Study Desk

May God give you dew from heaven and make your fields fertile! May he give you plenty of grain and wine!

May Almighty God bless your marriage and give you many children, so that you will become the father of many nations!

May he bless you and your descendants as he blessed Abraham, and may you take possession of this land, in which you have lived and which God gave to Abraham!"

And there was the Lord standing beside him. "I am the Lord , the God of Abraham and Isaac," he said. "I will give to you and to your descendants this land on which you are lying.

He was afraid and said, "What a terrifying place this is! It must be the house of God; it must be the gate that opens into heaven."

Jacob got up early next morning, took the stone that was under his head, and set it up as a memorial. Then he poured olive oil on it to dedicate it to God.

and if I return safely to my father's home, then you will be my God.

Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, "I can't take the place of God. He is the one who keeps you from having children."

Rachel said, "God has judged in my favor. He has heard my prayer and has given me a son"; so she named him Dan.

God answered Leah's prayer, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son.

Leah said, "God has given me my reward, because I gave my slave to my husband"; so she named her son Issachar.

She said, "God has given me a fine gift. Now my husband will accept me, because I have borne him six sons"; so she named him Zebulun.

Then God remembered Rachel; he answered her prayer and made it possible for her to have children.

She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, "God has taken away my disgrace by giving me a son.

He said to them, "I have noticed that your father is not as friendly toward me as he used to be; but my father's God has been with me.

Yet he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not let him harm me.

God has taken flocks away from your father and given them to me.

The angel of God spoke to me in the dream and said, ‘Jacob!' ‘Yes,' I answered.

I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you dedicated a stone as a memorial by pouring olive oil on it and where you made a vow to me. Now get ready and go back to the land where you were born.'"

All this wealth which God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. Do whatever God has told you."