Jubilees 25

In the second year of that week in this jubilee, Rebekah called her son Jacob and spoke to him, saying, 'My son, do not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan, as your brother Esau has done — he took two Canaanite wives, and they have embittered my spirit with all their unclean behavior. All their deeds are sexual immorality and lust, and there is no righteousness in them — their deeds are evil.

REF And in the second year of this week in this jubilee, Rebekah called Jacob her son, and spake unto him, saying: 'My son, do not take thee a wife of the daughters of Canaan, as Esau, thy brother, who took him two wives of the daughters of Canaan, and they have embittered my spirit with all their unclean deeds: for all their deeds are fornication and lust, and there is no righteousness with them, for (their deeds) are evil.

My son, I love you deeply, and my heart and my love bless you every hour of the day and every watch of the night.

REF And I, my son, love thee exceedingly, and my heart and my affection bless thee every hour of the day and watch of the night.

Now, my son, listen to my voice and do your mother's will. Do not take a wife from the daughters of this land, but only from my father's house and my father's family. Take a wife from my father's house, and the Most High God will bless you, and your children will be a righteous generation and a holy seed.'

REF And now, my son, hearken to my voice, and do the will of thy mother, and do not take thee a wife of the daughters of this land, but only of the house of my father, and of my father's kindred. Thou wilt take thee a wife of the house of my father, and the Most High God will bless thee, and thy children shall be a righteous generation and a holy seed.'

Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, 'Mother, I am nine weeks of years old, and I have neither known nor touched any woman, nor betrothed myself to anyone. I do not even think of taking a wife from the daughters of Canaan.

REF And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother: 'Behold, mother, I am nine weeks of years old, and I neither know nor have I touched any woman, nor have I betrothed myself to any, nor even think of taking me a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

For I remember, mother, the words of our father Abraham. He commanded me not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan, but to take a wife from the descendants of my father's house and from my kindred.

REF For I remember, mother, the words of Abraham our father, for he commanded me not to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, but to take me a wife from the seed of my father's house, and from my kindred.

I have heard that daughters have been born to your brother Laban, and I have set my heart on taking a wife from among them.

REF I have heard before that daughters have been born to Laban thy brother, and I have set my heart on them to take a wife from amongst them.

For this reason I have guarded my spirit against sinning or becoming corrupted in any of my ways throughout all the days of my life. Regarding lust and sexual immorality, our father Abraham gave me many commands.

REF And for this reason I have guarded myself in my spirit against sinning or being corrupted in all my ways throughout all the days of my life; for with regard to lust and fornication, Abraham my father gave me many commands.

Despite all that Abraham commanded me, during these twenty-two years my brother has pressured me, frequently saying, 'Brother, take one of my daughters as a wife.' But I refuse to do as he has done.

REF And despite all that he commanded me, these two and twenty years my brother has striven with me, and spoken frequently to me and said: 'My brother, take one of my daughters to wife.' But I refuse to do as he hath done.

I swear before you, mother, that for all the days of my life I will not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan, and I will not act wickedly as my brother has done.

REF I swear before thee, mother, that all the days of my life I will not take me a wife of the daughters of the seed of Canaan, and I will not act wickedly as my brother has done.

Do not be afraid, mother. Be assured that I will do your will, walk in uprightness, and never corrupt my ways.'

REF Fear not, mother; be assured that I shall do thy will and walk in uprightness and not corrupt my ways for ever.'

Then she lifted her face to heaven, extended the fingers of her hands, opened her mouth, and blessed the Most High God who created heaven and earth. She gave him thanks and praise.

REF And thereupon she lifted up her face to heaven, and extended the fingers of her hands, and opened her mouth, and blessed the Most High God, who had created the heaven and the earth, and she gave Him thanks and praise.

She said, 'Blessed be the LORD God, and may his holy name be blessed forever and ever, who has given me Jacob as a pure son and a holy seed. For he is yours, and his descendants will be yours continually throughout all the generations forever.

REF And she said: 'Blessed be the Lord God, and may His holy name be blessed for ever and ever, who hath given me Jacob as a pure son and a holy seed; for He is Thine, and Thine shall his seed be continually and throughout all the generations for evermore.

Bless him, O Lord, and place in my mouth the blessing of righteousness, so that I may bless him.'

REF Bless him, O Lord, and place in my mouth the blessing of righteousness, that I may bless him.'

At that moment, when the spirit of righteousness descended into her mouth, she placed both her hands on Jacob's head and said:

REF And in that hour, when the spirit of righteousness descended into her mouth, she placed both her hands on the head of Jacob, and said:

'Blessed are you, Lord of righteousness and God of the ages. May he bless you beyond all the generations of humanity. May he give you, my son, the path of righteousness and reveal righteousness to your descendants.

REF 'Blessed art thou, Lord of righteousness and God of the ages; And may He bless thee beyond all the generations of men. May He give thee, my son, the path of righteousness, And reveal righteousness to thy seed.

May he give you many sons in your lifetime, and may they rise up according to the number of the months of the year. May their sons become many and great, more than the stars of heaven, and their numbers greater than the sand of the sea.

REF May He make thy sons many in thy lifetime, And may they arise according to the number of the months of the year. And may their sons become many and great beyond the stars of heaven, And their numbers be more than the sand of the sea.

May he give them this good land, as he said he would give it to Abraham and his descendants after him forever. May they possess it forever.

REF May He give them this goodly land — As He said He would give it to Abraham and to his seed after him alway — And may they hold it as a possession for ever.

May I see blessed children born to you during my lifetime, my son. May all your offspring be a blessed and holy seed.

REF And may I see (born) unto thee, my son, blessed children during my life, And a blessed and holy seed may all thy seed be.

As you have refreshed your mother's spirit during her life, the womb that bore you blesses you. My love and my breasts bless you, and my mouth and tongue praise you greatly.

REF And as thou hast refreshed thy mother's spirit during her life, The womb of her that bare thee blesseth thee, [My affection] and my breasts bless thee And my mouth and my tongue praise thee greatly.

Increase and spread over the earth. May your descendants be perfect in the joy of heaven and earth forever. May your offspring rejoice, and on the great day of peace may they have peace.

REF Increase and spread over the earth, And may thy seed be perfect in the joy of heaven and earth for ever; And may thy seed rejoice, And on the great day of peace may it have peace.

May your name and your descendants endure through all the ages. May the Most High God be their God, and may the God of righteousness dwell with them. Through them may his sanctuary be built for all the ages.

REF And may thy name and thy seed endure to all the ages, And may the Most High God be their God, And may the God of righteousness dwell with them, And by them may His sanctuary be built unto all the ages.

Blessed be everyone who blesses you, and cursed be everyone who curses you.'

REF Blessed be he that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.'

She kissed him and said, 'May the Lord of the world love you as your mother's heart and love rejoice in you and bless you.' And she finished her blessing.

REF And she kissed him and said to him, 'May the Lord of the world love thee, As the heart of thy mother and her affection rejoice in thee and bless thee.' And she ceased from blessing.