"*** Genesis 20 ***"
"Leah bears Jacob four sons but Rachel is barren When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah conceived and gave birth to a son and she named him Reuben saying, It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now. She conceived again and gave birth to Simeon, and said, Because the Lord heard that I am unloved he gave me this son also. Again she conceived and gave birth to Levi and said, Now at last my husband will love me, for I have borne him three sons. Then she conceived again and gave birth to a fourth son and named him Judah."
"Rachel gives Jacob her maid Bilhah as a wife Because Rachel was not bearing children, she envied her sister Leah and said to Jacob, Give me children or I will die Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, Am I God, who has kept you from having children? Then Rachel said, Here is Bilhah my maidservant, take her as a wife so she can bear children for me. Bilhah bears Jacob two sons Jacob did so, and Bilhah conceived and bore a son. Rachel said, God has vindicated me, and she named him Dan. Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son, and Rachel named him Naphtali."
"Leah also gives Jacob her maid Zilpah as a wife When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she also took her maidservant Zilpah, and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Zilpah bears Jacob two sons Zilpah bore Jacob a son and Leah named him Gad. Then Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Leah said, How happy I am, and she named him Asher. The mandrakes During wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrake plants out in the fields and brought them home to his mother Leah. When Rachel saw them she said to Leah, May I have some of those mandrakes? But Leah replied, You have taken my husband, will you also take my sons mandrakes? Rachel said, Jacob can lie with you tonight if you give me your mandrakes."
"So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, You are to lie with me tonight, for I have hired you with my sons mandrakes. Leah bears Jacob two more sons and a daughter So Jacob lay with Leah and she conceived and bore him a fifth son. She named him Issachar saying, God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband. Then Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son, and named him Zebulun saying, Now my husband will treat me with honour, for I have borne him six sons. Later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah. Rachel bears Joseph Then God remembered Rachel and opened her womb."
"She conceived and gave birth to a son and named him Joseph saying, God has taken away my disgrace. May the Lord add to me yet another son. Jacob bargains with Laban After the birth of his son Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, Send me away so that I can return to my own land. But Laban said to him, Stay, for I have learned by divination that Jehovah has blessed me because of you. Name your wages and I will pay them. Jacob said to him, The little you had before I came has increased greatly, for the Lord has blessed you since I have been with you, but when may I provide for my own family? Laban said, What shall I give you?"
"Laban agrees to let Jacob have all the speckled animals and black lambs Jacob replied, Do not give me anything. I will tend your flocks as before, but let me have every speckled sheep and goat and every black lamb. They will be my wages. Any animal in my possession that is not speckled, or any lamb that is not black will be considered stolen. Agreed, said Laban. Laban deceives Jacob But that same day, Laban went through his flocks and removed every speckled animal and black lamb and placed them in the care of his sons. Then he put a three day journey between himself and Jacob, leaving Jacob to look after the remainder of his flocks."
"Jacobs breeding methods Jacob however took fresh cut branches from trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark. Then he placed the peeled branches in the watering troughs. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, they mated in front of the branches and bore young that were speckled. But only when the stronger females were in heat did Jacob place the branches in the troughs. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. Jacob prospers In time Jacob grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks. Also many servants, camels and donkeys."
"*** Genesis 21 ***"
"Labans sons become jealous of Jacob One day Jacob heard that Labans sons were saying, Jacob has taken everything our father owned. He has gained all his wealth from that which belonged to our father. Jacob also noticed that Laban did not regard him as favourably as before. Jacob consults with his wives Rachel and Leah So Jacob sent word for Rachel and Leah to meet him out in the fields. When they came to him he said, Your fathers attitude toward me is not as it was before. You know that I have worked for him with all my strength, yet he has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. If he said, The speckled ones will be your wages, then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young."
"If he said, Only the streaked ones will be your wages, then all the flocks bore streaked young. So God has taken away your fathers livestock and given them to me. Jacob relates the message of an angel An angel of God has appeared to me in a dream and said, See, only the speckled male goats are mating with the flock, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. Jacob told by Lord to return to his own land I am the God of Bethel where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land and return to your own land. Jacob secretly departs without informing Laban Rachel and Leah replied, All the wealth that God took from our father belongs to us, and our children."
"Do what God has told you. So Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, and taking all the goods he had accumulated, drove his livestock ahead of him and set out from Haran and crossed the river to return to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Laban had gone to shear his sheep. Jacob did not inform him he was leaving. Rachel steals her fathers household gods Before she left, Rachel stole her fathers household gods. Laban pursues Jacob On the third day Laban was told, Jacob has fled. So taking his kinsmen with him Laban pursued Jacob for seven days."
"God speaks to Laban in a dream Jacob had already pitched his tent for the night when Laban caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. So Laban and his men made camp also. That night God appeared to Laban in a dream and said to him, Be careful how you speak to Jacob. Do not be harsh. Laban rebukes his son-in-law Jacob The next morning Laban said to Jacob, What have you done? You carried off my daughters like captives in war. Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why did you not tell me, so that I could send you away with joy, and singing to the music of tambourines and harps? You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing."
"I have power to harm you, but last night the God of your father said to me, Be careful how you speak to Jacob. Do not be harsh. Laban accuses Jacob of stealing his household gods You left because you longed to return to your fathers house, but why did you steal my household gods? Laban told to search for the gods Now Jacob was unaware that Rachel had taken the gods. He answered Laban saying, I feared that you would take your daughters away from me by force, but whoever you find with your gods shall die. Search and see. If there is anything of yours here with me, take it. Rachel conceals her fathers gods by sitting on them So Laban began to search the tents."
"Now Rachel had hidden the gods inside her camels saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through her tent but found nothing. Rachel said to her father, Be not angry my lord that I cannot stand in your presence, for the way of women is upon me. So Laban did not find the gods. Jacob becomes angry with his father-in-law Then Jacob became angry with Laban and said to him, What is my crime? What sin have I committed that you hunt me down? You have searched all my goods and what have you found that belongs to you? Put it here in front of your kinsmen and mine Let them judge between us I have been with you for twenty years now."
"Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts, I bore the loss myself. Yet you demanded payment from me for all that was stolen. Heat consumed me by day and cold by night. Sleep fled my eyes. I worked fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times If the God of my father Abraham had not been with me you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and last night he rebuked you. Laban and Jacob agree to make a covenant Laban answered Jacob, The women are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks."
"All you see is mine, yet what can I do. Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. They build a pillar of stones and eat together So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. Then they gathered more stones and afterward they ate together by the pillar of stones. Laban swears the covenant Laban said, Today this pillar of stones is a witness between you and I. May Jehovah watch over us. If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, remember that God is a witness between you and me. I will not pass beyond this pillar to your side to harm you, and you will not pass to my side to harm me. May the God of Abraham judge between us. Then Jacob offered sacrifice there."
"Laban returns home Early next morning, Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them, then he left and returned home and Jacob resumed his journey."
"*** Genesis 22 ***"
"Jacob sends messengers to his brother Esau When Jacob reached the river Jordan he sent messengers ahead of him to the land of Edom to say to his brother Esau, Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban, and now have cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and servants. I send this message to my lord that I might find favour in your eyes. Jacob hears that Esau is coming with 400 men When the messengers returned they said to Jacob, We went to your brother Esau and now he is coming to you with 400 men. Jacob fears and divides his people When Jacob heard this he feared greatly."
"So he divided his people and his flocks and herds into two groups thinking, If Esau attacks one group, the second group may escape. Jacob prays for protection from Esau Then he prayed saying, O God of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, who said to me, Return to your own land, I am unworthy of all the kindness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff with me when I first crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two companies. Save me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I fear he is coming to kill me and also the mothers with their children, but you have said, I will prosper you and make your descendants like the sand of the sea."
"Jacob prepares a gift for Esau The next day Jacob prepared a gift for his brother Esau; 220 goats, 220 sheep, 30 female camels with their young, 50 cattle and 30 donkeys. He put each herd by itself and said to his servants, Go on ahead and keep a space between the herds. When my brother Esau meets you and asks, To whom do these animals belong? you are to say, They belong to your servant Jacob and are a gift sent to my lord Esau. For Jacob thought, I will pacify Esau with this gift I am sending on ahead. Later when I see him, perhaps he will receive me. Jacob moves his wives and sons for safety His servants set out with the gift while Jacob remained in the camp."
"However, during the night he arose and sent his wives and eleven sons across the ford of the Jabbok for safety. Jacob wrestles an angel until daybreak When Jacob was alone an angel appeared, and wrestled with him until daybreak. When the angel saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of his hip, dislocating it. Then the angel said to Jacob, Let me go, for it is daybreak. Jacobs name is changed to Israel Jacob replied, I will not let you go, unless you bless me. The angel said, What is your name? Jacob, he answered. The angel said, Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with an angel, and with men, and have prevailed." 
"Jacob said, Tell me your name. The angel replied, Why do you ask my name? Then he blessed him. Jacob called that place Peniel saying, I have seen an angel face to face and my life was spared. Jacob limped because of his hip. That is why the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the hip. Jacob bows to his brother Esau The next day the sun had risen high when Jacob and his family crossed the Jordan river. When Jacob saw Esau coming with his 400 men, he divided his children. He put his maidservant wives and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother." 
"Jacob and Esau are reconciled But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him. He threw his arms around his neck and kissed him and they wept together. Then Esau saw the women and children and said, Who are these with you? Jacob answered, They are the children God has graciously given your servant. Then Jacobs wives and children approached Esau and bowed down. Esau declines Jacobs gift but Jacob insists Esau said, What do you mean by all these herds I met? Jacob answered, To find favour in your eyes my lord. Esau said, I already have plenty my brother, keep what you have for yourself." 
"Jacob replied, No, please. Accept this gift from me, for to see your face is like seeing the face of God now that you have received me favourably. And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted the gift. Jacob declines Esaus offer to accompany him Then Esau said, Let us be on our way. I will accompany you. Jacob said to him, Let my lord go on ahead while I move slowly at the pace of the herds before me, and that of the children, until I come to my lord in Edom. Esau said, Then let me leave some of my men with you. Jacob answered, Why do that? Just let me find favour in your eyes. So that day Esau returned on his way back to Edom. Jacob buys land near Shechem Jacob however journeyed to Succoth." 
"Then he moved near Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the town. For 100 shekels of silver he bought a plot of land where he pitched his tent and set up an altar. He named the altar Almighty God of Israel."