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JANUARY 16
daughters, and six years for your flock, and 6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob,
you have changed my wages ten times. Un- saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and
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less the God of my father, the God of Abraham he also is coming to meet you, and four hun-
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and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, sure- dred men are with him.” So Jacob was greatly
ly now you would have sent me away empty- afraid and distressed; and he divided the people
handed. God has seen my affliction and the that were with him, and the flocks and herds
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labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.” and camels, into two companies. And he said,
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “If Esau comes to the one company and at-
“These daughters are my daughters, and these tacks it, then the other company which is left
children are my children, and this flock is my will escape.”
flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I 9 Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abra-
do this day to these my daughters or to their ham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who
children whom they have borne? Now there- said to me, ‘Return to your country and to
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fore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, your family, and I will deal well with you’: I
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and let it be a witness between you and me.” am not worthy of the least of all the mercies
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pil- and of all the truth which You have shown
lar. Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan
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stones.” And they took stones and made a with my staff, and now I have become two
heap, and they ate there on the heap. Laban companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand
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called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear
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Galeed. And Laban said, “This heap is a wit- him, lest he come and attack me and the
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ness between you and me this day.” Therefore mother with the children. For You said, ‘I will
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its name was called Galeed, also Mizpah, surely treat you well, and make your descen-
because he said, “May the LORD watch dants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
between you and me when we are absent one numbered for multitude.’ ”
from another. If you afflict my daughters, or 13 So he lodged there that same night, and
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if you take other wives besides my daughters, took what came to his hand as a present for
although no man is with us—see, God is wit- Esau his brother: two hundred female goats
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ness between you and me!” and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this twenty rams, thirty milk camels with their
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heap and here is this pillar, which I have colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female
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placed between you and me. This heap is a donkeys and ten foals. Then he delivered
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witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will them to the hand of his servants, every drove
not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over
not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to before me, and put some distance between
me, for harm. The God of Abraham, the God successive droves.” And he commanded the
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of Nahor, and the God of their father judge first one, saying, “When Esau my brother
between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do
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his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered a sacri- you belong, and where are you going? Whose
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fice on the mountain, and called his brethren are these in front of you?’ then you shall say,
to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all ‘They are your servant Jacob’s. It is a present
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night on the mountain. And early in the sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is
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morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and behind us.’ ” So he commanded the second,
daughters and blessed them. Then Laban the third, and all who followed the droves, say-
departed and returned to his place. ing, “In this manner you shall speak to Esau
So Jacob went on his way, and the when you find him; and also say, ‘Behold,
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32 angels of God met him. When Jacob your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he said,
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saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And “I will appease him with the present that goes
he called the name of that place Mahanaim. before me, and afterward I will see his face;
3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to perhaps he will accept me.” So the present
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Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the coun- went on over before him, but he himself
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try of Edom. And he commanded them, say- lodged that night in the camp.
ing, “Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your 22 And he arose that night and took his two
servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban wives, his two female servants, and his eleven
and stayed there until now. I have oxen, don- sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.
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keys, flocks, and male and female servants; 23 He took them, sent them over the brook, and
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and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find sent over what he had. Then Jacob was left
favor in your sight.” ’ ” alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the
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