Indeed,<n id="1" /> you had little before I arrived,<n id="2" /> but now your possessions have increased many times over.<n id="3" /> The <sc>Lordsc> has blessed you wherever I worked.<n id="4" /> But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Be careful<n id="2" /> that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Esau<n id="1" /> then asked, &#8220;What did you intend<n id="2" /> by sending all these herds to meet me?&#8221;<n id="3" /> Jacob<n id="4" /> replied, &#8220;To find favor in your sight, my lord.&#8221;

Please take my present<n id="1" /> that was brought to you, for God has been generous<n id="2" /> to me and I have all I need.&#8221;<n id="3" /> When Jacob urged him, he took it.<n id="4" />p>

The land I gave<n id="1" /> to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you. To your descendants<n id="2" /> I will also give this land.&#8221;

When her labor was at its hardest,<n id="1" /> the midwife said to her, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid, for you are having another son.&#8221;<n id="2" />

So Jacob<n id="1" /> said to him, &#8220;Go now and check on<n id="2" /> the welfare<n id="3" /> of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.&#8221; So Jacob<n id="4" /> sent him from the valley of Hebron.p>

He said, &#8220;What pledge should I give you?&#8221; She replied, &#8220;Your seal, your cord, and the staff that&#8217;s in your hand.&#8221; So he gave them to her and had sex with her.<n id="1" /> She became pregnant by him.

But remember me<n id="1" /> when it goes well for you, and show<n id="2" /> me kindness.<n id="3" /> Make mention<n id="4" /> of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison,<n id="5" />

I myself pledge security<n id="1" /> for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.<n id="2" />

You will live<n id="1" /> in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me &#8211; you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have.

I will provide you with food<n id="1" /> there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor &#8211; you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.&#8221;&#8217;

As one who is above your<n id="1" /> brothers, I give to you the mountain slope,<n id="2" /> which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">After these things the word of the <sc>Lordsc> came to Abram in a vision: &#8220;Fear not, Abram! I am your shield<n id="1" /> and the one who will reward you in great abundance.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">God said, &#8220;No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.<n id="1" /> I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual<n id="2" /> covenant for his descendants after him.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Out of our way!&#8221;<n id="1" /> they cried, and &#8220;This man came to live here as a foreigner,<n id="2" /> and now he dares to judge us!<n id="3" /> We&#8217;ll do more harm<n id="4" /> to you than to them!&#8221; They kept<n id="5" /> pressing in on Lot until they were close enough<n id="6" /> to break down the door.p>

But now give back the man&#8217;s wife. Indeed<n id="1" /> he is a prophet<n id="2" /> and he will pray for you; thus you will live.<n id="3" /> But if you don&#8217;t give her back,<n id="4" /> know that you will surely die<n id="5" /> along with all who belong to you.&#8221;p>

Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, &#8220;What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom?<n id="1" /> You have done things to me that should not be done!&#8221;<n id="2" />

But God said to Abraham, &#8220;Do not be upset<n id="1" /> about the boy or your slave wife. Do<n id="2" /> all that Sarah is telling<n id="3" /> you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted.<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">But God heard the boy&#8217;s voice.<n id="1" /> The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, &#8220;What is the matter,<n id="2" /> Hagar? Don&#8217;t be afraid, for God has heard<n id="3" /> the boy&#8217;s voice right where he is crying.