Study Desk

and you shall say, 'Moreover your servant Jacob is behind us.'" For he thought, "I may appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterwards I shall see his face; perhaps he will accept me."

The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

The sun rose upon him as he passed Penu'el, limping because of his thigh.

And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids.

He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

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

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

Let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle which are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Se'ir."

So Esau returned that day on his way to Se'ir.

But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram; and he camped before the city.

And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent.

And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob; he loved the maiden and spoke tenderly to her.

So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this maiden for my wife."

Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah; but his sons were with his cattle in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came.

The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah.

And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his family.

So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying,

And all who went out of the gate of his city hearkened to Hamor and his son Shechem; and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.