Беседа LVII

“It came to pass, when Rachel gave birth to Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, Let me go, that I may go to my place and to my land” (Gen. 30:25). 1. Today it is necessary to convey to your love the remnants of yesterday’s conversation, so that, from what is now communicated, having learned both God’s care for Jacob and the righteous man’s own piety, we will be jealous of his virtue. It was not without a purpose that the grace of the Holy Spirit preserved all these stories in writing for us, but in order to encourage us to compete and imitate virtuous men. And indeed, when we hear about the patience of one, about the humility of another, about the love of strangers of a third and about the great virtue of each of them, we hear how they all became famous and exalted, then we are excited to compete in this. So, today we will present the rest of the story about this righteous man and thus conclude our conversation. “It came to pass,” it is said, “that Rachel gave birth to Joseph, and Jacob said to Laban: Let me go, that I may go to my place and to my land. Give me my wives and my children, so they can work for you” (Gen. 30:25–26). Look at the kindness of mind in this righteous man: seeing God’s obvious favor towards himself, he did not become proud before Laban; but with great meekness he says: “Let me go, let me go.” Truly, nothing is stronger than meekness, nothing is more powerful than it. Look: just as Jacob himself at first showed meekness, he forced Laban to answer himself with a good disposition of heart. “And Laban said to him: If I have found grace before you, I have seen that God will bless me with your coming, determine your reward from me, and I will give it” (Gen. 30:27-28). I cannot help but admit, he says, that after your arrival I enjoyed the great favor of God; and since I feel the benefits I have received for the sake of your arrival, then offer whatever reward you want to yourself, and I will give it readily. Notice what meekness means, and let’s not ignore this legend. Pay attention to the fact that while the righteous man did not remind or seek a reward for his labors, but only said: “Give me my wife and children, for the sake of their work for you, and let me go,” Laban, respecting the great meekness of the righteous man, himself says: tell me what reward you want to receive from me, and I will give it willingly. Were not Jacob's wives and children with him? Why did he say: “Give me my wives and children”? (Jacob spoke thus), giving him due honor, revealing his own character in everything, and wishing to part peacefully with Laban. And you see how with these words he endeared Laban to himself, so that he promised to give him a reward and left the choice to him himself. What about the righteous? Look again at his great meekness, how at the same time he does not want to be unpleasant and discourteous to Laban. What is he doing? He again calls on him himself as a witness of his disposition towards him and the devotion shown to him throughout his ministry. “You weigh,” he says, “even your work, and the colic of your cattle is with me. For I have many of yours, and many of you; and the Lord bless you by my coming: now when will I make myself a house” (Gen. 30:29–30)? “I call you,” he says, “to witness my labors; You yourself know with what zeal I did everything on my part: having accepted from you a small herd, I, with my diligence and vigilant care, increased it to a multitude. Then, revealing his piety, he continues: “And the Lord bless you with my coming: now when will I make a house for myself?” You yourself know that with my coming to you, grace from above increased your wealth; and since I, for my part, did everything for you with full zeal, performing the service, and God’s help was clearly provided to you, now, in fairness, I need to arrange a house for myself. What does it mean: “create a house for yourself”? This means living in freedom and minding your own business. Having heard this, Laban said to him: “What will I give you?” or: tell me, what do you want to get from me? (Gen.30:31). I myself am aware of this and do not deny it; I know how much I have been given from God and that with your coming God blessed me. “And Jacob said unto him,” it is said, “Thou shalt not give me nothing, but if thou shalt do this word, let the imam feed thy sheep” (Gen. 30:31). “I don’t want to receive anything from you in the form of payment,” he says; but give me only what I say, and I will feed your sheep again. That's exactly what I want. Look at the proposal the righteous man makes to Laban, confident in God’s help: “Let your sheep pass by,” he says, “today, and separate from there every thin sheep among the sheep, and every white and spotted sheep among the goats, so that my reward will be mine: and my righteousness will listen to me before you in the morning, for there is my reward before you; the goats are speckled and whitish, and the sheep are dusty, for what is stolen will be mine” (Gen. 30:32–33). 2. Notice the prudence of the righteous! Knowing how great his favor is from above, he asks Laban for something that, in the natural order of things, seemed either difficult or even impossible (because it rarely happens that animals are born with a variety of coat colors); and Laban, for this very reason, did not hesitate to agree to Jacob’s demand and said: “Be according to your word” (Gen. 30:34). “And on that day you separated the speckled and whitish goats, and all the speckled and whitish goats, and all that was white in them, and all that was white in the sheep 580, and gave them in the hand of your son 581. And set a distance of three days between them and Jacob” (Gen. 30:35–36). Having divided, that is, his flocks at the suggestion of Jacob, he entrusted (one part) to his sons. “And Jacob tended Laban’s sheep that were left behind” (Gen. 30:36). What are these? Precisely those who did not have any variety in the color of their coat... And all this was done so that the righteous man would learn from experience the greatness of God’s care for himself, and Laban would see what help Jacob was enjoying from above. “I Jacob took for myself,” it is said, “a rod of green styrakin, and nuts, and sycamore: and I Jacob took forts with white mottled stripes, cutting off the bark; And put the rods, like a prison, in drinking troughs of water: so that when the sheep come to drink, before the rods they come to drink, the sheep will conceive according to the rod. And the sheep was begotten with a rod 582, and the sheep were razed, white and spotted, and spotted with ashen” (Gen. 30:37–39). The righteous man does this not out of his own impulse, but this is how grace from above inspired his mind, because what happened did not happen according to the ordinary order of nature, but there was much that was wondrous and exceeded the natural order of things. “And separate the lambs 583 and set 584 straight for the sheep a white ram, and every speckled thing in the lambs, and separate the flocks 585 for yourselves, and do not mix them with Laban’s sheep” (Gen. 30:40). Since the animals that were born were all exactly what he intended (for himself), he separated them and thus formed a special herd for himself. “Now it came to pass at the time when the sheep was conceived in the womb, that Jacob laid the rods before the sheep, 586 and conceived them with each rod. And when I desired the sheep, I did not lay them down: but those who were not marked were Laban's, but those who were marked were Jacob's. And the man became very rich” (Gen. 30:41–43). What does the repetition of this last word mean? It expresses great abundance - the fact that Jacob not only became significantly, but also very rich. “Now,” it is said, “he had many cattle, and oxen, and male servants, and female servants” (Gen. 30:43). But look how this again revived envy of the righteous. “Hearing... the words of the sons of Laban: Jacob took all that was our father’s, and from those who are our father did all this glory” (Gen. 31:1). Notice how envy drives them to the point of ingratitude, and not only them, but also Laban himself: “When Jacob saw the face of Laban, it is said, and he did not care for him, as if it were yesterday and the third day” (Gen. 31:2). The words of his sons alarmed Laban’s spirit and made him forget what he had previously said to Jacob in a conversation with him: “God bless me by your coming” (Gen. 30:27). The man who thanked the Lord for the fact that with the coming of the righteous man He was pleased to increase his wealth, now, having changed his thoughts under the influence of his children, was inflamed with envy and, seeing the righteous man in great abundance, no longer wanted to treat him as before. “You saw,” it is said, “Jacob saw the face of Laban, and behold, he did not come to him, like yesterday and the third day.” Do you see how great the meekness of the righteous is and how much ingratitude there is in those; How did they, without thinking to suppress their envy, disturb their father’s spirit? Look further at how inexpressible God’s care is, what condescension He shows when He sees that we, on our part, are doing everything possible. God, seeing their hatred for the righteous man, says to Jacob: “Return to the land of your father and to your generation, and I will be with you” (Gen. 31:3). Enough, he says, you have lived on the wrong side; I now want to fulfill what I promised you before when I said: “I will return you to your land.” So return without any fear, for I will be with you. Precisely so that the righteous should not delay in his return, but boldly undertake the return journey, this is why the Lord says: I will be with you. I, who have hitherto improved your life and multiplied your seed, will continue to be with you. The righteous man, having heard this from God, no longer hesitated, but began to prepare for the journey. “And having sent,” it is said, “he called Rachel and Leah 587 to the field where they were tending 588 the flock: and he said to them.” He wants to inform his wives of his intention regarding the journey, to announce God’s command and (to say) about his father’s hatred of him. “And I said to them: I see the face of your father, as if he were not with me, as yesterday and the third day: but the God of my father is with me. You yourselves know that with all my strength I worked for your father: but your father offended me, and changed my wages of ten lambs: but God did not allow him to do evil to me. If he says to the mother, “Speckled,” then your reward will be: and all the sheep will be born speckled. And if he says, White, your reward will be: and all the sheep will be born white. And God took away all your father’s cattle and gave them to me” (Gen. 31:4–9). 3. Look how he declares to them both his father’s ingratitude towards him and his zeal, which he himself showed in serving him: you know, he says that I served your father with all my might. At the same time, he portrays to them God’s care for him, showing that everything was done by the help from above and that Lavan’s wealth was transferred to him. “God has taken away,” he says, “all your father’s cattle and given them to me. It happened 590 when the sheep was conceived, and I saw my eyes in a dream: and behold, goats and rams ascended 591 on sheep and goats, whitish and mottled, and mottled ashen 592. And the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream: To Jacob. I mean: what is there? And he said: Behold thine eyes, and see the goats and the rams ascending upon the sheep, and the goats, white and speckled, and speckled ashen: for I have seen Laban making a tree for you” (Gen. 31:10-12). Do you see that the power above did all this, rewarding the righteous for his labors? Since he was ungrateful to him, the generous Lord richly rewards the righteous: “I saw,” he says, “Lavan does great things for you.” Let us learn from this that if we meekly and patiently endure insults from anyone, then we will be rewarded with even greater and generous help from above. Therefore, let us not resist those who try to harm us; but let us endure it generously, knowing that the Lord of all will not despise us, if only we, on our part, show kindness: “Vengeance is mine,” He says, “I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). For this reason, Jacob said: “God forbid that he should do me harm.” While Laban wanted to deprive me, he says, of reward for my labors, the Lord showed us His mercy in such abundance that He transferred all of His wealth to us. Seeing that I did the work conscientiously, and that he treated me inappropriately, the Lord showed such providence for us. And it is not without reason that I say this, and it is not in vain that I want to accuse Laban; I have God as a witness to all the actions of your father towards me. “You see,” He says, “Lavan is doing great things to you,” because he not only deprived you of reward, but is now not as disposed towards you as before, and has changed in his intentions. “I am your God, who appeared to you in the place of God, where you anointed the pillar there” (Gen. 31:13). The Lord thus wants to bring to Jacob’s memory what he promised Him then, saying: I will multiply you greatly and will keep you until your land 593 (Gen. 28:14-15). I, he says, am the One who appeared to you and gave you my promises; Even now, since the time has come, I am fulfilling what was promised to you then and I command you to return without fear, because I will be with you. “I am the God who appeared to you in the place where you anointed the pillar and promised me a vow” 594 (Gen. 31:13). The Lord reminds Jacob of his prayer and the promise he made. What did the prayer consist of? “What I have given you, I will give you tithes” (Gen. 28:22). Since Jacob made this vow at a time when he had nothing with him and was wandering like a fugitive, the Lord now says to him: when I appeared to you, you made a vow to Me, saying: “From those who have given me, I dedicate tithes to You,” with this prayer and vow confessing My omnipotence and with the eyes of faith seeing your future well-being; Now, when the promises I have spoken must be fulfilled, the time has come for you to fulfill your vow. So return “today 595, arise and go out,” it says, “from this land, and go to the land of your birth, and I will be with you” (Gen. 31:13). I will be present with you everywhere, I will arrange your path for you, and you will not suffer any harm from anyone, since My right hand will be a covering for you everywhere. Hearing this, Rachel and Leah 596 said to him: “Is there food for us to share or an inheritance in our father’s house 597? Is it not like strangers that we impute to him; for we were sold and our silver was eaten up. And all 598 wealth and glory, which God took away from our father, gave 599 to you. Now 600 when your God said to you, do” (Gen. 31:14–16). So they obey the will of God and still present an indisputable reasoning. What else do we have in common, they say, with our father? Once forever he gave us to you. And “the wealth and glory that God took away from our father” and gave to you, we and our children will have. Don't hesitate. Do not delay, but do what God commanded you. “Now, as your God has spoken, do.” Having heard this, “Jacob arose, took his wives and children, and put them 601 on velds: and he took all his possessions and 602 acquisitions, even the wealth in Mesopotamia, and all his property, which he went to Isaac his father” (Gen. 31:16-18). 4. Notice what courage the righteous man had and how, casting aside all fear and apprehension, he obeyed the command of the Lord. Seeing Laban's unclean conscience, he did not now, as before, reason with him, but only fulfilled the command of the Lord, and, taking his wives and children, set off on the road. “And Laban,” it is said, “from thence, sheared his sheep; Rachel stole her father’s idols” (Gen. 31:19). This was noticed not without a purpose, but with the purpose of showing that (the daughters) still adhered to their father’s customs and had great respect for idols. Consider, in fact, with what care she did this - she did not take away anything else from her father, but only idols, and she did this secretly and from her husband, because he, of course, would not allow this to be done. “And Jacob concealed,” it is said, “from Laban the Syrian, not to tell him that he was leaving. And he and all his men ran away, and crossed the river, and went up to Mount Gilead” (Gen. 31:20–21). Please note here too the great providence of God - precisely in the fact that God did not allow Laban to find out about Jacob’s departure until the righteous man was already far away. After three days, it is said, this became known to Laban 603. “And we took all our brethren 604 with us, and followed him along the way for seven days: and he reached him on Mount Gilead” (Gen. 31:22–23). Here again the ineffable care of God is visible. The one who said: “Return to your land, and I will be with you,” Himself now reveals His providence. Seeing that Laban is pursuing the righteous man with great indignation and wants to collect from him, so to speak, a penalty for escaping, God appears to Laban at night in a dream. “Now,” it is said, “God came to Laban the Syrian one night 605 and spoke to him” (Gen. 31:24). Look how God, in His care for the righteous, condescends to converse even with Laban, in order, by shaking his soul, to keep him from attacking (Jacob). “Be careful not to speak evil with Jacob” (Gen. 31:24). Great is the goodness of the Lord! He saw that Laban was rushing to battle, wanting to attack the righteous: therefore, God stopped his intention with His word and said: “Be careful not to speak evil with Jacob.” Do not try, he says, to sadden Jacob even with words; beware, refrain from your evil intention, tame your anger, curb your irritated spirit and do not allow yourself to sadden Jacob even with a word. And note the Lord’s love for mankind: He did not command Laban to return to his home, but only commanded him not to say anything difficult or offensive to the righteous man. Why is this and what is it for? So that the righteous person can actually see from experience how much care God honors him with. If Laban had returned, how would Jacob or his wives know? And for this purpose, God allows Laban to go and with his own lips retell to Jacob what was said to him from God, so that the righteous man himself would continue his journey with greater haste and boldness, and his wives, having learned what kind of care Jacob was awarded from the God of all, would reject their father’s error, imitate the righteous man and from here receive sufficient edification to the knowledge of God. For them, of course, the words of Jacob were not as reliable as the words of Laban, still devoted to idolatry, because the testimonies (of faith) of unbelievers and enemies of piety are always of particular importance; - and this is the work of God’s skillful wisdom, when it makes even the enemies of the truth witnesses of the truth and forces them to confirm it with their own lips. “And Laban comprehended Jacob. Jacob set up his tent on the mountain: Laban set up his brethren on Mount Gilead. And Laban said 607 to Jacob: “What have you 608 done?” (Gen.31:25–26). Look how the command of God tamed his ardor and curbed his rage! Therefore, he addresses his speech with meekness, as if justifying himself and showing fatherly love for him. Thus, when we take advantage of the care from above, we can not only avoid the slander of evil people, but even if fierce beasts attack us, we will not suffer any trouble. The Lord of all, by the abundance of His power, changes the nature of animals and puts in them the meekness of sheep, without taking away their natural ferocity, but, leaving them with the same nature, makes them manifest the properties of sheep. And this can be seen not only in animals, but even in the elements. When He wants, the very elements forget their inherent power, and fire does not reveal the properties of fire. Anyone can be convinced of this from the example of the three youths and Daniel. Daniel, surrounded by lions, did not suffer any harm, being, as it were, among sheep, because a higher power restrained the ferocity of the first. And that they really remained beasts, not only showing their bestial properties, this was actually learned by those who were more ferocious than dumb beasts. 5. And this was for the greater reproof of the latter, because they, being honored by reason, nevertheless surpassed the foolish beasts in cruelty. And they learned in practice that, through the action of God’s providence, even the fierce beasts were afraid of the righteous man and did not dare to touch his body; and they themselves wanted to treat him worse than animals. And so that they would not consider such a phenomenon to be just some kind of ghost, the example of those subsequently thrown into the ditch assured them that only in relation to the righteous did they discover the meekness of the sheep and forget their nature; and after that they showed the properties of cruelty over those abandoned. The same thing happened in the fiery furnace. This element was afraid of those who were in the furnace, among the fire, and did not exert the usual effects of fire on them: its power, being, as it were, bound, preserved the bodies of these youths unharmed, did not even touch their hair, as if someone’s command prevented the element from revealing its characteristic effect, and meanwhile it destroyed those who were outside the furnace, in both cases demonstrating the greatness of the power of God: as in the fact that those who were inside the furnace remained unharmed, and in the fact that those outside died. Thus, when we enjoy favor from above, we not only get rid of the slander of people who are hostile against us, but if we are attacked by the very beasts, we will not suffer any harm, because the hand of God is most powerful, it protects our safety from everywhere and makes us invincible. This is what happened to Jacob. The one who with such irritation wanted to overtake the righteous man and punish him for escaping, not only does not say anything rude and unpleasant to him, but, like a father in a conversation with his son, meekly turns his speech to him and says: “Why did you do this: why did you go away in secret?” (Gen.31:26). Look what a change! See how the one who raged like a beast now imitates the meekness of the sheep! “Did you go away secretly and steal me, and take my daughters away like captives with weapons?” Why, he says, did you do this? What did you think of this? Why did you arrange your departure so secretly? “If only you had told me, I would have sent you away with much honor 609 and with joy” (Gen. 31:27). If I had known about this, he says, I would have accompanied you “with music, timbrels, and harp. And you were not worthy to kiss 610 ... my daughters: now you have done this foolishly” (Gen. 31:27–28). Look how he denounces himself and admits with his own lips that he was preparing to do evil to the righteous; but God’s providence prevented his intention: 611 “My hand,” he says, “can make you angry: but the God of your father spoke to me yesterday, saying: Take heed to yourself, lest you speak evil to Jacob 612” (Gen. 31:29). Imagine what a consolation these words were for the righteous man, and see how Laban revealed to him his intentions, the purpose with which he wanted to overtake him, and the fact that the fear of God kept him from fulfilling his evil intentions: “The God of your father,” says. You see that Laban himself gained considerable benefit from this, receiving from what was said to him (by God) the greatest evidence of God’s omnipotence. But since you, he continues, wanted this, and God shows such great care for you: “Now, because you have gone away, you have desired to go to your father’s house; then have you stolen all my gods” (Gen. 31:30)? So be it, he says; You took it into your head, you decided to return to your father’s house: but why did you steal my gods? Oh, utter nonsense! Are your gods such that they can be stolen? Don’t be ashamed when he says to you: “You stole everything, my gods!” Look at what an extreme misconception it was that people, adorned with reason, worshiped trees and stones. So your gods, Laban, were unable to defend themselves even when they wanted to steal them! And how could they do this when they were made of stone? And the God of the righteous restrained your rage, even without his knowledge. And you don’t think about how great your blindness is, and yet you accuse the righteous of kidnapping! Why would a righteous man decide to kidnap your gods, whom he abhorred, even more, about whom he knew that they were insensitive stones? But Jacob, having listened to Laban’s words with great meekness, first justifies himself in the accusations made against him, and then offers to make a search about the gods. “Reh 613 for,” he says, “let us not take away your daughter and all mine” (Gen. 31:31). Since I saw that you were not well disposed towards me, I began to worry that you would not take it into your head to take away your daughters and everything I have, to deprive me of my property, as you have already done. This reason and fear prompted me to secretly leave you. But “if you find 614 your gods, let him not live before our brethren” (Gen. 31:32). You see that Jacob did not know about the kidnapping made by Rachel, look at the severe punishment he determines for the one who committed the theft: “If they are found in bad hands,” he says, “let him not live before our brethren.” Not only does he say that he stole, but also because by such theft he provides clear evidence of his own delusion 615. “Find out what I have of yours, and take it” (Gen. 31:32). Search, i.e., whether I really stole something that did not belong to me. You cannot accuse me of anything except that I secretly left you, and I decided to do this not of my own free will, but anticipating an offense and fearing that, having learned about this, you would decide to take away your daughters and everything else that I have from me. “And I did not know,” it is said, “he has nothing: Jacob did not know that I had stolen his wife from Rachel. Laban went in and searched the tent 616 for Leah, and did not find it 617; but he went inside and into Rachel’s booth. Rachel took the idols and put them under the saddle of the great horse, and sat on them. And I said to my father: don’t have a hard time for yourself, my lord, 618 I can’t 619 stand before you, as I am an ordinary woman. But Laban sought 620 throughout all her tent 621, and you did not find 622” (Gen. 31:32–35). 6. Rachel had a lot of intelligence that she managed to outwit Laban. Let people who are hitherto still given over to error and who value idolatry hear: “Put these,” it is said, “under the saddle of a horse, and ride on them.” What's funnier than this? People, adorned with reason, awarded such great benefits from God's love for mankind, want to honor insensitive stones, and do not hide, do not think how absurd it is, but, like animals, are guided only by habit. That’s why Paul writes like this: “I know that when you were unfaithful, you were soon acquainted with a dumb idol, but you knew it” (1 Cor. 12:2). And he said well: “to the voiceless.” And you, he says, who have a voice, endowed with hearing and speech, you, like dumb people, strive for that which has no feeling. And what leniency can be shown to such people! But let’s see what the righteous man says, encouraged by Laban’s confession, and also by the fact that Laban did not find any plausible reason to reproach him. “And Jacob became angry,” it is said, “and hid with Laban, and spoke 623.” Notice how in the dispute itself he reveals the virtue of his soul: “What,” he says, “is my unrighteousness, and what is my sin that you drove after me” (Gen. 31:36)? Why, that is, did you chase after me so quickly? What injustice can you accuse me of? What offense? Not only that, you also caused us the insult that you searched my entire estate! “What have you gained from all the vessels of your house? put it here before your brethren and my brethren, and let them judge between us” (Gen. 31:37). That is, having made such a search, could you find anything that did not belong to me, or anything that belonged to you? If you find it, take it to the middle; and let all who are with me and who have arrived with you judge between us. Since he saw that he was not guilty of anything, with great boldness he recalls the devotion with which he served him all the time, and says: “These are twenty years 624” (Gen. 31:38). After working for so many years, do I deserve such an insult? "It's twenty years old." Until now, I have lived in your house for full twenty years. “Your sheep and your goats are not without fruit; the rams of your sheep are not devoured. The trappings 625 were not brought to you: I was rewarded from Me myself 626 tatbins by day, and tatbins by night. There was scorching heat in the days, and cold in the nights, and sleep departed from my eyes” (Gen. 31:38-40). Or have you forgotten my labors, which I endured while tending your sheep and goats? Can you even blame me if your sheep or goats were ever barren? See how he points to the favor of God that was towards Laban's house as a result of his stay in it; this is the same as he said before: “The Lord bless you at my coming” (Gen. 30:30), since no one can demand this from a shepherd and it does not depend on the shepherd’s supervision, but is a matter of nature. Therefore, Jacob first of all points this out to Laban, letting him understand that there was a special providence for his flocks from above. “I have not eaten the rams of your sheep.” Can you tell me to someday eat a ram from your sheep, as many shepherds are wont to do? Trappers “didn’t bring you.” Neither I myself, that is, could ever eat, nor could an animal ever steal from me. Have I ever brought you something that was torn to pieces by a beast? Don’t you see every day how others tending their flocks bring beast-eaters to their owners? But you cannot accuse me of anything like that, or point to a similar incident with me for twenty years. And what can we say about someone torn to pieces by wild beasts? If there was ever a loss, which can always happen, I did not bring it to your attention, but rewarded the stolen goods on my own behalf, whether it was day or night. And I constantly endured with patience both the sultry heat and the cold of the night, just to keep your herds safe. Moreover, sleep even escaped me due to great concern. Do you see the vigilance of the shepherd? Do you see the intense effort? What justification can those who are entrusted with the flock of words have and who show negligence and every day, according to the word of the prophet (Ezek. 34: 3-4), some sheep are slaughtered, and others are left without any care, although they see that they are either devoured by animals or kidnapped by strangers, although here there is less work and care is easier, since (here) the soul is guided, and there there is a lot of work for the body and for the soul. 7. Listen to what he says: “There were scorching heat in the days, and cold in the nights, and sleep departed from Me.” Can anyone now say that in order to save his flock he exposed himself to dangers and disasters? None of the current (shepherds) can dare to say this. Only Paul, the teacher of the universe, could boldly say this, and even more than this. But where, someone will say, did Paul endure such labors? Listen to what he says: “Who faints, and does not faint? If anyone is tempted, I will not be liquefied” (2 Cor. 11:29). This is pastoral love! The failures of others, he says, increase my own suffering; the temptations of others increase my sorrow. All who are entrusted with the leadership of the verbal sheep should be jealous of him; and may they not be worse than the one who showed such vigilant care for the dumb and, moreover, for so many years! There, even if there had been any negligence, there would have been no trouble; and here, if even one verbal sheep dies or is kidnapped by a beast, it is a great loss, the greatest harm, an indescribable punishment! If our Lord did not refuse to shed his own blood for her, then will he who neglects the one who is so honored by the Lord himself, and who does not fulfill his duty in caring for the sheep, deserve any leniency? But let us return to the continuation of the (biblical) story. “Behold, I am twenty years old,” says Jacob, “and I am in your house. You labored for fourteen and two years for the sake of your daughters: and six years for your sheep, and you repaid my wages to ten lambs 627 . If the God of my father Abraham and the God of 628 Isaac had not been with me, 629 now you would have let me go in vain: God saw my humility and labor 630 my hand, and convicted you yesterday” (Gen. 31:41-42). Look how the righteous man was encouraged by Laban’s confession, and with what courage he continues his reproof! You know, he says, that I served you for twenty years - fourteen years for your daughters, and the rest I tended your sheep; however, you wanted to deprive me of the reward; and yet I did not complain about it. And from what you yourself said, I see that if the God of Abraham and Isaac had not been my helper, now you would have sent me away completely empty-handed; you would have taken everything from me and carried out the insult that you intended to do. But God, who saw “my humility and the work of my hand” ... What does this mean: with “my humility and the work of my hand”? This means: since God knows with what great zeal I performed your service and what labors I endured, tending your sheep, spending day and night in worries, then, looking at this, He, as the Lord who loves mankind, yesterday exposed you and turned away from me the unjust and unreasonable attempts on your part. With his justification, Jacob had a sufficient effect on Laban, denouncing the injustice towards him and counting his benefits shown to him; therefore, he, ashamed of his words, already falls into fear and wants to enter into an alliance with the righteous man. This is what God's care means! The one who himself arranged this and persecuted the righteous with such ardor falls into such fear that he seeks an alliance with him. “And Laban answered and said to Jacob: Your daughters are my daughters; and your sons are my sons, and your cattle 631 are my cattle, and all, as you see, are mine and my daughters: what will I do to them this day, or to their children who are born 632” (Gen. 31:43)? I know, he says, that these daughters are mine, and everything that you have “passed” to you from my property: what can I do to them or their children? “Now come, we will make a covenant, you and I: and it will be for a testimony between 633 me and you” (Gen. 31:44). Let us conclude, he says, an agreement, and it “will be between you and me as a testimony,” - i.e. will serve as evidence, evidence. “I said to him”: if anyone decides to violate what we have now decided, then “behold, no one is with us 634... but God is a witness between me and you.” 8. Notice how little by little Laban is brought to the knowledge of God. The one who recently accused the righteous man of kidnapping his gods and made such a search because of them, now says to him: since there is no one with us who could, in case of need, testify to our real agreement, then “God is a witness between me and you”: He is present here, He is the All-Seeing, from Whom nothing can hide, He who knows the intention of everyone. “Now,” he says, “Jacob set up a pillar... 635, and created a hill, and a poison... on the hill.” Then “Lavan said to him: This hill testifies between me and you” (Gen. 31:45–46). What does it mean: “this hill”? This means: the words spoken here on this hill will always be memorable for us. “And the name of the place was called 636: the hill of testimony” (Gen. 31:47); then he says: “Let God see between me and you” (Gen. 31:49). See how Laban again calls for the judgment of God. He says: “May God see between you and me that we will depart from each other” - now, he says, we will separate; You go to your land, and I will return to my home. “If you humble my daughters, if you understand the wives of my daughters, you will see that no one is with us, you will see 637, God is my witness” 638 (Gen. 31:50). Notice how once, twice, and many times Laban calls on God as a witness. God's providence for Jacob enlightened Laban about how great the power of the Lord is and how impossible it is to hide from the never-slumbering Eye. That’s why he says: although we disperse, although there is no other witness, the Omnipresent Himself will be a witness; thus he expresses with every word that he is the Lord of the universe. “And Laban said 639: Behold, this pillar testifies” (Gen. 31:51). Then Laban says again: “If I do not pass over to you, let you come over to me below this hill and this pillar with malice, O God of Abraham, and let the God of Nahor judge 640 among us” (Gen. 31:52–53). Notice how after his father he added the name of his grandfather, who was the brother of the patriarch, and his grandfather 641. “Let the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor judge between us. And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac, and devoured... the sacrifice on the mountain, and called upon his brethren, and ate, and wrote, and saved on the mountain” (Gen. 31:53–54). “Consume... the sacrifice on the mountain” - i.e. thanked God for what had happened. “And I ate and I ate and I saved on the mountain. And Laban rose in the morning, kissed his sons 642 and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban returned and went to his house 643” (Gen. 31:54-55). You see, beloved, how great is the wisdom of God, how in one and the same deed the Lord showed His providence for Jacob, and kept Laban from doing injustice to the righteous, and thereby, through which he inspired him not to say anything bad to Jacob, led little by little to the path of knowledge of God, and the one who ran like a beast, intending to grab and tear to pieces, returned home, having brought justification and kissing his daughters and their children. Может быть, мы продлили свое слово уже слишком долго; but we were forced into this necessity by the order of the narrative itself. So, ending the word here, we ask your love to do this and arrange all your affairs in order to receive favor from above. If God favors us, then everything will be convenient and easy for us, and nothing will be able to sadden us in real life, even if something seems regrettable. Such is the abundance of His power that, when He pleases, He turns even the most sorrows into joy. So Paul, in the midst of sorrows, rejoiced and was glad, inspired by the expectation of the rewards prepared for him. That is why the prophet said: “Thou hast spread me out in sorrow” (Ps. 4:2), admonishing us that God, even in the most adversity, granted him to enjoy security and tranquility. Having such a Master, so powerful, so providential and wise, so loving of mankind, let us apply our zeal and have great care for virtue in order to receive both present and future benefits, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory and power, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Zlat.: καὶ πᾶν ὅ ἧν λευκόν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς καὶ πᾶν ὅ ἧν φαιὸν ἐν τοῖς ἀρνάσι according to Alex., Cottonian. and others, as well as Heb. T.; in Lucian. sp., with which Slav agrees here. B., the same words are read in a changed order: καὶ πᾶν φαιὸν ὃ ἧν ἐν τοῖς ἀρνάσι, καὶ πᾶν ὃ ἧν λευκὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς - “and all that was white in the sheep, and all that was white in them.” Here in Lucian. sp. it also reads: ποίμνιον κατὰ μόνας - “a herd separately.” Zlat.: Καὶ ἐνεκίσσων τὰ πρόβατα εἰς τὰς ῥάβδους according to the Bodleian. sp. and ev. T.; in Lucian. and some other sp. these words are missing. – καὶ τοὺς ἀμνοὺς διέστειλε; in Lucian. and other sp.: τοὺς δὲ ἀμνοὺς διέστειλεν ᾿Ιακὼβ - “the lambs Jacob shall separate.” – ἔστησεν; in Lucian. sp. ἔθηκεν - “laid.” ποίμνιον; in Lucian. and many more others – ποίμνια – “herds”. ἐν τοῖς ληνοῖς – “in the troughs”, usually read in the book, in Zlat. omitted. Zlat.: Ῥαχὴλ καὶ Λείαν according to most sp. and ev. T.; in Lucian. and Bodleian. sp. Λείαν καὶ Ῥαχὴλ - “Leah and Rachel” (Slav. B.). – ἐποίμαινεν; in Lucian. and other sp.: οὗ ἦν τά ποίμνια – “idea of ​​the flock” (Slav. B.). Αὐταὶ δὲ; in Lucian. and others: καὶ αὐταὶ – “and ourselves.” Zlat. ἐγένετο δὲ; in Lucian. and others: καὶ ἐγένετο - “and it came to pass.” ἀναβαίνοντες ἧσαν according to Alex., Bodleian. and many more etc.; in Lucian. sp. ἧσαν – “byahu” according to Hebrew. t. is not readable; in sp. Dorothea – ἐπιβαίνοντες – “those who find.” according to the usual reading of the Greek. sp. refers to οἱ τράγοι καὶ οἱ κριοὶ – “goats and rams”, why in Slav. B. should read: “whitish and variegated and ashy variegated,” and not “whitish,” etc. Εἰς πλῆθός σε αὐξηθῆναι ποιήσω καὶ ὅτι διαφυλάξω σε εἰς τὴν γῆν σου. καὶ ηὔξω μοι εὐχῆν – (lit.) “you prayed a prayer to Me.” ᾿Επάνιθι νὖν οὑν, which words are not in known sp. and added, probably, by Chrysostom for greater clarity. αἱ περὶ τὴν Ῥαχὴλ – those surrounding Rachel, i.e. Rachel and Leah according to the Bible. text. Μὴ ἔστιν ἡμῖν μερὶς ἠ κληρονομία ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν; in Lucian. sp. – Μὴ ἔστιν ἠμῖν ἔτι μερὶς κληρονομίας ἐν τοῖς τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν - “food is still part of our inheritance from our father.” Zlat.: Και πάντα according to Glasgov. sp. (59 in "Holmes") instead of πάντα in Lucian. and all other sp. σοὶ ἔδωκε instead of: ἡμῖν ἔσται καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις ἡμῶν - “it will be for us and our children” (Slav. B.) in Lucian. and other sp.; see, however, further, a few lines later, where these words of Jacob's wives are expressed closer to the Bible. text, although not literally in its words. Here οὖν is “ugo”, read in Lucian. and other sp. omitted and read further. – και ἀνεβίβασεν αὐτὰς according to sp. Dorothea, Tsittav. and the Vatican. (55 at Holmes) and partly Hebrew. t. (“vaiyissa” – “raised, planted”); in Alex. and Lucian. sp., with which Slav agrees. B., these words are unreadable. πᾶσαν – “all”, read in Alex. and Lucian. sp., at Zlat. missing according to Ferrar. sp. (106 for Holmes). Zlat.: τριὦν γὰρ ἡμερῶν, φησὶ, παρελθουσῶν, τῷ Λάβαν ἐγνώσθη, which is not a literal rendering of the Greek. translation of the 70: ἀνηγγέλη δὲ Λάβαν τῷ Σύρῳ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ, ὅτι ἀπέδρα ᾿Ιακὼβ - “it was told to Laban the Syrian on the third day that Jacob had fled.” Zlat.: πάντας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ according to Alex., Cotton. and many more other sp. and ev. T.; in Lucian. sp., with which Slav agrees. B., – τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ – “his sons and his brethren.” καθ᾿ ὕπνον - in a dream, usually read in Greek. sp., like Heb. t., at Zlat. none. μετὰ τοῦ ᾿Ιακὼβ according to Alex. sp. and ev. T.; in Lucian. and many more other sp. – πρὸς ᾿Ιακοβ – “to Jacob” (Slav. B.); in sp. Dorothea – κατὰ ᾿Ιακὼβ – “against Jacob.” Zlat.: καὶ εἶπε according to the Bodleian. (“de Lag”). Gen. gr.) and Vatik. (129 for Holmes); in Lucian. and so on. sp. – εἶπε δὲ – “speech” (Slav. B.). – Τί τοῦτο according to sp. Dorothea and Tsittav.; in Alex., Lucian. and others – τί – “what” (Slav. B.). The words: μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς πομπῆς are not taken from the biblical text, but belong to Chrysostom. The words: τὰ παιδία μοῦ - “my children” (Slav. B.), usually read in the book, are absent from Zlat. Words: καὶ νῦν - “and now”, usually read in Greek. sp., are absent from Zlat., like Heb. t. and sp. 135 (at Holmes). Here πρὸς ᾿Ιακὼβ, although in Min’s edition it is noted that in five chapters. reads: μετὰ ᾿Ιακὼβ - “with Jacob.” The words: ὅτι ἐφοβήθην - “before I was afraid” (Slav. B.) were apparently not read by Zlat. according to Alex., Lucian. and many more sp., although they are in Heb. t., from which Origen included them in the Hexapla (“Field”). Zlat.: ἀν εὕροις according to sp. Dorothea and Heb. t., in Lucian. sp. – ἄν εὑρεθῶσιν – “if they are found”; However, a few lines later it is found in Zlat. and this is the second reading. Those. commitment to idolatry. Zlat.: τὸν οἶκον with the omission of ἐις – “in” according to sp. Lucian., Dorothea (“Holmes”), etc. (“de Lag.” Gen. gr.). Additional words: ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τῶν δυο παιδίσκων καὶ οὐχ εὖρεν (Sistine ed.) – “and proceeded out of the tabernacle of Leah and searched Jacob’s tabernacle, and into the tabernacle two slave girls, and you did not find it” (Slav. B.), in Zlat. are not read according to nek. sp., in which these words are omitted: Glasgow., Oxford. (59 and 75 for “Holmes”) and Monegasque (“de Lag”. Gen. gr.); in Lucian. sp. The given words are read with the peculiarity that instead of: καὶ ἐξῆλθεν there is: καὶ ἐξελθὼν - “and came out.” Zlat.: κύριέ μου according to sp. Dorothea, Monak. and some etc.; in Lucian. μοῦ – “my” is missing. – οὐ δύναμαι; in Lucian. – οὐ δυνήσομαι – “I can’t.” In Lucian. sp. here it reads ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ - “before him”, which is absent from Zlat. Zlat.: αὐτῆς, which is in the Greek lists. translation, as well as in Hebrew. t., not readable. τά εἴδωλα – “idols” (Slav. B.), read in Alex., Lucian. and other sp., absent from Zlat. Read then in Lucian. and other sp. words: αποκριθεὶς δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ - “Jacob answered” (Slav. B.), from Zlat. not readable, as in Bodleian., Tsittav. (“de Lag.” Gen. gr.), Oxfor., Ferrar. (75 and 107 for Holmes). Zlat.: Ταῦτά μοι εἴκοσιν ἔτη with the omission of further words: ἐγὼ εἰμὶ μετὰ σοῦ - “I am with you”, unmissably read in the book, as well as euro text. – θηριάλωτον – “hunted”; in Lucian. – θηριόβρωτον – “devoured by a beast, “beast eater.” ᾿Εγὼ ἀπετίννυον παῤ ἐμαυτοῦ; what is read here in (Slav. B.) “to you” has no correspondence either in the text of Zlat. or in other lists. Zlat.: δέκα ἀμνάδας according to sp. Dorothea, Tsittav. (de Lag. Gen. gr.) and Ferrar. (106 and 107 for Holmes); in Lucian. and others - δέκα ἀμνάσιν - “ten lambs” (Slav. B.). – ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισαὰκ according to Venetian. and Paris. sp. (72 and 76 for Holmes); in Lucian. and others - ὁ φόβος ᾿Ισαακ - “fear of Isaac” (Slav. B.). μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ instead of μοῖ, as in Lucian. and other sp. (59, 73, 106 and 107 in “Holmes”), in which the words: ἦν μοῖ - “was to me” are read after the words: “my father Abraham.” τὸν κόπον – “fatigue, exhaustion” according to Alex. sp.; in Lucian. and many more others – πόνον – “work”. Zlat.: καὶ τὰ κτήνη σου according to sp. Dorothea, Alex. and some etc.; in Lucian. sp., according to Heb. t., σοῦ – “you” or “your” is not read, as in Slav. B. τοῖς τεχθεῖσιν; in Lucian. and other sp. - “even a native” (Slav. B.). ἀνὰ μέσον; in Lucian. sp. absent. ἐστίν – “is”, read in Lucian. and other sp., absent from Zlat. Zlat.: Λαβὼν δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἔστησεν στήλην instead of the full speech read in the lists: Λαβὼν δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ λίθον ἔστησεν αὐτον στήλην - “Let Jacob take up a stone and set it up as a pillar” (Slav. B.); The saint makes the same abbreviation in the following. then words. - τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου instead of αὐτὸν - “him” (Slav. B.), as in Lucian. and so on. sp. ὁ ὁρῶν according to sp. Dorothea and Venetian. (72 for Holmes); in Lucian. and many more etc., according to Heb. t., not readable. Θεὸς μάρτυς according to Heb. t., Sistine. and Compluten. Publications; in Alex., Lucian. and many more other sp. not readable; to Moscow Greek B. are read contrary to Alex. list. According to Min's text: καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιακὼβ - “and Jacob said”; but there is probably a typo here due to the usual reading in Greek. sp. beginning of the 51st art.: καὶ εἶπε Λάβαν τῷ ᾿Ιακὼβ – “and Laban spoke to Jacob” (Slav. B.); then among the 70 (according to “Field” Orig. Hexapla): ἰδοὺ ὁ βουνὸς οὗτος καὶ μάρτυς ἡ στήλη αὐτη – “behold this hill is a witness and a pillar this"; at Zlat. instead of μάρτυς - “witness” it is read μαρτυρεῖ, which indicates those lists that form the basis of Compluten. Polyglots, where instead of μάρτυς it is read μαρτυρεῖ (Holmes, de Lagarde Genesis gr.). In Lucian., Alex. and some other sp. 51st Art. not readable; to Moscow. Greek edition The Bible is read in two forms, contrary to Alex. sp. Zlat.: κρίνοι according to sp. Dorothea; in Lucian., Alex. and others – κρινεῖ – “will judge.” Θέα, πῶς μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τὸν πάππον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ συνῆψεν, ἀδελφὸν μὲν τοῦ πατριάρχου τυγχάνοντα, ἕαυτοῦ δέ πάππον. By Laban’s grandfather the saint here means, of course, Nahor, the father of Bethuel, whose son Laban was; saying that “after his father he (Lavan) added,” by “father” he obviously means Abraham, which name the saint could not give to him, as it was completely inconsistent with the family relations of either Laban or Jacob to Abraham, and therefore the word: πατρὸς - “father” seems incorrect and is probably a typo in the text of Min’s edition; instead you should probably read: πατριάρχου - “patriarch”. τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ according to Alex. and many more etc., as well as Heb. T.; in Lucian. – αὐτοῦ – “his, his own” is missing. εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ; in Lucian. – καὶ ἀπεστράφη Λάβαν εἰς τὸν τόπον αυτοῦ – “and Laban returned to his place.” You might be interested in: