Study Desk

Now Laban had gone to see to the cutting of the wool of his sheep; so Rachel secretly took the images of the gods of her father's house.

So he went away with all he had, and went across the River in the direction of the hill-country of Gilead.

Why did you make a secret of your flight, not giving me word of it, so that I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with melody and music?

So Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent, and into the tents of the two servant-women, but they were not there; and he came out of Leah's tent and went into Rachel's.

Now that you have made search through all my goods, what have you seen which is yours? Make it clear now before my people and your people, so that they may be judges between us.

And Jacob said to his people, Get stones together; and they did so; and they had a meal there by the stones.

And Jacob made an offering on the mountain, and gave orders to his people to take food: so they had a meal and took their rest that night on the mountain.

And when he saw them he said, This is the army of God: so he gave that place the name of Mahanaim.

And I have oxen and asses and flocks and men-servants and women-servants: and I have sent to give my lord news of these things so that I may have grace in his eyes.

So the servants with the offerings went on in front, and he himself took his rest that night in the tents with his people.

But when the man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob, he gave him a blow in the hollow part of his leg, so that his leg was damaged.

Then Jacob, lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. So he made a division of the children between Leah and Rachel and the two women-servants.

And he said, What were all those herds which I saw on the way? And Jacob said, They were an offering so that I might have grace in my lord's eyes.

And Jacob said, Not so; but if I have grace in your eyes, take them as a sign of my love, for I have seen your face as one may see the face of God, and you have been pleased with me.

Take my offering then, with my blessing; for God has been very good to me and I have enough: so at his strong request, he took it.

So Esau, turning back that day, went on his way to Seir.

So Jacob came safely from Paddan-aram to the town of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and put up his tents near the town.

Then will not their cattle and their goods and all their beasts be ours? so let us come to an agreement with them so that they may go on living with us.

So they went on their journey: and the fear of God was on the towns round about, so that they made no attack on the sons of Jacob.

Jacob is your name, but it will be so no longer; from now your name will be Israel; so he was named Israel.