But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back twice by now!”

So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now.”

Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.”

So the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant

Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, “unless you bless me.”

(Now they did not know that Joseph could understand them, for he was speaking through an interpreter.)

Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their fury, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel!

for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know good and evil.”

By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”

because we are about to destroy it. The outcry against this place is so great before the Lord that he has sent us to destroy it.”

He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof that I dug this well.”

When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father.

“I left secretly because I was afraid!” Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force.

“No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, “but Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have prevailed.”

Please take my present that was brought to you, for God has been generous to me and I have all I need.” When Jacob urged him, he took it.

for I really was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”

Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.

They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were to have a meal there.

Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life!

They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.