Study Desk

Now Laban had gone to shear his flock. Then Rachel stole the household idols that were her father's.

So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the River and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

so he took his relatives with him and pursued him a distance of seven days' journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.

So Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his relatives camped in the hill country of Gilead.

And Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap.

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

Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his relatives to eat a meal; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.

And Laban arose early in the morning and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.

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

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

So he spent the night there. Then he took from what he had with him a present for his brother Esau:

And he gave them into the hand of his servants, every flock by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass on before me and put a space between flocks."

and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.'" For he said, "I will appease his face with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will lift up my face."

And he arose that same night and took his two wives and his two servant-women and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

And he saw that he had not prevailed against him, so he touched the socket of his thigh; and so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

And the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.

Then Jacob lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two servant-women.

But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

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

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