When your father said the speckled sheep would be my wages, all of them were speckled. And when he said the spotted ones would be mine, all of them were spotted.

That's how God has taken sheep and goats from your father and given them to me.

Before Rachel left, she stole the household idols while Laban was out shearing his sheep.

In all the 20 years that I've worked for you, not one of your sheep or goats has had a miscarriage, and I've never eaten even one of your rams.

If a wild animal killed one of your sheep or goats, I paid for it myself. In fact, you demanded the full price, whether the animal was killed during the day or at night.

I had to work 14 of these 20 long years to earn your two daughters and another 6 years to buy your sheep and goats. During that time you kept changing my wages.

Jacob and Laban Make an Agreement

Laban said to Jacob, “Leah and Rachel are my daughters, and their children belong to me. All these sheep you are taking are really mine too. In fact, everything you have belongs to me. But there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children.

and now I own cattle, donkeys, and sheep, as well as many slaves. Master, I am sending these messengers in the hope that you will be kind to me.”

Jacob was so frightened that he divided his people, sheep, cattle, and camels into two groups.

200 female goats and 20 males, 200 female sheep and 20 males, 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows and 10 bulls, and 20 female donkeys and 10 males.

But Jacob answered, “Master, you know traveling is hard on children, and I have to look after the sheep and goats that are nursing their young. If my animals travel too much in one day, they will all die.

They took sheep, goats, donkeys, and everything else that was in the town or the countryside.

and this is the story of his family. When Jacob's son Joseph was 17 years old, he took care of the sheep with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. But he was always telling his father all sorts of bad things about his brothers.

Joseph Is Sold and Taken to Egypt

One day when Joseph's brothers had taken the sheep to a pasture near Shechem,

his father Jacob said to him, “I want you to go to your brothers. They are with the sheep near Shechem.” “Yes, sir,” Joseph answered.

His father said, “Go and find out how your brothers and the sheep are doing. Then come back and let me know.” So he sent him from Hebron Valley. Joseph was near Shechem

Joseph answered, “I'm looking for my brothers who are watching the sheep. Can you tell me where they are?”

Some years later Judah's wife died, and he mourned for her. He then went with his friend Hirah to the town of Timnah, where his sheep were being sheared.

Tamar found out that her father-in-law Judah was going to Timnah to shear his sheep.

You will live near me in the region of Goshen with your children and grandchildren, as well as with your sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else you own.

I will tell him that you are shepherds and that you have brought your sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else you own.

When he does, be sure to say, “We are shepherds. Our families have always raised sheep.” If you tell him this, he will let you settle in the region of Goshen. Joseph wanted them to say this to the king, because the Egyptians did not like to be around anyone who raised sheep.

Joseph took five of his brothers to the king and told him, “My father and my brothers have come from Canaan. They have brought their sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else they own to the region of Goshen.” Then he introduced his brothers to the king,

who asked them, “What do you do for a living?” “Sir, we are shepherds,” was their answer. “Our families have always raised sheep.

But in our country all the pastures are dried up, and our sheep have no grass to eat. So we, your servants, have come here. Please let us live in the region of Goshen.”