Genesis 32-34 - Prayer Tents

Genesis 32

As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him.H3290H1980H1870H4397H430H62932When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, "This is God's camp!" So he named the place Mahanaim

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Jacob Sends Gifts to Esau

3Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother, Esau, who was living in the region of Seir in the land of Edom.H3290H7971H4397H6440H6215H251H776H8165H7704H1234He told them, "Give this message to my master Esau: 'Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban,H6680H559H559H113H6215H5650H3290H559H1481H3837H3095and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to me.'"H7794H2543H6629H5650H8198H7971H5046H113H4672H2580H58696After delivering the message, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, "We met your brother, Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you—with an army of 400 men!"H4397H7725H3290H559H935H251H6215H1980H7125H3967H3767Jacob was terrified at the news. He divided his household, along with the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups.H3290H3966H3372H3334H2673H5971H6629H1241H1581H8147H42648He thought, "If Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps the other group can escape."H559H6215H935H259H4264H5221H4264H7604H64139Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O LORD, you told me, 'Return to your own land and to your relatives.' And you promised me, 'I will treat you kindly.'H3290H559H430H1H85H430H1H3327H3068H559H7725H776H4138H319010I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps!H6994H2617H571H6213H5650H4731H5674H3383H8147H426411O LORD, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children.H5337H3027H251H3027H6215H3373H935H5221H517H5921H112112But you promised me, 'I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.'"H559H3190H3190H7760H2233H2344H3220H5608H723013Jacob stayed where he was for the night. Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau.H3885H3915H3947H935H3027H4503H6215H25114200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams,H3967H5795H6242H8495H3967H7353H6242H3521530 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys.H7970H3243H1581H1121H705H6510H6235H6499H6242H860H6235H589516He divided these animals into herds and assigned each to different servants. Then he told his servants, "Go ahead of me with the animals, but keep some distance between the herds."H5414H3027H5650H5739H559H5650H5674H6440H7760H7305H996H5739H996H573917He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group: "When my brother, Esau, meets you, he will ask, 'Whose servants are you? Where are you going? Who owns these animals?'H6680H7223H559H6215H251H6298H7592H559H3212H644018You must reply, 'They belong to your servant Jacob, but they are a gift for his master Esau. Look, he is coming right behind us.'"H559H5650H3290H4503H7971H113H6215H31019Jacob gave the same instructions to the second and third herdsmen and to all who followed behind the herds: "You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him.H1571H6680H8145H7992H1980H310H5739H559H1697H1696H6215H467220And be sure to say, 'Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.'" Jacob thought, "I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me."H559H1571H5650H3290H310H559H3722H6440H4503H1980H6440H310H7200H6440H5375H644021So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp.H5674H4503H5674H6440H3885H3915H4264

Jacob Wrestles with God

22During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them.H6965H3915H3947H8147H802H8147H8198H6240H259H3206H5674H4569H299923After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.H3947H5674H5158H567424This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.H3290H3498H79H376H5927H783725When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob's hip and wrenched it out of its socket.H7200H3201H5060H3409H3709H3290H3409H3363H7926Then the man said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!" But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."H559H7971H7837H5927H559H7971H518H128827"What is your name?" the man asked. He replied, "Jacob."H559H8034H559H329028"Your name will no longer be Jacob," the man told him. "From now on you will be called Israel

, because you have fought with God and with men and have won."H559H8034H559H3290H3478H8280H430H582H320129"Please tell me your name," Jacob said. "Why do you want to know my name?" the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.H3290H7592H559H5046H8034H559H2088H7592H8034H128830Jacob named the place Peniel (which means "face of God"), for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared."H3290H7121H8034H4725H6439H7200H430H6440H6440H5315H533731The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel

, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip.H5674H6439H8121H2224H6760H340932(Even today the people of Israel don't eat the tendon near the hip socket because of what happened that night when the man strained the tendon of Jacob's hip.)H1121H3478H398H1517H5384H3709H3409H3117H5060H3709H3290H3409H1517H5384

Genesis 33

Jacob and Esau Make Peace

33Then Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and his two servant wives.H3290H5375H5869H7200H6215H935H702H3967H376H2673H3206H3812H7354H8147H81982He put the servant wives and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.H7760H8198H3206H7223H3812H3206H314H7354H3130H3143Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him.H5674H6440H7812H776H7651H6471H5066H2514Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.H6215H7323H7125H2263H5307H6677H5401H10585Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, "Who are these people with you?" "These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant," Jacob replied.H5375H5869H7200H802H3206H559H428H559H3206H430H2603H56506Then the servant wives came forward with their children and bowed before him.H8198H5066H3206H78127Next came Leah with her children, and they bowed before him. Finally, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed before him.H3812H3206H5066H7812H310H5066H3130H5066H7354H78128"And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?" Esau asked. Jacob replied, "They are a gift, my lord, to ensure your friendship."H559H4264H6298H559H4672H2580H5869H1139"My brother, I have plenty," Esau answered. "Keep what you have for yourself."H6215H559H3426H7227H25110But Jacob insisted, "No, if I have found favor with you, please accept this gift from me. And what a relief to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the face of God!H3290H559H4672H2580H5869H3947H4503H3027H7200H6440H7200H6440H430H752111Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough." And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift.H3947H1293H935H430H2603H3605H3426H3605H6484H394712"Well," Esau said, "let's be going. I will lead the way."H559H5265H3212H321213But Jacob replied, "You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, all the animals could die.H559H113H3045H3206H7390H6629H1241H5763H1849H259H3117H6629H419114Please, my lord, go ahead of your servant. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children. I will meet you at Seir."H113H5674H6440H5650H5095H328H7272H4399H6440H3206H7272H935H113H816515"All right," Esau said, "but at least let me assign some of my men to guide and protect you." Jacob responded, "That's not necessary. It's enough that you've received me warmly, my lord!"H6215H559H3322H5971H559H4100H4672H2580H5869H11316So Esau turned around and started back to Seir that same day.H6215H7725H3117H1870H816517Jacob, on the other hand, traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Succoth (which means "shelters").H3290H5265H5523H1129H1004H6213H5521H4735H8034H4725H7121H552318Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside the town.H3290H935H8004H5892H7927H776H3667H935H6307H2583H6440H589219Jacob bought the plot of land where he camped from the family of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for 100 pieces of silver

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Genesis 34

Revenge against Shechem

34One day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit some of the young women who lived in the area.H1783H1323H3812H3205H3290H3318H7200H1323H7762But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah, he seized her and raped her.H7927H1121H2544H2340H5387H776H7200H3947H7901H60313But then he fell in love with her, and he tried to win her affection with tender words.H5315H1692H1783H1323H3290H157H5291H1696H3820H52914He said to his father, Hamor, "Get me this young girl. I want to marry her."H7927H559H1H2544H559H3947H3207H8025Soon Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter, Dinah. But since his sons were out in the fields herding his livestock, he said nothing until they returned.H3290H8085H2930H1783H1323H1121H4735H7704H3290H2790H9356Hamor, Shechem's father, came to discuss the matter with Jacob.H2544H1H7927H3318H3290H1696H8547Meanwhile, Jacob's sons had come in from the field as soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked and furious that their sister had been raped. Shechem had done a disgraceful thing against Jacob's family

, something that should never be done.H1121H3290H935H7704H8085H582H6087H3966H2734H6213H5039H3478H7901H3290H1323H62138Hamor tried to speak with Jacob and his sons. "My son Shechem is truly in love with your daughter," he said. "Please let him marry her.H2544H1696H559H5315H1121H7927H2836H1323H5414H8029In fact, let's arrange other marriages, too. You give us your daughters for our sons, and we will give you our daughters for your sons.H2859H5414H1323H3947H132310And you may live among us; the land is open to you! Settle here and trade with us. And feel free to buy property in the area."H3427H776H1961H6440H3427H5503H27011Then Shechem himself spoke to Dinah's father and brothers. "Please be kind to me, and let me marry her," he begged. "I will give you whatever you ask.H7927H559H1H251H4672H2580H5869H559H541412No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will gladly pay it—just give me the girl as my wife."H7235H3966H4119H4976H5414H559H5414H5291H80213But since Shechem had defiled their sister, Dinah, Jacob's sons responded deceitfully to Shechem and his father, Hamor.H1121H3290H6030H7927H2544H1H4820H1696H2930H1783H26914They said to them, "We couldn't possibly allow this, because you're not circumcised. It would be a disgrace for our sister to marry a man like you!H559H3808H3201H6213H1697H5414H269H376H6190H278115But here is a solution. If every man among you will be circumcised like we are,H2063H225H2145H413516then we will give you our daughters, and we'll take your daughters for ourselves. We will live among you and become one people.H5414H1323H3947H1323H3427H259H597117But if you don't agree to be circumcised, we will take her and be on our way."H8085H4135H3947H1323H198018Hamor and his son Shechem agreed to their proposal.H1697H3190H5869H2544H7927H2544H112119Shechem wasted no time in acting on this request, for he wanted Jacob's daughter desperately. Shechem was a highly respected member of his family,H5288H309H6213H1697H2654H3290H1323H3513H1004H120and he went with his father, Hamor, to present this proposal to the leaders at the town gate.H2544H7927H1121H935H8179H5892H1696H582H5892H55921"These men are our friends," they said. "Let's invite them to live here among us and trade freely. Look, the land is large enough to hold them. We can take their daughters as wives and let them marry ours.H582H8003H854H3427H776H5503H776H7342H3027H6440H3947H1323H802H5414H132322But they will consider staying here and becoming one people with us only if all of our men are circumcised, just as they are.H2063H582H225H3427H259H5971H2145H4135H413523But if we do this, all their livestock and possessions will eventually be ours. Come, let's agree to their terms and let them settle here among us."H4735H7075H929H225H342724So all the men in the town council agreed with Hamor and Shechem, and every male in the town was circumcised.H2544H7927H1121H8085H3318H8179H5892H2145H4135H3318H8179H589225But three days later, when their wounds were still sore, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, who were Dinah's full brothers, took their swords and entered the town without opposition. Then they slaughtered every male there,H7992H3117H3510H8147H1121H3290H8095H3878H1783H251H3947H376H2719H935H5892H983H2026H214526including Hamor and his son Shechem. They killed them with their swords, then took Dinah from Shechem's house and returned to their camp.H2026H2544H7927H1121H6310H2719H3947H1783H3947H7927H1004H331827Meanwhile, the rest of Jacob's sons arrived. Finding the men slaughtered, they plundered the town because their sister had been defiled there.H1121H3290H935H2491H962H5892H2930H26928They seized all the flocks and herds and donkeys—everything they could lay their hands on, both inside the town and outside in the fields.H3947H6629H1241H2543H5892H770429They looted all their wealth and plundered their houses. They also took all their little children and wives and led them away as captives.H2428H2945H802H7617H962H100430Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have ruined me! You've made me stink among all the people of this land—among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few that they will join forces and crush us. I will be ruined, and my entire household will be wiped out!"H3290H559H8095H3878H5916H887H3427H776H3669H6522H4962H4557H622H5221H8045H100431"But why should we let him treat our sister like a prostitute?" they retorted angrily.H559H6213H269H2181