CHAPTER XXXVI JACOB AND LABAN [46B. ii.] "WHEN thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, || thou shalt not stumble" (Prov. 4:12).
Jacob's steps were not straitened, [ This refers to the extraordinary speed of his journey mentioned in the previous chapter of our book; cf. also supra, pp. 108, 110.] and his strength did not fail, [ In spite of his excessive speed; cf. supra, p. 213.] and like a strong hero he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and the well came up, and spread forth water outside itself, [ Cf. Pal. Targum, Gen. 29:10; Gen. Rab. 70:8; and Ẓohar, Exodus, 13a.] and the shepherds saw and they all wondered, for all of them were unable to roll away the stone [ See Shocher Ṭob on Ps. 91:1, which reads: “And they wondered, because all of them were unable to roll away the stone.”] from the mouth of the well; but Jacob alone rolled the stone from off the mouth of the well, [ The rest of the sentence is wanting in the printed texts.] as it is said, "And Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth" (Gen. 29:10).
Rabbi 'Aḳiba said: Anyone who enters a city, [ For the purpose of finding a wife. This was the purpose of the journey of Eliezer, Jacob, and Moses. See Gen. Rab. 59:11, and supra, p. 108.] and finds maidens coming forth before him, his way will be prosperous (before him). Whence dost thou know this? Know that it is so. Come and see from Eliezer, the servant of our father Abraham, who, whilst he had not yet entered the city, found maidens coming out before him, as it is said, "Behold, I stand [ The quotation ends here in our MS.] by the fountain of water," etc. [ See the rest of the verse for the reference to the maiden.] (Gen. 24:43). And He prospered his way. [ The first editions add: “As it is said, ‘The Lord hath prospered my way’” (Gen. 24:56).]
Whence again dost thou learn this? Know that it is so. Come and see from Moses, for, although he had not yet entered the city, he found maidens coming out before him, as it is said, "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came" (Ex. 2:16). And He prospered his way, and he redeemed Israel from Egypt. [ The Venice edition and MS. Gaster read: “And he advanced to kingship.” On the kingship of Moses see the Book of Jashar lxxii. 34 ff.; T.B. Ẓebachim, 102a; cf. Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 107.] Whence dost thou know this? Know that it [ That one’s way will be prosperous if he meet maidens when he enters a city.] is so. Come and see from Saul, for whilst he had not yet entered the city, he found maidens coming forth before him, as it is said, "As they went up the ascent [ Our MS. reads: “in the gate.” This does not agree with M.T., which reads: “up the ascent.”] to the city, they found young maidens going out" (1 Sam. 9:11). [ This section is wanting in the printed texts; cf. Jalḳuṭ, loc. cit.] And He prospered his way and he acquired the sovereignty. || And whence do we know this? Know thou that it is so. Come and learn from Jacob, for whilst he had not yet entered the city, he found maidens coming forth before him, as it is said, "And, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh" (Gen. 29:6).
Rab Huna said: Everything is revealed and foreseen before the Holy One, blessed be He. Before Jacob came to Haran, what did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He sent a plague among the sheep of Laban, and few were left out of many, and Rachel was tending [ See Pal. Targum, in loc.] these, as it is said, "Rachel came with her father's sheep; [ This part of the quotation is omitted by our MS.] for she kept them" (ibid. 9). Whence do we know that few remained of the many? Because it is said, "And Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks" (ibid. xxx. 86), "the rest" (which remained) after the plague, in order to increase and multiply Laban's flocks at the feet of Jacob. [ The first editions add here: “‘And the Lord hath blessed thee at my foot’ (Gen. 30:30). The feet of Jacob were worthy to increase and multiply the sheep of Laban. Did the feet of Jacob increase and multiply?”] Hence (the sages) said: Sometimes the foot of man destroys the house, and sometimes the foot of man blesses the house, [ The first editions read: “And Jacob’s foot brought blessing, as it is said,” etc. See Tanna de bê Elijahu Rab. 24 p. 125.] as it is said, "And the Lord hath blessed thee at my foot" (ibid. 80). Likewise Laban [ The MS. reads: “Jacob said to Laban.” This does not agree with M.T. The Oxford MS., the first editions, and MS. Gaster read: “Laban said to Jacob.”] said to Jacob: "I have divined [ Laban relied on divination and the Teraphim; see T.J. ‘Abodah Ẓarah iii. 2. 42d.] that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake" (ibid. 27).
When Laban heard the tidings of Jacob, the son of his sister, and the power of his might which he had displayed at the well, he ran to meet him, to kiss him, and to embrace him, as it is said, "And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob, his sister's son" (ibid. xxix. 13). "And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother" (ibid. 15). Was he then his brother? Was he not the son of his sister? This teaches thee that the son of a man's sister is like his son, [ This is the reading of our MS., but the margin has: “it seems that one should read, ‘like his brother.’” The printed texts also read: “the son of a man’s sister is called his son.” The Oxford MS. reads: “like his brother.” Luria reads also “like his brother.” MS. Gaster reads, “is called his son.”] and the son of a man's brother || is like his brother. Whence do we learn (this)? From Abraham, our father, because it is said, "And Abram said to Lot, Let there not be strife [ The quotation ends here in our MS.] … for we are brethren" (ibid. xiii. 8). Another verse (says), "And when Abram [ Luria’s text reads “Abraham”; this should be “Abram” in accordance with the Bible text.] heard that his brother was taken captive" (ibid. xiv. 14). Was he his brother? [ See T.B. Jebamoth, 17b.] Was he not the son of his brother? But it teaches thee that the sons of a man's brother are like his own brothers.
The sons of a man's sons are like his own sons. Whence do we learn (this)? From Jacob, because it is said, "Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine" (ibid. xlviii. 5). Were they his sons? Were they not the sons of his son? But it teaches thee that the sons of a man's sons are as his own sons. And the sons of one's daughters are as one's own sons. Whence do we learn (this)? From Laban, because it is said, "And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons" (ibid. xxxi. 43). [ See T.B. Jebamoth, 62b, and T.B. Baba Bathra, 143b. For an opposite view see Gen. Rab. 94:6; and cf. T.B. Soṭah, 49a.] Were they then his sons? Were they not the sons of his daughters? But it teaches thee that the sons of a man's daughters are like his own sons.
Jacob began to serve for a wife [ This is based on Hos. 12:12; see Gen. Rab. 70:17.] for seven years. He [ Jacob. The Oxford MS. and the first editions read: “After seven years he made a banquet.” The Bible text says that “Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast” (Gen. 29:22).] made a banquet and rejoicing for seven days, [ See supra, p. 112, and Pal. Targum, in loc.] and married Rachel, [ The Oxford MS. and the first editions read “Leah.”] as it is said, "Fulfil the week of this one" (ibid. xxix. 27). "And Jacob did so, and fulfilled the week of this one" [ Jubilees xxviii. 8 says: “And Laban said to Jacob, ‘Let the seven days of the feast of this one pass by, and I will give thee Rachel, that thou mayst serve me another seven years’”; cf. Gen. 29:27–29 and cf. Josephus, Ant. i. 19. 7.] (ibid. 28). [ The Oxford MS. and the first editions add here: “Again he kept another seven days of banquet and rejoicing, and he married Rachel, as it is said: ‘And he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife’” (Gen. 29:28).] All the men of the place were gathered together to show loving-kindness to our father Jacob, as it is said, "And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast" (ibid. 22).
The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Ye have shown loving-kindness to Jacob, My servant, I also will give || you and your sons your reward [ The whole of this paragraph is omitted in the Oxford MS.] in this world, so that there be no reward for the wicked in the future world, as it is said, "Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Aram [ In the MS. the quotation ends here. Aram suggests to our author Laban, who was an Aramæan.] … because by him the Lord had given victory unto Aram" (2 Kings 5:1).
(Laban) took his two handmaids, and gave them to his two daughters. Were they his handmaids? Were they not his daughters? [ The legend that Zilpah and Bilhah were sisters occurs in Jubilees xxviii. 9 and in Test. XII Pat., Naph. i. 9, 11; see also Pal. Targ. Gen. 29:24, 29, Gen. Rab. 74:13; and Singer, Das Buck der Jubiläen, i. p. 118.] But according to the law of the land the daughters [ Read here שבנוחיו.] of a man by his concubines are called handmaids, as it is said, "And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter [ In the MSS. the quotation ends here.] Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid" (Gen. 29:29). [ See Gen. Rab., loc. cit. The Midrashic reading of Gen. 29:29 seems to be: “And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah (by) his handmaid (to be) her handmaid.”]
Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, saw the sorrow of Leah, and He gave her power to conceive, (bringing) consolation to her soul; [ i.e. the joy of motherhood; see Gen. 29:31: “And the Lord saw that Leah was hated.”] and she bare a male child, goodly in appearance, and wise; and she said: See ye a son [ ראו בן (Reuben). This is not the explanation of the Biblical text (Gen. 29:32); see T.B. Berakhoth, 6b, and Gen. Rab. 71:4; cf. J.E. x. 386.] which the Holy One, blessed be He, has given me, as it is said, "And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Because the Lord hath looked upon my affliction" (ibid. 32). Therefore he [ The MS. reads “he called.” This reading agrees with Jubilees xxviii. 11. The first editions agree with the Oxford MS. and read: “she called.”] called his name Reuben.
Rabbi Eliezer said: Leah bare her sons after seven months, [ Of gestation.] and in seven years there were born unto Jacob eleven sons [ The first editions read here “tribes.”] and one daughter. [ See Seder ‘Olam Rab. 2 p. 5a: “All the tribes and Dinah were born within 7 years, each one after 7 months.” See T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, 12a. For a different view see Jalḳuṭ, Ex. § 1, and cf. R. Bechai on Gen. 29, where the explanation is given as to the month in which each tribe was born, each one being born in a different year. See also the Book of Jashar xxxi. 15 ff., and Jubilees xxviii. 9 ff., according to which the eleven sons were born within ten years; see Charles’ note on p. 171 of Jubilees, and cf. Schürer, iii. 349 (on Demetrius).] And all of them were born, each with his partner [ i.e. future wife. They were twins, male and female; cf. infra, p. 304. According to Jubilees xxviii. 23, Leah bare two children, “a son and a daughter,” Zebulun and Dinah.] with him, except Joseph, whose partner was not born with him, for Asenath, the daughter of Dinah, was destined to be his wife, [ On Asenath see Hastings’ D.B. i. 162 f.; J.E. ii. 172 ff.; see also Pal. Targum on Gen. 41:45 and xlvi. 20; Midrash Agadah, Gen. p. 97; Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 146 (in name of Midrash Abkhir). See also infra, pp. 287 f.; and cf. the Book of Jashar xlix. 36 f.] and (also) except Dinah, whose partner was not born with her. She [ Leah.] said: This child is (according to) justice and judgment, [ “Din” (“justice”). The idea here is probably the same as supra, p. 152, that the world was originally developed by the primitive instincts of nature. See Ẓohar, Lev. 77b. There may also be a reference to the coming events in Shechem.] therefore she called her name Dinah. [ See T.B. Berakhoth, 60a, and Pal. Targum, Gen. 30:21.]
Rabbi Eliezer also said: Jacob fled in order to come to Laban, and he fled to get away from Laban. Whence do we know that he fled in order to come to Laban? Because it is said, "And Jacob fled || into the field of Aram" (Hos. 12:12). (Whence do we know that) [ The Oxford MS. and the first editions read: “Whence do we know?” The expression is wanting in our MS.] he fled in order to get away from Laban? Because it is said, "And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled" (Gen. 31:22). Why did he flee? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Jacob ! I cannot suffer My Shekhinah to dwell with thee outside the land, [ The reference is to the land of Israel. The Oxford MS. reads: “I do not desire to let My Glory dwell with thee in this place”; the later editions read: “in the house of Laban.”] but "return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee" (ibid. 3). [ God promises to be with Jacob in his birthplace, and not in the house of Laban. See supra, pp. 54 f.] Therefore he fled. And Laban took all the men of his city, mighty men, and he pursued after him, seeking to slay him. The angel Michael descended, and drew his sword behind him, [ i.e. Laban; see Pal. Targum, Gen. 31:24, and cf. supra, p. 191.] seeking to slay him. He said to him: Do not speak to Jacob, either good or bad, as it is said, "And God came to Laban the Aramæan in a dream of the night, [ In the MSS. the quotation ends here.] and said unto him, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad" (ibid. 24). Laban rose up early in the morning, and saw all that Jacob had, and he said (to him): [ “To him” occurs in the first editions, but not in the MSS.] All these are mine, and since thou hast taken all these, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my Teraphim, which I worshipped? [ Have we in the description of the Teraphim a protest against the worship of relics? See also Wisdom xiv. 15.]
What are the Teraphim? They slay a man, a firstborn, and he is red (in colour). All that a man requires (to know) is not written here. This is impossible, since the men who dispute about the knowledge of making (the Teraphim) have increased. Everyone who follows that knowledge will ultimately go down to Gehinnom. [ The preceding words (from “he is red”) occur in our MS. only.] And they pinch off his head, and salt it with salt, [ For text see Buxtorf, Lexic. Chald. Talm. Rabb. (ed. 1640), s.v. תרפים; ‘Arukh, ed. Kohut, viii. p. 285b, s.v. חרף adds: “and spices.” This addition agrees with the text of the first’ ditions. The Oxford MS. reads: “And they burn incense before him, and offer spices before him.”] and they write upon a golden plate [ On קמיע, (charm) written on golden plates, see Tosephta Kelim (Baba Mezi‘a) i. 12, p. 579. See also Origen, c. Cels. vi. 31; and M. Friedländer, Antichrist, p. 164, note 1, for other references and literature.] the name of an unclean (spirit), [ The Oxford MS. adds “spirit.” This is also the reading of the first editions.] and place it under his tongue, [ ‘Arukh, loc. cit., has “head.”] and they put it in the wall, and they kindle lamps [ Schwally, Das Leben nach dem Tode, pp. 40 f., sees here a reference to the “lamp of the dead”; and cf. Perles in Monatsschrift, x. (1861), p. 382.] || before it, and bow down to it, and it [ ‘Arukh, loc. cit., has: “and Laban was speaking with them (the Teraphim).”] speaks unto them. Whence do we know that the Teraphim speak? Because it is said, "For the Teraphim have spoken vanity" (Zech. 10:2). [ This section occurs also in Midrash Tanchuma, Vayezê, § xii.; Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 130, Jalḳuṭ, Zechariah, § 578, the Book of Jashar xxxi. 41; Pal. Targum on Gen. 31:19, and see J.E. xii. 109; also Athanasius Kircher, Œdipus Ægyptiacus, i. p. 261, and cf. Selden, de Dis Syriis Syntagma, i. ii. pp. 96 ff. On the Teraphim see Blau, Altjüd. Zauberwesen, p. 120; Bacher, T. ii. pp. 164 f.; and cf. Mekhilta pp. 67a, b; Siphrê, Deut. § 43, p. 81b.] On that account had Rachel stolen them, so that they should not tell Laban that Jacob had fled, and not only that, but also to remove idolatrous worship from her father's house. [ The first editions read here: “not only that, but also to cut away the name of idolatry from the house of her father.” See also Gen. Rab. 74:5, and Pal. Targum, Gen. 31:32. ‘Arukh, ed. Kohut, viii. p. 285b, reads: “and further to destroy idolatry from her father’s house.” Jubilees xxix. 5 fixes Nisan 21st as the day of Jacob’s departure from Laban. This date corresponds to the day when the Israelites crossed the Reed Sea. Jubilees does not mention the Teraphim, but has a good deal to say about the wickedness of the Rephaim. Are the “Rephaim” purposely substituted for the Teraphim?]
Now Jacob knew nothing of all this, and he said: Anyone who has stolen thy Teraphim shall die before his proper time; [ The text says: “Let him not live” (Gen. 31:32); P.R.E. gives the paraphrase of this, so also the Pal. Targum, loc. cit.] and the utterance [ Lit. “that which cometh out of the mouth.”] of a righteous person is like the speech from the mouth of an angel, [ This may be an illustration of the verse: “Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?” (Eccles. 5:6).] and (Rachel) bare and died, as it is said, "And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, for she died" (Gen. 35:18).
Rabbi Jehudah said: Three forefathers made covenants with the people of the land. [ Of Canaan. The first editions add: “And they were: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”] (With reference to) Abraham (the circumstances were as follows). [ The words in brackets have been supplied to show the connection of thought. The first editions read: “Abraham made a covenant with the people of the land.”] When the angels were revealed unto him, he thought that they were travellers (from among) the people of the land, [ See T.B. Baba Mezi‘a, 86b. “The angels looked like Arabs,” who travel from land to land, see Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 82.] and he ran to meet them, and he wished to prepare for them a great banquet, [ See Aboth de R. Nathan (a) xiii. p. 29a; Gen. Rab. 48:12; and Jalḳuṭ, Gen. loc. cit.] and he told Sarah to prepare cakes for them. When Sarah was kneading, she perceived that the manner of women was upon her, [ See T.B. Baba Mezi‘a, 87a.] therefore he did not hand them any of the cakes. He ran to fetch a calf. But the calf fled from before him, and went into the Cave of Machpelah, and he went in there after it, and he found Adam and his help-meet [ See Ẓohar, Gen. 127a, and Midrash Haggadol, c. 348.] lying there upon their beds, [ See supra, p. 148, and cf. J.E. viii. 248. According to the Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 11. ix., Adam was “laid on the eastern side of the inside of the cave, the side of the incense, and (Seth) placed in front of him a lampstand kept burning.” This was the “Cave of Treasures.” The legend occurs in Jalḳuṭ, Gen. loc. cit.] and they slept, and lights were kindled above them, [ Cf. supra, previous page, note 6.] and a sweet scent was upon them like a sweet savour, therefore he desired to have the Cave of Machpelah as a burial possession. He spoke to the sons of Jebus, in order to purchase from them the Cave of || Machpelah by a purchase with gold, [ See Jalḳuṭ, Gen. loc. cit.; here and in Jalḳuṭ, Joshua, § 28, the expression is: “with a purchase by gold.” Luria thinks that our text should read: “with a perpetual purchase by gold.”] and by a perpetual deed for a possession of a burying-place. Were they Jebusites? Were they not Hittites? But they were called Jebusites according to the name of the city of Jebus. [ See 1 Chron. 11:4: “Jerusalem, the same is Jebus, and the Jebusites the inhabitants of the land, were there.” These inhabitants were Hittites by descent; moreover, the text quoted (Gen. 23:16) speaks of them as the “children of Heth.”] The men did not accept (this request). [ At first they only consented to permit him to bury Sarah with their own dead.] He began to bow down and prostrate himself unto them, as it is said, "And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land" (ibid. xxiii. 12).
They said to him: We know that the Holy One, blessed be He, will give to thee and to thy seed in the future all these lands; make a covenant with us by an oath that thy seed shall not take possession of the cities [ See Midrash Haggadol, c. 350. The first editions read: “The city of Jebus except by the consent of the children of Jebus.”] of Jebus, and we will sell unto thee the Cave of Machpelah by a purchase with gold and by a perpetual deed and for a perpetual possession. He made with them a covenant with an oath that the Israelites would not take possession of the city of Jebus [ The preceding words of this sentence up to “save by the consent” are omitted in the first editions. See Jalḳuṭ, Joshua, loc. cit. For a variant reading see ‘Arukh, ed. Kohut, vi. p. 180a, s.v. עוֵד.] save by the consent of the sons of Jebus, and afterwards he bought the Cave of Machpelah by a purchase with gold, and a perpetual deed, for a perpetual possession, [ Cf. Jer. 32:7 ff. for the method of purchasing land. The MS. omits “as it is said”; this reading is found in the first editions.] (as it is said), "And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant" (ibid. 16).
What did the men of Jebus do? They made images of copper, and set them up in the street of the city, and wrote upon them the covenant of the oath of Abraham. When the Israelites came to the land (of Canaan), they wished to enter the city of the Jebusites, [ See Josh. 15:8, and Judg. 1:8: “And the children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire”; and cf. verse 19: “for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley.” What is the political significance of the legend?] but they were not able (to enter), [ The MS. omits “to enter”; it is found in the first editions.] because of the sign of the covenant of Abraham's oath, [ See Midrash Agadah, Gen. p. 56; and Rashi, in loc.] as it is said, "And the children of Benjamin did not drive out [ The MS. and the first editions omit this first part of the verse.] the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem" (Judg. 1:21). || When David reigned [ See Siphrê, Num. § 42; T.B. Ẓebachim. 114b; and cf. 1 Chron. 11:4 and Ps. 132:2–5. David desired to conquer Jerusalem and to build the Temple.] he desired to enter the city of the Jebusites, (but) they did not allow him, as it is said, "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; which [ Our MS. reads: “The men of Jebus said, Thou shalt not come in hither.” The last words occur also in 1 Chron. 11:5, which reads: “the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come in hither.” The first editions have followed the text of 2 Sam. 5:6.] spake unto David, saying, Thou shalt not come in hither" (2 Sam. 5:6).
(Although) the Israelites were like the sand of the sea, [ In number; cf. 2 Sam. 17:11.] yet it was owing to the force of the sign of the covenant of Abraham's oath. [ That they were unable to capture the city of the Jebusites.] David saw (this) and turned backwards, as it is said, "And David dwelt in the stronghold" (ibid. 9). [ But not in the city.] They said to him: Thou wilt not be able to enter the city of the Jebusites until thou hast removed all those images upon which the sign of the covenant of Abraham's oath is written, [ Cf. 1 Macc. viii. 22.] as it is said, "Except thou take away the blind and the lame" (ibid. 6). "The lame" refers to the images, as it is said, "Wherefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house" (ibid. 8). Lest thou shouldst say, The blind and the lame did not enter the Sanctuary, Heaven forbid (that we should say this), but these "blind and lame" refer to the images which have eyes and see not, feet and they walk not, (as it is said), [ “As it is said” is omitted by the MS.; it occurs in the first editions.] "That are hated of David's soul" (ibid.). Because David hated to hear of and to see idolatry, as it is said, "Wherefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house" (ibid.).
David said to his men: Whoever will go up first, and remove those images upon which the sign of the covenant of Abraham's oath [ According to Rashi and Ḳimchi, in. loc., the sign was the effigy of Abraham.] is written, he shall be the chief. [ Lit. “the head.”] And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up, [ The first editions add: “first.”] and he became the chief, as it is said, "And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, || and was made chief" (1 Chron. 11:6). Afterwards he [ David.] bought the city of the Jebusites for Israel by a purchase with gold and with a perpetual deed for a perpetual possession. What did David do? He took from each tribe fifty shekels; verily all of them amounted to six hundred shekels, [ See T.B. Ẓebachim, 116b; Siphrê, Num. loc. cit.; Deut. § 62, and Baraitha of the 32 Middoth, 15. Our text is referred to by Tosaphoth on T.B. Kethuboth, 99a; catchword, “He gave.”] as it is said, "So David gave to Ornan [ In the MS. and the first editions the quotation ends here.] for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight" (ibid. xxi. 25).
Isaac [ See Gen. Rab. 68:7.] made a covenant with the people of the land, when he sojourned in the land of the Philistines. He noticed that they turned their faces away from him. He went away from them in peace, and Abimelech and all his magnates [ See Pal. Targum on Gen. 26:26.] came after him. He said to them: Ye turned aside your faces from me, and now ye come unto me, as it is said, "And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore are ye come unto me, [ The quotation ends here in our MS.; the first editions read as far as “Wherefore.” As usual, “etc.” is added in all the texts.] seeing ye hate me?" (Gen. 26:27). "And they said, We saw plainly that the Lord was with thee" (ibid. 28). They said: We know that the Holy One, blessed be He, will give to thy seed in the future all these lands; make a covenant of an oath with us, that thy seed will not take possession of the land of the Philistines. He made a covenant of an oath with them. [ This sentence is not in the printed texts.] What did Isaac do? He cut off one cubit [ See Pal. Targum, Gen. 26:28 ff., for this legend. According to the Midrash Agadah (Gen. in loc.), p. 66, Isaac was riding upon his ass when he made the covenant with the Philistines. He cut off the measure of a cubit from the bridle of the ass, so that it should be a proof to the Philistines that Isaac had sworn that his children should not take the land of the Philistines.] of the bridle of the ass upon which he was riding, and he gave it to them that it might be in their hands [ The first editions read here: “And he gave it to him as a sign that there should be between them a covenant of an oath.”] for a sign of the covenant of the oath.
When David reigned, he desired to enter the land of the Philistines, but he was unable (to do so) because of the power of the sign of the covenant [ See Ex. Rab. xx. 1; and Gen. Rab. 52:7.] oath of || Isaac, until he had taken from them the sign of the covenant of Isaac's oath, as it is said, "And David took the bridle of the cubit [ See Shocher Ṭob, Ps. 60:1, p. 152b, and cf. T.B. Chullin, 60b, for the covenant of Abraham.] out of the hand of the Philistines" (2 Sam. 8:1), [ See Ḳimchi on this text, where the entire passage from P.R.E. is quoted. See also ‘Arukh, ed. Kohut, v. p. 286b.] as it is written, "So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel" (1 Sam. 7:13). [ Luria reads: “And he subdued them.” See Tosephta Soṭah, xi. 13, p. 316.]
Jacob made a covenant with the people of the land, because Laban said to him: I know that the Holy One, blessed be He, will give to thy seed in the future all these lands; make a covenant of an oath with me, that the Israelites will not take possession of the land of Edom. [ The first editions read “Aram” (Syria). They add the following: “And he erected for himself a pillar and (a heap of) stones, and brought his sons with him in the covenant of the oath.”] He [ Jacob.] made with him a covenant with an oath, as it is said, "And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather ye stones" (Gen. 31:46). Were they his brethren? Were they not his sons? But this teaches thee that a man's sons are like his brethren. [ Cf. supra, p. 270, and see Rahmer, op. cit. p. 41.] Laban said to him: If the Israelites obtain possession of the land (of Canaan), then they must not come into the land of Edom [ See note 6, above.] for an evil purpose, [ The next clause up to “as it is said” occurs only in the MS.] and if Edom obtain possession they must not come into the land of Israel for evil, as it is said, "That I will not pass over this heap to thee, [ The quotation ends here in the MS.; the first editions read: “That I will not pass over this heap,” not quoting exactly as in M.T.] and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm" (ibid. 52).
When David reigned, he wished to come into the land of Edom, [ See supra, p. 279, note 6, first sentence.] but he was unable on account of the power of the covenant of Jacob's oath until he had broken that pillar. Concerning this, Solomon [ This is an error. It should be “Moses.” The first editions read “Moses.”] said: "And break in pieces their pillars" (Ex. 23:24). Afterwards he conquered the land of Edom, [ See supra, p. 279, note 6, first sentence.] as it is said, "David smote also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, [ The MS. concludes the quotation here and omits “the son of Rehob.” The first editions read: “as it is written, ‘And David smote Hadadezer, king of Aram.’” This is not to be found in the Hebrew Bible. See 1 Chron. 18:3.] as he went to recover his dominion at the river" [ The river Euphrates, which flows through the land of Syria. Zobah was an Aramæan kingdom; see Gesenius (Oxford ed.), p. 844a, b, and cf. 2 Sam. 10:6, 8, and Ps. 60:1.] (2 Sam. 8:3). [ See Shocher Ṭob, Ps. 60:1. p. 152b.]