Study Desk

Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.

But Hamor spoke with them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him as a wife.

And intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves.

And they said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us.

then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people.

"These men are peaceful with us; therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters for us as wives and give our daughters to them.

Now it happened that when she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for now you have another son."

Now it happened as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.

For their possessions had become too great for them to live together, and the land where they sojourned could not sustain them because of their livestock.

Then his brothers said to him, "Are you really going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Then the man said, "They have journeyed from here; for I heard them saying, ‘Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened.

Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Then he returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?"

So Jacob tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." So his father wept for him.

Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a seed for your brother."

Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up"; for he thought, "I am afraid lest he also die like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived in her father's house.

So she removed her widow's garments from herself and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself. And she sat at the entrance of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife.