Old Covenants

New Covenants

The New Testament
The Book of Mormon
A Glossary of Gospel Terms

Modern Covenants

Teachings & Commandments
Covenant of Christ

  2. Old Covenants
  3. Genesis 9
  
  • Auto-scroll paragraphs
  • Auto-advance to next chapter

    Chapter 9

  1. 19And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac, 20and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
  2. 21And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife that she might bear children, because she was barren. And the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22And the children struggled together within her womb. And she said, If I am with child, why is it thus with me? And she went to inquire of the Lord. 23And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in your womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from your body. And one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger. 24And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment. And they called his name Esau. 26And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel. And his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
  3. 27And the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. 28And Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29And Jacob cooked stew, and Esau came from the field and he was faint. 30And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray you, with that same red stew, for I am faint (therefore was his name called Edom). 31And Jacob said, Sell me this day your birthright. 32And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of dying, and what shall this birthright profit me? 33And Jacob said, Swear to me this day. And he swore unto him, and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. And he did eat and drink, and rose up and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright.
  4. 26And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar. 2And the Lord appeared unto him and said, Go not down into Egypt. Dwell in the land which I shall tell you of. 3Sojourn in this land and I will be with you, and will bless you, for unto you and unto your seed I will give all these countries. And I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham your father. 4And I will make your seed to multiply as the stars of heaven and will give unto your seed all these countries. And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed 5because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
  5. 6And Isaac dwelled in Gerar. 7And the men of the place asked him concerning his wife. And he said, She is my sister — for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest the men of the place should kill him in order to get Rebekah because she was fair to look upon.
  6. 8And 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. 9And Abimelech called Isaac and said, Behold, of a certainty Rebekah is your wife. And why did you say she is your sister? And Isaac said unto him, I said it because I feared, lest I die for her. 10And Abimelech said, What is this you have done unto us? One of the people might lightly have lain with your wife and you should have brought guiltiness upon us. 11And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
  7. 12Then Isaac sowed in that land and received in the same year a hundredfold. And the Lord blessed him. 13And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great, 14for he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants; and the Philistines envied him. 15For all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them and filled them with earth.
  8. 16And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us, for you are much mightier than we. 17And Isaac departed from there, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelled there.
  9. 18And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug 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. 19And Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of springing water. 20And the herdsmen of Gerar did quarrel with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek because they quarreled with him. 21And they dug another well, and quarreled for that also. And he called the name of it Sitnah. 22And he removed from there and dug another well. And for that, they quarreled not. And he called the name of it Rehoboth, and he said, For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. 23And he went up from there to Beersheba, 24and the Lord appeared unto him the same night and said, I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. 25And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
  10. 26Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath (one of his friends), and Phichol (the chief captain of his army). 27And Isaac said unto them, Why do you come to me, seeing you hate me and have sent me away from you? 28And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord was with you, and we said, Let there be now an oath between us, even between us and you. And let us make a covenant with you, 29that you will do us no hurt as we have not touched you, and as we have done unto you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace; you are now the blessed of the Lord. 30And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. 31And they rose up early in the morning and swore one to another. And Isaac sent them away and they departed from him in peace. 32And it came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said unto him, We have found water. 33And he called it Shebah; therefore, the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.
  11. 34And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35who were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
  12. 27And 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. 2And he said, Behold, now I am old, I know not the day of my death. 3Now therefore take, I pray you, your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and take me some venison. 4And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.
  13. 5And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison and to bring it. 6And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard your father speak unto Esau your brother, saying, 7Bring me venison and make me savory food, that I may eat and bless you before the Lord before my death. 8Now, therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you. 9Go now to the flock and fetch me from there two good kids of the goats, and I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves. 10And you shall bring it to your father that he may eat and that he may bless you before his death. 11And Jacob said to Rebekah, his mother, Behold, Esau, my brother, is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12My father perhaps will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver, and I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing. 13And his mother said unto him, Upon me be your curse, my son, only obey my voice and go fetch me them.
  14. 14And he went and fetched and brought them to his mother. And his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 15And Rebekah took handsome raiment of her eldest son, Esau, which was with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob, her younger son. 16And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands and upon the smooth of his neck. 17And she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
  15. 18And he came unto his father and said, My father. And he said, Here am I. Who are you, my son? 19And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau, your first born; I have done according as you bid me. Arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me. 20And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord your God brought it to me. 21And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray you, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are my very son Esau or not. 22And 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. 23And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy as his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. 24And he said, Are you my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 25And he said, Bring it near to me and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless you. And he brought it near to him and he did eat. And he brought him wine and he drank. 26And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now and kiss me, my son. 27And 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 has blessed. 28Therefore, God give you of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. 29Let people serve you and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brethren and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone that curses you and blessed be he that blesses you.
  16. 30And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31And he also had made savory food and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise and eat of his son’s venison, that your soul may bless me. 32And Isaac his father said unto him, Who are you? And he said, I am your son, your first born, Esau. 33And Isaac trembled very exceedingly and said, Who? Where is he that has taken venison and brought it to me? And I have eaten of all before you came and have blessed him — yea, and he shall be blessed. 34And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceedingly bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. 35And he said, Your brother came with subtlety and has taken away your blessing. 36And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted 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? 37And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants, and with grain and wine have I sustained him; and what shall I do now unto you, my son? 38And Esau said unto his father, Do you have but one blessing my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, your dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above. 40And by your sword shall you live and shall serve your brother. And it shall come to pass, when you shall have the dominion, that you shall break his yoke from off your neck.
  17. 41And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which 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. 42And 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, your brother Esau, as touching you, does comfort himself, purposing to kill you. 43Now, therefore, my son, obey my voice and arise; flee to Laban, my brother, to Haran. 44And stay with him a few days until your brother’s fury turn away, 45until your brother’s anger turn away from you, and he forget that which you have done to him. Then I will send and fetch you from there; why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? 46And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these whom are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?
  18. 28And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2Arise, go to Paddanaram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and take a wife from there of the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3And God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a multitude of people, 4and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your seed with you, that you may inherit the land wherein you are a stranger which God gave unto Abraham. 5And Isaac sent away Jacob, and he went to Paddanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.
  19. 6When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddanaram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, 7and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and was gone to Paddanaram, 8and Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father, 9then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives whom he had Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael (Abraham’s son), the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.
  20. 10And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11And he lighted upon a certain place and stayed 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. 12And 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. 13And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed. 14And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15And behold, I am with you, and will keep you in all places to which you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you until I have done that which I have spoken to you of.
  21. 16And Jacob awoke out of his sleep and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. 17And 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! 18And 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. 19And he called the name of that place Beth-el, but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 20And 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, 21so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. 22And the place of this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be the place of God’s house. And of all that you shall give me, I will surely give the tenth unto you.
  22. 29Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. 2And he looked and beheld a well in the field, and behold, 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, 3and there 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. 4And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, From Haran. 5And he said unto them, Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well. And behold, Rachel his daughter comes with the sheep. 7And he said, Look, it is yet midday, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. Water the sheep and go and feed them. 8And they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and until they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep. 9And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them. 10And 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. 11And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son. And she ran and told her father.
  23. 13And 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. 14And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him the space of a month. 15And Laban said unto Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for naught? Tell me, what shall your wages be? 16And Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah was tender-eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored. 18And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter. 19And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Abide with me.
  24. 20And Jacob served seven years for Rachel. And they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had to her. 21And Jacob said unto Laban, Give unto me my wife, that I may go and take her, for my days of serving you are fulfilled. 22And Laban gave her to Jacob, and gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23And it came to pass, in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and she went in and slept with him. 24And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah, his handmaid, to be a handmaid for her.
  25. 25And it came to pass that in the morning, behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this you have done unto me? Did not I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you beguiled me? 26And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first born. 27Fulfill her week, and we will give you this also for the service which you shall serve with me yet seven other years. 28And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week, and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her maid. 30And he went in also and slept with Rachel. And he loved Rachel also, more than Leah, and served with Laban yet seven other years.
  26. 31And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben — for she said, Surely the Lord has looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. 33And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, Because the Lord has heard that I was hated, he has therefore given me this son also. And she called his name Simeon. 34And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons; therefore was his name called Levi. 35And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, Now will I praise the Lord; therefore, she called his name Judah, and left bearing.
  27. 30And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel. And he said, Am I in God’s stead who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb? 3And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah. Go in and lie with her and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. 4And she gave him Bilhah, her handmaid, to wife. And Jacob went in and lay with her. 5And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6And Rachel said, God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son; therefore called she his name Dan. 7And Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed. And she called his name Naphtali. 9When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah, her maid, and gave her unto Jacob to wife. 10And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob a son. 11And Leah said, A troop comes. And she called his name Gad. 12And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob a second son. 13And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed. And she called his name Asher. 14And 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 you, of your son’s mandrakes. 15And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband? And would you take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes. 16And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, You must come in and lie with me, for surely I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. 17And God listened unto Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob the fifth son. 18And Leah said, God has given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband. And she called his name Issachar. 19And Leah conceived again and bore Jacob the sixth son. 20And Leah said, God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now will my husband dwell with me because I have borne him six sons. And she called his name Zebulun. 21And afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23And she conceived and bore a son, and said, God has taken away my reproach. 24And she called his name Joseph, and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.
  28. 25And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto my own place and to my country. 26Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you and let me go, for you know my service which I have done you. 27And Laban said unto him, I urge you, if I have found favor in your eyes, stay. For I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake. 28And he said, Appoint me your wages and I will give it. 29And he said unto him, You know how I have served you and how your cattle was with me, 30for it was little which you had before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord has blessed you since my coming. And now when shall I provide for my own house also? 31And he said, What shall I give you? And Jacob said, You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flock. 32I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there 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. 33So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before your face. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. 34And Laban said, Behold, I wish it might be according to your word.
  29. 35And he removed that day the he-goats that were ring-streaked 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. 36And he set three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks. 37And Jacob took himself rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree, and peeled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. 38And he set the rods which he had peeled 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. 39And the flocks conceived before the rods and brought forth cattle ring-streaked, speckled, and spotted. 40And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-streaked 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.
  30. 41And it came to pass whenever 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; 42but when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in — so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
  31. 31And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. And of that which was our father’s has he gotten all this glory. 2And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and behold, it was not toward him as before.
  32. 3And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of your fathers, and to your kindred, and I will be with you.
  33. 4And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, unto his flock, 5and said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. 6And you know that with all my power I have served your father. 7And your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8If he said thus, The speckled shall be your wages — then all the cattle bore speckled. And if he said thus, The ring-streaked shall be your hire — then bore all the cattle ring-streaked. 9Thus, God has taken away the cattle of your father and given them to me. 10And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream. And behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled. 11And the angel of God spoke unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob. And I said, Here am I. 12And he said, Lift up now your eyes and see. All the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does unto you. 13I am the God of Beth-el, where you anointed the pillar and where you vowed a vow unto me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return unto the land of your kindred.
  34. 14And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15Are we not counted of him strangers? For he has sold us and has quite devoured also our money; 16for all the riches which God has taken from our father, that is ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said unto you, do. 17Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and his wives upon camels. 18And he carried away all his cattle and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting which he had gotten in Paddanaram, in order to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. 19And Laban went to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s. 20And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 21So he fled with all that he had. And he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
  35. 22And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23And he took his brethren with him and pursued after him seven days’ journey, and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 24And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 25Then Laban overtook Jacob.
  36. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. 26And Laban said to Jacob, What have you done, that you have stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword? 27Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and did not tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp? 28And have not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? You have now done foolishly in so doing. 29It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt, but the God of your father spoke unto me last night, saying, Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 30And now, though you would need to be gone, because you sorely longed after your father’s house, yet why have you stolen my gods? 31And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid, for I said perhaps you would take by force your daughters from me. 32With whomever you find your gods, let him not live; before our brethren, you discern what is yours with me, and take it to yourself (for Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them). 33And 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.
  37. 34Now Rachel had taken the images and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. 35And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you, for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images. 36And Jacob was angry and argued with Laban. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued after me? 37Whereas you have searched all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both. 38This twenty years have I been with you. Your ewes and your she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of your flock have I not eaten. 39That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto you — I bore the loss of it. Of my hand did you require it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40Thus I was: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. 41Thus have I been twenty years in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your cattle, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely you would have sent me away now empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.
  38. 43And 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 you see is mine. And what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children whom they have borne? 44Now therefore come, let us make a covenant, I and you. And let it be for a witness between me and you. 45And Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar. 46And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones. And they took stones and made a heap, and they did eat there upon the heap. 47And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you this day; therefore was the name of it called Galeed 49and Mizpah — for he said, The Lord watch between me and you when we are absent one from another. 50If you shall afflict my daughters, or if you shall take other wives besides my daughters, no man is with us. See, God is witness between me and you. 51And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap and behold this pillar which I have cast between me and you. 52This heap be witness and this pillar be witness that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you shall not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. 53The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father judge between us. And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. 54Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount and called his brethren to eat bread. And they did eat bread, and remained all night in the mount. 55And 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.
  39. 32And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host. And he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother, unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall you speak unto my lord Esau: Your servant Jacob says thus: I have sojourned with Laban and stayed there until now. 5And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants. And I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in your sight.
  40. 6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother Esau, and also he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him. 7Then 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, 8and said, If Esau come to the one company and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape. 9And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said unto me, Return unto your country and to your kindred and I will deal well with you, 10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which you have shown unto your servant. For with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. 11Deliver me, I pray you, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mothers with the children. 12And you said, I will surely do you good and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
  41. 13And he lodged there that same night, and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother: 14two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15thirty milk-giving camels with their colts, forty cattle and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals. 16And 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 between drove and drove. 17And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau, my brother, meets you and asks you, saying, Whose are you? And where are you going? And whose are these before you? — 18then you shall say, They are your servant Jacob’s. It is a present sent unto my lord Esau. And behold also, he is behind us.
  42. 19And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall you speak unto Esau when you find him. 20And say moreover, Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us, for he said, I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept of me. 21So went the present over before him, and himself lodged that night in the company.
  43. 22And he rose up that night and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 23And he took them and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
  44. 24And Jacob was left alone. And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25And 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. 26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaks. And he said, I will not let you go except you bless me. 27And he said unto him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. 28And he said, your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel. For as a prince you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed. 29And Jacob asked him and said, Tell me, I pray you, your name. And he said, Why is it that you do ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30And Jacob called the name of the place Peni-el, for I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved. 31And as he passed over Peni-el, the sun rose upon him and he limped upon his thigh. 32Therefore, 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.
  45. 33And 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. 2And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph rearmost. 3And he passed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother.
  46. 4And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And they wept. 5And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, Who are those with you? And he said, The children whom God has graciously given your servant. 6Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. 7And Leah also with her children came near and bowed themselves. And after came Joseph near, and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. 8And he said, What do you mean by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. 9And Esau said, I have enough, my brother. Keep that you have unto yourself. 10And Jacob said, Nay, I pray you, if now I have found grace in your sight, then receive my present at my hand; for thus I have seen your face — as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. 11Take, I pray you, my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.
  47. 12And he said, Let us take our journey and let us go, and I will go before you. 13And he said unto him, My lord knows that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me. And if men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. 14Let my lord, I pray you, pass over before his servant, and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goes before me and the children are able to endure, until I come unto my lord, unto Seir. 15And Esau said, Let me now leave with you some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needs it? Let me find grace in the sight of my lord. 16So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir, 17and Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore, the name of the place is called Succoth.
  48. 18And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddanaram, and pitched his tent before the city. 19And 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 a hundred pieces of money.
  49. 20And he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
  50. 34And Dinah, the daughter of Leah whom she bore unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2And when Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. 3And his soul cleaved unto Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. And he loved the damsel and spoke kindly unto the damsel. 4And Shechem spoke unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife. 5And 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 had come. 6And Hamor, the father of Shechem, went out unto Jacob to speak with him. 7And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it. And the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter, which thing ought not to be done. 8And Hamor spoke with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. I ask you to give her to him to wife 9and make marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you. 10And you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade therein, and get yourself possessions therein. 11And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what you shall say unto me, I will give. 12Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as you shall say unto me, but give me the damsel to wife. 13And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach unto us. 15But in this will we consent unto you if you will be as we are — that every male of you is circumcised; 16then 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. 17But if you will not listen unto us, to be circumcised, then will we take our daughter and we will be gone. 18And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19And the young man deferred not to do the thing because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter, and he was more honorable than all the house of his father.
  51. 20And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying, 21These 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. 22Only herein will the men consent unto us in order to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23Shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of theirs be ours? Only let us consent unto them and they will dwell with us. 24And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son listened 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. 25And 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. 26And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out. 27The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, 29and all their wealth; and all their little ones and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. 30And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You 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. 31And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?
  52. 35And God said unto Jacob, Arise; go up to Beth-el and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God, who appeared unto you when you fled from the face of Esau, your brother.
  53. 2Then 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. 3And let us arise and go up to Beth-el, 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. 4And 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.
  54. 5And 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.
  55. 6So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan (that is, Beth-el), he and all the people that were with him. 7And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el because there God appeared unto him when he fled from the face of his brother. 8But Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak. And the name of it was called Allonbachuth. 9And God appeared unto Jacob again when he came out of Paddanaram, and blessed him. 10And God said unto him, Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not be called anymore Jacob, but Israel shall be your name. And he called his name Israel. 11And God said unto him, I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall be of you, and kings shall come out of your loins. 12And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your seed after you will I give the land. 13And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
  56. 14And 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. 15And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him Beth-el.
  57. 16And they journeyed from Beth-el. And there was but a little way to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. 17And it came to pass when she was in hard labor that the midwife said unto her, Fear not, you shall have this son also. 18And 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. 19And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 20And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave, that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.
  58. 21And Israel journeyed and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22And it came to pass when Israel dwelled 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. 23The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s first born), and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid: Dan and Naphtali. 26And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddanaram.
  59. 27And Jacob came unto Isaac his father, unto Mamre, unto the city of Arba which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. 28And the days of Isaac were a hundred eighty years. 29And 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.

« »