Hello, this is Father Paul and I'm glad we're taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year.
Yesterday we heard how Jacob fled from his father's house after the incident where he
tricks his father into giving him the blessing instead of Esau, his older brother, and how
his mother tells him to flee so that Esau doesn't harm him.
So he flees and on his way to his uncle's house we hear about the vision that he has
where there's a ladder extending from the earth to heaven and angels ascending and descending
and where God makes the covenant with him in that place and he calls the place Bethel
or the house of God.
Today we're going to read about what happens after he spends many years in his uncle's
house and gets married and has many children and has lots of possessions and how he ends
up fleeing again and deceiving his uncle.
But this time his uncle catches up with him and we're going to hear about what happens
there, we're also going to hear about what happens when Esau, his brother, eventually
catches up with him and the very famous incident where Jacob wrestles with God.
Alright, let's begin.
Today's reading is from Genesis chapters 31, 32, and 33.
Chapter 31.
Now Jacob heard the words of Laban's sons saying Jacob has taken away all that was our
fathers and from what was our fathers he has acquired all his wealth.
And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban and indeed it was not favorable toward him as
before.
Then the Lord said to Jacob, return to the land of your fathers and to your family and
I will be with you.
So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock and said to them, I
see your father's countenance that it is not favorable toward me as before, but the
God of my father has been with me and you know that with all my might I have served
your father.
Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow
him to hurt me.
If he said thus, the speckled shall be your wages, then all the flocks bore speckled.
And if he said thus, the streaked shall be your wages, then all the flocks bore streaked.
So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
And it happened at the time when the flock conceived that I lifted my eyes and saw in
a dream and behold the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled and gray
spotted.
And the angel of God spoke to me in a dream saying, Jacob, and I said, here I am.
And he said, lift your eyes now and see all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked,
speckled and gray spotted.
For I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to me.
Now arise, get out of this land and return to the land of your family.
Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, is there still any portion or inheritance
for us in our father's house?
Are we not considered strangers by him?
For he has sold us and also completely consumed our money.
For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children's.
Now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.
Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels.
And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his
acquired livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram to go to his father Isaac in the
land of Canaan.
Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep and Rachel had stolen the household idols that
were her father's.
Then Jacob stole away unknown to Laban the Syrian in that he did not tell him that he
intended to flee.
So he fled with all that he had.
He arose and crossed the river and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days journey.
And he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.
But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night and said to him, be careful
that you speak to Jacob, neither good nor bad.
So Laban overtook Jacob.
Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains and Laban with his brethren pitched in the
mountains of Gilead.
And Laban said to Jacob, what have you done that you have stolen away unknown to me and
carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?
Why did you flee away secretly and steal away from me and not tell me?
For I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp.
And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters.
Now you have done foolishly in so doing.
It is in my power to do you harm.
But the God of your father spoke to me last night saying, be careful that you speak to
Jacob neither good nor bad.
And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father's house.
But why did you steal my gods?
Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, because I was afraid for I said perhaps you would
take your daughters from me by force.
With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live.
In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.
For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
And Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent and into the two maid's tents.
But he did not find them.
Then he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent.
Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel's saddle and sat on
them.
And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.
And she said to her father, let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for
the manner of women is with me.
And he searched but did not find the household idols.
Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban.
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, what is my trespass?
What is my sin that you have so hotly pursued me?
Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you
found?
Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both.
These twenty years I have been with you.
Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young and I have not eaten the rams
of your flock.
That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you.
I bore the loss of it.
You acquired it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
There I was.
In a day the drought consumed me and the frost by night and my sheep departed from my eyes.
Thus I have been in your house twenty years.
I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock.
And you have changed my wages ten times.
Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely
now you would have sent me away empty handed.
God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.
And Leban answered and said to Jacob, these daughters are my daughters and these children
are my children and this flock is my flock.
All that you see is mine.
But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?
Now therefore come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between
you and me.
So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
Then Jacob said to his brethren, gather stones.
And they took stones and made a heap.
And they ate there on the heap.
Leban called it, Jagar Sahaduta.
But Jacob called it, Galid.
And Leban said, this heap is a witness between you and me this day.
Therefore its name was called Galid, also Misbah.
Because he said, may the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.
If you afflict my daughters or if you take other wives besides my daughters.
Although no man is with us, see God is witness between you and me.
Then Leban said to Jacob, here is this heap and here is this pillar which I have placed
between you and me.
This heap is a witness and this pillar is a witness that I will not pass beyond this
heap to you and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me for harm.
The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor and the God of their Father judge between us.
And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his brethren to eat bread.
And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.
And early in the morning Leban arose and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them.
Then Leban departed and returned to his place.
Chapter 32
So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him.
When Jacob saw them he said, this is God's camp.
And he called the name of the place Mahanim.
Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country
of Edom.
And he commanded them saying, speak thus to my lord Esau.
Thus your servant Jacob says, I have dwelt with Leban and stayed there until now.
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks and male and female servants, and I have sent to tell my
lord that I may find favor in your sight.
Then the messengers returned to Jacob saying, we came to your brother Esau and he also is
coming to meet you.
And four hundred men are with him.
So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed.
And he divided the people that were with him and the flocks and herds and camels into two
companies.
And he said, if Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which
is left will escape.
Then Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said
to me, return to your country and to your family 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
your servant.
For I crossed over this Jordan with my staff and now I have become two companies.
Over me I pray from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him lest
he come and attack me and the mother with the children.
For you said I will surely treat you well and make your descendants as the sand of the
sea which cannot be numbered for multitude.
So he lodged there that same night and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau
his brother.
Two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty male
camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.
Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants.
Every drove by itself and said to his servants, pass over before me and put some distance
between successive droves.
And he commanded the first one saying, when Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying
to whom do you belong and where are you going, whose are these in front of you, then you
shall say, they are your servant Jacob's, it is a present sent to my lord Esau.
And behold he also is behind us.
So he commanded the second, the third and all who followed the droves saying in this
manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him.
And also say, 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 me.
So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons
and crossed over the ford of Jabak.
He took them, sent them over the brook and sent over what he had.
Then Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
Now when he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip and
the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as he wrestled with him.
And he said, let me go for the day breaks.
But he said, I will not let you go unless you bless me.
So he said to him, what is your name?
He said, Jacob.
And he said, your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel.
For you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.
Then Jacob asked saying, tell me your name, I pray.
And he said, why is it that you ask about my name?
And he blessed him there.
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel.
For I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.
Just as he crossed over Peniel, the sun rose on him and he limped on his hip.
Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is
on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank.
Chapter 33
Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there Esau was coming.
And with him were four hundred men.
So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maid servants.
And he put the maid servants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and
Rachel and Joseph last.
Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times until he
came near to his brother.
But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him.
Then they wept.
And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children and said, Who are these with you?
So he said, The children whom God has graciously given your servant.
Then the maid servants came near, they and their children, and bowed down.
And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down.
Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.
Then Esau said, What do you mean by all this company which I met?
And he said, These are to find favor in the sight of my Lord, but Esau said, I have enough
my brother, keep what you have for yourself.
And Jacob said, No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my
present from my hand.
Inasmuch as I have seen your face, as though I had seen the face of God and you were pleased
with me.
Please take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with
me and because I have enough.
So he urged him and he took it.
And Esau said, Let us take our journey, let us go, and I will go before you.
But Jacob said to him, My Lord knows that the children are weak and the flocks and herds
which are nursing are with me, and if the men should drive them hard one day, all the
flock will die.
Please let my Lord go on ahead before his servant, and I will lead on slowly at a pace
which the livestock that go before me and the children are able to endure until I come
to my Lord in Sare.
And Esau said, Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.
But he said, What need is there?
Let me find favor in the sight of my Lord.
So Esau returned that day on his way to Sare.
And Jacob journeyed to Sukkoth, built himself a house and made booth for his livestock.
Therefore the name of the place is called Sukkoth.
Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came
from Paddan Aram and he pitched his tent before the city.
Then he brought the parcel of land where he had pitched his tent from the children of
Hamor Shechem's father for one hundred pieces of money.
Then he erected an altar there and called it El Eloi Israel.
I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did, and I look forward to seeing you
again tomorrow to continue on our journey.
God bless you and have a great day.