Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/229

 The Unity of save him, well and good



the Jacob Story

but

he endeavor to save himself.

if

211

not, then all the

So he prepared

more must his

present

and marshalled it to best advantage, and sent it on before him. His wives and children and the entire camp he set over the stream. He himself remained alone upon the for Esau,

farther bank.

The Bible gives not the slightest intimation of why Jacob remained alone upon the farther bank, instead of crossing with the rest. Clearly he wanted to be alone. But why? The next morning he must surely meet Esau. If he would still

escape,

was

it

his

last

chance.

Obviously here

is

the

climax of the story.

There follows that mysterious incident of Jacob wrestling. have purposely changed the original evil spirit of the night into a man, as they call it. Yet he, too, must be gone by dawn. Unconsciously we feel that it is no real man, but a supernatural something, which, if conquered, can be made to bestow blessing. We do not know what it yas, nor just how the compilers themselves con-

The compilers

ceived of

it.

We

know

only

this,

that Jacob

emerged from

the conflict a different man, weary and limping, yet victor withal.

And

in

symbol thereof, and

in

true

name was changed from Jacob (Ya'akob) to Israel

with

blessing,

his

"the Deceiver",

(Yisra'cl), "the Conqueror", "for thou hast striven

God and

with men, and hast prevailed"

(XXXII,

29).

Unconsciously we feel that the words, "thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed", refer not

merely to this one night of combat, but also to the past twenty years, of sojourn with Laban, and the purgation and preparation which he had undergone there. The effects of

and the old Jacob is gone steps forth, and humbly now, and supplicatingly he goes to meet his brother, prepared to accept unresistingly whatever his brother might put upon him.

the last six years are shaken forever.

The new,

off,

purified Israel

now