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episode 1 |
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CHAPTER ONE
There was a man in the land of Arhab, whose name was Levi. And that man had a young sister, and her name was Zilpah. And Zilpah was very fair; and she dwelt in Neveh Jorek, that great city. Now it came to pass upon a day that Levi rose up and came forth of the doors of his house, and, lo, there was a lad running toward him with a letter from Zilpah. And he read it, and he fell down upon the ground, and wept. For she had written unto him, I have sinned before the LORD, brother, and thou shalt never see me more in this life, for I have perished. Now, if thou lovest me with all thy heart, go and call upon the persons that I shall show thee, and say unto them, My sister Zilpah hath perished, for God hath taken her away. And Levi rent his mantle; and he said unto the lad, Go and fetch us a chariot and horsemen: for I will speed straightway to Neveh Jorek.
And Levi sped to Zilpah's house, in the village of Jerkuch, which lieth in the south of Neveh Jorek: and he called her name, and she was not there. And he cried with a loud voice, O my sister Zilpah, O Zilpah, where art thou! for if thou hast perished, let me also perish this day. And as Levi was weeping in the court of the house, there came a shriveled hag, which was the mistress of that house, and with her was a dog, which was moving his tongue. And the dog bent down and smelled the smell of Levi, and went away and pissed against the wall of the house. And the woman said, How now, son of man, wilt thou weep like a babe and a suckling and be not ashamed? And Levi answered and said, Behold, I have a young sister and fair, and she is gone. And the woman asked him, Who is thy sister? And he answered and said, Zilpah. And the woman was grievous stricken, and she said, There is no Zilpah here. And Levi saw that she was astonished, and he said unto her, Why art thou astonished, woman? but if thou knowest my sister, then tell me whither she is gone. And she answered, I know her not; and forthwith she turned away and fled from him. And Levi said in his heart, My sister is yet alive.
And he rose up, and he read again the letter, which his sister had written, and he turned away and went to the house of one of the persons written therein. And, behold, there was a man sitting in the tent door in the heat of day; and that man wore a dark coat: for that he was of the seed of the house of Judah, and he feared the LORD. And Levi said unto him, Art thou Dan the son of Shaffan the Jew? And he said, I am. And Levi said, I have a sister, and thou knowest her; her name is Zilpah. And when Dan heard the name of Zilpah, he ran to meet his guest and bowed himself toward the ground: and he washed his feet, and they entered to the chamber both together. And Dan said, Let a little water be fetched, I pray thee, and I will fetch thee a morsel of bread, and comfort thee thy heart; and Levi ate, and he drank.
Now in the chamber there was a small graven image: and Levi lifted up his eyes, and saw it, and rejoiced in his heart. For the image was pleasant to the eyes, in the likeness of a camel, as clear as water; and within of a red color like unto a fire infolding itself. And he rose up and took the image in his hands, and delighted with it. And Dan said, My lord, beware lest the image fall, and break, for it is a gift unto me from Zilpah, whom I love. And Levi said, Where is my sister now? for he said in his heart, Behold, this Jew knows the place wherein she is hidden, and he shall show it me. And the Jew answered him and said, Howbeit, she left me; this fourteen-month I have not seen her, but have gone childless and doleful.
And it came to pass, as the Jew spake, that the graven image slipped: for Levi was still playing with it; and it fell to the ground and brake. And Dan lept forth and gathered unto him the broken pieces; and he was weeping bitterly, for that he loved the gift of Zilpah as his own soul. And Levi was greatly ashamed; and he said, My sister Zilpah is dead. And the Jew stood still; and he dropped the broken pieces, and was confounded. And Levi added and said, Behold, I know thou hast killed her. And the Jew answered and said, Oh my lord, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. And Levi had pity on him, and he said, haply she liveth yet, hidden in secret places; and now, if thou shalt be an help unto me, we may yet find her. And he showed him the letter, and said, Read and reveal in mine ears who are these persons. And Dan read the letter, and was afraid: and he said, It is a company of prodigals. And he turned, and went out, and returned a while after, and, lo, he was holding a bow with some arrows: for he was a man of war from his youth.
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episode 2 |
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CHAPTER TWO
It came to pass in the third month of Abam the Cushite king of Arhab, that Levi the son of Petiel went up to Neveh Jorek, for that his sister Zilpah had vanished. And he visited Dan the son of Shaffan the Jew; and the graven image of Zilpah brake, because Levi was playing with it. And the Jew was grieved, and his wrath was kindled; and he drew his bow, and he said, Forasmuch as thou hast broken presumptuously my Godly image, thou shalt die. And Levi was sore afraid, and he besought him and said, Nay, my brother, do not kill me, for no such thing ought to be done in Arhab. And the Jew did not hearken unto him and sought to slay him. But suddenly at an instant, he left off drawing his bow; and he said, Behold, I also have perished, for without Zilpah my days upon earth are utter darkness. I lie down in the shadow of death, void without form, for that God crusheth me continually and the sons of men oppress me. Grief and sorrow persecute me; an evil spirit terrifieth me. And he turned his arrow to fall upon it, for that he despaired even of his life. And Levi arose and wrestled with him: and he seized the bow and said, Behold, neither shalt thou die this day. While they were yet wrestling, lo, the arrow was let go and flew off out of the chamber, and fell upon the house of the neighbors. And it hit a pot with lilies that lay on the window, and cleaved that pot in twain, and, behold, there came out a white powder like unto a pillar of smoke.
And the Jew made haste and came to the window to see what the arrow had wrought: and, behold, there was a man standing at the window before him. And Levi also drew near and saw him; and the man looked out from his window, and he saw Dan and his guest, and knew who had blasted his lilies. And Dan fell upon Levi and brought him down to the ground. And Levi asked him and said, Who is that man, that peepeth from yonder window? and the Jew answered and said, It is a man of iniquity and discord, whose name is Bebai: who hath made an harlot of Zilpah your sister, and hath enslaved her with his powders and his spices. While he was yet speaking, behold, the ram's horn sounded; and Dan knew it was Bebai that was blowing it: and he was affrighted. And he said, Let us flee, I pray thee, for Bebai seeks to kill us; and they descended both together on the ladder which hung over the back of the house. And behold, Bebai was in the court, and he was holding a bow; and he drew, and he shot an arrow, and it hit Levi on his right hand. And Levi fell, and he cried and said, Woe is me! for I am undone. And Dan smote Bebai, and brake his bow, and they fled, he and Levi together.
And they escaped through the streets of Jerkuch, till they came to the river Kedem, and Bebai pursued after them in his chariot. And it came to pass, as they reached the bank of the river, that he overtook them, and they had no power to flee this way or that. And Bebai came down from his chariot, and he drew his sword, and cursed Dan the Jew and said, Thou art a dog, and thy father is a dog, and thy father's father is a dog, and thy mother is a bitch, and thy mother's mother is a bitch, and thy brotheren are dogs, and thy children are dog's whelps, and all thy kin are dogs, and all thy nation pisseth against the wall. And the Jew was silent, for that he was a mild man and shunned strife. But Levi made supplication and said, Nay, my lord, for we have acted through error without knowledge; and behold, is not my arm all bloody, and have I not been punished already? And Bebai did not hearken unto his voice, and he cursed him more and said, Thou also art a dog; and now, because that ye have done this unto me, ye both shall die. And it came to pass, as Bebai was speaking, that the watchmen that go about the city came near, and he saw them, and returned to his chariot, and fled.
And they both were comforted, for they had been delivered from death; and they passed over the river; and they rose up and went eastward to the region of the Jews, which lieth in Baruch-Jalin. And they went to the house of Hannah, which was sister to Dan, to seek shelter there from Bebai. And it came to pass, as they were going up to her chamber, that they heard a voice of a weeping woman: and Dan said, That voice is the voice of my sister. And they lifted their eyes and saw, and, behold, Hannah was standing at the door of the chamber, and she was weeping, for that Bebai was laying hold upon her hand, he and his lads, and their swords were drawn.
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episode 3 |
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CHAPTER THREE
And it came to pass, as they came into the house of Dan's sister Hannah, that Bebai commanded his lads, saying, Bind these two unto the wall of the house, for they are wall pissers. And he was wroth with them, and he smote them hip and thigh: and he cursed, saying, Ye are dogs. And he stretched forth his hand and took the sword to slay them, and he said, Behold, it is Zilpah, Dan's maid-servant, that I seek; and now, tell me where she may be found. And Levi said, Behold, that is my sister: and I also seek her, for she hath sent me word, saying, I have perished, brother, for God hath taken me away. And Bebai read Zilpah's words in the letter, and he also wept; and he commanded his lads and said, Let them go, for they are innocent.
And they came into the chamber, Dan and Bebai and Bebai's lads: and they smelled and they tasted the white powder which was Bebai's, and they rejoiced greatly, and they saw visions. And Bebai said, A leviathan am I; and Azgad his lad said, A dragon am I; and Adin his lad said, A serpent am I; and Dan said, A fly am I. And the Jew saw yet more visions, and he said, Now I raise my wing on high: and I take hold of the ends of the earth. And I perceive the breadth of Arhab: and know it all, from west to east. And I enter into the springs of the sea: and I walk in the search of the depth. And now, the gates of death have been revealed unto me: and I see the gates of the shadow of death. And there I see, and, behold, from behind the gate Zilpah standeth, stripped naked. And I look forth into her nakedness, and, lo, an eye stareth upon me, and it is angry. And I look again, and, behold, the lips of her nakedness do tremble; and they speak, saying, My little boy, my little boy! forasmuch as thou hast gazed, and forasmuch as thou hast examined, and forasmuch as thou hast known that which is within me and within my very flesh, thou art cursed unto me for ever and ever. And the Jew was affrighted, and he wept, and cried, Zilpah! Zilpah! do not forsake me, nor do not curse me, for I am innocent and true. And he rent his coat, and roared like a lion upon his prey, and made the foundations of the house to quake.
Now Levi and Hannah were sitting in a garden shut up in the court; and no word proceeded out of their mouth, for they were ashamed. And the garden gave out a sweet savor, of myrrh, cinnamon, and frankincense: and the dew of the night was falling. And Hannah rose up, and she brought forth a goblet of strong drink and dainties: and Levi drank, and he ate. And he looked upon her, and examined, and he loved her, because she was a beautiful woman. And he girded himself with valor, and he said, Behold, thou art fair; and she turned away, and was silent. And he came near unto her, and sat down by her right side: and he said, My sister, speak unto me. And she answered and said, Verzeihen Sie bitte, Herr Levi, ich spreche kein Arhabisch. And Levi was astonished, for he heard but could not understand, because she spake in the Jew's language and not the language of Arhab. And he took her hand, and he held it: and she laughed in her shame, and Levi also laughed. And he held her hand still: and they both had pleasure in their hearts; and he held it with yet more zeal, till it sorely pained her. And she cried, Hilfe! hilfe! for that a nail of her finger had been broken.
And Phinehas was a fat man that loved Hannah even unto death, and he was in the house. And it came to pass, as Phinehas heard Hannah's cries, that he brake into the garden. And he saw that, behold, Levi was holding her hand, and she was bewailing; and he rose up and smote Levi: and he fell down to the ground as dead. And it came to pass a day after, that Levi awoke; and he saw, and, lo, he was in a dark chamber; and the walls of that chamber were red like unto a grave: and he said, Where am I? where am I? and there was no answer. And he sought to rise, bout could not, for that his hands were bound in ropes: and the doors of the chamber were bolted. And suddenly he heard a noise; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw that, behold, the doors had been unbolted, and they opened before him.
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episode 4 |
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CHAPTER FOUR
And it came to pass, as the doors were opened, that an old man came near unto Levi and stood before him. And Levi asked him, Who art thou? and the old man answered and said, My name is Hanan, and I am a stranger from the land of the Sinites. And Levi said, Where am I? and Hanan said, Thou art in mine house, and on my bed thou liest. And Levi sighed, and he said, Woe is me! for Jews have smitten me and bound me with ropes, and my head hath great hurt: and now, I pray thee, bring thou me out of my distresses. And the Sinite rose up, and he poured him some asses' milk with cinnamon from a pitcher that was in his bosom: and he said, Drink, my son, and thou shalt be cured. And Levi drank from the milk, and he waxed feeble; and he said, What hast thou given me? thou hast made me to drink the poison of serpents and I shall perish: and the Sinite laughed, and mocked him.
And while he yet languished weak and despised on the bed, Jemima, Hanan's daughter, entered the chamber and sat by his right side. And the damsel was exceeding fair: and the hair upon her head was very long. And Levi opened his eyes, and he saw her, and thought her to be an harlot, and he sought to touch her hair: which seemed unto him as a flock of eagles that light upon the valleys of spices. And Hanan said, Drink this, my child, I pray thee: and he gave her a cup of asses' milk with cinnamon. And it came to pass, as she was about to drink, that Levi stretched forth his hand to save her: but he failed, and seized upon her hair instead. And he further pulled, and, behold, that hair remained in his hands, fort it was a cunning falsehood, and the work of a cunning workman. And Jemima rose up, and she cried violence and spoil: and she fled from the chamber. And Levi looked upon her, and he said, Lo, that is my sister; and he called after her, Zilpah! Zilpah! return hither. And he rose up, and sought to charge after her: and, behold, Hanan, the girl's father, standeth at the threshold of the chamber with the pitcher of milk; and he urged him, saying, Behold, thou art sick, my son, and now, I pray thee, tarry here till the morrow; and I will give thee a morsel of bread with a cup of milk, that thou mayest comfort thy heart and be cured. And Levi did not hearken unto him, and he poured his fury upon him, and he gored him; and the old man fell down upon the ground, and the pitcher also fell, and brake. And the asses' milk spilled out among the pieces of the pitcher: and the Sinite cried a bitter cry, and he said, Alas! I have perished, for Arhabites have beaten me.
And Levi went out from the chamber: and he looked to his right and to his left, and the damsel had vanished out of sight; and he still held her deceiving hairs, and he called, Zilpah! return unto me, Zilpah, my sister! And Hanan was lying behind him, polluted in the asses' milk: and he cried still, saying, O my brethren, seize the Arhabite, for he hath smitten me, and hath broken my pitcher, and he hath defiled my daughter with his abominable thoughts. And the Sinites, Hanan's brethren, heard this, and they sped toward Levi for to slay him. And he rose up, and feld from them: and he sped unto the end of the court: and, lo, at the entrance to one of the houses stood a little child. And he said unto her, My child, Sinites are pursuing me for to kill me; and now, let me go into thy chamber, to hide me therein. And the child answered him and said, No such thing ought to be done, my lord, for that my father hath forbidden it, saying, No man shall enter under the beams of our house, lest he abuse thee. And Levi heard the sound of footsteps, and he looked behind him, and he saw that, lo, the Sinites had overtaken him. And the child did not fear them; and she saw the hairs of Jemima, and she asked Levi, saying, What is that, my lord? And Levi said, These are false hairs, and were taken from the head of a damsel. And the child said, I have a little graven image, of the idols, and it hath no hair. And he said unto the child, Hide me, I pray thee, in thy house, and I will strew these hairs upon the head of thine image; and thy goddess shall rejoice, and she shall break forth into dancing. And the child laughed as she heard his counsel; and she said, Enter, my lord, into the chamber: but beware lest my father discover thee, for that he is a stiffnecked man.
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episode 5 |
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CHAPTER FIVE
The word of the LORD that came unto Ari the son of Shiphtan in the days of Abam the Cushite, king of Arhab. And the LORD said to Ari, Go to the house of Iram the Edomite which is at Neveh Jorek: and hide thee there, and examine the deeds of Levi the son of Petiel with Dina, the daughter of Iram; and take thee a roll of a book, and write therein of all his whoredoms and his abominable wickedness.
And it came to pass, when the LORD made an end of speaking, that a whirlwind took me to the house of Iram, and I was hidden in the loft. And I gazed through the hole; and I saw that, behold, Levi the son of Petiel was in the chamber below, and he held a bunch of hair, which was a work of abomination. And a child entered, and she held in her hand a graven image, of the idols of Baal, an abomination unto the LORD: and she took the false hairs, and put them on the head of the image; and she played with it in her harlotries, and she said, Behold, my idol rejoiceth, for that she is no longer bald. And Levi sat down on the chair, and he fell asleep: and he cried from his sleep many lewd things, saying, Hannah! Hannah! my sister, my undefiled, kiss me, I pray thee, for I am an orphan and do languish. And the child made an end to her harlotries with her detestable image, an abomination unto the LORD, and she climbed upon the seat, and she lay in Levi's lap, and fell asleep.
And it came to pass in the evening, that Levi woke up out of his sleep, for he heard a noise; and he turned and, behold, he saw two men at the window, Dan and Bebai, his fellows, which were gazing into the chamber. And they entered the chamber with a great noise, for that they were drunk; and Levi said, Be quiet, my brethren, lest ye awake the sleeping maid. And he rose up and conveyed the harlot's daughter out of the chamber and laid her to bed; and the abomination was left behind them. And it came to pass, as he returned to the chamber, that he stepped on the abomination, and its head brake. And Levi wept, saying, Woe is me, my child, my undefiled! For thy innocent idol hath been destroyed, and who will mend it? And Bebi was laying down lines of his white powder upon the table; and Dan said unto Levi, Come and rejoice with us. And Levi fell down upon his knees: and he stretched forth his head, and he smelled the white powder, for that he did not turn away from his wicked ways, and all his deeds were an abomination unto the LORD.
Therefore, thus saith the LORD of hosts, God of Israel, I will bring a great evil upon Neveh Jorek, and upon all of Arhab. Behold, the day draweth near, when I will pour my fury like fire upon this city: and she shall be blotted out from the face of earth. Behold, it cometh, a chariot of fire, a great and terrible chariot, flying like an eagle in the heavens: and it shall fall upon her, and destroy her towers. Your city shall be consumed up by fire, saith the LORD: and it shall be an astonishment, an hissing, and a perpetual desolation. Lo, Neveh Jorek lieth empty, and sporteth no sprout nor no spring, and all they that pass through her spit in her face. Hear this, ye that glide upon the web; give ear, all ye that comprehend the tongue of our fathers, that ye may declare all the abominations of Arhab, that the nations may know that I am the LORD, a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of His children. For they have not listened unto my voice: they have defiled my Sabbaths; they have polluted my Temple, but have worshipped their graven images, and sacrificed to their abominations under every green tree. They have discovered the nakedness of their sisters, and have lain with mankind, one man with another. They have conspired unto lewdness, and have got dishonest gain; they have pursued delights as wicked men, for they have erred through their white powders and staggered through wine, till all the tables are full of vomit and filthiness, and the cries of the righteous man have no place.
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episode 6 |
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CHAPTER SIX
And it came to pass, as Levi tasted of the white powder, that he forgot the bitterness of his soul and broke forth into singing. And he said, I laugh to scorn the city its multitude, and mock all ye dwellers of the land: for that a whirlwind of the LORD hath carried me away, and I move upon the face of the clouds. And I have touched the firmament of the heavens, and have taken hold of the ends of the earth: and, behold, the sons of man are like unto grasshoppers in my sight: and the sons of Anak and the giants of the ancient days seem like worms. Yea also the angels of the LORD dwelling on high have I slain as flies: yea even the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth, is like unto a suckling and a babe before my mighty presence.
And Levi made an end of seeing visions, and he fell on his face to the earth, for Bebei had smitten him. And he said unto him, Hold thy peace, son of man, and come with us; for that your sister is yet absent. And Dan read Zilpah's letter, and he said, Is not this one known to us? Deborah the Cushite, one of the observers of the time, and a woman of counsel to Zilpah. And they three mounted Bebai's chariot, and they sped northward and westward to the house of Deborah the seer. And it came to pass, as they came thither, that, behold, they saw Deborah that was coming forth of the doors of her house, and with her was a dog; and Bebei said unto Levi, Go and speak to her. And Levi lighted off the chariot, and he went to the woman, and he said, Art thou Deborah? and she answered and said, I am she. And he said, thou knowest my sister Zilpah, daughter of Petiel, for thou dost counsel her through divination. And she said, Woe is me! for your sister is lost, and I am sorely disquieted, and have sent messengers unto her, but they have not found her. And Levi showed her Zilpah's letter, and she read it, and was amazed. And he asked her, saying, Knowest thou the persons which she hath commanded me to visit? And she said, I know Dan the Jew, a bloody man and wicked. And Bebei also I know: he is a merchant in perfumes; he loveth thy sister, but she desireth him not. And now, come with me to my chambers, and I will show you a wondrous thing.
And it came to pass, as they came unto her chambers, that Deborah brought forth a little ball of clay: and she said, It is a gift to me from Zilpah thy sister. And Levi lay hold on the ball of clay, and he delighted in it, for that it was pleasant to the eyes. And he examined it all around, and sported with it: and, behold, he heard a small sound, as of a grasshopper, inside the vessel. And Levi was afraid, and the ball slipped away from his hands, and fell to the earth, and brake. And behold, among the pieces stood a little graven image made of ivory, in the likeness of an infant born of woman, and it was smiling.
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episode 7 |
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CHAPTER SEVEN
And Levi and the seer crouched among the broken pieces of the vessel, and examined the graven image that brake forth from it: and she said, Zilpah hath made us a sign, and now shall we know whither she hath vanished. And Bebei brake into the chamber, and his sword was drawn; and he seized upon the image of the babe, and he fled. And Levi rose up, and he chased him, and he overtook him in the court of the house: and he seized upon the babe, and ran away; and he mounted a chariot of the chariots of ministry, and fled. And they pursued hard after him: but they did not overtake him.
And Levi came unto a lodging place of wayfaring men, which was in the east of Neveh Jorek, and he slept there. And it came to pass at midnight, that Bildad the son of Abdiel brake into the chamber: and with him was a maiden, of the daughters of the giants, whose height was five cubits and a span. And Bildad said, Give me Zilpah's graven image: and he drew his sword. And Levi denied with an oath, and he said, I know not Zilpah, and there is no graven image here. And Bildad said, Thou liest, for is she not thy sister? and now, I will take from thee the babe. Howbeit, Levi did not hearken unto his voice: and he said, Go, flee thee away to thy place, thou and thy giantess also. And the giantess came near unto Levi: and she searched in his sack, and she found the image. And she returned unto her man, and she kissed him; and she seized his sword from his hand, and she said, Go, flee thou away from this chamber, for I despise thee. And Bildad delayed, for that he refused to go away; and she smote him, and spilt his blood: and he fled, and got him out.
And Levi trembled in her presence, and he said in his heart, I have perished, for she of the sons of Anak. And he asked her, saying, Who art thou? and she answered and said, I am Ada, Bildad's concubine, and now will I lie with you also, for thou pleasest me. And Levi refused, and he said, Return unto me the image of the babe, for it is mine. And she came unto him, and sought to pierce him: and she could not, for that Levi was quicker than she: and he said, Give me the image, and she said, I will not, and he wrestled with her. And it came to pass, as they wrestled together, that the graven image fell upon the ground, and brake.
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episode 8 |
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CHAPTER EIGHT
And it came to pass, as the graven image brake, that a little tablet came forth out of it: and Ada said, Zilpah hath made us a sign, and now shall we know whither she hath vanished. And they saw that, behold, it was written on the tablet, Treasury of the city five and twenty and six hundred and one and ninety and four-hundred thousand. And Bildad came, and he examined the tablet, and said, I have understanding. And the three mounted Bildad's chariot and went unto the treasury of the city, which lieth in Baruch-Jalin.
And the building of the treasury was upon a very high mountain: and the building was great and awful: and a wall on the outside of it round about. And at the gate there were two eunuchs, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a javelin and a sword in their hands. And they came unto the gate, and went up the steps thereof: and they passed through the porch of the gate unto the inner court, and it was great and terrible, the length thereof an hundred and fifty cubits and the breadth thereof an hundred cubits. And a certain Jew of the guards of the treasury came forth to meet them: and he said unto them, What do ye here, Arhabites? And Levi drew the little tablet; and the guard examined it, and he said, Come with me. And the giantess said, I also will come, and my man with me: and he did not hearken unto her, and he led Levi through the porch of the inner gate. And they came unto the entrance of the chamber: and the guard said, Wait thee here until Ira the captain come out to call thee.
And it came to pass after a while that the captain did not come out to call him: and Levi went inside into the chamber. And Ira the captain was sitting at a great table, which had many seats round about it: and he said unto Levi, What doest thou here, Arhabite? And he shewed him the tablet of Zilpah, and he said, It is my sister's: and Ira said, Sit down, my lord, I pray thee. And Levi sat down, and he saw that, behold, there was an Ark of Rebecca on the table: and he sported with it. And he said, My sister Zilpah hath vanished, for that God hath taken her away; and now, tell me what the tablet meaneth. While he yet spake with him, behold, Bildad and Ada brake forth into the chamber, and their swords were drawn. And the captain rose up; and Levi also rose up: and the giantess came near unto the captain, and she kissed him, and the tablet dropped. And Levi was astonished, and the Ark of Rebecca slipped from his hands: and it fell, and it struck an image that was upon the table; and the image fell upon the pavement, and it brake.
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episode 9 |
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CHAPTER NINE
And they came unto the oracle of the treasury, Levi and Bildad and the giantess: and they sought to open the ark of Zilpah. And Deborah the seer came also, and her wrath was kindled: and she said, Ye shall not open it. And Bildad and his concubine held her, and would not let her go, and Levi opened the ark; and he saw that, behold, it was empty, there was nothing in it: and the seer laughed at them. And it came to pass in the evening, that they were all four in the house of Bildad, which lieth at Zelshish. And in the house were spoils of graven images from the temples of the Arhabites: and they bound the seer to one of the idols. And they examined her, but she would not discover unto them her secret. And it came to pass, after a long while, that Levi rose up, for that his wrath was kindled: and he seized the bow, and he drew it, and he said unto Bildad, Who art thou, and what hast thou to do with my sister? And it came to pass, as he drew the bow, that an arrow flew off: and it hit the head of the idol, and it brake; and the seer shouted, for the fragments of the idol had wounded her. And Bildad trembled very exceedingly, and he answered and said, We are thieves, and Zilpah also is one of us. Secretly in the night we break into the temples of the nations: and we steal away and flee us with their abominations and other spoils. And under them we place falsehoods, the work of the hand of Abraham the son of Eglon, a cunning craftsman. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking, that Abraham came into the chamber: and he saw that, behold, the head of the idol had been smashed; and he fell upon his face, and he wept sore.
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episode 10 |
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CHAPTER TEN
And Levi examined Abraham, saying, Where is Zilpah the daughter of Petiel, my sister: and he drew the bow. And Abraham trembled, and said, Only yesterday did I see her; and she discovered unto me that she sought one of the merchants, which dwell at the north of Queendom. And Levi said, When? And Abraham said, At this day, in the evening. And Levi said, Who is that merchant; and Abraham answered and said, Jephthah the son of Oded the Cushite. And Levi said, What hath he with my sister: and Abraham said, I know not. And Levi saw that evening had come; and he rose up and hastened, and he yet held the bow. And it came to pass, as he fled, that he struck an ark of instruments; and he stumbled, and he fell. And the arrow flew off, and it struck a pot, of the pots of the Sinites, and it brake: and golden leaves scattered upon all the corners of the chamber.
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episode 11 |
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CHAPTER ELEVEN
And it came to pass in the evening, that Levi went unto the house of Jephthah the son of Oded the Cushite: and he lifted up his eyes, and he saw, behold, shining shoes upon the ropes, which were by the house: and he knew that they were the shoes of Zilpah. And he took him a brick from the ground, and slang it, for that he sought to remove his sister's shoes. And he missed, and the brick fell upon a chariot, of the chariots of ministry; and the horseman rose up in his wrath, and he drew his finger upon his throat, and sought to slaughter Levi. And Levi ran, and he knocked upon the doors of the house, and they opened: and he entered into the house. And he saw that, behold, Deborah the seer stood before him: and he was astonished, and said, Have I not seen thee even now at Zelshish, and thou wast bound? And she rose up and smote him, and he fell to the ground as dead.
And it came to pass after a while, that Levi awoke: and he lifted up his eyes, and he saw that, behold, the seer stood before him, and she was naked, but for her shoes; and her shoes were the shining shoes of Zilpah. And he cried with a loud and bitter cry, and he said, What hast thou done with my sister? for thou hast stolen her shoes. And she said, I did not steal, for these shoes belong to me; and he said, Thou liest, for they belong to my sister. And he rose up, and pursued her even unto the loft: and he smote her hip and thigh, and she wept; and she also smote him hip and thigh, and he wept. And it came to pass, when she had made an end of smiting him, that he smote her: and it came to pass, when he had made an end to smiting her, that she smote him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh: and she released him, and she said, Zilpah hath vanished, for she hath defiled the temple of Moloch, she and the deceivers. It came to pass secretly in the night that they brake into the temple: and they stole the breastplates, and replaced them with false breastplates of the Sinites; and it grieved Zilpah greatly, and she fled. And Levi said, Whither hath she fled: and she answered and said, Peradventure she dwelleth in the houses of the charmers, the wizards, and the necromancers, for to solace her suffering.
And she rose up, and she poured him a drink, and he drank, and his heart was glad, and he was drunken, and was fast asleep. And the seer came and lay with Levi; and he perceived not. And he dreamed, and behold a chariot of iron flying in the heavens: and it fell upon the earth, toward him; and he saw that, behold, an ape driveth it. And the ape leaped forth from the chariot upon the earth; and he seized Levi, and they went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Levi cried, I have perished, I have perished, whither are we flying? and the ape answered and said, Ape, ape. And the chariot flew toward the east upon the face of the sea, unto the entry of Keryon, that great city. And they searched the city, among the marketplaces and the broad places thereof; and the ape leaped down from the chariot, and he gathered unto him another ape. And it came to pass, as they passed through the city, that they gathered unto them another ape, and another two apes, and another ape and another she-ape, and another ape and two she-apes and an ape, and another she-ape, and another ape and a she-ape, and another ape, and one other ape, altogether fifteen apes. And the fifteen apes came together, and they became one ape, a mighty ape and terrible. And a great wind came from the four winds, and behold Zilpah the sister of Levi: and she fell down upon the earth. And it came to pass, when she saw Levi her brother, that she trembled exceedingly, and fled; and they pursued after her, Levi and the mighty ape. And it came to pass, as she fled, that a ram came unto her, and he had high horns; and he ran at her for to push her: and she smote the ram, and brake both his horns, and cast him down to the ground, and trampled upon him. And the mighty ape trembled exceedingly, and he came down from the chariot, and fled. And Zilpah pursued after him, and she overtook him, and she pushed him, and cast him down to the ground, and she trampled upon him, and she cut him into pieces.
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episode 12 |
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CHAPTER TWELVE
And it came to pass in the morning, that Levi awoke, and he was on the bed of Deborah the seer: and he sought to rise, but could not, for that his hands were bound fast with ropes. And his head had great hurt, for yesternight the seer lay with him, and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose: and he dreamed horrible dreams. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there sat a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand. And he said, Who art thou? and he said, I am Ziza Deborah's eunuch; I am commanded to slay thee. And Levi trembled and said, Nay, for I am innocent, and have not sinned; and Ziza laughed, and he mocked him and said, I shall even sport myself, and cut off thine ear. And he rose up, and ran toward Levi for to kill him; and it came to pass, as he was running, that he slipped, and the sword flew off from his hand, and it fell upon him, and was smitten into his belly, and was fastened into the ground; and he waxed weary; so he died. And Levi rose up; and he came near unto the dead man, and he cleaved unto the fastened sword, and he cut the ropes wherewith he was bound. And he lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and, behold, on the table was a small bow, of the bows of the archers of the army of Rezon the son of Eliphelet king of Arhab that fought against the children of Ashkenaz. And a copper tablet was fastened unto the bow; and upon the tablet it was written, Zilpah the daughter of Petiel the Arhabite from the temple of the smiths at Jerkuch. And Levi read, and he wept, and he cried, Zilpah, Zilpah, where art thou? While he was yet crying, behold, the body of the eunuch roared; and it fouled itself with its own dung, and all the house stank. And Levi trembled, and the bow slipped from his hands, and it fell upon the ground, and brake.
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episode 13 |
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
And Levi went from the house of Deborah, which lieth in Melakhoth; and he passed over the river Kedem, and he pitched his tent in mount Lehem, which is in the edge of the isle of Manahath. And he journeyed from mount Lehem, and pitched in the village of Jorek. And he journeyed from the village of Jorek, and pitched in the hill of Lamech. And he journeyed from the hill of Lamech, and pitched at the bay of Zab. And he journeyed from the bay of Zab, and pitched in the hill of Moriah. And he journeyed from the hill of Moriah, and pitched in Zelshish. And he journeyed from Zelshish, and came unto the village of Jerkuch: and he went unto the temple of the smiths therein. And at the gate stood a virgin, and she said unto him, This is not a temple, but a house of visions and delights. And he shewed her the copper tablet: and he said, I seek my sister Zilpah the daughter of Petiel, who is hid from the eyes of all living. And she said, Come with me; and she led him into the house of visions: and they passed through the porches of delights, and Levi saw, and behold, every form of man and beast, and creeping things, and all the abominations of Yarkadesh, portrayed upon the walls round about. And they came unto the banqueting house, which was behind the house of visions.
And Levi looked, and he trembled, for men of war had assembled therein, princes and lords, archers and horsemen, in the army of the children of Ashkenaz, one hundred and twenty men that drew sword. And one of the lords came near unto Levi, and he had a cup of strong drink in his hand: and he said, We are Arhabites, not children of Ashkenaz, and not men of war, for we have disguised ourselves. And Levi said, Thou liest, for thou hast spoken Arhabite; and the lord laughed, and he said, There is none so discreet and wise as thou art; and he kissed him upon the mouth: and all the men of war laughed. And Levi said, Where is my sister Zilpah the daughter of Petiel that hath vanished? And the lord said, No female shall enter into the congregation of men that draw sword: and he kissed him yet once more upon the mouth, and the men of war laughed. And Levi rose up, and he said in his heart, I will not sit in the seat of the scornful; and he laid the broken bow aside, and sought to go out. And one of the princes saw the bow, and he drew near unto him, and he had a cup of strong drink in his hand; and Levi looked behind him, and the cup slipped, and it fell, and brake. And the prince forgave him, and he said, Whose son art thou, my son? and he said, Levi the son of Petiel the Arhabite. And the prince said, Thou hast made a sign unto us, for Ziza the eunuch is dead. And the prince embraced him, and he whispered, saying, I am Joseph the son of Habakkuk; I know thy sister Zilpah. And they both withdrew themselves, and they went out from the banqueting house; and the prince led him to his chamber, which was in the house of visions.
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episode 14 |
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
And Levi came into the chamber of Joseph the son of Habakkuk; and he saw, and behold, all the breastplates that Zilpah his sister had stolen: and other things from the days of the destruction of Israel in the fire of Molech, at the hands of the children of Ashkenaz, skulls, and cruses of oil, and coats of many colors. And Joseph the son of Habakkuk said, Those Arhabites, which are in the banqueting house, are false worshippers, neither men of war nor children of Ashkenaz, for they serve not Molech with all their heart. And Levi looked out the window, and he saw in the banqueting house the men of war, rejoicing and foolish. And he saw yet more, and, behold, a troop brake into the banqueting house; but he did not see their faces, for they had wrapped themselves with veils. And they fell upon the sons of falsehood; and they smote them, and they cut them, and they plundered them, and they trampled upon them, and they oppressed them, and they laid waste the dwelling place. Now as they had made an end to destroying and slaughtering, it came to pass that one of the invaders came unto the window, and he uncovered his head: and Levi was greatly afraid, and he said, This is none but Hannah the sister of Dan the Jew. And Hannah discovered unto them a tooth, which was in her hand; and Joseph the son Habakkuk said, That tooth was plucked out of thy sister's mouth. And now bring unto me the teeth which Zilpah hath stolen: and if thou bringest them not, I will pluck out the rest of your sister's teeth, which she yet hath. And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking, that he came near unto Levi, and he said, Lie with me, and thou shalt know a man by lying with him. And Levi trembled exceedingly, and he fled, and ran out of the chamber; and he hastened to go out of the house of visions. And it came to pass, as he fled, that his feet slipped, for that he struck one of the corpses; and he fell upon a glass, and it brake, and he fell out the window.
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episode 15 |
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
And Levi fell upon the curtain of the tent, and he was delivered: and it came to pass, as he fell upon the ground, that he struck Hannah the sister of Dan the Jew, that fled from the house of visions. And she fell upon the ground, and she stirred not; and Levi laid her on his shoulder, and he brought her unto the dung gate. And he took away her veil from her, and he wept; and he rent his clothes, and he kissed her: and he said, Woe is me! for I have slain her whom my soul loveth. My sister Hannah, I am distressed for thee: very pleasant hast thou been unto me. I weep sore in the night, and my tears are on my cheek. Yea, thy filthiness is in thy skirts, my sister: thou hast come down wonderfully. Thy tongue cleaveth to the roof of thy mouth, and no man breaketh bread unto thee. Lo, all thy people sigh; all that honored thee despise thee, because they have seen thy nakedness.
And it came to pass, as he lamented with this lamentation, that Hannah awaked; and she cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and she said, The burning ague consume thine eyes! fool, thou hast broken my legs. And Levi saw that the maiden yet lived, and he was astonished; and it came to pass, as he had made an end of being astonished, that his wrath was kindled: and he said, Tell me now what thou hast done to Zilpah, and what hast thou here: and if thou tellest me not, I will crush thy head. And Hannah was sore afraid, and she answered and said, The teeth that Zilpah hath stolen belonged to Hattil king of the children of Ashkenaz, the oppressor of the Jews; and she would not deliver them unto Joseph the son of Habakkuk. Now he was very wroth, and he assembled all his servants, and said, Pluck out one of her teeth, a tooth for a tooth, until she delivereth unto me all the teeth of Hattil the oppressor of the Jews; for in the day I put them in my mouth, then my eyes shall be opened, and I shall be as God.
And Hannah fell upon Levi's feet, and she discovered her secret, and she said, I have coveted the pleasant children of Ashkenaz, the enemies of my people, and I have committed adultery. By night on my bed I seek Joseph the tooth of Hattil: for his love is better than wine; for his head is as the most fine gold; for he is the chiefest among ten thousand; for his teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which come up from the washing. While she was discovering her secrets, Levi's wrath was kindled against her; and he took from her hand his sister's tooth, and he smote her, and said, Where is Zilpah? tell me now, and hide it not from me. And she said, In the Village of the Sinites: and he said, Rise up; let us go to the Village of the Sinites, and we will come unto the house wherein she is hidden.
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episode 16 |
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Now Levi and Hannah came unto the Village of the Sinites; and she stood before the banqueting house, and said, Behold, this is the hiding place where Zilpah is hid. And Levi examined the doors, and they opened, and they went in: and within the house was dark and still, and darkness was under their feet; and they groped for the wall like the blind. And it came to pass, about the dawning of the day, that Levi began to see: and he saw, and, behold, an image was before his eyes. And Levi was afraid, and the hair of his flesh stood up. And he looked yet again, and he saw that, behold, there was a woman at the end of the chamber; and she was sitting upon a seat, and her feet were upon her thighs. And it came to pass, as he came near unto her, that a reed brake under his foot: and the eyes of the woman were opened. Now when she saw Levi she opened her mouth, and laughed him to scorn: and Levi saw that a tooth of her teeth was missing unto her, and he cried with a loud voice, Zilpah! O Zilpah my sister! And there was darkness very suddenly, and there was light; and Levi awaked, and, behold, Hannah was not there, and Zilpah was not there: and he wept, and said, My sister Zilpah, whither hast thou vanished yet again?
And Hanan the Sinite went into the chamber, and he laughed, and said, That is not Zilpah but Eve the wife of Gad the Admonite, an old widow. Now it came to pass in the night in obscure darkness, that I put Eve in Zilpah's stead; and I plucked out a tooth of her teeth, for that the sons of Hattil are fools, and they make no difference between the unclean and the clean. And Hannah seized the widow, and she took her unto Joseph the son of Habakkuk in your sister's stead. And Zilpah fled, and she went unto the house of Baal-Shen the Admonite, which lieth in the south of Neveh Jorek, on the east of the city. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking, that he rose up, and he opened the bottle of milk, and he poured it into a bowl of ram's hide; and he said unto Levi, Drink, my son, I pray thee, and let us praise the exploits of Zilpah. But Levi remembered the asses' milk, that had afflicted him grievously, and he pushed the bowl away, and it fell upon the earth. And Levi and Hanan both rejoiced, for that it did not break.
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episode 17 |
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CHAPTER 17
And Hanan the Sinite said, Let us also rise up, and let us go to the house of Baal-Shen the Admonite, and we shall find Zilpah. And they fetched them a chariot from the chariots of ministry; and it came to pass, as they journeyed eastward, that the Sinite spake friendly unto Levi: and he discovered unto him his secrets, and he said, I go unto the house of Baal-Shen every night, for he hath a balm that cureth the affliction of my teeth, and his wines are good. And in the process of time it came to pass, that Keturah the Admonite's concubine discovered unto my ears, saying, This is not a house of healing, nor this is not a banqueting house, but a seat of thieves and robbers by night. And they have robbed the teeth of Hattil king of the children of Ashkenaz: and they hid them in the house. And I discovered the matter in Zilpah's ears, and she sought to seize them; yea, she endeavored oftentimes, but she could not find them.
And it came to pass, as they came unto the house of Baal-Shen, that, behold, Keturah the Admonite's concubine was alone, and she was crying with a loud voice. And Hanan said, What aileth thee, woman; why dost thou weep bitterly? and she answered and said, We have been robbed. And Levi said, Who hath robbed you, and what hath been robbed of you? and she said, Jeziel the chief of the Zenunites, who hath lain us an ambush in time past; and it came to pass as the day drew toward evening, that he came and took the teeth of Hattil, which I had hid in the ark, and he departed. And now my master will surely come, and he will see that the teeth of Hattil are not here, and he will slay me. And Hanan discovered in Levi's ears all the deeds of Jeziel and the Zenunites, and he said, They are a congregation of prophets, and are worshippers of Jeshua the Bethlehemite; they seize upon the children of Ashkenaz, the servants of Hattil, and they drive them by force into the congregation of Israel, for that they have sinned, and their sins shall be forgiven, neither shall they learn war any more.
And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking, that a little child ran toward them with a letter from Bildad the son of Abdiel. And he delivered it unto Hanan the Sinite; and he read the letter, and he said unto Levi, Rise up, let us go, for out of Zelshish come tidings of Zilpah. And it came to pass, as they went out from the house, that Levi stepped at the threshold thereof, and there was a great noise under his foot, for that a grasshopper had been crushed that crept upon the ground, and was quiet from fear of evil.
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episode 18 |
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
And it came to pass, when the word of Zilpah was made known unto Hanan the Sinite, that he rose up, he and Levi with him, and they went unto Zelshish. And they came unto the house of Bildad the son of Abdiel; and he said unto them, Lo, Zilpah seeketh Jeziel and the Zenunites, for that she is wroth for the sake of Hattil's teeth, which they have stolen. And now, return ye east and south, and come unto the clothes' merchants: and purchase ye robes and veils, and disguise yourselves. And turn away from thence, and go unto the village of Jerkuch, toward the east: and come unto the house of Hoham the Sinite, and say unto the eunuch that standeth at the gate of the house, Rejoice in sorrow, which is the sign; and Zilpah shall be within the house. And Levi and Hanan rose up, and they went unto the clothes' merchants in the south of Neveh Jorek to the east; and they purchased them robes and veils, and they disguised themselves. And they went from thence unto the house of Hoham the Sinite, which lieth in the village of Jerkuch to the east.
And they said unto the eunuch, Rejoice in misery, rejoice in misery: and it came to pass, as the eunuch heard the sign, that he feigned himself mad in their hands, and he waved his staff, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. And Levi said unto Hanan, Lo, thou seest the man is mad; wherefore have they brought us to him? Have I need of mad men, that they have brought us unto this fellow to play the mad man in our presence? And it came to pass, as Levi had made an end of speaking, that the doors of the gate opened, and they entered: and the eunuch said, Go ye down; and he gave unto Levi a letter, and he said unto him, Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently. And they entered, and went down; and it was dark, and Levi trembled exceedingly, and held Hanan by the hand, and said unto him, That fellow hath led us into a dungeon, into the depths of the earth. And Hanan said, Hold thy peace; it is a house of visions and not a dungeon. And they came unto the chamber, and they sat upon seats made of twigs: and the seats complained under their weight, for they were very delicate. And Levi read the letter, which the eunuch had given him: and, behold, it was written therein, The sons of the Zenunites; and an image shewed itself from the letter. And he rejoiced exceedingly, and he turned to Hanan, and they whispered, saying, Zilpah hath been found: and it came to pass, as they were whispering, that Levi's seat lifted up its voice and wept, for that Levi was a heavy burden. And the seat shattered, and Levi fell backward, and he lay upon the ground, and stretched out.
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episode 19 |
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CHAPTER NINETEEN
And Hoham the eunuch came near unto Levi, and raised him up from the ground, and made him to stand up upon his feet; and he gave unto him a roller for to wrap about his wounds. And Levi lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and behold, men of war of the children of Ashkenaz came into the chamber, rejoicing and foolish: and they played before the congregation. And they sang, saying, Praise ye Hattil: praise ye him, children of Ashkenaz. Praise ye him, stars of the host of heaven: praise ye him, moon and sun: praise ye the teeth of Hattil, king of the children of Ashkenaz. Praise ye Jeziel: praise ye him, Zenunites, for from the four corners of the earth hath he gathered together the outcasts of Ashkenaz, and hath assembled her dispersed oppressors. And it came to pass, as they had made an end of singing, that a terrible idol came near unto them; and it was neither male nor female, and was wrapped about with a roller from head to foot like unto the abominations of Egypt; and upon the idol's head was a pot of glass, and within the pot was the heart of a man. And the men of war danced around the idol: and they praised her with their song. And Hoham the eunuch also came: and he stripped himself of the robe that was upon him; and Levi and the congregation saw that Hoham was also a man of war of the children of Ashkenaz; and a sword was fastened upon his loins in a sheath thereof: and Hoham also sang, and he praised Jeziel and Hattil. While he yet sang, Bebai came into the chamber: and he ran toward the eunuch, and sought to pluck the sword out of his hand: and they wrestled. And Levi rose up, and made haste to help Bebai; and it came to pass, as he was hastening, that he struck a lamp, and he fell upon the idol, and the pot fell from the idol's head, and it brake. And Levi lifted up his eyes, and he saw that, behold, Dan the Jew was lying at the door; and he turned, and saw that Hoham had prevailed against Bebai. And Hoham held the sword, and said unto Bebai, Thou shalt die, for thou hast profaned the name of Hattil king of the children of Ashkenaz. And Bebai lifted his voice and wept: and he besought him with tears, saying, Have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me.
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episode 20 |
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CHAPTER TWENTY
Now Bebai was dead, and Hoham's sword was stricken through his temple: and Hoham drew the sword, and he turned upon Levi, and rose up for to slay him. And Deborah the seer came into the chamber, and she drew a sword: and her dog was with her. And the dog bit Hoham upon his right thigh: and Deborah pierced him upon his left knee. And she said unto him, Where are the teeth of Hattil, the oppressor of the Jews? and he answered and said, Hath not Jeziel seized them, and what hast thou here, seer? And she said, Where is he? and he said, He is at the market, which lieth among the diamond merchants. And she turned to go out, she and her dog with her: and it came to pass, as she turned, that Hoham rose up and drew his sword, and struck her; and she fell down upon the ground, and she died. And Hoham turned to Levi yet again, and sought to slay him; and he said, Thou hast defiled the temple of Hattil and his teeth. And Levi said, Oh, my lord, have mercy upon your servant, for I came unto this city for my sister's sake, for she had vanished; and here also have I done nothing. And Hoham did not hearken unto him; and he drew his sword, and cursed him, saying, Thou art a flea, Arhabite, and a dead dog. And it came to pass, as Hoham yet cursed, that, behold, there was a shining light: and he looked behind him, and he said, Who is that that cometh into the chamber? And an image drew near unto them from the darkness, and in her hand she held a cup, and in her other hand she held a sword: she was Zilpah, Levi's sister that had vanished. And the rejoicing men of war saw the cup, and they lifted up their voice, and they cried, The cup of Haman, the cup of Haman! And Zilpah rose up and drew her sword, and pierced Hoham upon his right shoulder: and he fell down and died.
And Levi lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and, lo, Zilpah stood by him: and he said, My sister, my sister! thou art here, and thou hast not perished; and he ran to meet her. And it came to pass, as he ran, that he struck Hoham's corpse, and he slipped, and he fell upon his sister: and she dropped the cup, and it brake. And the rejoicing men saw, and their wrath was kindled exceedingly: and they rose up to slay Levi and Zilpah. And Zilpah and Levi fled, and Deborah's dog with them, and they got them out. And it came to pass, as they came out of Hoham's house, that Dan the Jew came near unto them: and Zilpah said unto him, What hast thou here, Jew? And Dan lifted up his voice and wept, and he said, Bebai our beloved hath fallen; and now, what shall we do? And she said, Hold thy peace; fetch us a chariot, and we will come unto the diamond merchants, for Jeziel is there and Hattil's teeth with him. And the Jew brake forth into singing, and he sang this psalm upon the exploits of Zilpah. Blessed above women shall Zilpah the daughter of Petiel be; blessed shall she be above women in Arhab. Hoham the eunuch in his terribleness drew his sword; with her proud sword she answered him, with the cup of oppressors despoiled from the Zenunites. She put her hand to her sword, and drew it and smote Hoham; she pierced his right shoulder, when she had pierced and stricken through that arm of Anak. At her feet Hoham bowed; at her feet he fell, he lay down stretched out. Upon the altars of the idols stood the sons of war; these rejoicing men saw, and fear took hold upon them there; they cried like women, for that their master had fallen down dead. So let all thine enemies perish, O Zilpah; but let them that love thee be as the sun when she goeth forth in her might.
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episode 21 |
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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
And they got them up to the chariot, and they turned northward unto the markets of the diamond merchants for to seek Jeziel therein. And Levi was heavy and displeased: and he said unto Zilpah, What hast thou done, sister? for I have rent my mantle, and I have put dust upon mine head, for thou saidst unto me the Lord God had taken thee away: and now, all Arhab seek thy life. And Zilpah answered and said, Alas, my brother, I have sworn by the LORD that I will find Hattil's teeth and pluck them from their jawbone. And Levi said, Let us rise up and flee from this city, my sister, lest we be slain by the men of Joseph and Jeziel. And she said, God forbid that I should flee from Neveh Jorek without the teeth of Hattil, the oppressor of the Jews.
And they came unto the market of the diamond merchants, and unto the markets of the Jews; and Deborah's dog was with them. And they came unto the house of Jeziel; and an eunuch came out toward them and said, What have ye here? and Dan spake to him in the Jews' language, saying, Our soul longeth for pleasant stones, and we shall buy them. And the eunuch led them into the house; and when they had entered into the court, which lieth behind the house, behold, they saw Jeziel sitting with his boy. And the boy was of an high stature, and upon the flesh of his forehead were the signs of Lucifer son of morning. And in the depth of the chamber stood a man upon an altar, and he made himself mad before them: and he prophesied unto them in the language of the children of Ashkenaz, saying, Beron and hail and daath. And Levi lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and, behold, the teeth of Hattil were stretched upon a pillow. And it came to pass, as Jeziel saw Zilpah and her men, that he laughed them to scorn, and he said, Lo, ye have tarried too long, and the teeth of Hattil are mine. And he seized the teeth of Hattil, and he opened his mouth, and swallowed them up: and he sang, and he played the fool like his prophet, saying, Beron and hail and daath. And it came to pass, as Zilpah saw what Jeziel had done, that the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon her, and she drew her sword, and she brandished it before the Zenunites. And Dan and Levi fled from her wrath: and they fell down upon the ground, and it came to pass, as they fell down, that they struck one another. And Levi crushed Deborah's dog, for it was small: and his back was broken, and he died. And Zilpah ceased from her raging, and they lifted up their eyes, and they saw, and, behold, Jeziel was gone; and his boy had fallen, and blood trickled from his neck, for he was pierced. And Zilpah rose up, and said, Tarry thee here, brother, and I will pursue Jeziel. And she went out of the house, and Levi and Dan tarried there; and the boy gave up the ghost, and died.
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episode 22 |
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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
And it came to pass, as the lad died, that a great noise came from the house within: and Levi and Dan ran toward the noise. And they saw, and, behold, Jeziel was hiding in the vestry, for that Zilpah had pierced him: and as he lay dying he said unto them, Temple orchard, temple orchard; and he died. And Dan bowed down upon his knees, and he opened the corpse's mouth, and he examined within, and searched with his fingers: and he drew forth a bunch of teeth, and said, These are the teeth of Hattil, which Jeziel hath hid in his throat. And Levi numbered the teeth, and he said, Lo, half of the teeth are missing; and the Jew rose up and searched yet again in Jeziel's mouth, and there were no teeth more. And they rose up, and fled, and got them out, for a voice of crying came from the court. And it came to pass, as they were getting them out of the house, that Levi said, Now have I understood the words of Jeziel, saying, orchard, temple, and I have expounded the riddle. Let us go to the tower of the Jews, which lieth in the south of this city on the east: for it lieth by an orchard, and from all the coasts of Arhab men go up to that tower, to worship and to sacrifice to the God of the Hebrews. And they rose up and turned eastward to seek them a chariot of the chariots of ministry. And it came to pass, as they ran, that Levi struck a small child that issued out of the house; and he fell on his face upon the ground, and one of his teeth brake in twain. And he turned around and saw, and, behold, Dina the daughter of Iram was standing there, that had saved him from the hands of the Sinites. And it came to pass, as she saw Dan, that she ran toward him, and embraced him, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him: and she wept, and said, My father, my father. And the Jew said, What hast thou here, my daughter: hast thou not wandered far off? And the child answered and said, Your maidservant Eve hath brought me hither to seek my mother among the diamond merchants, for she hath vanished: and now I am weary with wandering: take me, father, and we shall return to our house. And Levi turned, and came near unto them, and said unto the Jew, Nay, but she is the daughter of Iram; why doth she call thee my father? And it came to pass, as Dan heard Levi's words, that he trembled exceedingly: and he held fast to the child, and fled: and Levi was left alone.
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episode 23 |
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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
And Levi came unto the tower of the Jews, which lieth in the south of Neveh Jorek on the east. And in the porch of the tower there was a mixed multitude of the sons of the Arhabites: and among them was a little child, which was playing with a cherub of image work. And it came to pass, as Levi came in, that he was thrust against the child: and the cherub fell from his hands, and brake. And the child lifted up his voice and wept: and he said, My cherub's price is four hundred shekels of silver, and thou hast broken him. And Jacob the keeper of the door heard the tumult: and he came near unto them, and he examined the case, and he comforted the child. And Levi said in his heart, Lo, this Jacob is among the persons written in my sister's letter. And he said unto him, Jacob, Jacob; and he said, It is I; and he said, I am Zilpah's brother, and thou knowest her. And Jacob answered and said, Lo, Zilpah the mistress of the craftsmen in the tower hath vanished; for many days she hath not visited the tower, and also Dina her little daughter is not come. And Levi said, Nay, but Dan the Jew is the maid's father; and Jacob said, Yea, is not he thy sister's husband? And Levi's wrath was kindled, for that his sister had married a Jew, and it was not discovered unto him. But he kept his sorrow in his heart; and he said, I am a carpenter; Zilpah hath sent me hither to the house of the craftsmen, for the beds are withered, and I shall repair them. And Jacob rejoiced, for Zilpah the mistress of the craftsmen had not perished; and he gave him the key to the house of the craftsmen. And Levi went thither: and the house of the craftsmen was dark and still; and he groped for the wall like the blind, and he found him a lamp, and lit it. And it came to pass, as the light was lit, that he saw, and, behold, Joseph the son of Habakkuk and Bildad the son of Abdiel were crouching in the chamber; and their swords were drawn: and Levi trembled exceedingly, and he said, Woe is me! for they have betrayed me to mine enemies. And a terrible figure came behind him; and she clung to his neck, and kissed him, and whispered in his ears many secret things, and bit him: and Levi stumbled, and he fell down to the ground as dead.
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episode 24 |
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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Then Levi dreamed, and, behold, a tall tower whose top reached unto heaven; and, behold, Zilpah hid herself therein; and he ran unto the tower, and went within, and he went up even unto the top: and he saw, and, behold, his sister was flying like an eagle among the clouds: and he leaped from the rooftop, for he sought to fly and overtake her; and he fell down to the earth like a stone. And Levi awaked out of his sleep, and, behold, he was sitting upon a stool in a temple, which was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof, and there were candlesticks round about it. And he saw, and, behold, at the end of the temple were two tables of silver with many instruments upon them, and sixteen cups of Haman. And there were arks of silver round about, and within the arks were pots of glass, and within the pots were men's teeth. And Levi trembled exceedingly, and he sought to rise up, but could not, for that his hands were bound in ropes unto the stool. And he lifted up his voice, and wept, and he cried, Where am I, where am I? but there was none that answered, for he was alone. And he shook himself, and he skipped with the stool unto the end of the temple, for he sought to cut his bonds with the edge of the table. And it came to pass, as he skipped, that one of the legs of the stool was caught into a hole in the ground: and the stool fell, and brake, and Levi loosed his bonds. And he heard, and, behold, there was the sound of footsteps without the temple, and it waxed louder: and, behold, Zilpah called unto him, Levi, Levi, where art thou?
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episode 25 |
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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Now it came to pass, when they were in the temple, that Zilpah said, Let us go, brother, for the teeth of Hattil are in my hand. Yea, even thou hast seen Joseph the son of Habakkuk: he is a bloody man, loving covetousness: he desired the teeth of Hattil, for that he sought to make him a copy thereof, and sell his false teeth unto the children of Ashkenaz, the haters of the Jews. And he pursued after me, and he pursued Jeziel and the Zenunites: and he is very wroth, for that I have the teeth. And now I will go, and flee me away: and I will dwell in the land of Kedmath Ashkenaz, and there will I copy Hattil's teeth, and sell the false teeth unto the haters of the Jews: and I shall be rich, and I shall revenge myself upon them. And thou, brother, wilt labor with me: and we shall dwell together in Kedmath Ashkenaz, and thou also shalt be rich.
And it came to pass, as she had made an end of speaking, that the doors of the temple were opened: and Joseph the son of Habakkuk came in, and Hannah was with him, and also Dina the daughter of Zilpah. And he drew his sword, and demanded the teeth of Hattil; but Zilpah did not wish to deliver them unto him. And Joseph held Dina, and put his sword upon the child's throat: and he said, Give unto me that which I have demanded, and if thou wilt not give it unto me, I will slay thy daughter. And Zilpah was afraid, and said, Do not hurt the child: and she opened her sack to deliver the teeth unto him. And it came to pass, as she examined the sack, that the child slipped away from the man's hands, and she ran toward her uncle. And Levi slipped, for he did not see her, and he fell upon Joseph: and he also slipped, and fell backward upon one of the arks: and the pots fell upon his head, and brake, and he fell down to the ground as dead.
And Zilpah fled with her daughter, and got them out: and Levi rose up and held the sword of Joseph the son of Habakkuk. And he looked upon Hannah the sister of Dan, and he loved her; and she also looked upon him, and loved him. And Levi said in his heart, Behold, thou art fair, thou art fair: and Hannah said in her heart, Is not this Arhabite of a beauteous countenance withal, and goodly to look at? why should I covet the children of Ashkenaz, the enemies of my people, and why should I commit adultery? And Levi came near unto her, and held her hand, and said, Rise up, my undefiled, let us be gone, and we shall go down into the gardens, to the beds of spices, and to gather lilies. And suddenly the Jewess trembled exceedingly, and she cried and said, I may not marry an Arhabite! and she rose up and fled, and got her out.
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episode 26 |
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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
And it came to pass after these things, that a lad came into the temple, and in his hand was a letter from Zilpah. And thus she wrote to Levi, Arise, my brother, get thee out quickly from hence, and come unto my house, which lieth in Jerkuch. And Levi rose up, and hastened to get him out, but lo, Jacob the guard stood at the threshold of the temple: and he said unto Levi, Thou shalt not go out, for thou hast killed Joseph the son of Habakkuk; and he wrestled with him. And Jacob prevailed not against him: and Levi fled, and got him out: and he hastened unto Jerkuch to his sister's house. And it came to pass, as he was fleeing, that Levi looked behind him, and he saw, and, behold, Jacob with five scornful men was pursuing him, and seeking his hurt. Now these were children of Belial and men of war: and Bildad the son of Abdiel was among them, and Gatam the Cushite, and Darkon, and Phinehas, and Jonathan. And Levi turned away toward the east, for that he sought to deceive his pursuers: and he fled unto the village of Baruch, which lieth by the river Kedem: and when his pursuers overtook him, he rose up, and plunged him in the dung ditch; and he hid among the dung.
And it came to pass in the evening, that Levi came out of the ditch: and he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that the pursuers had forsaken him, he went into the river, and cleansed himself from the dung. And he rose up, and got him from thence, and hastened to the village of Jerkuch. And he came into Zilpah's house: but Zilpah was not there: and he saw, and, behold, his sister's daughter Dina was sleeping in the bed. And he found therein a letter, which Zilpah had written unto him, saying, I could no longer tarry, my brother, for I must depart from hence and go unto Kedmath Ashkenaz. Keep thou my daughter, I pray thee, till my return: and be thou a father unto her, for that her father is gone. And Levi lifted up his voice and wept, and he said, My sister, my sister! behold, thou hast vanished yet again, and how shall I dwell in the land of Arhab, even I with thy child, when thou art in the coast of Ashkenaz? And it came to pass, as he had made an end of weeping, that he saw, and, behold, a little graven image, which was pleasant to the eyes, in the likeness of a camel, and within of a blue color like unto the firmament of the heavens. And he rose up, and he took it in his hands, and delighted with it: and the graven image fell upon the ground, and brake. And the child awaked, and her eyes were opened, and she saw, and, behold, her uncle Levi was in the house. And she said unto him, My uncle, and he said, Here am I, my daughter: and she said, Uncle, I pray thee, tell me of thy labors in this city, that I may awaken, and be given understanding. And Levi sat him down in the bed, and he told Dina all these things.
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