Page 233 - History of The Quranic Text | Kalamullah.Com

EARLY HISTORY OF JUDAISM: A BRIEF LOOK 213

Jacob deceives hisfather
After years of childlessness, Rebekah (Isaac's wife) bore twin sons. Esau
was born first from the womb and was cherished by his father, while she
remained partial toJacob. One day Esau returned from a hunting trip faint
from hunger, and beggedJacob for some red lentil soup, which he refused
to offer him until he had surrendered to him his rights as the firstborn.'
On a future occasion Rebekah andJacob conspired together to trick Isaac
through an elaborate ruse involving fake hair: mistakingJacob for Esau,
Isaac blessed him instead of his elder brother by saying, "Let peoples serve
you, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren.t"

Father-in-law cheats son-in-law
With Esau threatening revenge because of the stolen blessing, Rebekah
sent Jacob away to her brother Laban in Haran, that he might marry
Laban's daughter. Accordingly he travelled to Haran and, enraptured by
this daughter, the beautiful Rachel," he eagerly sought to marry her but
was first asked to work seven years for her father before his matrimonial
dreams could be realised. Seven years later he did marry, but after spending
the wedding night with his bride, enveloped in darkness, he was horrified
to discover the next morning that his father-in-law had substituted for
Rachel her plainer sister Leah.
His marriage to Rachel took place a week later, but only after he had
undertaken to work for Laban another seven years. When Jacob finally
left, his entourage included two wives, two concubines, eleven sons, and
one daughter.l" In leaving Laban's house Rachel had stolen her father's
household gods, so Laban, pursuing and catching up with them, furiously
searched the tents; but Rachel had quickly concealed the gods in the
saddlebag upon which she sat and his efforts were in vain. I I And so this
distinguished lineage, though already in custody of God's Covenant,
prized their household gods most particularly.

Jacob wrestles with God

24 Mterwards,Jacob went back and spent the rest of the night alone.
A man came and fought with Jacob until just before daybreak.
25 When the man saw that he could not win, he struckJacob on the
hip and threw it out of joint.
26 They kept on wrestling until the man said, "Let go of me! It's almost
daylight." "You can't go until you bless me," Jacob replied.

7 Genesis 25:29-34.
8 Genesis 27:1-29.
9 Genesis 29:1-7.
10 Genesis 31.
II Genesis 31:19-35.