Study Desk

Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the teraphim 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 Gilead.

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

Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead.

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

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

Jacob 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, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.

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

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

He lodged there that night, and took from that which he had with him, a present for Esau, 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, Jacob, 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 Jabbok.

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

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

Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, 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.

Esau 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."