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that it is sometimes； as it were； paraphrased by the son of
Abraham； the son of David； etc。； which is capable of no such
ambiguity。
（30） The birth of Jacob and Esau is here said to be after
Abraham's death： it should have been after Sarah's death。 The
order of the narration in Genesis； not always exactly according
to the order of time； seems to have led Josephus into this error；
as Dr。 Bernard observes here。
（31） For Seir in Josephus； the coherence requires that we read
Esau or Seir； which signify the same thing。
（32） The supper of savory meat； as we call it； Genesis 27：4； to
be caught by hunting； was intended plainly for a festival or a
sacrifice； and upon the prayers that were frequent at sacrifices；
Isaac expected； as was then usual in such eminent cases； that a
divine impulse would come upon him； in order to the blessing of
his son there present； and his foretelling his future behavior
and fortune。 Whence it must be； that when Isaac had unwittingly
blessed Jacob； and was afterwards made sensible of his mistake；
yet did he not attempt to alter it； how earnestly soever his
affection for Esau might incline him to wish it might be altered；
because he knew that this blessing came not from himself； but
from God； and that an alteration was out of his power。 A second
afflatus then came upon him； and enabled him to foretell Esau's
future behavior and foretell Esau's future behavior and fortune
also。
（33） Whether Jacob or his mother Rebeka were most blameable in
this imposition upon Isaac in his old age； I cannot determine。
However the blessing being delivered as a prediction of future
events； by a Divine impulse； and foretelling things to befall to
the posterity of Jacob and Esau in future ages； was for certain
providential； and according to what Rebeka knew to be the purpose
of God； when he answered her inquiry； 〃before the children were
born；〃 Genesis 25：23； 〃that one people should be stronger than
the other people； and the elder； Esau； should serve the younger；
Jacob。〃 Whether Isaac knew or remembered this old oracle；
delivered in our copies only to Rebeka； or whether； if he knew
and remembered it； he did not endeavor to alter the Divine
determination； out of his fondness for his elder and worser son
Esau； to the damage of his younger and better son Jacob； as
Josephus elsewhere supposes； Antiq。 B。 II。 ch。 7。 sect。 3； I
cannot certainly say。 if so； this might tempt Rebeka to contrive；
and Jacob to put this imposition upon him。 However； Josephus says
here； that it was Isaac； and not Rebeka； who inquired of God at
first； and received the forementioned oracle； sect。 1； which； if
it be the true reading； renders Isaac's procedure more
inexcusable。 Nor was it probably any thing else that so much
encouraged Esau formerly to marry two Canaanitish wives； without
his parents' consent； as Isaac's unhappy fondness for him。
（34） By this 〃deprivation of the kingdom that was to be given
Esau of God；〃 as the first…born； it appears that Josephus thought
that a 〃kingdom to be derived from God〃 was due to him whom Isaac
should bless as his first…born； which I take to be that kingdom
which was expected under the Messiah； who therefore was to be
born of his posterity whom Isaac should so bless。 Jacob therefore
by obtaining this blessing of the first…born； became the genuine
heir of that kingdom； in opposition to Esau。
（35） Here we have the difference between slaves for life and
servants； such as we now hire for a time agreed upon on both
sides； and dismiss again after he time contracted for is over；
which are no slaves； but free men and free women。 Accordingly；
when the Apostolical Constitutions forbid a clergyman to marry
perpetual servants or slaves； B。 VI。 ch。 17。； it is meant only of
the former sort； as we learn elsewhere from the same
Constitutions； ch。 47。 Can。 LXXXII。 But concerning these twelve
sons of Jacob； the reasons of their several names； and the times
of their several births in the intervals here assigned； their
several excellent characters； their several faults and
repentance； the several accidents of their lives； with their
several prophecies at their deaths； see the Testaments of these
twelve patriarchs； still preserved at large in the Authent。 Rec。
Part I。 p。 294…443。
（36） I formerly explained these mandrakes； as we； with the
Septuagint； and Josephus； render the Hebrew word Dudaim； of the
Syrian Maux； with Ludolphus； Antbent。 Rec。 Part I。 p。 420； but
have since seen such a very probable account in M。 S。 of my
learned friend Mr。 Samuel Barker； of what we still call
mandrakes； and their description by the ancient naturalists and
physicians； as inclines me to think these here mentioned were
really mandrakes； and no other。
（37） Perhaps this may be the proper meaning of the word Israel；
by the present and the old Jerusalem analogy of the Hebrew
tongue。 In the mean time； it is certain that the Hellenists of
the first century； in Egypt and elsewhere； interpreted Israel to
be a man seeing God； as is evident from the argument fore…cited。
（38） Of this slaughter of the Shechemites by Simeon and Levi； see
Authent。 Rec。 Part I。 p。 309； 418； 432…439。 But why Josephus has
omitted the circumcision of these Shechemites； as the occasion of
their death； and of Jacob's great grief； as in the Testament of
Levi； sect。 5； I cannot tell。
（39） Since Benoni signifies the son of my sorrow； and Benjamin
the son of days； or one born in the father's old age； Genesis
44：20； I suspect Josephus's present copies to be here imperfect；
and suppose that； in correspondence to other copies； he wrote
that Rachel called her son's name Benoni； but his father called
him Benjamin； Genesis 35：18。 As for Benjamin； as commonly
explained； the son of the right hand； it makes no sense at all；
and seems to be a gross modern error only。 The Samaritan always
writes this name truly Benjamin； which probably is here of the
same signification； only with the Chaldee termination in； instead
of im in the Hebrew； as we pronounce cherubin or cherubim
indifferently。 Accordingly； both the Testament of Benjamin； sect。
2； p。 401； and Philo de Nominum Mutatione； p。 1059； write the
name Benjamin； but explain it not the son of the right hand； but
the son of days。
BOOK 2 FOOTNOTES
（1） We may here observe； that in correspondence to Joseph's
second dream； which implied that his mother； who was then alive；
as well as his father； should come and bow down to him； Josephus
represents her here as still alive after she was dead； for the
decorum of the dream that foretold it； as the interpretation of
the dream does also in all our copies； Genesis 37：10。
（2） The Septuagint have twenty pieces of gold； the Testament of
Gad thirty； the Hebrew and Samaritan twenty of silver； and the
vulgar Latin thirty。 What was the true number and true sum cannot
therefore now be known。
（3） That is； bought it for Pharaoh at a very low price。
（4） This Potiphar； or； as Josephus； Petephres； who was now a
priest of On； or Heliopolis； is the same name in Josephus； and
perhaps in Moses also； with him who is before called head cook or
captain of the guard； and to whom Joseph was sold。 See Genes