GENESIS 33........THE BELOVED AND I

Genesis 33

1 Now Jacob lifted up his eyes

And looked, and there he could apprise

Esau coming, and with him were

Four hundred men. No waverer

He divided the children twixt

Leah, Rachel, the two maids, 2 fixed

The maids and their children in front,

Leah and her children behind,

Last Rachel and Joseph to find

Best haven and not bear the brunt.



I realize, Beloved, that self-defence

And defence of the weak dependent on

Me is incumbent, and in consequence

The better part of my obedience

Is to make that provision for the dawn

Of any kind of danger. Jacob sent

The handmaids and their lesser children first

Into the line of fire. They were the worst

In his heart's love, while Rachel was the best,

Who had the safest place in caravan.

Beloved, obedience in the heart of man

Reveals a skeleton that is well dressed.

Would it be wiser to put the best loved

In greatest danger just to prove I'm gloved?



3 Then he crossed over before them

And bowed himself by stratagem

To the ground seven times, until

He stopped before his brother still.

4 But Esau ran to meet him, and

Embraced him, did not stay to stand,

But fell on his neck and kissed him,

And there they wept the interim.



For more than twenty years no meeting came

Between two brothers known for Jacob's shame.

He bowed himself to the ground as if in

An evening sacrifice for all his sin,

In seven deep prostrations to the ground.

A more repentant brother's never found.

I too run out to meet my enemy

And find him long lost brother still to me.

Beloved, your face is seen not anywhere

Except reflected in the other's heir.

While I kiss all my enemies and fall

On every neck, remind me of the gall.

All men in truth are brothers, but the blind

Of veils lies between mind and covered mind.



5 And he lifted his eyes and saw

The women and children in awe,

And said "Who are these come with you?"

So he said "These children are few

Whom Ælohim has graciously

Given to your servant's husbandry."

6 Then the maidservants came near, they

And their children, and bowed that way.

7 And Leah also came near and

She with her children to the sand

Bowed down. And afterward Joseph

And Rachel came near in their feoff,

And they bowed down. 8 Then Esau said

"What do you mean by all this spread

I met?" And he said "These are to

Find favour in your sight anew."

9 But Esau said "I have enough,

My brother, keep your herds and stuff."

10 And Jacob said "No, please, if I

Have now found favour in your eye,

Then receive my gift from my hand,

Since I've seen your face, understand,

As though I'd seen Ælohim's face,

And you were pleased with me in grace.

11 "Please, take my blessing that is brought

To you, because Ælohim's wrought

Graciously with me, and because

I have enough." And without pause

He urged him, and he filled his claws.



The only one I know refused a gift

That was three times pressed on him, was not miffed

To see the door behind departing guest

Shut with the money safe tucked in the vest

Of the would-be donor, was certain monk

In the Egyptian desert. Self was sunk

In the security of monastery,

Where food was free of all the monetary.

So Esau took what tempted him of goats

And added to the greedy anecdotes.

I thank You no one ever offered me

So much that I could not get myself free

From the temptation to take on the wealth

Belonging to a brother's hearth and health.



12 Then Esau said "Let us take our

Journey, let us go on the hour,

And I shall go before you." 13 But

Jacob told him, "My lord knows that

The children are weak, and the flocks

And nursing herds can bear no shocks.

And if the men should drive them hard

One day, then all the flock will die.

14 "Please let my lord go on, no guard

Is needed by his servant. I

Shall lead on slowly at a pace

Which the livestock before my face

And the children, are able to

Endure, until I come to you

My lord in Seir." 15 And Esau said

"Now let me leave with you some folk

Who are with me." But then he spoke,

"What need is there? Just let me find

Favour before my lord inclined."



With half-hearted confession wrenched by fear

I send my wealth in offering and draw near

To You, Beloved, expecting a reward

For all the small betrayals of my Lord.

How often I betray You by my grasping

Of veils on veils, pretending that the clasping

Of gold and silver on the cover's greater

Than the illumined page. The formulator

Of petty rules, I nullify Your state

Of divine oneness with my fork ingrate.

Teach me, Beloved, how to discriminate

Between the action of the veiled and sense

Of divine oneness in the veilings' rents.

Beloved, make loves of all my love and hate.



16 So Esau returned that day on

His way to Seir. 17 And Jacob's gone

To Succoth, built himself a house,

And made booths for his livestock's chouse.

That's why the place is called Succoth.

18 Then Jacob came safe in the cloth

To the city of Shechem, which

Is in Canaan's land where he'd pitch

His tent before the city when

He came from Padan Aram's den.

19 And he bought the parcel of land,

Where he had pitched his tent to stand,

From the children of Hamor who

Was Shechem's father, at price due

Of one hundred kesitas worth.

20 He made an altar on the earth

Called El Elohe Israel,

God, God of Israel, goes the spell.



Peace that endures is peace that makes a line

Of distance between brothers that is fine

As far as Seir from Succoth where to build

A house for defence and lest milk is spilled

Booths for the livestock lest somebody cheat

And take what's left of a depleted fleet

Since Esau got rich on Jacob's confession.

The distance makes good for the good possession.

That's something Abraham taught Lot to know

And sent him off to Sodom and the snow

Of fire and brimstone on his salt and bread.

Ah, my Belovèd, give me peace that takes

Up all the slack that Succoth-Seir makes.

Then I shall wear peace on my hands and head.