- And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac, and 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.
- And 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. And 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. And 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. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment. And they called his name Esau. 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 sixty years old when she bore them.
- And the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison, but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob cooked stew, and Esau came from the field and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray you, with that same red stew, for I am faint (therefore was his name called Edom). And Jacob said, Sell me this day your birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of dying, and what shall this birthright profit me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day. And he swore unto him, and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then 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.
- And 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. And the Lord appeared unto him and said, Go not down into Egypt. Dwell in the land which I shall tell you of. Sojourn 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. And 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 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
- And Isaac dwelled in Gerar. And 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.
- 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 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. And 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. And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
- Then Isaac sowed in that land and received in the same year a hundredfold. And the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great, for he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants; and the Philistines envied him. For 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.
- And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us, for you are much mightier than we. And Isaac departed from there, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelled there.
- And 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. And Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of springing water. And 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. And they dug another well, and quarreled for that also. And he called the name of it Sitnah. And 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. And he went up from there to Beersheba, and 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. And 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.
- Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath (one of his friends), and Phichol (the chief captain of his army). And Isaac said unto them, Why do you come to me, seeing you hate me and have sent me away from you? And 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, that 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. And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. And they rose up early in the morning and swore one to another. And Isaac sent them away and they departed from him in peace. And 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. And he called it Shebah; therefore, the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.
- And 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, who were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
- 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 you, your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and take me some venison. And 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.
- And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison and to bring it. And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard your father speak unto Esau your brother, saying, Bring me venison and make me savory food, that I may eat and bless you before the Lord before my death. Now, therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you. Go 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. And you shall bring it to your father that he may eat and that he may bless you before his death. And Jacob said to Rebekah, his mother, Behold, Esau, my brother, is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. My 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. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be your curse, my son, only obey my voice and go fetch me them.
- And he went and fetched and brought them to his mother. And his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. And Rebekah took handsome raiment of her eldest son, Esau, which was with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob, her younger son. And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands and upon the smooth of his neck. And she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
- And he came unto his father and said, My father. And he said, Here am I. Who are you, my son? And 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. And 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. And 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. 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. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy as his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. And he said, Are you my very son Esau? And he said, I am. And 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. And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now and kiss me, my son. 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 has blessed. Therefore, God give you of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let 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.
- And 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. And 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. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who are you? And he said, I am your son, your first born, Esau. And 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. And 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. And he said, Your brother came with subtlety and has taken away your blessing. And 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? And 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? And 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. And 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. And 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.
- And 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. 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, your brother Esau, as touching you, does comfort himself, purposing to kill you. Now, therefore, my son, obey my voice and arise; flee to Laban, my brother, to Haran. And stay with him a few days until your brother’s fury turn away, until 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? And 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?
- And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, 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. And God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a multitude of people, and 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. And 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.
- When 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, and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and was gone to Paddanaram, and Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father, then 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.
- And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. And 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. 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. And 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. And 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. And 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.
- And Jacob awoke out of his sleep and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. 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! 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. And he called the name of that place Beth-el, but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 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, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. And 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.
- Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. And 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, and 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. And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, From Haran. And he said unto them, Do you know 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 comes with the sheep. And 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. And 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. And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them. 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. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 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.
- 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. And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him the space of a month. And Laban said unto Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for naught? Tell me, what shall your wages be? And Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender-eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored. And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Abide with me.
- And Jacob served seven years for Rachel. And they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give unto me my wife, that I may go and take her, for my days of serving you are fulfilled. And Laban gave her to Jacob, and gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. And 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. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah, his handmaid, to be a handmaid for her.
- And 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? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first born. Fulfill her week, and we will give you this also for the service which you shall serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week, and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her maid. And he went in also and slept with Rachel. And he loved Rachel also, more than Leah, and served with Laban yet seven other years.
- And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And 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. And 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. And 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. And 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.
- And when Rachel saw that she bore 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 has withheld from you the fruit of the womb? And 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. And she gave him Bilhah, her handmaid, to wife. And Jacob went in and lay with her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son; therefore called she his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, conceived again and bore 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 unto Jacob to wife. And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop comes. And she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed. And she called his name Asher. 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 you, of your son’s mandrakes. And 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. And 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. And God listened unto Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob the fifth son. And Leah said, God has given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband. And she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again and bore Jacob the sixth son. And 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. And afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son, and said, God has taken away my reproach. And she called his name Joseph, and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.
- And 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. Give 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. And 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. And he said, Appoint me your wages and I will give it. And he said unto him, You know how I have served you and how your cattle was with me, for 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? And 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. I 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. So 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. And Laban said, Behold, I wish it might be according to your word.
- And 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. And he set three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks. And 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. And 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. And the flocks conceived before the rods and brought forth cattle ring-streaked, speckled, and spotted. And 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.
- And 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; but when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in — so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
- And 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. 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 your fathers, and to your kindred, and I will be with you.
- 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 has been with me. And you know that with all my power I have served your father. And your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God suffered him not to hurt me. If 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. Thus, God has taken away the cattle of your father and given them to me. And 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. And the angel of God spoke unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob. And I said, Here am I. And 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. I 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.
- And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not counted of him strangers? For he has sold us and has quite devoured also our money; for 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. Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and his wives upon camels. 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 Paddanaram, in order to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. And Laban went to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s. And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 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.
- And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. And he took his brethren with him and pursued after him seven days’ journey, and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. And 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. Then Laban overtook Jacob.
- Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. And 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? Why 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? And have not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? You have now done foolishly in so doing. It 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. And now, though you would need to be gone, because you sorely longed after your father’s house, yet why have you stolen my gods? And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid, for I said perhaps you would take by force your daughters from me. With 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). 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.
- Now 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. And 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. And 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? Whereas 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. This 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. That 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. Thus I was: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. Thus 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. Except 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.
- 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 you see is mine. And what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children whom they have borne? Now therefore come, let us make a covenant, I and you. And let it be for a witness between me and you. And Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones. And they took stones and made a heap, and they did eat there upon the heap. And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you this day; therefore was the name of it called Galeed and Mizpah — for he said, The Lord watch between me and you when we are absent one from another. If 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. And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap and behold this pillar which I have cast between me and you. This 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. The 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. Then 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. 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.
- 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 you speak unto my lord Esau: Your servant Jacob says 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 your sight.
- And 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. 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 who said unto me, Return unto your country and to your kindred and I will deal well with you, I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which you have shown unto your servant. For with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. Deliver 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. And you said, I will surely do you good and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
- And he lodged there that same night, and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother: two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milk-giving camels with their colts, forty cattle and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals. 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 between drove and drove. And 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? — then 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.
- And 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. And 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. So went the present over before him, and himself lodged that night in the company.
- And 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. And he took them and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
- And Jacob was left alone. And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 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. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaks. And he said, I will not let you go except you bless me. And he said unto him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And 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. And 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. And Jacob called the name of the place Peni-el, for I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Peni-el, the sun rose upon him and he limped upon his thigh. 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.
- 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 rearmost. 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 you? And he said, The children whom God has graciously given your 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 do you mean 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 you have unto yourself. And 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. Take, 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.
- And he said, Let us take our journey and let us go, and I will go before you. And 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. Let 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. And 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. So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir, and Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore, the name of the place is called Succoth.
- And 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. 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 a hundred pieces of money.
- And he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
- And Dinah, the daughter of Leah whom she bore 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 cleaved unto Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. And he loved the damsel and spoke kindly unto the damsel. And Shechem spoke 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 had come. And Hamor, the father of Shechem, went out unto Jacob to speak 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 angry because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter, which thing ought not to be done. And 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 and make marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you. And you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade therein, and get yourself possessions therein. And 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. Ask 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. And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. And 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. But in this will we consent unto you if you will be as we are — that every male of you is circumcised; 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. But if you will not listen unto us, to be circumcised, then will we take our daughter and we will be gone. And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. And 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.
- And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying, 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. Only 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. Shall 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. And 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. 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. 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. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, and all their wealth; and all their little ones and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. And 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. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?
- And 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.
- 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 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. 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, Beth-el), he and all the people that were with him. And 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. But Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak. And the name of it was called Allonbachuth. And God appeared unto Jacob again when he came out of Paddanaram, and blessed him. And 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. And 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. And 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. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
- 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. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him Beth-el.
- And they journeyed from Beth-el. And there was but a little way to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. And it came to pass when she was in hard labor that the midwife said unto her, Fear not, you shall have this son also. 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. And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave, that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.
- And Israel journeyed and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder. And 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. The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s first born), and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid: Dan and Naphtali. And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddanaram.
- And Jacob came unto Isaac his father, unto Mamre, unto the city of Arba which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac were a hundred eighty years. 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.
Chapter 9