Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Acknowledgments ix
4. List of Abbreviations xi
5. Chapter One. Jacob and the Bible’s Ancient Interpreters 1
6. Chapter Two. The Ladder of Jacob 9
7. Chapter Three. The Rape of Dinah, and Simeon and Levi’s Revenge 36
8. Chapter Four. Reuben’s Sin with Bilhah 81
9. Chapter Five. How Levi Came to Be a Priest 115
10. Chapter Six. Judah and the Trial of Tamar 169
11. Chapter Seven. A Prayer about Jacob and Israel from the Dead Sea Scrolls 186
12. Notes 223
13. Subject Index 263
14. Hebrew Bible Index 271
15. Index of Motifs Studied 276