Jacob, Joseph & Egypt

And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favour before my lord.

But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for thyself.

And Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have found favour in thy eyes, receive a little present at my hands: for I have seen thy face, as if I should have seen the countenance of God: be gracious to me,

And take the blessing which I have brought thee, and which God hath given me, who giveth all things. He took it with much ado at his brother's earnest pressing him,

And said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in thy journey.

And Jacob said: My lord, thou knowest that I have with me tender children, and sheep, and kine with young: which if I should cause to be overdriven, in one day all the flocks will die.

May it please my lord to go before his servant: and I will follow softly after him, as I shall see my children to be able, until I come to my lord in Seir.

Esau answered: I beseech thee, that some of the people, at least, who are with me, may stay to accompany thee in the way. And he said: There is no necessity: I want nothing else but only to find favour, my lord, in thy sight.

So Esau returned that day, the way that he came, to Seir.

And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth, that is, Tents.

And he passed over to Salem, a city of the Sichemites, which is in the land of Chanaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria: and he dwelt by the town.

And he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched his tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem, for a hundred lambs.

And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel.

And Dina the daughter of Lia went out to see the women of that country.

And when Sichem the son of Hemor the Hevite, the prince of that land, saw her, he was in love with her: and took her away, and lay with her, ravishing the virgin.

And his soul was fast knit unto her; and whereas she was sad, he comforted her with sweet words.

And going to Hemor his father, he said: Get me this damsel to wife.

But when Jacob had heard this, his sons being absent, and employed in feeding the cattle, he held his peace till they came back.

And when Hemor the father of Sichem was come out to speak to Jacob,

Behold his sons came from the field: and hearing what had passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a foul thing in Israel, and committed an unlawful act, in ravishing Jacob's daughter.

And Hemor spoke to them: The soul of my son Sichem has a longing for your daughter: give her him to wife:

And let us contract marriages one with another: give us your daughters, and take you our daughters.

And dwell with us: the land is at your command, till, trade, and possess it.

Sichem also said to her father and to her brethren: Let me find favour in your sight, and whatsoever you shall appoint I will give:

Raise the dowry, and ask gifts, and I will gladly give what you shall demand: only give me this damsel to wife.