Study Desk

Then He said, "Let Me go, for day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing on me."

And He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed."

Then Jacob asked Him, "Please tell me Your name." But He said, "Why is it that you ask My name?" And He declared a blessing [of the covenant promises] on Jacob there.

But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and hugged his neck and kissed him, and they wept [for joy].

But Esau said, "I have plenty, my brother; keep what you have for yourself."

But Jacob replied, "You know, my lord, that the children are frail and need gentle care, and the nursing flocks and herds [with young] are of concern to me; for if the men should drive them hard for a single day, all the flocks will die.

Then Esau said, "Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me." But Jacob said, "What need is there [for it]? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord."

But Jacob journeyed [north] to Succoth, and built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock; so the name of the place is Succoth (huts, shelters).

But his soul longed for and clung to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke comfortingly to her young heart's wishes.

Now Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled (violated) Dinah his daughter; but his sons were in the field with his livestock, so Jacob said nothing until they came in.

But Shechem's father Hamor went to Jacob to talk with him.

But Hamor conferred with them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem [deeply] longs for your daughter [and sister]. Please give her to him as his wife.

"But we will consent to you only on this condition: if you will become like us, in that every male among you consents to be circumcised,

"But if you do not listen to us and refuse to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter [Dinah] and go."

"But only on this condition will the men consent to our request that they live among us and become one people: that every male among us become circumcised just as they are circumcised.

But they said, "Should he [be permitted to] treat our sister as a prostitute?"

Again God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name." So he was called Israel.

And as her soul was departing, (for she died), she named him Ben-oni (son of my sorrow); but his father called him Benjamin (son of the right hand).

But Joseph dreamed still another dream, and told it to his brothers [as well]. He said, "See here, I have again dreamed a dream, and lo, [this time I saw] eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowed down [in respect] to me!"

He told it to his father as well as to his brothers; but his father rebuked him and said to him [in disbelief], "What is [the meaning of] this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow down to the ground [in respect] before you?"