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Genesis 28-31
New American Standard Bible

Jacob Is Sent Away

28 So Isaac called Jacob and (A)blessed him and commanded him, [a]saying to him, “(B)You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of (C)Bethuel your mother’s father; and from there take to yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 May [b](D)God Almighty (E)bless you and (F)make you fruitful and (G)multiply you, so that you may become a (H)multitude of peoples. 4 May He also give you the (I)blessing of Abraham, to you and to your [c]descendants with you, so that you may (J)possess the land where you (K)live as a stranger, which God gave to Abraham.” 5 Then (L)Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take to himself a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, saying, “(M)You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Paddan-aram. 8 So Esau saw that (N)the daughters of Canaan displeased [d]his father Isaac; 9 and Esau went to Ishmael, and [e]married, (O)besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth.

Jacob’s Dream

10 Then Jacob departed from (P)Beersheba and went toward (Q)Haran. 11 And he [f]happened upon a [g](R)particular place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and made it a support for his head, and lay down in that place. 12 And (S)he had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, (T)the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 Then behold, (U)the Lord was standing [h]above it and said, “I am the Lord, (V)the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give (W)to you and to (X)your [i]descendants. 14 Your [j]descendants will also be like (Y)the dust of the earth, and you will [k]spread out (Z)to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south; and (AA)in you and in your [l]descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, (AB)I am with you and (AC)will keep you wherever you go, and (AD)will bring you back to this land; for (AE)I will not leave you until I have done what I have [m]promised you.” 16 Then Jacob (AF)awoke from his sleep and said, “(AG)The Lord is certainly in this place, and I did not know it!” 17 And he was afraid and said, “(AH)How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

18 So Jacob got up early in the morning, and took (AI)the stone that he had placed as a support for his head, and set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on its top. 19 Then he named that place [n](AJ)Bethel; but [o]previously the name of the city had been (AK)Luz. 20 Jacob also (AL)made a vow, saying, “(AM)If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I [p]take, and give me [q](AN)food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and (AO)I return to my father’s house in [r]safety, (AP)then the Lord will be my God. 22 And this stone, which I have set up as a memorial stone, (AQ)will be God’s house, and (AR)of everything that You give me I will assuredly give a tenth to You.”

Jacob Meets Rachel

29 Then Jacob [s]set out on his journey, and went to the land of (AS)the [t]people of the east. 2 He looked, and [u]saw (AT)a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, because they watered the flocks from that well. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from (AU)Haran.” 5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban the (AV)son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6 And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is his daughter (AW)Rachel coming with the sheep.” 7 Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. 11 Then Jacob (AX)kissed Rachel, and raised his voice and wept. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a (AY)relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and (AZ)she ran and told her father.

13 So when (BA)Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and (BB)embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, “You certainly are (BC)my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall (BD)your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was (BE)beautiful in figure and appearance. 18 Now Jacob (BF)loved Rachel, so he said, “(BG)I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days (BH)because of his love for her.

Laban’s Treachery

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my [v]time is completed, that I may (BI)have relations with her.” 22 So Laban gathered all the people of the place and held a feast. 23 Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and Jacob had relations with her. 24 Laban also gave his female slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a slave. 25 So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “(BJ)What is this that you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you (BK)deceived me?” 26 But Laban said, “It is not [w]the practice in our place to [x]marry off the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which (BL)you shall serve with me, for another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 Laban also gave his female slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. 30 So Jacob had relations with Rachel also, and indeed (BM)he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with [y]Laban for (BN)another seven years.

31 Now the Lord saw that Leah was [z]unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was unable to have children. 32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and named him [aa]Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has [ab](BO)seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “(BP)Because the Lord has [ac]heard that I am [ad]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. 34 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become [ae]attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named (BQ)Levi. 35 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will [af]praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him [ag](BR)Judah. Then she stopped having children.

The Sons of Jacob

30 Now when Rachel saw that (BS)she had not borne Jacob any children, [ah]she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, “(BT)Give me children, or else I am going to die.” 2 Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has (BU)withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “(BV)Here is my female slave Bilhah: have relations with her that she may (BW)give birth [ai]on my knees, so that [aj](BX)by her I too may obtain a child.” 4 So (BY)she gave him her slave Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had relations with her. 5 Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has [ak](BZ)vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him [al]Dan. 7 And Rachel’s slave Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 So Rachel said, “With [am]mighty wrestling I have [an]wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali.

9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her slave Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 And Leah’s slave Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “[ao]How fortunate!” So she named him [ap]Gad. 12 And Leah’s slave Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “[aq]Happy am I! For women (CA)will call me happy.” So she named him [ar]Asher.

14 Now in the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found (CB)mandrake fruits in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter for you to take my husband? And would you take my son’s mandrakes also?” So Rachel said, “Therefore he may sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must have relations with me, for I have indeed hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has given me my [as]reward, because I gave my slave to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good gift; finally my husband [at]will acknowledge me as his wife, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. 21 Afterward she gave birth to a daughter, and named her Dinah.

22 Then (CC)God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and (CD)opened her womb. 23 So she conceived and gave birth to a son, and said, “God has (CE)taken away my disgrace.” 24 And she named him Joseph, saying, “(CF)May the Lord [au]give me another son.”

Jacob Prospers

25 Now it came about, when Rachel had given birth to Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “(CG)Send me away, so that I may go to my own place and to my own country. 26 Give me my wives and my children (CH)for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you yourself know my service which I have [av]rendered you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If [aw]it pleases you at all, stay with me; I have determined by divination (CI)that the Lord has blessed me on your account.” 28 He [ax]continued, “(CJ)Name me your wages, and I will give them.” 29 But Jacob said to him, “(CK)You yourself know how I have served you and how your livestock have [ay]fared with me. 30 For you had little before [az]I came, and it has [ba]increased to a multitude, and the Lord has blessed you [bb]wherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own household also?” 31 So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock: 32 let me pass through your entire flock today, removing from there every (CL)speckled or spotted sheep and every black sheep among the lambs, and the spotted or speckled among the goats; and those shall be my wages. 33 So my [bc]honesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my [bd]wages. Every one that is not speckled or spotted among the goats, or black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen.” 34 Laban said, “[be]Good, let it be according to your word.” 35 So he removed on that day the striped or spotted male goats, and all the speckled or spotted female goats, every one with white on it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and put them in the [bf]care of his sons. 36 And he put a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Then Jacob [bg]took fresh rods of poplar, almond, and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white that was [bh]in the rods. 38 He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the drinking troughs, that is, in the watering channels where the flocks came to drink; and they mated when they came to drink. 39 So the flocks mated by the rods, and the flocks delivered striped, speckled, and spotted offspring. 40 Then Jacob separated the lambs, and [bi]made the flocks face toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own herds apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. 41 Moreover, whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the drinking troughs, so that they would mate by the rods; 42 but when the flock was sickly, he did not put them in; so the sickly were Laban’s, and the stronger were Jacob’s. 43 So (CM)the man [bj]became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob Leaves Secretly for Canaan

31 Now [bk]Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this [bl]wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the [bm]attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as it had been before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “(CN)Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and (CO)I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5 and said to them, “(CP)I see your father’s [bn]attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as it was before, but (CQ)the God of my father has been with me. 6 (CR)You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7 Yet your father has (CS)cheated me and (CT)changed my wages ten times; however, (CU)God did not allow him to do me harm. 8 If (CV)he said this: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock delivered speckled; and if he said this: ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock delivered striped. 9 So God has (CW)taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 And it came about at the time when the flock was breeding that I raised my eyes and saw in a dream—and behold—the male goats that were [bo]mating were striped, speckled, or mottled. 11 Then (CX)the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob’; and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Now raise your eyes and see that all the male goats that are [bp]mating are striped, speckled, or mottled; for (CY)I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am (CZ)the God of Bethel, where you (DA)anointed a memorial stone, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, [bq]leave this land, and (DB)return to the land of your birth.’” 14 Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any share or inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For (DC)he has sold us, and has also [br]entirely consumed our [bs]purchase price. 16 Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has told you.”

17 Then Jacob stood up and put his children and his wives on camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had acquired, the livestock he possessed which he had acquired in Paddan-aram, (DD)to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his flock, and Rachel stole the [bt](DE)household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob [bu]deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he got up and crossed the Euphrates River, and set [bv]out for the hill country of (DF)Gilead.

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 When Laban was informed on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 However, (DG)God came to Laban the Aramean in a (DH)dream of the night and said to him, “[bw](DI)Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

25 And Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done [bx]by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and [by]deceive me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with (DJ)tambourine and with (DK)lyre; 28 and did not allow me (DL)to kiss my [bz]grandchildren and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in [ca]my power to do you harm, but (DM)the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘[cb](DN)Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ 30 Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal (DO)my gods?” 31 Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 (DP)The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our relatives [cc]point out what is yours [cd]among my belongings and take it for yourself.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the [ce]household idols and put them in the camel’s saddlebag, and she sat on them. So Laban searched through all the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “May my lord not be angry that I cannot (DQ)stand in your presence, because the [cf]way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the [cg](DR)household idols.

36 Then Jacob became angry and argued with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Though you have searched through all my property, what have you found of all your household property? Set it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they may decide between the two of us. 38 For these twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 I did not even bring to you that which was torn by wild animals; I took the loss myself. You demanded it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 This is how I was: by day the [ch]heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 For these twenty years I have been in your house; (DS)I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you (DT)changed my wages ten times. 42 If (DU)the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (DV)God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, so He (DW)rendered judgment last night.”

The Covenant of Mizpah

43 Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the [ci]children are my [cj]grandchildren, (DX)the flocks are my flocks, and everything that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these daughters of mine or to their children to whom they have given birth? 44 So now come, let’s (DY)make a covenant, [ck]you and I, and (DZ)it shall be a witness between [cl]you and me.” 45 Then Jacob took (EA)a stone and set it up as a memorial stone. 46 Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Now Laban (EB)called it [cm]Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it [cn]Galeed. 48 Laban said, “(EC)This heap is a witness between [co]you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49 and [cp](ED)Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord keep watch between [cq]you and me when we are [cr]absent one from the other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, (EE)God is witness between [cs]you and me.” 51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the memorial stone which I have set between [ct]you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the memorial stone is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this memorial stone to me, for harm. 53 (EF)The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, (EG)judge between us.” So Jacob swore by (EH)the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob (EI)offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his relatives to [cu]the meal; and they ate [cv]the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55 [cw]Then early in the morning Laban got up, and (EJ)kissed his [cx]grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:1 Lit and said to
  2. Genesis 28:3 Heb El Shaddai
  3. Genesis 28:4 Lit seed
  4. Genesis 28:8 Lit in the eyes of his
  5. Genesis 28:9 Lit took for his wife
  6. Genesis 28:11 Lit lighted on
  7. Genesis 28:11 Lit the place
  8. Genesis 28:13 Or beside him
  9. Genesis 28:13 Lit seed
  10. Genesis 28:14 Lit seed
  11. Genesis 28:14 Lit break through
  12. Genesis 28:14 Lit seed
  13. Genesis 28:15 Lit spoken to
  14. Genesis 28:19 I.e., the house of God
  15. Genesis 28:19 Lit at the first
  16. Genesis 28:20 Lit go
  17. Genesis 28:20 Lit bread
  18. Genesis 28:21 Lit peace
  19. Genesis 29:1 Lit lifted up his feet
  20. Genesis 29:1 Lit sons
  21. Genesis 29:2 Lit behold
  22. Genesis 29:21 Lit days are
  23. Genesis 29:26 Lit done thus in
  24. Genesis 29:26 Lit give
  25. Genesis 29:30 Lit him
  26. Genesis 29:31 Lit hated
  27. Genesis 29:32 I.e., see, a son
  28. Genesis 29:32 Lit looked at
  29. Genesis 29:33 Heb shama, related to Simeon
  30. Genesis 29:33 Lit hated
  31. Genesis 29:34 Heb lavah, related to Levi
  32. Genesis 29:35 Heb Jadah, related to Judah
  33. Genesis 29:35 Heb Jehudah
  34. Genesis 30:1 Lit Rachel
  35. Genesis 30:3 I.e., Prob. referring to a ritual of adoption
  36. Genesis 30:3 Lit from her I too may be built
  37. Genesis 30:6 Lit judged
  38. Genesis 30:6 I.e., He judged
  39. Genesis 30:8 Lit wrestlings of God
  40. Genesis 30:8 Heb niphtal, related to Naphtali
  41. Genesis 30:11 Lit With fortune! Some ancient versions Fortune has come
  42. Genesis 30:11 I.e., Fortune
  43. Genesis 30:13 Lit With my happiness!
  44. Genesis 30:13 I.e., happy
  45. Genesis 30:18 Heb sachar, related to Issachar
  46. Genesis 30:20 Heb zabal, related to Zebulun
  47. Genesis 30:24 Lit add to me; Heb Joseph
  48. Genesis 30:26 Lit served
  49. Genesis 30:27 Lit I have found favor in your eyes
  50. Genesis 30:28 Lit said
  51. Genesis 30:29 Lit been
  52. Genesis 30:30 Lit me
  53. Genesis 30:30 Lit broken forth
  54. Genesis 30:30 Lit at my foot
  55. Genesis 30:33 Lit righteousness
  56. Genesis 30:33 Lit wages which are before you
  57. Genesis 30:34 Lit Behold, would that it might be
  58. Genesis 30:35 Lit hand
  59. Genesis 30:37 Lit took to himself
  60. Genesis 30:37 Lit on
  61. Genesis 30:40 Lit set the faces
  62. Genesis 30:43 Lit broke forth
  63. Genesis 31:1 Lit he
  64. Genesis 31:1 Lit glory
  65. Genesis 31:2 Lit face
  66. Genesis 31:5 Lit face
  67. Genesis 31:10 Lit leaping upon the flock
  68. Genesis 31:12 Lit leaping upon the flock
  69. Genesis 31:13 Lit Go out from
  70. Genesis 31:15 I.e., enjoyed the benefit of
  71. Genesis 31:15 Lit money
  72. Genesis 31:19 Heb teraphim
  73. Genesis 31:20 Lit stole the heart of
  74. Genesis 31:21 Lit his face
  75. Genesis 31:24 Lit Take heed to yourself
  76. Genesis 31:26 Lit and you have stolen my heart
  77. Genesis 31:27 Lit steal me
  78. Genesis 31:28 Lit sons
  79. Genesis 31:29 Lit the power of my hand
  80. Genesis 31:29 Lit Take heed to yourself
  81. Genesis 31:32 Lit recognize
  82. Genesis 31:32 Lit with me
  83. Genesis 31:34 Heb teraphim
  84. Genesis 31:35 I.e., menstruation
  85. Genesis 31:35 Heb teraphim
  86. Genesis 31:40 Or drought
  87. Genesis 31:43 Lit sons
  88. Genesis 31:43 Lit sons
  89. Genesis 31:44 Lit I and you
  90. Genesis 31:44 Lit me and you
  91. Genesis 31:47 I.e., the heap of witness, in Aram
  92. Genesis 31:47 I.e., the heap of witness, in Heb
  93. Genesis 31:48 Lit me and you
  94. Genesis 31:49 Lit the Mizpah; i.e., the watchtower
  95. Genesis 31:49 Lit me and you
  96. Genesis 31:49 Lit hidden
  97. Genesis 31:50 Lit me and you
  98. Genesis 31:51 Lit me and you
  99. Genesis 31:54 Lit eat bread
  100. Genesis 31:54 Lit bread
  101. Genesis 31:55 Ch 32:1 in Heb
  102. Genesis 31:55 Lit sons
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Genesis 28-31
New International Version

28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed(A) him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman.(B) 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram,[a](C) to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel.(D) Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.(E) 3 May God Almighty[b](F) bless(G) you and make you fruitful(H) and increase your numbers(I) until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham,(J) so that you may take possession of the land(K) where you now reside as a foreigner,(L) the land God gave to Abraham.” 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way,(M) and he went to Paddan Aram,(N) to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean,(O) the brother of Rebekah,(P) who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

6 Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,”(Q) 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. 8 Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women(R) were to his father Isaac;(S) 9 so he went to Ishmael(T) and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth(U) and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.(V)

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beersheba(W) and set out for Harran.(X) 11 When he reached a certain place,(Y) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head(Z) and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream(AA) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.(AB) 13 There above it[c] stood the Lord,(AC) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(AD) I will give you and your descendants the land(AE) on which you are lying.(AF) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(AG) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(AH) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[d](AI) 15 I am with you(AJ) and will watch over you(AK) wherever you go,(AL) and I will bring you back to this land.(AM) I will not leave you(AN) until I have done what I have promised you.(AO)”(AP)

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(AQ) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!(AR) This is none other than the house of God;(AS) this is the gate of heaven.”

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head(AT) and set it up as a pillar(AU) and poured oil on top of it.(AV) 19 He called that place Bethel,[e](AW) though the city used to be called Luz.(AX)

20 Then Jacob made a vow,(AY) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me(AZ) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear(BA) 21 so that I return safely(BB) to my father’s household,(BC) then the Lord[f] will be my God(BD) 22 and[g] this stone that I have set up as a pillar(BE) will be God’s house,(BF) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.(BG)”

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.(BH) 2 There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well.(BI) The stone(BJ) over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone(BK) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.(BL) Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”(BM)

“We’re from Harran,(BN)” they replied.

5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”(BO)

“Yes, we know him,” they answered.

6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”

“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel(BP) with the sheep.(BQ)”

7 “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

8 “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone(BR) has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water(BS) the sheep.”

9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,(BT) for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel(BU) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone(BV) away from the mouth of the well and watered(BW) his uncle’s sheep.(BX) 11 Then Jacob kissed(BY) Rachel and began to weep aloud.(BZ) 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative(CA) of her father and a son of Rebekah.(CB) So she ran and told her father.(CC)

13 As soon as Laban(CD) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him(CE) and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”(CF)

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative(CG) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages(CH) should be.”

16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,(CI) and the name of the younger was Rachel.(CJ) 17 Leah had weak[h] eyes, but Rachel(CK) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.(CL) 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel(CM) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”(CN)

19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,(CO) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.(CP)

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.(CQ)”

22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.(CR) 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah(CS) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah(CT) to his daughter as her attendant.(CU)

25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?(CV) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?(CW)”

26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.(CX) 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week;(CY) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.(CZ)”

28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.(DA) 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah(DB) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.(DC) 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.(DD) And he worked for Laban another seven years.(DE)

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(DF) he enabled her to conceive,(DG) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(DH) She named him Reuben,[i](DI) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(DJ) Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,(DK) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[j](DL)

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(DM) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[k](DN)

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[l](DO) Then she stopped having children.(DP)

30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,(DQ) she became jealous of her sister.(DR) So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God,(DS) who has kept you from having children?”(DT)

3 Then she said, “Here is Bilhah,(DU) my servant.(DV) Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”(DW)

4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(DX) Jacob slept with her,(DY) 5 and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(DZ) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(EA) Because of this she named him Dan.[m](EB)

7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah(EC) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(ED) So she named him Naphtali.[n](EE)

9 When Leah(EF) saw that she had stopped having children,(EG) she took her servant Zilpah(EH) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(EI) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(EJ) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[o] So she named him Gad.[p](EK)

12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me(EL) happy.”(EM) So she named him Asher.[q](EN)

14 During wheat harvest,(EO) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(EP) which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough(EQ) that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”

“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”(ER)

16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”(ES) So he slept with her that night.

17 God listened to Leah,(ET) and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.”(EU) So she named him Issachar.[r](EV)

19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor,(EW) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[s](EX)

21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(EY)

22 Then God remembered Rachel;(EZ) he listened to her(FA) and enabled her to conceive.(FB) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(FC) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(FD) 24 She named him Joseph,[t](FE) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(FF)

Jacob’s Flocks Increase

25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way(FG) so I can go back to my own homeland.(FH) 26 Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,(FI) and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.”

27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(FJ) please stay. I have learned by divination(FK) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”(FL) 28 He added, “Name your wages,(FM) and I will pay them.”

29 Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you(FN) and how your livestock has fared under my care.(FO) 30 The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.(FP) But now, when may I do something for my own household?(FQ)”

31 “What shall I give you?” he asked.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: 32 Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat.(FR) They will be my wages.(FS) 33 And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored,(FT) will be considered stolen.(FU)”

34 “Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.” 35 That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs,(FV) and he placed them in the care of his sons.(FW) 36 Then he put a three-day journey(FX) between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond(FY) and plane trees(FZ) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.(GA) 38 Then he placed the peeled branches(GB) in all the watering troughs,(GC) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat(GD) and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches.(GE) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.(GF) 40 Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals(GG) that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals. 41 Whenever the stronger females were in heat,(GH) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,(GI) 42 but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.(GJ) 43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.(GK)

Jacob Flees From Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons(GL) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”(GM) 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.(GN)

3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back(GO) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”(GP)

4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I see that your father’s(GQ) attitude toward me is not what it was before,(GR) but the God of my father has been with me.(GS) 6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,(GT) 7 yet your father has cheated(GU) me by changing my wages(GV) ten times.(GW) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.(GX) 8 If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’(GY) then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock(GZ) and has given them to me.(HA)

10 “In breeding season I once had a dream(HB) in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. 11 The angel of God(HC) said to me in the dream,(HD) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’(HE) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,(HF) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(HG) 13 I am the God of Bethel,(HH) where you anointed a pillar(HI) and where you made a vow(HJ) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.(HK)’”

14 Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share(HL) in the inheritance of our father’s estate? 15 Does he not regard us as foreigners?(HM) Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.(HN) 16 Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.(HO) So do whatever God has told you.”

17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives(HP) on camels,(HQ) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated(HR) in Paddan Aram,[u](HS) to go to his father Isaac(HT) in the land of Canaan.(HU)

19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(HV) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(HW) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(HX) Laban the Aramean(HY) by not telling him he was running away.(HZ) 21 So he fled(IA) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(IB) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(IC)

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day(ID) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(IE) 23 Taking his relatives(IF) with him(IG), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(IH) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(II) in a dream at night and said to him,(IJ) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(IK)

25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(IL) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(IM) You’ve deceived me,(IN) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(IO) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(IP) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(IQ) and harps?(IR) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(IS) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(IT) but last night the God of your father(IU) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(IV) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(IW) But why did you steal(IX) my gods?(IY)”

31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(IZ) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(JA) In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.(JB)

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(JC) and into the tent of the two female servants,(JD) but he found nothing.(JE) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(JF) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(JG) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(JH) through everything in the tent but found nothing.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence;(JI) I’m having my period.(JJ)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(JK)

36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged(JL) you that you hunt me down?(JM) 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household?(JN) Put it here in front of your relatives(JO) and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.(JP)

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(JQ) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(JR) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen(JS) by day or night.(JT) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(JU) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(JV) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(JW) and six years for your flocks,(JX) and you changed my wages(JY) ten times.(JZ) 42 If the God of my father,(KA) the God of Abraham(KB) and the Fear of Isaac,(KC) had not been with me,(KD) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(KE) and last night he rebuked you.(KF)”

43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.(KG) All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant,(KH) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”(KI)

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.(KJ) 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap,(KK) and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.[v](KL)

48 Laban said, “This heap(KM) is a witness between you and me today.”(KN) That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah,[w](KO) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat(KP) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness(KQ) between you and me.”(KR)

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(KS) and here is this pillar(KT) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(KU) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(KV) and pillar to my side to harm me.(KW) 53 May the God of Abraham(KX) and the God of Nahor,(KY) the God of their father, judge between us.”(KZ)

So Jacob took an oath(LA) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.(LB) 54 He offered a sacrifice(LC) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.(LD) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters(LE) and blessed(LF) them. Then he left and returned home.[x](LG)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:2 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verses 5, 6 and 7
  2. Genesis 28:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  3. Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
  4. Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
  5. Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God.
  6. Genesis 28:21 Or Since God … father’s household, the Lord
  7. Genesis 28:22 Or household, and the Lord will be my God, 22 then
  8. Genesis 29:17 Or delicate
  9. Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
  10. Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
  11. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
  12. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
  13. Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
  14. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
  15. Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
  16. Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
  17. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
  18. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
  19. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
  20. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.
  21. Genesis 31:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  22. Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
  23. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
  24. Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.
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