Quotes About Struggle

When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”

Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”

Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.

And Rachelís servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.

Then Rachel said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali.

When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

When Leahís servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son,

But Leah replied, “Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my sonís mandrakes as well?” “Very well,” said Rachel, “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your sonís mandrakes.”

Again Leah conceived and bore a sixth son to Jacob.

“God has given me a good gift,” she said. “This time my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” And she named him Zebulun.

Give me my wives and children for whom I have served you, that I may go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you.”

Now Jacob heard that Labanís sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our fatherís expense.”

And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our fatherís house?

As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!

But Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne?

So Jacobís gifts went on before him, while he spent the night in the camp.

During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.

So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacobís hip and dislocated it as they wrestled.

Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”