37 YACOB RETURN TO SHECHEM
Yacob Returns to Shechem. The Kings of Canaan again assemble against Yacob. Yacob's Ten Sons with One Hundred and Two of their servants Fight against the Canaanites and Amorites, and are successful.
1 And in the one hundred and fifth year of the life of Yacob, that is the ninth year of Yacob's dwelling with his children in the land of Canaan, he came from Padan-aram.
2 And in those days Yacob journeyed with his children from Hebron, and they went and returned to the city of Shechem, they and all belonging to them, and they dwelt there, for the children of Yacob obtained good and fat pasture land for their cattle in the city of Shechem, the city of Shechem having then been rebuilt, and there were in it about three hundred men and women.
3 And Yacob and his children and all belonging to him dwelt in the part of the field which Yacob had bought from Hamor the father of Shechem, when he came from Padan-aram before Simeon and Levi had smitten the city.
4 And all those kings of the Canaanites and Amorites that surrounded the city of Shechem, heard that the sons of Yacob had again come to Shechem and dwelt there.
5 And they said, Shall the sons of Yacob the Hebrew again come to the city and dwell therein, after that they have smitten its inhabitants and driven them out? shall they now return and also drive out those who are dwelling in the city or slay them?
6 And all the kings of Canaan again assembled, and they came together to make war with Yacob and his sons.
7 And Jashub king of Tapnach sent also to all his neighboring kings, to Elan king of Gaash, and to Ihuri king of Shiloh, and to Parathon king of Chazar, and to Susi king of Sarton, and to Laban king of Bethchoran, and to Shabir king of Othnay-mah, saying,
8 Come up to me and assist me, and let us smite Yacob the Hebrew and his sons, and all belonging to him, for they are again come to Shechem to possess it and to slay its inhabitants as before.
9 And all these kings assembled together and came with all their camps, a people exceedingly plentiful like the sand upon the sea shore, and they were all opposite to Tapnach.
10 And Jashub king of Tapnach went forth to them with all his army, and he encamped with them opposite to Tapnach without the city, and all these kings they divided into seven divisions, being seven camps against the sons of Yacob.
11 And they sent a declaration to Yacob and his son, saying, Come you all forth to us that we may have an interview together in the plain, and revenge the cause of the men of Shechem whom you slew in their city, and you will now again return to the city of Shechem and dwell therein, and slay its inhabitants as before.
12 And the sons of Yacob heard this and their anger was kindled exceedingly at the words of the kings of Canaan, and ten of the sons of Yacob hastened and rose up, and each of them girt on his weapons of war; and there were one hundred and two of their servants with them equipped in battle array.
13 And all these men, the sons of Yacob with their servants, went toward these kings, and Yacob their father was with them, and they all stood upon the heap of Shechem.
14 And Yacob prayed to YAHWEH for his sons, and he spread forth his hands to YAHWEH, and he said, O YAHWEH, you are an Almighty Elohim, you are our father, you did form us and we are the works of thine hands; I pray you deliver my sons through your mercy from the hand of their enemies, who are this day coming to fight with them and save them from their hand, for in your hand is power and might, to save the few from the many.
15 And give unto my sons, your servants, strength of heart and might to fight with their enemies, to subdue them, and make their enemies fall before them, and let not my sons and their servants die through the hands of the children of Canaan.
16 But if it seems good in thine eyes to take away the lives of my sons and their servants, take them in your great mercy through the hands of your ministers, that they may not perish this day by the hands of the kings of the Amorites.
17 And when Yacob ceased praying to YAHWEH the earth shook from its place, and the sun darkened, and all these kings were terrified and a great consternation seized them.
18 And YAHWEH hearkened to the prayer of Yacob, and YAHWEH impressed the hearts of all the kings and their hosts with the terror and awe of the sons of Yacob.
19 For YAHWEH caused them to hear the voice of chariots, and the voice of mighty horses from the sons of Yacob, and the voice of a great army accompanying them.
20 And these kings were seized with great terror at the sons of Yacob, and while they were standing in their quarters, behold the sons of Yacob advanced upon them, with one hundred and twelve men, with a great and tremendous shouting.
21 And when the kings saw the sons of Yacob advancing toward them, they were still more panic struck, and they were inclined to retreat from before the sons of Yacob as at first, and not to fight with them.
22 But they did not retreat, saying, It would be a disgrace to us thus twice to retreat from before the Hebrews.
23 And the sons of Yacob came near and advanced against all these kings and their armies, and they saw, and behold it was a very mighty people, numerous as the sand of the sea.
24 And the sons of Yacob called unto YAHWEH and said, Help us O YAHWEH, help us and answer us, for we trust in you, and let us not die by the hands of these uncircumcised men, who this day have come against us.
25 And the sons of Yacob girt on their weapons of war, and they took in their hands each man his shield and his javelin, and they approached to battle.
26 And Yahudah, the son of Yacob, ran first before his brethren, and ten of his servants with him, and he went toward these kings.
27 And Jashub, king of Tapnach, also came forth first with his army before Yahudah, and Yahudah saw Jashub and his army coming toward him, and Yahudah's wrath was kindled, and his anger burned within him, and he approached to battle in which Yahudah ventured his life.
28 And Jashub and all his army were advancing toward Yahudah, and he was riding upon a very strong and powerful horse, and Jashub was a very valiant man, and covered with iron and brass from head to foot.
29 And while he was upon the horse, he shot arrows with both hands from before and behind, as was his manner in all his battles, and he never missed the place to which he aimed his arrows.
30 And when Jashub came to fight with Yahudah, and was darting many arrows against Yahudah, YAHWEH bound the hand of Jashub, and all the arrows that he shot rebounded upon his own men.
31 And notwithstanding this, Jashub kept advancing toward Yahudah, to challenge him with the arrows, but the distance between them was about thirty cubits, and when Yahudah saw Jashub darting forth his arrows against him, he ran to him with his wrath-excited might.
32 And Yahudah took up a large stone from the ground, and its weight was sixty shekels, and Yahudah ran toward Jashub, and with the stone struck him on his shield, that Jashub was stunned with the blow, and fell off from his horse to the ground.
33 And the shield burst asunder out of the hand of Jashub, and through the force of the blow sprang to the distance of about fifteen cubits, and the shield fell before the second camp.
34 And the kings that came with Jashub saw at a distance the strength of Yahudah, the son of Yacob, and what he had done to Jashub, and they were terribly afraid of Yahudah.
35 And they assembled near Jashub's camp, seeing his confusion, and Yahudah drew his sword and smote forty-two men of the camp of Jashub, and the whole of Jashub's camp fled before Yahudah, and no man stood against him, and they left Jashub and fled from him, and Jashub was still prostrate upon the ground.
36 And Jashub seeing that all the men of his camp had fled from him, hastened and rose up with terror against Yahudah, and stood upon his legs opposite Yahudah.
37 And Jashub had a single combat with Yahudah, placing shield toward shield, and Jashub's men all fled, for they were greatly afraid of Yahudah.
38 And Jashub took his spear in his hand to strike Yahudah upon his head, but Yahudah had quickly placed his shield to his head against Jashub's spear, so that the shield of Yahudah received the blow from Jashub's spear, and the shield was split in too.
39 And when Yahudah saw that his shield was split, he hastily drew his sword and smote Jashub at his ankles, and cut off his feet that Jashub fell upon the ground, and the spear fell from his hand.
40 And Yahudah hastily picked up Jashub's spear, with which he severed his head and cast it next to his feet.
41 And when the sons of Yacob saw what Yahudah had done to Jashub, they all ran into the ranks of the other kings, and the sons of Yacob fought with the army of Jashub, and the armies of all the kings that were there.
42 And the sons of Yacob caused fifteen thousand of their men to fall, and they smote them as if smiting at gourds, and the rest fled for their lives.
43 And Yahudah was still standing by the body of Jashub, and stripped Jashub of his coat of mail.
44 And Yahudah also took off the iron and brass that was about Jashub, and behold nine men of the captains of Jashub came along to fight against Yahudah.
45 And Yahudah hastened and took up a stone from the ground, and with it smote one of them upon the head, and his skull was fractured, and the body also fell from the horse to the ground.
46 And the eight captains that remained, seeing the strength of Yahudah, were greatly afraid and they fled, and Yahudah with his ten men pursued them, and they overtook them and slew them.
47 And the sons of Yacob were still smiting the armies of the kings, and they slew many of them, but those kings daringly kept their stand with their captains, and did not retreat from their places, and they exclaimed against those of their armies that fled from before the sons of Yacob, but none would listen to them, for they were afraid of their lives lest they should die.
48 And all the sons of Yacob, after having smitten the armies of the kings, returned and came before Yahudah, and Yahudah was still slaying the eight captains of Jashub, and stripping off their garments.
49 And Levi saw Elon, king of Gaash, advancing toward him, with his fourteen captains to smite him, but Levi did not know it for certain.
50 And Elon with his captains approached nearer, and Levi looked back and saw that battle was given him in the rear, and Levi ran with twelve of his servants, and they went and slew Elon and his captains with the edge of the sword.