Study Desk

He reached a certain place where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down. He took one of the stones and placed it near his head. Then he fell asleep in that place

Early in the morning Jacob took the stone he had placed near his head and set it up as a sacred stone. Then he poured oil on top of it.

"Is he well?" Jacob asked. They replied, "He is well. Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep."

When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban.

When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister's son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban how he was related to him.

So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great.

In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her.

(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)

Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah's bridal week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)

At the time of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found some mandrake plants in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Give me some of your son's mandrakes."

So that day Laban removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted (all that had any white on them), and all the dark-colored lambs, and put them in the care of his sons.

When Jacob saw the look on Laban's face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed.

So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah to come to the field where his flocks were.

So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels.

He took away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac.

While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.

So he took his relatives with him and pursued Jacob for seven days. He caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.

Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too.

Then he said to his relatives, "Gather stones." So they brought stones and put them in a pile. They ate there by the pile of stones.