Study Desk

Then God answered Leah's prayer, and she became pregnant again. She gave birth to a fifth son

and said, "God has given me what I paid for, because I gave my slave girl to my husband." So Leah named her son Issachar.

She said, "God has given me a fine gift. Now surely Jacob will honor me, because I have given him six sons," so she named him Zebulun.

Then God remembered Rachel and answered her prayer, making it possible for her to have children.

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

He said to them, "I have seen 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 and changed my pay ten times. But God has not allowed your father to harm me.

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 and said, ‘Jacob!' I answered, ‘Yes!'

I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you poured olive oil on the stone you set up on end and where you made a promise to me. Now I want you to leave here and go back to the land where you were born.'"

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

That night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and said, "Be careful! Do not say anything to Jacob, good or bad."

I have the power to harm you, but last night the God of your father spoke to me and warned me not to say anything to you, good or bad.

But the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, was with me. Otherwise, you would have sent me away with nothing. But he saw the trouble I had and the hard work I did, and last night he corrected you."

Remember that God is our witness even if no one else is around us. He will know if you harm my daughters or marry other women.

Let the God of Abraham, who is the God of Nahor and the God of their ancestors, punish either of us if we break this agreement." So Jacob made a promise in the name of the God whom his father Isaac worshiped.

When Jacob also went his way, the angels of God met him.

When he saw them, he said, "This is the camp of God!" So he named that place Mahanaim.

Then Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! Lord , you told me to return to my country and my family. You said that you would treat me well.

Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. Your name will now be Israel, because you have wrestled with God and with people, and you have won."