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Genesis 31:19-32:32
English Standard Version

19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's (A)household gods. 20 And Jacob tricked[a] Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the (B)Euphrates,[b] and (C)set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean (D)in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, (E)either good or bad.”

25 And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have (F)tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly (G)and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me (H)to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is (I)in my power to do you harm. But the (J)God of your[c] father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, (K)either good or bad.’ 30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house, but why did you (L)steal my gods?” 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 (M)Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 So Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel's saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot (N)rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.

36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and (O)your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. (P)From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. (Q)I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and (R)you have changed my wages ten times. 42 (S)If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the (T)Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (U)God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and (V)rebuked you last night.”

43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, (W)let us make a covenant, you and I. (X)And let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob (Y)took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha,[d] but Jacob called it Galeed.[e] 48 Laban said, (Z)“This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 (AA)and Mizpah,[f] for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, (AB)God is witness between you and me.”

51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 (AC)This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the (AD)Fear of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called (AE)his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.

55 [g] Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed (AF)his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.

Jacob Fears Esau

32 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God's (AG)camp!” So he called the name of that place (AH)Mahanaim.[h]

3 And Jacob sent[i] messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of (AI)Seir, the country of Edom, 4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that (AJ)I may find favor in your sight.’”

6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and (AK)he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” 7 Then Jacob was (AL)greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, 8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”

9 And Jacob said, (AM)“O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who (AN)said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 (AO)I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for (AP)I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But (AQ)you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

13 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took (AR)a present for his brother Esau, 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.” 17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’” 19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, 20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease him[j] with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”[k] 21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles with God

22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children,[l] and crossed the ford of the (AS)Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And (AT)a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, (AU)“I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, (AV)“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[m] for (AW)you have striven with God and (AX)with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, (AY)“Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,[n] saying, “For (AZ)I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed (BA)Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:20 Hebrew stole the heart of; also verses 26, 27
  2. Genesis 31:21 Hebrew the River
  3. Genesis 31:29 The Hebrew for your is plural here
  4. Genesis 31:47 Aramaic the heap of witness
  5. Genesis 31:47 Hebrew the heap of witness
  6. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchpost
  7. Genesis 31:55 Ch 32:1 in Hebrew
  8. Genesis 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps
  9. Genesis 32:3 Or had sent
  10. Genesis 32:20 Hebrew appease his face
  11. Genesis 32:20 Hebrew he will lift my face
  12. Genesis 32:22 Or sons
  13. Genesis 32:28 Israel means He strives with God, or God strives
  14. Genesis 32:30 Peniel means the face of God
Listen to Genesis 31:19-32:32
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Genesis 31:19-32:32
New International Version

19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(A) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(B) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(C) Laban the Aramean(D) by not telling him he was running away.(E) 21 So he fled(F) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(G) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(H)

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day(I) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(J) 23 Taking his relatives(K) with him(L), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(M) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(N) in a dream at night and said to him,(O) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(P)

25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(Q) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(R) You’ve deceived me,(S) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(T) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(U) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(V) and harps?(W) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(X) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(Y) but last night the God of your father(Z) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(AA) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(AB) But why did you steal(AC) my gods?(AD)”

31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(AE) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(AF) In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.(AG)

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(AH) and into the tent of the two female servants,(AI) but he found nothing.(AJ) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(AK) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(AL) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(AM) through everything in the tent but found nothing.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence;(AN) I’m having my period.(AO)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(AP)

36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged(AQ) you that you hunt me down?(AR) 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household?(AS) Put it here in front of your relatives(AT) and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.(AU)

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(AV) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(AW) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen(AX) by day or night.(AY) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(AZ) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(BA) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(BB) and six years for your flocks,(BC) and you changed my wages(BD) ten times.(BE) 42 If the God of my father,(BF) the God of Abraham(BG) and the Fear of Isaac,(BH) had not been with me,(BI) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(BJ) and last night he rebuked you.(BK)”

43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.(BL) All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant,(BM) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”(BN)

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.(BO) 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap,(BP) and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.[a](BQ)

48 Laban said, “This heap(BR) is a witness between you and me today.”(BS) That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah,[b](BT) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat(BU) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness(BV) between you and me.”(BW)

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(BX) and here is this pillar(BY) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(BZ) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(CA) and pillar to my side to harm me.(CB) 53 May the God of Abraham(CC) and the God of Nahor,(CD) the God of their father, judge between us.”(CE)

So Jacob took an oath(CF) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.(CG) 54 He offered a sacrifice(CH) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.(CI) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters(CJ) and blessed(CK) them. Then he left and returned home.[c](CL)

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32 [d]Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God(CM) met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”(CN) So he named that place Mahanaim.[e](CO)

3 Jacob sent messengers(CP) ahead of him to his brother Esau(CQ) in the land of Seir,(CR) the country of Edom.(CS) 4 He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord(CT) Esau: ‘Your servant(CU) Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban(CV) and have remained there till now. 5 I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants.(CW) Now I am sending this message to my lord,(CX) that I may find favor in your eyes.(CY)’”

6 When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”(CZ)

7 In great fear(DA) and distress(DB) Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups,[f](DC) and the flocks and herds and camels as well. 8 He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group,[g] the group[h] that is left may escape.”

9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham,(DD) God of my father Isaac,(DE) Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’(DF) 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness(DG) you have shown your servant. I had only my staff(DH) when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.(DI) 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid(DJ) he will come and attack me,(DK) and also the mothers with their children.(DL) 12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand(DM) of the sea, which cannot be counted.(DN)’”

13 He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift(DO) for his brother Esau: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,(DP) 15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.(DQ) 16 He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.”(DR)

17 He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ 18 then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant(DS) Jacob. They are a gift(DT) sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’”

19 He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, ‘Your servant(DU) Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts(DV) I am sending on ahead;(DW) later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.”(DX) 21 So Jacob’s gifts(DY) went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles With God

22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons(DZ) and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.(EA) 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.(EB) 24 So Jacob was left alone,(EC) and a man(ED) wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip(EE) so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”(EF)

27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,”(EG) he answered.

28 Then the man said, “Your name(EH) will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,[i](EI) because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”(EJ)

29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”(EK)

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?”(EL) Then he blessed(EM) him there.

30 So Jacob called the place Peniel,[j] saying, “It is because I saw God face to face,(EN) and yet my life was spared.”

31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel,[k](EO) and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip,(EP) because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
  2. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
  3. Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.
  4. Genesis 32:1 In Hebrew texts 32:1-32 is numbered 32:2-33.
  5. Genesis 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps.
  6. Genesis 32:7 Or camps
  7. Genesis 32:8 Or camp
  8. Genesis 32:8 Or camp
  9. Genesis 32:28 Israel probably means he struggles with God.
  10. Genesis 32:30 Peniel means face of God.
  11. Genesis 32:31 Hebrew Penuel, a variant of Peniel
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