because I gave my handmaiden to my husband." So she named the son Issachar.Issachar means "value". Because of Leah's fertility, Jacob paid special attention to her, and Leah bore him a sixth son.Leah was satisfied and he said: "God has given me a great reward, and my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons." So she named the youngest son Zebulun, which means "living together" the meaning of. In the end, Leah also gave birth to Jacob's daughter Dinah. Leah had a total of six sons and a daughter. Including the two children of the maid Zilpah, there were a total of eight sons and one daughter under her name.It seems that Leah is sure to win in this childbearing war. However something unexpected happened.Rachel became pregnant, and she finally had a chance to prove her ability as a woman and remove the stone that had been pressing on her heart for a long time. She raised her eyebrows and said to him, "God has removed my shame. May the Lord God add another son to me." So she named this long-awaited son Joseph, which means "addition". It's hard to say who will win this childbirth competition.Leah had the advantage in numbers, and of twelve children, Jacob's favorite was the youngest son Joseph.Joseph later established excellence, outperforming his other brothers.This beats Leah in quality. (Genesis 29:31-29:25; 30:1-30:24) jacob got rich The year Rachel gave birth to Joseph coincided with the end of Jacob's second seven-year service to Laban in order to marry Rachel.Jacob said to Laban: "Please let me go back to my hometown. Please let me take away the wife and children I have served you. How I serve you, I think you know best ." Jacob's shrewdness and ability have brought a lot of wealth to Laban's family over the years, so Laban was reluctant to let Jacob go, so he kept him and said: "If I have found favor in your eyes, if you still value my family, please Don't go away, stay with us for a while longer. I know that God has blessed me all because of you." Seeing that Jacob was silent, he said again, "As for the wages, that's up to you." Jacob made up his mind and said, "Over the years, I have multiplied your sheep many times. Before I came, your sheep were few, but now your flock is full. God blesses you with my steps. Now I already have a wife and children, when will I start a family for myself?" Laban said, "What shall I give you?" Jacob replied: "You don't have to give me anything, but you have to promise me one condition: I will still graze your flock. Today I will go through your flock and take all the spotted, black, and goats from the sheep. Spotted among them, in the future this kind of sheep will belong to me, as my wages. In the future, you will check my wages, and if you find that the sheep in my flock are not black and spotted, and the goats are not spotted. Yes, even if I stole from you: that would prove my justice." Laban thought, silly son-in-law, how many sheep in my flock are not white, and how many goats are spotted.So Laban said, "Well, I will do as you say." On that day Laban took out all the striped, spotted, and mottled she-goats, and spotted and black sheep, and handed them over to his sons to graze, and separated himself from Jacob for three days. distance.Jacob grazed the rest of Laban's sheep. When Jacob saw his father-in-law doing this, he was secretly happy, knowing that the old man had fallen for his trick because he did not know how to crossbreed sheep.It turned out that during his 14 years of pastoral life, Jacob carefully observed the habits of sheep and developed a method of crossbreeding black and white sheep.He took the twigs of poplar, apricot, and maple, and peeled off the bark into white lines, so that the branches showed white lines.Put the peeled branches facing the sheep in the gutters and troughs where the sheep drink. When the sheep come to drink, the male and female cooperate; and the lambs will be stripped, spotted, and spotted.Jacob separated the lamb, and set Laban's sheep against the streaked and black sheep, and put his own sheep in another place, so that he would not mix with Laban's sheep.When the flock was fat and mated, Jacob put the branch in the ditch so that the sheep would mate against the branch.It's just that when the sheep are weak and cooperative, the branches are not planted.In this way, the weak ones belonged to Laban, and the fat ones belonged to Jacob. In a few years, Jacob's wealth increased, and Laban's wealth became less and less.Almost all the sheep are spotted, spotted, or black.Jacob had grown up and owned many flocks, servants, camels, and donkeys. In the sixth year, when Laban's son saw that his brother-in-law's family was getting richer and richer than his own, he said to others, "Jacob has taken everything from our father. His wealth depends on my father's wealth." earned by sheep." "These words spread to Jacob's ears; besides, his father-in-law was far less friendly to Jacob's family than before. He always had a gloomy face when he saw him. He felt very embarrassed, so he knelt down and prayed. God was in his childhood When I was dreaming, I said to him: "You have to go back to the land of your grandfather and your father, to your relatives.I will be with you. " So Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to the flocks in the field, and said to them, "I see that your father's face is getting worse and worse; but my father's God is with me. As you know, I served your father to the best of my ability. Your father deceived me and changed my wages ten times; yet God forbade him to harm me. If he said: A little is your wages. Born of the flock if he said, "Everything with stripes is your wages. Every flock of sheep has stripes. So God has taken your father's livestock and given it to me. I just saw sheep in a dream. Group mating, I looked up and saw the jumping ewe rams were striped, spotted or black. It was the angel of God who called me in that dream and said: Jacob. I said: Here I am. He Say: Lift up your eyes and look, and the rams that jump the ewes are streaked, spotted, or black; I have seen everything that Laban has done to you. I am the God of Bethel; you use oil there Poured over the pillar and made a vow to me. Now get up and leave this place, and go back to your fatherland." Leah and Rachel loved their husbands more than their fathers, and of course they spoke on Jacob's side, and they said: "Is there still our share in our father's house? Is there still our inheritance? Are we not treated as strangers by him? For he has sold us and devoured our worth. What God has taken from my father Our property is ours and our children's. Now do whatever God tells you to do." With the understanding and support of his wives, Jacob began to plan his return to Canaan.He analyzed that if he told Laban that he was going back to Canaan, he would use various excuses to stop him; if he left by force, they would use their numbers to take away his property. So the only way is to choose the right time and leave without saying goodbye. (Genesis 30:25-31:16) Jacob flees to Canaan The sheep shearing season came, and Laban's family went to the field to shear sheep.Jacob saw that the time was ripe, and told his wives to prepare quietly for their departure.One morning, just after dawn, Jacob got up, woke up his wives and children, let his wives and maidservants ride camels, put the children in panniers on the back of the camels, and put away Well, let the servants drive the cattle and set foot on the road back to Canaan. While leaving, Rachel stole the gods from her father's house and put them in her luggage. Because there were so many people and animals, even though they kept kicking and kicking their horses and tried their best, they still couldn't walk fast.On the third day they crossed the great river Euphrates.At this time Laban was told that Jacob had escaped from Haran.When Laban heard about it, he immediately brought his family and a large team of servants to chase after him.After seven days of pursuit, they overtook Jacob's men on Mount Gilead.The night before, the Spirit of God came to Laban's camp and said to him in a dream, "Be careful! Do not speak good or bad to Jacob." Laban caught up with Jacob and said to him, "Why are you doing this? You left without saying goodbye behind my back, and abducted my daughter as if taken by a sword. Why did you run away quietly without saying hello?" , sneaking away? You should tell us that I can take you home with joy, singing, drumming, and playing the piano. You didn't even give me a chance to kiss my grandson and daughters goodbye. What you did What a fool. I had the ability to harm you, but your father’s God said to me last night: Be careful, don’t make peace with Jacob. I don’t have the heart to do it today. I still want to ask you, you want to return your Ancestral home, why are you still stealing my idol?" Jacob was a little scared at first, but after hearing his father-in-law’s words, he realized that his main kingdom’s goal was not to ask questions, but to recover the image of his own god.拉班还没有完全摆脱多神教的影响，他很迷信，认为神像是财富的保护神，它要是被谁拿走，他家的财富也会随之而去，雅各并不信那神，他也不知道拉结拿了那神像，就说："我担心你把你女儿从我手中夺去，我才逃跑的。至于你的神像，你在谁那里搜出来，就不容谁存活。当着我们各位兄弟的面你认一认，在我这里有什么东西是你的，就拿去。" 拉班进了雅各、利亚和两个使女的帐篷，都没有搜出什么来，就从利亚的帐篷中出来，进了拉结的帐篷。拉结已经把神像藏在骆驼的驮筐里；自己就坐在那筐上头。拉班摸遍了那帐篷，并没审摸着。拉结对她父亲说："现在我身子不便，不能在您面前起来，求我主不要生气。"这样拉班的搜索工作，竟毫无结果。 现在优势就落在雅各这边了，他借这个机会，反守为攻，怒斥拉班说："我对你有什么冒犯？有什么罪恶，你竟这样火速地追我？你摸遍了我一切的家具，你搜出什么来了？我们把事实摆在各位兄弟面前，让他们在我们中间辨别。我在你家这二十年，你的母绵羊、母山羊没有掉过胎；你羊群中的公羊，我没有吃过；被野兽撕裂的，我没有拿来给你，滥竿充数，而是由我自己赔上。无论是白天黑夜受尽寒霜，不得合眼睡着，我常是这样。我这二十年在你家里，为你的两个女儿服事你十四年，为你的羊群服事你六年，你又十次改了我的工价。若不是我父亲以撒所敬畏的神，也就是亚伯拉罕的神与我同在，你如今必定打发我空手而去。你太过分了。正是上帝看见我的苦情和我的劳碌，才在昨夜责备你。" 雅各一番话振振有词，说得在场的人都感动了。拉班的气势也开始缓和了，他回答雅各说："这女儿是我的女儿，这些孩子是我的孩子，这些羊群也是我的羊群，凡在你眼前的都是我的。我的女儿和她们所生的孩子，我今天能对他们怎么样呢？我们不要争了，来吧，你我二人可以立约，作你我中间的证据。" 雅各就拿一块石头立作柱子。又对众弟兄说："你们堆起一个石堆来。" 兄弟们便捡来石块堆成一个石堆，完了，就在那石堆边吃喝。 拉班称那堆石头为伊迦尔撤哈杜他；雅各却称之为迦累得，就是"以石为证"的意思。 拉班说："今日这石堆作你我中间的证据。"他指着那作为永结友好标志的石堆，"我们分手以后，愿那和华在你我中间鉴察。 你若苦待我的女儿，又在我的女儿以外另娶妻妾，虽没有人知道，却有上帝在你我中间作见证。 "你看我在你我中间所立的这石堆和柱子，这石堆作证据，这柱子也作证据。我不得过这石堆去害你；你也不可过这石堆和柱子来害我。但愿亚伯拉罕的神和拿鹤的神，就是你父亲的神，在你我中间判断。" 雅各就指着父亲以撒所敬畏的神起誓，起完誓又在山上献祭。 一切仪式完成后，便在山上住宿。 拉班清早起来，与他外孙和女儿吻别，给他们祝福完毕就返回哈兰城去了。（创31：17一31：55） 以色列--与神较力 雅各进了迦南境内，在他称之为马哈念的地方搭起了帐篷。他从当地居民口中打听到了他哥哥以扫的消息，心里很慌张。以扫二十年来发生了很大的变化，他在死海边的西珥平原（又称以东地）当上了土霸王，成为那里的统治者。他主要是在山上打猎，但有机会时也干抢劫勾当。在迦南的居民中间以扫的名声不太好。 雅各得知这些情况后，心里十分紧张。因为他曾经欺骗过哥哥，他当然不会相信以扫的记忆力会糟到忘记这种怨恨的程度。他迅速地盘算着怎么应付当前的局势。 经过反复考虑，他先打发人去见以扫。吩咐他们说："你们对我主以扫说：你的仆人雅各这样说，我在拉班那里寄居，直到如今。我有牛、驴、羊群、仆婢，现在打发人来报告我主，为要在你眼前蒙恩。"过了两天，打发去的人回到雅各那里说："我们到了你哥哥以扫那里，他带着四百人，正迎着您来。" 雅各吓得心惊肉跳，但是他马上使自己镇静下来，开始布置下一步的行动。他把那些与他在一起的人和羊群、牛群、骆驼，分作两队，这样以扫若来击杀其中的任何一队，另外一队就可以逃避。 安排完了以后，他就坐下来祈祷，他乞求上帝："那和华我祖亚伯拉罕的神，我父亲以撒的神啊，您曾对我说：回你本地本族去，我要厚待你。您向仆人所施的一切慈爱和诚实，我一点也不配得；我先前只拿着我的杖过这约旦河，如今我的人马已成了两队。求你救我脱离我哥哥以扫的毒手。因为我怕他来杀我，连妻子带儿女一同杀了。你曾说：我必定厚待你，使你的后裔如同海边的沙粒，多得不可胜数。"接着他从他所有的财物中拿出礼物来，准备送给他哥哥以扫：母山羊200只；公山羊20只；母绵羊200只；公绵羊20只；奶崽子的骆驼30只，各带着崽子；母牛40只；公牛10只；母驴20匹。每样各分一群，交在仆人手下。一共分成三批，一批过去了，再让另外一批过去，这样比一次送去好，更显得礼隆情真。他生怕仆人出什么差错，作了详详细细的交待。 "你们要在我前头过去，要分批分批地过去，使群群牲畜相离有空闲的地方。" 他吩咐第一批走的仆人："我哥哥以扫遇见你的时候，问你说：你是哪家的人？要往哪里去？你前头这些牲畜是谁的？你就说：上您仆卜人雅各的；是送给我主以扫的礼物，他自己也在我们后边。"又吩咐第二、第三批赶牲畜走的人说："你们遇见以扫的时候，也要这样对他说；并且你们要说：你仆人雅各在我们后边。因雅各心里说：我先用那些礼物解他的恨，然后再见他的面，或者他能容纳我。" 送礼的队伍就按照他的安排逐队逐队过去了。 当天夜里他就在营中与下人一起住宿。子夜时分，雅各便置身于一种似梦非梦的境地。他起身来，带着两个妻子，两个使女，十个儿女，来到约旦河上的雅博渡口。他先打发他们过去，再打发随从人畜过去。最后只剩下雅各自己。 这时，有一个人来和雅各摔跤，不分胜负，直到黎明。那人见自己胜不了雅各，就将他的大腿窝摸了一把。当雅各再与那人摔那，大腿窝就扭伤了。 那人说："天亮了，让我走吧。" 雅各说："你不给我祝福，我就不让你走。" 那人问："你名叫什么？" 他回答："我名叫雅各。" 那人说："你的名字不要再叫雅各，要叫以色列。因为你与神与人较力，都得了胜。" 雅各说："请将你的名字告诉我。" 那人说："何必问我的名字？"于是那人为雅各祝福。 与雅各摔跤的就是上帝那和华。雅各便给那地方起名叫毗努伊勒，有"神之面"之意，意思是要表明："我面对面见了神，我的性命仍得保全。" 日头刚出来的时候，雅各经过毗努伊勒，他的大腿就瘸了，故此以色列入不吃大腿窝的筋。源于这个故事，这种风俗一直延续到今天。 从此雅各又叫以色列。上帝正式"通知"雅各改名为以色列并祝福他为犹太人始祖的事情发生在雅各展转迁徒到伯特利以后，这是后话。 以色列的希伯来文含义为"与神较力"。雅各有12个儿子，他们的后裔被称为以色列12支派。此后希伯来人又称为以色列人。 其渊源也在于这个故事。至于现在一般把以色列人称为犹太人，那是在公元2世纪以后才开始的。（创32；35：10一35：15） 兄弟重逢 他们过了约旦河不远，雅各举目观看，见以扫由远而近，带着400名随从，迎面走过来了。雅各尽管受到上帝的祝福，仍然胆战心惊。他急忙把家眷分成三批，他把两个妾和她们所生的孩子安排在最前头，其次是利亚和她的孩子，最后才是他心爱的拉结和小儿子约瑟。 雅各见以扫并不伤害他们，自己才敢过去。他一连七次俯伏在地，向哥哥叩头请罪，然后才向他接近。没有想到以扫早已把20年前的事置诸脑后了。他跑过来迎接雅各，拥抱他，搂住他的脖子吻他，两人相视良久，然后放声大哭。 以扫举目看看女人们和孩子们，就问："这些和你一起回来的是些什么人呢？" 雅各说："这些孩子是上帝施恩给您仆人的。" 于是两个妾和她们的孩子们先来下拜；接着是利亚和她的孩子们下拜；最后是约瑟和拉结下拜。以扫一一接受了，扶他们起来。又问："我所遇见的这些成群的牲畜是什么意思呢？" 雅各回答说："是要在我主面前蒙恩的。" 言下之意是说，这是点小意思，聊表敬意，请您收下。 以扫说："兄弟啊，我已经有足够的财富了，你还是把这些东西都收回去，仍然归你。" 雅各说："不，我若在你眼前蒙恩，就求你从我手里收下这礼物，因为我见了你的面，如同见了上帝的面，况且你还接纳了我。 求你收下我带来给你的礼物。因为上帝恩待我，使我富足。 " 雅各再三求他，他才收下。 以扫说："我们可以一起回去，我在你前头走。" 尽管如此，雅各还是对以扫有戒心，不敢轻信，就推托说："我主知道孩子们年幼娇嫩，牛羊也正在乳养的时候。若是催赶一天，牲畜都会死光。求我主在仆人前头走，我要量着我的畜群和孩子们的能力慢慢地前进，一直走到西珥我·主那里。" 以扫又说："那就请允许我把跟随我的人留几个在你这里，听你使唤。" 雅各再次推辞说："何必呢？只要在我主眼前蒙恩就是了。" 于是以扫当天就起程回西珥去了。雅各待以扫离去以后，就调转了前进方向，往示剑城去了。示剑是希未人的地方，到了示剑，雅各征得示剑王哈抹的同意，用100两银子在城东买了支帐篷的地皮，在那里为自己盖造房屋，又为牲畜搭棚。因此那地方叫疏割。疏割就是"棚"的意思。一切都安排妥了，雅各作了长期居住的打算。谁知天有不测风云，一件突发事件打乱了他的全盘计划。 血洗示剑城 回到迦南的时候，利亚给雅各生的女儿底拿已经长成一个楚楚动人的少女了。小姑娘天真活泼，到了示剑对新的环境感到很好奇，又想结交几个新朋友，有时候就到城里去找希未人的女子玩耍。 示剑王哈抹的王子示剑是一个被家庭宠坏了的风流公子，见了美丽端庄的大家闺秀底拿，就爱上了她。示剑上去纠缠底拿，底拿因为讨厌那公子哥儿，不理他。任性的示剑强行挟持底拿回家，把她奸污了。底拿伤心地哭了，示剑也是真心地喜欢她，他温言软语地哄她，安慰她，说："别哭，我要娶你，我要你作我的妻子。" 可是那姑娘仍然平静不下来，示剑才知道撞了祸。这可不是本城内平民百姓的小家碧玉，这是以色列人族长的公主，搞得不好会引起战争。示剑就去求他父亲，说："求你为我聘这女子为妻吧。" 示剑王想事已至此，也只有这一个补救办法了。再说他早就想与雅各联姻，只是碍于雅各初来乍到，彼此还不大了解，就暂时没有提出来。于是他就带着仆人和礼物到雅各家，如此这般，把实话跟雅各讲了。 雅各听说示剑砧污了他的女儿底拿，只是沉默不语。因为这时候他的儿子们和仆人都在田野里干活。雅各就打发人去把他们叫回来，好商量办法。 雅各的儿子们听见这个消息，个个义愤填膺，认为这是以色列人的羞辱。他们很快从田里回来，在路上便已经商量好了对策。 哈抹就同雅各与众公子商议道："我儿子示剑非常爱慕你们家的千金，所以干出了这样的蠢事。事到如今已没有别的办法，我求你们将她许给我儿为妻。你们要知道，我儿示剑是真心喜欢你们家闺女的，我们一定会待她好。咱们彼此结亲，我们可以娶你讽的女儿，你们也可以娶我们的女儿。这样我们两族永远修好，你们可以和我们长住。示剑这地方都在你们面前，你们只管在此居住，作买卖，置产业。" 哈抹的儿子示剑又讨好底拿的各位兄弟说："只要我能在你们眼前蒙恩，得到各位的宽恕，你们要什么只管说，我们都给。任凭你们要多重的聘金和礼物，我必照你们所说的给你们，只要把底拿许给我作妻子就行。" 雅各的儿子们看出示剑他们心虚，也知道他们要娶底拿心情很迫切，可是以色列人一般不与族外人通婚，更何况示剑采取的是这种手段呢。他们按商量好的对策，用诡诈的话骗那父子俩，说："我们不能把我们的妹妹嫁给没有受割礼的人为妻，那是我们的羞辱，只有你们答应一件事：你们所有的男丁都和我们一样受害礼，我们才能把女儿给你们，也娶你们的女儿。这样的话，我们才可能与你们同住，两下成为一样的人民。倘若你们不听从我们受割礼，我们就带着妹子走了。" 希未人哈抹他们本来是信多神教的，但是为了示剑能娶到以色列人之女底拿为妻，就欣然同意改变自己的信仰，并对全体男性成员实行割礼。示剑因为要娶底拿已经迫不及待了，就雷厉风行的动员起来。 哈抹和他儿子示剑到本城的门口，对示剑城的人说："以色列人与我们和睦相处，不如允许他们在这里居住，做买卖；这地方也宽阔，足以容下他们，我们可以娶他们的女儿为妻，也可以把我们的女儿嫁给他们。只有一件事我们必须做，他们才肯答应和我们同住，成为一样的人民。这就是我们中间所有的男丁都和他们一样，要受割礼。这样的话，他们的畜群、货物、财产和一切的牲口，难道不都归我们了吗？只要依从他们这一件事，他们就与我们同住。" 原来示剑人这么委曲求全地改信耶和华，不仅是为了娶以色列入的女子，眼睛还盯着人家的银子呢。但是，魔高一尺，道高一丈。示剑人怎也不会想到自己主动投进了人家的陷井，为金钱和女人而鼓动起来的希未人并没有一个站出来反对这件事。哈抹人把守在城门口，凡是要进出的男人都要遵照国王和王子的命令行割礼。 到第三天，全城的男子都被割了阳皮。就在全部男子伤口尚未愈合，正在疼痛时，雅各的两个儿子，就是底拿同母的哥哥西缅和利未，各拿刀剑，出其不意地来到城中把一切男丁都杀了。然后他们冲到国王家里，杀死了哈抹和他儿子示剑，把妹妹底拿带出来。雅各的其他儿子为了雪清妹妹被玷污的耻辱，都来到城里和田间，把希未人所有的财物，包括羊群、牛群和驴等等都洗掳一空，还抢走了他们的的青年女子和孩子。 事后雅各才知道这事，他并不希望儿子们做得这么过火，他责怪西缅和利未说："你们连累了我，使我在这地方的居民中，就是在迦南人和比利洗人中有了臭名，我的人丁稀少，他们必然联合起来击杀我，我们全家的人都必灭绝。" 两个青年人并不服气，犟嘴说："难道就让他们白白地玷污了我们的妹子，就好象对待妓女那样吗？" 话虽这么讲，但示剑是不能再住下去了。按照上帝的指示，他带着族人去了伯特利。伯特利就是雅各年轻时逃避以扫到哈兰的路上梦见天梯的地方。在那个地方上帝正式晓谕雅各，让他改名为以色列。在那里，雅各的爱妻拉结给他生了第十二个也是最后一个儿子便雅悯。高龄产妇拉结因生育便雅阂难产而死。 以色列人迁到伯特利后的时间里，雅各的父亲以撒也天年已尽，气绝而亡，享年180岁。雅各回希伯仑奔丧，与以扫一同料理后事，把他安放在麦比拉洞中，与亚伯拉罕和撒拉葬在一起。 （创34；35）