Jacob, in Haran
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place. And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep. And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.-Genesis 29:1-14***Laban the Syrian (Aramean) and his sister Rebekah were born to Bethuel the Syrian (Aramean). Bethuel was born to Nahor (Nachor) and Milcah. Milcah and Lot were born to Haran. Haran, Nahor, Abraham (Abram the Hebrew), and Sarah (Sarai) were born to Terah. Abraham was living with his family in Ur, in southern Mesopotamia, when the Lord God appeared to him and told Abraham to go out from his country, kin and father's house and come into the land he would be shown. Abraham journeyed away from Ur with his wife Sarah, their father Terah, and nephew Lot and began living in Haran, in northern Mesopotamia. Sometime after 205-year-old Terah died in Haran, 75-year-old Abraham, 65-year-old Sarah, and Lot journeyed with their servants and possessions to Canaan, land inhabited by idolaters that the Lord God promised to give to Abraham's descendants and childless Abraham. Ishmael was born in Canaan to 86-year-old Abraham and Hagar, Sarah's maidservant. Abraham was 99 years old when the Lord God gave him the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham circumcised 13-year-old Ishmael, and Abraham and the males throughout Abraham's household and property were immediately circumcised. Isaac was born to 100-year-old Abraham and 90-year-old Sarah. On the 8th day after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised Isaac. When Isaac was 37 years old, 127-year-old Sarah died. Before Isaac was 40 years old, Abraham sent his oldest servant to Nahor's family in northern Mesopotamia to make marital arrangements for Isaac. The servant and those with him reached their destination, and the servant was near a well when he prayed to the Lord God, and saw Rebekah, and spoke to Rebekah, and Rebekah helped the servant. After the servant spoke with Laban and Bethuel, and Rebekah assured her family that she wanted to go with the servant and become Isaac's bride, Rebekah and her nurse journeyed with the servant and his men to Canaan, and Rebekah became Isaac's wife. Fraternal twin sons Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel) were born to 60-year-old Isaac and Rebekah. Esau was Isaac's favorite, and Jacob was Rebekah's favorite. Isaac was elderly and his eyesight was diminished and he thought his death was near when he told Esau to hunt a specific animal and cook and serve him a specific meal and said that he would bless Esau before dying. Rebekah heard Isaac's instructions and prompted and prepared Jacob to deceive Isaac and cheat Esau. After Rebekah learned that Esau planned to kill Jacob, she spoke words to Isaac that led him to send Jacob from their home in Beersheba, Canaan, to Rebekah's family in Padan Aram, Haran. Jacob journeyed alone to Haran and his only possessions were the clothing he was wearing and the rod (walking stick) in his hand. During Jacob's 7th year in Haran, he was tricked by Laban and became the husband of Laban's oldest daughter Leah before becoming Rachel's husband. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and daughter Dinah were born to Jacob and Leah. Dan and Naphtali were born to Jacob and Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant. Gad and Asher were born to Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's maidservant. Joseph was the 1st son born to Jacob and Rachel, and Rachel and Joseph were Jacob's favorites. During Jacob's 20th year in Haran, he began journeying home to Canaan with his family, servants, animals, and possessions. Approximately 1,900 years after Benjamin was born near Bethlehem to Jacob and Rachel, and Rachel died, Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, was born. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, a virgin, and Jesus was born in Bethlehem into the tribe of Judah to Mary and her husband Joseph when Mary was a virgin.-Genesis, Exodus, Numbers 13:1-14:45, 20:1-29, 26:1-27:23, Deuteronomy 31:1-34:12, Joshua 1:1-4:24, 23:1-24:33, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra 1:1-11, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts 1:1-26