Add parallel Print Page Options

Jacob and Esau Meet

33 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids.(A) He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.(B)

But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.(C) When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”(D) Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and finally Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor with my lord.”(E) But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please; if I find favor with you, then accept my present from my hand, for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me with such favor.(F) 11 Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have everything I want.” So he urged him, and he took it.(G)

12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go alongside you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds, which are nursing, are a care to me, and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”(H)

15 So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why should my lord be so kind to me?”(I) 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to Succoth[a] and built himself a house and made booths for his cattle; therefore the place is called Succoth.(J)

Jacob Reaches Shechem

18 Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city.(K) 19 And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for one hundred pieces of money[b] the plot of land on which he had pitched his tent.(L) 20 There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.[c]

The Rape of Dinah

34 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the region.(M) When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the region, saw her, he seized her and lay with her by force. And his soul was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl to be my wife.”(N)

Now Jacob heard that Shechem[d] had defiled his daughter Dinah, but his sons were with his cattle in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him, just as the sons of Jacob came in from the field. When they heard of it, the men were indignant and very angry, because he had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.(O)

But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The heart of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him in marriage. Make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall live with us, and the land shall be open to you; live and trade in it and get property in it.”(P) 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor with you, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Put the marriage present and gift as high as you like, and I will give whatever you ask me; only give me the young woman to be my wife.”(Q)

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

18 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his family.(S) 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These people are friendly with us; let them live in the land and trade in it, for the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters in marriage, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will they agree to live among us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property, and all their animals be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will live among us.” 24 And all who went out of the city gate heeded Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.(T)

Dinah’s Brothers Avenge Their Sister

25 On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city unawares and killed all the males.(U) 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away. 27 And the other sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29 All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and made their prey. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites; my numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.”(V) 31 But they said, “Should our sister be treated like a prostitute?”

Jacob Returns to Bethel

35 God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”(W) So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your clothes;(X) then come, let us go up to Bethel, that I may make an altar there to the God who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”(Y) So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had and the rings that were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak that was near Shechem.(Z)

As they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities all around them, so that no one pursued them.(AA) Jacob came to Luz, that is, Bethel, which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him,(AB) and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel,[e] because it was there that God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.(AC) And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So it was called Allon-bacuth.[f](AD)

God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and he blessed him.(AE) 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall you be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he was called Israel.(AF) 11 God said to him, “I am God Almighty:[g] be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall spring from you.(AG) 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.”(AH) 13 Then God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him.(AI) 14 Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it.(AJ) 15 So Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.(AK)

The Birth of Benjamin and the Death of Rachel

16 Then they journeyed from Bethel, and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel was in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 When she was in her hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for now you have another son.”(AL) 18 As her soul was departing, for she was dying, she named him Ben-oni,[h] but his father called him Benjamin.[i] 19 And Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem,(AM) 20 and Jacob set up a pillar at her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day.(AN) 21 Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.(AO) 23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

The Death of Isaac

27 Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had resided as aliens.(AP) 28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years. 29 And Isaac breathed his last; he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days, and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. 33.17 That is, booths
  2. 33.19 Heb one hundred qesitah
  3. 33.20 That is, God, the God of Israel
  4. 34.5 Heb he
  5. 35.7 That is, God of Bethel
  6. 35.8 That is, oak of weeping
  7. 35.11 Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai
  8. 35.18 That is, son of my sorrow
  9. 35.18 That is, son of the right hand or son of the south

Jacob Meets Esau

33 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men;(A) so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants.(B) He put the female servants and their children(C) in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph(D) in the rear. He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground(E) seven times(F) as he approached his brother.

But Esau(G) ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.(H) And they wept.(I) Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.

Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.(J)

Then the female servants and their children(K) approached and bowed down.(L) Next, Leah and her children(M) came and bowed down.(N) Last of all came Joseph and Rachel,(O) and they too bowed down.

Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?”(P)

“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,”(Q) he said.

But Esau said, “I already have plenty,(R) my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”

10 “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes,(S) accept this gift(T) from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God,(U) now that you have received me favorably.(V) 11 Please accept the present(W) that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me(X) and I have all I need.”(Y) And because Jacob insisted,(Z) Esau accepted it.

12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.”

13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord(AA) knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young.(AB) If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds(AC) before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.(AD)

15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”

“But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.”(AE)

16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir.(AF) 17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth,(AG) where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.[a]

18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,[b](AH) he arrived safely at the city of Shechem(AI) in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19 For a hundred pieces of silver,[c] he bought from the sons of Hamor,(AJ) the father of Shechem,(AK) the plot of ground(AL) where he pitched his tent.(AM) 20 There he set up an altar(AN) and called it El Elohe Israel.[d]

Dinah and the Shechemites

34 Now Dinah,(AO) the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. When Shechem(AP) son of Hamor(AQ) the Hivite,(AR) the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and raped her.(AS) His heart was drawn to Dinah(AT) daughter of Jacob;(AU) he loved(AV) the young woman and spoke tenderly(AW) to her. And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.”(AX)

When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled,(AY) his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he did nothing about it until they came home.

Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob.(AZ) Meanwhile, Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked(BA) and furious,(BB) because Shechem had done an outrageous thing in[e] Israel(BC) by sleeping with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.(BD)

But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.(BE) Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.(BF) 10 You can settle among us;(BG) the land is open to you.(BH) Live in it, trade[f] in it,(BI) and acquire property in it.(BJ)

11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes,(BK) and I will give you whatever you ask. 12 Make the price for the bride(BL) and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the young woman as my wife.”

13 Because their sister Dinah had been defiled,(BM) Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully(BN) as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. 14 They said to them, “We can’t do such a thing; we can’t give our sister to a man who is not circumcised.(BO) That would be a disgrace to us. 15 We will enter into an agreement with you on one condition(BP) only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males.(BQ) 16 Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves.(BR) We’ll settle among you and become one people with you.(BS) 17 But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we’ll take our sister and go.”

18 Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. 19 The young man, who was the most honored(BT) of all his father’s family, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter.(BU) 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city(BV) to speak to the men of their city. 21 “These men are friendly toward us,” they said. “Let them live in our land and trade in it;(BW) the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours.(BX) 22 But the men will agree to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised,(BY) as they themselves are. 23 Won’t their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours?(BZ) So let us agree to their terms, and they will settle among us.(CA)

24 All the men who went out of the city gate(CB) agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.

25 Three days later, while all of them were still in pain,(CC) two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon(CD) and Levi,(CE) Dinah’s brothers, took their swords(CF) and attacked the unsuspecting city,(CG) killing every male.(CH) 26 They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword(CI) and took Dinah(CJ) from Shechem’s house and left. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city(CK) where[g] their sister had been defiled.(CL) 28 They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys(CM) and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields.(CN) 29 They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children,(CO) taking as plunder(CP) everything in the houses.(CQ)

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble(CR) on me by making me obnoxious(CS) to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land.(CT) We are few in number,(CU) and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”

31 But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?(CV)

Jacob Returns to Bethel

35 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel(CW) and settle there, and build an altar(CX) there to God,(CY) who appeared to you(CZ) when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”(DA)

So Jacob said to his household(DB) and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods(DC) you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.(DD) Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God,(DE) who answered me in the day of my distress(DF) and who has been with me wherever I have gone.(DG) So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears,(DH) and Jacob buried them under the oak(DI) at Shechem.(DJ) Then they set out, and the terror of God(DK) fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.(DL)

Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz(DM) (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.(DN) There he built an altar,(DO) and he called the place El Bethel,[h](DP) because it was there that God revealed himself to him(DQ) when he was fleeing from his brother.(DR)

Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse,(DS) died and was buried under the oak(DT) outside Bethel.(DU) So it was named Allon Bakuth.[i]

After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram,[j](DV) God appeared to him again and blessed him.(DW) 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob,[k] but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.[l](DX) So he named him Israel.

11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty[m];(DY) be fruitful and increase in number.(DZ) A nation(EA) and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.(EB) 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.(EC)(ED) 13 Then God went up from him(EE) at the place where he had talked with him.

14 Jacob set up a stone pillar(EF) at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering(EG) on it; he also poured oil on it.(EH) 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.[n](EI)

The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac(EJ)

16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath,(EK) Rachel(EL) began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife(EM) said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.”(EN) 18 As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni.[o](EO) But his father named him Benjamin.[p](EP)

19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath(EQ) (that is, Bethlehem(ER)). 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day(ES) that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.(ET)

21 Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.(EU) 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine(EV) Bilhah,(EW) and Israel heard of it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

23 The sons of Leah:(EX)

Reuben the firstborn(EY) of Jacob,

Simeon, Levi, Judah,(EZ) Issachar and Zebulun.(FA)

24 The sons of Rachel:

Joseph(FB) and Benjamin.(FC)

25 The sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah:(FD)

Dan and Naphtali.(FE)

26 The sons of Leah’s servant Zilpah:(FF)

Gad(FG) and Asher.(FH)

These were the sons of Jacob,(FI) who were born to him in Paddan Aram.(FJ)

27 Jacob came home to his father Isaac(FK) in Mamre,(FL) near Kiriath Arba(FM) (that is, Hebron),(FN) where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.(FO) 28 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years.(FP) 29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people,(FQ) old and full of years.(FR) And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.(FS)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 33:17 Sukkoth means shelters.
  2. Genesis 33:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  3. Genesis 33:19 Hebrew hundred kesitahs; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value.
  4. Genesis 33:20 El Elohe Israel can mean El is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.
  5. Genesis 34:7 Or against
  6. Genesis 34:10 Or move about freely; also in verse 21
  7. Genesis 34:27 Or because
  8. Genesis 35:7 El Bethel means God of Bethel.
  9. Genesis 35:8 Allon Bakuth means oak of weeping.
  10. Genesis 35:9 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verse 26
  11. Genesis 35:10 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he deceives.
  12. Genesis 35:10 Israel probably means he struggles with God.
  13. Genesis 35:11 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  14. Genesis 35:15 Bethel means house of God.
  15. Genesis 35:18 Ben-Oni means son of my trouble.
  16. Genesis 35:18 Benjamin means son of my right hand.

The Twelve Apostles

10 Then Jesus[a] summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.(A) These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus;[b] Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.(B)

The Mission of the Twelve

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not take a road leading to gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town,(C) but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.(D) As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’[c](E) Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse those with a skin disease; cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for laborers deserve their food.(F) 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.(G) 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.(H)

Coming Persecutions

16 “I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.(I) 17 Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the gentiles.(J) 19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you at that time, 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 10.1 Gk he
  2. 10.3 Other ancient authorities read Lebbaeus or Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus
  3. 10.7 Or is at hand

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve(A)(B)(C)(D)(E)

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits(F) and to heal every disease and sickness.(G)

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.(H)

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.(I) Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.(J) As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven(K) has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts(L) 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.(M) 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting.(N) 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.(O) 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah(P) on the day of judgment(Q) than for that town.(R)

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.(S) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.(T) 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils(U) and be flogged in the synagogues.(V) 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings(W) as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.(X) At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father(Y) speaking through you.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:8 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.