The Book Of Jubilees Chapter 25

Rebecca instructs Yacob her son

1 And in the second year of this week in this jubilee, Rebecca called Yacob her son, and spoke to [2109 A.M.] him, saying: 'My son, do not take you a wife of the daughters of Canaan, as Esau, your brother, who took him two wives of the daughters of Canaan, and they have embittered my soul with all their unclean deeds: for all their deeds are fornication and lust, and there is no righteousness with them, for (their deeds) are evil.

2 And I, my son, love you exceedingly, and my heart and my affection bless you every hour of the day and watch of the night.

3 And now, my son, hearken to my voice, and do the will of your mother, and do not take you a wife of the daughters of this land, but only of the house of my father, and of my father's kindred. You shall take you a wife of the house of my father, and the Most High YAHWEH will bless you, and your children shall be a righteous generation and a kodesh seed.'

4 And then spoke Yacob to Rebecca, his mother, and said to her: 'Behold, mother, I am nine weeks of years old, and I neither know nor have I touched any woman, nor have I betrothed myself to any, nor even think of taking me a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

5 For I remember, mother, the words of Abraham, our father, for he commanded me not to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, but to take me a wife from the seed of my father's house and from my kindred.

6 I have heard before that daughters have been born to Laban, your brother, and I have set my heart on them to take a wife from amongst them.

7 And for this reason I have guarded myself in my spirit against sinning or being corrupted in all my ways throughout all the days of my life; for with regard to lust and fornication, Abraham, my father, gave me many commands.

8 And, despite all that he has commanded me, these two and twenty years my brother has striven with me, and spoken frequently to me and said: 'My brother, take to wife a sister of my two wives'; but I refuse to do as he has done.

9 I swear before you, mother, that all the days of my life I will not take me a wife from the daughters of the seed of Canaan, and I will not act wickedly as my brother has done.

10 Fear not, mother; be assured that I shall do your will and walk in uprightness, and not corrupt my ways forever.'

11 And thereupon she lifted up her face to heaven and extended the fingers of her hands, and opened her mouth and blessed the Most High YAHWEH, who had created the heaven and the earth, and she gave Him thanks and praise.

12 And she said: 'Blessed be YAHWEH ALMIGHTY, and may His Kodesh NAME be blessed forever and ever, who has given me Yacob as a pure son and a kodesh seed; for he is Yours, and Yours shall his seed be continually and throughout all the generations forevermore.

13 Bless him, O YAHWEH, and place in my mouth the blessing of righteousness, that I may bless him.'

14 And at that hour, when the Spirit of righteousness descended into her mouth, she placed both her hands on the head of Yacob, and said:

15 Blessed are you, YAHWEH of righteousness and Sovereign Ruler of the ages, and may He bless you beyond all the generations of men. May He give you, my Son, the path of righteousness, And reveal righteousness to your seed.

16 And may He make your sons many during your life, And may they arise according to the number of the months of the year. And may their sons become many and great beyond the stars of heaven, And their numbers be more than the sand of the sea.

17 And may He give them this goodly land -as He said He would give it to Abraham and to his seed after him always, And may they hold it as a possession forever.

18 And may I see (born) unto you, my son, blessed children during my life, And a blessed and kodesh seed may all your seed be.

19 And as you have refreshed your mother's spirit during her life, The womb of her that bare you blesses you thus, [My affection] and my breasts bless you, And my mouth and my tongue praise you greatly.

20 Increase and spread over the earth, And may your seed be perfect in the joy of heaven and earth forever; And may your seed rejoice, And on the great day of shalom may it have shalom.

21 And may your name and your seed endure to all the ages, And may the Most High YAHWEH be their Sovereign Ruler, And may the ALMIGHTY of righteousness dwell with them, And by them may His sanctuary be built unto all the ages.

22 Blessed be he that blesses you, And all flesh that curses you falsely, may it be cursed.'

23 And she kissed him, and said to him; 'May YAHWEH of the world love you as the heart of your mother and her affection rejoice in you and bless you.' And she ceased from blessing.