Chapter 28
In much the same way that the story of
Eliezer Abraham's servant's selection of Rebekah as a wife for
Isaac is missing, so too is that of Jacob's first meeting with Rachel, along with the
line "and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had for her":
He went on his journey, and came to the land of the east, to Laban, the
brother of Rebecca. He was with him, and served him for Rachel his
daughter one week [of years].
When Laban fobs Jacob off with Leah, and responds to Jacob's remonstrances with
"It is not the done thing in our country to marry off the younger daughter
before the older", the angelic narrator of Jubilees adds:
It is indeed not right to do this; for thus it is ordained and written in the
heavenly tablets, that no one should give his younger daughter before the
elder; but the elder, one gives first and after her the younger; the man who
does so, they set down guilt against him in heaven, and none is righteous that
does this thing, for this deed is evil before the Lord. Now command the
children of Israel that they do not this thing; let them neither take nor
give the younger before they have given the elder, for it is very wicked.
Jubilees posts
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