Read the Bible in a Year - Day 9
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Welcome to Day 9 of Reading the Bible in a Year.
Today were reading Genesis 29, Genesis 30 and Genesis 31.
Genesis Chapter 29
Genesis 29:1 As Jacob continued on his way to the east,
Genesis 29:2 he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock.
Genesis 29:3 Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.
Genesis 29:4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where are you from?” “We’re from Haran,” they answered.
Genesis 29:5 Then he asked, “Do you know Nahor’s grandson Laban?” “Yes we do,” they replied.
Genesis 29:6 “How is he?” Jacob asked. “He’s fine,” they answered. “And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
Genesis 29:7 Jacob told them, “Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it’s too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture.”
Genesis 29:8 But they replied, “We can’t do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well.”
Genesis 29:9 While Jacob was still talking with the men, his cousin Rachel came up with her father’s sheep.
Genesis 29:10 When Jacob saw her and his uncle’s sheep, he rolled the rock away and watered the sheep.
Genesis 29:11 He then kissed Rachel and started crying because he was so happy.
Genesis 29:12 He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him.
Genesis 29:13 As soon as Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob. He hugged and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him everything that had happened.
Genesis 29:14 Laban said, “You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family.” After Jacob had been there for a month,
Genesis 29:15 Laban said to him, “You shouldn’t have to work without pay, just because you are a relative of mine. What do you want me to give you?”
Genesis 29:16 Laban had two daughters. Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn’t sparkle, while Rachel was beautiful and had a good figure.
Genesis 29:17 (SEE 29:16)
Genesis 29:18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he answered, “If you will let me marry Rachel, I’ll work seven years for you.”
Genesis 29:19 Laban replied, “It’s better for me to let you marry Rachel than for someone else to have her. So stay and work for me.”
Genesis 29:20 Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much.
Genesis 29:21 Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!”
Genesis 29:22 So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors.
Genesis 29:23 But that evening he brought Leah to Jacob, who married her and spent the night with her.
Genesis 29:24 Laban also gave Zilpah to Leah as her servant woman.
Genesis 29:25 The next morning Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, “Why did you do this to me? Didn’t I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?”
Genesis 29:26 Laban replied, “In our country the older daughter must get married first.
Genesis 29:27 After you spend this week with Leah, you may also marry Rachel. But you will have to work for me another seven years.”
Genesis 29:28 At the end of the week of celebration, Laban let Jacob marry Rachel, and he gave her his servant woman Bilhah. Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, but he had to work another seven years for Laban.
Genesis 29:29 (SEE 29:28)
Genesis 29:30 (SEE 29:28)
Genesis 29:31 The LORD knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel.
Genesis 29:32 Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben, because she said, “The LORD has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel.”
Genesis 29:33 She had a second son and named him Simeon, because she said, “The LORD has heard that my husband doesn’t love me.”
Genesis 29:34 When Leah’s third son was born, she said, “Now my husband will hold me close.” So this son was named Levi.
Genesis 29:35 She had one more son and named him Judah, because she said, “I’ll praise the LORD!”
Genesis Chapter 30
Genesis 30:1 Rachel was very jealous of Leah for having children, and she said to Jacob, “I’ll die if you don’t give me some children!”
Genesis 30:2 But Jacob became upset with Rachel and answered, “Don’t blame me! I’m not God.”
Genesis 30:3 “Here, take my servant Bilhah,” Rachel told him. “Have children by her, and I’ll let them be born on my knees to show that they are mine.”
Genesis 30:4 Then Rachel let Jacob marry Bilhah,
Genesis 30:5 and they had a son.
Genesis 30:6 Rachel named him Dan, because she said, “God has answered my prayers. He has judged me and given me a son.”
Genesis 30:7 When Bilhah and Jacob had a second son,
Genesis 30:8 Rachel said, “I’ve struggled hard with my sister, and I’ve won!” So she named the boy Naphtali.
Genesis 30:9 When Leah realized she could not have any more children, she let Jacob marry her servant Zilpah,
Genesis 30:10 and they had a son.
Genesis 30:11 “I’m really lucky,” Leah said, and she named the boy Gad.
Genesis 30:12 When they had another son,
Genesis 30:13 Leah exclaimed, “I’m happy now, and all the women will say how happy I am.” So she named him Asher.
Genesis 30:14 During the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben found some love flowers and took them to his mother Leah. Rachel asked Leah for some of them,
Genesis 30:15 but Leah said, “It’s bad enough that you stole my husband! Now you want my son’s love flowers too.” “All right,” Rachel answered. “Let me have the flowers, and you can sleep with Jacob tonight.”
Genesis 30:16 That evening when Jacob came in from the fields, Leah told him, “You’re sleeping with me tonight. I hired you with my son’s love flowers.” They slept together that night,
Genesis 30:17 and God answered Leah’s prayers by giving her a fifth son.
Genesis 30:18 Leah shouted, “God has rewarded me for letting Jacob marry my servant,” and she named the boy Issachar.
Genesis 30:19 When Leah had another son,
Genesis 30:20 she exclaimed, “God has given me a wonderful gift, and my husband will praise me for giving him six sons.” So she named the boy Zebulun.
Genesis 30:21 Later, Leah had a daughter and named her Dinah.
Genesis 30:22 Finally, God remembered Rachel–he answered her prayer by giving her a son. “God has taken away my disgrace,” she said.
Genesis 30:23 (SEE 30:22)
Genesis 30:24 “I’ll name the boy Joseph, and I’ll pray that the LORD will give me another son.”
Genesis 30:25 After Joseph was born, Jacob said to Laban, “Release me from our agreement and let me return to my own country.
Genesis 30:26 You know how hard I’ve worked for you, so let me take my wives and children and leave.”
Genesis 30:27 But Laban told him, “If you really are my friend, stay on, and I’ll pay whatever you ask. I’m sure the LORD has blessed me because of you.”
Genesis 30:28 (SEE 30:27)
Genesis 30:29 Jacob answered: You’ve seen how hard I’ve worked for you, and you know how your flocks and herds have grown under my care.
Genesis 30:30 You didn’t have much before I came, but the LORD has blessed everything I have ever done for you. Now it’s time for me to start looking out for my own family.
Genesis 30:31 “How much do you want me to pay you?” Laban asked. Then Jacob told him: I don’t want you to pay me anything. Just do one thing, and I’ll take care of your sheep and goats.
Genesis 30:32 Let me go through your flocks and herds and take the sheep and goats that are either spotted or speckled and the black lambs. That’s all you need to give me.
Genesis 30:33 In the future you can easily find out if I’ve been honest. Just look and see if my animals are either spotted or speckled, or if the lambs are black. If they aren’t, they’ve been stolen from you.
Genesis 30:34 “I agree to that,” was Laban’s response.
Genesis 30:35 Before the end of the day, Laban had separated his spotted and speckled animals and the black lambs from the others and had put his sons in charge of them.
Genesis 30:36 Then Laban made Jacob keep the rest of the sheep and goats at a distance of three days’ journey.
Genesis 30:37 Jacob cut branches from some poplar trees and from some almond and evergreen trees. He peeled off part of the bark and made the branches look spotted and speckled.
Genesis 30:38 Then he put the branches where the sheep and goats would see them while they were drinking from the water trough. The goats mated there
Genesis 30:39 in front of the branches, and their young were spotted and speckled.
Genesis 30:40 Some of the sheep that Jacob was keeping for Laban were already spotted. And when the others were ready to mate, he made sure that they faced in the direction of the spotted and black ones. In this way, Jacob built up a flock of sheep for himself and did not put them with the other sheep.
Genesis 30:41 When the stronger sheep were mating near the drinking place, Jacob made sure that the spotted branches were there.
Genesis 30:42 But he would not put out the branches when the weaker animals were mating. So Jacob got all of the healthy animals, and Laban got what was left.
Genesis 30:43 Jacob soon became rich and successful. He owned many sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys, as well as a lot of slaves.
Genesis Chapter 31
Genesis 31:1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, “Jacob is now a rich man, and he got everything he owns from our father.”
Genesis 31:2 Jacob also noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been before.
Genesis 31:3 One day the LORD said, “Jacob, go back to your relatives in the land of your ancestors, and I will bless you.”
Genesis 31:4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field where he kept his sheep,
Genesis 31:5 and he told them: Your father isn’t as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God my ancestors worshiped has been on my side.
Genesis 31:6 You know that I have worked hard for your father
Genesis 31:7 and that he keeps cheating me by changing my wages time after time. But God has protected me.
Genesis 31:8 When your father said the speckled sheep would be my wages, all of them were speckled. And when he said the spotted ones would be mine, all of them were spotted.
Genesis 31:9 That’s how God has taken sheep and goats from your father and given them to me.
Genesis 31:10 Once, when the flocks were mating, I dreamed that all the rams were either spotted or speckled.
Genesis 31:11 Then God’s angel called me by name. I answered,
Genesis 31:12 and he said, “Notice that all the rams are either spotted or speckled. I know everything Laban is doing to you,
Genesis 31:13 and I am the God you worshiped at Bethel, when you poured olive oil on a rock and made a promise to me. Leave here right away and return to the land where you were born.”
Genesis 31:14 Rachel and Leah said to Jacob: There’s nothing left for us to inherit from our father.
Genesis 31:15 He treats us like foreigners and has even cheated us out of the bride price that should have been ours.
Genesis 31:16 Now do whatever God tells you to do. Even the property God took from our father and gave to you really belongs to us and our children.
Genesis 31:17 Then Jacob, his wives, and his children got on camels and left
Genesis 31:18 for the home of his father Isaac in Canaan. Jacob took all of the flocks, herds, and other property that he had gotten in northern Syria.
Genesis 31:19 Before Rachel left, she stole the household idols while Laban was out shearing his sheep.
Genesis 31:20 Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean by not saying that he intended to leave.
Genesis 31:21 When Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead, he took with him everything he owned.
Genesis 31:22 Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone.
Genesis 31:23 So he took some of his relatives along and chased after Jacob for seven days, before catching up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
Genesis 31:24 But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, “Don’t say a word to Jacob. Don’t make a threat or a promise.”
Genesis 31:25 Jacob had set up camp in the hill country of Gilead, when Laban and his relatives came and set up camp in another part of the hill country. Laban went to Jacob
Genesis 31:26 and said: Look what you’ve done! You’ve tricked me and run off with my daughters like a kidnapper.
Genesis 31:27 Why did you sneak away without telling me? I would have given you a going-away party with singing and with music on tambourines and harps.
Genesis 31:28 You didn’t even give me a chance to kiss my own grandchildren and daughters good-by. That was really foolish.
Genesis 31:29 I could easily hurt you, but the God your father worshiped has warned me not to make any threats or promises.
Genesis 31:30 I can understand why you were eager to return to your father, but why did you have to steal my idols?
Genesis 31:31 Jacob answered, “I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force.
Genesis 31:32 If you find that any one of us has taken your idols, I’ll have that person killed. Let your relatives be witnesses. Show me what belongs to you, and you can take it back.” Jacob did not realize that Rachel had stolen the household idols.
Genesis 31:33 Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two servant women, but did not find the idols. Then he started for Rachel’s tent.
Genesis 31:34 She had already hidden them in the cushion she used as a saddle and was sitting on it. Laban searched everywhere and did not find them.
Genesis 31:35 Rachel said, “Father, please don’t be angry with me for not getting up; I am having my period.” Laban kept on searching, but still did not find the idols.
Genesis 31:36 Jacob became very angry and said to Laban: What have I done wrong? Have I committed some crime? Is that why you hunted me down?
Genesis 31:37 After searching through everything I have, did you find anything of yours? If so, put it here, where your relatives and mine can see it. Then we can decide what to do.
Genesis 31:38 In all the twenty years that I’ve worked for you, not one of your sheep or goats has had a miscarriage, and I’ve never eaten even one of your rams.
Genesis 31:39 If a wild animal killed one of your sheep or goats, I paid for it myself. In fact, you demanded the full price, whether the animal was killed during the day or at night.
Genesis 31:40 I sweated every day, and I couldn’t sleep at night because of the cold.
Genesis 31:41 I had to work fourteen of these twenty long years to earn your two daughters and another six years to buy your sheep and goats. During that time you kept changing my wages.
Genesis 31:42 If the fearsome God worshiped by Abraham and my father Isaac had not been on my side, you would have sent me away without a thing. But God saw my hard work, and he knew the trouble I was in, so he helped me. Then last night he told you how wrong you were.
Genesis 31:43 Laban said to Jacob, “Leah and Rachel are my daughters, and their children belong to me. All these sheep you are taking are really mine too. In fact, everything you have belongs to me. But there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children.
Genesis 31:44 So I am ready to make an agreement with you, and we will pile up some large rocks here to remind us of the agreement.”
Genesis 31:45 After Jacob had set up a large rock,
Genesis 31:46 he told his men to get some more rocks and pile them up next to it. Then Jacob and Laban ate a meal together beside the rocks.
Genesis 31:47 Laban named the pile of rocks Jegar Sahadutha. But Jacob named it Galeed.
Genesis 31:48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will remind us of our agreement.” That’s why the place was named Galeed.
Genesis 31:49 Laban also said, “This pile of rocks means that the LORD will watch us both while we are apart from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah.
Genesis 31:50 Then Laban said: If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women, I may not know about it, but remember, God is watching us!
Genesis 31:51 Both this pile of rocks and this large rock have been set up between us as a reminder. I must never go beyond them to attack you, and you must never go beyond them to attack me.
Genesis 31:52 (SEE 31:51)
Genesis 31:53 My father Nahor, your grandfather Abraham, and their ancestors all worshiped the same God, and he will make sure that we each keep the agreement. Then Jacob made a promise in the name of the fearsome God his father Isaac had worshiped.
Genesis 31:54 Jacob killed an animal and offered it as a sacrifice there on the mountain, and he invited his men to eat with him. After the meal they spent the night on the mountain.
Genesis 31:55 Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and his grandchildren good-by, then he left to go back home.
Don’t forget to read Chapter 9 of Proverbs Today.
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