Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

(A prayer by David.)

The Prayer of an Innocent Person

Jacob Runs from Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining, “Jacob is now a rich man, and he got everything he owns from our father.” ² Jacob also noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been before. ³ One day the Lord said, “Jacob, go back to your relatives in the land of your ancestors, and I will be with you.”

⁴ Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him in the pasture where he kept his sheep, ⁵ and he told them:

Your father isn't as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God my ancestors worshiped has been on my side. ⁶ You know that I have worked hard for your father ⁷ and that he keeps cheating me by changing my wages time after time. But God has protected me. ⁸ When your father said the speckled sheep would be my wages, all of them were speckled. And when he said the spotted ones would be mine, all of them were spotted. ⁹ That's how God has taken sheep and goats from your father and given them to me.

¹⁰ Once, when the flocks were mating, I dreamed that all the rams were either spotted or speckled. ¹¹ Then God's angel called me by name. I answered, ¹² and he said, “Notice that all the rams are either spotted or speckled. I know everything Laban is doing to you, ^13 (A) and I am the God you worshiped at Bethel,^[a] when you poured olive oil on a rock and made a promise to me. Leave here at once and return to the land where you were born.”

¹⁴ Rachel and Leah said to Jacob:

There's nothing left for us to inherit from our father. ¹⁵ He treats us like foreigners and has even cheated us out of the bride price^[b] that should have been ours. ¹⁶ So do whatever God tells you to do. Even the property God took from our father and gave to you really belongs to us and our children.

¹⁷ Then Jacob, his wives, and his children got on camels and left ¹⁸ northern Syria^[c] for the home of his father Isaac in Canaan. Jacob took along all his flocks, herds, and other property.

¹⁹ Before Rachel left, she stole the household idols^[d] while Laban was out shearing his sheep.

²⁰ Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean^[e] by not saying that he intended to leave. ²¹ When Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead, he took with him everything he owned.

Ask, Search, Knock

(Luke 11.9-13)

^7 (A) Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. ⁸ Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks.

⁹ Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? ¹⁰ Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? ¹¹ As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.