Genesis:31-33

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* Now Jacob heard the words of Laban 's sons , saying , "Jacob has taken away all that was our father 's , and from what was our father 's he has acquired all this wealth ." * And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban , and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before . * Then the LORD said to Jacob , "Return to the land of your fathers and to your family , and I will be with you ." * So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field , to his flock , * and said to them , "I see your father 's countenance , that it is not favorable toward me as before ; but the God of my father has been with me . * And you know that with all my might I have served your father . * Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times , but God did not allow him to hurt me . * If he said thus : "The speckled shall be your wages ,' then all the flocks bore speckled . And if he said thus : "The streaked shall be your wages ,' then all the flocks bore streaked . * So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me . * "And it happened , at the time when the flocks conceived , that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream , and behold , the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked , speckled , and gray-spotted . * Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream , saying , "Jacob .' And I said , "Here I am .' * And He said , "Lift your eyes now and see , all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked , speckled , and gray-spotted ; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you . * I am the God of Bethel , where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me . Now arise , get out of this land , and return to the land of your family ."' * Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him , "Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father 's house ? * Are we not considered strangers by him ? For he has sold us , and also completely consumed our money . * For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children 's ; now then , whatever God has said to you , do it ." * Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels . * And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained , his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram , to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan . * Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep , and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father 's . * And Jacob stole away , unknown to Laban the Syrian , in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee . * So he fled with all that he had . He arose and crossed the river , and headed toward the mountains of Gilead . * And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled . * Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days ' journey , and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead . * But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night , and said to him , "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad ." * So Laban overtook Jacob . Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains , and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead . * And Laban said to Jacob : "What have you done , that you have stolen away unknown to me , and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword ? * Why did you flee away secretly , and steal away from me , and not tell me ; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs , with timbrel and harp ? * And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters . Now you have done foolishly in so doing . * It is in my power to do you harm , but the God of your father spoke to me last night , saying , "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad .' * And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father 's house , but why did you steal my gods ?" * Then Jacob answered and said to Laban , "Because I was afraid , for I said , "Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force .' * With whomever you find your gods , do not let him live . In the presence of our brethren , identify what I have of yours and take it with you ." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them . * And Laban went into Jacob 's tent , into Leah 's tent , and into the two maids ' tents , but he did not find them . Then he went out of Leah 's tent and entered Rachel 's tent . * Now Rachel had taken the household idols , put them in the camel 's saddle , and sat on them . And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them . * And she said to her father , "Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you , for the manner of women is with me ." And he searched but did not find the household idols . * Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban , and Jacob answered and said to Laban : "What is my trespass ? What is my sin , that you have so hotly pursued me ? * Although you have searched all my things , what part of your household things have you found ? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren , that they may judge between us both ! * These twenty years I have been with you ; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young , and I have not eaten the rams of your flock . * That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you ; I bore the loss of it . You required it from my hand , whether stolen by day or stolen by night . * There I was ! In the day the drought consumed me , and the frost by night , and my sleep departed from my eyes . * Thus I have been in your house twenty years ; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters , and six years for your flock , and you have changed my wages ten times . * Unless the God of my father , the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac , had been with me , surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed . God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands , and rebuked you last night ." * And Laban answered and said to Jacob , "These daughters are my daughters , and these children are my children , and this flock is my flock ; all that you see is mine . But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne ? * Now therefore , come , let us make a covenant , you and I , and let it be a witness between you and me ." * So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar . * Then Jacob said to his brethren , "Gather stones ." And they took stones and made a heap , and they ate there on the heap . * Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha , but Jacob called it Galeed . * And Laban said , "This heap is a witness between you and me this day ." Therefore its name was called Galeed , * also Mizpah , because he said , "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another . * If you afflict my daughters , or if you take other wives besides my daughters , although no man is with us--see , God is witness between you and me !" * Then Laban said to Jacob , "Here is this heap and here is this pillar , which I have placed between you and me . * This heap is a witness , and this pillar is a witness , that I will not pass beyond this heap to you , and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me , for harm . * The God of Abraham , the God of Nahor , and the God of their father judge between us ." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac . * Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain , and called his brethren to eat bread . And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain . * And early in the morning Laban arose , and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them . Then Laban departed and returned to his place . * So Jacob went on his way , and the angels of God met him . * When Jacob saw them , he said , "This is God 's camp ." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim . * Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir , the country of Edom . * And he commanded them , saying , "Speak thus to my lord Esau , "Thus your servant Jacob says : "I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now . * I have oxen , donkeys , flocks , and male and female servants ; and I have sent to tell my lord , that I may find favor in your sight .""' * Then the messengers returned to Jacob , saying , "We came to your brother Esau , and he also is coming to meet you , and four hundred men are with him ." * So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed ; and he divided the people that were with him , and the flocks and herds and camels , into two companies . * And he said , "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it , then the other company which is left will escape ." * Then Jacob said , "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac , the LORD who said to me , "Return to your country and to your family , and I will deal well with you ': * I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant ; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff , and now I have become two companies . * Deliver me , I pray , from the hand of my brother , from the hand of Esau ; for I fear him , lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children . * For You said , "I will surely treat you well , and make your descendants as the sand of the sea , which cannot be numbered for multitude ."' * So he lodged there that same night , and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother : * two hundred female goats and twenty male goats , two hundred ewes and twenty rams , * thirty milk camels with their colts , forty cows and ten bulls , twenty female donkeys and ten foals . * Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants , every drove by itself , and said to his servants , "Pass over before me , and put some distance between successive droves ." * And he commanded the first one , saying , "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you , saying , "To whom do you belong , and where are you going ? Whose are these in front of you ?' * then you shall say , "They are your servant Jacob 's . It is a present sent to my lord Esau ; and behold , he also is behind us ."' * So he commanded the second , the third , and all who followed the droves , saying , "In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him ; * and also say , "Behold , your servant Jacob is behind us ."' For he said , "I will appease him with the present that goes before me , and afterward I will see his face ; perhaps he will accept me ." * So the present went on over before him , but he himself lodged that night in the camp . * And he arose that night and took his two wives , his two female servants , and his eleven sons , and crossed over the ford of Jabbok . * He took them , sent them over the brook , and sent over what he had . * Then Jacob was left alone ; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day . * Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him , He touched the socket of his hip ; and the socket of Jacob 's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him . * And He said , "Let Me go , for the day breaks ." But he said , "I will not let You go unless You bless me !" * So He said to him , "What is your name ?" He said , "Jacob ." * And He said , "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob , but Israel ; for you have struggled with God and with men , and have prevailed ." * Then Jacob asked , saying , "Tell me Your name , I pray ." And He said , "Why is it that you ask about My name ?" And He blessed him there . * So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel : "For I have seen God face to face , and my life is preserved ." * Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him , and he limped on his hip . * Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank , which is on the hip socket , because He touched the socket of Jacob 's hip in the muscle that shrank . * Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked , and there , Esau was coming , and with him were four hundred men . So he divided the children among Leah , Rachel , and the two maidservants . * And he put the maidservants and their children in front , Leah and her children behind , and Rachel and Joseph last . * Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times , until he came near to his brother . * But Esau ran to meet him , and embraced him , and fell on his neck and kissed him , and they wept . * And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children , and said , "Who are these with you ?" So he said , "The children whom God has graciously given your servant ." * Then the maidservants came near , they and their children , and bowed down . * And Leah also came near with her children , and they bowed down . Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near , and they bowed down . * Then Esau said , "What do you mean by all this company which I met ?" And he said , "These are to find favor in the sight of my lord ." * But Esau said , "I have enough , my brother ; keep what you have for yourself ." * And Jacob said , "No , please , if I have now found favor in your sight , then receive my present from my hand , inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God , and you were pleased with me . * Please , take my blessing that is brought to you , because God has dealt graciously with me , and because I have enough ." So he urged him , and he took it . * Then Esau said , "Let us take our journey ; let us go , and I will go before you ." * But Jacob said to him , "My lord knows that the children are weak , and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me . And if the men should drive them hard one day , all the flock will die . * Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant . I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me , and the children , are able to endure , until I come to my lord in Seir ." * And Esau said , "Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me ." But he said , "What need is there ? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord ." * So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir . * And Jacob journeyed to Succoth , built himself a house , and made booths for his livestock . Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth . * Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem , which is in the land of Canaan , when he came from Padan Aram ; and he pitched his tent before the city . * And he bought the parcel of land , where he had pitched his tent , from the children of Hamor , Shechem 's father , for one hundred pieces of money . * Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel . * Now Dinah the daughter of Leah , whom she had borne to Jacob , went out to see the daughters of the land .

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