Jubilees 19

The Repose of Sarah

19 And in the first year of the first week in the forty-second jubilee Abraham returned and dwelt opposite Hebron, that is, Karjatarbok, two weeks of years. 2And in the first year of the third week of this jubilee the days of the life of Sarah were completed, and she died in Hebron. 3And Abraham went to mourn over and to bury her; and we tried him if his spirit was patient and if he was impatient in the words of his mouth, and he was found patient in this, and was not shaken. 4For in the patience of his soul he conversed with the children of Keti that they should give him a place that he could bury his body in it; and the Lord gave him grace before all who saw him, and he asked with modesty of heart of the children of Keti, and they gave him the land of the double cave opposite Mamre, which is Hebron, for forty pieces of silver.

5But they begged him, saying: "We will give it to thee"; and he did not take anything from them for nothing, for he gave the price for the place, perfect, silver; and he bowed down before them twice, and then he buried the body in the double cave. 6And all the days of the life of Sarah were one hundred and twenty-seven years, and this is two jubilees and four weeks and one year; those are the days of the years of the life of Sarah.

The Ten Trials of Abraham

And this was the tenth trial with which Abraham was tempted, and he was found faithful and of patient spirit. 8And he did not speak a single word concerning that God had said that he would give him and his seed after him this land when he petitioned that he might bury his body there, for he was found faithful and patient and was written down as a friend of the Lord in the tablets of heaven.

9And in the fourth year thereof he took a wife for Isaac his son, and her name was Rebecca, the daughter of Betuel, the son of Nahor, the brother of Abraham. 10And Abraham took to himself a third wife, and her name was Keturah, from among the sons of his household, for Hagar had died before Sarah. 11And she bore him six sons, Zambari, and Joksan, and Madai, and Ejazbok, and Sachai in the second week of years.

12And in the sixth week, in the second year, Rebecca bore to Isaac two sons, Jacob and Esau: but Jacob was pious and righteous and Esau was a rough man, a tiller of the field and hairy, but Jacob dwelt within tents. 13And the youths grew, and Jacob learned writing; but Esau did not learn it, for he was a man of the field and a hunter, and learned war and all rough deeds. 14But Abraham loved Jacob, but Isaac loved Esau. 15And Abraham saw the deeds of Esau, and he knew that his name and seed should be called for him in Jacob, and he called Rebecca, and commanded her concerning Jacob, for he saw that she too loved Jacob much more than Esau.

"Jacob I Loved"

16And he said to her: "My daughter, watch my son Jacob, for he shall be in my stead upon the earth as a blessing among the sons of men and to all the seed of Shem, and for an honor, and I know that the Lord has chosen him for himself as a people secluded from all those upon the face of the earth, and behold, Isaac, my son, loves Esau more than Jacob, and I see that thou lovest righteousness for Jacob; add yet to do something good for him and let thine eyes be over him as the beloved, for he shall be to me a blessing over the earth, from now on and to all the generations of the earth. 17Let thy hands be strong, and thou shalt rejoice in thy son Jacob, for him do I love exceedingly above all my children; for to eternity the Lord will be blessed in him, and his seed shall fill all the land. 18If a man can number the dust of the earth, then his seed will be numbered. 19And all the blessings with which the Lord has blessed me and my seed shall be to Jacob and his seed all the days, and in his seed shall my name be blessed and the names of my fathers, Shem, and Noah, and Enoch and Mahaalel, and Seth and Adam; and these will serve to a founding of heaven and a strengthening of the earth and for a removal of all the stars upon the firmament."

20And he called Jacob before the eyes of his mother Rebecca, and he kissed him, and blessed him, and said to him; "My beloved son Jacob, whom my soul loveth, may God bless thee from the firmament above and give thee all the blessings with which he blessed Adam, and Enoch, and Noah, and Shem, and all that he has conversed with me and all that he has said that he would give me, may he fasten these to thee and to thy seed to eternity, according to the days of heaven over the earth. 21And the spirits of Mastema shall not become masters over thee and over thy seed to remove thee from the Lord who is thy God, from now on and to eternity. 22And may the Lord God be thy father, and thou his first-born son, and his people for all days: go, my son, in peace!" 23And the two went together from Abraham.

24And Rebecca loved Jacob with all her heart, and with all her soul, exceedingly more than Esau; and Isaac loved Esau exceedingly more than Jacob.