The family of the father who tricked him didn’t like Jacob anymore. So God told Jacob, God back home. I will take good care of you.

 

So Jacob took all his wives and children and workers and cows and sheep and left to go home.

When the father who cheated him found out, he took his men and chased after Jacob to hurt him and take everything God had given Jacob.

 

 

But God stopped him. He came to him in a dream and said, Be careful! Don’t say anything good or bad to him.

 

 

 

 

When he found Jacob he said to him, These wives of yours are mine, these children of yours are mine, all these bunches of cows and sheep are mine.

 

 

 

But God told me last night not to hurt you.

They built a pile of rocks into a heap and promised not to cross that line to hurt each other. They called God to watch over them to keep their promise.

 

 

 

As Jacob was going home, the angels of God met him. He felt safe then.

 

But soon He remembered how he had cheated his brother and his brother was going to kill him. So he got really scared.

He divided his family and flocks into parts going different ways and sent a great big present of much sheep and cows to his brother.

Then he talked to God. He said, I am not good enough for any of your smallest kindness or any true thing you have shown to me.

 

 

 

 

I had nothing when I came here and you have given me all these bunches of good things.

Please save me from my brother. I am afraid he is coming to kill me and all these wives and children.

 

You said you would make my children as many as the sand by the sea, so many no one can count.

 

When Jacob was alone that night, God came to him in the shape of a man and wrestled with him. Jacob liked to wrestle.

When the day started to come, the God said, Let me go. Jacob said, I will not let you go until you bless me.

 

God said, Your name will not be Cheater any more but Israel. It means Prince because you are strong with men and with God.

 

So Israel called the place they wrestled, Face of God because he saw God’s face there and was alive.