jacob and joseph 129

The Story of the Prophet Jacob, peace be upon him

It was he who applied to his sight the antimony: “His eyes went white with grief f.61v2 and he was oppressed with silent sorrow”1; who prayed, “saying: ‘I bewail my grief and my sorrow to God alone’”2; who sent his sons away, saying: “Go, my sons, and seek news of Joseph and his brothers. Do not despair of God’s comfort”3 and: “None but unbelievers despair of God’s comfort”4; who received the glad tidings: “Take this shirt of mine and throw it over my father’s face; he will recover his sight”5; the prophet Jacob,—peace be upon him!

Verse:

Jacob was the name given to the son of the prophet Isaac. It was Jacob who begat twelve sons from six wives;

Jacob who howled at the ten among these many sons When they suddenly killed his eleventh son.

They came in together late at night, weeping like young boys; Jacob threw himself to the ground when they said: “The wolf has eaten him.”

It was Jacob who entered the House of Sorrows, moaning day and night; Who begged God for his Joseph with the beautiful face; f.61v9

Jacob who went forth and made himself go blind gazing at the rising sun. His breast burned and his liver was roasted in flames.

Jacob was filled with sorrow but had courage as the Lord’s dispatched servant. Jacob’s face turned pale while longing for the flower-like cheek.

1 q. 12/84. 2 q. 12/86. 3 q. 12/87. 4 Ibid. 5 q. 12/93.

© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2015 | doi: 10.1163/9789004294837_108 130 stories of the prophets—translation

It was Jacob whose tears flowed when he lost his little seven-year-old son. Eighty years later he found him again.

Jacob the Bondsman of God, son of Isaac God’s Pure One, son of Abraham the Friend of God. f.61v13 The prophet Jacob was very strong and powerful, of stalwart heart and proud of his strength. The Lord, He is mighty and glorious, took that vanity away from him. It has come down in an account: One night Jacob had let out in the field his cattle and livestock, his sheep and lambs. He was busy [squatting on the ground] to relieve himself. He lagged behind the cattle and livestock. The Lord, He is exalted, sent an angel in human appearance. He came in the guise of a thief. Jacob struggled with him. The angel lifted Jacob and threw him to the ground. The artery of Jacob’s thigh-bone ached. He moaned the whole night. He vowed: “If the Lord cures me of this pain, I will renounce the food and drink I like best.” The Lord, He is exalted, cured him. Of all foods, Jacob liked camel meat best; of all drinks, camel milk. He renounced both these foods. After Jacob, his descendants would not consume these foods in accordance f.61v21 with that custom. They said: “These things were forbidden to all prophets from Adam up until today. It was thus in the Torah.” The Lord, He is exalted, declared their claim was false. All foods were lawful for the offspring of Jacob, but Jacob denied them to himself. In His words, He is exalted: “All food was lawful unto the Israelites, except what Israel forbade himself when the Torah had not yet been revealed.”6 Question: Why was the prophet Jacob called Israel? The answer is: asīr means “prisoner of war”. He had once taken Satan prisoner; therefore he was called Israel. It has come down in a report: Jacob was serving in the Temple in Jerusalem. He used to light the lamps. Every night Satan, may he be cursed, came and extinguished the lamps. It has been related: Seven hundred lamps used to be f.62r9 lit. One night Jacob hid himself. When Satan came and extinguished the lamps, Jacob jumped forth, caught Satan and put chains around his neck. He fastened him firmly to a pillar. For this reason he was called Israel. Another answer is: isr means “prisoner of war” and Īl is a name of God. Israel means “bondsman of God”.

6 q. 3/93.