Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/218

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'fhe

Book of Genesis

THE UNITY OF THE JACOB STORY As was

stated in the Introduction

1-13), the Jacob

(pp.

group of ancient traditions and

cycle of stories consists of a

These

legends, which center about the figure of Jacob. ditions at

were originally independent of each times,

different

with the "angel"

(XXXII,

a blessing

to

from

of

the

said to

an

Prophet

him;

"I

among them so?"

this

all

man

sistent

!'

There

there is

is

one

you genii

if

of

to

like

you".

in

I,

this,

or are you

which you

463.

am

so

shall

I

again,

Thereupon the

latter said,

recite

living, this,

Satan will come, and will not reenter until morning". al-HaaiV3iU, Trans. Tavakar.

who The

genii,

They wrestled

no deity but him, the

no house

the

the gronnd.

you throw me down.

threw the genius to the ground. 'Allah,

one of the com-

the genius replied, "I alone

teach you something beneficial to

"Recite,

parallel

significant

yon are slender as though your arms

see that

strong; hut resume the contest, and

the

kill

and wrested

it

that

throw him

to

were the forelegs of a dog; are alone

Musnad

Mohammed met

To

and

interesting

the

in

tells

him and songht

wrestled with

man

more powerful than

records

Daniiri

legend.

this

25-33), told originally of an evil

However, Jacob did not emerge from

it.^

Arabic tradition

panions

and for different

localities,

the night, which attacked Jacob and sought to

him, but Jacob proved

1

tra-

and arose

Thus, for example, the story of Jacob wrestling

purposes.

spirit of

different

in

other,

the l)ut

and

self-sub-

out of

Damiri,

it

JJaya.t