Jacob

25And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.

After Rachel had Joseph, Jacob spoke to Laban. He said, "Let me go. I want to go home to my own land."

26Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

"Give me my wives and my children. I worked for you to get them. Then let me go. You know how hard I have worked for you."

27And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

Laban said, "Please stay, if you are willing. I have learned that the LORD has blessed me because of you."

28And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

Laban said, "Tell me what pay you want. I will give it to you."

29And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

Jacob said, "You know how I have worked for you. You know how well your animals have done with me."

30For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

"You had very little before I came. Now you have a great deal. The LORD has blessed you wherever I went. But when do I get to take care of my own family?"

31And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

Laban asked, "What should I give you?" Jacob said, "Don't give me anything. Just do this one thing, and I will keep taking care of your animals."

32I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence 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.

"Today let me walk through all your animals. I will take out every speckled and spotted sheep, and every dark lamb. I will take out every spotted and speckled goat. Those will be my pay."

33So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

"Later you can check on my animals, and you will see I am honest. Any goat of mine that is not speckled or spotted counts as stolen. Any sheep of mine that is not dark counts as stolen too."

34And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

Laban said, "Agreed. Let it be the way you said."

35And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked 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.

That same day Laban took out the male goats with stripes and spots. He took out the female goats with speckles and spots, and every goat with any white on it. He took out every dark lamb too. He gave them to his sons to keep.

36And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.

Then Laban moved those animals three days' walk away from Jacob. Jacob took care of the rest of Laban's flocks.

37And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

Jacob cut fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He peeled off strips of bark. That made white stripes show on the branches.

38And he set the rods which he had pilled 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.

He put the peeled branches in the water troughs where the animals drank. The animals saw the branches when they came to drink and mated there.

39And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.

The animals mated in front of the branches. Their babies had stripes, speckles, and spots.

40And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, 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.

Jacob kept these young animals apart. He made Laban's animals face the striped and dark ones. He kept his own animals in a separate group.

41And it came to pass, whensoever 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.

The strong females were ready to mate. Then Jacob put the branches in the troughs where they could see them. So they mated in front of the branches.

42But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.

But when the animals were weak, he left the branches out. So the weak animals went to Laban, and the strong ones to Jacob.

43And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

So Jacob grew very rich. He had many animals, servants, camels, and donkeys.

1And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.

Jacob heard what Laban's sons were saying. They said, "Jacob took everything our father had. All his riches came from our father's things."

2And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

Jacob also watched Laban's face. Laban was not friendly to him like before.

3And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your family. I will be with you."

4And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah, his wives. He asked them to come out to the field where his animals were.

5And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

He said, "I can see your father's face. He is not friendly to me like before. But my father's God has stayed with me."

6And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

"You know how hard I have worked for your father. I gave him all my strength."

7And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

"He tricked me. He changed my pay ten times. But God did not let him hurt me."

8If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

"When he said, 'The spotted animals are your pay,' all the babies were born spotted. When he said, 'The striped ones are your pay,' all the babies were born striped."

9Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

"So God took your father's animals and gave them to me."

10And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

"When the animals were having babies, I had a dream. In it the male animals were striped, spotted, and speckled."

11And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

"In the dream God's angel, his messenger, called me. He said, 'Jacob!' I said, 'I am here.'"

12And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

"He said, 'Look up. All the males are striped, spotted, and speckled. I have seen everything Laban has done to you.'"

13I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

"'I am the God of Bethel. That is where you poured oil on a stone and made a promise to me. Now get up. Leave this land and go back to your own family.'"

14And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?

Rachel and Leah answered him. They said, "Is anything left for us in our father's house? No, nothing."

15Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

"He treats us like strangers, not like daughters. He sold us. Then he used up all the money."

16For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

"All the riches God took from our father belong to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you."

17Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

Then Jacob got ready. He put his children and his wives on camels.

18And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

He took all his animals and everything he owned. He had gotten it all in Padanaram. He set out for Canaan, to see his father Isaac.

19And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.

Laban had gone away to cut the wool off his sheep. While he was gone, Rachel stole his little statues of gods.

20And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

Jacob did not tell Laban the Syrian that he was leaving. He slipped away in secret.

21So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

Jacob ran away with everything he had. He crossed the big river and headed for the hills of Gilead.

22And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

Three days later, someone told Laban that Jacob had run away.

23And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

Laban took his relatives and chased Jacob. They followed for seven days. They caught up with him in the hills of Gilead.

24And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

That night God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream. God said, "Be careful. Do not say anything to Jacob, good or bad."

25Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

Laban caught up with Jacob. Jacob's tent was set up in the hills. Laban and his relatives camped in those hills too.

26And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You tricked me. You took my daughters away like prisoners from a war."

27Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

"Why did you run away in secret? Why didn't you tell me? I would have sent you off with singing and happy music, with drums and harps."

28And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

"You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. What you did was foolish."

29It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

"I am strong enough to hurt you. But last night your father's God spoke to me. He said, 'Be careful. Do not say anything to Jacob, good or bad.'"

30And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

"You wanted to go home to your father. I understand that. But why did you steal my gods?"

31And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

Jacob answered Laban, "I left because I was afraid. I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force."

32With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

"But if you find your gods with anyone here, that person will not live. Look around while our relatives watch. If anything here is yours, take it." Jacob did not know that Rachel had taken them.

33And 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.

Laban searched Jacob's tent, then Leah's tent, then the tents of the two servant women. He found nothing. Then he went into Rachel's tent.

34Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

Rachel had hidden the little statues inside her camel's saddle bag. She was sitting on top of it. Laban searched the whole tent and found nothing.

35And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.

Rachel said to her father, "Please do not be angry, sir. I cannot stand up for you. I am having my monthly period." So he kept looking, but he did not find the statues.

36And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

Now Jacob was angry. He argued with Laban. He said, "What did I do wrong? What is my sin? Why did you chase me so hard?"

37Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

"You have searched all my things. Did you find anything of yours? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine. Let them decide who is right."

38This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

"I have been with you twenty years. Your sheep and goats never lost their babies. I never ate one of your rams."

39That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

"When a wild animal killed one, I did not bring it to you. I paid for it myself. You made me pay for every animal stolen, day or night."

40Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

"In the daytime the heat wore me out. At night I was cold. I could not even sleep."

41Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

"I lived in your house twenty years. I worked fourteen years for your two daughters. I worked six more years for your animals. And you changed my pay ten times."

42Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

"My father's God was with me. He is the God of Abraham and the God Isaac feared. If God had not helped me, you would have sent me away with nothing. God saw my hard work and my trouble. Last night he told you that you were wrong."

43And 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 thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

Laban answered Jacob, "These daughters are mine. These children are mine. These animals are mine. Everything you see is mine. But what can I do today about my daughters and their children?"

44Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

"So let us make a promise, you and I. It will stand as proof of what we said."

45And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

So Jacob took a big stone and stood it up tall.

46And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

Jacob told his relatives, "Bring stones." They brought stones and made a big pile. Then they ate a meal beside the pile.

47And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

Laban called the pile Jegarsahadutha. Jacob called it Galeed.

48And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

Laban said, "This pile of stones is proof of our promise today." That is why it was named Galeed.

49And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

It was also called Mizpah. Laban said, "May the LORD watch over us both when we are apart."

50If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

"You must not be unkind to my daughters. You must not marry other wives besides them. No one else is here to see. But God is watching us both."

51And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:

Laban said to Jacob, "Look at this pile of stones. Look at this tall stone I set up between us."

52This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

"They both stand as proof. I will not go past this pile to hurt you. You will not go past this pile and stone to hurt me."

53The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

"May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor judge between us. He was the God their father knew." Jacob made his promise by the God his father Isaac feared.

54Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

Then Jacob gave an offering to God on the mountain. He asked his relatives to share a meal. They ate and stayed there all night.

55And 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.

Early the next morning Laban got up. He kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and went back home.

1And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

Jacob kept walking on his way. Angels from God met him there.

2And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

Jacob saw them and said, "This is God's camp." So he named that place Mahanaim.

3And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

Jacob sent men ahead with a message for his brother Esau. Esau lived in the land of Seir, also called Edom.

4And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

Jacob told them what to say. "Tell my master Esau this: Your servant Jacob says, I have been living with Laban. I stayed there until now.

5And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

I have cows, donkeys, sheep, and servants, both men and women. I sent this news to you, my master. I hope you will be kind to me."

6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

The men came back to Jacob. They said, "We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you. He has 400 men with him."

7Then 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;

Jacob was very scared and worried. He split his people into two groups. He split up the sheep, cows, and camels too.

8And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

He thought, "Esau may attack one group. Then the other group can run away and be safe."

9And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

Jacob prayed. "God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac. LORD, you told me to go back to my land and my family. You said you would be good to me.

10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

You have been kind and faithful to me. I am not good enough for even a little of it. I crossed this Jordan River with only a walking stick. Now I have grown into two big groups.

11Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

Please save me from my brother Esau. I am afraid of him. I fear he will come and hurt me, and the mothers and children too.

12And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

But you said you would surely be good to me. You said my family would grow as big as the sand by the sea. Nobody can count that much sand."

13And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

Jacob slept there that night. From what he had with him, he picked out a gift for his brother Esau.

14Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

He chose 200 female goats and 20 male goats. He chose 200 female sheep and 20 male sheep.

15Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

He chose 30 mother camels with their babies. He chose 40 cows and 10 bulls. He chose 20 female donkeys and 10 male donkeys.

16And 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 betwixt drove and drove.

He gave the animals to his servants, one herd at a time. He said, "Go on ahead of me. Leave space between each herd."

17And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

He told the first servant what to do. "My brother Esau will meet you. He will ask, 'Whose servant are you? Where are you going? Whose animals are these?'

18Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

Then say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift for my master Esau. And Jacob is coming right behind us.'"

19And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

He told the second servant the same thing. He told the third one too, and all the rest. "Say these same words to Esau when you meet him.

20And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

Also say, 'Your servant Jacob is right behind us.'" Jacob thought, "The gift will go first and calm him down. Then I will see his face. Maybe he will welcome me."

21So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

So the gift went on ahead of him. Jacob stayed in the camp that night.

22And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

That night Jacob got up. He took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons. They crossed the shallow part of the Jabbok River.

23And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

He sent them across the water. He sent everything he owned across too.

24And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

Jacob was left there all alone. A man came and wrestled with him until morning.

25And 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.

The man saw he could not win against Jacob. So he touched Jacob's hip, and it slipped out of place. They kept on wrestling.

26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

The man said, "Let me go. The sun is coming up." Jacob said, "I will not let go until you bless me."

27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

The man asked him, "What is your name?" He answered, "Jacob."

28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

The man said, "Your name will not be Jacob anymore. Your name will be Israel. You have struggled with God and with people, and you have won."

29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

Jacob asked, "Please tell me your name." The man said, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed Jacob there.

30And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

Jacob named that place Peniel. He said, "I have seen God face to face, and I am still alive."

31And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

The sun came up as Jacob passed Penuel. He was limping because of his hip.

32Therefore 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.

That is why the people of Israel do not eat the tendon at the hip. They still do not eat it today. It is because the man touched Jacob's hip near that tendon.

1And 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.

Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with four hundred men. So Jacob split the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two servant women.

2And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

He put the servant women and their children in front. Leah and her children came next. Rachel and Joseph came last.

3And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Jacob walked ahead of them all. He bowed down to the ground seven times as he came near his brother.

4And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

But Esau ran to meet him. He threw his arms around him and kissed him. They both cried.

5And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

Esau looked up and saw the women and children. He asked, "Who are these with you?" Jacob said, "These are the children God kindly gave me, your servant."

6Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

Then the servant women came near with their children, and they bowed down.

7And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

Leah and her children came near and bowed down too. Then Joseph and Rachel came near and bowed down.

8And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

Esau asked, "Why did you send all those herds of animals to meet me?" Jacob said, "They are a gift, so you will be pleased with me, my lord."

9And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

Esau said, "I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what is yours."

10And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

Jacob said, "Please, no. If you are pleased with me, take my gift. Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God, because you welcomed me so kindly."

11Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.

"Please take the gift I brought you. God has been very kind to me, and I have all I need." Jacob kept asking, so Esau took it.

12And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

Then Esau said, "Let us start out on our way. I will go ahead of you."

13And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

Jacob said, "My lord, you know the children are small and weak. My sheep and cows have babies that still drink milk. If we push the animals hard for even one day, they will all die."

14Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

"Please go on ahead of me, your servant. I will travel slowly. I will keep pace with the animals and the children. Then I will come to you at Seir."

15And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

Esau said, "Let me leave some of my men with you." Jacob said, "Why do that? I only want you to be pleased with me, my lord."

16So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

So that day Esau started back on his way to Seir.

17And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

But Jacob traveled to Succoth. There he built a house for himself. He made shelters for his animals. That is why the place is called Succoth.

18And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

Jacob had come from Paddan-aram. He arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan. He set up his tent outside the city.

19And 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 an hundred pieces of money.

He bought the piece of land where his tent stood. He bought it from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver.

20And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.

There he built an altar, a stone place where people gave gifts to God. He named it El-Elohe-Israel.

1And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.

Dinah was the daughter of Leah and Jacob. She went out to visit the young women of that land.

2And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

Shechem saw her. He was the son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that land. He grabbed Dinah and forced himself on her. He hurt her and shamed her.

3And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.

But his heart held on to Dinah, Jacob's daughter. He loved the young girl. He spoke gentle words to her.

4And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.

So Shechem said to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl. I want her for my wife."

5And 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 were come.

Jacob heard that Shechem had shamed his daughter Dinah. His sons were far away in the fields with the animals. So Jacob said nothing until they came home.

6And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.

Meanwhile Hamor, the father of Shechem, went out to talk with Jacob.

7And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.

Jacob's sons heard what had happened and came in from the fields. They were full of sadness and anger. Shechem had done a shameful thing to Jacob's family. He had forced himself on Jacob's daughter. Such a thing should never be done.

8And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

Hamor talked with them. He said, "My son Shechem wants your daughter very much. Please let her be his wife."

9And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.

"Let our two families marry each other. Give us your daughters, and take our daughters for yourselves."

10And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

"You can live here with us. The whole land is open to you. Live here, buy and sell here, and own land here."

11And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

Then Shechem said to Dinah's father and brothers, "Please be kind to me. I will give you whatever you ask for."

12Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.

"Ask for a big gift for the bride and for her family. I will pay whatever you say. Just let me marry the girl."

13And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:

Jacob's sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor. But they were not telling the truth. They planned a trick, because Shechem had shamed their sister Dinah.

14And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:

They said, "We cannot do this. We cannot give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a shame to us."

15But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;

"We will say yes to you on one thing only. You must become like us. Every man among you must be circumcised."

16Then 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.

"Then we will give you our daughters, and we will marry your daughters. We will live with you, and we will all be one people."

17But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.

"But if you will not listen and be circumcised, we will take our sister and go away."

18And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.

Their words sounded good to Hamor and to his son Shechem.

19And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.

The young man did not wait. He did it right away, because he was so happy about Jacob's daughter. Everyone in his father's house looked up to him most of all.

20And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,

So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city. That was where the men of the city met to talk. They said to them:

21These 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.

"These men are friendly to us. Let them live in our land and trade here. The land is big enough for them. We can marry their daughters and give them ours."

22Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.

"But they will only live with us and be one people if we agree to one thing. Every man among us must be circumcised, just as they are."

23Shall 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.

"Then won't their animals and all they own belong to us? Let us just say yes to them. Then they will live with us."

24And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened 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.

All the men who met at the city gate listened to Hamor and his son Shechem. So every man in the city was circumcised.

25And 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.

Three days later the men were still sore and hurting. Two of Jacob's sons took their swords. They were Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers. They walked right into the city. No one was expecting them. They killed every man there.

26And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.

They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords. They took Dinah out of Shechem's house and left.

27The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.

Jacob's other sons came to where the dead men lay. They took everything the city had, because their sister had been shamed.

28They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,

They took the sheep, the cows, and the donkeys. They took what was in the city and what was in the fields.

29And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.

They took all the riches too. They took the children and the wives away with them. They emptied out every house.

30And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye 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.

Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought big trouble on me. Now the people of this land hate me. I mean the Canaanites and the Perizzites. We are only a few people. If they join together and attack me, they will kill me. My whole family will be destroyed."

31And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?

But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a woman men use and throw away?"