The Favor of Dinah

written by the hand of Brighot

 

1 AND Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.

 

2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

 

3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.

 

4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.

 

5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.

 

6 ¶ And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.

 

7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.

 

8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

 

9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.

 

10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

 

11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

 

12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.

 

13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:

 

14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:

 

15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;

 

16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.

 

17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.

 

18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.

 

19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.

 

20 ¶ And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,

 

21 These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.

 

22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.

 

23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.

 

24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.

 

24b And it came to pass on the eve of the second day the angel of the Lord appeared unto Simeon and said; ‘Hearken to the words of my voice. Yea thou art sore for the defilement of thy sister and thy cries for vengeance have been heard.. Thou must get thy sister out from among them for she is with child which is unbeknownst to her. Take thy brother Levi and have him place the mark which thou do see in thy minds eye, yea have Levi carve it in the breast of the wicked, yea he shall be my priest in this matter.’

 

24c ‘Yea take Dinah whom I have favored and travel with her to the farthest country of the north and leave her amongst a grove of oak which I shall show thee.

 

24d Take thee heed that thou speak none of this to thy father Jacob for he must think that thy takest thy sister to the tabernacle to be cleansed. This is the command of the Lord thy God whom thou fearest’

 

25 ¶ And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.

 

26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.

 

27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.

 

28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,

 

29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.

 

30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

 

31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?, Let us be father for we must take Dinah to be cleansed of her defilement.

 

Chapter II

 

1 And it came to pass that Dinah did travel with her brothers to the far country of the north and found the spot which the Lord did direct.

 

2 Among a grove of oak trees did they leave her, never again to see her face.

 

3 And it came to pass that many hours did pass in that grove wherein Dinah did mourn for her solitude and loss. Yea she did fear that her father had cast her out for her defilement as was the custom, She did not yet know that the lord had favored her.

 

4 Amongst her silence did the voice of Jehovah whisper: ‘Dinah, Dinah, get thee up into the tree and wait upon the Lord whom art thou saviour in thy distress’

 

5 Immediately Dinah hearkened the word of the Lord and up into the leaves and branches did she climb til she could climb no longer.

 

6 From noonday sun til sunset glow Dinah awaited the voice of the Lord At the rise of the Moon she she saw in the heavens above her a light descending til it touched the limb upon which she sat. Brighter than dimmer thus it grew and she heard a voice that sounded like the song of the bird” Dinah I am thy  mother and have come from the presence of God to give thee thy blessing.”

 

7 Mistress, who art thou, my mother?

 

8 “Yea, I am Sarah the ancient from whom thy fathers come, it is my blood which runeth the course of thy veins and blessed are you amongst women, from thy womb shall come comfort to all women of the earth”

 

9 How can this be, I am without husband and am betrothed to no man?

 

10 ‘There is within thee a child , an issue from thy defilement which God has blessed. From all evil things which befall the righteous, the Lord heals, binds up and brings good to those whom have faith in Him.’

 

11 Now hearken and learn the ways of the ancients, it is thy thirteenth year and thy blessing is nigh. Take leaves from the branch which thy sittest and get thee down from there.Clear brush and make flame upon the earth. Burn up the leaves which thou hast taken and rub to ash what is not consumed. Walk thee thrice round the flame while making this sign upon thy breast, which is the sign of the first token of thy priesthood.

 

12 Dinah obeyed the voice of Sarah and did all that she commanded and asked; ‘I have no priesthood my lady but am without its blessings in this place.

 

13 ‘Daughter thy have a priesthood as I have said, for on this day I have bestowed it upon thee. Take thee heed to pass to thy daughter theses signs and tokens which thou hast received for she shall be great and thou shalt call her name Brighot,for her light shall shine to all of these people.Yea she shall be a priestess to this people of this land and shall be honored among many generations till the day that that the earth be consumed.’

 

14 And it came to pass that Dinah lived amongst those peoples and a short month hence did conceive a daughter whom she named Brighot as the Lady of the Moon had commanded.Born at sunrise all present beheld a vision. Yea, a tower of flame did burst from the forehead of the new born  child that reached from Earth to Heaven. Surely God hath blessed Brighot.

 

 

15 Now many years did pass and Brighot grew in the ways of the ancients,Yea wisdom was her birthright.

 

16 And it came to pass that Dinah did go the way of all the earth and thus she was buried in that land amongst strangers.

 

The Bright Arrow

written by the hand of Dagda the enchantre

 

1 Brighot being that she hath not become betrothed and did near her thirteen year thus was pitied upon by an enchantre called Dagda.

 

2 Yea and this enchanter did bring Brighot unto his home and did provide as seemeth fit. Being in the ways of the old faith Dagda having been lighted did present Brighot before the circle upon her thirteenth year at the hour of Olea.

 

3 And it came to pass that Brighot beheld the glory of the goddess and she did speak unto her many things which art forbidden for me to translate. Yea, it is the will of he who called me that thy shalt know of Brighot's charge;

 

4 Brighot, highly favored of the Lord are thou!, Blessed are thou called to receive this day thy charge and thy favor. Thy was conceived in sin but born in grace, were it not so, the commands of God would be frustrated. But, yea thy are full of grace and this thy shall give freely to thy brethren. Form before my face a sisterhood wherein thou shalt preserve my ways even until the time of Jehovah. Thou art called to see no corruption in thy body til the day that thou shalt behold the face of thy redeemer, Jehovah in the flesh. From this time until that day thou shall keep an eternal flame before me and receive from it my words which are the words of Elohim, my master. Yea, build for me a house wherein thy heavenly mother may rest her feet, for a temple to my name shall be my footstool and therein  will I reside.

 

5 And it came to pass that Brighot did as Our Lady commanded and called forth from her peoples nineteen mistress to betroth to God and Our Lady. And it soon was built, the shrine to our Lady, wherein the eternal flame from whence she spoke to Brighot did burn a light most pure.

 

6 Yea throughout all the land did Brighot teach and heal, birthing children as midwife, healing the sick and casting out all manner of affliction and distress amongst the people. The bright, the powerful, The High Priestess was she known to her people.

 

Chapter II

 

1 And it came to pass as Brighot came upon the well of Gael that she beheld to lepers begging for water to cleanse their sores.

 

2 Cursed by the townspeople the lepers mourned. Brighot having compassion approached the one , laying her hands upon him saying “ do thou believest that thy curse can be removed?”, Yea, said the first leper “The receive it according to thy faith in Elohim and may the Queen of Heaven grant thy wish”,

 

3 Immediately healed the first leper rejoiced. Brighot seeing his gratefulness said “ Now turn and give to thy brother what thy hath received”

 

4 The first Leper ceased his rejoicing, proclaiming, “Nay, for his sores do repulse me for I am clean and he is unclean”

 

5 With righteous wrath Brighot lashed at the ungrateful leper crying “God has favored you with a blessing which thou did not deserve, yea he did cleanse thy body yet thy soul remaineth like dung, its stench doeth rise to heaven and now, receive unto thyself your former curse, yea sevenfold does thy sins return unto thee.”

 

6 Blessing the second leper and healing him as she turned to the crowd which had gathered at the well  “Let this be a parable unto you, For God will not continue to bless those who will not bless their neighbors as themselves, yea none deserve the favor of the Almighty yet he freely gives with just this one request, that the circle be not broken.”

 

7 So many moons did pass and Brighot saw no age upon her face and felt no ailing within her body as the Lady had promised.

 

8 It had become so customary the day to to day affairs that Brighot had lost the concept of time, friends did pass, priestesses did come then go like the fading of the sun. Death did not visit and she did not request his presence either, for it seemed unto her mind that her time , her most important duty had not yet come.

 

 9 And it came to pass as the land northward began to fill with the wisdom of God and the light of the Queen did shine in the hearts of all women, Brighot found no rest at eventime . For the space of many moons sleep eluded her til desperation turned to weakened strength. On the eve of the third moon Sarah appeared to Brighot with this command “ Go south, go quickly to the land of thy forefathers, to the city of Bethlehem in the province of Judea. There in a cave thou shalt find thy final duty, a women blessed amongst all women shall be with child. Bring him forth, thy saviour into the world by thy hand, pronounce a blessing upon his mother and return for thy life shall be fulfilled in that hour which thy feet shall return to this land. Leave this charge with thy apprentess, that she shall take upon thy name from this day forth and each high priestess after her. For thy name is the bright one, thus shall be heir role, to keep the light of Elohim burning in the hearts of this people. Go quickly!”

 

10 Yea and Brighot did all that was commanded of her and never more did we see her nor hear her. It was to us as if she had been a great mountain that we saw from afar yet coming upon it, never was ,and so it was with our Brighot.