Study Desk

and he said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate.

May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob swore by the One feared by his father Isaac.

Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his kinsmen to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.

Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.

Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels.

Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau:

He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, "Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds."

During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of Jabbok.

He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.

The sun rose above him as he passed by Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip.

But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir."

So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir,

but Jacob went on to Succoth, where he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock; that is why the place was called Succoth.

And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver.

And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly.

So Shechem told his father Hamor, "Get me this girl as a wife."