We often hear about the immediate aftermath – the vengeance of Simeon and Levi. But what about Jacob and his family? Did they just pack up and leave? Well, according to the Legends of the Jews, as retold by Rabbi Louis Ginzberg, there’s a whole chapter of conflict and conquest that often goes unmentioned.
At first, things were relatively peaceful. Jacob and his household returned to Shechem, settling in and establishing themselves. But this peace didn't last. After seven years, the surrounding Amorite tribes began to feel threatened. "Is it not enough that they have slain all the men of Shechem?" they asked, according to Ginzberg. "Should they be permitted now to take possession of their land, too?" And so, they gathered their forces to make war on the sons of Jacob.
Enter Judah. He becomes the hero of our story, leaping into the fray against the allied kings. The first adversary? Jashub, the king of Tappuah, a warrior seemingly clad in iron and brass from head to toe. Ginzberg paints a vivid picture of Jashub, mounted on his horse, casting spears with deadly accuracy, a formidable foe indeed.
But Judah is undeterred. He picks up a stone – a massive one, weighing sixty sela'im (a unit of weight) – and hurls it at Jashub, who was, and this detail is wonderfully specific, one hundred and seventy-seven ells and one-third of an ell away! The stone strikes Jashub's shield, unhorsing him. A fierce duel ensues, shields shatter, and in a moment of quick thinking, Judah wrests Jashub’s own shield from him and uses Jashub’s own sword to cut off his feet, then his head.
The battle doesn't end there, of course. Nine of Jashub's followers appear, ready to avenge their king. Judah, resourceful as ever, uses another well-aimed stone to disable the first attacker, grabs his shield, and defends himself against the remaining eight. It's a whirlwind of action!
Then, help arrives. Levi joins the fight, killing Elon, the king of Gaash, with an arrow. Judah dispatches the remaining eight. Even Jacob himself gets involved, slaying Zerori, the king of Shiloh! The Amorites, faced with this onslaught, lose their nerve and flee. The sons of Jacob pursue, each slaying a thousand men, according to Ginzberg’s retelling.
The story doesn't stop at Shechem. The sons of Jacob push onward to Hazor, where they face an even more severe encounter. Jacob himself takes down Pirathon, the king of Hazor, as well as Pasusi, Laban (king of Aram, no less!), and Shebir. Judah is, again, the first to scale the walls of Hazor, taking on four warriors at once before his brother Naphtali can even offer assistance. Together, Judah and Naphtali stand on the wall, dealing death to the enemy.
The other sons of Jacob follow, and they utterly destroy the Amorite host. They conquer Hazor, killing everyone and taking all the spoils. The next day, they move on to Sartan, and another bloody battle ensues. Sartan is a heavily fortified city, but the sons of Jacob are relentless. Judah, again leading the charge, scales the walls, followed by Gad, Simeon, Levi, Reuben, Dan, Naphtali, and Issachar. They capture the city.
According to Legends of the Jews, the sons of Jacob subdue five more cities in just five days: Tappuah, Arbel, Shiloh, Mahanaim, and Gaash. Finally, on the sixth day, the Amorites, utterly defeated, come to Jacob and his sons unarmed, begging for peace.
And here’s where things take an unexpected turn. The sons of Jacob agree to peace. The Amorites cede Timna and the land of Harariah to them. They also return all the stolen cattle and spoil, with a bonus of two head for every one they took. Jacob and his sons return to their respective areas, and the Amorites, finally, leave them in peace.
What are we to make of this? It's a far cry from the peaceful shepherd image we sometimes have of Jacob and his sons. This is a story of conquest, of military prowess, and of a people establishing their territory by force. It's a reminder that the stories of the Torah, and the legends that surround them, are complex and multifaceted. They offer us glimpses into a world far removed from our own, a world of tribal conflict, of fierce warriors, and of a people struggling to find their place in a land that was not always welcoming. And, perhaps, it makes us consider the price of peace, and the lengths to which people will go to secure it.