The Return from Haran, the Struggle with the Angel and the Meeting with Esau

For twenty years Jacob worked for Laban — fourteen for his daughters and six for the flocks — while his wages were changed "ten times." He leaves secretly with his wives, eleven sons and herds. Laban overtakes him after seven days, but has been warned in a dream: "Take heed that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad." They make a treaty and raise a heap of stones as a boundary witness. Angels then meet Jacob, and ahead waits Esau with four hundred men. Jacob prepares in three ways at once — a gift, prayer, and readiness for war — a model the sages cite ever after. That night he takes his family across the Jabbok and remains alone, having gone back for some small jars, and "a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day." Unable to prevail, the adversary strikes his thigh; Jacob will not let go without a blessing. "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel." He limps out into the sunrise, and in the morning the brothers embrace and part in peace.