Bible in 90 Days
20 Then Jacob ·made a promise [L vowed a vow]. He said, “I want God to be with me and to ·protect [guard] me on this journey. I want him to give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so I will be able to return ·in peace [or safely] to my father’s house. If the Lord does these things, he will be my God. 22 This stone which I have set up ·on its end [L as a pillar] will be the house of God. And I will give God ·one-tenth [a tithe] of all he gives me.”
Jacob Arrives in Northwestern Mesopotamia
29 Then Jacob ·continued his journey [L lifted his feet] and came to the land of the people of the East [C the area of the Arameans on the northern Euphrates]. 2 He looked and saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying nearby, because they drank water from this well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well. 3 When all the flocks would gather there, ·the shepherds [L they] would roll the stone away from the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place.
4 Jacob said to the shepherds there, “My brothers, where are you from?”
They answered, “We are from Haran [11:31].”
5 Then Jacob asked, “Do you know Laban, ·grandson [descendant] of Nahor?”
They answered, “We know him.”
6 Then Jacob asked, “How is he?”
They answered, “He is well. Look, his daughter Rachel is coming now with his sheep.”
7 Jacob said, “But look, it is still ·the middle of the day [broad daylight]. It is not time for the sheep to be gathered for the night, so give them water and let them go back into the pasture.”
8 But they said, “We cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered. Then we will roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep.”
9 While ·Jacob [L he] was talking with ·the shepherds [L them], Rachel came with her father’s sheep, because ·it was her job to care for the sheep [L she was a shepherdess]. 10 When Jacob saw Laban’s daughter Rachel and Laban’s sheep, he went to the well and rolled the stone from its mouth and watered Laban’s sheep. Now Laban was the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s mother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and [L lifted his voice and] cried. 12 He told her that he was from her father’s family and that he was the son of Rebekah. So Rachel ran home and told her father.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him. Laban hugged him and kissed him and brought him to his house, where Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.
14 Then Laban said, “You are my own ·flesh and blood [L bone and flesh].”
Jacob Is Tricked
Jacob stayed there a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “You are my relative, but ·it is not right for you to work for me without pay [L should you serve me for nothing?]. What ·would you like me to pay you [will your wages be]?”
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The older was Leah, and the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had ·weak eyes [frail/tender eyes; C likely means unattractive], but Rachel was very beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he said to Laban, “·Let me marry your younger daughter Rachel. If you will, I will work seven years for you [L I will work for seven years for your younger daughter Rachel].”
19 Laban said, “It would be better for ·her to marry you [L me to give her to you] than someone else, so stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob worked for Laban seven years so he could marry Rachel. But they seemed like just a few days to him because he loved Rachel very much.
21 After seven years Jacob said to Laban, “Give me ·Rachel [L my woman/wife] so that I may ·marry [L go to] her. ·The time I promised to work for you is over [L My days are fulfilled].”
22 So Laban gave a ·feast [banquet] for all the people there. 23 That evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and ·they had sexual relations [L he (Jacob) went into her]. 24 (Laban gave his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter to be her ·servant [L slave girl].) 25 In the morning when Jacob saw that ·he had had sexual relations with [L it was] Leah, he said to Laban, “What have you done to me? I worked hard for you so that I could marry Rachel! Why did you ·trick [deceive; defraud] me?”
26 Laban said, “In our ·country [L place] we do not allow the younger daughter to marry before the ·older daughter [L firstborn]. 27 But complete the full week of ·the marriage ceremony with Leah [L this one], and I will give you ·Rachel [L the other one] to marry also. But you must serve me another seven years.”
28 So Jacob did this, and when he had completed the week ·with Leah [L of this one], Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. 29 (Laban gave his slave girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her ·servant [L slave girl].) 30 So Jacob ·had sexual relations with [L went to] Rachel also, and Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.
Jacob’s Family Grows
31 When the Lord saw ·that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah [L Leah was unloved/hated], he ·made it possible for Leah to have children [L opened up her womb], but ·not Rachel [L Rachel was barren]. 32 Leah ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben [C sounds like “seen my troubles” in Hebrew], because she said, “The Lord has seen my ·troubles [distress]. Surely now my husband will love me.”
33 Leah ·became pregnant [conceived] again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon [C sounds like “has heard” in Hebrew] and said, “The Lord has heard that I am ·not loved [or hated], so he has given me this son.”
34 Leah ·became pregnant [conceived] again and gave birth to another son. She named him Levi [C sounds like “be close to” in Hebrew] and said, “Now, surely my husband will ·be close [bind/attach himself] to me, because I have given him three sons.”
35 Then Leah gave birth to another son. She named him Judah [C sounds like “praise” in Hebrew], because she said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Then Leah stopped having children.
30 When Rachel saw that she was not having children for Jacob, she ·envied [was jealous of] her sister Leah. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” 2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “·Can I do what only God can do [L Am I in the place of God]? He ·is the one who has kept you from having children [L has withheld the fruit of your womb].”
3 Then Rachel said, “Here is my slave girl Bilhah. ·Have sexual relations with [L Go to] her so she can ·give birth to a child for me [L bear a child on my knees]. Then I can ·have my own family [L be built up] through her.”
4 So Rachel gave Bilhah, her slave girl, to Jacob as a ·wife [or concubine], and he ·had sexual relations with [L went to] her. 5 Bilhah ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave Jacob a son. 6 Rachel said, “God has ·judged me innocent [vindicated me]. He has listened to my prayer and has given me a son,” so she named him Dan [C sounds like “he has judged” in Hebrew].
7 Bilhah ·became pregnant [conceived] again and gave Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel said, “I have ·struggled [or wrestled] hard with my sister, and I have won.” So she named that son Naphtali [C sounds like “my struggle/wrestling” in Hebrew].
9 Leah saw that she had stopped having children, so she gave her slave girl Zilpah to Jacob as a ·wife [or concubine]. 10 When Zilpah, the slave girl of Leah, ·got pregnant [conceived] and had a son, 11 Leah said, “·I am lucky [Good fortune],” so she named him Gad [C sounds like “lucky” in Hebrew]. 12 Zilpah, the slave girl of Leah, gave birth to another son, 13 and Leah said, “I am very ·happy [or blessed]! Now women will call me ·happy [or blessed],” so she named him Asher [C sounds like “happy/blessed” in Hebrew].
14 During the wheat harvest Reuben went into the field and found some mandrake plants [C an aphrodisiac, also thought to increase fertility] and brought them to his mother Leah. But Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 Leah answered, “·You have already [L Is it a minor matter that you have] taken away my husband, and now you are trying to take away my son’s mandrakes.”
But Rachel answered, “If you will give me your son’s mandrakes, you may ·sleep [L lie] with Jacob tonight.”
16 When Jacob came in from the field ·that night [in the evening], Leah went out to meet him. She said, “You will ·have sexual relations with [L come to] me tonight because I have ·paid for [bought; hired] you with my son’s mandrakes.” So Jacob ·slept [L lay] with her that night.
17 Then God ·answered Leah’s prayer [L heard Leah], and she ·became pregnant [L conceived] again. She gave birth to a fifth son 18 and said, “God has given me what I ·paid for [bought; hired], because I gave my slave girl to my husband.” So Leah named her son Issachar [C sounds like “paid for” in Hebrew].
19 Leah ·became pregnant [conceived] again and gave birth to a sixth son. 20 ·She [L Leah] said, “God has given me a fine ·gift [dowry]. Now surely Jacob will ·honor [exalt] me, because I have given him six sons,” so she named him Zebulun [C sounds like “honor” in Hebrew]. 21 Later Leah gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah [ch. 34].
22 Then God remembered Rachel and ·answered her prayer [L heard her], ·making it possible for her to have children [L and opened her womb]. 23 When she ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave birth to a son, she said, “God has taken away my ·shame [reproach],” 24 and she named him Joseph [C sounds like “he adds” in Hebrew]. Rachel said, “I wish the Lord would ·give [L add to] me another son.”
Jacob Tricks Laban
25 ·After the birth of [At the time that Rachel gave birth to] Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Now ·let me [L send me away that I might] go to my own home and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children and let me go. I have earned them by working for you, and you know that I have served you well.”
27 Laban said to him, “If I have ·pleased you [L found grace in your eyes], please stay. I ·know [or have learned by divination that] the Lord has blessed me because of you. 28 ·Tell me what I should pay you [Name your price], and I will give it to you.”
29 Jacob answered, “You know that I have worked hard for you, and [L how] your ·flocks [herds; or cattle] have ·grown while I cared for them [L have done with me]. 30 When I came, you had little, but now you have ·much [L increased many times]. ·Every time I did something for you [Wherever I turned; L At my feet], the Lord blessed you. But when will I be able to do something for my own ·family [household; L house]?”
31 Laban asked, “Then what should I give you?”
Jacob answered, “I don’t want you to give me anything. Just do this one thing, and I will come back and ·take care of [L feed and watch] your flocks. 32 Today let me ·go [pass] through all your flocks. I will ·take [remove] every speckled or spotted sheep, every black lamb, and every spotted or speckled goat. That will be my ·pay [wage; hire]. 33 In the future ·you can easily see if I am honest [L my honesty/righteousness will answer for me]. When you come to look at my flocks, if I have any goat that isn’t speckled or spotted or any lamb that isn’t black, you will know I stole it.”
34 Laban answered, “Agreed! We will do what you ·ask [L say].” 35 But that day Laban ·took away [removed] all the male goats that had streaks or spots, all the speckled and spotted female goats (all those that had white on them), and all the black sheep. He told his sons to ·watch over [take charge of] them. 36 Then he took these animals to a place that was three days’ journey away from Jacob. Jacob ·took care of [pastured] all the flocks that were left.
37 So Jacob cut ·green [fresh] ·branches [rods] from poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled off some of the bark so that the ·branches [rods] had white stripes on them. 38 He put the ·branches [rods] in front of the flocks at the watering ·places [troughs]. When the animals came to drink, they ·also mated there [L were in heat], 39 so the flocks mated in front of the branches [rods]. Then the young that were born were streaked, speckled, or spotted [C since nothing in Jacob’s strategy would have produced this result, God must have done it]. 40 Jacob separated the young animals from the others, and he made them face the streaked and dark animals in Laban’s flock. Jacob kept his animals separate from Laban’s. 41 When the stronger animals in the flock were ·mating [L in heat], Jacob put the ·branches [rods] before their eyes so they would mate near the branches. 42 But when the ·weaker [feebler] animals ·mated [L were in heat], Jacob did not put the ·branches [rods] there. So the animals born from the ·weaker [feebler] animals were Laban’s, and those born from the stronger animals were Jacob’s. 43 In this way ·Jacob [L the man] became very rich. He had large flocks, many male and female servants, camels, and donkeys.
Jacob Runs Away
31 One day Jacob heard Laban’s sons talking. They said, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned, and ·in this way he has become rich [L he has gotten all this wealth from our father].” 2 Then Jacob ·noticed [saw] that Laban was not as friendly as he had been before. 3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land ·where your ancestors lived [L of your fathers and your birthplace], and I will be with you [C indicating Jacob’s covenant with God].”
4 So Jacob ·told [L sent for] Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field where he kept his flocks. 5 He said to them, “I have seen that your father is not as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You both know that I have ·worked [served] ·as hard as I could [L with all my power/strength] for your father, 7 but he ·cheated [mocked; deceived] me and changed my ·pay [wages] ten times. But God has not allowed your father to harm me. 8 When Laban said, ‘You can have all the speckled animals as your ·pay [wages],’ all the animals gave birth to speckled young ones. But when he said, ‘You can have all the streaked animals as your ·pay [wages],’ all the flocks gave birth to streaked babies [30:37–43]. 9 So God has taken the ·animals [livestock] away from your father and has given them to me.
10 “I had a dream during the season when the flocks were ·mating [L in heat]. I saw that the only male goats who were ·mating [mounting; L going up] were streaked, speckled, or spotted. 11 The ·angel [messenger] of God [16:7] spoke to me in that dream and said, ‘Jacob!’ I answered, ‘Yes!’ 12 The ·angel [messenger] said, ‘·Look [L Raise up your eyes and see]! Only the streaked, speckled, or spotted male goats are ·mating [mounting; L going up]. I have seen all ·the wrong things [L that which] Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God ·who appeared to you at [L of] Bethel, where you ·poured olive oil on [anointed] the ·stone you set up on end [pillar; 28:18–19] and where you made a ·promise [vow] to me. Now I want you to leave ·here [L this land] and go back to the land where you were born.’ ”
14 Rachel and Leah answered Jacob, “·Our father has nothing to give us when he dies [L Is there any lot/portion or inheritance still in our father’s house?]. 15 He has ·treated [considered] us like ·strangers [or foreigners]. He sold us to you, and ·then he spent all of the money you paid for us [L devoured the money]. 16 God took all this wealth from our father, and now it belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you to do.”
17 So Jacob [L rose up and] put his children and his wives on camels, 18 and they began their journey back to Isaac, his father, in the land of Canaan. All the flocks of animals that Jacob owned walked ahead of them. He carried ·everything [all the property] with him that he had gotten while he lived in ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Paddan-aram].
19 While Laban was gone to ·cut the wool from [shear] his sheep, Rachel stole the ·idols [L teraphim; C probably his household gods] that belonged to ·him [L her father]. 20 And Jacob ·tricked [deceived; L stole the heart of] Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was ·leaving [fleeing]. 21 ·Jacob and his family [L He and all that was his] ·left quickly [fled], crossed the ·Euphrates River [L River; C the northern Euphrates separated Mesopotamia from Syria], and traveled toward the mountains of Gilead [C the northernmost part of Palestine].
22 Three days later ·Laban learned [L it was told/reported to Laban] that Jacob had ·run away [fled], 23 so he ·gathered [L took] his ·relatives [L brothers] and began to ·chase [pursue] him. After seven days Laban ·found [caught up with] him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 That night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and said, “Be careful! Do not say anything to Jacob, good or bad.”
The Search for the Stolen Idols
25 So Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had ·made his camp [L pitched his tent] in the mountains, so Laban and his ·relatives [L brothers] ·set up their camp [pitched] in the mountains of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You ·cheated me [deceived me; L stole my heart] and ·took [L carried away] my daughters as if you had captured them ·in a war [L with a sword]. 27 Why did you ·run away secretly [sneak off] and ·trick [deceive; L steal from] me? Why didn’t you tell me? Then I could have sent you away with joy and singing and with the music of tambourines and ·harps [lyres]. 28 You did not even let me kiss my ·grandchildren [L sons] and my daughters good-bye. You were very foolish to do this! 29 I have the power to harm you, but last night the God of your father spoke to me and warned me not to say anything to you, good or bad. 30 I know you want to go back to ·your home [L the house of your father], but why did you steal my ·idols [L gods; 31:19]?”
31 Jacob answered [L and said to] Laban, “I left without telling you, because I was afraid you would ·take [forcibly remove] your daughters away from me. 32 If you find anyone here who has taken your ·idols [gods], that person will ·be killed [L not live]! ·Your [L Our] ·relatives [L brothers] will be my witnesses. You may look for anything that belongs to you and take anything that is yours.” (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban’s idols.)
33 So Laban ·looked [L went] in Jacob’s tent, in Leah’s tent, and in the tent where the two slave women stayed, but he did not find his idols. When he left Leah’s tent, he went into Rachel’s tent. 34 Rachel had hidden the ·idols [teraphim; 31:19] inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Although Laban looked through the whole tent, he did not find them.
35 Rachel said to her father, “Father, don’t be angry with me. I am not able to stand up before you because ·I am having my monthly period [L the way of women is on me].” So Laban ·looked through the camp [L searched], but he did not find ·his idols [L the teraphim].
36 Then Jacob became very angry and accused Laban and said, “What ·wrong have I done [is my offense]? What ·law have I broken [L is my sin] to cause you to ·chase [hotly pursue] me? 37 You have ·looked [felt] through everything I own, but you have found nothing that belongs to you. If you have found anything, show it to everyone. Put it in front of your ·relatives [L brothers] and my ·relatives [L brothers], and let them ·decide which one of us is right [judge between us]. 38 I have ·worked for [L been with] you now for twenty years. During all that time none of the ·lambs [ewes] and kids ·died during birth [miscarried], and I have not eaten any of the ·male sheep [rams] from your flocks. 39 Any time an animal was killed by wild beasts, I did not bring it to you, but made up for the loss myself. You made me pay for any animal that was stolen during the day or night. 40 In the daytime the ·sun [heat] ·took away my strength [L consumed me], and at night I was cold and ·could not sleep [L sleep fled from my eyes]. 41 I [L was in your house and] worked like a slave for you for twenty years—the first fourteen to get your two daughters and the last six to earn your flocks. During that time you changed my ·pay [wages] ten times. 42 But the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the ·God [L Fear; C a title for God; Prov. 1:7] of Isaac, was with me. Otherwise, you would have sent me away with nothing. But he saw the ·trouble [affliction] I had and the hard work I did, and last night he ·corrected [admonished; reproved] you.”
Jacob and Laban’s Treaty
43 Laban said to Jacob, “·These girls [L The daughters] are my daughters. ·Their children belong to me [L The sons are my sons], and ·these flocks are mine [L the flocks are my flocks]. Everything you see here belongs to me, but ·I can do nothing to keep [L what can I do about…?] my daughters and their children. 44 ·Let us make [L Come, let us cut] ·an agreement [a covenant/treaty; 6:18], and let ·us set up a pile of stones to remind us of it [L it be a witness between us].”
45 So Jacob took a large rock and set it ·up on its end [L as a pillar]. 46 ·He [L Jacob] told his ·relatives [L brothers] to gather rocks, so they took the rocks and ·piled them up [made a pile/mound/heap]; then they ·ate [feasted] beside the pile [C treaties were often celebrated by a feast]. 47 Laban named that place in his language A Pile to Remind Us [Jegar-sahadutha; C he spoke Aramaic], and Jacob called the place Galeed [C the Hebrew version of the Aramaic name].
48 Laban said to Jacob, “This ·pile of rocks [mound; heap] will ·remind us of the agreement [L be a witness] between us.” That is why the place was called ·A Pile to Remind Us [Galeed]. 49 It was also called Mizpah [C sounds like “watch” in Hebrew], because Laban said, “Let the Lord watch over us while we are ·separated [absent] from each other. 50 Remember that God is our witness even if no one else is around us. He will know if you ·harm [abuse] my daughters or ·marry [take] other women. 51 Here is the ·pile of rocks [mound; heap] that I have ·put [thrown up] between us and here is the ·rock I set up on end [pillar]. 52 This ·pile of rocks [mound; heap] and this ·rock set on end [pillar] will ·remind us of our agreement [L be a witness]. I will never go past this ·pile [mound; heap] to hurt you, and you must never come to my side of them to hurt me. 53 Let the God of Abraham, who is the God of Nahor and the God of their ·ancestors [fathers], ·punish either of us if we break this agreement [L judge between us].”
So Jacob made a promise ·in the name of the God whom his father Isaac worshiped [L by the fear of his father Isaac]. 54 Then Jacob ·killed an animal and offered it as [L offered] a sacrifice on the mountain, and he invited his ·relatives [L brothers] to share in the meal [31:46]. After they finished eating, they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his ·grandchildren [L sons] and his daughters and blessed them, and then he left to return ·home [L to his place].
Jacob Meets Esau
32 When Jacob also went his way, the ·angels [messengers] of God met him. 2 When he saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim [C sounds like “two camps” in Hebrew; a city in the hill country of Gilead; Josh. 13:26, 30].
3 Jacob’s brother Esau was living in the area called Seir in the country of Edom [14:6]. Jacob sent messengers to Esau, 4 telling them, “Give this message to my ·master [lord] Esau: ‘This is what Jacob, your servant, says: I have ·lived [sojourned; lived as an alien] with Laban and have ·remained [or been detained] there until now. 5 I have cattle, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants. I send this message to ·you [my master/lord] ·and ask you to accept us [L to find grace in your eyes].’ ”
6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.”
7 Then Jacob was very afraid and ·worried [distressed]. He divided the people who were with him and all the flocks, herds, and camels into two camps. 8 Jacob thought, “Esau might come and ·destroy [strike; attack] one camp, but the ·other camp can run away and [L the camp that is left] ·be saved [escape].”
9 Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! Lord, ·you told [did you not tell…?] me to return to my country and my family. You said that you would treat me well. 10 I am not worthy of the ·kindness [loyalty; covenant love] and ·continual goodness [faithfulness] you have shown ·me [L your servant]. The first time I traveled across the Jordan River, I had only my walking stick, but now I own enough to have two camps. 11 Please ·save [rescue; deliver] me from [L the hand of] my brother Esau. I am afraid he will come and ·kill [strike; attack] all of us, even the mothers with the children. 12 You said to me, ‘I will treat you well and will make your ·children [L seed] as many as the sand of the seashore [22:17]. There will be too many to count.’ ”
13 Jacob stayed there for the night and prepared ·a gift [or tribute] for Esau from what he had with him: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ·female sheep [ewes] and twenty ·male sheep [rams], 15 thirty female camels and their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys. 16 Jacob gave each separate flock of animals to one of his servants and said to them, “·Go [Pass] ahead of me and keep some space between each herd.” 17 Jacob gave them their orders. To the servant with the first group of animals he said, “My brother Esau will come to you and ask, ‘·Whose servant are you [L To whom do you belong]? Where are you going and whose ·animals are these [L are these ahead of you]?’ 18 Then you will answer, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. He sent them as a ·gift [or tribute] to you, my ·master [lord] Esau, and he also is coming behind us.’ ”
19 Jacob ordered the second servant, the third servant, and all the ·other servants [L others who followed the droves of animals] to do the same thing. He said, “Say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 Say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’ ” Jacob thought, “If I send ·these gifts [or this tribute] ahead of me, maybe ·Esau will forgive me [L I will appease/propitiate him]. Then when I see ·him [L his face], perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So Jacob ·sent [passed ahead of him] the ·gifts [or tribute] to Esau, but he himself stayed that night in the camp.
Jacob Wrestles with God
22 During the night Jacob rose and crossed the Jabbok River [C a tributary of the Jordan about 15 miles north of the Dead Sea in the Transjordan] at the crossing, taking with him his two wives, his two slave girls, and his eleven sons. 23 He sent his family and everything he had across the ·river [wadi; ravine]. 24 So Jacob was alone, and a man came and wrestled with him until ·the sun came up [daybreak]. 25 When the man saw he could not defeat Jacob, he struck Jacob’s ·hip [hip socket] and put it out of joint [L as he wrestled with him]. 26 Then he said to Jacob, “Let me go. ·The sun is coming up [Daybreak is coming].”
But Jacob said, “I will ·let you go if you will [L not let you go unless you] bless me.”
27 The man said to him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, “Jacob.”
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob. Your name will now be Israel [C sounds like “he wrestled/fought/strove with God” in Hebrew], because you have ·wrestled [fought; strove] with God and with people, and you have ·won [prevailed].”
29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”
But ·the man [L he] said, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.
30 So Jacob named that place Peniel [C sounds like “face of God” in Hebrew], saying, “I have seen God face to face, but my life was ·saved [spared].” 31 Then the sun rose as he was leaving that place, and Jacob was limping because of his ·leg [hip]. 32 So even today the people of Israel do not eat the muscle that is on the hip joint of animals [C the sciatic muscle], because Jacob was touched there.
Jacob Shows His Bravery
33 Jacob ·looked up [L raised his eyes] and saw Esau coming, and with him were four hundred men. So Jacob divided his children among Leah, Rachel, and the two slave girls. 2 Jacob put the slave girls with their children first, then Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph last [C least favorite to most favorite]. 3 Jacob himself ·went out [passed] in front of them and bowed down flat on the ground seven times ·as he was walking toward [or until he came near] his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and ·put his arms around [hugged] him and ·hugged him [L fell on his neck]. Then Esau kissed him, and they both cried. 5 When ·Esau looked up [L he raised his eyes] and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?”
Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given me, your servant.”
6 Then the two slave girls and their children came up to Esau and bowed down flat on the earth before him. 7 Leah and her children also came up to Esau and also bowed down flat on the earth. Last of all, Joseph and Rachel came up to Esau, and they, too, bowed down flat before him.
8 Esau said, “·I saw many herds as I was coming here. Why did you bring them [L What is all this camp that I encountered]?”
Jacob answered, “They were to ·please you, my master [L find grace/favor in the eyes of my master/lord].”
9 But Esau said, “I already have enough, my brother. Keep what you have.”
10 Jacob said, “No! Please! If I have ·pleased you [L found grace/favor in your eyes], then ·accept the gift I give you [L take my gift/tribute from my hand]. ·I am very happy to see your face again. It [L Seeing your face] is like seeing the face of God, because you have accepted me. 11 So I beg you to accept the ·gift [present; L blessing] I give you. God has been very ·good [gracious; favorable] to me, and I have ·more than [all that] I need.” And because ·Jacob begged [he urged him], Esau ·accepted [took] the gift.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us be going. I will travel with you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “My ·master [L lord], you know that the children are ·weak [soft; frail]. And I must be careful with my flocks ·and their young ones [L and herds that are nursing]. If I ·force them to go too far [push them too fast] in one day, ·all the animals [the entire flock] will die. 14 So, my ·master [lord], you ·go [pass] on ahead of me, your servant. I will follow you slowly and let the animals and the children set the speed at which we travel. I will meet you, my ·master [lord], in ·Edom [L Seir; 14:6].”
15 So Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my people with you.”
“No, thank you,” said Jacob. “·I only want to please you, my master [L Why should I find such grace/favor in the eyes of my master/lord?].” 16 So that day Esau started back to ·Edom [L Seir; 14:6]. 17 But Jacob went to Succoth, where he built a house for himself and ·shelters [booths] for his animals. That is why the place was named Succoth [C sounds like “shelter” in Hebrew].
18 Jacob left ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Paddan-aram] and arrived safely at the city of Shechem [12:6] in the land of Canaan. There he camped ·east of [L before] the city. 19 He bought a ·part [parcel; portion] of the field where he had camped from the sons of Hamor father of Shechem for one hundred ·pieces of silver [L qesitah; C an uncertain monetary unit; Josh. 24:32; John 4:5, 6, 12; Acts 7:16]. 20 He ·built [erected] an altar there and named it ·after God, the God of Israel [L El-Elohe-Israel].
Dinah Is Attacked
34 At this time Dinah, the daughter of Leah ·and [L whom she bore to] Jacob [30:21], went out to ·visit [see; or be seen with] the ·women [L daughters] of the land. 2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite [C one of the tribes that inhabited Canaan], the ·ruler [prince] of the land, saw her, he took her and ·forced her to have sexual relations with him [lay with her and humiliated/violated her]. 3 ·Shechem fell in love with Dinah [L His soul was bound to Dinah daugher of Jacob and he loved her], and he spoke kindly to her. 4 He told his father, Hamor, “Please get this girl for me ·so I can marry her [L as a wife].”
5 Jacob ·learned how [L heard that] ·Shechem [L he] had ·disgraced [defiled; made unclean] his daughter, but since his sons were out in the field with the cattle, Jacob ·said nothing [was silent] until they came home. 6 While he waited, Hamor father of Shechem went to talk with Jacob.
7 When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they came in from the field. They were [L upset/shocked/pained and] very angry that Shechem had done ·such a wicked thing [sacrilege; L folly] to Israel. It was wrong for him to ·have sexual relations [L lie] with Jacob’s daughter; a thing like this should not be done.
8 But Hamor talked to Dinah’s brothers and said, “My son Shechem is deeply ·in love with [attached/bound to] Dinah. Please ·let him marry her [L give her to him as a wife]. 9 ·Marry [Make marriages/Intermarry with] our people. Give your women [L daughters] to ·our men as wives [L us] and take our ·women [L daughters] for ·your men as wives [L yourselves]. 10 You can live in the same land with us. You will be free to own land and to trade here.”
11 Shechem also talked to ·Jacob [L her father] and to Dinah’s brothers and said, “·Please accept my offer [L Let me find grace/favor in your eyes]. I will give anything you ask. 12 Ask as much as you want for the ·payment for the bride [bridal payment and gift; C traditional payments to the family], and I will give it to you. Just ·let me marry Dinah [L give me the girl as a wife].”
13 Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father ·with lies [deceitfully; with duplicity], because Shechem had ·disgraced [defiled; made unclean] their sister Dinah. 14 The brothers said to them, “We cannot allow you [L to do this thing] to ·marry our sister [L give our sister as a wife], because you are not circumcised. That would be a ·disgrace [reproach; shame] to us. 15 But we will ·allow you to marry her [L consent] if you do this one thing: Every man in your town must be circumcised like us [17:10]. 16 Then ·your men can marry our women [L we will give our daughers to you], and ·our men can marry your women [L we will take your daughters for ourselves], and we will live in your land and become one people. 17 If you ·refuse [L do not listen/obey us] to be circumcised, we will take ·Dinah [L our daughter] and ·leave [go].”
18 What they asked seemed fair to Hamor and Shechem [L the son of Hamor]. 19 So ·Shechem quickly went to be circumcised [L the man did not delay to do this thing] because he ·loved [delighted in] Jacob’s daughter.
Now Shechem was the most ·respected [honored] man in ·his family [L his father’s house]. 20 So Hamor and Shechem [L his son] went to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These people want to be friends with us. So let them live in our land and trade here. ·There is enough land [L The land is broad on both sides] for all of us. Let us ·marry their women [L take their daughters as wives for ourselves], and ·we can let them marry our women [L give them our daughters]. 22 But we must agree to one thing: All our men must be circumcised as they are. Then they will agree to live in our land, and we will be one people. 23 If we do this, their cattle and their animals will belong to us. Let us do what they say, and they will stay in our land.” 24 All the people who had come to the city gate heard this. They agreed with Hamor and Shechem [L his son], and every man was circumcised.
25 Three days later the men who were circumcised were still in pain. Two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi (Dinah’s brothers), took their swords and made a ·surprise [or bold] attack on the city, killing all the men there. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem and then took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and left. 27 Jacob’s sons came upon the dead bodies and ·stole everything that was in [plundered] the city, ·to pay them back for what Shechem had done to [L because they had disgraced/defiled/made unclean] their sister. 28 So the brothers took the flocks, herds, and donkeys, and everything in the city and in the fields. 29 They ·took [L captured and plundered] every valuable thing the people owned, even their wives and children and everything in the houses.
30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have caused me a lot of trouble. ·Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites who live in the land will hate me [L I will be a stench among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites]. Since there are only a few of us, if they join together to attack us, my people and I will be destroyed.”
31 But the brothers said, “·We will not allow our sister to be treated [Should they treat our sister…?] like a ·prostitute [whore].”
Jacob in Bethel
35 God said to Jacob, “·Go [L Rise up and go up] to the city of Bethel [12:8] and live there. Make an altar to the God who appeared to you there when you were ·running away [fleeing] from your brother Esau [28:1–22].”
2 So Jacob said to his ·family [household] and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods you have, and ·make yourselves clean [purify yourselves], and change your clothes. 3 We will ·leave here and go [L rise up and go up] to Bethel. There I will build an altar to God, who ·has helped [L answered] me ·during my time of trouble [L in the day of my distress]. He has been with me [C an indication of a covenant relationship] everywhere I have gone.” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods ·they had [in their possession; L in their hands], and the earrings ·they were wearing [L on their ears], and he hid them under the ·great tree [L oak; or terebinth; 12:6] near the town of Shechem. 5 Then Jacob and his sons left there. But ·God caused the people in the nearby cities to be afraid [L the terror of God was on the surrounding cities], so they did not ·follow [pursue] them. 6 And Jacob and all the people who were with him went to Luz, which is now called Bethel, in the land of Canaan. 7 There Jacob built an altar and named the place ·Bethel, after God [El-Bethel; or “God of Bethel”], because God had appeared to him there when he was ·running [fleeing] from his brother.
8 Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak tree at Bethel, so they named that place ·Oak of Crying [L Allon-bacuth].
Jacob’s New Name
9 When Jacob came back from ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Paddan-aram], God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. Your new name will be Israel.” So he called him Israel [32:28]. 11 God said to him, “I am ·God Almighty [L El Shaddai]. ·Have many children [L Be fruitful] and ·grow in number [L multiply; 1:22] as a nation. ·You will be the ancestor of many nations [L A company/assembly of nations will come from you] and kings [L will spring from your loins]. 12 The same land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you and your ·descendants [L seed; 12:2].” 13 Then God ·left him [L went up from him in the place where he spoke with him]. 14 Jacob set up a ·stone on edge [L pillar, a stone pillar] in that place where God had talked to him, and he poured a drink offering and olive oil on it to make it special for God. 15 And Jacob named the place Bethel [C “house of God”].
Rachel Dies Giving Birth
16 ·Jacob and his group [L They] ·left [departed from] Bethel. ·Before they came to [or While still some distance from] Ephrath [C near Bethlehem four miles south of Jerusalem; 35:19], Rachel began giving birth to her baby [L and had hard labor], 17 but she was having ·much trouble [hard labor]. When ·Rachel’s nurse [L the midwife] saw this, she said, “Don’t be afraid, Rachel. You are giving birth to another son.” 18 Rachel gave birth to the son, but she herself died. As she lay dying, she named the boy ·Son of My Suffering [Ben-oni], but Jacob called him Benjamin [C “son of my right hand/the south”].
19 Rachel was buried on the road to Ephrath, ·a district of [or which is] Bethlehem, 20 and Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. It is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21 Then Israel [C Jacob’s new name] continued his journey and ·camped [L pitched his tent] just south of ·Migdal Eder [or the tower of Eder; C Eder means “the flock”; perhaps located near Jerusalem; Mic. 4:8].
22 While Israel was there, Reuben ·had sexual relations [L lay] with Israel’s ·slave woman [concubine] Bilhah, and Israel heard about it [49:3–4].
The Family of Israel
Jacob had twelve sons. 23 He had six sons by his wife Leah: Reuben, his ·first son [firstborn], then Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24 He had two sons by his wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25 He had two sons by Rachel’s slave girl Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.
26 And he had two sons by Leah’s slave girl Zilpah: Gad and Asher.
These are Jacob’s sons who were born in ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Paddan-aram].
27 Jacob went to his father Isaac at Mamre near Hebron [13:18; 18:1; 23:17–18; 25:9], where Abraham and Isaac had ·lived [sojourned; lived as an alien]. 28 Isaac lived one hundred eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last breath and died [L and was gathered to his people/relatives; 25:8] when he was very old [L and full of days], and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Esau’s Family
36 ·This is the family history [L These are the generations; 2:4] of Esau (also called Edom [25:30]). 2 Esau ·married [L took] women from the ·land [L daughters] of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Oholibamah daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 and Basemath [26:34], Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth.
4 Adah gave birth to Eliphaz for Esau. Basemath gave him Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah gave him Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were Esau’s sons who were born in the land of Canaan.
6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the people who lived with him, his herds and other animals, and all the ·belongings [property] he had ·gotten [acquired] in Canaan, and he went to a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 ·Esau and Jacob’s [L For their] ·belongings [property] were becoming too many for them to live ·in the same land [together]. The land where they had ·lived [sojourned; lived as aliens] could not support both of them, because they had too many herds. 8 So Esau lived in the mountains of ·Edom [L Seir; 14:6]. (Esau is also named Edom [25:30].)
9 ·This is the family history [L These are the generations; 2:4] of Esau. He is the ·ancestor [father] of the Edomites, who live in the mountains of ·Edom [L Seir].
10 ·Esau’s sons were [L These are the names of the sons of Esau:] Eliphaz, son of Adah and Esau, and Reuel, son of Basemath and Esau.
11 Eliphaz had five sons: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Eliphaz also had a ·slave woman [concubine] named Timna, and Timna and Eliphaz gave birth to Amalek. These were Esau’s ·grandsons [descendants; L sons] by his wife Adah.
13 Reuel had four sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were Esau’s grandsons by his wife Basemath.
14 Esau’s third wife was Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. (Anah was the son of Zibeon.) Esau and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
15 These were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] that came from Esau: Esau’s ·first son [firstborn] was Eliphaz. From him came these ·leaders [chiefs; or clans]: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, 16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] that came from Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Adah.
17 Esau’s son Reuel was the father of these ·leaders [chiefs; or clans]: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] that came from Reuel in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
18 Esau’s wife Oholibamah gave birth to these ·leaders [chiefs; or clans]: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] that came from Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. 19 These were the sons of Esau (also called Edom), and these were their leaders [chiefs; or clans].
20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These sons of Seir were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] of the Horites in Edom.
22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam. (Timna was Lotan’s sister.)
23 The sons of Shobal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24 The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. Anah is the man who found the hot springs in the ·desert [wilderness] while he was ·caring for [pasturing] his father’s donkeys.
25 The children of Anah were Dishon and Oholibamah daughter of Anah.
26 The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
27 The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28 The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran.
29 These were the names of the Horite ·leaders [chiefs; or clans]: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.
These men were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] of the Horite families who lived in the land of Edom.
31 These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before the Israelites ever had a king [1 Sam. 8–12]:
32 Bela son of Beor was the king of Edom. He came from the city of Dinhabah.
33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah became king. Jobab was from Bozrah.
34 When Jobab died, Husham became king. He was from the land of the Temanites.
35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who had defeated Midian in the country of Moab, became king. Hadad was from the city of Avith.
36 When Hadad died, Samlah became king. He was from Masrekah.
37 When Samlah died, Shaul became king. He was from Rehoboth on the ·Euphrates River [L River].
38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor became king.
39 When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king. He was from the city of Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, who was the daughter of Me-Zahab.
40 These Edomite ·leaders [chiefs; or clans], listed by their ·families [clans] and regions, came from Esau. Their names were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram. They were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] of Edom. (Esau was the father of the Edomites.) The area where each of these ·families [clans] lived was named after that ·family [clan].
Joseph the Dreamer
37 Jacob ·lived [settled] in the land of Canaan, where his father had ·lived [sojourned; lived as an alien]. 2 ·This is the family history [L These are the generations; 2:4] of Jacob:
Joseph was a young man, seventeen years old. He and his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives, ·cared for [shepherded] the flocks. Joseph was a ·helper [assistant; L youth] to his brothers. Joseph gave his father bad reports about his brothers. 3 Since Joseph was born when his father Israel [C Jacob’s other name] was old, Israel loved him more than his other sons. He made Joseph a special robe with long sleeves [C traditionally a multicolored robe]. 4 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than he loved them, they hated their brother and could not speak to him ·politely [C civilly; L peacefully].
5 One time Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. 6 Joseph said, “Listen to the dream I ·had [L dreamed]. 7 We were in the field tying ·bundles [sheaves] of wheat together. My ·bundle [sheaf] rose and stood upright, and your ·bundles [sheaves] of wheat gathered around it and bowed down to it.”
8 His brothers said, “Do you really think you will be king over us? Do you truly think you will ·rule over [dominate] us?” His brothers hated him even more because of his dreams and what he had said.
9 Then Joseph had another dream, and he told his brothers about it also. He said, “Listen, I had another dream. I saw the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me.”
10 Joseph also told his father about this dream, but his father ·scolded [rebuked] him, saying, “What kind of dream is this? Do you really believe that your mother, your brothers, and I will bow down to you?” 11 Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him, but his father ·thought about what all these things could mean [L guarded/kept the report].
12 One day Joseph’s brothers went to Shechem [12:6] to ·graze [shepherd] their father’s flocks. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “·Go to Shechem where your brothers are grazing the flocks [L Are not your brothers shepherding in Shechem? Go and I will send you to them].”
Joseph answered, “I will go.”
14 His father said, “Go and see ·if your brothers and the flocks are all right [after the welfare of your brothers and the flocks]. Then come back and ·tell me [give me a report].” So Joseph’s father sent him from the Valley of Hebron [13:18].
When Joseph came to Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering in the field and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16 Joseph answered, “I am looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are ·grazing [shepherding] the flocks?”
17 The man said, “They have already gone. I heard them say they were going to Dothan [C a small town thirteen miles north of Shechem].” So Joseph went to look for his brothers and found them in Dothan.
Joseph Sold into Slavery
18 Joseph’s brothers saw him coming from far away. Before he reached them, they ·made a plan [conspired] to kill him. 19 They said to each other, “Here comes that dreamer. 20 Let’s ·kill [murder] him and throw his body into one of the ·wells [pits; cisterns]. We can tell our father that a wild animal ·killed [L ate] him. Then we will see what will become of his dreams.”
21 But Reuben [C the oldest among the brothers] heard ·their plan [L it] and ·saved Joseph [L rescued him from their hands], saying, “Let’s not ·kill him [take his life]. 22 Don’t spill any blood. Throw him into this ·well [pit; cistern] here in the ·desert [wilderness], but don’t ·hurt him [L send your hand against him]!” Reuben planned to ·save Joseph later [L rescue him from their hand] and ·send him back [return him] to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they ·pulled [stripped] off his robe with long sleeves [37:3] 24 and threw him into the ·well [pit; cistern]. It was empty, and there was no water in it.
25 ·While Joseph was in the well, the brothers [L They] sat down to eat. When they ·looked up [L lifted their eyes], they saw a ·group [caravan] of Ishmaelites traveling from Gilead to Egypt. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh.
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What ·will we gain [profit is there] if we ·kill [murder] our brother and ·hide his death [L cover up his blood]? 27 Let’s sell him to these Ishmaelites. Then we will not ·be guilty of killing our own brother [L lay our hands on him]. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” And the other brothers ·agreed [listened; obeyed]. 28 So when the Midianite traders [C Midian is part of the Ishmaelite nation; Judg. 8:22, 24] came by, ·the brothers took Joseph out [L they drew him and lifted him up out] of the ·well [pit; cistern] and sold him to the Ishmaelites for ·eight ounces [L twenty pieces] of silver [C the price of a slave at the time]. And the Ishmaelites took him to Egypt.
29 When Reuben came back to the ·well [pit; cistern] and Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes [C to show he was upset]. 30 Then he went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! ·What shall I do [L And as for me, where should I go]?” 31 ·The brothers killed [L They took the robe and slaughtered] a goat and dipped Joseph’s robe in its blood. 32 Then they brought the long-sleeved robe [37:3] to their father and said, “We found this robe. Look it over carefully and see if it is your son’s robe.”
33 ·Jacob looked it over [L He recognized it] and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ·savage [evil] animal has eaten him. My son Joseph has been torn to pieces!” 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes and put ·on rough cloth [burlap/sackcloth on his loins; C to show he was upset], and he continued ·to be sad about [mourn for] his son for ·a long time [L many days]. 35 All of his sons and daughters tried to ·comfort [console] him, but he could not be ·comforted [consoled]. He said, “I will ·be sad about my son until the day I die [I will go down to Sheol/the grave mourning my son].” So ·Jacob [L his father] cried for his son Joseph.
36 Meanwhile the Midianites who had bought Joseph had taken him to Egypt. There they sold him to Potiphar, an officer to ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] and captain of the palace guard and chief ·butcher [or executioner; C a high Egyptian official].
Judah and Tamar
38 About that time, Judah ·left [L went down from] his brothers and went to stay with a man named Hirah in the town of Adullam [C a Canaanite city nine miles northwest of Hebron]. 2 There Judah met a Canaanite girl, the daughter of a man named Shua, and married her. Judah ·had sexual relations with [L went to] her, 3 and she ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave birth to a son, whom Judah named Er. 4 Later she gave birth to another son and named him Onan. 5 Still later she had another son and named him Shelah. She was at Kezib [C “deceiving”; a town near Adullam; probably the same as Aczib; Josh. 15:44] when this third son was born.
6 Judah ·chose [L took] a girl named Tamar to be the wife of his ·first son [firstborn] Er. 7 But Er, Judah’s ·oldest son [firstborn], did ·what the Lord said was evil [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord] so the Lord killed him. 8 Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and have sexual relations with your dead brother’s wife. It is your duty to ·provide children for your brother in this way [L raise up a seed for your brother; Deut. 25:5–10].”
9 But Onan knew that the ·children [L seed] would not belong to him, so when he ·was supposed to have sexual relations with [L he went to] Tamar he ·did not complete the sex act [L spilled his seed on the ground], ·making it impossible for Tamar to become pregnant and for Er to have descendants [L so that he did not give a descendant/seed to his brother]. 10 ·The Lord was displeased by this wicked thing Onan had done [L What he did was evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], so he killed Onan also. 11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “·Go back to live in your father’s house, and don’t marry [L Remain a widow in your father’s house] until my young son Shelah grows up.” Judah was afraid that Shelah also would die like his brothers. So Tamar returned to her father’s home.
12 After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah ·had gotten over his sorrow [L was comforted], he went to Timnah [C a town south of Hebron] to his ·men who were cutting the wool from his sheep [L sheepshearers]. His friend Hirah from Adullam went with him. 13 Tamar learned that Judah, her father-in-law, was going to Timnah to cut the wool from his sheep. 14 So she took off the clothes that showed she was a widow and covered her face with a veil ·to hide who she was [L and wrapped herself up; C perhaps indicating a woman was a prostitute; see v. 15]. Then she sat down by the gate of Enaim on the road to Timnah. She did this because Judah’s younger son Shelah had grown up, but Judah had not ·made plans for her to marry him [given her to him as a wife].
15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face with a veil. 16 So Judah went to her [L on the road side/way] and said, “Let me ·have sexual relations with [L come to] you.” He did not know that she was Tamar, his daughter-in-law.
She asked, “What will you ·give [pay] me if I let you ·have sexual relations with [L come to] me?”
17 Judah answered, “I will send you a young goat from my flock.”
She answered, “First give me ·something to keep as a deposit [a pledge] until you send the goat.”
18 Judah asked, “What do you want me to give you as a ·deposit [pledge]?”
Tamar answered, “Give me your ·seal [signet] and its cord, and give me your ·walking stick [staff; C all items that could identify a person].” So Judah gave these things to her. Then ·Judah and Tamar had sexual relations, and Tamar became pregnant [L he went to her and she conceived]. 19 When ·Tamar went home [L she got up and went], she took off the veil that covered her face and put on the clothes that showed she was a widow.
20 Judah sent his friend ·Hirah [L the Adullamite; 38:1] with the young goat to find the woman and get back his ·seal [signet] and the ·walking stick [staff] he had given her, but Hirah could not find her. 21 He asked some of the people at the town of Enaim, “Where is the prostitute [C perhaps indicating a temple prostitute connected to a fertility religion] who was here by the road?”
They answered, “There has never been a prostitute here.”
22 So he went back to Judah and said, “I could not find the woman, and the people who lived there said, ‘There has never been a prostitute here.’ ”
23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things. I don’t want people to laugh at us. I sent her the goat as I promised, but you could not find her.”
24 About three months later someone told Judah, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, is guilty of acting like a prostitute, and now she ·is pregnant [has conceived].”
Then Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned to death.”
25 When ·the people went to bring Tamar out [L she was brought out], she sent a message to her father-in-law that said, “The man who owns these things has made me pregnant. Look at this ·seal [signet] and its cord and this ·walking stick [staff], and tell me whose they are.”
26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more ·in the right [righteous] than I. She did this because I did not give her to my son Shelah as I promised.” And Judah did not ·have sexual relations with [L know; 4:1] her again.
27 When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were twins in her ·body [L womb]. 28 While she was ·giving birth [in labor], one baby put his hand out. The ·nurse [midwife] tied a ·red [crimson] string on his hand and said, “This baby came out first.” 29 But he pulled his hand back in, so the other baby was born first. The nurse said, “·So you are able to break out first [or What a breach you have made],” and they named him Perez [C sounds like “break out” in Hebrew]. 30 After this, the baby with the red string on his hand was born, and they named him Zerah [C shining/brightness, perhaps referring to the red string].
Joseph Is Sold to Potiphar
39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar was an officer to ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] and the chief butcher [37:36]. He bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph [C indicating a covenant relationship], and he ·became a successful man [prospered]. He lived in the house of his master, Potiphar the Egyptian.
3 Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord made Joseph ·successful [prosperous] in everything he did. 4 So ·Potiphar was very happy with Joseph [L Joseph found grace/favor in his eyes] and allowed him to ·be his personal servant [attend him]. He put Joseph in charge of the house, trusting him with everything he owned. 5 When Joseph was put in charge of the house and everything Potiphar owned, the Lord blessed the ·people in Potiphar’s [L the Egyptian’s] house because of Joseph. And the Lord blessed everything that belonged to Potiphar, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left Joseph in charge of everything he owned and was not concerned about anything except the food he ate.
Joseph Is Put into Prison
Now Joseph was ·well built [L pleasing in figure/form] and ·handsome [L pleasing in appearance]. 7 After ·some time [L these things] the wife of Joseph’s master ·began to desire [cast her eyes on; L lifted her eyes to] Joseph, and one day she said to him, “·Have sexual relations [L Lie] with me.”
8 But Joseph refused and said to ·her [L his master’s wife], “My master ·trusts me with [L has no concern with me about] everything in his house. He has put me in charge of everything he owns. 9 There is no one in his house greater than I. He has not kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How can I do such an evil thing? It is a sin against God [Ex. 20:14; Prov. 5–7].”
10 The woman talked to Joseph every day, but he ·refused [L did not listen to/obey her] to ·have sexual relations with [L lie beside] her or even spend time with her.
11 One day Joseph went into the house to do his work as usual and was the only man in the house at that time. 12 His master’s wife grabbed his coat and said to him, “Come and ·have sexual relations [L lie] with me.” But Joseph left his coat in her hand and ran ·out of the house [L outside].
13 When she saw that Joseph had left his coat in her hands and had run outside, 14 she called to the ·servants in [L the men of] her house and said, “Look! This Hebrew slave was brought here to ·shame [insult; sport with] us. He came in and tried to ·have sexual relations [L lie] with me, but I screamed. 15 ·My scream scared him and [L When he heard me raise my voice and call out] he ran away, but he left his coat with me.” 16 She kept his coat until her ·husband [master] came home, 17 and she told him the same story. She said, “This Hebrew slave you brought here came in to ·shame [insult; make sport of] me! 18 When he came near me, I ·screamed [L raised my voice]. He ·ran away [fled], but he left his coat.”
19 When Joseph’s master heard what his wife said Joseph had done, he became very angry. 20 So Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into the ·prison [L round house] where the king’s prisoners were ·put [L confined]. And Joseph stayed there in the ·prison [L round house].
21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him ·kindness [loyalty; love] and ·caused the prison warden to like Joseph [L gave him favor in the eyes of the chief jailer]. 22 The ·prison warden [chief jailer] chose Joseph to take care of all the prisoners, and he was responsible for whatever was done in the prison [39:20]. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with Joseph and made him ·successful [prosper] in everything he did.
Joseph Interprets Two Dreams
40 After these things happened, two of the king of Egypt’s officers ·displeased [offended; sinned against] the king—·the man who served wine [cupbearer] to the king and the king’s baker [C two important positions in the king’s court]. 2 ·The king [L Pharaoh] became angry with his ·officer who served him wine and his [chief cupbearer and chief] baker, 3 so he put them in the prison of the chief butcher [37:36], the same ·prison [L round house] where Joseph was ·kept [confined]. 4 The chief butcher [37:36] put the two prisoners in Joseph’s care, and they stayed in prison for some time.
5 One night both the king’s ·officer who served him wine and the [L cupbearer and] baker had a dream. Each had his own dream with its own meaning. 6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw they were ·worried [troubled]. 7 He asked ·the king’s [L Pharaoh’s] officers who were with him, “Why ·do you look so unhappy [do you look so bad; L are your faces bad/evil] today?”
8 The two men answered, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can explain their meaning to us.”
Joseph said to them, “·God is the only One who can explain the meaning of dreams [L Does not interpretation belong to God?]. Tell me your dreams.”
9 So the ·man who served wine to the king [chief cupbearer] told Joseph his dream. He said, “I dreamed I saw a vine, and 10 on the vine were three branches. I watched the branches bud and blossom, and then the [L cluster of] grapes ripened. 11 I was holding ·the king’s [L Pharaoh’s] cup, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I gave ·it to [L the cup into the palm of] ·the king [L Pharaoh].”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.