Study Desk

Rachel had hidden the gods inside her camel's saddle, and she was sitting on them. Laban looked through the whole tent, but he did not find the gods.

And Rachel said to her father, "Father, don't be angry with me. I am not able to stand up before you. I am having my monthly time of bleeding." So Laban looked through the camp, but he did not find the gods from his house.

Any time a sheep was killed by wild animals, I always paid for the loss myself. I did not take the dead animal to you and say that it was not my fault. But I was robbed day and night.

But the God of my ancestors, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, was with me. If God had not been with me, you would have sent me away with nothing. But he saw the trouble that I had and the work that I did, and last night God proved that I am right."

Laban said to Jacob, "These women are my daughters. These children belong to me, and these animals are mine. Everything you see here belongs to me, but I can do nothing to keep my daughters and their children.

Laban named that place Yegar Sahadutha. But Jacob named that place Galeed.

You have been very kind to me. You did many good things for me. The first time I traveled across the Jordan River, I owned nothing—only my walking stick. But now I own enough things to have two full groups.

So Jacob sent the gifts to Esau, but he stayed that night in the camp.

Then the man said to Jacob, "Let me go. The sun is coming up." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go. You must bless me."

Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But the man said, "Why do you ask my name?" Then the man blessed Jacob at that place.

So Jacob named that place Peniel. He said, "At this place, I saw God face to face, but my life was spared."

But Esau said, "You don't have to give me gifts, brother. I have enough for myself."

But Jacob said to him, "You know that my children are weak. And I must be careful with my flocks and their young animals. If I force them to walk too far in one day, all the animals will die.

So Esau said, "Then I will leave some of my men to help you." But Jacob said, "That is very kind of you, but there is no need to do that."

But Jacob went to Succoth. There he built a house for himself and small barns for his cattle. That is why the place was named Succoth.

But he was so attracted to her that he fell in love and began expressing his feelings to her.

Jacob learned that Shechem had done this very bad thing to his daughter. But all his sons were out in the fields with the cattle. So he did nothing until they came home.

But Hamor talked to Dinah's brothers and said, "My son Shechem wants Dinah very much. Please let him marry her.

I will give you any gift you want if you will only allow me to marry Dinah. I will give you anything you ask, but let me marry her."

But we will allow you to marry her if you do this one thing: Every man in your town must be circumcised like us.