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."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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