The Bible is full of deceit, as is Blake. The story of Jacob’s
theft of the birthright of his brother, Esau is one of many
examples of deceit that we find scattered
throughout the Bible; here’s an extract from in Genesis:
“27:6 And Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, Behold, theft of the birthright of his brother, Esau is one of many
examples of deceit that we find scattered
throughout the Bible; here’s an extract from in Genesis:
I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I
may eat, and bless you before the LORD before my death.
27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that
which I command you.
27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from there two good
kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for your
father, such as he loves:
27:10 And you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, and
that he may bless you before his death.
27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my
brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him
as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse on me, and not a blessing.
27:13 And his mother said to him, On me be your curse, my son:
only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother:
and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
27:15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her oldest son Esau,
which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her
younger son:
27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands, and
on the smooth of his neck:
27:17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.”
27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that
which I command you.
27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from there two good
kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for your
father, such as he loves:
27:10 And you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, and
that he may bless you before his death.
27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my
brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him
as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse on me, and not a blessing.
27:13 And his mother said to him, On me be your curse, my son:
only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother:
and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
27:15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her oldest son Esau,
which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her
younger son:
27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands, and
on the smooth of his neck:
27:17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.”
From Jerusalem Plate 6 and 7:
“In pain the Spectre divided: in pain of hunger and thirst:
To devour Los's Human Perfection, but when he saw that Los
PLATE 7
Was living: panting like a frighted wolf, and howling
He stood over the Immortal, in the solitude and darkness:
Upon the darkning Thames, across the whole Island westward.
A horrible Shadow of Death, among the Furnaces: beneath
The pillar of folding smoke; and he sought by other means,
To lure Los: by tears, by arguments of science & by terrors:
Terrors in every Nerve, by spasms & extended pains:
While Los answer'd unterrified to the opake blackening Fiend
And thus the Spectre spoke: Wilt thou still go on to destruction?
Till thy life is all taken away by this deceitful Friendship?
He drinks thee up like water! like wine he pours thee
Into his tuns: thy Daughters are trodden in his vintage
He makes thy Sons the trampling of his bulls, they are plow'd
And harrowd for his profit, lo! thy stolen Emanation
Is his garden of pleasure! all the Spectres of his Sons mock thee
Look how they scorn thy once admired palaces! now in ruins
Because of Albion! because of deceit and friendship!”
To devour Los's Human Perfection, but when he saw that Los
PLATE 7
Was living: panting like a frighted wolf, and howling
He stood over the Immortal, in the solitude and darkness:
Upon the darkning Thames, across the whole Island westward.
A horrible Shadow of Death, among the Furnaces: beneath
The pillar of folding smoke; and he sought by other means,
To lure Los: by tears, by arguments of science & by terrors:
Terrors in every Nerve, by spasms & extended pains:
While Los answer'd unterrified to the opake blackening Fiend
And thus the Spectre spoke: Wilt thou still go on to destruction?
Till thy life is all taken away by this deceitful Friendship?
He drinks thee up like water! like wine he pours thee
Into his tuns: thy Daughters are trodden in his vintage
He makes thy Sons the trampling of his bulls, they are plow'd
And harrowd for his profit, lo! thy stolen Emanation
Is his garden of pleasure! all the Spectres of his Sons mock thee
Look how they scorn thy once admired palaces! now in ruins
Because of Albion! because of deceit and friendship!”
With some imagination you may see the analogy between
Jacob/Esau and the Spectre/ Los.
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