Study Desk

But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, "The water is ours!" So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him.

Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.

that you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord ."

Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "But my brother Esau is a hairy man while I have smooth skin.

Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau."

But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing."

You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck."

Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful.

So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.

When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.

But she said to her, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well," Rachel said, "he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes."

But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you."

The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?"

"What shall I give you?" he asked. "Don't give me anything," Jacob replied. "But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them:

Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban's animals.

but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.

He said to them, "I see that your father's attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me.

Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.

I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'