Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close NRSVACE

Genesis 31
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition

Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks

31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, ‘Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; he has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.’ 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favourably as he did before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you.’ 4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was, 5 and said to them, ‘I see that your father does not regard me as favourably as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength; 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, “The speckled shall be your wages”, then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said, “The striped shall be your wages”, then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father, and given them to me.

10 ‘During the mating of the flock I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats that leaped upon the flock were striped, speckled, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, “Jacob,” and I said, “Here I am!” 12 And he said, “Look up and see that all the goats that leap on the flock are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel,[a] where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth.”’ 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered him, ‘Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has been using up the money given for us. 16 All the property that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.’

17 So Jacob arose, and set his children and his wives on camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock, all the property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. 21 So he fled with all that he had; starting out he crossed the Euphrates,[b] and set his face towards the hill country of Gilead.

Laban Overtakes Jacob

22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 So he took his kinsfolk with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, ‘Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad.’

25 Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsfolk camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, ‘What have you done? You have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword. 27 Why did you flee secretly and deceive me and not tell me? I would have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre. 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? What you have done is foolish. 29 It is in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, “Take heed that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.” 30 Even though you had to go because you longed greatly for your father’s house, why did you steal my gods?’ 31 Jacob answered Laban, ‘Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsfolk, point out what I have that is yours, and take it.’ Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.[c]

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent, and entered Rachel’s. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt all about in the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, ‘Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.’ So he searched, but did not find the household gods.

36 Then Jacob became angry, and upbraided Laban. Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is my offence? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Although you have felt about through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsfolk and your kinsfolk, so that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself; of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 It was like this with me: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you for fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear[d] of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked you last night.’

Laban and Jacob Make a Covenant

43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, ‘The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be a witness between you and me.’ 45 So Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsfolk, ‘Gather stones,’ and they took stones, and made a heap; and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha:[e] but Jacob called it Galeed.[f] 48 Laban said, ‘This heap is a witness between you and me today.’ Therefore he called it Galeed, 49 and the pillar[g] Mizpah,[h] for he said, ‘The Lord watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other. 50 If you ill-treat my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, though no one else is with us, remember that God is witness between you and me.’

51 Then Laban said to Jacob, ‘See this heap and see the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor’—the God of their father—‘judge between us.’ So Jacob swore by the Fear[i] of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice on the height and called his kinsfolk to eat bread; and they ate bread and tarried all night in the hill country.

55 [j] Early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them; then he departed and returned home.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:13 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. Genesis 31:21 Heb the river
  3. Genesis 31:32 Heb them
  4. Genesis 31:42 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. Genesis 31:47 In Aramaic The heap of witness
  6. Genesis 31:47 In Hebrew The heap of witness
  7. Genesis 31:49 Compare Sam: MT lacks the pillar
  8. Genesis 31:49 That is Watchpost
  9. Genesis 31:53 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  10. Genesis 31:55 Ch 32.1 in Heb
Listen to 创世记 31
Close CCB

创世记 31
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

雅各逃离拉班

31 雅各听见拉班的儿子们说：“雅各夺去了我们父亲的一切！他的财富都是从我们父亲那里得来的。” 2 雅各发觉拉班对他的态度不如从前了。 3 这时，耶和华对雅各说：“回到你的家乡和亲族那里吧！我必与你同在。” 4 于是，雅各就派人把拉结和利亚叫到放羊的地方， 5 对她们说：“我感到你们父亲对我不如从前了，但我父亲的上帝常与我同在。 6 你们知道我是怎样尽心尽力地替你们父亲工作， 7 他却欺骗我，把我的工酬更改了十次。然而，上帝不让他苦待我。 8 如果他说把有斑点的羊给我当酬劳，羊群生的就都是有斑点的；如果他说把有条纹的给我，羊群生的就都是有条纹的。 9 上帝就这样把你们父亲的牲畜夺过来给了我。

10 “在羊群交配的季节，我梦见所有和母羊交配的公羊都是有条纹或有斑点的。 11 在梦中，上帝的天使叫我，我说，‘仆人在。’ 12 他说，‘拉班对你的所作所为，我都看见了。现在你留心看看，与母羊交配的公羊都是有条纹或有斑点的。 13 我就是你在伯特利遇见的上帝。你在那里用油浇过柱子，向我许过愿。现在，你要动身离开这里，回到你的家乡。’”

14 拉结和利亚说：“父亲的家产没有我们的份儿， 15 我们早就被当作外人了，他卖了我们，把我们的身价全部吞了。 16 上帝从我们父亲那里夺过来的一切财产，本来就属于我们和我们的儿女。现在你只管照上帝的吩咐做吧！”

17 雅各便起来让儿女和妻子都骑上骆驼， 18 带着他在巴旦·亚兰得到的所有牲畜和财物，启程去迦南的父亲以撒那里。 19 那时拉班正在外面剪羊毛，拉结偷了父亲的家庭神像。 20 雅各不辞而别，背着亚兰人拉班偷偷地跑了。 21 他带着所有的一切渡过幼发拉底河，逃往基列山区。

拉班追赶雅各

22 到了第三天，拉班才知道雅各逃走了。 23 于是，他带着族人去追赶，追了七天，在基列山区追上了雅各。 24 当天晚上，上帝在梦中对亚兰人拉班说：“你要当心，不可对雅各多说什么。”

25 拉班追上了雅各，那时雅各在基列山搭起帐篷，拉班和他的族人也在那里搭起帐篷。 26 拉班对雅各说：“你做的是什么？你欺瞒我，把我的女儿像战俘一样带走。 27 你为什么要偷偷地溜走？你为什么不告诉我，我好击鼓、弹琴、唱歌欢送你？ 28 你甚至不让我亲吻外孙和女儿，与他们道别，你这样做真愚蠢。 29 我有能力伤害你，但你父亲的上帝昨夜对我说，‘你要小心，不可对雅各多说什么。’ 30 你思家心切，一定要走，但你为什么要偷走我的神像呢？”

31 雅各对拉班说：“我逃跑是因为害怕你会夺回你的女儿。 32 至于你的神像，你在谁身上搜出来，谁就是该死的。你可以当着众弟兄的面察看，如果在我这里有什么物件是你的，你只管拿走。”雅各不知道拉结偷走了神像。

33 拉班进入雅各、利亚和两个婢女的帐篷搜查，却搜不出什么。拉班离开利亚的帐篷进入拉结的帐篷， 34 那时拉结已经把神像藏在骆驼的鞍座里，自己坐在上面。拉班搜遍了整个帐篷什么也找不到。 35 拉结对父亲说：“父亲，请别生气，我有月事在身，不便起来。”结果，拉班搜来搜去找不到神像。

36 雅各发怒，斥责拉班说：“我做错了什么、犯了什么罪以致你对我穷追不舍？ 37 你搜遍我所有的东西，搜到了什么？现在就当着众弟兄的面拿出来，让他们评评理吧！ 38 我在你家这二十年，你的母绵羊、母山羊没有掉过胎，我也没有吃过你公羊的肉。 39 我没有把被野兽撕裂的羊带来给你，而是自己赔上。无论在白昼或黑夜被偷去的，你都要我赔偿。 40 我白天受尽烈日煎熬，晚上饱尝夜露寒霜，不得好睡。 41 这二十年来，我为了你的两个女儿，替你工作了十四年，又用了六年才从你那里得到这些羊，你把我的工钱更改了十次。 42 如果不是我父亲以撒敬畏的上帝，就是亚伯拉罕的上帝与我同在，你肯定会让我两手空空地回家。但上帝看见了我的难处和劳苦，所以在昨夜责备了你。”

雅各和拉班立约

43 拉班回答说：“女儿是我的，这些孩子是我的，羊群也是我的，你的一切都是我的，我又怎会伤害我的女儿和她们的孩子呢？ 44 来吧，你我立约为证。” 45 于是，雅各拿来一块石头，立作柱子， 46 又吩咐族人去收集石头。他们把石头堆成一堆，在旁边吃喝。 47 拉班称那石堆为伊迦尔·撒哈杜他[a]，雅各却称那石堆为迦累得[b]。

48 拉班说：“今日，这石堆是你我之间的凭证。”因此，那地方名叫迦累得， 49 又叫米斯巴，因为拉班说：“我们分手以后，愿上帝亲自鉴察我们。 50 倘若你虐待我的女儿，或在她们以外另娶妻子，即使没人知道，也有上帝在你我之间做见证。”

51 拉班又说：“看我在你我之间立的这石堆和石柱。 52 这石堆和石柱都是凭证，我一定不会越过石堆去害你，你也不可越过石堆和石柱来害我。 53 愿亚伯拉罕和拿鹤的上帝，就是他们父亲的上帝，在你我之间判断是非。”雅各便在他父亲以撒敬畏的上帝面前起誓， 54 又在山上献祭，请众弟兄吃饭。饭后，他们一同在山上过夜。

55 拉班清早起来，亲吻外孙和女儿，给他们祝福，然后回家去了。

Footnotes

  1. 31:47 “伊迦尔·撒哈杜他”意思是“做见证的石堆”。
  2. 31:47 “迦累得”意思是“以石堆为证”。
Listen to Genesis 31
Close NIV

Genesis 31
New International Version

Jacob Flees From Laban

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

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

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(F) attitude toward me is not what it was before,(G) but the God of my father has been with me.(H) 6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,(I) 7 yet your father has cheated(J) me by changing my wages(K) ten times.(L) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.(M) 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,’(N) then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock(O) and has given them to me.(P)

10 “In breeding season I once had a dream(Q) 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(R) said to me in the dream,(S) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’(T) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,(U) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(V) 13 I am the God of Bethel,(W) where you anointed a pillar(X) and where you made a vow(Y) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.(Z)’”

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

17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives(AE) on camels,(AF) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated(AG) in Paddan Aram,[a](AH) to go to his father Isaac(AI) in the land of Canaan.(AJ)

19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(AK) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(AL) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(AM) Laban the Aramean(AN) by not telling him he was running away.(AO) 21 So he fled(AP) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(AQ) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(AR)

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day(AS) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(AT) 23 Taking his relatives(AU) with him(AV), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(AW) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(AX) in a dream at night and said to him,(AY) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(AZ)

25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(BA) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(BB) You’ve deceived me,(BC) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(BD) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(BE) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(BF) and harps?(BG) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(BH) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(BI) but last night the God of your father(BJ) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(BK) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(BL) But why did you steal(BM) my gods?(BN)”

31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(BO) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(BP) 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.(BQ)

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(BR) and into the tent of the two female servants,(BS) but he found nothing.(BT) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(BU) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(BV) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(BW) 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;(BX) I’m having my period.(BY)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(BZ)

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

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(CF) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(CG) 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(CH) by day or night.(CI) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(CJ) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(CK) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(CL) and six years for your flocks,(CM) and you changed my wages(CN) ten times.(CO) 42 If the God of my father,(CP) the God of Abraham(CQ) and the Fear of Isaac,(CR) had not been with me,(CS) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(CT) and last night he rebuked you.(CU)”

43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.(CV) 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,(CW) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”(CX)

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

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

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(DH) and here is this pillar(DI) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(DJ) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(DK) and pillar to my side to harm me.(DL) 53 May the God of Abraham(DM) and the God of Nahor,(DN) the God of their father, judge between us.”(DO)

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

55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters(DT) and blessed(DU) them. Then he left and returned home.[d](DV)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  2. Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
  3. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
  4. Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.
Next
Genesis 30
Genesis 32
Next
dropdown
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified) (CCB)

Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV