In this portion we conclude the independent stories about Jacob. In the remainder of the Book of Genesis his life is intertwined with the biography of Joseph. Jacob prepares to encounter Esau by dividing his camp as a safety precaution and sending a large gift of livestock to his brother. He wrestles all night with a mysterious assailant from whom he wrests a blessing at daybreak in the form of a change of name from Jacob to Israel. Following the successful meeting with Esau, Jacob travels on and settles down. His daughter, Dinah, is ravished by a local prince, and two of her brothers take fearful revenge. Other events serve to sever decisively the connection of the patriarchs with Mesopotamia. By the end of this portion, our focus is shifted from the lives of individuals to the emerging people of Israel.
