We left that sad place and headed towards the land where Father's brother was. Along the way we set up camp and where we set up camp, he called the place Mahanaim. While we were there, I saw Father send-off messengers. Rumour had it that the messenger was sent to his brother Esau and that the message said, "Thus says your servant Jacob, 'I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my Lord, in order that I may find favour in your sight.'"

The messengers that Father had sent out, returned to him saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him."

Father appeared afraid and distressed. I wondered why. Was Esau that much of a threat to Father? Were they not family? Family doesn't kill each other, do they? What did father do that was so bad that he was afraid of his brother? Whatever caused his fears he began to separate our camps into two camps. I am guessing that he was expecting Esau to attack and as so thinking that if he wiped out one camp perhaps the other would survive. I am not sure... but that is what I would be thinking if I was father.

I snuck to be near father so I could overhear what he was thinking. Sometimes being a woman is useful, as father does not always pay attention to us, providing we were quiet. I lucked out and I got to hear father muttering to his God, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my , O Lord who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,' I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'"

Shortly afterwards the first group were sent off in the direction of Esau, broken again into 3 groups, with the message for him "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, 'To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?' then you shall say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my Lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.'"

We stayed the night with Father in the camp and in the morning, he sent us to cross the ford of Jabbok with everything that was left. Father went back to the spot we had stayed by himself. I was worried about him as I felt something was going to happen. I worried that it would be his death, but it was not.

When Father returned, he was limping. He explained to us that he had seen God, wrestled him and God had touched his hip socket putting it out. He had asked God for his blessing and God changed his name to Israel. After father had experienced this, we did not eat the sinew of the thigh.

When father returned, he looked ahead and saw his brother Esau coming with four hundred men. So, he called the camp together and divided the children between Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. He put the servants with their children in front, then Mum with her children, and then lastly Aunt Rachel and her son Joseph last of all.

I do not know why, but my father placed me in a wicker basket and closed the lid telling me, "Stay hidden and quiet Dinah. You are too young to be married off yet." So, I followed his instructions as he wished. It was then father went on before us, bowing to the ground seven times, until he got to his brother.

Uncle Esau ran to meet father and embraced him. He hugged and kissed father, and they both wept. When Uncle Esau looked up he saw our three groups and he asked, "Who are these with you?"

Father said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."

As each of our groups came near Uncle Esau, we followed Fathers example and bowed down.

Uncle Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company that I met?"

Father answered, "To find favor in the sight of my Lord."

Uncle Esau had an incredulous look on his face as he said, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself."

Father urged Uncle Esau, "No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough."

Uncle Esau eventually caved in and accepted the 3 groups of gifts that went ahead of us. All we had left was the most valuable breeding livestock and goods.

Then Uncle Esau said, "Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you."

Father negotiated with Uncle Esau time to move slowly, "My Lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my Lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my Lord in Seir."

So Uncle Esau said, "Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me."

But Father said, "What need is there? Let me find favour in the sight of my Lord."

So, Uncle Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.

Father looked after him and once he was gone instructed us to head to the place which ended up being called Succoth. When we arrived there, Father let me out of the basket and went to purchase land from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father. Father pitched his tent while he built us a huge house and made livestock booths. Father also built an alter and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Our land was near the city of Shechem, in the land of Canaan, a lush well-watered place full of natural protections for our livestock. It was a beautiful piece of land, one that I became familiar with in my free time.

🍀A/N Please vote if you enjoyed this chapter. If you see any errors please let me know. 🍀