Study Desk

Then God allowed Leah to become pregnant again. She gave birth to a fifth son.

She said, "God has given me a 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 surely Jacob will accept me, because I have given him six sons." So she named this son Zebulun.

Then God heard Rachel's prayer and made it possible for Rachel to have children.

She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, "God has taken away my shame."

He said to them, "I have noticed that your father is not as friendly with me as he used to be. But the God of my father has been with me.

But he cheated me. He has changed my pay ten times. But during all this time, God protected me from all of Laban's tricks.

So God has taken the animals away from your father and has given them to me.

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

I am the God who came to you at Bethel, and there you made an altar, poured olive oil on it, and made a promise to me. Now I want you to be ready to go back to the country where you were born.'"

God took all this wealth from our father, and now it belongs to us and our children. So you should do whatever God told you to do."

That night God came to Laban in a dream and said, "Be careful! Be careful of every word you say to Jacob."

I have the power to really hurt you. But last night the God of your father came to me in a dream. He warned me not to hurt you in any way.

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."

Then Laban said, "If you hurt my daughters, remember that God will punish you. If you marry other women, remember that God is watching.

May the God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their ancestors judge us guilty if we break this agreement." Jacob's father, Isaac, called God "Fear." So Jacob used that name to make the promise.

Then Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! Lord , you told me to come back to my country and to my family. You said that you would do good to me.

Then the man said, "Your name will not be Jacob. Your name will now be Israel. I give you this name because you have fought with God and with men, and you have won."

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

Esau looked up and saw the women and children. He said, "Who are all these people with you?" Jacob answered, "These are the children that God gave me. God has been good to me."