WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.030 --> 00:00:02.970 Malcom: Welcome To Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience. 00:00:03.083 --> 00:00:03.883 Day 92 00:00:04.461 --> 00:00:07.971 soon after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to 00:00:07.971 --> 00:00:11.721 Labin, please release me so I can go home to my own country. 00:00:12.381 --> 00:00:16.221 Let me take my wives and children for I have earned them by serving 00:00:16.226 --> 00:00:18.261 you and let me be on my way. 00:00:18.621 --> 00:00:21.021 You certainly know how hard I have worked for you. 00:00:22.011 --> 00:00:27.021 Please listen to me LA and replied, I have become wealthy for the Lord 00:00:27.021 --> 00:00:28.491 has blessed me because of you. 00:00:29.076 --> 00:00:30.456 Tell me how much I owe you. 00:00:30.816 --> 00:00:32.136 Whatever it is, I'll pay it. 00:00:33.126 --> 00:00:37.716 Jacob replied, you know how hard I've worked for you and how your flocks 00:00:37.716 --> 00:00:39.576 and herds have grown under my care. 00:00:40.326 --> 00:00:44.736 You had little indeed before I came, but your wealth has increased enormously. 00:00:45.666 --> 00:00:47.706 The Lord has blessed you through everything I've 00:00:47.706 --> 00:00:50.316 done, but now what about me? 00:00:50.916 --> 00:00:53.406 When can I start providing for my own family? 00:00:54.366 --> 00:00:57.096 What wages do you want Le been asked again. 00:00:57.996 --> 00:01:00.546 Jacob replied, don't give me anything. 00:01:00.966 --> 00:01:05.226 Just do this one thing and I'll continue to tend and watch over your flocks. 00:01:05.946 --> 00:01:09.096 Let me inspect your flocks today and remove all the sheep and 00:01:09.096 --> 00:01:13.116 goats that are speckled or spotted along with all the black sheep. 00:01:13.656 --> 00:01:16.526 Give these to me as my wages in the future. 00:01:16.636 --> 00:01:19.986 When you check on the animals you have given me as my wages, you'll 00:01:19.986 --> 00:01:21.396 see that I have been honest. 00:01:22.026 --> 00:01:26.226 If you find in my flock any goats without speckles or spots or any sheep 00:01:26.226 --> 00:01:29.706 that are not black, you will know that I have stolen them from you. 00:01:31.026 --> 00:01:31.536 All right. 00:01:31.656 --> 00:01:36.576 Laben replied, it will be, as you say, but that very day, Laben went out 00:01:36.846 --> 00:01:41.256 and removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted all the female goats 00:01:41.286 --> 00:01:45.606 that were speckled and spotted or had white patches and all the black sheep. 00:01:46.026 --> 00:01:49.476 He placed them the care of his own sons who took them a three 00:01:49.476 --> 00:01:51.126 days journey from where Jacob was. 00:01:52.161 --> 00:01:55.671 Meanwhile, Jacob stayed and cared for the rest of layman's flock. 00:01:56.841 --> 00:02:01.281 Then Jacob took some fresh branches from poplar almond and plain trees 00:02:01.521 --> 00:02:04.641 and peeled off strips of bark, making white streaks on them. 00:02:05.331 --> 00:02:08.631 Then he placed these peeled branches and the watering troughs where 00:02:08.631 --> 00:02:10.431 the flocks came to drink for. 00:02:10.431 --> 00:02:14.391 That was where they M it, and when they made it in front of the white streaked 00:02:14.391 --> 00:02:19.461 branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 00:02:20.166 --> 00:02:23.946 Jacob separated those lambs from Laban's flock, and at mating time, 00:02:24.246 --> 00:02:27.786 he turned the flock to face laban's animals that were streaked or black. 00:02:28.626 --> 00:02:30.636 This is how he built his own flock. 00:02:30.816 --> 00:02:35.616 Instead of increasing laban's, whenever the stronger females were ready to mate, 00:02:36.006 --> 00:02:39.306 Jacob would place the peeled branches and the watering troughs in front of them. 00:02:40.026 --> 00:02:43.056 Then they would mate in front of the branches, but he didn't 00:02:43.056 --> 00:02:44.436 do this with the weaker ones. 00:02:44.736 --> 00:02:49.056 So the weaker lambs belonged to labin, and the stronger ones were Jacobs. 00:02:49.671 --> 00:02:54.681 As a result, Jacob became very wealthy with large flocks of sheep 00:02:54.681 --> 00:02:59.091 and goats, female and male servants, and many camels and donkeys. 00:03:01.431 --> 00:03:04.701 But Jacob soon learned that Laban's sons were grumbling about him. 00:03:05.421 --> 00:03:08.061 Jacob has robbed our father of everything they said. 00:03:08.431 --> 00:03:12.381 He has gained all his wealth at our father's expense, and 00:03:12.381 --> 00:03:15.201 Jacob began to notice a change in layman's attitude toward him. 00:03:16.101 --> 00:03:19.926 Then the Lord said to Jacob, Return to the land of your father and 00:03:19.926 --> 00:03:24.246 grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you. 00:03:25.176 --> 00:03:29.586 So Jacob called Rachel and Leah out to the field where he was watching his flock. 00:03:30.186 --> 00:03:34.416 He said to them, I have noticed that your father's attitude toward me has changed, 00:03:34.956 --> 00:03:36.846 but the God of my father has been with me. 00:03:37.236 --> 00:03:41.196 You know how hard I have worked for your father, but he has cheated me, 00:03:41.586 --> 00:03:46.806 changing my wages 10 times, but God has not allowed him to do me any harm. 00:03:47.301 --> 00:03:50.631 For if he said the speckled animals will be your wages. 00:03:50.991 --> 00:03:54.561 The whole flock began to produce speckled young, and when he changed 00:03:54.561 --> 00:03:58.641 his mind and said, the striped animals will be your wages, then the 00:03:58.641 --> 00:04:00.681 whole flock produced striped young. 00:04:01.221 --> 00:04:05.661 In this way, God has taken your father's animals and given them to me. 00:04:06.771 --> 00:04:11.151 One time during the mating season, I had a dream and saw that the male 00:04:11.151 --> 00:04:14.991 goats mating with the females were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 00:04:15.636 --> 00:04:22.476 Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, Jacob, and I replied, yes, here I am. 00:04:23.286 --> 00:04:27.006 The angel said, look up and you will see that only the streaked, 00:04:27.006 --> 00:04:30.606 speckled and spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. 00:04:31.326 --> 00:04:33.636 For I have seen how Laben has treated you. 00:04:34.416 --> 00:04:38.136 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, the place where you anointed the 00:04:38.136 --> 00:04:40.506 pillar of stone and made your vow to me. 00:04:41.226 --> 00:04:45.426 Now get ready and leave this country and return to the land of your birth. 00:04:46.686 --> 00:04:50.076 Rachel and Leah responded, that's fine with us. 00:04:50.346 --> 00:04:52.866 We won't inherit any of our father's wealth anyway. 00:04:53.376 --> 00:04:58.326 He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women, and after he sold us, he 00:04:58.331 --> 00:05:00.276 wasted the money you paid him for us. 00:05:00.906 --> 00:05:04.146 All the wealth God has given you from our father legally 00:05:04.146 --> 00:05:06.036 belongs to us and our children. 00:05:06.666 --> 00:05:09.606 So go ahead and do whatever God has told you. 00:05:10.581 --> 00:05:14.451 So Jacob put his wives and children on camels, and he drove all 00:05:14.451 --> 00:05:16.011 his livestock in front of him. 00:05:16.851 --> 00:05:20.511 He packed all the belongings he had acquired and Patton Arum and set 00:05:20.511 --> 00:05:25.221 out for the land of Canaan where his father Isaac lived at the time. 00:05:25.226 --> 00:05:28.551 They left Leman was some distance away, shearing his sheep. 00:05:29.361 --> 00:05:34.311 Rachel stole her father's household idols and took them with her Jacob Outwitted 00:05:34.311 --> 00:05:39.081 Laben, the Aian, for they set out secretly and never told Laben they were leaving. 00:05:40.026 --> 00:05:44.076 So Jacob took all his possessions with him and crossed the Euphrates River 00:05:44.436 --> 00:05:46.236 heading for the hill country of Gilead. 00:05:48.006 --> 00:05:52.536 Three days later, Leman was told that Jacob had fled, so he gathered a group of 00:05:52.536 --> 00:05:54.726 his relatives and sat out in hot pursuit. 00:05:55.266 --> 00:05:59.046 He caught up with Jacob seven days later in the hill country of Gilead. 00:06:00.066 --> 00:06:03.006 But the previous night, God had appeared to laben the Aramean in a 00:06:03.006 --> 00:06:05.646 dream and told him, I'm warning you. 00:06:05.916 --> 00:06:07.596 Leave Jacob alone. 00:06:08.736 --> 00:06:12.936 Leban caught up with Jacob as he was camped in the hill country of Gilead, and 00:06:12.936 --> 00:06:15.006 he set up his camp not far from Jacob's. 00:06:15.936 --> 00:06:18.096 What do you mean by deceiving me like this? 00:06:18.786 --> 00:06:23.856 Leban demanded, how dare you drag my daughters away like prisoners of war. 00:06:24.336 --> 00:06:26.016 Why did you slip away secretly? 00:06:26.376 --> 00:06:27.606 Why did you deceive me? 00:06:28.026 --> 00:06:30.246 And why didn't you say you wanted to leave? 00:06:30.966 --> 00:06:34.746 I would've given you a farewell feast with singing and music 00:06:34.896 --> 00:06:37.176 accompanied by tambourines and harps. 00:06:37.821 --> 00:06:41.991 Why didn't you let me kiss my daughters and grandchildren and tell them goodbye? 00:06:42.651 --> 00:06:44.631 You have acted very foolishly. 00:06:45.201 --> 00:06:48.981 I could destroy you, but the God of your father appeared to me last night 00:06:48.981 --> 00:06:51.681 and warned me, leave Jacob alone. 00:06:52.341 --> 00:06:55.761 I can understand your feeling that you must go and your intense 00:06:55.761 --> 00:06:59.691 longing for your father's home, but why have you stolen my gods? 00:07:01.131 --> 00:07:04.431 I rushed away because I was afraid Jacob answered. 00:07:05.136 --> 00:07:09.096 I thought you would take your daughters from me by force, but as for your 00:07:09.096 --> 00:07:13.446 gods, see if you can find them and let the person who has taken them die. 00:07:13.806 --> 00:07:17.616 And if you find anything else that belongs to you, identify it before all these 00:07:17.616 --> 00:07:19.986 relatives of ours and I will give it back. 00:07:20.856 --> 00:07:24.186 But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the household idols. 00:07:25.431 --> 00:07:29.181 Laben went first into Jacob's tent to search there, then into Leah's, 00:07:29.541 --> 00:07:32.661 and then the tents of the two servant wives, but he found nothing. 00:07:33.411 --> 00:07:37.341 Finally, he went into Rachel's tent, but Rachel had taken the household 00:07:37.341 --> 00:07:41.151 idols and hidden them in her camel saddle, and now she was sitting on 00:07:41.156 --> 00:07:45.291 them when Laben had thoroughly searched her tent without finding them, she 00:07:45.291 --> 00:07:49.941 said to her father, please sir, forgive me if I don't get up for you. 00:07:50.271 --> 00:07:51.831 I'm having my monthly period. 00:07:52.611 --> 00:07:56.301 So Leban continued his search, but he could not find the household idols. 00:07:57.471 --> 00:08:02.691 Then Jacob became very angry and he challenged Leban, what's my crime? 00:08:02.751 --> 00:08:05.841 He demanded, what have I done wrong to make you chase after 00:08:05.841 --> 00:08:07.431 me as though I were a criminal. 00:08:08.091 --> 00:08:10.041 You have rummaged through everything I own. 00:08:10.491 --> 00:08:13.011 Now show me what you found that belongs to you. 00:08:13.641 --> 00:08:17.721 Set it out here in front of us before our relatives for all to see. 00:08:18.021 --> 00:08:19.701 Let them judge between us. 00:08:20.931 --> 00:08:26.061 For 20 years, I have been with you caring for your flocks, and all that time 00:08:26.061 --> 00:08:28.131 your sheep and goats never miscarried. 00:08:28.791 --> 00:08:33.201 And all those years I never used a single ram of yours for food, if anywhere, 00:08:33.201 --> 00:08:35.271 attacked and killed by wild animals. 00:08:35.511 --> 00:08:39.471 I never showed you the carcass and asked you to reduce the count of your flock. 00:08:40.221 --> 00:08:42.561 No, I took the loss myself. 00:08:42.921 --> 00:08:46.791 You made me pay for every stolen animal, whether it was taken in broad 00:08:46.791 --> 00:08:48.231 daylight or in the dark of night. 00:08:49.146 --> 00:08:52.146 I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and 00:08:52.146 --> 00:08:54.066 through cold and sleepless nights. 00:08:54.696 --> 00:08:55.236 Yes. 00:08:55.476 --> 00:08:58.146 For 20 years I slaved in your house. 00:08:58.596 --> 00:09:03.096 I worked for 14 years earning your two daughters and then six more years for your 00:09:03.096 --> 00:09:06.786 flock, and you changed my wages 10 times. 00:09:07.296 --> 00:09:12.426 In fact, if the God of my father had not been on my side, the God of Abraham 00:09:12.546 --> 00:09:16.506 and the fearsome God of Isaac, you would've sent me away empty handed. 00:09:17.211 --> 00:09:20.271 But God has seen your abuse and my hard work. 00:09:20.841 --> 00:09:23.691 That is why he appeared to you last night and rebuked you. 00:09:24.921 --> 00:09:28.461 Then Leman replied to Jacob, these women are my daughters. 00:09:28.731 --> 00:09:32.631 These children are my grandchildren, and these flocks are my flocks. 00:09:33.081 --> 00:09:34.941 In fact, everything you see is mine. 00:09:35.511 --> 00:09:38.481 But what can I do now about my daughters and their children? 00:09:38.991 --> 00:09:43.131 So come, let's make a covenant, you and I, and it will be a 00:09:43.131 --> 00:09:44.721 witness to our commitment. 00:09:46.116 --> 00:09:48.876 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument. 00:09:49.386 --> 00:09:53.526 Then he told his family members gather some stones, so they gathered 00:09:53.526 --> 00:09:55.026 stones and piled them in a heap. 00:09:55.596 --> 00:09:59.586 Then Jacob and Leman sat down beside the pile of stones to eat a covenant 00:09:59.586 --> 00:10:02.106 meal to commemorate the event. 00:10:02.406 --> 00:10:07.146 Leman called the place jigger, say Haddah, which means witness pile in 00:10:07.146 --> 00:10:12.486 Aramaic, and Jacob called it Gad, which means witness pile in Hebrew. 00:10:13.956 --> 00:10:18.786 Then Leman declared This pile of stones will stand as a witness to remind us 00:10:18.786 --> 00:10:20.376 of the covenant we have made today. 00:10:21.126 --> 00:10:25.986 This explains why it was called Gad witness pile, but it was also called 00:10:26.076 --> 00:10:29.046 mspa, which means watchtower for Leman. 00:10:29.046 --> 00:10:33.396 Said may the Lord keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant 00:10:33.756 --> 00:10:35.196 when we are out of each other's sight. 00:10:35.721 --> 00:10:39.891 If you mistreat my daughters or if you marry other wives, God will 00:10:39.891 --> 00:10:41.661 see it even if no one else does. 00:10:42.081 --> 00:10:44.451 He is a witness to this covenant between us. 00:10:45.441 --> 00:10:49.731 See this pile of stones, Leben, continued and see this monument 00:10:49.731 --> 00:10:54.291 I have set between us, they stand us as witnesses of our vows. 00:10:55.041 --> 00:10:59.181 I will never pass this pile of stones to harm you, and you must never pass 00:10:59.181 --> 00:11:01.821 these stones or this monument to harm me. 00:11:02.436 --> 00:11:06.876 I call on the God of our ancestors, the God of your grandfather, Abraham, 00:11:07.146 --> 00:11:11.376 and the God of my grandfather hor to serve as a judge between us. 00:11:12.726 --> 00:11:16.416 So Jacob took an oath before the fearsome God of his father, Isaac, 00:11:16.656 --> 00:11:18.186 to respect the boundary line. 00:11:18.786 --> 00:11:23.556 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice to God there on the mountain and invited everyone 00:11:23.556 --> 00:11:28.116 to a covenant feast after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain. 00:11:29.121 --> 00:11:32.631 Leman got up early the next morning and he kissed his grandchildren 00:11:32.661 --> 00:11:34.221 and his daughters and blessed them. 00:11:35.001 --> 00:11:36.951 Then he left and returned home. 00:11:38.091 --> 00:11:42.051 As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him. 00:11:42.621 --> 00:11:44.451 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed. 00:11:44.811 --> 00:11:48.771 This is God's camp, so he named the place Mehanna. 00:11:50.301 --> 00:11:54.531 Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother Esau, who was living in 00:11:54.531 --> 00:11:56.541 the region of Seer in the land of Edam. 00:11:57.201 --> 00:12:01.641 He told them, give this message to my master, Esau, humble 00:12:01.641 --> 00:12:03.321 greetings from your servant Jacob. 00:12:03.981 --> 00:12:07.701 Until now, I've been living with Uncle Leban and now I own cattle, 00:12:07.941 --> 00:12:12.771 donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. 00:12:13.461 --> 00:12:17.151 I have sent these messengers to inform my Lord of my coming, hoping 00:12:17.151 --> 00:12:22.011 that you will be friendly to me After delivering the message, the messengers 00:12:22.011 --> 00:12:23.541 returned to Jacob and reported. 00:12:24.246 --> 00:12:27.636 We met your brother Esau, and he is already on his way to meet 00:12:27.636 --> 00:12:30.186 you with an army of 400 men. 00:12:31.326 --> 00:12:33.126 Jacob was terrified at the news. 00:12:33.726 --> 00:12:36.786 He divided his household along with the flocks and herds 00:12:36.786 --> 00:12:38.586 and camels into two groups. 00:12:39.066 --> 00:12:42.666 He thought if Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps 00:12:42.666 --> 00:12:43.956 the other group can escape. 00:12:44.976 --> 00:12:49.326 Then Jacob prayed, oh God, of my grandfather Abraham, 00:12:49.686 --> 00:12:51.516 and God of my father, Isaac. 00:12:52.086 --> 00:12:58.236 Oh Lord, you told me return to your own land and to your relatives, and you 00:12:58.236 --> 00:13:00.306 promised me I will treat you kindly. 00:13:01.176 --> 00:13:04.416 I am not worthy of all the unveiling love and faithfulness 00:13:04.416 --> 00:13:06.606 you have shown to me, your servant. 00:13:07.446 --> 00:13:10.206 When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned 00:13:10.206 --> 00:13:12.006 nothing except a walking stick. 00:13:12.846 --> 00:13:15.876 Now my household fills two large camps. 00:13:16.686 --> 00:13:20.946 Oh Lord, please rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau. 00:13:21.771 --> 00:13:26.121 I am afraid that he is coming to attack me along with my wives and children, 00:13:26.721 --> 00:13:31.401 but you promised me I will surely treat you kindly and I will multiply 00:13:31.401 --> 00:13:36.321 your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore. 00:13:36.891 --> 00:13:37.881 Too many to count. 00:13:39.321 --> 00:13:41.271 Jacob stayed where he was for the night. 00:13:41.991 --> 00:13:44.451 Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to 00:13:44.451 --> 00:13:46.071 present to his brother Esau. 00:13:46.836 --> 00:13:54.666 200 female goats, 20 male goats 200 years, 20 rams, 30 female camels with 00:13:54.671 --> 00:14:01.326 their young 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. 00:14:02.016 --> 00:14:05.466 He divided these animals into herds and assigned each two different servants. 00:14:06.036 --> 00:14:09.486 Then he told his servants, go ahead of me with the animals, but keep 00:14:09.486 --> 00:14:11.076 some distance between the herds. 00:14:11.856 --> 00:14:14.496 He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group. 00:14:15.501 --> 00:14:19.431 When my brother Esau meets you, he will ask, whose servants are you? 00:14:19.941 --> 00:14:20.811 Where are you going? 00:14:20.871 --> 00:14:22.191 Who owns these animals? 00:14:22.581 --> 00:14:23.421 You must reply. 00:14:23.991 --> 00:14:28.341 They belong to your servant Jacob, but they are a gift for his master Esau. 00:14:28.731 --> 00:14:30.801 Look, he is coming right behind us. 00:14:31.971 --> 00:14:35.801 Jacob gave the same instructions to the second and third herdsman and to 00:14:35.801 --> 00:14:37.611 all who followed behind the herds. 00:14:38.511 --> 00:14:41.511 You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 00:14:41.811 --> 00:14:46.161 And be sure to say, look, your servant Jacob is right behind us. 00:14:46.911 --> 00:14:50.301 Jacob thought, I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead 00:14:50.301 --> 00:14:52.401 of me when I see him in person. 00:14:52.461 --> 00:14:54.081 Perhaps he will be friendly to me. 00:14:54.891 --> 00:14:57.831 So the gifts were sent on ahead while Jacob himself 00:14:57.831 --> 00:14:59.091 spent that night in the camp. 00:15:01.071 --> 00:15:03.921 This concludes today's Immer reading experience. 00:15:04.071 --> 00:15:05.271 Thank you for joining us.