1
And it came to pass that there came unto him a man who was not a mana, and he sat and spoke to Jacob all the night;
2
And Jacob wrestled with himself over the things he had done, for both good and evil, until the breaking of the day, for he feared that death would come to him by the hand of his brother, Esau.
3
And when the man who was not a man saw that he prevailed not towards Jacob, he touched the hollow of his own thigh; and the hollow of the thigh of Jacob was out of joint as he wrestled with himself, and he was awakened by the pain of it.
4
¶ And he who was a man but not a man said: And now I must go, for the day breaketh.
5
But Jacob implored him, saying: I cannot let thee go from before me, except thou bless me.
6
And he asked him: What is thy name, I pray thee?
7
And he replied unto him: Jacob.
8
And he who is a man but not a man blessed him, saying: Thy new name shall be Israela; for thou hast struggled with Ha’Elohimb and with men and have been given power of both;
9
And thy children shall too be called such so long as they stay upon my straight path;
10
For the righteous are blessed and they are those to whom the Holy One shall cause to see visions and to dream dreams;
11
Therefore, be wise and know that in dreams Adama is forewarned and preserved from judgments and calamities, for the soul may speak to the flesh in the time of sleep.
12
¶ And Jacob asked him: Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.
13
And he who is a man but is not a man said: Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? But it is Ben Ahmana, the very Son of Ahmanb.
14
And there in that place where Ben Ahman did bless him, Jacob called the name of it Penuela, saying: I have seen Elohim face to faceb, and my life is preserved.
15
¶ And as Jacob passed over Penuela, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
16
And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked; and behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men.
17
And Jacob had divided the children unto his wives, their mothers: unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto Bilhah, and unto Zilpah.
18
And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph, even our father, hindermost to keep them safe.
19
And Jacob passed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother.
20
¶ And it came to pass that Esau ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.
21
And Esau lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children, and said: Who are these with thee?
22
And Jacob answered him, saying: The children which Ha’Elohim hath graciously given thy servant.
23
Then the two wives of Jacob that had been given him of Rachel and Leah came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
24
And Leah also with her children came near and bowed themselves; and after came our humble father, Joseph, and our mother, Rachel; and they bowed themselves.
25
¶ And Esau asked him: What meanest thou by all this drove which I met?
26
And Jacob said: These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
27
And Esau said: I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
28
And Jacob replied, saying: Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive these, my gifts at my hand; for when I saw the face of Elohim, my only request was to know that thou wast pleased with me.
29
And Esau accepted the gifts, and offered unto Jacob gifts also, saying: Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee because Elohim hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough; and Esau urged him, and Jacob took it.
30
¶ And Esau said: Behold, our father doth yet live; therefore, let us take our journey together unto him; yea, let us go and I will go before thee.
31
And Jacob said unto him: My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me; and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
32
Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant; and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord again.
33
And Esau said: Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me.
34
And Jacob said: What needeth it? Let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
35
And so Esau returned that day on his way, leaving his brother and went not unto their father.