thus: When Dan will judge, then comes Gad with his subtle agility and readiness [officiousness to undermine and insinuate himself], and works him out of his office with flattering speeches and specious pretences; with lying and perverting prevarication, for it winds all truth about, and sets his agile nimble subtlety in the right of truth, and so the judge is blinded by his agile nimble pragmaticalness.
28. This the spirit intimates strongly concerning Israel, signifying how they would live one among another, and how the self-power and authority with Dan, and the agility with Gad, would govern the world: But these are both of them but children of the maid- servants, and not of the free women, and their offices shall have an end.
IX
THE TESTAMENT of ASHER
29. From Asher comes his fat bread [or, finest of flour], and he will act to please kings (Gen. xlix. 20). When Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, had born Gad, prepared, subtle, crafty, always ready at every subtle assault against the right, justice and judgement of Dan, then says Moses, Zilpah bare Jacob the second son. And then said Leah, It is well with me, for the daughter will praise me and call me blessed: and she called him Asher (Gen. xxx. 12, 13). And Jacob said in the testament, From Asher comes his fat bread, and he will live to please kings. Here Jacob, viz. the spirit in the Covenant, comprises these two brethren together in a figure: for Gad has the agility, and Asher takes his fat bread from the king, and Leah says at his birth, The daughters will praise me and call me blessed.
30. Here now stands the figure. But what explanation may this have? Gad orders his ways with subtlety, and Asher with flattery and hypocrisy, among the kings and potentates in authority and power, whereby he attains prosperous fat days of plenty, pleasure and voluptuousness: and such are everyone that shall sit in offices; and as judges and magistrates they do all to please their lord and king; that they may be reputed, honoured, applauded and rewarded by him, and that they may have their fat bread from him. And the spirit by these three sons signifies powerfully what kind of people would rule the world; viz. by Dan, the serpent, viz. self-will; and by Gad, subtlety, treachery, and undermining deceit; and by Asher, false and wicked flattery, and sycophanting hypocrisy, who always sit in the courts of kings, and serve them for their fat bread, and only hunt after the applause and honour of men.
31. Therefore says the spirit, From Asher comes his fat bread.
From whom comes the fat bread? Answer, from the nimble subtle
thus: When Dan will judge, then comes Gad with his subtle agility and readiness [officiousness to undermine and insinuate himself], and works him out of his office with flattering speeches and specious pretences; with lying and perverting prevarication, for it winds all truth about, and sets his agile nimble subtlety in the right of truth, and so the judge is blinded by his agile nimble pragmaticalness.
28. This the spirit intimates strongly concerning Israel, signifying how they would live one among another, and how the self-power and authority with Dan, and the agility with Gad, would govern the world: But these are both of them but children of the maid- servants, and not of the free women, and their offices shall have an end.
IX
THE TESTAMENT of ASHER
29. From Asher comes his fat bread [or, finest of flour], and he will act to please kings (Gen. xlix. 20). When Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, had born Gad, prepared, subtle, crafty, always ready at every subtle assault against the right, justice and judgement of Dan, then says Moses, Zilpah bare Jacob the second son. And then said Leah, It is well with me, for the daughter will praise me and call me blessed: and she called him Asher (Gen. xxx. 12, 13). And Jacob said in the testament, From Asher comes his fat bread, and he will live to please kings. Here Jacob, viz. the spirit in the Covenant, comprises these two brethren together in a figure: for Gad has the agility, and Asher takes his fat bread from the king, and Leah says at his birth, The daughters will praise me and call me blessed.
30. Here now stands the figure. But what explanation may this have? Gad orders his ways with subtlety, and Asher with flattery and hypocrisy, among the kings and potentates in authority and power, whereby he attains prosperous fat days of plenty, pleasure and voluptuousness: and such are everyone that shall sit in offices; and as judges and magistrates they do all to please their lord and king; that they may be reputed, honoured, applauded and rewarded by him, and that they may have their fat bread from him. And the spirit by these three sons signifies powerfully what kind of people would rule the world; viz. by Dan, the serpent, viz. self-will; and by Gad, subtlety, treachery, and undermining deceit; and by Asher, false and wicked flattery, and sycophanting hypocrisy, who always sit in the courts of kings, and serve them for their fat bread, and only hunt after the applause and honour of men.
31. Therefore says the spirit, From Asher comes his fat bread.
From whom comes the fat bread? Answer, from the nimble subtle
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