37:1
And on the day that Yitschaq the father of Ya’aqov and Esav died, the sons of Esav heard that Yitschaq had given the portion of the elder to his younger son Ya’aqov and they were very angry.
37:2
And they strove with their father, saying: "Why has your father given Ya’aqov the portion of the elder and passed over you, although you are the elder and Ya’aqov the younger?"
37:3
And he said to them "Because I sold my birthright to Ya’aqov for a small mess of lentils;
37:4
and on the day my father sent me to hunt and catch and bring him something that he should eat and bless me, he came with guile and brought my father food and drink, and my father blessed him and put me under his hand.
37:5
And now our father has caused us to swear, me and him, that we shall not mutually devise evil, either against his brother, and that we shall continue in love and in peace each with his brother and not make our ways corrupt."
37:6
And they said to him, "We shall not hearken to you to make peace with him; for our strength is greater than his strength, and we are more powerful than he;
37:7
we shall go against him and slay him, and destroy him and his sons. And if you will not go with us, we shall do hurt to you also.
37:8
And now hearken to us: Let us send to Aram and Philistia and Moab and Ammon, and let us choose for ourselves chosen men who are ardent for battle, and let us go against him and do battle with him, and let us exterminate him from the earth before he grows strong."
37:9
And their father said to them, "Do not go and do not make war with him lest you fall before him."
37:10
And they said to him, "This too, is exactly your mode of action from your youth until this day, and you are putting your neck under his yoke. We shall not hearken to these words."
37:11
And they sent to Aram, and to ’Adurâm to the friend of their father, and they hired along with them one thousand fighting men, chosen men of war.
37:12
And there came to them from Moab and from the children of Ammon, those who were hired, one thousand chosen men, and from Philistia, one thousand chosen men of war, and from Edom and from the Horites one thousand chosen fighting men, and from the Kittim mighty men of war.
37:13
And they said to their father: "Go forth with them and lead them, else we shall slay you." And he was filled with wrath and indignation on seeing that his sons were forcing him to go before (them) to lead them against Ya’aqov his brother.
37:14
But afterward he remembered all the evil which lay hidden in his heart against Ya’aqov his brother; and he remembered not the oath which he had sworn to his father and to his mother that he would devise no evil all his days against Ya’aqov his brother.
37:15
And notwithstanding all this, Ya’aqov knew not that they were coming against him to battle, and he was mourning for Le’ah, his wife, until they approached very near to the tower with four thousand warriors and chosen men of war.
37:16
And the men of Hebron sent to him saying, "Behold your brother has come against you, to fight you, with four thousand girt with the sword, and they carry shields and weapons";
37:17
for they loved Ya’aqov more than Esav. So they told him; for Ya’aqov was a more liberal and merciful man than Esav.
37:18
But Ya’aqov would not believe until they came very near to the tower.
37:19
And he closed the gates of the tower; and he stood on the battlements and spoke to his brother Esav and said, "Noble is the comfort wherewith you hast come to comfort me for my wife who has died.
37:20
Is this the oath that you didst swear to your father and again to your mother before they died? Thou hast broken the oath, and on the moment that you didst swear to your father wast you condemned."
37:21
And then Esav answered and said to him, "Neither the children of men nor the beasts of the earth have any oath of righteousness which in swearing they have sworn (an oath valid) for ever; but every day they devise evil one against another, and how each may slay his adversary and foe.
37:22
And you do hate me and my children for ever. And there is no observing the tie of brotherhood with you.
37:23
Hear these words which I declare to you, If the boar can change its skin and make its bristles as soft as wool, Or if it can cause horns to sprout forth on its head like the horns of a stag or of a sheep, Then shall I observe the tie of brotherhood with you.
37:24
[And if the breasts separated themselves from their mother; for you hast not been a brother to me.] And if the wolves make peace with the lambs so as not to devour or do them violence, And if their hearts are towards them for good, Then there will be peace in my heart towards you.
37:25
And if the lion becoms the friend of the ox and makes peace with him, And if he is bound under one yoke with him and ploughs with him, Then shall I make peace with you.
37:26
And when the raven becoms white as the râzâ, Then know that I have loved you And shall make peace with you.
37:27
Thou shall be rooted out, And your sons shall be rooted out, And there shall be no peace for you."
37:28
And when Ya’aqov saw that he was (so) evilly disposed towards him with his heart, and with all his soul as to slay him, and that he had come springing like the wild boar which comes upon the spear that piercs and kills it, and recoils not from it;
37:29
Then he spoke to his own and to his servants that they should attack him and all his companions.