Genesis 33:1-35:29, 1 Chronicles 2:12

Jacob met Esau - Esau was so grateful to see his brother!

In ch34, Jacob's daughter was 'defiled' by another tribe. They asked for her to marry one of their sons. Jacob's condition was for all their males to be circumcised. They agreed. However, two of his sons (Dinah's brothers) took advantage of the men still in pain and killed them. Jacob was furious! The brother's thought they were protecting their sister. But it broke the promise Jacob had made with the locals.

God was ever present. He instructed Jacob to flee to Bethel and build an altar. God blessed him and changed Jacob's name to Israel. He was protected.

But Rachel, Jacob's beloved, died in childbirth. Women, still today, in our medically advanced country die in childbirth. Her child lived. She named him Ben-Oni 'son of my trouble' and Jacob renamed him Benjamin 'son of my right hand.' Oh how Jacob must have grieved to lose his beloved.