Study Desk

So Jacob called Rachel and Leah to come to his flock in the field.

Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels.

He took away all his animals, all the riches he had gathered and all the cattle he had gathered in Paddan-aram. And he left to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

Laban had gone to cut the wool from his flock. And Rachel stole the gods of her father's house.

So he took the men of his family with him, and followed Jacob for seven days. He found him in the hill country of Gilead.

Then Laban came to Jacob. Now Jacob had put up his tent in the hill country. Laban and the men of his family put up their tents in the hill country of Gilead.

So Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two women who served Rachel and Leah. But he did not find his gods. Then he went from Leah's tent into Rachel's tent.

Then Jacob said to the men of his family, "Gather stones." So they took stones and put them on top of each other. And they ate there by all the stones.

The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob promised by the fear of his father Isaac.

Then Jacob gave a gift in worship to God on the mountain. Then he called his brothers to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed the night on the mountain.

Laban got up early in the morning and kissed his grandchildren and daughters. He prayed that good would come to them. Then Laban left and returned home.

Jacob went on his way, and God's angels met him.

Jacob sent men to carry news before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

So Jacob stayed there that night. Then he chose a gift from what he had for his brother Esau:

He put them into the care of his servants, every group of animals by itself. Then he said to his servants, "Go in front of me. And keep the groups of animals apart."

And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.'" For he said, "I will take away his anger with the gift that goes in front of me. Then when I meet him, he might receive me."

But he got up that same night and crossed the Jabbok River, with his two wives, the two women who served him, and his eleven children.

The sun rose upon him as he passed through Peniel. It was hard to walk on his leg.

Then Jacob went before them. He bowed to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.

But Esau ran to meet him and put his arms around him and kissed him. And they cried.