<p class="bodytext">Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand,<n id="1" /> and the two of them walked on together.

<p class="bodytext">Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together<n id="1" /> for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed.<n id="2" />p>

But if the woman is not willing to come back with you,<n id="1" /> you will be free<n id="2" /> from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!&#8221;

He answered, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc>, before whom I have walked,<n id="1" /> will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father&#8217;s family.

When I came to the spring today, I prayed, &#8216;O <sc>Lordsc>, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful,<n id="1" /> may events unfold as follows:<n id="2" />

and asked<n id="1" /> Abraham&#8217;s servant,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Who is that man walking in the field toward us?&#8221; &#8220;That is my master,&#8221; the servant replied.<n id="3" /> So she took her veil and covered herself.p>

But the children struggled<n id="1" /> inside her, and she said, &#8220;If it is going to be like this, I&#8217;m not so sure I want to be pregnant!&#8221;<n id="2" /> So she asked the <sc>Lord,sc><n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out.<n id="1" /> So Esau despised his birthright.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred<n id="1" /> in the days of Abraham.<n id="2" /> Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.

<p class="bodytext">Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau.<n id="1" /> When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back,<n id="2" />

Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I&#8217;ll prepare<n id="1" /> them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them.

Leave immediately<n id="1" /> for Paddan Aram! Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother&#8217;s father, and find yourself a wife there, among the daughters of Laban, your mother&#8217;s brother.

So Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean and brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.p>

So Esau went to Ishmael and married<n id="1" /> Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham&#8217;s son Ishmael, along with the wives he already had.p>

Then Jacob<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;Since it is still the middle of the day,<n id="2" /> it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.&#8221;<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">After Rachel had given birth<n id="1" /> to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, &#8220;Send<n id="2" /> me on my way so that I can go<n id="3" /> home to my own country.<n id="4" />

Let me take my wives and my children whom I have acquired by working for you.<n id="1" /> Then I&#8217;ll depart,<n id="2" /> because you know how hard I&#8217;ve worked for you.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext"><v id="(32:1)" /><n id="1" /> Early in the morning Laban kissed<n id="2" /> his grandchildren<n id="3" /> and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The messengers returned to Jacob and said, &#8220;We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.&#8221;

He instructed the servant leading the first herd,<n id="1" /> &#8220;When my brother Esau meets you and asks, &#8216;To whom do you belong?<n id="2" /> Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?&#8217;<n id="3" />