Today’s Reading :  Genesis 29 – 30  and Matthew 15  (KJV)

 

 

Genesis 29

Gen 29:1  Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

Gen 29:2  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.

Gen 29:3  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.

Gen 29:4  And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

Gen 29:5  And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

Gen 29:6  And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

Gen 29:7  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.

Gen 29:8  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.

Gen 29:9  And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them.

Gen 29:10  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.

Gen 29:11  And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

Gen 29:12  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.

Gen 29:13  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.

Gen 29:14  And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

Gen 29:15  And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for naught? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

Gen 29:16  And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

Gen 29:17  Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

Gen 29:18  And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

Gen 29:19  And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

Gen 29:20  And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

Gen 29:21  And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

Gen 29:22  And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

Gen 29:23  And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

Gen 29:24  And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for a handmaid.

Gen 29:25  And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

Gen 29:26  And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

Gen 29:27  Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

Gen 29:28  And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

Gen 29:29  And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

Gen 29:30  And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

Gen 29:31  And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

Gen 29:32  And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

Gen 29:33  And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

Gen 29:34  And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

Gen 29:35  And she conceived again, and bore a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

 

Genesis 30

Gen 30:1  And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

Gen 30:2  And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

Gen 30:3  And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

Gen 30:4  And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

Gen 30:5  And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son.

Gen 30:6  And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.

Gen 30:7  And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.

Gen 30:8  And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

Gen 30:9  When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

Gen 30:10  And Zilpah Leah's maid bore Jacob a son.

Gen 30:11  And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.

Gen 30:12  And Zilpah Leah's maid bore Jacob a second son.

Gen 30:13  And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

Gen 30:14  And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

Gen 30:15  And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee tonight for thy son's mandrakes.

Gen 30:16  And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.

Gen 30:17  And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob the fifth son.

Gen 30:18  And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

Gen 30:19  And Leah conceived again, and bore Jacob the sixth son.

Gen 30:20  And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.

Gen 30:21  And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

Gen 30:22  And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

Gen 30:23  And she conceived, and bore a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:

Gen 30:24  And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.

Gen 30:25  And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.

Gen 30:26  Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

Gen 30:27  And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

Gen 30:28  And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

Gen 30:29  And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

Gen 30:30  For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

Gen 30:31  And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock:

Gen 30:32  I will pass through all thy flock today, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

Gen 30:33  So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

Gen 30:34  And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

Gen 30:35  And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstreaked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

Gen 30:36  And he set three days' journey between himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Gen 30:37  And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and peeled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

Gen 30:38  And he set the rods which he had peeled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

Gen 30:39  And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstreaked, speckled, and spotted.

Gen 30:40  And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstreaked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.

Gen 30:41  And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

Gen 30:42  But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

Gen 30:43  And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

    

Matthew 15

Mat 15:1  Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

Mat 15:2  Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

Mat 15:4  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Mat 15:5  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

Mat 15:6  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Mat 15:7  Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mat 15:10  And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

Mat 15:11  Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Mat 15:12  Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

Mat 15:13  But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Mat 15:14  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Mat 15:15  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

Mat 15:16  And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

Mat 15:17  Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Mat 15:20  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Mat 15:21  Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

Mat 15:22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

Mat 15:23  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

Mat 15:24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Mat 15:25  Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.

Mat 15:26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

Mat 15:27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

Mat 15:28  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Mat 15:29  And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

Mat 15:30  And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

Mat 15:31  Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

Mat 15:32  Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

Mat 15:33  And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

Mat 15:34  And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

Mat 15:35  And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

Mat 15:36  And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Mat 15:37  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

Mat 15:38  And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

Mat 15:39  And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.