Study Desk

In a dream that night God came to Laban and said to him, "Be careful not to threaten Jacob in any way."

I have the power to do you harm, but last night the God of your father warned me not to threaten you in any way.

If the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac, had not been with me, you would have already sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my trouble and the work I have done, and last night he gave his judgment."

Laban went on, "If you mistreat my daughters or if you marry other women, even though I don't know about it, remember that God is watching us.

The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor will judge between us." Then, in the name of the God whom his father Isaac worshiped, Jacob solemnly vowed to keep this promise.

Then Jacob prayed, "God of my grandfather Abraham and God of my father Isaac, hear me! You told me, Lord , to go back to my land and to my relatives, and you would make everything go well for me.

The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with God and with men, and you have won; so your name will be Israel."

Jacob said, "I have seen God face-to-face, and I am still alive"; so he named the place Peniel.

When Esau looked around and saw the women and the children, he asked, "Who are these people with you?" "These, sir, are the children whom God has been good enough to give me," Jacob answered.

Jacob said, "No, please, if I have gained your favor, accept my gift. To see your face is for me like seeing the face of God, now that you have been so friendly to me.

Please accept this gift which I have brought for you; God has been kind to me and given me everything I need." Jacob kept on urging him until he accepted.

He put up an altar there and named it for El, the God of Israel.

God said to Jacob, "Go to Bethel at once, and live there. Build an altar there to me, the God who appeared to you when you were running away from your brother Esau."

We are going to leave here and go to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who helped me in the time of my trouble and who has been with me everywhere I have gone."

He built an altar there and named the place for the God of Bethel, because God had revealed himself to him there when he was running away from his brother.

When Jacob returned from Mesopotamia, God appeared to him again and blessed him.

God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but from now on it will be Israel." So God named him Israel.

And God said to him, "I am Almighty God. Have many children. Nations will be descended from you, and you will be the ancestor of kings.

Then God left him.

There, where God had spoken to him, Jacob set up a memorial stone and consecrated it by pouring wine and olive oil on it.