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创世记 25:19-31:53
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
创世记 25:19-31:53
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
利百加生以扫和雅各
19 以下是关于亚伯拉罕的儿子以撒的记载。
亚伯拉罕生以撒。 20 以撒四十岁娶利百加，利百加是巴旦·亚兰的亚兰人彼土利的女儿、拉班的妹妹。 21 以撒因为利百加没有生育，就为她祈求耶和华。耶和华应允了他的祈求，利百加就怀了孕。 22 两个胎儿在她腹中彼此相争，她说：“怎么会这样？”于是，她去求问耶和华。 23 耶和华对她说：
“你腹中有两个国家，
你要生出两个敌对的民族，
一族要比另一族强大，
将来大的要服侍小的。”
24 到了生产的时候，利百加果然生下双胞胎。 25 先出生的婴儿遍体通红，浑身长毛，好像穿了皮衣，因此给他取名叫以扫[a]。 26 随后出生的弟弟紧紧抓着以扫的脚跟，因此给他取名叫雅各[b]。那时以撒六十岁。
以扫出卖长子名分
27 孩子们渐渐长大，以扫擅长狩猎，常在田野活动；雅各生来安静，喜欢待在家里。 28 以撒疼爱以扫，因为他喜欢吃以扫带回来的猎物，利百加却疼爱雅各。
29 一天，雅各正在熬汤，以扫筋疲力尽地从田野回来。 30 以扫对雅各说：“我要饿死了，给我一些红豆汤喝吧！”因此，以扫又叫以东[c]。 31 雅各回答说：“好，你今天把长子的名分卖给我吧！” 32 以扫说：“我都快饿死了，长子的名分对我有什么用呢？” 33 雅各说：“好，你现在向我起誓保证吧！”于是，以扫就起誓把长子的名分卖给了雅各。 34 雅各把饼和红豆汤给以扫，以扫吃完喝完便走了。以扫轻看自己长子的名分。
以撒寄居基拉耳
26 亚伯拉罕在世的时候，那地方闹过一次饥荒，这时又闹饥荒。以撒就迁到基拉耳的非利士王亚比米勒那里。 2 耶和华向以撒显现说：“不要下埃及去，要住在我指示你住的地方。 3 你寄居在这里，我必与你同在，赐福给你，因为我必把这些土地赐给你和你的后代，坚立我对你父亲亚伯拉罕的誓约。 4 我必使你的后代多如繁星，将这些土地都赐给他们，天下万国必因你的后裔而蒙福。 5 因为亚伯拉罕听从我的话，遵守我的吩咐、命令、典章和律法。”
亚比米勒斥责以撒
6 于是，以撒就在基拉耳住下来。 7 那里的人问起他的妻子时，他便说：“她是我妹妹。”他不敢说：“她是我妻子。”他担心当地的人会因为利百加而害他，因为利百加长得非常美丽。 8 以撒在那里住了许久。一天，非利士王亚比米勒从窗口看见以撒和利百加亲热的情形， 9 便召见以撒，问他：“她明明是你妻子，为什么你说她是你妹妹呢？”以撒回答说：“我担心别人为了她而杀害我！” 10 亚比米勒说：“你怎么可以这样对我们呢？万一百姓中有人想占有她，你就使我们陷入罪中了。” 11 于是，亚比米勒下令全国：凡伤害他们二人的，必被处死。
12 以撒在那里耕种，耶和华赐福给他，那一年他得了百倍的收成。 13 他的财富越来越多，成了大富户。 14 他拥有很多的牛羊和仆婢，非利士人嫉妒他。 15 他父亲亚伯拉罕生前派人挖的那些水井，全被非利士人用土塞住了。 16 亚比米勒对以撒说：“请你离开我们吧，因为你太强盛了。” 17 以撒就离开那里，把帐篷迁往基拉耳谷居住。 18 他的父亲亚伯拉罕生前挖的水井都被非利士人塞住了，以撒便重新挖开，并沿用父亲生前给那些水井起的名字。 19 以撒的牧人在谷中挖得一口活水井， 20 基拉耳的牧人与以撒的牧人争吵起来，都说：“这口井是我们的。”于是，以撒便称那口井为埃色[d]。 21 后来，以撒的仆人又挖了一口井，他们双方又为那口井发生争执，以撒便称那口井为西提拿[e]。 22 以撒离开那里，又挖了一口水井。这次，他们没有为那口井争吵。所以，以撒称那口井为利河伯[f]。以撒说：“如今耶和华给了我们一个宽阔的地方，我们可以在这里繁荣兴旺。”
23 以撒从那里上别示巴去。 24 当天晚上，耶和华向他显现说：“我是你父亲亚伯拉罕的上帝。你不用惧怕，因为我与你同在。为了我仆人亚伯拉罕的缘故，我必赐福给你，使你子孙众多。” 25 以撒在那里筑了一座坛求告耶和华，并且在那里搭起帐篷住下来。他的仆人又在那里挖了一口井。
以撒和亚比米勒起誓立约
26 一天，亚比米勒带着他的参谋亚户撒、将领非各从基拉耳来见以撒。 27 以撒见到他们就说：“你们既然憎恨我，把我赶走，为什么又来找我？” 28 他们回答说：“我们清楚知道耶和华与你同在，我们双方应该订立誓约。 29 请你起誓保证不会伤害我们，就像我们没有侵犯你，总是善待你，让你平安地离开一样。你是蒙耶和华赐福的人。” 30 于是，以撒为他们摆设宴席，一同吃喝。 31 第二天早晨，以撒和他们互相起誓之后，送他们平安地离去。 32 在同一天，以撒的仆人将挖井的事告诉他，说：“我们找到水了。” 33 以撒便称那口井为示巴[g]，因此那城叫别示巴，沿用至今。
以扫娶妻
34 以扫四十岁时，娶了赫人比利的女儿犹蒂与赫人以伦的女儿巴实抹。 35 她们二人常使以撒和利百加伤心。
以撒为儿子祝福
27 以撒年老的时候，眼睛昏花，几乎看不见。他把大儿子以扫叫来，说：“我儿啊！”以扫说：“我在这里。” 2 以撒说：“我年老了，不知道还能活多久。 3 现在，带着你的弓箭去田野为我打些野味来， 4 照我喜欢的口味，做成美食给我吃，以便我在死前给你祝福。”
5 利百加听见了以撒跟儿子以扫说的话。以扫出去打猎后， 6 利百加就对她儿子雅各说：“我听见你父亲对你哥哥以扫说， 7 ‘你去打些野味回来，做成美食给我吃，以便我死之前在耶和华面前给你祝福。’ 8 现在，孩子，你要听我的话，照我的吩咐去做。 9 你到羊群里选两头上好的山羊羔，我好照你父亲喜爱的口味做成美食， 10 由你拿去给他吃，让他死前为你祝福。”
11 雅各对母亲利百加说：“哥哥以扫浑身是毛，我的皮肤光滑。 12 如果父亲用手摸我，一定会发觉我骗他，那时候我不但得不到祝福，反会招来咒诅。” 13 他母亲利百加对他说：“孩子啊，有咒诅，我来承担。你只管听我的话，把羊羔牵来。”
14 于是，雅各把羊牵来交给母亲，他母亲就照他父亲喜爱的口味做成美食。 15 利百加又拿了大儿子以扫留在家里最好的衣服，给小儿子雅各穿上， 16 再用山羊皮把雅各光滑的手和脖子都包起来， 17 然后把做好的美味和饼交给雅各。
18 雅各来到父亲跟前，叫了一声：“父亲。”以撒回答说：“我在这里，孩子，你是谁？” 19 雅各对父亲说：“我是你的大儿子以扫，你吩咐我的事，我已经办好了。请你坐起来，吃我打的野味，然后给我祝福。” 20 以撒对他说：“孩子，你怎么这么快就打到野味了？”雅各回答说：“因为你的上帝耶和华让我碰见好机会。” 21 以撒说：“孩子，过来，让我摸摸看你是不是我儿以扫。” 22 雅各挨到父亲跟前，以撒摸着他说：“声音是雅各的声音，手却是以扫的手。” 23 因为雅各手上有毛，与他哥哥以扫的手一样，以撒分辨不出来，就给他祝福。 24 以撒又问：“你真是我的儿子以扫吗？”雅各回答说：“是。” 25 以撒便说：“把野味拿给我，我吃了你打的野味就为你祝福。”雅各递上野味，以撒吃了；雅各又拿酒给他喝，他也喝了。 26 以撒对他说：“孩子，你过来亲吻我。” 27 雅各就挨上前去亲了父亲。以撒闻到他衣服上的气味，就祝福他说：
“我儿子的香气就像蒙耶和华赐福之田地的香气。
28 愿上帝赐你天上的甘霖、肥沃的土地并丰富的五谷和新酒。
29 愿万民都臣服于你，
万国都向你下拜。
愿你成为你弟兄的主人，
愿你母亲的儿子向你下拜。
咒诅你的，愿他受咒诅；
祝福你的，愿他蒙祝福。”
以扫求父亲祝福
30 雅各接受了以撒的祝福才刚离开，他的哥哥以扫就打猎回来了。 31 以扫把野味煮好，拿到父亲跟前，说：“父亲，请起来吃你儿子煮的野味，然后给我祝福。” 32 他父亲以撒问道：“你是谁？”以扫回答说：“我是你的长子以扫。” 33 以撒大为震惊，说：“你没有来之前，拿野味来给我吃的是谁呢？我已经吃了，也给那人祝福了，他将来必蒙祝福。”
34 以扫听了放声痛哭，说：“父亲啊，求你也为我祝福！” 35 以撒说：“你弟弟已经用诡计把你的福分夺去了。” 36 以扫说：“怪不得他叫雅各，他已经骗了我两次，先前把我长子的名分夺去，现在又夺去我的福分！”接着他对父亲说：“难道你没有留下别的祝福可以给我吗？”
37 以撒对以扫说：“我已经立他做你的主人，使他的众弟兄做他的仆人，并给他五谷和新酒。孩子啊，我还能为你做什么呢？” 38 以扫对父亲说：“父亲啊，你只有一个祝福吗？父亲啊，求你也为我祝福！”以扫又放声大哭。 39 以撒对他说：
“你住的地方必远离肥沃的土地，
也不会有天上的甘霖。
40 你必倚靠刀剑生活，
又必服侍你的弟弟。
到你无法忍受的时候，
你必挣脱颈上的重轭。”
雅各逃往舅父家
41 以扫因为父亲把祝福给了雅各，就对雅各怀恨在心，暗自思量说：“父亲已经不久人世，他死后，我要把雅各杀掉！” 42 以扫的计谋传到利百加耳中。她就派人把雅各叫来，对他说：“你哥哥以扫想要杀你泄愤！ 43 孩子，听我的话，现在就逃到哈兰你舅舅拉班那里， 44 与他住些日子，一直住到你哥哥的气消了。 45 等他气消了，忘了你对他所做的事，我会派人接你回来。我何必在一天之内失去你们两个呢？” 46 利百加对以撒说：“我被这些赫人女子烦死了。如果雅各也像以扫一样娶那些赫人女子为妻，我活着还有什么意思呢？”
28 以撒把雅各叫来，给他祝福，又嘱咐他说：“你不要娶迦南的女子为妻。 2 马上去巴旦·亚兰，到你外祖父彼土利家，在你舅父拉班的女儿中选一个做妻子。 3 愿全能的上帝赐福给你，使你的子孙众多，成为许多民族。 4 愿上帝把赐给亚伯拉罕的福气赐给你和你的后代，让你承受你寄居之地为产业，就是上帝赐给亚伯拉罕的地方。” 5 以撒让雅各前往巴旦·亚兰，去亚兰人彼土利的儿子拉班那里。拉班是雅各和以扫的舅父。
6 以扫看见父亲给雅各祝福，让他到巴旦·亚兰娶妻，叮嘱他不要娶迦南的女子， 7 又看见雅各听从父母到巴旦·亚兰去了， 8 就知道父亲以撒不喜欢迦南的女子。 9 他便到亚伯拉罕的儿子以实玛利那里，娶了以实玛利的女儿、尼拜约的妹妹玛哈拉为妻。他娶玛哈拉以前已经有两个妻子了。
雅各的梦
10 雅各离开别示巴，前往哈兰。 11 到了一个地方，太阳已经下山，他便在那里过夜。他枕着一块石头睡觉， 12 梦中看见有个梯子立在地上，直通到天上，梯子上有上帝的天使上上下下。 13 耶和华站在梯子上[h]对雅各说：“我是耶和华，是你祖父亚伯拉罕的上帝，也是以撒的上帝。我要把你现在躺卧的地方赐给你和你的后代。 14 你的后代必多如地上的尘沙，遍布四方，地上万族必因你和你的后代而蒙福。 15 我与你同在，无论你去哪里，我都会保护你，领你返回这片土地。我必实现对你的应许，决不离弃你。”
16 雅各一觉醒来，说：“耶和华居然在这里，我却不知道。” 17 他就害怕起来，说：“这地方何等可畏！这里是上帝的家，是通天的大门。”
18 雅各清早起来，把枕的那块石头立成柱子作记号，在上面浇上油。 19 他称那地方为伯特利[i]，那地方以前叫路斯。 20 雅各许愿说：“如果上帝与我同在，在路上保护我，供给我衣食， 21 带领我平安地回到父亲的家，我就一定敬奉耶和华为我的上帝。 22 我立为柱子的这块石头必成为上帝的殿。凡你赐给我的，我必把十分之一献给你。”
雅各到达舅父家
29 雅各继续前行，来到东方人住的地方， 2 看见田间有一口井，有三群羊卧在井边，因为当地人用那口井的水饮羊。井口盖着一块大石头。 3 羊群聚集在井旁的时候，牧人就把石头挪开饮羊，随后再把石头挪回原处。
4 雅各问牧人：“弟兄们，你们是从哪里来的？”他们说：“我们是从哈兰来的。” 5 雅各问道：“你们认识拿鹤的孙子拉班吗？”他们说：“我们认识。” 6 雅各又问：“他好吗？”他们回答说：“很好。你看，他的女儿拉结带着羊群来了。” 7 雅各对他们说：“太阳还高，不到把羊关起来的时候，你们饮了羊，再放它们去吃草吧！” 8 他们说：“不行，要等所有的羊群到齐，有人挪开井口的石头后，才能饮羊。”
9 他们还在说话的时候，拉结就带着她父亲的羊群来到井边，她是个牧羊女。 10 雅各看见表妹拉结和舅父拉班的羊群来了，就上前把井口的石头挪开，饮他舅父的羊。 11 他亲吻拉结，并放声大哭。 12 雅各告诉拉结自己是她父亲的外甥，是利百加的儿子。拉结便跑去告诉她父亲。
13 拉班听见外甥雅各来了，就跑去迎接他，拥抱他，亲吻他，然后把他接到自己家里。雅各把事情的经过告诉他。 14 拉班高兴地说：“你真是我的骨肉之亲啊！”雅各在拉班家里住了一个月。
雅各娶妻
15 一天，拉班对他说：“虽然我们是亲戚，也不能让你白白地替我工作。告诉我，你希望得到什么报酬？” 16 拉班有两个女儿，大的叫利亚，小的叫拉结。 17 利亚两眼无神[j]，而拉结长得美丽出众。 18 雅各爱上了拉结，于是对拉班说：“我愿意为你工作七年，请你把拉结许配给我。” 19 拉班说：“把她嫁给你比嫁给外人好，你就留下来吧！” 20 雅各为了拉结给拉班工作了七年。因为他深爱拉结，所以这七年在他眼中就像短短的几天。
21 一天，雅各对拉班说：“期限已经满了，现在请把我妻子给我，我好和她同房。” 22 于是，拉班就摆设宴席款待当地的人。 23 到了晚上，拉班却把女儿利亚送给雅各，雅各和她同房。 24 拉班又把自己的婢女悉帕送给女儿利亚做婢女。
25 第二天早上，雅各才发现娶的是利亚，就对拉班说：“你对我做的是什么事啊！我服侍你不就是为了拉结吗？你为什么骗我？” 26 拉班说：“依照本地的习俗，妹妹不能比姐姐先出嫁。 27 等这七天的婚期过了，我就把拉结也许配给你，你再替我工作七年。”
28 雅各同意了。过了七天，拉班把女儿拉结嫁给雅各， 29 又把自己的婢女辟拉送给拉结。 30 雅各也和拉结同房，他深爱拉结，胜过爱利亚。他又替拉班工作了七年。
雅各的儿女
31 耶和华看见利亚失宠，就使利亚生育，但拉结却不生育。 32 利亚怀孕生了一个儿子，给孩子取名叫吕便[k]。她说：“耶和华看见了我的痛苦，现在我丈夫一定会爱我。” 33 她又怀孕生了一个儿子，就说：“耶和华听见了我丈夫不爱我，所以又给我这个儿子。”于是，她给孩子取名叫西缅[l]。 34 她又再度怀孕，生了一个儿子，就说：“这次我丈夫一定会依恋我，因为我给他生了三个儿子。”于是，他给孩子取名叫利未[m]。 35 后来，利亚再次怀孕，生了一个儿子，她说：“这次我要赞美耶和华！”于是，她给孩子取名叫犹大[n]。之后，利亚停止了生育。
30 拉结见自己没有给雅各生孩子，就嫉妒姐姐。她对雅各说：“你给我孩子，不然我还不如死了！” 2 雅各气愤地说：“使你不能生育的是上帝，难道我能代替上帝吗？” 3 拉结说：“你去跟我的婢女辟拉同房吧，这样她可以为我生孩子，我也可以留下后代。” 4 于是拉结把婢女辟拉给丈夫做妾，雅各和辟拉同房。 5 辟拉怀了孕，为雅各生下一个儿子。 6 拉结说：“上帝为我申了冤，也听了我的恳求，赐给我一个儿子。”拉结就给孩子取名叫但[o]。 7 拉结的婢女辟拉又怀孕，为雅各生了第二个儿子。 8 拉结说：“我跟姐姐相争，我得胜了。”她就给这孩子取名叫拿弗他利[p]。
9 利亚见自己不再生育，就把婢女悉帕给雅各做妾。 10 悉帕给雅各生了一个儿子。 11 利亚说：“真幸运！”她便给孩子取名叫迦得[q]。 12 悉帕又给雅各生了第二个儿子， 13 利亚说：“我真有福啊！妇女们会说我有福！”她就为孩子取名亚设[r]。
14 在收麦子的季节，吕便在田间找到一些风茄，拿回家给母亲利亚。拉结知道后，对利亚说：“请给我一些你儿子找到的风茄。” 15 利亚说：“你抢了我丈夫还不够吗？现在还要抢我儿子的风茄吗？”拉结回答说：“你给我风茄，今夜雅各就跟你同房。” 16 那天晚上，雅各从田间回来，利亚就出来迎接他说：“你要来跟我同房，因为我已经用儿子的风茄把你雇下来了。”于是，那天晚上雅各便跟利亚同房。 17 上帝答应利亚的祈求，使她怀孕，为雅各生了第五个儿子。 18 利亚说：“我把婢女送给丈夫做妾，现在上帝给我报酬了。”因此，她就为孩子取名叫以萨迦[s]。
19 后来，利亚又怀孕，给雅各生下第六个儿子。 20 她说：“上帝赐给我珍贵的礼物，现在我丈夫会尊重我，因为我给他生了六个儿子。”于是，她就给这个儿子取名叫西布伦[t]。 21 后来，利亚又生了一个女儿，给她取名叫底娜。
22 上帝眷顾拉结，听了她的祷告，使她可以生育。 23 她就怀孕，生了一个儿子，说：“上帝除去了我的羞辱。” 24 她给孩子取名叫约瑟[u]，又说：“愿上帝再给我添一个儿子！”
雅各与拉班的协议
25 拉结生约瑟以后，雅各对拉班说：“请让我走吧！我想回故乡， 26 请你让我和妻儿一同回去吧！她们都是我替你工作得来的，你知道我怎样努力为你工作。”
27 拉班却挽留他，说：“如果你肯赏光，请你留下来！因为我占卜得知上帝为了你的缘故才赐福给我。 28 你要多少酬劳，只管说出来，我一定会给你。”
29 雅各回答说：“你知道我怎样努力地服侍你，照顾你的牲畜。 30 我来以前，你的财产很少。上帝因为我的到来而赐福给你，使你财产大增。但我自己什么时候才能兴家立业呢？”
31 拉班问：“我该给你什么呢？”雅各说：“你不用给我什么，只要你答应一件事，我就继续照料你的羊群。 32 今天让我从你的羊群中挑出黑色或有斑点的绵羊，以及有斑点的山羊作为我的薪酬。 33 以后，如果你在给我作薪酬的羊群中发现白色的绵羊或没有斑点的山羊，就算是我偷的。这样你可以知道我是否诚实。”
34 拉班说：“好，就照你的话做！” 35 当天，拉班把有条纹或斑点的公山羊以及有斑点或夹杂白纹的母山羊，连同黑色的绵羊都挑出来，交给自己的儿子们看管。 36 然后，他离开雅各，彼此相隔三天的路程。雅各继续为他照料其余的羊。
37 雅各折下一些杨树、杏树和枫树的嫩枝，削掉部分树皮，露出白色的条纹， 38 然后把这些嫩枝插在羊喝水的水槽和水沟里。羊群来喝水时互相交配。 39 它们对着这些树枝交配，就生下有条纹和有斑点的羊羔。 40 雅各把这些羊羔分出来，使它们与拉班的羊各在一处。他把自己的羊安置在一处，不与拉班的羊搀杂在一起。 41 每当肥壮的羊交配时，雅各就把有条纹的枝子插在水沟里，使羊对着树枝交配。 42 但如果交配的羊是瘦弱的，他就不插枝子。这样，瘦弱的羊归拉班，肥壮的羊归雅各。 43 因此，雅各变得极其富有，拥有很多羊、骆驼、驴和仆婢。
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[v]，雅各却称那石堆为迦累得[w]。
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，
Footnotes
- 25:25 “以扫”意思是“有毛”。
- 25:26 “雅各”意思是“抓住”。
- 25:30 “以东”意思是“红色”。
- 26:20 “埃色”意思是“相争”。
- 26:21 “西提拿”意思是“敌对”。
- 26:22 “利河伯”意思是“宽阔之地”。
- 26:33 “示巴”意思是“誓约”。
- 28:13 “在梯子上”或译“在他旁边”。
- 28:19 “伯特利”意思是“上帝的家”。
- 29:17 “两眼无神”或译“两眼很美丽”。
- 29:32 “吕便”意思是“看，一个儿子”，此词发音像希伯来文“他看见了我的痛苦”一词的发音。
- 29:33 “西缅”意思是“听见”。
- 29:34 “利未”意思是“联合”。
- 29:35 “犹大”意思是“赞美”。
- 30:6 “但”意思是“申冤”。
- 30:8 “拿弗他利”意思是“相争”。
- 30:11 “迦得”意思是“幸运”。
- 30:13 “亚设”意思是“有福”。
- 30:18 “以萨迦”意思是“报酬”。
- 30:20 “西布伦”意思是“尊重”。
- 30:24 “约瑟”意思是“增添”。
- 31:47 “伊迦尔·撒哈杜他”意思是“做见证的石堆”。
- 31:47 “迦累得”意思是“以石堆为证”。
Genesis 25:19-31:53
New International Version
Genesis 25:19-31:53
New International Version
Jacob and Esau
19 This is the account(A) of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.
Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old(B) when he married Rebekah(C) daughter of Bethuel(D) the Aramean from Paddan Aram[a](E) and sister of Laban(F) the Aramean.(G)
21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.(H) The Lord answered his prayer,(I) and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.(J)
23 The Lord said to her,
“Two nations(K) are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.(L)”
24 When the time came for her to give birth,(M) there were twin boys in her womb.(N) 25 The first to come out was red,(O) and his whole body was like a hairy garment;(P) so they named him Esau.[b](Q) 26 After this, his brother came out,(R) with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;(S) so he was named Jacob.[c](T) Isaac was sixty years old(U) when Rebekah gave birth to them.
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter,(V) a man of the open country,(W) while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game,(X) loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.(Y)
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew,(Z) Esau came in from the open country,(AA) famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew!(AB) I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.[d])(AC)
31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.(AD)”
32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
33 But Jacob said, “Swear(AE) to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright(AF) to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew.(AG) He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.
Isaac and Abimelek(AH)
26 Now there was a famine in the land(AI)—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines(AJ) in Gerar.(AK) 2 The Lord appeared(AL) to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt;(AM) live in the land where I tell you to live.(AN) 3 Stay in this land for a while,(AO) and I will be with you(AP) and will bless you.(AQ) For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands(AR) and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.(AS) 4 I will make your descendants(AT) as numerous as the stars in the sky(AU) and will give them all these lands,(AV) and through your offspring[e] all nations on earth will be blessed,[f](AW) 5 because Abraham obeyed me(AX) and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees(AY) and my instructions.(AZ)” 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar.(BA)
7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,(BB)” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”
8 When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines(BC) looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. 9 So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?(BD)”
Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”
10 Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us?(BE) One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
11 So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms(BF) this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”(BG)
12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold,(BH) because the Lord blessed him.(BI) 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.(BJ) 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants(BK) that the Philistines envied him.(BL) 15 So all the wells(BM) that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up,(BN) filling them with earth.
16 Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us;(BO) you have become too powerful for us.(BP)”
17 So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar,(BQ) where he settled. 18 Isaac reopened the wells(BR) that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.
19 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. 20 But the herders of Gerar quarreled(BS) with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!”(BT) So he named the well Esek,[g] because they disputed with him. 21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled(BU) over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.[h] 22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth,[i](BV) saying, “Now the Lord has given us room(BW) and we will flourish(BX) in the land.”
23 From there he went up to Beersheba.(BY) 24 That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham.(BZ) Do not be afraid,(CA) for I am with you;(CB) I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants(CC) for the sake of my servant Abraham.”(CD)
25 Isaac built an altar(CE) there and called on the name of the Lord.(CF) There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.(CG)
26 Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces.(CH) 27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?(CI)”
28 They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you;(CJ) so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty(CK) with you 29 that you will do us no harm,(CL) just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.”(CM)
30 Isaac then made a feast(CN) for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Early the next morning the men swore an oath(CO) to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully.
32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well(CP) they had dug. They said, “We’ve found water!” 33 He called it Shibah,[j] and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.[k](CQ)
Jacob Takes Esau’s Blessing
34 When Esau was forty years old,(CR) he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.(CS) 35 They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.(CT)
27 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see,(CU) he called for Esau his older son(CV) and said to him, “My son.”
“Here I am,” he answered.
2 Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death.(CW) 3 Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country(CX) to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like(CY) and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing(CZ) before I die.”(DA)
5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country(DB) to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob,(DC) “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die.’(DD) 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you:(DE) 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats,(DF) so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.(DG) 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing(DH) before he dies.”
11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man(DI) while I have smooth skin. 12 What if my father touches me?(DJ) I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse(DK) on myself rather than a blessing.”
13 His mother said to him, “My son, let the curse fall on me.(DL) Just do what I say;(DM) go and get them for me.”
14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it.(DN) 15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes(DO) of Esau her older son,(DP) which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins.(DQ) 17 Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.
18 He went to his father and said, “My father.”
“Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?”(DR)
19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn.(DS) I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game,(DT) so that you may give me your blessing.”(DU)
20 Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?”
“The Lord your God gave me success,(DV)” he replied.
21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you,(DW) my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.”
22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac,(DX) who touched(DY) him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau;(DZ) so he proceeded to bless him. 24 “Are you really my son Esau?” he asked.
“I am,” he replied.
25 Then he said, “My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.”(EA)
Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.”
27 So he went to him and kissed(EB) him(EC). When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes,(ED) he blessed him and said,
“Ah, the smell of my son
is like the smell of a field
that the Lord has blessed.(EE)
28 May God give you heaven’s dew(EF)
and earth’s richness(EG)—
an abundance of grain(EH) and new wine.(EI)
29 May nations serve you
and peoples bow down to you.(EJ)
Be lord over your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.(EK)
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed.(EL)”
30 After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. 31 He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, “My father, please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”(EM)
32 His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”(EN)
“I am your son,” he answered, “your firstborn, Esau.(EO)”
33 Isaac trembled violently and said, “Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me?(EP) I ate it just before you came and I blessed him—and indeed he will be blessed!(EQ)”
34 When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry(ER) and said to his father, “Bless(ES) me—me too, my father!”
35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully(ET) and took your blessing.”(EU)
36 Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob[l]?(EV) This is the second time he has taken advantage of(EW) me: He took my birthright,(EX) and now he’s taken my blessing!”(EY) Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”
37 Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine.(EZ) So what can I possibly do for you, my son?”
38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.(FA)
39 His father Isaac answered him,(FB)
“Your dwelling will be
away from the earth’s richness,
away from the dew(FC) of heaven above.(FD)
40 You will live by the sword
and you will serve(FE) your brother.(FF)
But when you grow restless,
you will throw his yoke
from off your neck.(FG)”
41 Esau held a grudge(FH) against Jacob(FI) because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning(FJ) for my father are near; then I will kill(FK) my brother Jacob.”(FL)
42 When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau(FM) had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is planning to avenge himself by killing you.(FN) 43 Now then, my son, do what I say:(FO) Flee at once to my brother Laban(FP) in Harran.(FQ) 44 Stay with him for a while(FR) until your brother’s fury subsides. 45 When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him,(FS) I’ll send word for you to come back from there.(FT) Why should I lose both of you in one day?”
46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite(FU) women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land,(FV) from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”(FW)
28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed(FX) him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman.(FY) 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram,[m](FZ) to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel.(GA) Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.(GB) 3 May God Almighty[n](GC) bless(GD) you and make you fruitful(GE) and increase your numbers(GF) until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham,(GG) so that you may take possession of the land(GH) where you now reside as a foreigner,(GI) the land God gave to Abraham.” 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way,(GJ) and he went to Paddan Aram,(GK) to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean,(GL) the brother of Rebekah,(GM) 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,”(GN) 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(GO) were to his father Isaac;(GP) 9 so he went to Ishmael(GQ) and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth(GR) and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.(GS)
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
10 Jacob left Beersheba(GT) and set out for Harran.(GU) 11 When he reached a certain place,(GV) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head(GW) and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream(GX) 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.(GY) 13 There above it[o] stood the Lord,(GZ) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(HA) I will give you and your descendants the land(HB) on which you are lying.(HC) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(HD) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(HE) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[p](HF) 15 I am with you(HG) and will watch over you(HH) wherever you go,(HI) and I will bring you back to this land.(HJ) I will not leave you(HK) until I have done what I have promised you.(HL)”(HM)
16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(HN) 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!(HO) This is none other than the house of God;(HP) this is the gate of heaven.”
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head(HQ) and set it up as a pillar(HR) and poured oil on top of it.(HS) 19 He called that place Bethel,[q](HT) though the city used to be called Luz.(HU)
20 Then Jacob made a vow,(HV) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me(HW) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear(HX) 21 so that I return safely(HY) to my father’s household,(HZ) then the Lord[r] will be my God(IA) 22 and[s] this stone that I have set up as a pillar(IB) will be God’s house,(IC) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.(ID)”
Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram
29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.(IE) 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.(IF) The stone(IG) over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone(IH) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.(II) 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?”(IJ)
“We’re from Harran,(IK)” they replied.
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”(IL)
“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(IM) with the sheep.(IN)”
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(IO) has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water(IP) the sheep.”
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,(IQ) for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel(IR) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone(IS) away from the mouth of the well and watered(IT) his uncle’s sheep.(IU) 11 Then Jacob kissed(IV) Rachel and began to weep aloud.(IW) 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative(IX) of her father and a son of Rebekah.(IY) So she ran and told her father.(IZ)
13 As soon as Laban(JA) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him(JB) 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.”(JC)
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(JD) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages(JE) should be.”
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,(JF) and the name of the younger was Rachel.(JG) 17 Leah had weak[t] eyes, but Rachel(JH) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.(JI) 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel(JJ) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”(JK)
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,(JL) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.(JM)
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.(JN)”
22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.(JO) 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah(JP) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah(JQ) to his daughter as her attendant.(JR)
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?(JS) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?(JT)”
26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.(JU) 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week;(JV) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.(JW)”
28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.(JX) 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah(JY) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.(JZ) 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.(KA) And he worked for Laban another seven years.(KB)
Jacob’s Children
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(KC) he enabled her to conceive,(KD) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(KE) She named him Reuben,[u](KF) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(KG) 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,(KH) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[v](KI)
34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(KJ) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[w](KK)
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.[x](KL) Then she stopped having children.(KM)
30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,(KN) she became jealous of her sister.(KO) 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,(KP) who has kept you from having children?”(KQ)
3 Then she said, “Here is Bilhah,(KR) my servant.(KS) Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”(KT)
4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(KU) Jacob slept with her,(KV) 5 and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(KW) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(KX) Because of this she named him Dan.[y](KY)
7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah(KZ) 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.”(LA) So she named him Naphtali.[z](LB)
9 When Leah(LC) saw that she had stopped having children,(LD) she took her servant Zilpah(LE) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(LF) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(LG) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[aa] So she named him Gad.[ab](LH)
12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me(LI) happy.”(LJ) So she named him Asher.[ac](LK)
14 During wheat harvest,(LL) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(LM) 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(LN) 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.”(LO)
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.”(LP) So he slept with her that night.
17 God listened to Leah,(LQ) 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.”(LR) So she named him Issachar.[ad](LS)
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,(LT) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[ae](LU)
21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(LV)
22 Then God remembered Rachel;(LW) he listened to her(LX) and enabled her to conceive.(LY) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(LZ) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(MA) 24 She named him Joseph,[af](MB) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(MC)
Jacob’s Flocks Increase
25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way(MD) so I can go back to my own homeland.(ME) 26 Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,(MF) 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,(MG) please stay. I have learned by divination(MH) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”(MI) 28 He added, “Name your wages,(MJ) and I will pay them.”
29 Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you(MK) and how your livestock has fared under my care.(ML) 30 The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.(MM) But now, when may I do something for my own household?(MN)”
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.(MO) They will be my wages.(MP) 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,(MQ) will be considered stolen.(MR)”
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,(MS) and he placed them in the care of his sons.(MT) 36 Then he put a three-day journey(MU) 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(MV) and plane trees(MW) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.(MX) 38 Then he placed the peeled branches(MY) in all the watering troughs,(MZ) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat(NA) and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches.(NB) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.(NC) 40 Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals(ND) 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,(NE) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,(NF) 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.(NG) 43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.(NH)
Jacob Flees From Laban
31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons(NI) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”(NJ) 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.(NK)
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back(NL) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”(NM)
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(NN) attitude toward me is not what it was before,(NO) but the God of my father has been with me.(NP) 6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,(NQ) 7 yet your father has cheated(NR) me by changing my wages(NS) ten times.(NT) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.(NU) 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,’(NV) then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock(NW) and has given them to me.(NX)
10 “In breeding season I once had a dream(NY) 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(NZ) said to me in the dream,(OA) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’(OB) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,(OC) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(OD) 13 I am the God of Bethel,(OE) where you anointed a pillar(OF) and where you made a vow(OG) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.(OH)’”
14 Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share(OI) in the inheritance of our father’s estate? 15 Does he not regard us as foreigners?(OJ) Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.(OK) 16 Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.(OL) So do whatever God has told you.”
17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives(OM) on camels,(ON) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated(OO) in Paddan Aram,[ag](OP) to go to his father Isaac(OQ) in the land of Canaan.(OR)
19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(OS) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(OT) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(OU) Laban the Aramean(OV) by not telling him he was running away.(OW) 21 So he fled(OX) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(OY) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(OZ)
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 On the third day(PA) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(PB) 23 Taking his relatives(PC) with him(PD), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(PE) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(PF) in a dream at night and said to him,(PG) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(PH)
25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(PI) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(PJ) You’ve deceived me,(PK) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(PL) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(PM) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(PN) and harps?(PO) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(PP) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(PQ) but last night the God of your father(PR) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(PS) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(PT) But why did you steal(PU) my gods?(PV)”
31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(PW) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(PX) 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.(PY)
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(PZ) and into the tent of the two female servants,(QA) but he found nothing.(QB) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(QC) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(QD) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(QE) 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;(QF) I’m having my period.(QG)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(QH)
36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged(QI) you that you hunt me down?(QJ) 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household?(QK) Put it here in front of your relatives(QL) and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.(QM)
38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(QN) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(QO) 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(QP) by day or night.(QQ) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(QR) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(QS) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(QT) and six years for your flocks,(QU) and you changed my wages(QV) ten times.(QW) 42 If the God of my father,(QX) the God of Abraham(QY) and the Fear of Isaac,(QZ) had not been with me,(RA) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(RB) and last night he rebuked you.(RC)”
43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.(RD) 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,(RE) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”(RF)
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.(RG) 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap,(RH) and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.[ah](RI)
48 Laban said, “This heap(RJ) is a witness between you and me today.”(RK) That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah,[ai](RL) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat(RM) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness(RN) between you and me.”(RO)
51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(RP) and here is this pillar(RQ) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(RR) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(RS) and pillar to my side to harm me.(RT) 53 May the God of Abraham(RU) and the God of Nahor,(RV) the God of their father, judge between us.”(RW)
So Jacob took an oath(RX) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.(RY)
Footnotes
- Genesis 25:20 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 25:25 Esau may mean hairy.
- Genesis 25:26 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he deceives.
- Genesis 25:30 Edom means red.
- Genesis 26:4 Or seed
- Genesis 26:4 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
- Genesis 26:20 Esek means dispute.
- Genesis 26:21 Sitnah means opposition.
- Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth means room.
- Genesis 26:33 Shibah can mean oath or seven.
- Genesis 26:33 Beersheba can mean well of the oath and well of seven.
- Genesis 27:36 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he takes advantage of or he deceives.
- Genesis 28:2 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verses 5, 6 and 7
- Genesis 28:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
- Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
- Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God.
- Genesis 28:21 Or Since God … father’s household, the Lord
- Genesis 28:22 Or household, and the Lord will be my God, 22 then
- Genesis 29:17 Or delicate
- Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
- Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
- Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
- Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
- Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
- Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
- Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
- Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
- Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
- Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
- Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
- Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.
- Genesis 31:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
- Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
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