Jubilees 37

On the day Isaac died, the sons of Esau heard that Isaac had given the elder son's portion to Jacob. They were furious.

REF And the sons of Esau heard that Isaac had given the portion of the elder to Jacob.

They argued with Esau: Why did your father give Jacob the inheritance? You are the firstborn!

REF And they strove with their father, saying: 'Why has thy father given Jacob the inheritance?'

Esau said: Because I sold my birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentils. And he came with cunning and my father blessed him.

REF And he said: 'Because I sold my birthright to Jacob.'

Now our father made both of us swear that neither would plot evil against the other.

REF 'And our father made us swear not to devise evil against each other.'

They said: We will not listen to you about making peace. Our strength is greater than his. We will march against him and kill him.

REF And they said: 'We will not hearken. Our strength is greater than his.'

Let us send word to Aram, Philistia, Moab, and Ammon. Let us recruit fighting men and march against him.

REF 'Let us send to Aram and Philistia and Moab and Ammon for picked men of war.'

Their father said: Do not go. Do not wage war on him, or you will fall before him.

REF And their father said: 'Do not go, lest ye fall before him.'

They said: This is how you have always been — putting your neck under his yoke. We will not listen.

REF And they said: 'This is thy manner — thou puttest thy neck under his yoke.'

They sent to Aram and Aduram and hired one thousand fighting men — chosen warriors.

REF And they sent to Aram and hired one thousand fighting men.

From Moab and the Ammonites came one thousand hired warriors. From Philistia and Edom, another thousand each. And from the Kittim came mighty men.

REF And from Moab and Ammon and Philistia and Edom came chosen men of war.

They said to their father: Go out with them and lead them — or we will kill you.

REF And they said to Esau: 'Go forth with them, or we will slay thee.'

Esau was filled with anger, seeing that his sons were forcing him to march against his brother Jacob.

REF And he was filled with wrath at being forced to go against his brother.

He remembered the resentment hidden in his heart and forgot the oath he had sworn to his father and mother.

REF And he remembered the evil in his heart and forgot his oath.

Jacob did not know they were coming in war. He was mourning for his wife Leah, until they came close with four thousand warriors.

REF And Jacob knew not that they were coming. He was mourning for Leah.

The people of Hebron sent word: Your brother has come against you with four thousand armed men.

REF And the men of Hebron sent to him: 'Thy brother cometh with four thousand men.'

Jacob sent word to Esau: Come to me and let us make peace. If they need land, I will give them territory.

REF And Jacob sent to Esau: 'Come and let us make peace.'

Esau replied: I have no need of your goods. Come and face me in battle.

REF And Esau said: 'I have no need of thy goods. Come to me in war.'

Jacob sent a second time: I beg you, brother, do not do this evil. The Lord will not grant you the right to fight me.

REF And Jacob sent again: 'Do me not this evil.'

Esau said to himself: I will not listen. I will march against him.

REF And Esau said: 'I will go against him in battle.'

Esau advanced against Jacob, and Jacob went out to meet him with a large force.

REF And Esau advanced against Jacob.

Judah took the lead. He took up his bow and went out into the field. He and his men struck down the forces of Esau.

REF And Judah went first and took his bow.

Judah pursued Esau, and his arrows flew at him, piercing him.

REF And Judah pursued Esau and his arrows pierced him.

Jacob drew his bow and shot his brother Esau, striking him in the right side of the chest. He killed him.

REF And Jacob drew a bow and shot Esau and slew him.

He pursued Esau's sons and struck them down, and they fled before him.

REF And he pursued Esau's sons, and they fled before him.

Jacob prevailed over the sons of his brother Esau, and they submitted to him.

REF And Jacob prevailed, and the sons of Esau accepted subjection.