Study Desk

May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.

And may He give the blessing of Abraham to you and your descendants, so that you may possess the land where you dwell as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham."

So Isaac sent Jacob to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

so that I may return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God.

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.

So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.

Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.

Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, "Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well." So she named him Simeon.

Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi.

And once more, she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.

Then she said, "Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, and she will bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family."

So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as his wife, and he slept with her,

Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son." So she named him Dan.

Then Rachel said, "In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won." So she named him Naphtali.

Then Leah said, "How fortunate!" So she named him Gad.

Leah said, "How happy I am, for the women will call me happy." So she named him Asher.

When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night.

Then Leah said, "God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband." So she named him Issachar.

Now after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me on my way so I can return to my homeland.

So my honesty will testify for me when you come to check on my wages in the future. If I have any goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not dark-colored, they will be considered stolen."