JUBILEES CHAPTER 24 ~ 29

WEEK 26 JUBILEES 24

1 And it happened after the death
Of Abraham, that YHWH with breath
Blessed Isaac his son, and he rose
From Hebron and went to repose
At Beer Roi in the first year
Of the third week, it would appear, [2073 A.M.]
2 Of this jubilee, seven years.
And in the first of fourth week’s years
A famine began in the land, [2080 A.M.]
3 Besides the first famine at hand,
Which was in days of Abraham.
And Jacob cooked lentils for ham
In pottage, and Esau came from
The field as hungry as a bum.
And he said to Jacob his brother,
“Give me of this red pottage smother.”
And Jacob said to him, “Sell me
Your [primogeniture freely,
This] birthright and I’ll give to you
Both bread, also some of the stew.”
4 Esau said in his heart, “I’ll die,
What profit is this birthright nigh?”
And he said to Jacob, “I give
It to you.” 5 And Jacob to live
Said “Swear to me, this day,” and he
Swore to him. 6 And Jacob then gave
His brother Esau bread to pave
And pottage, and he ate his fill,
So Esau despised birthright’s bill,
For this reason was Esau’s name
Called Edom, because of the same
Red pottage which Jacob gave him
For his birthright. 7 And Jacob trim
Became the elder, and Esau
Was brought down from his elder law.

In Edom they still speak of the red soup,
Although they do not remember the scoop
Of Jacob, nor know that the times of late
Have in that feature at least not left slate.
Some things remain, some little things, to be
The gauge of permanence and symmetry.
The gesture and the look, the way a man
Picks up a hen to carry if he can,
The way a woman lifts a pot, the way
The donkey is pulled away from the hay,
None of these things have changed, though rulers go
And faiths are born and blossom and then slow
And disappear. Beloved, on human path
I keep to You and Yours, away from wrath.

8 And the famine was on the land,
And Isaac departed to stand
Down into Egypt in the year
Number two of this week for fear,
And went to king of Philistines
To Gerar, to Abimelech.
9 And YHWH appeared upon his scenes
And said to him, “Don’t make the trek
Into Egypt, live in the land
That I shall tell you of, and stand
In this country, and I will be
With you and bless you. 10 “For you see
To you and to your seed I’ll give
All this land as a place to live,
And will establish My oath which
I swore to Abraham in pitch
Who was your father, and I’ll make
Your children numerous like stake
Of the stars of the sky, and will
Give your seed all this land to till.
11 “In your seed shall all earth be blessed
In every nation unconfessed,
Since your father obeyed My voice,
And kept My charge and kept by choice
My commandments, and My laws, and
My ordinances, pact to stand,
And now obey My voice and live
In this land which to you I give.”
12 And he lived in Gerar three weeks
Of years. 13 And Abimelech’s cliques
Gave charge concerning him, [2080-2101 A.M.] and all
That was his, saying at the call,
“Any man that shall touch him or
Anything of his house and store
Shall surely die.” 14 Isaac became
Strong among the Philistines’ fame,
And he got gear abundantly,
Oxen and sheep and camels free
And donkeys and a great household.
15 And he sowed in the land as told
Of the Philistines and brought in
A hundred-fold in barn and bin,
And Isaac became very great,
So Philistines began to hate.

One only need have the good fortune of
A single harvest to lose all the love
Of neighbour and king. Now as things are met
Such rulers have the project firm and set
To send depleted uranium on
The soil to scatter well-being at dawn.
Some speak of war-crimes in such shot down shell,
But I look at reality and well
And say all war is crime. Now see what tell
For future archaeologists to sell
Their rotten bodies for research employed
A thousand years beyond children destroyed.
Beloved, a curse on the United States
For dropping time bombs on the world in crates.

16 Now all the wells which the servants
Of Abraham had in advance
Dug during life of Abraham,
The Philistines had stopped with dam
After the death of Abraham,
And filled them with earth like a clam.
17 Abimelech said to Isaac,
“Get out from us, you and your pack,
For you are mightier than we,”
And Isaac, who’d always agree,
Departed from there in the first
Year of the seventh week, as cursed,
And sojourned in Gerar’s valley.
18 They dug again the water wells
Which the servants of Abraham,
His father, had dug in their spells,
Which Philistines had tried to dam
After the death of Abraham
His father, and he called their names
As Abraham his father’s claims.

Beloved, I hear the names fall from the lips
Of Isaac, who after all fatal trips
Returned to re-establish what his dad
Had set up in faith and in chiliad.
Isaac with some nostalgia would repair
The church of Abraham under the glare
Of burning sun’s reality when all
Said such language was gone beyond recall.
Beloved, I too think back to what those who
Engendered me would have me keep in view,
The Decalogue resounding silent through
The halls of heart and brain, the sacred fire
Of faith beyond the sacrificial pyre
To stand unscathed by heathendom and mire.

19 And the servants of Isaac dug
A well in the valley to hug,
And found running water, but those
Shepherds of Gerar strove and rose
Against Isaac’s shepherds oppose
Saying “The water’s ours,” and he,
Isaac called the name of the free
Well ‘The Well of Perversity’,
Because they were perverse with us.
20 They dug a second well to fuss
For that also, he called its name
‘Well of Enmity’ and in blame.
And he arose from there and they
Dug another well, for that they
Did not strive, and he called the name
Of it ‘Room’, since they kept the claim,
And Isaac said “Now YHWH has made
Room for us in what land we stayed.”

How to deal with those who send down the rain
Of plutonium on river and plain?
The only way is to get out of way
And count as loss the children in their play
Who are struck down when fences have been laid.
So Isaac got up from the well he made
And did not try to claim his own, but left
To dig another and to be bereft
A second time. The lucky man makes third
And is not driven out like a crow bird.
In general, I trow, intelligence
Is living where no oil grows under fence,
And where the army of the rich does not
Find anything of worth among the lot.

21 And he went up from there to Beer
Sheba in the first week’s first year,
In the [2108 A.M.] forty-fourth jubilee.
22 And YHWH appeared to him that night,
On the first day of first month’s right,
And said to him, “I am truly
The God of Abraham your father,
Fear not, for I am with you rather,
And shall bless you and shall surely
Multiply your seed as the sand
Of the earth, for the sake of band
Of Abraham my servant.” 23 And
He built an altar there, as had
Abraham his father built glad,
And there he called upon the name
Of YHWH, and he offered the claim
Of sacrifice to the God of
Abraham his father and love.
24 And they dug a well and they found
Running water up from the ground.
25 And the servants of Isaac dug
Another well and only plug
Did they find and no water there,
And they went and told Isaac that
They’d not found water where it sat,
And Isaac said “I’ve sworn this day
To the Philistines in this way,
And this thing’s been announced to us.”
26 And he named that place plenteous
Beer Sheba, for there he had sworn
To Abimelech and highborn
Ahuzzath his friend and Phicol
The prefect Or his host to call.
27 And Isaac knew that day beneath
Constraint he’d sworn in their bequeath
To make peace with them. 28 And Isaac
On that day cursed Philistines tack
And said “Cursed be the Philistines
Until the day of wrath declines
And indignation from among
All nations, may God have them sung
Derision and a curse, object
Of wrath, indignation infect
In the hands of the Gentile sinners
And in the hands of Kittim winners.
29 “And whoever escapes the sword
Of foe and the Kittim implored,
May the righteous nation root out
In judgment from under sky’s spout,
For they shall be the enemies
And foes of my children at ease
Throughout their ages on the earth.
30 “And no remnant be left in dearth
To them, nor one that shall be saved
On the day judgement wrath was waved,
For destruction and rooting out
And expulsion from the earth spout
Is the whole seed of Philistines
Reserved, and there in their combines
Shall no longer be left for these
Caphtorim name on earth to please.

Beloved, they hate me that I mention name
Of country to curse for its guilty blame
In making soil radioactive curse
Forever in practice, but think not worse
Of Isaac, who cursed Philistine for but
A well or two of water in the cut.
The difference between my curse and his
It merely of force, I may curse with whiz
And nothing comes to harm the perpetrator.
When Isaac curses things sooner or later
Catastrophe comes on them all the greater.
So let me curse in peace, I have no power
To bring the guilty to their judgement hour.
I leave them to Your mercy in the gut.

31 “For though he ascend to the sky,
From there he shall be brought down nigh,
And though he make himself on earth
Strong, from there he shall in his worth
Be dragged out, and although he hide
Himself among the nations wide,
Even from there he shall be plucked,
And though he descend into mucked
Sheol, there too his condemnation
Shall be great, and there also done
He shall have no peace or Islam.
32 “And if he go into the qualm
A captive, by the hands of those
That seek his life so shall his foes
Slay him on the way as he goes,
And neither name nor seed shall be
Left to him for the earth to see,
For into eternal cursing
He shall depart and on the wing.”
33 And thus is it written, engraved
Concerning him who is not saved
Upon the heavenly tablets, to
Do unto him in judgement’s due,
So that he may be rooted out
Of the earth where he walks about.

Beloved, is there nothing that’s written down
On tablets for contemporary crown?
Though all the world is guilty as hell for
Neglect of Your brief laws upon the shore
Of Sinai, whose laws are well written too
Upon the heart of small and great in crew,
Still Thou shalt not kill is a word as great
Now as it was in earth’s early estate,
And those who kill the generations coming
Ought to catch their judgement and catch it humming.
There is no punishment that’s great enough
To gift those mortals whose eternal ruff
Continues to kill children in the buff
From now until the edge of doom and fate.

JUBILEES 25

1 In the second year of this week
In this jubilee, Rebekah
Called Jacob her son for a peek,
And spoke to [2109 A.M.] him, saying for law
“My son, do not take you a wife
Of Canaan’s daughters in their strife,
As Esau, your brother, who took
Two wives from Canaan’s daughters’ book,
And they have embittered my soul
With all their unclean deeds in toll:
For all their deeds are fornication
And lust, and there’s no righteous ration
With them, because of wicked deeds.
2 “And I, my son, love you as leads,
And my heart and affection bless
You every hour of day’s address
And every watch upon the night.
3 “And now, my son, hear my voice right,
And do your mother’s will, and do
Not take a wife among the crew
Of this land, but only the house
Of my father, and take a spouse
Of my father’s kindred. You’ll take
A wife for my father’s house sake,
And God Most High will bless you, and
Your children in a righteous band
And as a holy seed to stand.”

Rebekah wishes that her son might not
Take wife from Canaanite in comely plot
As did Esau. The thing is not correct
Politically, but most people neglect
That matter when their benefit is sought.
Is it possible to find holy seed
Among the world’s tribes when their genes indeed
Are so close as not to make much distinction?
The scientific view saves from extinction
The holy seed in that all seeds are holy,
And there’s no difference between the seed lowly
And that of great and mighty. Fact is little
Distinguishes from chimpanzee’s acquittal.
When comes to human races I see pittle.

4 And then spoke Jacob to Rebekah,
His mother, and said not to wreck her,
“Indeed, mother, I’m nine weeks old
In years, and I have not been bold
To touch any woman, I’ve not
Engaged myself to any sought,
Nor even think of taking wife
Of Canaan’s daughters in my life.
5 “For I remember, mother, word
Of Abraham, our father stirred,
For he commanded me not to
Take a wife of Canaanite crew,
But to take me a wife from seed
Of my father’s house and from mead
Of my kindred. 6 “I’ve heard before
That daughters have been born in store
To Laban, your brother, and I
Have set my heart on them on sly
To take a wife from among them.
7 “And for this reason on my hem
I’ve guarded myself in my spirit
Against sinning and so I fear it,
Avoid corruption in my ways
Throughout my life and all the days,
For with regard to lust’s uncleanness,
Abraham, father without meanness,
Gave me many commands. 8 “Despite
All that he has commanded right,
These twenty-two years has my brother
Striven with me, and like to smother
With words frequently to me said
‘My brother, take to wife, be led,
A sister of my two wives’ bed,’
But I refuse to do as he
Has done. 9 “I swear before you free,
Mother, that all the days of life
I will not take to me a wife
From the daughters of Canaan’s seed,
And I will not do wicked deed
As my brother has done. 10 “Fear not,
Mother, be assured of my lot
That I shall do your will and walk
In uprightness, and will not balk
Corrupting my ways all my life.”
11 And so she lifted up like knife
Her face to the sky and extended
The fingers of her hands unfended,
And opened her mouth as she blessed
The Most High God, and she confessed
He had created heaven and earth,
And she gave Him thanks for His worth
And praise. 12 And she said “Blessèd be
YHWH Ælohim, and may He be
Blessed in His holy name for ever
And ever who’s given me the clever
Jacob as a pure son and holy
Seed, for he’s Yours, and Yours though lowly
His seed shall be continually
And throughout all ages to see
For evermore. 13 “Bless him, O Lord,
And place in my mouth blessing’s sword
Of righteousness, so I’ll bless him.”
14 And at that hour, when spirit trim
Of righteousness descended in
Her mouth, she placed both her hands in
The head of Jacob, and said “Blessed
Are You, righteous Lord and confessed
Ælohim of the ages, may
He bless you beyond all the sway
Of men. 15 “May He give you, my son,
The path of righteousness and won,
Reveal righteousness to your seed.
16 “And may He make your sons indeed
Many during your life, and may
They appear according to sway
And number of months of the year.
And may their sons when they appear
Become many and great beyond
The stars of heaven, their numbers’ bond
Be more than the sand of the sea.
17 “And may He give them this goodly
Land as He said He would give it
To Abraham and to his fit
Seed after him always and may
They hold it in possession’s sway
For ever. 18 “And may I see born
To you, my son, blessed children shorn
During my life, and blessed and holy
May all your children be though lowly.

Esau is right, I deem, that Canaanite
Ladies are just as good in moral sight
As Laban’s daughters who would come to fight
Among themselves for household gods in spite.
Idolatress for one idolatress
Leaves little choice among the shoot and guess.
If Jacob had spent ten years in address
Of missionary work among the girls
Of his own neighbourhood, instead of churls
He might have found the whole lot come around
To Your faith, love and worship to the ground.
On other hand, my own experience
Show changing the faith of another’s sense
Is quite unlikely, and to that I’m bound.

Rebekah stands to pray with hands stretched out,
With fingers reaching outward without doubt
Just as we pray today without a shout
And without closing eyes and folding hands,
But rather doing by Your own commands,
To show the gesture of petition when
We come to You in prayer and come again.
Rebekah prays in the same way that we
Stretch fingers out, all ten and palms to see
Toward the house of Your choosing between
The hills of Mecca by the Zamzam stream,
Beneath the sickle moon, beneath the sheen
Of cloud from which surprised sun and rain beam.
Beloved, as did Rebekah, I agree.

19 “And as You have refreshed the spirit
Of your mother during or near it,
Her life, the womb of her that bore you
Blesses you thus to underscore you,
[My affection] and my breasts bless you
And my mouth and my tongue confess you
Greatly. 20 “Increase and spread on earth,
And may your seed perfect in worth
And in the joy of heaven and earth
For ever be, and may rejoice,
And on the great day of peace’ voice
May they have peace or yet Islam.
21 “And may your name be as a balm
And your seed endure to all ages,
And may the Most High God of sages
Be their God, and may Ælohim
The righteous live with them on beam,
And by them may His sanctuary
Be built to all the ages merry.
22 “Blessèd be he that blesses you,
And all the flesh that curses you
Falsely, may it be cursed.” 23 And she
Kissed him, and said to him, “May be
The Lord of the world [Rabbul-‘aalamiina] love you too
As the heart of your mother true
And her affection joy in you
And bless you.” So she ended too.

Not all the seed of Jacob turned out well.
Some of them were bloodthirsty as dry spell.
And some were lusty fast to fornicate
In incest plot, and others ready to
Sell their own brother to Ishmaelite crew.
If that’s the best we get even with blessing,
The rest of the world’s populace by guessing
Is not far behind Jacob’s riotous
Family for murder and fire and fuss.
Beloved, as I step out upon the song
That follows me the whole of my life long,
My introspection takes me and my wrong
To task for those moments when I have trailed.
With palpitation I seek out the railed.

WEEK 27 JUBILEES 26

1 And in this week’s seventh year called
Isaac Esau, his elder son,
And said to him, “I am installed, [2114 A.M.]
Become an old man here, my son,
Indeed my eyes are dim in seeing,
And I know not the day and being
Of my death. 2 And now take your bow
For hunting and with quiver go
Out to the field, and hunt and catch
Me venison, my son, and latch
On to the game to make me meat
Savoury, such as is my soul’s treat,
And bring it back to me to eat,
And that my soul may bless you now
Before I die.” 3 She heard somehow,
Rebekah did, what Isaac spoke
To Esau. 4 And Esau the bloke
Went out early in field to hunt
And catch and bring home any runt
To his father. 5 Rebekah called
Jacob, her son, and said appalled
To him, “Indeed, I heard Isaac,
Your father, tell Esau to track,
He told your brother, saying ‘Hunt
For me, and make me savoury stunt
Of meat, and bring to me to eat
And so bless you beneath YHWH’s feet
Before I die.’ 6 “And now, my son,
Obey me in what’s to be done
In that which I command you. Go
To your flock and fetch me a show
Of two good kids of the goats, and
I’ll make them savoury meat in hand
For your father, such as he loves,
And you shall bring it wearing gloves
To your father that he may eat
And so bless you beneath YHWH’s feet
Before he dies, and that You may
Be blessed.” 7 And Jacob said her nay,
Spoke to Rebekah his mother,
“Mother dearest, if I concur,
I shall not withhold anything
Which my father would eat in spring,
And which would please him, only I
Fear, my mother, that he will spy
My voice and wish to touch me. 8 “And
You know that I am smooth in hand,
And Esau, my brother, is hairy,
And I’ll appear before him wary
As an evildoer, and shall
Act before him a prodigal,
And he will be angry with me,
And I shall bring upon my fee
A curse, and nothing blessingly.”

The lust for meat is what makes Isaac slight
Abraham’s will from out of his blind sight.
He loves Esau for being man of might,
A hunter like his uncle Ishmael, who
Was always Isaac’s hero in the crew.
By Genesis all men accuse Rebekah
For her deceit, but she took to her Mecca
And did her best to follow Abraham
Instead of tasting chowder and the clam.
Beloved, let me not spoil Your prayer’s perfume
With lusts of my desiring to assume.
But like Rebekah keep Your will in mind,
And flaunt the will of powerful and blind,
To obey You alone, merciful, kind.

9 Rebekah, his mother, told him,
“Upon me be your curse with vim,
My son, only obey my voice.”
10 And so Jacob obeyed the voice
Of Rebekah, his mother choice,
And went and fetched two good, fat kids
From the goats, and brought them as bids
To his mother, and his mother
Made savoury meat such as the fer
Loved. 11 And Rebekah took the fine
Clothing of Esau, elder’s sign,
That was there with her in the house,
And she clothed Jacob, younger grouse,
With them, and she put the kids’ skins
Upon his hands but not his shins
And on the bare part of his neck.
12 She put the meat and bread to peck
That she’d prepared into the hand
Of her son Jacob. 13 By command
Jacob went to his father, said
“I am your son, I’ve done just what
You commanded me, went and got.
Arise and sit and eat of what
I’ve caught, father, that your soul may
Bless me.” 14 And Isaac had his say
To his son, “How’ve You found so quickly,
My son?” 15 And Jacob said not sickly
“Because YHWH your God brought it to me.”
16 And Isaac said to him, “Come to me,
So I may feel you, my son, view me
If you’re my son Esau or not.”
17 And Jacob went near Isaac’s spot,
His father’s, and he felt him saying
18 “The voice is Jacob’s voice conveying,
But the hands are hands of Esau,”
And he did not recognize claw,
Because it was a dispensation
From heaven to remove his ration
Of noticing and Isaac did
Not recognize him as he hid,
For his hands were hairy and like
His brother Esau’s, so for strike
He blessed him. 19 And he said “Are you
My son Esau?” and he said true,
“I am your son.” And he said “Bring
Near me, that I may eat that thing
That you have caught, my son, my soul
May bless you.” 20 And he brought the bowl
Near to him, and he ate, and he
Brought him grape juice to drink freely.

Esau was capable of hunting down
The lusty game and bringing back to town
The feisty feast with joy’s anticipation.
Esau could cook a minted fine creation.
The story in the leaf shows Jacob too
A cook of savoury soup and lentil stew.
But here I find the lad goes to his mom
To cook the stolen kid with no aplomb.
Nothing has changed, the one that does footwork
Is always sacrificed for those who shirk.
The credit, empty sum, goes to the one
Who hangs about until the thing is done.
Beloved, have mercy on poor Esau’s fate
And raise him up into the golden gate.

It was not the deceit supposed that wrought
In Isaac blindness to the son he sought.
It was not savoury meat of kid of goat
Dressed up like venison that duly smote
The mind of Isaac, it was not the skin
Laid on forearms and neck, without, within,
That make Isaac think that he blessed Esau.
It was, Beloved, alone Your meddling paw.
The question is, as I try to obey
The words that You have spoken in the way
Of Sinai to all humankind in spe,
Should I like Rebekah and Jacob use
Deceit against the powerful or choose
To rely on You only at the fuse?

21 And Isaac, his father, told him,
“Come near and kiss me, my son trim.”
And so he came near and kissed him.
22 And he smelled the smell of his cloak,
And he blessed him and so he spoke
“Indeed, the smell of my son is
As the smell of a field of his
That YHWH has blessed. 23 “And may YHWH give
You of the dew of heaven to live
And of the dew of earth, and full
Share of corn and oil. Let the bull
Nations serve you, and peoples bow
Down to you. 24 “Be lord anyhow
Over your brothers, and let sons
Of your mother’s sons bow in tons
To you, and may all blessings by
Which YHWH has blessed me and the tie
To blessèd Abraham, my father,
Be imparted to you and rather
To your seed for ever. Cursed be
He that curses you, and blessed be
He that blesses you.” 25 And it came
About as soon as Isaac’s claim
Had ended in blessing his son
Jacob, and Jacob went and won
From Isaac his father he hid
And Esau, his brother, to bid
Came in from his hunting, he did.

It is no use to tread the crazy mill
And follow paths through every field and hill
To strike a goal, to work with sinews bent
And find blood spattered everywhere you went.
It is no use to come back from the kill
With hands full of success and bring the bill
To those who ordered products and to fill
The service laid in comfortable tent.
Esau returns obedient for once
Bringing the proper produce of his hunts
In faith and prayer and righteousness to find
Usurping brother’s blessed and father’s dined.
Beloved, look on for justice and not fate
To those of us without choice, without rate.

26 And he also made savoury meat,
And brought it for his father’s treat,
And said to his father, “Let my
Father arise and eat of my
Deer meat that your soul may bless me.”
27 And Isaac, his father, made free
To say to him, “Who are you, dear?”
And he said to him, “Do not fear,
I am your first born son, Esau.
I’ve done as you’ve given me law.”

Esau is innocent, Beloved, no guile
Marks him at all, he humbly all the while
Does just as father says without complaint.
He goes a weary way and like a saint
Brings duly back what father asked of him.
He does not follow in deceit or whim.
Mark well, Beloved, the righteous state of this
Brother in contrast to deceitful kiss
Of Jacob. My Beloved, when You choose well,
Your choice does not always come ring a bell.
Until the last moment Esau’s so pure
In his intention he hears no allure
Of the trap sprung. But Jacob bites his tongue
Regretting soon the faithless tune he’d sung.

28 And Isaac was greatly astonished,
And said “Who is he unadmonished
Who’s hunted and caught and brought me,
And I have eaten all freely
Before You came, and have blessed him?
And he shall be blessed, and his trim
For ever.” 29 And it happened when
Esau heard his father’s words then
From Isaac that he cried a great
And bitter cry, and said not late
To his father, “Bless me also,
Bless me, my father, on the go.”

The human heart meets every loss with great
Cries of remorse and weeping for the state
Of being victim of the grasp and greed
That heels the world about instead of need.
The human heart of Esau also meets
His loss of faith and works upon the streets
With hopeless cry of disappointment till
The sounds spill out upon both field and hill.
Beloved, I too have done a task or two
And met rebuff instead of payment due,
Till I at last found haven and withdrew
To mountain and to soil to make my way
In humble silence, though I write a ray
Of praise to You where I sit day by day.

30 And he said to him, “Came with guile
Your brother, and stole with a smile
Your blessing.” And he said “Now I
Know why his name’s Jacob the sly.
Indeed, he has supplanted me
These two times, took away from me
My birthright, and now he has taken
Away my blessing, I’m forsaken.”
31 And he said “Have You not reserved
A blessing for me, me unnerved,
My father?” And Isaac answered
And said to Esau by this word,
“Indeed, I have made him your lord,
And all his brothers on the sward
I’ve given to serve him adored,
And with plenty of corn and grape
Juice and oil I’ve strengthened his nape:
And what now shall I do for you,
My son?” 32 And Esau said with rue
To Isaac, his father, “Have You
But one blessing, O father, do?
Bless me, even me also, father.”
And Esau lifted up his voice
And wept. 33 And Isaac answered choice
And said to him, “Indeed, far from
The dew of earth shall be your hum,
And far from the dew of heaven from
Above. 34 “And by your sword will you
Live, and you’ll serve your brother, too.
And it shall come to pass when you
Become great, and shake off his yoke
From your neck, you’ll err in a stroke
Unto death, and your seed shall be
Rooted out from under sky’s plea.”
35 Esau kept threatening Jacob
Because of the blessing and hub
By which his father blessed him, he
Said to himself, “May the days be
Of mourning for my father now,
Brother Jacob I’ll kill in row.”

Isaac recognizes the blessing true,
Even though deceit brought it down in rue.
He does not think to mitigate the view
Or abrogate the words he said though few.
And so deceitful Jacob takes the cake,
While righteous Esau suffers his mistake.
Through time and generations priests have sought
The blessing of the bishops to be taught,
And claim the blessing is theirs though the hand
Conferring it may be of sinful band.
Morality and ethics do not make
Validity, but ceremony’s sake.
Yet I, Beloved, attach me to no church,
Blessed or not, they will leave me in the lurch.

JUBILEES 27

1 The words of Esau, elder son,
Were told Rebekah in a dream,
And Rebekah sent and when done
Called Jacob her younger son’s dream,
And said to him, “Indeed Esau
Your brother will take vengeance law
On you to kill you. 2 “Now, therefore,
My son, obey my voice once more,
And rise and flee to Laban, my
Brother, to Haran, on the fly
And stay with him a few days till
Your brother’s anger turn to swill,
3 “And he turn his wrath from you, and
Forget all that you’ve done in hand,
Then I will send and fetch you back.”
4 And Jacob said “I have no lack
Of courage, if he wants to kill
Me, I’ll kill him and foot the bill.”
5 But she said to him, “Let me not
Lose both my sons on one day sot.”
6 And Jacob said to Rebekah
His mother, “Indeed, formula
Is clear that my father is old,
And does not see, though he is bold,
Because his eyes are dim, and if
I leave him it will be a skiff
Of evil before him, because
I leave him and go without pause
Away from you, and so my father
Will be angry, and curse me rather.
I will not go, when he sends me,
Then only will I go freely.”

Jacob is not the peaceful man men claim.
He may have been disgusted by the game
Of Levi and Simeon on Shechem.
But he is not a soft compliant gem.
He’s ready to make duel with the chief,
His brother and to cut him down like thief,
And even expects mother to join in
The riot and the slaughtering in din.
Beloved, give me no courage in the fight
To bash my enemies upon the site.
Beloved, I do not want the brave man’s face
To kill my brothers and so lose my grace.
Beloved, I flee to You and beg Your choice
Upon my living once more to rejoice.

7 Rebekah said to Jacob, “I
Will go and speak to him or try,
And he will send you then away.”
8 And Rebekah went in to say
To Isaac, “I loathe life today
Because of the two daughters of
Heth, whom Esau’s taken to love
As wives, and if Jacob take wife
From this land’s daughters, on my life,
Why should I live, for wicked are
The daughters of Canaanite star.”

Beloved, I too am son of Heth or near it.
Are only Semites holy men of spirit?
If Esau’s fair wives are unfit because
Their father is Hittite, by all Your laws,
I too am unfit to lift up Your name.
Indeed, I am unfit, and bear the blame.
And yet I dare to hope and bring my claim
To You, Beloved, and if You feel such shame,
Cast me out of the temple, but know true
That even cast out, I acknowledge You
Alone as God, as Friend and without rue
Of punishment or hope of reward do
Obeisance in the inner temple blessed
With Your acknowledgement of human rest.

9 And Isaac called Jacob and blessed
Him, and admonished him addressed,
10 “Do not take you a wife of any
Of the daughters of Canaan’s fenny,
Go to Mesopotamia,
To house of Bethuel by claw,
Your mother’s father, and take you
A wife from there of Laban’s crew,
Your mother’s brother. 11 Ælohim
Almighty bless you by a dream
Increase and multiply you that
You may become there where you sat
A host of nations, and give you
The blessings of my father true
Abraham, to you and your seed
After you, that You may indeed
Inherit the land where you stay,
And all the land which Ælohim
Gave to Abraham. Go today,
My son, in peace as it may seem.”

Isaac is not a fool to send his son
At word of mother on an errand run.
He knows full well what danger stalks the life
Of Jacob, but he does not stir the strife.
He in his wisdom sets the plan in action,
And in so doing breaks down danger’s faction.
Isaac, though loving flesh and brother’s calling,
In quietness contemplating the falling
Out of Esau and Jacob, still returns
To where Your guiding light on his steps burns.
Despite my flitting round the mental room
Finding so many things before my doom
To catch my interest and my moral light,
Beloved, come guide my footsteps too aright.

12 And Isaac sent Jacob away,
To Mesopotamia’s lay,
To Laban the son of Bethuel
The Syrian, the brother well
Of Rebekah, Jacob’s mother.
13 And it happened and did occur
After Jacob had got up to
Go to Mesopotamia’s crew
That the spirit of Rebekah
Was grieved after her son’s éclat,
And she wept. 14 And Isaac said to
Rebekah, “My sister, why do
You weep for Jacob, my son too,
For he goes in peace, and in peace
Will he return. 15 “With full increase
The Most High Ælohim will come
To preserve him from evil bum,
And be with him, for He will not
Forsake him all his days in lot,
16 “For I know that his ways will be
Prospered in all abundantly
Wherever he goes, until he
Return in peace to us, and we
See him in peace. 17 “Fear not for him,
My sister, for he’s not on dim
But upright path and he’s a man
Perfect, and he’s faithful in plan
And will not perish. 18 “So weep not.”
19 And Isaac comforted the lot
Of Rebekah because of her
Son Jacob, and blessed him to stir.

Isaac does not blame Jacob for the plot
To deceive him in matters of the sought
Blessing, but bows humbly to Your own will
And keeps his sights on Your plans and grace still.
Rebekah weeps that Jacob’s gone a while
Because she misses his presence and smile,
But Isaac sees across the years of gloom
And waits for Jacob to return in room.
So both take life from You, Beloved, and share
A common hope of happiness come where
Fraternal feud had all but cut them down.
The choice is always there upon the town.
Beloved, I choose to waken to Your love,
And turn aside from sadness in the shove.

And Jacob went from Beer Sheba
To go to Haran on the thaw
Of the first year of second week
In the forty-fourth jubilee,
And he came to Luz on the lee
Of the mountains, that is, to seek
Bethel, on first day of this week’s
First month, [2115 A.M.] and he came to the place
At evening and turned from the face
Of the way into the road’s west
That night: and he slept there at best
For the sun had set. 20 And he took
One of the stones of that place nook
And lay under the tree, and he
Was journeying alone, and he
Slept. 21 And he dreamed that night, indeed
A ladder set on earth decreed,
And the top of it reached the sky,
And indeed, angels of YHWH by
It ascended and descended:
And indeed, YHWH stood on it, hid.
22 And He spoke to Jacob and said
“I am YHWH Ælohim who led
Abraham, your father, and God
Of Isaac, the land and the sod
Whereon You’re sleeping, to you I
Will give it, and to your seed by
And by after you. 23 “And your seed
Shall be as the earth’s dust indeed,
And You shall increase to the west
And to the east, to the north best
And to the south, and in you and
In your seed shall all the command
Of families of the nations be
Blessed. 24 “And indeed, I too will be
With you, and will keep company
Wherever You go, and I’ll bring
You once again back to this spring
In peace, for I will not leave you
Until I do everything too
That I told you about.” 25 And Jacob
Arousing from his sleep to wake up,
Said “Truly this place is the house
Of YHWH, I knew not more than mouse.”
He was afraid and said “Dreadful
Is this place which is none fateful
But the house of Ælohim, and
This is the gate to heaven’s land.”

Your voice is heard in dreams in Jacob’s time,
Not outright as with Abraham in rhyme,
Or Moses, not in vision as Isaiah
Spoke to the house of Israel in pariah.
Your voice comes to Jacob in the night dream
And tells him to look beyond what things seem
To the inheritance of righteousness.
Beloved, give me such dreams that might caress
My sleeping on the stone below the hill
Where my cabin is placed to fit the bill.
I touch the lichened granite stones to see
If there are heavenly ladders in the lee.
Beloved, I find Your footprints everywhere
Like Jacob, and wonder what place to bare.

26 And Jacob rose early at morn,
And took the stone which he had bourn
Under his head and set it up
As pillar for a sign, and cup
He poured oil on the top of it.
And he called that place name as fit
Bethel, but the name of the place
Was Luz at the first of the race.
27 And Jacob vowed a vow to YHWH,
Saying “If YHWH’ll be with me too,
And will keep me this way I go,
And give me bread to eat and show
Of clothing to put on, and so
I come back to my father’s house
In peace, and also with my spouse,
Then shall YHWH be my God, and this
Stone which I’ve set as pillar kiss
For a sign in this place, shall be
The Lord’s house, all You, God, give me
I’ll give the tenth to you in fee.”

I wake at morning darkness to take light
Again from You, Beloved, and in Your sight
I pour the sacrificial oil upon
The stone I sleep on till the coming dawn,
And vow like Jacob for this day alone
To follow in obedient steps the tone
Of Your commandments, and in that vow find
The glories of a heavenly view combined.
Beloved, the morning finds me once again
Ready to share my crust with fellowmen,
And ready on the hillside by the lake
To take the lessons that your creatures make.
Beloved, open again once more the door
Of Your own hermitage to fill its store.

WEEK 28 JUBILEES 28

1 And he went on his journey, and
He came into the eastern land,
To Laban, brother of Rebekah,
And he was with him in his Mecca,
And served him for Rachel his daughter
One week of years by pact as ought to.
2 And in the first year of the third
Week [2122 A.M.] he said to him, “Give my wife,
For whom I’ve served seven years of life,”
And Laban said to Jacob, “I
Will give you your wife.” 3 But the sly
Laban made a feast, and took Leah
His elder daughter, and to free her
Gave her to Jacob as a wife,
And gave her Zilpah without strife
His handmaid for a handmaid, and
Jacob did not know what was planned,
For he thought she was Rachel. 4 And
He went in unto her, indeed,
And she was Leah as decreed,
And Jacob was wroth with Laban,
And said to him, “What is your plan
To deal with me this way? Did not
I serve you for Rachel and sought
Not Leah? Why have You now wronged
Me? 5 “Take your daughter as headstronged,
And I will go, for You have done
Evil to me beneath the sun.”

To copulate with one woman in dark
Thinking she is another lends a spark
To life that is not always what a man
Has in mind when he goes to make a plan.
That would be one good reason to avoid
The veiling of young girls when they’re employed
About the marriage business. I would think
That marriage not valid that on the brink
Replied the name of someone else than who
Was really standing with the groom as due.
Beloved, though I do not see You nor hear
Your name beside my own murmur in ear,
You are known to me as You are unknown
To us who live and die beneath Your throne.

For Jacob loved Rachel much more
Than Leah, for Leah’s eyes’ score
Was weak, but her form very pretty,
But Rachel had fine eyes and witty
As well as handsome form and pretty.
6 And Laban said to Jacob, “It
Is not so done in our land fit,
To give the younger one as bride
Before the elder at her side.”
And it is not right to do this,
For thus it’s ordained not amiss
And written in the heavenly tablets,
That no one should give younger dabblets
Before the elder, but the elder,
One gives first and after he’s held her
The younger. The man who does so,
They proclaim guilty in the glow
Of heaven, and none is righteous
That does this thing, for among us
This deed is evil before YHWH.
7 And command Israel’s folk to do
Not such a thing, let them not take
Nor give the younger before wake
Of the elder, for it’s a sin.
8 And Laban told Jacob his kin,
“Let the seven days of the feast
Of this one pass by, then at least
I’ll give you Rachel, that you may
Serve me one more seven years’ sway,
That you may then pasture my sheep
As you did in the former keep.”
9 And on the day when the seven days
Of the feast of Leah in lays
Had passed, Laban gave Rachel to
Jacob, that he might serve him too
Another seven years, and he
Gave to Rachel Bilhah for free,
The sister of Zilpah, as maid.
10 And he served him yet one more stayed
Seven years for Rachel, for Leah
Had been given to him for no straw.
11 And YHWH opened up Leah’s womb,
And she conceived and bare the room
Of Jacob a son, and he called
His name Reuben, not Archibald,
In the ninth month, the fourteenth day,
In the first year of third week’s sway. [2122 A.M.]
Which was the Sabbath on the way.

Laban takes cake and cracker too when he
Appeals to divine law and faithfully
To heavenly tablet to justify lies
In broken contract. So all human guise
Appeals to the supposed word You have hidden
Rather than to the Decalogue You’ve bidden.
The sacredness of this and that, what younger
Or older should be given to the monger,
Are always more important than the yield
Of what You once stated on Sinai’s field.
The human heart’s full of excuses bent
To save both what we want and yet prevent
The conscience of complaining our behaviour.
Beloved, from self all men need You a Saviour.

12 But the womb of Rachel was closed,
For YHWH saw Leah was opposed
And Rachel loved. 13 And so again
Jacob went in to Leah’s den,
And she conceived, and bare Jacob
A second son upon his hub,
And he called his name Simeon,
On the week’s third day in the sun
In the tenth month, the twenty-first,
In this week’s third year unrehearsed. [2124 A.M.]

Bless You, Beloved, it is not often You
Step in to support the weakest of crew
And recompense the innocent for what
Has been done to them by deceit and glut.
You notice Leah’s not loved? Good You do
Give her what she wants of the children due
Despite being married without a choice
On her part or her husband’s guiding voice.
You take pity upon the heart of one
Shunted aside after the first night done.
Despite the wickedness of this dark world,
There is a spark of justice once uncurled
Which means You may in some eternity
Look once more on a lady made unfree.

14 And again Jacob went in to
Leah, and she conceived as due,
And bore him a third son, and he
Called his name Levi for decree,
In the first month’s first day the fourth
Day of the week sixth year went forth
Of this week. [2127 A.M.] 15 And again Jacob
Went in to her, and here’s the rub
She conceived, and bore him son four,
He called his name Judah to score,
In the third month, on fifteenth day,
Which was that week’s first day to play,
In the first year of the fourth week. [2129 A.M.]
16 And because of this hide and seek
Rachel envied Leah, for she
Did not bear, not even a wee,
And she said to Jacob, “Give me
Children,” and Jacob said “Have I
Withheld from you the fruits come by
Your womb? Have I forsaken you?”
17 And when Rachel saw Leah’s crew
Of four sons born to Jacob, who
Were Reuben, Simeon, Levi
And Judah, she said with a cry
To him, “Go in to Bilhah my
Handmaid, and she’ll conceive, and bear
A son to me.” She gave her share
Bilhah her handmaid as his wife.

Note, my Beloved, that Reuben the first born
Was born upon the Sabbath without scorn
And given every grace and gift to share
In growing loved and coddled everywhere.
And despite the twice-blessed in being brought
To life upon the Sabbath day and fraught
With the joy of the Torah recitation,
He’s bound in time to become indignation,
A whispered curse among his folk and nation.
While Judah, by contrast, is born upon
The first day of the week, the heathen dawn
When humankind worships the sun instead
Of You, Beloved, a curse upon such led.
Yet Judah remains praised in wisdom’s head.

18 And he went in to her, and she
Conceived, and bore a son to be,
And he called his name Dan, upon
The sixth month’s ninth day which is drawn
As the second day of the week,
In the sixth year of the third week. [2127 A.M.]
19 And Jacob went in again to
Bilhah a second time in view,
And she conceived, and bore Jacob
Another son, she called the bub,
Rachel did, his name Napthali,
On the seventh month’s fifth gone by,
Upon the first day of the week,
In the second year of fourth week. [2130 A.M.]

Ah my Beloved, did no one say a word
In counsel to Bilhah, for what occurred?
Was she asked if she wanted to be mate
To a man with two wives already great?
I think not, and I think that failure to
Regard the wishes of the girl as due
Is tragic even if she, reconciled,
Submitted to the fate of a slave child.
Beloved, I too am a slave girl, no more,
If I turn from the ten commandments’ door
To wallow in determinism’s shore.
Only in following the word revealed
When it goes against my desires concealed
Can I enjoy true liberty in field.

20 And when Leah saw she was weak
To bear, she envied Rachel’s peek,
And she also gave her handmaid
Zilpah to Jacob as wife laid,
And she conceived, and bore a son,
And Leah called him Gad once won,
On the twelfth of the eighth month, which
Is the week’s third day at the pitch,
In the third year of the fourth week. [2131 A.M.]
21 And he went in again to peek
At her, and she conceived, and bore
Him a second son in the score,
And Leah called his name Asher,
On the eleventh month’s grand stir
Of second day which was well set
As Sabbath in the fifth year met
Of the fourth week. [2133 A.M.] 22 And Jacob went
In to Leah, and she was bent
Once more to conceive, and to bear
A son, and she called his name’s share
Issachar, on the fifth month’s fourth
Day on that week’s third day gone forth,
In the fourth year of the fourth week, [2132 A.M.]
And gave him to a nurse to seek.

Two of Leah’s sons born on Sabbath day
Make her among women most blessed and gay.
Asher, well blessed, is twice blessed as the sun
Of his first day on earth’s a Sabbath won.
I wonder if the Sabbath blessing was
Enough to shed from Leah in her pause
The sadness she felt in her marriage week
And after, when she saw her husband seek
The bed of Rachel more often than hers.
For Jacob was appeased in what occurs
Only because within the week of singing
Leah’s marriage he was allowed the winging
In Rachel’s bed also. Beloved, You see
Human hearts wrung, but feel the agony?

23 And Jacob went in once again
To her, and she conceived, and then
Bore two children, a son and daughter,
And she called the name of the son
Zebulon, but the name of daughter
Was Dinah, in the seventh of
The seventh month, which day above
Is the third of the week, and in
The sixth year of the fourth week’s bin. [2134 A.M.]
24 And YHWH was gracious to Rachel,
And opened her womb, and she fell
Pregnant, and bore a son, and she
Called his name Joseph, in the lea
Of the fourth month’s first day which is
The fourth day of the week for biz,
In the sixth year in this fourth week. [2134 A.M.]
25 At the time Joseph came to peek,
Jacob said to Laban, “Give me
My wives and sons, and send me free
To go to my father Isaac,
And let me build a house and rack,
For I’ve completed all the years
In which I’ve served you, and with tears,
For your two daughters, and I’ll go
To the house of my father’s show.”

The name Joseph is poignant with both faith
And superstitious spell that some bright wraith
Might hear the incantation and bring more
Children to bless Rachel on lonely shore.
She is a childish one, who knows how old,
Who shouts upon her joy as a child bold
Who cries in glee “Once more,” and then again
Slides down the snow hard hill and goes for ten.
Beloved, I also in my childish wake
Look out upon the morning for Your sake
And hardly count the gracious scene as one
Seen many times before after night done.
Each gift seems new and fresh and calls out for
A repeat of the symphony encore.

26 And Laban said to Jacob, “Tarry
With me for your wages, and merry
Pasture my flock for me again,
And take your wages with the men.”
27 And they agreed with one another
That he should give him every brother
As his wages of all those lambs
And kids which were born of their dams
Black and spotted and white, these were
To be his wages. 28 And in fur
All the sheep brought forth spotted and
Speckled and black, of varied band,
And they brought forth again lambs like
Themselves, and all with spot and spike
Were Jacob’s and those which were not
Were Laban’s. 29 And so Jacob’s lot
Multiplied there exceedingly,
And he possessed oxen in fee
And sheep and asses and camels,
And menservants and maiden spells.
30 And Laban and his sons envied
Jacob, and Laban took in greed
Back his sheep from him, and he watched
With evil intentions and botched.

I would have thought Jacob would demand lot
In wages for each day he followed plot,
Rather than the gamble of shady spot
Upon the cattle for a living sought.
But trying to advance upon the wheel
Of fortune as it turns and make a deal
Is something too human to scorn at heel.
It raises admiration of a sort
To see the down trodden arise for sport.
Not for their love nor virtue I admire
Mankind, but for their courage in the fire,
To go on with their laughter and desire,
Facing certain death, but invigoured yet
To take in stride the better than they’ve met.

JUBILEES 29

1 And it happened when Rachel had
Borne Joseph, that Laban as glad
Went to shear sheep, for they were far
From him a three days’ trip by star.
2 And Jacob saw that Laban was
Going to shear his sheep and claws,
And Jacob called both of his wives,
Leah and Rachel, as contrives,
And spoke kindly to them that they
Should come away with him to stay
In Canaan’s land. 3 For he told them
How he had seen all as a gem
In a dream, even all that He
Had told him that he should freely
Return to his father’s house, and
They said “To every place and land
You go we will go with you.” 4 And
Jacob blessed the God of Isaac
His father, and the God to track
With Abraham his father’s father,
And he arose, no further bother,
And mounted his wives and his kids,
And took all his possessions’ bids
And crossed the river, and came to
The land of Gilead with crew,
From Laban Jacob hid his plans
And told him nothing of his vans.
5 In seventh year of the fourth week
Jacob turned his face on to seek
Gilead in the first month, on
The twenty-first of that month’s dawn,
The third day of the week construed. [2135 A.M.]
And Laban after him pursued
And overtook Jacob upon
The mount of Gilead in third
Month, and on the thirteenth occurred,
Which was the day of preparation,
When they had stopped for Sabbath’s ration.
6 And YHWH did not suffer him to
Injure Jacob, for He came to
Him in a dream by night for view.
And Laban spoke to Jacob. 7 And
On the fifteenth of those days planned
After the Sabbath Jacob made
A feast for Laban, who had stayed
And for all those who came with him,
And Jacob swore to Laban grim
That day, and Laban also to
Jacob, that neither should pursue
To cross the mount of Gilead
To the other to work him bad.

It seems that Jacob could not face the brunt
Of what Laban might say with face in front.
He had to sneak away because the man
Could always corner him with some new plan
That was to his advantage. Such folk are
Offended when one sneaks away by star.
Since they do not take what they want by hand
Of violence, they expect one to stand.
The ones who overrun the intricate
And delicate leaf of the artist’s state
Least understand why such must run like hate
Pursued them despite that there’s no such fate
At heels. Beloved, You’re not like that at all.
You’re the most delicate to steal the wall.

8 And he made there a heap for witness,
Wherefore name of that place in fitness
Is called ‘The Heap of Witness,’ in
Remembrance of this heap and bin.
9 But before that they used to call
The land of Gilead, mount and all,
The land of the Rephaim, for it
Was the land of the Rephaim fit,
And the Rephaim were born there,
Giants whose height was ten in stair
Down to nine, eight and seven cubits.
10 And their home was from Ammon’s few bits
To Mount Hermon, and the seats of
Their kingdom were Karnaim above
And Ashtaroth, and Edrei, and
Misur, and Beon. 11 And YHWH’s hand
Destroyed them because of the band
Of evil of their deeds, for they
Were very wicked in their way,
And Amorites lived in their stead,
Wicked and sinful also led,
And there is no people today
Who’ve walked in such a wicked way,
And they’ve no longer length of life
At all on the earth for their strife.
12 And Jacob sent away Laban,
And he departed by his plan
Into Mesopotamia,
The land of the East and his pa,
And Jacob returned to the land
Of Gilead. 13 And he passed over
The Jabbok in ninth month, a rover
On the eleventh day thereof,
The fourth day of the week above.
And on that day Esau, his brother,
Came to him, and about to smother
Him with his love, and reconciled
To him, although he had beguiled,
Then parted from him to the land
Of Seir, but Jacob lived in band
Of tents. 14 And in the first year of
The fifth week in this jubilee [2136 A.M.]
He crossed the Jordan, hand in glove,
And lived beyond the Jordan’s sea,
And he pastured his sheep from sea
Of the heap unto Bethshan’s lea,
And unto Dothan and unto
The forest of Akrabbim too.

This Jubilee’s philosophy of life
Politic is not one to respect strife.
Most see history as story of the rife
And violent way one folk has when sent
The means to take the lands without relent.
Survival of the fittest, jungle law,
May seem to be rule by the strongest claw,
But here the concept sees You and Your paw
Behind the rise and fall of nations met.
First there were in the land the giants set,
And for their wickedness You once more let
The Amorites settle in their stead, yet
You are about to give the land away
Once more to Jacob. Such is Your own sway.

15 He sent to his father Isaac
Gifts of all his substance in pack,
Clothing, and food, and meat, and drink,
And milk, and butter, and the stink
Of cheese, and some dates of the vale.
16 And to his mother Rebekah
Four times a year, and without fail,
Between the times of the months, on
The days of the remembrance dawn,
Between ploughing and the reaping,
Between autumn and the seeping
Of the rain season and between
Winter and spring, as it would seem
To the tower of Abraham. 17 For
Isaac had returned from before
Beer Sheba and gone up to live
At the tower of his fugitive
Father Abraham, and he dwelt
There apart from his loved and svelte
Son Esau. 18 For in the days when
Jacob went out and left the den
To Mesopotamia, then
Esau took to himself a wife
Mahalath, the daughter and life
Of Ishmael, and he gathered
All the flocks of his father’s herd
And his wives, and went up and dwelt
On Mount Seir, so’s not to melt
In Beer Sheba where his father
Lived alone without son to stir.
19 And Isaac went up from Beer Sheba
And lived in the tower and zareba
Of Abraham his father on
The cooler mountains of Hebron,
And there Jacob sent all that he
Sent to his father and in glee
To his mother from time to time,
All they needed in gear and rhyme,
20 And they blessed Jacob with all their
Heart and with all their soul aware.

Jacob supports his parents although they
Have all they need, he still remembers way
His father and his mother in their day
Cared for his childish ways and fed him still
And protected him on the tent and sill.
Esau does what he can to earn the love
Of dad and mom, despite his hand in glove
To do for himself first and all above.
He takes a third wife, this time of relation,
Hoping that way to equal Jacob’s station.
Beloved, the competition of such men
Is oft repeated in the world again.
I don’t compete, not because I’m alone,
But because I realize You’ve the throne.

AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

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