Study Desk

Then Leah said, "I am happy! For women will say that I am happy." So she gave him the name Asher.

But Leah said, "Is it not enough to take my husband? Would you take my son's fruit also?" So Rachel said, "Jacob may lie with you tonight if you give me your son's fruit."

When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went to meet him. She said, "You must sleep with me tonight. For I have paid for you with my son's fruit." So he lay with her that night.

Leah said, "God has given me my pay because I gave my husband the woman who serves me." So she gave him the name Issachar.

Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. Now my husband will live with me, because I have given birth to six sons." So she gave him the name of Zebulun.

When Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, so I may go to my own place and my own country.

So my fair actions will answer for me later, when you come to look at what I have been paid. If you find any sheep or goat without spots or any lamb that is not black, you may think of them as stolen."

So the flocks mated in front of the sticks. And the young that were born had spots.

When the stronger animals of the flock were mating, Jacob would put the sticks in the water in front of the flock so they would mate by the sticks.

But when the flock was weak, Jacob did not put the sticks in. So the weaker animals went to Laban and the stronger ones went to Jacob.

So Jacob called Rachel and Leah to come to his flock in the field.

So God has taken away your father's animals and has given them to me.

All the riches that God has taken away from our father belong to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you to do."

So he left with all he had. He went and crossed the Euphrates River, and turned toward the hill country of Gilead.

So he took the men of his family with him, and followed Jacob for seven days. He found him in the hill country of Gilead.

Why did you leave in secret and fool me? Why did you not tell me, so I would have sent you away with joy and with songs and with sounds of joy on the timbrel and harp.

So Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two women who served Rachel and Leah. But he did not find his gods. Then he went from Leah's tent into Rachel's tent.

She said to her father, "My lord, do not be angry that I cannot rise in front of you. For the way of women is upon me." So he looked, but could not find the gods.

What things of your house have you found by looking through all that belongs to me? Set it here in front of my brothers and your brothers, so they may judge between us.

If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had not been with me, for sure you would have sent me away with nothing. God has seen my suffering and the work of my hands. So He spoke sharp words to you last night."