Study Desk

You will live by your sword and you will serve your brother. But when you break loose, you will throw his load off your back."

Esau hated Jacob because his father had prayed that good would come to Jacob. Esau said to himself, "The days when I will have sorrow for the loss of my father are soon. Then I will kill my brother Jacob."

Now Esau saw that Isaac had prayed for good to come to Jacob and that he had sent him away to Paddan-aram to find a wife. Esau knew that his father had prayed for good to come to Jacob and said, "Do not marry one of the daughters of Canaan,"

and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan-aram.

Esau knew that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac.

He came to a certain place and stayed the night there, because the sun had gone down. He took one of the stones there and put it under his head for a pillow.

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "For sure the Lord is in this place and I did not know it."

Then Jacob went on his way and came to the land of the people of the east.

He asked them, "Is he well?" They said, "He is well. And see, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep."

When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother's brother Laban, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the top of the well. And he gave water to the flock of his mother's brother Laban.

When Laban heard the news of his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him. He put his arms around him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then Jacob told Laban all these things.

So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel. It was only like a few days to him, because of his love for her.

But in the evening he took his daughter Leah to him. Jacob went in to her.

Laban also took Zilpah, a woman who served him, and gave her to his daughter Leah, to serve her.

Jacob did so and completed her wedding week. And Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

Laban also took Bilhah, a woman who served him, and gave her to his daughter Rachel, to serve her.

She was going to have another child and she gave birth to a son. She said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me because I have given birth to his three sons." So she gave him the name Levi.

During the time of gathering grain, Reuben went out in the field and found some fruit. He brought it to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Give me some of your son's fruit."

That day Laban took out all the male goats with spots and all the female goats with spots, every one with white on it, and every black sheep. And he put them into the care of his sons.

Then Jacob divided the lambs. He made the flocks look toward Laban's flock of the animals which were black or with spots. And he put his own flocks by themselves. He did not put them with Laban's flock.