Study Desk

Now Lavan had gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the terafim that were her father's.

So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gil`ad.

He took his relatives with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gil`ad.

Lavan caught up with Ya`akov. Now Ya`akov had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Lavan with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gil`ad.

Ya`akov said to his relatives, "Gather stones." They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.

The God of Avraham, and the God of Nachor, the God of their father, judge between us." Then Ya`akov swore by the fear of his father, Yitzchak.

Ya`akov offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain.

Early in the morning, Lavan rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Lavan departed and returned to his place.

Ya`akov went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

Ya`akov sent messengers in front of him to Esav, his brother, to the land of Se`ir, the field of Edom.

He lodged there that night, and took from that which he had with him, a present for Esav, his brother:

He delivered them into the hands of his servants, every herd by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put a space between herd and herd."

You shall say, 'Not only that, but behold, your servant, Ya`akov, is behind us.'" For, he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me."

He rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Yabbok.

When he saw that he didn't prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Ya`akov's thigh was strained, as he wrestled.

The sun rose on him as he passed over Peni'el, and he limped because of his thigh.

Ya`akov lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esav was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Le'ah, Rachel, and to the two handmaids.

He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Esav ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.

He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, "Who are these with you?" He said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."