Isaac’s Sons

19 Now these are the records of (A)the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac; 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took (B)Rebekah, the (C)daughter of Bethuel the [a]Aramean of Paddan-aram, the (D)sister of Laban the [b]Aramean, to be his wife. 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children; and (E)the Lord [c]answered him, and his wife Rebekah (F)conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why am I in this condition?” So she went to (G)inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

(H)Two nations are in your womb;
(I)And two peoples will be separated from your body;
And one people will be stronger than the other;
And (J)the older will serve the younger.”

24 When her days leading to the delivery were at an end, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 Now the first came out red, (K)all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with (L)his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so (M)he was named [d]Jacob; and Isaac was (N)sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a [e]civilized man, (O)living in tents. 28 Now Isaac loved Esau because [f]he had (P)a taste for game; (Q)but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 When Jacob had cooked a (R)stew one day, Esau came in from the field and he was exhausted; 30 and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a mouthful of [g]that red stuff there, for I am exhausted.” Therefore he was called [h]Edom by name. 31 But Jacob said, “[i]First sell me your (S)birthright.” 32 Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” 33 And Jacob said, “[j]First swear to me”; so he swore an oath to him, and (T)sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and got up and went on his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

Isaac Settles in Gerar

26 Now there was (U)a famine in the land, besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to (V)Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the Lord (W)appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; (X)stay in the land of which I shall tell you. Live for a time in this land and (Y)I will be with you and (Z)bless you, for (AA)to you and to your [k]descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish (AB)the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. (AC)I will multiply your [l]descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your [m]descendants all these lands; and (AD)by your [n]descendants all the nations of the earth [o]shall be blessed, because Abraham [p](AE)obeyed Me and fulfilled his duty to Me, and kept My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

So Isaac lived in Gerar. When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “(AF)She is my sister,” for he was (AG)afraid to say, “my wife,” thinking, “[q]the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, since she is (AH)beautiful.” Now it came about, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down through a window, and saw them, and behold, Isaac was caressing his wife Rebekah. Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she certainly is your wife! So how is it that you said, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘otherwise I might be killed on account of her.’” 10 And (AI)Abimelech said, “What is this that you have done to us? One of the people might easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who (AJ)touches this man or his wife will certainly be put to death.”

12 Now Isaac sowed in that land and [r]reaped in the same year a hundred times as much. And (AK)the Lord blessed him, 13 and the man (AL)became rich, and continued to grow [s]richer until he became very [t]wealthy; 14 for (AM)he had possessions of flocks [u]and herds, and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. 15 Now (AN)all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up [v]by filling them with dirt. 16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are [w](AO)too powerful for us.” 17 So Isaac departed from there and camped in the Valley of Gerar, and [x]settled there.

Argument over the Wells

18 Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which [y]had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he [z]gave them the same names which his father had [aa]given them. 19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of [ab]flowing water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar (AP)quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water is ours!” So he named the well [ac]Esek, because they argued with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it [ad]Sitnah. 22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it [ae]Rehoboth, for he said, “[af](AQ)At last the Lord has made [ag]room for us, and we will be (AR)fruitful in the land.”

23 And he went up from there to (AS)Beersheba. 24 And the Lord (AT)appeared to him the same night and said,

(AU)I am the God of your father Abraham;
(AV)Do not fear, for I am with you.
I (AW)will bless you and multiply your [ah]descendants,
For the sake of My servant Abraham.”

25 So he built an (AX)altar there and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Covenant with Abimelech

26 Then (AY)Abimelech came to him from Gerar [ai]with his adviser Ahuzzath, and Phicol the commander of his army. 27 Isaac said to them, “(AZ)Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We have seen plainly (BA)that the Lord has been with you; so we said, ‘An oath must now be taken [aj]by us,’ that is, [ak]by you and us. So let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you [al]and have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace. You are now the (BB)blessed of the Lord.” 30 Then (BC)he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they got up early and [am](BD)exchanged oaths; then Isaac sent them away, and they left him in peace. 32 Now it came about on the same day, that Isaac’s servants came in and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 So he called it [an]Shibah; therefore the name of the city is (BE)Beersheba to this day.

34 When Esau was forty years old (BF)he [ao]married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; 35 and (BG)they [ap]brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

Jacob’s Deception

27 Now it came about, when Isaac was old and (BH)his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his (BI)older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” Then [aq](BJ)Isaac said, “Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death. Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and (BK)hunt game for me; and prepare a delicious meal for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that (BL)my soul may bless you before I die.”

Now Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game to bring home, (BM)Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying, ‘Bring me some game and prepare a delicious meal for me, so that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’ So now, my son, (BN)listen to [ar]me [as]as I command you. Go now to the flock and [at]bring me two choice [au]young goats from there, so that I may prepare them as a delicious meal for your father, such as he loves. 10 Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.” 11 But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “Behold, my brother Esau is a (BO)hairy man and I am a smooth man. 12 (BP)Perhaps my father will touch me, then I will be like a [av]deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.” 13 But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only (BQ)obey my voice, and go, get the goats for me.” 14 So he went and got them, and brought them to his mother; and his mother made a delicious meal such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the [aw]best (BR)garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 And she put the skins of the [ax]young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 She also gave the delicious meal and the bread which she had made [ay]to her son Jacob.

18 Then he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done as you told me. (BS)Come now, sit and eat of my game, so that [az](BT)you may bless me.” 20 Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “(BU)Because the Lord your God made it [ba]come to me.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, so that (BV)I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob came close to his father Isaac, and he touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were (BW)hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. 24 And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.” 25 So he said, “Bring it to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, that [bb](BX)I may bless you.” And he brought it to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come close and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came close and kissed him; and when he smelled the smell of his garments, he (BY)blessed him and said,

“See, (BZ)the smell of my son
Is like the smell of a field (CA)which the Lord has blessed;
28 Now may (CB)God give you of the dew of heaven,
And of the (CC)fatness of the earth,
And an abundance of grain and new wine;
29 (CD)May peoples serve you,
And nations bow down to you;
(CE)Be master of your brothers,
(CF)And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
(CG)Cursed be those who curse you,
And blessed be those who bless you.”

The Stolen Blessing

30 Now it came about, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, that his brother Esau came in from his hunting. 31 Then he also made a delicious meal, and brought it to his father; and he said to his father, “(CH)Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that [bc](CI)you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “(CJ)Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, (CK)your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac [bd]trembled violently, and said, “(CL)Who then was he who hunted game and brought it to me, so that I ate from all of it before you came, and blessed him? (CM)Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 When Esau heard the words of his father, (CN)he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, me as well, my father!” 35 And he said, “(CO)Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.” 36 Then Esau said, “[be]Is he not rightly named (CP)[bf]Jacob, for he has betrayed me these two times? He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 But Isaac replied to Esau, “Behold, I have made him (CQ)your master, and I have given to him all his relatives [bg]as servants; and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, me as well, my father.” So Esau raised his voice and (CR)wept.

39 Then (CS)his father Isaac answered and said to him,

“Behold, [bh](CT)away from the [bi]fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling,
And [bj]away from the dew of heaven from above.
40 And by your sword you shall live,
And (CU)you shall serve your brother;
But it shall come about (CV)when you become restless,
That you will [bk]break his yoke from your neck.”

41 So Esau (CW)held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said [bl]to himself, “(CX)The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 Now when the words of her elder son Esau were reported to Rebekah, she sent word and called her younger son Jacob, and said to him, “Behold your brother Esau is consoling himself concerning you by planning to kill you. 43 Now then, my son, (CY)obey my voice, and arise, [bm]flee to (CZ)Haran, to my brother (DA)Laban! 44 Stay with him (DB)a few days, until your brother’s fury [bn]subsides, 45 until your brother’s anger [bo]against you subsides and he forgets (DC)what you did to him. Then I will send word and get you from there. Why should I lose you both in one day?”

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am tired of [bp]living because of (DD)the daughters of Heth; (DE)if Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth like these from the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

Jacob Is Sent Away

28 So Isaac called Jacob and (DF)blessed him and commanded him, [bq]saying to him, “(DG)You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of (DH)Bethuel your mother’s father; and from there take to yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. May [br](DI)God Almighty (DJ)bless you and (DK)make you fruitful and (DL)multiply you, so that you may become a (DM)multitude of peoples. May He also give you the (DN)blessing of Abraham, to you and to your [bs]descendants with you, so that you may (DO)possess the land where you (DP)live as a stranger, which God gave to Abraham.” Then (DQ)Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take to himself a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, saying, “(DR)You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Paddan-aram. So Esau saw that (DS)the daughters of Canaan displeased [bt]his father Isaac; and Esau went to Ishmael, and [bu]married, (DT)besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth.

Jacob’s Dream

10 Then Jacob departed from (DU)Beersheba and went toward (DV)Haran. 11 And he [bv]happened upon a [bw](DW)particular place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and made it a support for his head, and lay down in that place. 12 And (DX)he had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, (DY)the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 Then behold, (DZ)the Lord was standing [bx]above it and said, “I am the Lord, (EA)the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give (EB)to you and to (EC)your [by]descendants. 14 Your [bz]descendants will also be like (ED)the dust of the earth, and you will [ca]spread out (EE)to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south; and (EF)in you and in your [cb]descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, (EG)I am with you and (EH)will keep you wherever you go, and (EI)will bring you back to this land; for (EJ)I will not leave you until I have done what I have [cc]promised you.” 16 Then Jacob (EK)awoke from his sleep and said, “(EL)The Lord is certainly in this place, and I did not know it!” 17 And he was afraid and said, “(EM)How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

18 So Jacob got up early in the morning, and took (EN)the stone that he had placed as a support for his head, and set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on its top. 19 Then he named that place [cd](EO)Bethel; but [ce]previously the name of the city had been (EP)Luz. 20 Jacob also (EQ)made a vow, saying, “(ER)If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I [cf]take, and give me [cg](ES)food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and (ET)I return to my father’s house in [ch]safety, (EU)then the Lord will be my God. 22 And this stone, which I have set up as a memorial stone, (EV)will be God’s house, and (EW)of everything that You give me I will assuredly give a tenth to You.”

Jacob Meets Rachel

29 Then Jacob [ci]set out on his journey, and went to the land of (EX)the [cj]people of the east. He looked, and [ck]saw (EY)a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, because they watered the flocks from that well. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. When all the flocks were gathered there, they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from (EZ)Haran.” So he said to them, “Do you know Laban the (FA)son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is his daughter (FB)Rachel coming with the sheep.” Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. 11 Then Jacob (FC)kissed Rachel, and raised his voice and wept. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a (FD)relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and (FE)she ran and told her father.

13 So when (FF)Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and (FG)embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, “You certainly are (FH)my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall (FI)your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was (FJ)beautiful in figure and appearance. 18 Now Jacob (FK)loved Rachel, so he said, “(FL)I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days (FM)because of his love for her.

Laban’s Treachery

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my [cl]time is completed, that I may (FN)have relations with her.” 22 So Laban gathered all the people of the place and held a feast. 23 Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and Jacob had relations with her. 24 Laban also gave his female slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a slave. 25 So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “(FO)What is this that you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you (FP)deceived me?” 26 But Laban said, “It is not [cm]the practice in our place to [cn]marry off the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which (FQ)you shall serve with me, for another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 Laban also gave his female slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. 30 So Jacob had relations with Rachel also, and indeed (FR)he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with [co]Laban for (FS)another seven years.

31 Now the Lord saw that Leah was [cp]unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was unable to have children. 32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and named him [cq]Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has [cr](FT)seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “(FU)Because the Lord has [cs]heard that I am [ct]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. 34 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become [cu]attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named (FV)Levi. 35 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will [cv]praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him [cw](FW)Judah. Then she stopped having children.

The Sons of Jacob

30 Now when Rachel saw that (FX)she had not borne Jacob any children, [cx]she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, “(FY)Give me children, or else I am going to die.” Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has (FZ)withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Then she said, “(GA)Here is my female slave Bilhah: have relations with her that she may (GB)give birth [cy]on my knees, so that [cz](GC)by her I too may obtain a child.” So (GD)she gave him her slave Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had relations with her. Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has [da](GE)vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him [db]Dan. And Rachel’s slave Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. So Rachel said, “With [dc]mighty wrestling I have [dd]wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali.

When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her slave Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 And Leah’s slave Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “[de]How fortunate!” So she named him [df]Gad. 12 And Leah’s slave Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “[dg]Happy am I! For women (GF)will call me happy.” So she named him [dh]Asher.

14 Now in the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found (GG)mandrake fruits in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter for you to take my husband? And would you take my son’s mandrakes also?” So Rachel said, “Therefore he may sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must have relations with me, for I have indeed hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has given me my [di]reward, because I gave my slave to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good gift; finally my husband [dj]will acknowledge me as his wife, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. 21 Afterward she gave birth to a daughter, and named her Dinah.

22 Then (GH)God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and (GI)opened her womb. 23 So she conceived and gave birth to a son, and said, “God has (GJ)taken away my disgrace.” 24 And she named him Joseph, saying, “(GK)May the Lord [dk]give me another son.”

Jacob Prospers

25 Now it came about, when Rachel had given birth to Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “(GL)Send me away, so that I may go to my own place and to my own country. 26 Give me my wives and my children (GM)for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you yourself know my service which I have [dl]rendered you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If [dm]it pleases you at all, stay with me; I have determined by divination (GN)that the Lord has blessed me on your account.” 28 He [dn]continued, “(GO)Name me your wages, and I will give them.” 29 But Jacob said to him, “(GP)You yourself know how I have served you and how your livestock have [do]fared with me. 30 For you had little before [dp]I came, and it has [dq]increased to a multitude, and the Lord has blessed you [dr]wherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own household also?” 31 So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock: 32 let me pass through your entire flock today, removing from there every (GQ)speckled or spotted sheep and every black sheep among the lambs, and the spotted or speckled among the goats; and those shall be my wages. 33 So my [ds]honesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my [dt]wages. Every one that is not speckled or spotted among the goats, or black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen.” 34 Laban said, “[du]Good, let it be according to your word.” 35 So he removed on that day the striped or spotted male goats, and all the speckled or spotted female goats, every one with white on it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and put them in the [dv]care of his sons. 36 And he put a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Then Jacob [dw]took fresh rods of poplar, almond, and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white that was [dx]in the rods. 38 He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the drinking troughs, that is, in the watering channels where the flocks came to drink; and they mated when they came to drink. 39 So the flocks mated by the rods, and the flocks delivered striped, speckled, and spotted offspring. 40 Then Jacob separated the lambs, and [dy]made the flocks face toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own herds apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. 41 Moreover, whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the drinking troughs, so that they would mate by the rods; 42 but when the flock was sickly, he did not put them in; so the sickly were Laban’s, and the stronger were Jacob’s. 43 So (GR)the man [dz]became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob Leaves Secretly for Canaan

31 Now [ea]Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this [eb]wealth.” And Jacob saw the [ec]attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as it had been before. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “(GS)Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and (GT)I will be with you.” So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, and said to them, “(GU)I see your father’s [ed]attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as it was before, but (GV)the God of my father has been with me. (GW)You know that I have served your father with all my strength. Yet your father has (GX)cheated me and (GY)changed my wages ten times; however, (GZ)God did not allow him to do me harm. If (HA)he said this: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock delivered speckled; and if he said this: ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock delivered striped. So God has (HB)taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 And it came about at the time when the flock was breeding that I raised my eyes and saw in a dream—and behold—the male goats that were [ee]mating were striped, speckled, or mottled. 11 Then (HC)the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob’; and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Now raise your eyes and see that all the male goats that are [ef]mating are striped, speckled, or mottled; for (HD)I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am (HE)the God of Bethel, where you (HF)anointed a memorial stone, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, [eg]leave this land, and (HG)return to the land of your birth.’” 14 Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any share or inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For (HH)he has sold us, and has also [eh]entirely consumed our [ei]purchase price. 16 Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has told you.”

17 Then Jacob stood up and put his children and his wives on camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had acquired, the livestock he possessed which he had acquired in Paddan-aram, (HI)to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his flock, and Rachel stole the [ej](HJ)household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob [ek]deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he got up and crossed the Euphrates River, and set [el]out for the hill country of (HK)Gilead.

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 When Laban was informed on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 However, (HL)God came to Laban the Aramean in a (HM)dream of the night and said to him, “[em](HN)Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

25 And Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done [en]by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and [eo]deceive me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with (HO)tambourine and with (HP)lyre; 28 and did not allow me (HQ)to kiss my [ep]grandchildren and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in [eq]my power to do you harm, but (HR)the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘[er](HS)Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ 30 Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal (HT)my gods?” 31 Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 (HU)The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our relatives [es]point out what is yours [et]among my belongings and take it for yourself.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the [eu]household idols and put them in the camel’s saddlebag, and she sat on them. So Laban searched through all the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “May my lord not be angry that I cannot (HV)stand in your presence, because the [ev]way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the [ew](HW)household idols.

36 Then Jacob became angry and argued with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Though you have searched through all my property, what have you found of all your household property? Set it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they may decide between the two of us. 38 For these twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 I did not even bring to you that which was torn by wild animals; I took the loss myself. You demanded it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 This is how I was: by day the [ex]heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 For these twenty years I have been in your house; (HX)I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you (HY)changed my wages ten times. 42 If (HZ)the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (IA)God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, so He (IB)rendered judgment last night.”

The Covenant of Mizpah

43 Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the [ey]children are my [ez]grandchildren, (IC)the flocks are my flocks, and everything that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these daughters of mine or to their children to whom they have given birth? 44 So now come, let’s (ID)make a covenant, [fa]you and I, and (IE)it shall be a witness between [fb]you and me.” 45 Then Jacob took (IF)a stone and set it up as a memorial stone. 46 Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Now Laban (IG)called it [fc]Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it [fd]Galeed. 48 Laban said, “(IH)This heap is a witness between [fe]you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49 and [ff](II)Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord keep watch between [fg]you and me when we are [fh]absent one from the other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, (IJ)God is witness between [fi]you and me.” 51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the memorial stone which I have set between [fj]you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the memorial stone is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this memorial stone to me, for harm. 53 (IK)The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, (IL)judge between us.” So Jacob swore by (IM)the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob (IN)offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his relatives to [fk]the meal; and they ate [fl]the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55 [fm]Then early in the morning Laban got up, and (IO)kissed his [fn]grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.

Jacob’s Fear of Esau

32 Now as Jacob went on his way, (IP)the angels of God met him. And when he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s [fo]camp.” So he named that place [fp](IQ)Mahanaim.

Then Jacob (IR)sent messengers ahead of himself to his brother Esau in the land of (IS)Seir, the [fq]country of (IT)Edom. He commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says the following: “I have resided with Laban, and (IU)stayed until now; and (IV)I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent messengers to tell my lord, (IW)so that I may find favor in your sight.”’”

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and furthermore (IX)he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Then Jacob was (IY)greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, the herds, and the camels, into two companies; for he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and [fr]attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.”

Then Jacob said, “(IZ)God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, Lord, who said to me, ‘(JA)Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will [fs]make you prosper,’ 10 [ft]I am unworthy (JB)of all the [fu]favor and of all the [fv]faithfulness, which You have shown to Your servant; for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. 11 (JC)Save me, please, (JD)from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and [fw]attack me and the (JE)mothers with the children. 12 For You said, ‘(JF)I will assuredly [fx]make you prosper and (JG)make your [fy]descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be counted.’”

13 So he spent the night there. Then he [fz]selected from what [ga]he had with him a (JH)gift for his brother Esau: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 Then he placed them in the [gb]care of his servants, every flock by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me, and put a space between flocks.” 17 And he commanded the [gc]one in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘These belong to your servant Jacob; it is a gift sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.’” 19 Then he commanded also the second and the third, and all those who followed the flocks, saying, “In this way you shall speak to Esau when you find him; 20 and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the gift that goes ahead of me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the gift passed on ahead of him, while he himself spent that night in the camp.

22 Now he got up that same night and took his two wives, his two female slaves, and his eleven children, and crossed the shallow place of the (JI)Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had.

Jacob Wrestles

24 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man (JJ)wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of [gd]Jacob’s hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “(JK)I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then (JL)he said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but [ge]Israel; for you have contended with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 And (JM)Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob named the place [gf]Peniel, for he said, “(JN)I have seen God face to face, yet my [gg]life has been [gh]spared.” 31 Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over (JO)Penuel, and he was limping on his hip. 32 Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the tendon of the hip which is on the socket of the hip, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the tendon of the hip.

Jacob Meets Esau

33 Then Jacob raised his eyes and looked, and behold, (JP)Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children [gi]among Leah and Rachel, and the two slave women. He put the slave women and their children [gj]in front, and Leah and her children [gk]next, and Rachel and Joseph [gl]last. But he himself passed on ahead of them and (JQ)bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and (JR)fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. He raised his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “[gm]Who are these with you?” So he said, “(JS)The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the slave women came forward [gn]with their children, and they bowed down. And Leah likewise came forward with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came forward with Rachel, and they bowed down. And he said, “What do you mean by (JT)all this company which I have met?” And he said, “(JU)To find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “(JV)I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then accept my gift from my hand, [go]for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept my [gp](JW)gift which has been brought to you, (JX)because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have [gq]plenty.” So he urged him, and he accepted it.

12 Then [gr]Esau said, “Let’s journey on and go, and I will go ahead of you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds that are nursing are [gs]a matter of concern to me. And if they are driven hard just one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, at the pace of the cattle that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at (JY)Seir.”

15 Then Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “[gt]What need is there? (JZ)Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to [gu](KA)Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.

Jacob Settles in Shechem

18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of (KB)Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from (KC)Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. 19 (KD)He bought the plot of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred [gv]pieces of money. 20 Then he erected there an altar and called it [gw]El-Elohe-Israel.

The Treachery of Jacob’s Sons

34 Now (KE)Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to [gx]visit the daughters of the land. When Shechem the son of Hamor (KF)the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her and raped her. But [gy]he was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and [gz]spoke tenderly to her. So Shechem (KG)spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.” Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah; but his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob said nothing until they came in. Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard about it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a [ha](KH)disgraceful thing in Israel by [hb]sleeping with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.

But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him [hc]in marriage. And intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 So you will live with us, and (KI)the land shall be [hd]open to you; live and (KJ)trade in it and (KK)acquire property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and I will give whatever you tell me. 12 Demand of me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give whatever you tell me; but give me the girl [he]in marriage.”

13 But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor with deceit, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, that is, give our sister to a (KL)man who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we consent to you: if you will become like us, in that every male of you will be circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people. 17 But if you do not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.”

18 Now their words seemed [hf]reasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 The young man did not delay to do [hg]this, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the (KM)gate of their city and spoke to the people of their city, saying, 21 “These men are [hh]friendly to us; therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is [hi]large enough for them. We will take their daughters [hj]in marriage, and give our daughters to them. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised. 23 Will their livestock and their property and all their animals not be ours? Let’s just consent to them, and they will live with us.” 24 (KN)All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25 Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons—(KO)Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers—each took his sword and came upon the city undetected, and killed every male. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left. 27 Jacob’s sons came upon those killed and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks, their herds, and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; 29 and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even everything that was in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have (KP)brought trouble on me by (KQ)making me repulsive among the inhabitants of the land, among (KR)the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and [hk](KS)since my men are few in number, they will band together against me and [hl]attack me, and I will be destroyed, I and my household!” 31 But they said, “Should he [hm]treat our sister like a prostitute?”

Jacob Moves to Bethel

35 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to (KT)Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to (KU)God, who appeared to you (KV)when you fled [hn]from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his (KW)household and to all who were with him, “Remove (KX)the foreign gods which are among you, and (KY)purify yourselves and change your garments; and let’s arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make (KZ)an altar there to God, (LA)who answered me on the day of my distress and (LB)has been with me [ho]wherever I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which [hp]they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the [hq]oak which was near Shechem.

As they journeyed, there was [hr](LC)a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to (LD)Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. Then (LE)he built an altar there, and called the place [hs]El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled [ht]from his brother. Now (LF)Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and it was named [hu]Allon-bacuth.

Jacob Is Named Israel

Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He (LG)blessed him. 10 (LH)God said to him,

“Your name is Jacob;
[hv]You shall no longer be called Jacob,
But Israel shall be your name.”

So He called [hw]him Israel. 11 God also said to him,

“I am [hx](LI)God Almighty;
(LJ)Be fruitful and multiply;
A nation and a (LK)multitude of nations shall [hy]come from you,
And (LL)kings shall [hz]come from [ia]you.
12 And (LM)the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,
I will give to you,
And I will give the land to your [ib]descendants after you.”

13 Then (LN)God went up from him at the place where He had spoken with him. 14 So Jacob set up (LO)a memorial stone in the place where He had spoken with him, a memorial of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 And Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, [ic](LP)Bethel.

16 Then they journeyed on from Bethel; but when there was still some distance to go to (LQ)Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe difficulties in her labor. 17 And when she was suffering severe difficulties in her labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for (LR)you have another son!” 18 And it came about, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him [id]Ben-oni; but his father called him [ie]Benjamin. 19 So (LS)Rachel died and was buried on the way to (LT)Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set up a memorial stone over her grave; that is the (LU)memorial stone of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21 Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the [if](LV)tower of [ig]Eder.

The Sons of Israel

22 And it came about, while Israel was living in that land, that (LW)Reuben went and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it.

Now there were twelve sons of Jacob— 23 (LX)the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, then Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; 24 (LY)the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; 25 and (LZ)the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s female slave, were Dan and Naphtali; 26 and (MA)the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s female slave, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

27 Jacob came to his father Isaac at (MB)Mamre of (MC)Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had resided.

28 Now the days of Isaac were (MD)180 years. 29 Then Isaac breathed his last and died, and was (ME)gathered to his people, an (MF)old man [ih]of ripe age; and (MG)his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Esau Moves

36 Now these are the records of the generations of (MH)Esau (that is, Edom).

Esau (MI)took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and (MJ)Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the [ii](MK)granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite; also Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. Adah bore (ML)Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath gave birth to Reuel, and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

(MM)Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all [ij]his household, and his livestock and all his cattle, and all his property which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob. (MN)For their possessions had become too great for them to live together, and the (MO)land where they (MP)resided could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau lived in the hill country of (MQ)Seir; Esau is (MR)Edom.

Descendants of Esau

These then are the records of the generations of Esau the father of [ik]the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, [il]Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, and she bore (MS)Amalek to Eliphaz. These are the sons of Esau’s wife Adah. 13 And these are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath. 14 And these were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the [im]granddaughter of Zibeon: [in]she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau, are chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 16 chief Korah, chief Gatam, and chief Amalek. These are the chiefs [io]descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. 17 And these are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, and chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs [ip]descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath. 18 And these are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, and chief Korah. These are the chiefs [iq]descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 19 These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.

20 These are the sons of Seir (MT)the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs [ir]descended from the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and [is]Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23 And these are the sons of Shobal: [it]Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, [iu]Shepho, and Onam. 24 And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah—he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness when he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon. 25 And these are the children of Anah: Dishon, and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 26 And these are the sons of [iv](MU)Dishon: [iw]Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27 These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and [ix]Akan. 28 These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs [iy]descended from the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, and chief Dishan. These are the chiefs [iz]descended from the Horites, according to their various chiefs in the land of Seir.

31 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any (MV)king reigned over the sons of Israel. 32 [ja](MW)Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 Then Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah became king in his place. 34 Then Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites became king in his place. 35 Then Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who [jb]defeated Midian in the field of Moab, became king in his place; and the name of his city was Avith. 36 Then Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah became king in his place. 37 Then Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates River became king in his place. 38 Then Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor became king in his place. 39 Then Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and [jc]Hadar became king in his place; and the name of his city was [jd]Pau; and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.

40 Now these are the names of the chiefs [je]descended from Esau, according to their families and their localities, by their names: chief Timna, chief [jf]Alvah, chief Jetheth, 41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 43 chief Magdiel, and chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of [jg]the Edomites), according to their settlements in the land of their possession.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:20 I.e., Syrian
  2. Genesis 25:20 I.e., Syrian
  3. Genesis 25:21 Lit was entreated of him
  4. Genesis 25:26 I.e., one who takes by the heel or supplants
  5. Genesis 25:27 Lit complete
  6. Genesis 25:28 Lit game was in his mouth
  7. Genesis 25:30 Lit the red, this red
  8. Genesis 25:30 I.e., red
  9. Genesis 25:31 Lit Today
  10. Genesis 25:33 Lit Today
  11. Genesis 26:3 Lit seed
  12. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  13. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  14. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  15. Genesis 26:4 Or bless themselves
  16. Genesis 26:5 Lit listened diligently to My voice
  17. Genesis 26:7 Lit lest...place
  18. Genesis 26:12 Lit found
  19. Genesis 26:13 Lit great
  20. Genesis 26:13 Lit great
  21. Genesis 26:14 Lit and possessions of herds
  22. Genesis 26:15 Lit and filled them
  23. Genesis 26:16 Lit much mightier than we
  24. Genesis 26:17 Lit dwelt
  25. Genesis 26:18 Lit they had dug
  26. Genesis 26:18 Lit called their names as the names
  27. Genesis 26:18 Lit called
  28. Genesis 26:19 Lit living
  29. Genesis 26:20 I.e., argument
  30. Genesis 26:21 I.e., accusation
  31. Genesis 26:22 I.e., broad places
  32. Genesis 26:22 Lit Truly now
  33. Genesis 26:22 Or broad
  34. Genesis 26:24 Lit seed
  35. Genesis 26:26 Lit and his confidential friend
  36. Genesis 26:28 Lit between us
  37. Genesis 26:28 Lit between us and you
  38. Genesis 26:29 Lit and just as we
  39. Genesis 26:31 Lit swore one to another
  40. Genesis 26:33 Meaning uncertain, perhaps oath
  41. Genesis 26:34 Lit took as wife
  42. Genesis 26:35 Lit were a bitterness of spirit to
  43. Genesis 27:2 Lit he
  44. Genesis 27:8 Lit my voice
  45. Genesis 27:8 Lit according to what
  46. Genesis 27:9 Lit take
  47. Genesis 27:9 Lit kids of goats
  48. Genesis 27:12 Lit mocker
  49. Genesis 27:15 Lit desirable; or choice
  50. Genesis 27:16 Lit kids of the goats
  51. Genesis 27:17 Lit into the hand of
  52. Genesis 27:19 Lit your soul
  53. Genesis 27:20 Lit meet me
  54. Genesis 27:25 Lit my soul
  55. Genesis 27:31 Lit your soul
  56. Genesis 27:33 Lit trembled with a very great trembling
  57. Genesis 27:36 Or Was he then named Jacob that he has
  58. Genesis 27:36 Fr Heb verb meaning to seize someone by the heel, and so to betray
  59. Genesis 27:37 Lit for
  60. Genesis 27:39 Or of
  61. Genesis 27:39 Lit fatness
  62. Genesis 27:39 Or of
  63. Genesis 27:40 Lit tear off
  64. Genesis 27:41 Lit in his heart
  65. Genesis 27:43 Lit flee for yourself
  66. Genesis 27:44 Lit turns away
  67. Genesis 27:45 Lit turns away from you
  68. Genesis 27:46 Lit my life
  69. Genesis 28:1 Lit and said to
  70. Genesis 28:3 Heb El Shaddai
  71. Genesis 28:4 Lit seed
  72. Genesis 28:8 Lit in the eyes of his
  73. Genesis 28:9 Lit took for his wife
  74. Genesis 28:11 Lit lighted on
  75. Genesis 28:11 Lit the place
  76. Genesis 28:13 Or beside him
  77. Genesis 28:13 Lit seed
  78. Genesis 28:14 Lit seed
  79. Genesis 28:14 Lit break through
  80. Genesis 28:14 Lit seed
  81. Genesis 28:15 Lit spoken to
  82. Genesis 28:19 I.e., the house of God
  83. Genesis 28:19 Lit at the first
  84. Genesis 28:20 Lit go
  85. Genesis 28:20 Lit bread
  86. Genesis 28:21 Lit peace
  87. Genesis 29:1 Lit lifted up his feet
  88. Genesis 29:1 Lit sons
  89. Genesis 29:2 Lit behold
  90. Genesis 29:21 Lit days are
  91. Genesis 29:26 Lit done thus in
  92. Genesis 29:26 Lit give
  93. Genesis 29:30 Lit him
  94. Genesis 29:31 Lit hated
  95. Genesis 29:32 I.e., see, a son
  96. Genesis 29:32 Lit looked at
  97. Genesis 29:33 Heb shama, related to Simeon
  98. Genesis 29:33 Lit hated
  99. Genesis 29:34 Heb lavah, related to Levi
  100. Genesis 29:35 Heb Jadah, related to Judah
  101. Genesis 29:35 Heb Jehudah
  102. Genesis 30:1 Lit Rachel
  103. Genesis 30:3 I.e., Prob. referring to a ritual of adoption
  104. Genesis 30:3 Lit from her I too may be built
  105. Genesis 30:6 Lit judged
  106. Genesis 30:6 I.e., He judged
  107. Genesis 30:8 Lit wrestlings of God
  108. Genesis 30:8 Heb niphtal, related to Naphtali
  109. Genesis 30:11 Lit With fortune! Some ancient versions Fortune has come
  110. Genesis 30:11 I.e., Fortune
  111. Genesis 30:13 Lit With my happiness!
  112. Genesis 30:13 I.e., happy
  113. Genesis 30:18 Heb sachar, related to Issachar
  114. Genesis 30:20 Heb zabal, related to Zebulun
  115. Genesis 30:24 Lit add to me; Heb Joseph
  116. Genesis 30:26 Lit served
  117. Genesis 30:27 Lit I have found favor in your eyes
  118. Genesis 30:28 Lit said
  119. Genesis 30:29 Lit been
  120. Genesis 30:30 Lit me
  121. Genesis 30:30 Lit broken forth
  122. Genesis 30:30 Lit at my foot
  123. Genesis 30:33 Lit righteousness
  124. Genesis 30:33 Lit wages which are before you
  125. Genesis 30:34 Lit Behold, would that it might be
  126. Genesis 30:35 Lit hand
  127. Genesis 30:37 Lit took to himself
  128. Genesis 30:37 Lit on
  129. Genesis 30:40 Lit set the faces
  130. Genesis 30:43 Lit broke forth
  131. Genesis 31:1 Lit he
  132. Genesis 31:1 Lit glory
  133. Genesis 31:2 Lit face
  134. Genesis 31:5 Lit face
  135. Genesis 31:10 Lit leaping upon the flock
  136. Genesis 31:12 Lit leaping upon the flock
  137. Genesis 31:13 Lit Go out from
  138. Genesis 31:15 I.e., enjoyed the benefit of
  139. Genesis 31:15 Lit money
  140. Genesis 31:19 Heb teraphim
  141. Genesis 31:20 Lit stole the heart of
  142. Genesis 31:21 Lit his face
  143. Genesis 31:24 Lit Take heed to yourself
  144. Genesis 31:26 Lit and you have stolen my heart
  145. Genesis 31:27 Lit steal me
  146. Genesis 31:28 Lit sons
  147. Genesis 31:29 Lit the power of my hand
  148. Genesis 31:29 Lit Take heed to yourself
  149. Genesis 31:32 Lit recognize
  150. Genesis 31:32 Lit with me
  151. Genesis 31:34 Heb teraphim
  152. Genesis 31:35 I.e., menstruation
  153. Genesis 31:35 Heb teraphim
  154. Genesis 31:40 Or drought
  155. Genesis 31:43 Lit sons
  156. Genesis 31:43 Lit sons
  157. Genesis 31:44 Lit I and you
  158. Genesis 31:44 Lit me and you
  159. Genesis 31:47 I.e., the heap of witness, in Aram
  160. Genesis 31:47 I.e., the heap of witness, in Heb
  161. Genesis 31:48 Lit me and you
  162. Genesis 31:49 Lit the Mizpah; i.e., the watchtower
  163. Genesis 31:49 Lit me and you
  164. Genesis 31:49 Lit hidden
  165. Genesis 31:50 Lit me and you
  166. Genesis 31:51 Lit me and you
  167. Genesis 31:54 Lit eat bread
  168. Genesis 31:54 Lit bread
  169. Genesis 31:55 Ch 32:1 in Heb
  170. Genesis 31:55 Lit sons
  171. Genesis 32:2 Or company
  172. Genesis 32:2 I.e., Two Camps, or Two Companies
  173. Genesis 32:3 Lit field
  174. Genesis 32:8 Lit strikes
  175. Genesis 32:9 Lit do good with you
  176. Genesis 32:10 Lit I am less than all
  177. Genesis 32:10 I.e., generosity
  178. Genesis 32:10 Or truth
  179. Genesis 32:11 Lit strike
  180. Genesis 32:12 Lit do good with you
  181. Genesis 32:12 Lit seed
  182. Genesis 32:13 Lit took
  183. Genesis 32:13 Lit had come to his hand
  184. Genesis 32:16 Lit hand
  185. Genesis 32:17 Lit first
  186. Genesis 32:25 Lit his
  187. Genesis 32:28 I.e., he who contends with God; or God contends
  188. Genesis 32:30 I.e., the face of God
  189. Genesis 32:30 Lit soul
  190. Genesis 32:30 Lit saved
  191. Genesis 33:1 Or to
  192. Genesis 33:2 Lit first
  193. Genesis 33:2 Lit behind
  194. Genesis 33:2 Lit behind
  195. Genesis 33:5 Or What relation are these to you?
  196. Genesis 33:6 Lit they and
  197. Genesis 33:10 Lit for therefore I have seen your face like seeing God’s face
  198. Genesis 33:11 Lit blessing
  199. Genesis 33:11 Lit all
  200. Genesis 33:12 Lit he
  201. Genesis 33:13 Lit upon me
  202. Genesis 33:15 Lit Why this?
  203. Genesis 33:17 I.e., booths
  204. Genesis 33:19 Heb qesitah
  205. Genesis 33:20 I.e., God, the God of Israel
  206. Genesis 34:1 Lit see
  207. Genesis 34:3 Lit His soul clung
  208. Genesis 34:3 Lit spoke to the heart of the girl
  209. Genesis 34:7 Lit senseless
  210. Genesis 34:7 I.e., violating her
  211. Genesis 34:8 Lit for a wife
  212. Genesis 34:10 Lit before you
  213. Genesis 34:12 Lit for a wife
  214. Genesis 34:18 Lit good
  215. Genesis 34:19 Lit the thing
  216. Genesis 34:21 Lit peaceful
  217. Genesis 34:21 Lit wide of hands before them
  218. Genesis 34:21 Lit to us for wives
  219. Genesis 34:30 Lit I, few in number
  220. Genesis 34:30 Lit strike
  221. Genesis 34:31 Or make
  222. Genesis 35:1 Lit from the face of
  223. Genesis 35:3 Lit in the way which
  224. Genesis 35:4 Lit were in their hand
  225. Genesis 35:4 Or terebinth
  226. Genesis 35:5 Or a terror of God
  227. Genesis 35:7 I.e., the God of Bethel
  228. Genesis 35:7 Lit from the face of
  229. Genesis 35:8 I.e., oak of weeping
  230. Genesis 35:10 Lit Your name
  231. Genesis 35:10 Lit his name
  232. Genesis 35:11 Heb El Shaddai
  233. Genesis 35:11 Or come into being
  234. Genesis 35:11 Or come into being
  235. Genesis 35:11 Lit your loins
  236. Genesis 35:12 Lit seed
  237. Genesis 35:15 I.e., house of God
  238. Genesis 35:18 I.e., the son of my sorrow
  239. Genesis 35:18 I.e., the son of the right hand
  240. Genesis 35:21 Heb Migdal-eder
  241. Genesis 35:21 Or flock
  242. Genesis 35:29 Lit and satisfied with days
  243. Genesis 36:2 Lit daughter; LXX son (referring to Anah)
  244. Genesis 36:6 Lit the souls of his house
  245. Genesis 36:9 Lit Edom
  246. Genesis 36:11 In 1 Chr 1:36, Zephi
  247. Genesis 36:14 See note v 2
  248. Genesis 36:14 Lit and she
  249. Genesis 36:16 Lit of Eliphaz
  250. Genesis 36:17 Lit of Reuel
  251. Genesis 36:18 Lit of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife
  252. Genesis 36:21 Lit of the Horites
  253. Genesis 36:22 In 1 Chr 1:39, Homam
  254. Genesis 36:23 In 1 Chr 1:40, Alian
  255. Genesis 36:23 In 1 Chr 1:40, Shephi
  256. Genesis 36:26 Heb Dishan
  257. Genesis 36:26 In 1 Chr 1:41, Hamran
  258. Genesis 36:27 In 1 Chr 1:42, Jaakan
  259. Genesis 36:29 Lit of the Horites
  260. Genesis 36:30 Lit of the Horites
  261. Genesis 36:32 Lit And Bela
  262. Genesis 36:35 Or struck
  263. Genesis 36:39 In 1 Chr 1:50, Hadad
  264. Genesis 36:39 In 1 Chr 1:50, Pai
  265. Genesis 36:40 Lit of Esau
  266. Genesis 36:40 In 1 Chr 1:51, Aliah
  267. Genesis 36:43 Heb Edom

19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:

20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.

23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

26 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:

And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.

21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.

22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba.

24 And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.

26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.

27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?

28 And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;

29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the Lord.

30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.

33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.

34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

27 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:

Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:

10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:

12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.

15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:

16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:

17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?

19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me.

21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.

24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.

26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:

28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.

32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.

33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.

34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.

36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;

44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;

45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

28 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughers of Laban thy mother's brother.

And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan;

And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;

Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God:

22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

29 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.

And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.

And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.

10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

30 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.

And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.

And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.

12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.

13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.

16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.

17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.

18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.

20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.

21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:

24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.

25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.

26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.

28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.

40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.

41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

31 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.

And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?

15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.

34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.

36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

49 And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:

52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

32 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

33 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.

12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.

20 And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.

34 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.

And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.

And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.

And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.

And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.

And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done.

And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.

10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.

13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:

14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:

15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;

16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.

17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.

18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.

19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.

20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,

21 These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.

22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.

23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of their's be our's? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.

24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.

25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.

26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.

27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.

28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,

29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.

30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?

35 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.

And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.

10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.

14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.

15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.

16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.

21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.

22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:

24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:

25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.

27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

36 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;

And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth.

And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel;

And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.

For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle.

Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.

And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

10 These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.

12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife.

13 And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

14 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.

15 These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,

16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.

17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

18 And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife.

19 These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes.

20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,

21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.

22 And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna.

23 And the children of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

24 And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.

25 And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.

26 And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.

27 The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan.

28 The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.

29 These are the dukes that came of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah,

30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.

31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.

32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

33 And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.

34 And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead.

35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.

36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.

37 And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.

38 And Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.

39 And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

40 And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth,

41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,

42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,

43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.

19 This is the story of Isaac’s children: 20 Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram. Rebekah was the sister of Laban. 21 Isaac pleaded with Jehovah to give Rebekah a child, for even after many years of marriage[a] she had no children. Then at last she became pregnant. 22 And it seemed as though children were fighting each other inside her!

“I can’t endure this,” she exclaimed. So she asked the Lord about it.

23 And he told her, “The sons in your womb shall become two rival nations. One will be stronger than the other; and the older shall be a servant of the younger!”

24 And sure enough, she had twins. 25 The first was born so covered with reddish hair that one would think he was wearing a fur coat! So they called him “Esau.”[b] 26 Then the other twin was born with his hand on Esau’s heel! So they called him Jacob (meaning “Grabber”). Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

27 As the boys grew, Esau became a skillful hunter, while Jacob was a quiet sort who liked to stay at home. 28 Isaac’s favorite was Esau, because of the venison he brought home, and Rebekah’s favorite was Jacob.

29 One day Jacob was cooking stew when Esau arrived home exhausted from the hunt.

30 Esau: “Boy, am I starved! Give me a bite of that red stuff there!” (From this came his nickname “Edom,” which means “Red Stuff.”)

31 Jacob: “All right, trade me your birthright for it!”

32 Esau: “When a man is dying of starvation, what good is his birthright?”

33 Jacob: “Well then, vow to God that it is mine!”

And Esau vowed, thereby selling all his eldest-son rights to his younger brother. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread, peas, and stew; so he ate and drank and went on about his business, indifferent to the loss of the rights he had thrown away.[c]

26 Now a severe famine overshadowed the land, as had happened before, in Abraham’s time, and so Isaac moved to the city of Gerar where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived.

Jehovah appeared to him there and told him, “Don’t go to Egypt. Do as I say and stay here in this land. If you do, I will be with you and bless you, and I will give all this land to you and to your descendants, just as I promised Abraham your father. And I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars! And I will give them all of these lands; and they shall be a blessing to all the nations of the earth. I will do this because Abraham obeyed my commandments and laws.”

So Isaac stayed in Gerar. And when the men there asked him about Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister!” For he feared for his life if he told them she was his wife; he was afraid they would kill him to get her, for she was very attractive. But sometime later, King Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out of a window and saw Isaac and Rebekah making love.

Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is your wife! Why did you say she is your sister?”

“Because I was afraid I would be murdered,” Isaac replied. “I thought someone would kill me to get her from me.”

10 “How could you treat us this way?” Abimelech exclaimed. “Someone might carelessly have raped her, and we would be doomed.” 11 Then Abimelech made a public proclamation: “Anyone harming this man or his wife shall die.”

12 That year Isaac’s crops were tremendous—100 times the grain he sowed. For Jehovah blessed him. 13 He was soon a man of great wealth and became richer and richer. 14 He had large flocks of sheep and goats, great herds of cattle, and many servants. And the Philistines became jealous of him. 15 So they filled up his wells with earth—all those dug by the servants of his father Abraham.

16 And King Abimelech asked Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too rich and powerful for us.”

17 So Isaac moved to Gerar Valley and lived there instead. 18 And Isaac redug the wells of his father Abraham, the ones the Philistines had filled after his father’s death, and gave them the same names they had had before, when his father had named them. 19 His shepherds also dug a new well in Gerar Valley, and found a gushing underground spring.

20 Then the local shepherds came and claimed it. “This is our land and our well,” they said, and argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So he named the well, “The Well of Argument!”[d] 21 Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a fight over it. So he called it, “The Well of Anger.”[e] 22 Abandoning that one, he dug again, and the local residents finally left him alone. So he called it, “The Well of Room Enough for Us at Last!”[f] “For now at last,” he said, “the Lord has made room for us and we shall thrive.”

23 When he went to Beer-sheba, 24 Jehovah appeared to him on the night of his arrival. “I am the God of Abraham your father,” he said. “Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you, and will give you so many descendants that they will become a great nation—because of my promise to Abraham, who obeyed me.” 25 Then Isaac built an altar and worshiped Jehovah; and he settled there, and his servants dug a well.

26 One day Isaac had visitors from Gerar. King Abimelech arrived with his advisor, Ahuzzath, and also Phicol, his army commander.

27 “Why have you come?” Isaac asked them. “This is obviously no friendly visit, since you kicked me out in a most uncivil way.”

28 “Well,” they said, “we can plainly see that Jehovah is blessing you. We’ve decided to ask for a treaty between us. 29 Promise that you will not harm us, just as we have not harmed you, and in fact, have done only good to you and have sent you away in peace; we bless you in the name of the Lord.”

30 So Isaac prepared a great feast for them, and they ate and drank in preparation for the treaty ceremonies. 31 In the morning, as soon as they were up, they each took solemn oaths to seal a nonaggression pact. Then Isaac sent them happily home again.

32 That very same day Isaac’s servants came to tell him, “We have found water”—in the well they had been digging. 33 So he named the well, “The Well of the Oath,”[g] and the city that grew up there was named “Oath,” and is called that to this day.

34 Esau, at the age of forty, married a girl named Judith, daughter of Be-eri the Hethite; and he also married Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hethite. 35 But Isaac and Rebekah were bitter about his marrying them.

27 One day, in Isaac’s old age when he was almost blind, he called for Esau his oldest son.

Isaac: “My son?”

Esau: “Yes, Father?”

2-4 Isaac: “I am an old man now, and expect every day to be my last. Take your bow and arrows out into the fields and get me some venison, and prepare it just the way I like it—savory and good—and bring it here for me to eat, and I will give you the blessings that belong to you, my firstborn son,[h] before I die.”

But Rebekah overheard the conversation. So when Esau left for the field to hunt for the venison, 6-7 she called her son Jacob and told him what his father had said to his brother.

8-10 Rebekah: “Now do exactly as I tell you. Go out to the flocks and bring me two young goats, and I’ll prepare your father’s favorite dish from them. Then take it to your father, and after he has enjoyed it he will bless you before his death, instead of Esau!”[i]

11-12 Jacob: “But Mother! He won’t be fooled that easily.[j] Think how hairy Esau is, and how smooth my skin is! What if my father feels me? He’ll think I’m making a fool of him and curse me instead of blessing me!”

13 Rebekah: “Let his curses be on me, dear son. Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats.”

14 So Jacob followed his mother’s instructions, bringing the dressed kids, which she prepared in his father’s favorite way. 15 Then she took Esau’s best clothes—they were there in the house—and instructed Jacob to put them on. 16 And she made him a pair of gloves from the hairy skin of the young goats, and fastened a strip of the hide around his neck; 17 then she gave him the meat, with its rich aroma, and some fresh-baked bread.

18 Jacob carried the platter of food into the room where his father was lying.

Jacob: “Father?”

Isaac: “Yes? Who is it, my son—Esau or Jacob?”

19 Jacob: “It’s Esau, your oldest son. I’ve done as you told me to. Here is the delicious venison you wanted. Sit up and eat it, so that you will bless me with all your heart!”

20 Isaac: “How were you able to find it so quickly, my son?”

Jacob: “Because Jehovah your God put it in my path!”

21 Isaac: “Come over here. I want to feel you and be sure it really is Esau!”

22 (Jacob goes over to his father. He feels him!)

Isaac: (to himself) “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s!”

23 (The ruse convinces Isaac and he gives Jacob his blessings):

24 Isaac: “Are you really Esau?”

Jacob: “Yes, of course.”

25 Isaac: “Then bring me the venison, and I will eat it and bless you with all my heart.”

(Jacob takes it over to him and Isaac eats; he also drinks the wine Jacob brings him.)

26 Isaac: “Come here and kiss me, my son!”

(Jacob goes over and kisses him on the cheek. Isaac sniffs his clothes, and finally seems convinced.)

27-29 Isaac: “The smell of my son is the good smell of the earth and fields that Jehovah has blessed. May God always give you plenty of rain for your crops, and good harvests and grapes. May many nations be your slaves. Be the master of your brothers. May all your relatives bow low before you. Cursed are all who curse you, and blessed are all who bless you.”

30 (As soon as Isaac has blessed Jacob, and almost before Jacob leaves the room, Esau arrives, coming in from his hunting. 31 He also has prepared his father’s favorite dish and brings it to him.)

Esau: “Here I am, Father, with the venison. Sit up and eat it so that you can give me your finest blessings!”

32 Isaac: “Who is it?”

Esau: “Why, it’s me, of course! Esau, your oldest son!”

33 (Isaac begins to tremble noticeably.)

Isaac: “Then who is it who was just here with venison, and I have already eaten it and blessed him with irrevocable blessing?”

34 (Esau begins to sob with deep and bitter sobs.)

Esau: “O my Father, bless me, bless me too!”

35 Isaac: “Your brother was here and tricked me and has carried away your blessing.”

36 Esau: (bitterly) “No wonder they call him ‘The Cheater.’[k] For he took my birthright, and now he has stolen my blessing. Oh, haven’t you saved even one blessing for me?”

37 Isaac: “I have made him your master, and have given him yourself and all of his relatives as his servants. I have guaranteed him abundance of grain and wine—what is there left to give?”

38 Esau: “Not one blessing left for me? O my Father, bless me too.”

(Isaac says nothing[l] as Esau weeps.)

39-40 Isaac: “Yours will be no life of ease and luxury, but you shall hew your way with your sword. For a time you will serve your brother, but you will finally shake loose from him and be free.”

41 So Esau hated Jacob because of what he had done to him. He said to himself, “My father will soon be gone, and then I will kill Jacob.” 42 But someone got wind of what he was planning and reported it to Rebekah. She sent for Jacob and told him that his life was being threatened by Esau.

43 “This is what to do,” she said. “Flee to your Uncle Laban in Haran. 44 Stay there with him awhile until your brother’s fury is spent, 45 and he forgets what you have done. Then I will send for you. For why should I be bereaved of both of you in one day?”

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m sick and tired of these local girls. I’d rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.”

28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and said to him, “Don’t marry one of these Canaanite girls. Instead, go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your grandfather[m] Bethuel, and marry one of your cousins—your Uncle Laban’s daughters. God Almighty bless you and give you many children; may you become a great nation of many tribes! May God pass on to you and to your descendants the mighty blessings promised to Abraham. May you own this land where we now are foreigners, for God has given it to Abraham.”

So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to visit his Uncle Laban, his mother’s brother—the son of Bethuel the Aramean.

6-8 Esau realized that his father despised the local girls, and that his father and mother had sent Jacob to Paddan-aram, with his father’s blessing, to get a wife from there, and that they had strictly warned him against marrying a Canaanite girl, and that Jacob had agreed and had left for Paddan-aram. So Esau went to his Uncle Ishmael’s family and married another wife from there, besides the wives he already had. Her name was Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth, and daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son.

10 So Jacob left Beer-sheba and journeyed toward Haran. 11 That night, when he stopped to camp at sundown, he found a rock for a headrest and lay down to sleep, 12 and dreamed that a staircase[n] reached from earth to heaven, and he saw the angels of God going up and down upon it.

13 At the top of the stairs stood the Lord. “I am Jehovah,” he said, “the God of Abraham, and of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on is yours! I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 For you will have descendants as many as dust! They will cover the land from east to west and from north to south; and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. 15 What’s more, I am with you, and will protect you wherever you go, and will bring you back safely to this land; I will be with you constantly until I have finished giving you all I am promising.”

16-17 Then Jacob woke up. “God lives here!” he exclaimed in terror. “I’ve stumbled into his home! This is the awesome entrance to heaven!” 18 The next morning he got up very early and set his stone headrest upright as a memorial pillar, and poured olive oil over it. 19 He named the place Bethel (“House of God”), though the previous name of the nearest village[o] was Luz.

20 And Jacob vowed this vow to God: “If God will help and protect me on this journey and give me food and clothes, 21 and will bring me back safely to my father, then I will choose Jehovah as my God! 22 And this memorial pillar shall become a place for worship; and I will give you back a tenth of everything you give me!”

29 Jacob traveled on, finally arriving in the land of the East. He saw in the distance three flocks of sheep lying beside a well in an open field, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well. (The custom was that the stone was not removed until all the flocks were there. After watering them, the stone was rolled back over the mouth of the well again.) Jacob went over to the shepherds and asked them where they lived.

“At Haran,” they said.

“Do you know a fellow there named Laban, the son of Nahor?”

“We sure do.”

“How is he?”

“He’s well and prosperous. Look, there comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”

“Why don’t you water the flocks so they can get back to grazing?” Jacob asked. “They’ll be hungry if you stop so early in the day!”

“We don’t roll away the stone and begin the watering until all the flocks and shepherds are here,” they replied.

As this conversation was going on, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And because she was his cousin—the daughter of his mother’s brother—and because the sheep were his uncle’s, Jacob went over to the well and rolled away the stone and watered his uncle’s flock. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and started crying! 12-13 He explained about being her cousin on her father’s side, and that he was her Aunt Rebekah’s son. She quickly ran and told her father, Laban, and as soon as he heard of Jacob’s arrival, he rushed out to meet him and greeted him warmly and brought him home. Then Jacob told him his story.

14 “Just think, my very own flesh and blood,” Laban exclaimed.

After Jacob had been there about a month, 15 Laban said to him one day, “Just because we are relatives is no reason for you to work for me without pay. How much do you want?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters, Leah, the older, and her younger sister, Rachel. 17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely, and in every way a beauty. 18 Well, Jacob was in love with Rachel. So he told her father, “I’ll work for you seven years if you’ll give me Rachel as my wife.”

19 “Agreed!” Laban replied. “I’d rather give her to you than to someone outside the family.”

20 So Jacob spent the next seven years working to pay for Rachel. But they seemed to him but a few days, he was so much in love. 21 Finally the time came for him to marry her.

“I have fulfilled my contract,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife, so that I can sleep with her.”

22 So Laban invited all the men of the settlement to celebrate with Jacob at a big party. 23 Afterwards, that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (And Laban gave to Leah a servant girl, Zilpah, to be her maid.) 25 But in the morning—it was Leah!

“What sort of trick is this?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked for seven years for Rachel. What do you mean by this trickery?”

26 “It’s not our custom to marry off a younger daughter ahead of her sister,” Laban replied smoothly.[p] 27 “Wait until the bridal week is over and you can have Rachel too—if you promise to work for me another seven years!”

28 So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. Then Laban gave him Rachel, too. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel a servant girl, Bilhah, to be her maid. 30 So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her more than Leah, and stayed and worked the additional seven years.

31 But because Jacob was slighting Leah, Jehovah let her have a child, while Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah became pregnant and had a son, Reuben (meaning “God has noticed my trouble”), for she said, “Jehovah has noticed my trouble—now my husband will love me.” 33 She soon became pregnant again and had another son and named him Simeon (meaning “Jehovah heard”), for she said, “Jehovah heard that I was unloved, and so he has given me another son.” 34 Again she became pregnant and had a son, and named him Levi (meaning “Attachment”) for she said, “Surely now my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!” 35 Once again she was pregnant and had a son and named him Judah (meaning “Praise”), for she said, “Now I will praise Jehovah!” And then she stopped having children.

30 Rachel, realizing she was barren, became envious of her sister. “Give me children or I’ll die,” she exclaimed to Jacob.

Jacob flew into a rage. “Am I God?” he flared. “He is the one who is responsible for your barrenness.”

Then Rachel told him, “Sleep with my servant girl Bilhah, and her children will be mine.” So she gave him Bilhah to be his wife, and he slept with her, and she became pregnant and presented him with a son. Rachel named him Dan (meaning “Justice”),[q] for she said, “God has given me justice, and heard my plea and given me a son.” Then Bilhah, Rachel’s servant girl, became pregnant again and gave Jacob a second son. Rachel named him Naphtali (meaning “Wrestling”), for she said, “I am in a fierce contest with my sister and I am winning!”

Meanwhile, when Leah realized that she wasn’t getting pregnant anymore, she gave her servant girl Zilpah to Jacob, to be his wife, 10 and soon Zilpah presented him with a son. 11 Leah named him Gad (meaning “My luck has turned!”).

12 Then Zilpah produced a second son, 13 and Leah named him Asher (meaning “Happy”), for she said, “What joy is mine! The other women will think me blessed indeed!”

14 One day during the wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes[r] growing in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel begged Leah to give some of them to her.

15 But Leah angrily replied, “Wasn’t it enough to steal my husband? And now will you steal my son’s mandrakes too?”

Rachel said sadly, “He will sleep with you tonight because of the mandrakes.”

16 That evening as Jacob was coming home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me tonight!” she said; “for I am hiring you with some mandrakes my son has found!” So he did. 17 And God answered her prayers and she became pregnant again, and gave birth to her fifth son. 18 She named him Issachar (meaning “Wages”), for she said, “God has repaid me for giving my slave girl to my husband.” 19 Then once again she became pregnant, with a sixth son. 20 She named him Zebulun (meaning “Gifts”), for she said, “God has given me good gifts for my husband. Now he will honor me, for I have given him six sons.” 21 Afterwards she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 Then God remembered about Rachel’s plight, and answered her prayers by giving her a child. 23-24 For she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed the dark slur against my name,” she said. And she named him Joseph (meaning “May I also have another!”), for she said, “May Jehovah give me another son.”

25 Soon after the birth of Joseph to Rachel, Jacob said to Laban, “I want to go back home. 26 Let me take my wives and children—for I earned them from you—and be gone, for you know how fully I have paid for them with my service to you.”

27 “Please don’t leave me,” Laban replied, “for a fortune-teller that I consulted[s] told me that the many blessings I’ve been enjoying are all because of your being here. 28 How much of a raise do you need to get you to stay? Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.”

29 Jacob replied, “You know how faithfully I’ve served you through these many years, and how your flocks and herds have grown. 30 For it was little indeed you had before I came, and your wealth has increased enormously; Jehovah has blessed you from everything I do! But now, what about me? When should I provide for my own family?”

31-32 “What wages do you want?” Laban asked again.

Jacob replied, “If you will do one thing, I’ll go back to work for you. Let me go out among your flocks today and remove all the goats that are speckled or spotted, and all the black sheep. Give them to me as my wages. 33 Then if you ever find any white goats or sheep in my flock, you will know that I have stolen them from you!”

34 “All right!” Laban replied. “It shall be as you have said!”

35-36 So that very day Laban went out and formed a flock for Jacob of all the male goats that were ringed and spotted, and the females that were speckled and spotted with any white patches, and all of the black sheep. He gave them to Jacob’s sons to take them three days’ distance, and Jacob stayed and cared for Laban’s flock. 37 Then Jacob took fresh shoots from poplar, almond, and sycamore trees, and peeled white streaks in them, 38 and placed these rods beside the watering troughs so that Laban’s flocks would see them when they came to drink; for that is when they mated. 39-40 So the flocks mated before the white-streaked rods, and their offspring were streaked and spotted, and Jacob added them to his flock. Then he divided out the ewes from Laban’s flock and segregated them from the rams, and let them mate only with Jacob’s black rams. Thus he built his flocks from Laban’s. 41 Moreover, he watched for the stronger animals to mate, and placed the peeled branches before them, 42 but didn’t with the feebler ones. So the less healthy lambs were Laban’s and the stronger ones were Jacob’s! 43 As a result, Jacob’s flocks increased rapidly and he became very wealthy, with many servants, camels, and donkeys.

31 But Jacob learned that Laban’s sons were grumbling, “He owes everything he owns to our father. All his wealth is at our father’s expense.” Soon Jacob noticed a considerable cooling in Laban’s attitude toward him.

Jehovah now spoke to Jacob and told him, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives there; and I will be with you.”

So one day Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to come out to the field where he was with the flocks, to talk things over with them.

“Your father has turned against me,” he told them, “and now the God of my fathers has come and spoken to me. You know how hard I’ve worked for your father, but he has been completely unscrupulous and has broken his wage contract with me again and again and again. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm! For if he said the speckled animals would be mine, then all the flock produced speckled; and when he changed and said I could have the streaked ones, then all the lambs were streaked! In this way God has made me wealthy at your father’s expense.

10 “And at the mating season, I had a dream, and saw that the he-goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and mottled. 11 Then, in my dream, the Angel of God called to me 12 and told me that I should mate the white female goats with streaked, speckled, and mottled male goats.[t] ‘For I have seen all that Laban has done to you,’ the Angel said. 13 ‘I am the God you met at Bethel,’ he continued, ‘the place where you anointed the pillar and made a vow to serve me. Now leave this country and return to the land of your birth.’”

14 Rachel and Leah replied, “That’s fine with us! There’s nothing for us here—none of our father’s wealth will come to us anyway! 15 He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women; he sold us, and what he received for us has disappeared. 16 The riches God has given you from our father were legally ours and our children’s to begin with! So go ahead and do whatever God has told you to.”

17-20 So one day while Laban was out shearing sheep, Jacob set his wives and sons on camels, and fled without telling Laban his intentions. He drove the flocks before him—Jacob’s flocks he had gotten there at Paddan-aram—and took everything he owned and started out to return to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. 21 So he fled with all of his possessions (and Rachel stole her father’s household gods and took them with her) and crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the territory of Gilead.

22 Laban didn’t learn of their flight for three days. 23 Then, taking several men with him, he set out in hot pursuit and caught up with them seven days later, at Mount Gilead. 24 That night God appeared to Laban in a dream.

“Watch out what you say to Jacob,” he was told. “Don’t give him your blessing and don’t curse him.” 25 Laban finally caught up with Jacob as he was camped at the top of a ridge; Laban, meanwhile, camped below him in the mountains.

26 “What do you mean by sneaking off like this?” Laban demanded. “Are my daughters prisoners, captured in a battle, that you have rushed them away like this? 27 Why didn’t you give me a chance to have a farewell party, with singing and orchestra and harp? 28 Why didn’t you let me kiss my grandchildren and tell them good-bye? This is a strange way to act. 29 I could crush you, but the God of your father appeared to me last night and told me, ‘Be careful not to be too hard on Jacob!’ 30 But see here—though you feel you must go, and long so intensely for your childhood home—why have you stolen my idols?”

31 “I sneaked away because I was afraid,” Jacob answered. “I said to myself, ‘He’ll take his daughters from me by force.’ 32 But as for your household idols, a curse upon anyone who took them. Let him die! If you find a single thing we’ve stolen from you, I swear before all these men, I’ll give it back without question.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had taken them.

33 Laban went first into Jacob’s tent to search there, then into Leah’s, and then searched the two tents of the concubines, but didn’t find them. Finally he went into Rachel’s tent. 34 Rachel, remember, was the one who had stolen the idols; she had stuffed them into her camel saddle and now was sitting on them! So although Laban searched the tents thoroughly, he didn’t find them.

35 “Forgive my not getting up, Father,” Rachel explained, “but I’m having my monthly period.”[u] So Laban didn’t find them.

36-37 Now Jacob got mad. “What did you find?” he demanded of Laban. “What is my crime? You have come rushing after me as though you were chasing a criminal and have searched through everything. Now put everything I stole out here in front of us, before your men and mine, for all to see and to decide whose it is! 38 Twenty years I’ve been with you, and all that time I cared for your ewes and goats so that they produced healthy offspring, and I never touched one ram of yours for food. 39 If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, did I show them to you and ask you to reduce the count of your flock? No, I took the loss. You made me pay for every animal stolen from the flocks, whether I could help it or not.[v] 40 I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day, and through the cold and sleepless nights. 41 Yes, twenty years—fourteen of them earning your two daughters, and six years to get the flock! And you have reduced my wages ten times! 42 In fact, except for the grace of God—the God of my grandfather Abraham, even the glorious God of Isaac, my father—you would have sent me off without a penny to my name. But God has seen your cruelty and my hard work, and that is why he appeared to you last night.”

43 Laban replied, “These women are my daughters, and these children are mine, and these flocks and all that you have—all are mine. So how could I harm my own daughters and grandchildren? 44 Come now and we will sign a peace pact, you and I, and will live by its terms.”

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument, 46 and told his men to gather stones and make a heap, and Jacob and Laban ate together beside the pile of rocks. 47-48 They named it “The Witness Pile”—“Jegar-sahadutha,” in Laban’s language, and “Galeed” in Jacob’s.

“This pile of stones will stand as a witness against us if either of us trespasses across this line,[w]” Laban said. 49 So it was also called “The Watchtower” (Mizpah). For Laban said, “May the Lord see to it that we keep this bargain when we are out of each other’s sight. 50 And if you are harsh to my daughters, or take other wives, I won’t know, but God will see it. 51-52 This heap,” Laban continued, “stands between us as a witness of our vows that I will not cross this line to attack you and you will not cross it to attack me. 53 I call upon the God of Abraham and Nahor, and of their father, to destroy either one of us who does.”

So Jacob took oath before the mighty God of his father, Isaac, to respect the boundary line. 54 Then Jacob presented a sacrifice to God there at the top of the mountain, and invited his companions to a feast, and afterwards spent the night with them on the mountain. 55 Laban was up early the next morning and kissed his daughters and grandchildren, and blessed them, and returned home.

32 1-2 So Jacob and his household[x] started on again. And the angels of God came to meet him. When he saw them he exclaimed, “God lives here!” So he named the place “God’s territory!”

Jacob now sent messengers to his brother, Esau, in Edom, in the land of Seir, with this message: “Hello from Jacob! I have been living with Uncle Laban until recently, and now I own oxen, donkeys, sheep, goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform you of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to us.”

The messengers returned with the news that Esau was on the way to meet Jacob—with an army of 400 men! Jacob was frantic with fear. He divided his household, along with the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups; for he said, “If Esau attacks one group, perhaps the other can escape.”

Then Jacob prayed, “O God of Abraham my grandfather, and of my father Isaac—O Jehovah who told me to return to the land of my relatives, and said that you would do me good— 10 I am not worthy of the least of all your loving-kindnesses shown me again and again just as you promised me. For when I left home[y] I owned nothing except a walking stick! And now I am two armies! 11 O Lord, please deliver me from destruction at the hand of my brother Esau, for I am frightened—terribly afraid that he is coming to kill me and these mothers and my children. 12 But you promised to do me good, and to multiply my descendants until they become as the sands along the shores—too many to count.”

13-15 Jacob stayed where he was for the night, and prepared a present for his brother Esau: 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 milk camels, with their colts, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, 10 male donkeys.

16 He instructed his servants to drive them on ahead, each group of animals by itself, separated by a distance between. 17 He told the men driving the first group that when they met Esau and he asked, “Where are you going? Whose servants are you? Whose animals are these?”— 18 they should reply: “These belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present for his master Esau! He is coming right behind us!”

19 Jacob gave the same instructions to each driver, with the same message. 20 Jacob’s strategy was to appease Esau with the presents before meeting him face-to-face! “Perhaps,” Jacob hoped, “he will be friendly to us.” 21 So the presents were sent on ahead, and Jacob spent that night in the camp.

22-24 But during the night he got up and wakened[z] his two wives and his two concubines and eleven sons, and sent them across the Jordan River at the Jabbok ford with all his possessions, then returned again to the camp and was there alone; and a Man wrestled with him until dawn. 25 And when the Man saw that he couldn’t win the match, he struck Jacob’s hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket.

26 Then the Man said, “Let me go, for it is dawn.”

But Jacob panted, “I will not let you go until you bless me.”

27 “What is your name?” the Man asked.

“Jacob,” was the reply.

28 “It isn’t anymore!” the Man told him. “It is Israel—one who has power with God. Because you have been strong with God, you shall prevail with men.”

29 “What is your name?” Jacob asked him.

“No, you mustn’t ask,” the Man told him. And he blessed him there.

30 Jacob named the place “Peniel” (“The Face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is spared.” 31 The sun rose as he started on, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 (That is why even today the people of Israel don’t eat meat from near the hip, in memory of what happened that night.)

33 Then, far in the distance, Jacob saw Esau coming with his 400 men. Jacob now arranged his family into a column, with his two concubines and their children at the head, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother he bowed low seven times before him. And then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him affectionately and kissed him; and both of them were in tears!

Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?”

“My children,” Jacob replied. Then the concubines came forward with their children, and bowed low before him. Next came Leah with her children, and bowed, and finally Rachel and Joseph came and made their bows.

“And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?” Esau asked.

And Jacob replied, “They are my gifts, to curry your favor!”

“Brother, I have plenty,” Esau laughed. “Keep what you have.”

10 “No, but please accept them,” Jacob said, “for what a relief it is to see your friendly smile! I was as frightened of you as though approaching God![aa] 11 Please take my gifts. For God has been very generous to me and I have enough.” So Jacob insisted, and finally Esau accepted them.

12 “Well, let’s be going,” Esau said. “My men and I will stay with you and lead the way.”

13 But Jacob replied, “As you can see,[ab] some of the children are small, and the flocks and herds have their young, and if they are driven too hard, they will die. 14 So you go on ahead of us and we’ll follow at our own pace and meet you at Seir.”

15 “Well,” Esau said, “at least let me leave you some of my men to assist you and be your guides.”

“No,” Jacob insisted, “we’ll get along just fine. Please do as I suggest.”

16 So Esau started back to Seir that same day. 17 Meanwhile Jacob and his household went as far as Succoth. There he built himself a camp, with pens for his flocks and herds. (That is why the place is called Succoth, meaning “huts.”) 18 Then they arrived safely at Shechem, in Canaan, and camped outside the city. 19 (He bought the land he camped on from the family of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for 100 pieces of silver. 20 And there he erected an altar and called it “El-Elohe-Israel,” “The Altar to the God of Israel.”)

34 One day Dinah, Leah’s daughter, went out to visit some of the neighborhood girls, but when Shechem, son of King Hamor the Hivite, saw her, he took her and raped her. He fell deeply in love with her, and tried to win her affection.

Then he spoke to his father about it. “Get this girl for me,” he demanded. “I want to marry her.”

Word soon reached Jacob of what had happened, but his sons were out in the fields herding cattle, so he did nothing until their return. 6-7 Meanwhile King Hamor, Shechem’s father, went to talk with Jacob, arriving just as Jacob’s sons came in from the fields, too shocked and angry to overlook the insult, for it was an outrage against all of them.

Hamor told Jacob, “My son Shechem is truly in love with your daughter, and longs for her to be his wife. Please let him marry her. 9-10 Moreover, we invite you folks to live here among us and to let your daughters marry our sons, and we will give our daughters as wives for your young men. And you shall live among us wherever you wish and carry on your business among us and become rich!”

11 Then Shechem addressed Dinah’s father and brothers. “Please be kind to me and let me have her as my wife,” he begged. “I will give whatever you require. 12 No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will pay it—only give me the girl as my wife.”

13 Her brothers then lied to Shechem and Hamor, acting dishonorably because of what Shechem had done to their sister. 14 They said, “We couldn’t possibly. For you are not circumcised. It would be a disgrace for her to marry such a man. 15 I’ll tell you what we’ll do—if every man of you will be circumcised, 16 then we will intermarry with you and live here and unite with you to become one people. 17 Otherwise we will take her and be on our way.”

18-19 Hamor and Shechem gladly agreed, and lost no time in acting upon this request, for Shechem was very much in love with Dinah, and could, he felt sure, sell the idea to the other men of the city—for he was highly respected and very popular. 20 So Hamor and Shechem appeared before the city council[ac] and presented their request.

21 “Those men are our friends,” they said. “Let’s invite them to live here among us and ply their trade. For the land is large enough to hold them, and we can intermarry with them. 22 But they will only consider staying here on one condition—that every one of us men be circumcised, the same as they are. 23 But if we do this, then all they have will become ours and the land will be enriched. Come on, let’s agree to this so that they will settle here among us.”

24 So all the men agreed, and all were circumcised. 25 But three days later, when their wounds were sore and sensitive to every move they made, two of Dinah’s brothers, Simeon and Levi, took their swords, entered the city without opposition, and slaughtered every man there, 26 including Hamor and Shechem. They rescued Dinah from Shechem’s house and returned to their camp again. 27 Then all of Jacob’s sons went over and plundered the city because their sister had been dishonored there. 28 They confiscated all the flocks and herds and donkeys—everything they could lay their hands on, both inside the city and outside in the fields, 29 and took all the women and children, and wealth of every kind.

30 Then Jacob said to Levi and Simeon, “You have made me stink among all the people of this land—all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few that they will come and crush us, and we will all be killed.”

31 “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?” they retorted.

35 “Move on to Bethel now, and settle there,” God said to Jacob, “and build an altar to worship me—the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

So Jacob instructed all those in his household to destroy the idols they had brought with them, and to wash themselves and to put on fresh clothing. “For we are going to Bethel,” he told them, “and I will build an altar there to the God who answered my prayers in the day of my distress, and was with me on my journey.”

So they gave Jacob all their idols and their earrings, and he buried them beneath the oak tree near Shechem. Then they started on again. And the terror of God was upon all the cities they journeyed through, so that they were not attacked. Finally they arrived at Luz (also called Bethel), in Canaan. And Jacob erected an altar there and named it “the altar to the God who met me here at Bethel”[ad] because it was there at Bethel that God appeared to him when he was fleeing from Esau.

Soon after this[ae] Rebekah’s old nurse, Deborah, died and was buried beneath the oak tree in the valley below Bethel. And ever after it was called “The Oak of Weeping.”

Upon Jacob’s arrival at Bethel, en route from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him once again and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “You shall no longer be called Jacob (‘Grabber’), but Israel (‘One who prevails with God’). 11 I am God Almighty,” the Lord said to him, “and I will cause you to be fertile and to multiply and to become a great nation, yes, many nations; many kings shall be among your descendants. 12 And I will pass on to you the land I gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and to your descendants.”

13-14 Afterwards Jacob built a stone pillar at the place where God had appeared to him; and he poured wine over it as an offering to God and then anointed the pillar with olive oil. 15 Jacob named the spot Bethel (“House of God”), because God had spoken to him there.

16 Leaving Bethel, he and his household traveled on toward Ephrath (Bethlehem). But Rachel’s pains of childbirth began while they were still a long way away. 17 After a very hard delivery, the midwife finally exclaimed, “Wonderful—another boy!” 18 And with Rachel’s last breath (for she died) she named him “Ben-oni” (“Son of my sorrow”); but his father called him “Benjamin” (“Son of my right hand”).

19 So Rachel died, and was buried near the road to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set up a monument of stones upon her grave, and it is there to this day.

21 Then Israel journeyed on and camped beyond the Tower of Eder. 22 It was while he was there that Reuben slept with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and someone told Israel about it.

Here are the names of the twelve sons of Jacob:

23 The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s oldest child, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun.

24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph, Benjamin.

25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant girl: Dan, Naphtali.

26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant girl: Gad, Asher.

All these were born to him at Paddan-aram.

27 So Jacob came at last to Isaac his father at Mamre in Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron), where Abraham too had lived. 28-29 Isaac died soon afterwards, at the ripe old age of 180. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

36 Here is a list of the descendants of Esau (also called Edom): 2-3 Esau married three local girls from Canaan: Adah (daughter of Elon the Hethite), Oholibamah (daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite), Basemath (his cousin[af]—she was a daughter of Ishmael—the sister of Nebaioth).

Esau and Adah had a son named Eliphaz. Esau and Basemath had a son named Reuel.

Esau and Oholibamah had sons named Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. All these sons were born to Esau in the land of Canaan.

6-8 Then Esau took his wives, children, household servants, cattle and flocks—all the wealth he had gained in the land of Canaan—and moved away from his brother Jacob to Mount Seir. (For there was not land enough to support them both because of all their cattle.)

Here are the names of Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, born to him in Mount Seir:

10-12 Descended from his wife Adah, born to her son Eliphaz were: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, Amalek (born to Timna, Eliphaz’ concubine).

13-14 Esau also had grandchildren from his wife Basemath. Born to her son Reuel were: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, Mizzah.

15-16 Esau’s grandchildren[ag] became the heads of clans, as listed here: the clan of Teman, the clan of Omar, the clan of Zepho, the clan of Kenaz, the clan of Korah, the clan of Gatam, the clan of Amalek.

The above clans were the descendants of Eliphaz, the oldest son of Esau and Adah.

17 The following clans were the descendants of Reuel, born to Esau and his wife Basemath while they lived in Canaan: the clan of Nahath, the clan of Zerah, the clan of Shammah, the clan of Mizzah.

18-19 And these are the clans named after the sons of Esau and his wife Oholibamah (daughter of Anah): the clan of Jeush, the clan of Jalam, the clan of Korah.

20-21 These are the names of the tribes that descended from Seir, the Horite—one of the native families of the land of Seir: the tribe of Lotan, the tribe of Shobal, the tribe of Zibeon, the tribe of Anah, the tribe of Dishon, the tribe of Ezer, the tribe of Dishan.

22 The children of Lotan (the son of Seir) were Hori and Heman. (Lotan had a sister, Timna.)

23 The children of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, Onam.

24 The children of Zibeon: Aiah, Anah. (This is the boy who discovered a hot springs in the wasteland while he was grazing his father’s donkeys.)

25 The children of Anah: Dishon, Oholibamah.

26 The children of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, Cheran.

27 The children of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, Akan.

28-30 The children of Dishan: Uz, Aran.[ah]

31-39 These are the names of the kings of Edom (before Israel had her first king):

King Bela (son of Beor), from Dinhabah in Edom.

Succeeded by:[ai] King Jobab (son of BoZerah), from the city of Bozrah.

Succeeded by: King Husham, from the land of the Temanites.

Succeeded by: King Hadad (son of Bedad), the leader of the forces that defeated the army of Midian when it invaded Moab. His city was Avith.

Succeeded by: King Samlah, from Masrekah.

Succeeded by: King Shaul, from Rehoboth-by-the-River.

Succeeded by: King Baal-hanan (son of Achbor).

Succeeded by: King Hadad, from the city of Pau.

King Hadad’s wife was Mehetabel, daughter of Matred and granddaughter of Mezahab.

40-43 Here are the names of the subtribes of Esau, living in the localities named after themselves: the clan of Timna, the clan of Alvah, the clan of Jetheth, the clan of Oholibamah, the clan of Elah, the clan of Pinon, the clan of Kenaz, the clan of Teman, the clan of Mibzar, the clan of Magdiel, the clan of Iram.

These, then, are the names of the subtribes of Edom, each giving its name to the area it occupied. (All were Edomites, descendants of Esau.)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:21 even after many years of marriage, implied in vv. 20 and 26.
  2. Genesis 25:25 Esau sounds a little like the Hebrew word for “hair.”
  3. Genesis 25:34 indifferent to the loss of the rights he had thrown away, literally, “thus did Esau consider his birthright to be of no value.”
  4. Genesis 26:20 The Well of Argument, i.e., Esek.
  5. Genesis 26:21 The Well of Anger, i.e., Sitnah.
  6. Genesis 26:22 The Well of Room Enough for Us at Last, i.e., Rehoboth.
  7. Genesis 26:33 The Well of the Oath, i.e., Shibah. Oath, i.e., Beer-sheba.
  8. Genesis 27:2 that belong to you, my firstborn son, implied.
  9. Genesis 27:8 instead of Esau, implied.
  10. Genesis 27:11 He won’t be fooled that easily, implied.
  11. Genesis 27:36 The Cheater. Jacob means “Cheater.”
  12. Genesis 27:38 Isaac says nothing. This appears in some versions, not in others.
  13. Genesis 28:2 your grandfather, literally, “your mother’s father.” your Uncle, literally, “your mother’s brother.”
  14. Genesis 28:12 a staircase, literally, “a ladder.”
  15. Genesis 28:19 of the nearest village, literally, “of the city.”
  16. Genesis 29:26 Laban replied smoothly, implied from context.
  17. Genesis 30:6 Dan (meaning “Justice”). The meaning is not of the actual Hebrew name, but of a Hebrew word sounding like the name. The name given is a Hebrew pun. An example in English might be, “Because of the large hospital bill the child was named ‘Bill.’”
  18. Genesis 30:14 mandrakes, a leafy plant eaten by peasant women who supposed this would aid them in becoming pregnant.
  19. Genesis 30:27 a fortune-teller that I consulted, literally, “I have learned by divination.”
  20. Genesis 31:12 and told me that I should mate the white female goats with streaked, speckled, and mottled male goats, implied; literally, “notice that all the mating males are speckled, streaked, and mottled.”
  21. Genesis 31:35 but I’m having my monthly period, implied; literally, “The manner of women is upon me.” She was pregnant with Benjamin, but was falsely claiming her menstrual period, which, under the later Mosaic law, caused ceremonial defilement of all that she sat upon. See Leviticus 15.
  22. Genesis 31:39 stolen . . . whether I could help it or not, literally, “stolen by day or by night.”
  23. Genesis 31:47 if either of us trespasses across this line, implied.
  24. Genesis 32:1 So Jacob and his household, implied. God’s territory, literally, “Two encampments.”
  25. Genesis 32:10 left home, literally, “passed over this Jordan.”
  26. Genesis 32:22 and wakened, implied.
  27. Genesis 33:10 I was as frightened of you as though approaching God, literally, “forasmuch as I have seen your face as one sees the face of God.”
  28. Genesis 33:13 as you can see, implied.
  29. Genesis 34:20 appeared before the city council, literally, “came into the gate of their city.”
  30. Genesis 35:7 the God who met me here at Bethel, literally, “the God of Bethel.”
  31. Genesis 35:8 Soon after this, implied.
  32. Genesis 36:2 Basemath (his cousin, implied; literally, Basemath “the daughter of Ishmael.”
  33. Genesis 36:15 grandchildren, implied.
  34. Genesis 36:28 See vv. 20-21.
  35. Genesis 36:31 succeeded by, more literally, “succeeded at his death by.” from the city, implied.