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Genesis 28-31
Common English Bible

28 So Isaac summoned Jacob, blessed him, and gave him these orders: “Don’t marry a Canaanite woman. 2 Get up and go to Paddan-aram, to the household of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and once there, marry one of the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 God Almighty[a] will bless you, make you fertile, and give you many descendants so that you will become a large group of peoples. 4 He will give you and your descendants Abraham’s blessing so that you will own the land in which you are now immigrants, the land God gave to Abraham.” 5 So Isaac sent Jacob off, and he traveled to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean and brother of Rebekah, Jacob and Esau’s mother.

6 Esau understood that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to marry a woman from there. He recognized that, when Isaac blessed Jacob, he had ordered him, “Don’t marry a Canaanite woman,” 7 and that Jacob had listened to his father and mother and gone to Paddan-aram. 8 Esau realized that his father Isaac considered Canaanite women unacceptable. 9 So he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth, in addition to his other wives.

Jacob’s dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and set out for Haran. 11 He reached a certain place and spent the night there. When the sun had set, he took one of the stones at that place and put it near his head. Then he lay down there. 12 He dreamed and saw a raised staircase, its foundation on earth and its top touching the sky, and God’s messengers were ascending and descending on it. 13 Suddenly the Lord was standing on it[b] and saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will become like the dust of the earth; you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. Every family of earth will be blessed because of you and your descendants. 15 I am with you now, I will protect you everywhere you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done everything that I have promised you.”

16 When Jacob woke from his sleep, he thought to himself, The Lord is definitely in this place, but I didn’t know it. 17 He was terrified and thought, This sacred place is awesome. It’s none other than God’s house and the entrance to heaven. 18 After Jacob got up early in the morning, he took the stone that he had put near his head, set it up as a sacred pillar, and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He named that sacred place Bethel,[c] though Luz was the city’s original name. 20 Jacob made a solemn promise: “If God is with me and protects me on this trip I’m taking, and gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear, 21 and I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone that I’ve set up as a sacred pillar will be God’s house, and of everything you give me I will give a tenth back to you.”

Jacob meets Rachel

29 Jacob got to his feet and set out for the land of the easterners. 2 He saw a well in the field in front of him, near which three flocks of sheep were lying down. That well was their source for water because the flocks drank from that well. A huge stone covered the well’s opening. 3 When all of the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the well’s opening, water the sheep, and return the stone to its place at the well’s opening. 4 Jacob said to them, “Where are you from, my brothers?”

They said, “We’re from Haran.”

5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”

They said, “We know him.”

6 He said to them, “Is he well?”

They said, “He’s fine. In fact, this is his daughter Rachel now, coming with the flock.”

7 He said to them, “It’s now only the middle of the day. It’s not time yet to gather the animals. Water the flock, and then go, put them out to pasture.”

8 They said to him, “We can’t until all the herds are gathered, and then we[d] roll the stone away from the well’s opening and water the flock.”

9 While he was still talking to them, Rachel came with her father’s flock since she was its shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his uncle, and the flock of Laban, Jacob came up, rolled the stone from the well’s opening, and watered the flock of his uncle Laban. 11 Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was related to her father and that he was Rebekah’s son. She then ran to tell her father. 13 When Laban heard about Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him. Laban embraced him, kissed him, and invited him into his house, where Jacob recounted to Laban everything that had happened. 14 Laban said to him, “Yes, you are my flesh and blood.”

Jacob marries Leah and Rachel

After Jacob had stayed with Laban for a month, 15 Laban said to Jacob, “You shouldn’t have to work for free just because you are my relative. Tell me what you would like to be paid.”

16 Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah and the younger Rachel. 17 Leah had delicate eyes,[e] but Rachel had a beautiful figure and was good-looking. 18 Jacob loved Rachel and said, “I will work for you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

19 Laban said, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me.”

20 Jacob worked for Rachel for seven years, but it seemed like a few days because he loved her. 21 Jacob said to Laban, “The time has come. Give me my wife so that I may sleep with her.” 22 So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a banquet. 23 However, in the evening, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 Laban had given his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her servant. 25 In the morning, there she was—Leah! Jacob said to Laban, “What have you done to me? Didn’t I work for you to have Rachel? Why did you betray me?”

26 Laban said, “Where we live, we don’t give the younger woman before the oldest. 27 Complete the celebratory week with this woman. Then I will give[f] you this other woman too for your work, if you work for me seven more years.” 28 So that is what Jacob did. He completed the celebratory week with this woman, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 Laban had given his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant. 30 Jacob slept with Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban seven more years.

Jacob’s sons are born

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to have children. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben[g] because she said, “The Lord saw my harsh treatment, and now my husband will love me.” 33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved, so he gave me this son too,” and she named him Simeon.[h] 34 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, “Now, this time my husband will embrace me,[i] since I have given birth to three sons for him.” So she named him Levi.[j] 35 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[k] Then she stopped bearing children.

30 When Rachel realized that she could bear Jacob no children, Rachel became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, “Give me children! If you don’t, I may as well be dead.”

2 Jacob was angry at Rachel and said, “Do you think I’m God? God alone has kept you from giving birth!”

3 She said, “Here’s my servant Bilhah. Sleep with her, and she will give birth for me. Because of her, I will also have children.” 4 So Rachel gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob as his wife, and he slept with her. 5 Bilhah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Jacob. 6 Rachel said, “God has judged in my favor, heard my voice, and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.[l] 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah became pregnant again and gave birth to a second son for Jacob. 8 Rachel said, “I’ve competed fiercely with my sister, and now I’ve won.” So she named him Naphtali.[m]

9 When Leah realized that she had stopped bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as his wife. 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah gave birth to a son for Jacob, 11 and Leah said, “What good luck!” So she named him Gad.[n] 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah gave birth to a second son for Jacob, 13 and Leah said, “I’m happy now because women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.[o]

14 During the wheat harvest, Reuben found some erotic herbs[p] in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Give me your son’s erotic herbs.”

15 Leah replied, “Isn’t it enough that you’ve taken my husband? Now you want to take my son’s erotic herbs too?”

Rachel said, “For your son’s erotic herbs, Jacob[q] may sleep with you tonight.”

16 When Jacob came back from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must sleep with me because I’ve paid for you with my son’s erotic herbs.” So he slept with her that night.

17 God responded to Leah. She became pregnant and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. 18 Leah said, “God gave me what I paid for, what I deserved for giving my servant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.[r] 19 Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob, 20 and she said, “God has given me a wonderful gift. Now my husband will honor me since I’ve borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[s] 21 After this, she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel, responded to her, and let her conceive. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my shame.” 24 She named him Joseph,[t] saying to herself, May the Lord give me another son.

God blesses Jacob and Laban

25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me off so that I can go to my own place and my own country. 26 Give me my wives and children whom I’ve worked for, and I will go. You know the work I’ve done for you.”

27 Laban said to him, “Do me this favor. I’ve discovered by a divine sign that the Lord has blessed me because of you, 28 so name your price and I will pay it.”

29 Jacob said to him, “You know how I’ve worked for you, and how well your livestock have done with me. 30 While in my care, what little you had has multiplied a great deal. The Lord blessed you wherever I took your livestock.[u] Now, when will I be able to work for my own household too?”

31 Laban said, “What will I pay you?”

Jacob said, “Don’t pay me anything. If you will do this for me, I will take care of your flock again, and keep a portion.[v] 32 I will go through the entire flock today, taking out all of the speckled and spotted sheep, all of the black male lambs, and all of the spotted and speckled female goats. That will be my price. 33 I will be completely honest with you: when you come to check on our agreement, every female goat with me that isn’t speckled or spotted and every male lamb with me that isn’t black will be considered stolen.”

34 Laban said, “All right; let’s do it.” 35 However, on that very day Laban took out the striped and spotted male goats and all of the speckled and spotted female goats—any with some white in it—and all of the black male lambs, and gave them to his sons. 36 He put a three-day trip between himself and Jacob, while Jacob was watching the rest of Laban’s flock.

37 Then Jacob took new branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees; and he peeled white stripes on them, exposing the branches’ white color. 38 He set the branches that he had peeled near the watering troughs so that they were in front of the flock when they drank, because they often mated when they came to drink. 39 When the flock mated in front of the branches, they gave birth to striped, speckled, and spotted young. 40 Jacob sorted out the lambs, turning the flock to face the striped and black ones in Laban’s flock but keeping his flock separate, setting them apart from Laban’s flock. 41 Whenever the strongest of the flock mated, Jacob put the branches in front of them near the watering troughs so that they mated near the branches. 42 But he didn’t put branches up for the weakest of the flock. So the weakest became Laban’s and the strongest Jacob’s. 43 The man Jacob became very, very rich: he owned large flocks, female and male servants, camels, and donkeys.

Jacob’s household leaves Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob took everything our father owned and from it he produced all of this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban no longer liked him as much as he used to.

3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your ancestors and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah and summoned them into the field where his flock was. 5 He said to them, “I am aware that your father no longer likes me as much as he used to. But my father’s God has been with me. 6 You know that I’ve worked for your father as hard as I could. 7 But your father cheated me and changed my payment ten times. Yet God didn’t let him harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your payment,’ the whole flock gave birth to speckled young. And if he said, ‘The striped ones will be your payment,’ the whole flock gave birth to striped young. 9 God took away your father’s livestock and gave them to me. 10 When the flocks were mating, I looked up and saw in a dream that the male goats that mounted the flock were striped, speckled, and spotted. 11 In the dream, God’s messenger said to me, ‘Jacob!’ and I said, ‘I’m here.’ 12 He said, ‘Look up and watch all the striped, speckled, and spotted male goats mounting the flock. I’ve seen everything that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a sacred pillar and where you made a solemn promise to me. Now, get up and leave this country and go back to the land of your relatives.’”

14 Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there any share or inheritance left for us in our father’s household? 15 Doesn’t he think of us as foreigners since he sold us and has even used up the payment he received for us? 16 All of the wealth God took from our father belongs to us and our children. Now, do everything God told you to do.”

17 So Jacob got up, put his sons and wives on the camels, 18 and set out with all of his livestock and all of his possessions that he had acquired[w] in Paddan-aram in order to return to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. 19 Now, while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the household’s divine images that belonged to her father. 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not sending word to him that he was leaving. 21 So Jacob and his entire household left. He got up, crossed the river, and set out directly for the mountains of Gilead.

22 Three days later, Laban found out that Jacob had gone, 23 so Laban took his brothers with him, chased Jacob for seven days, and caught up with him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 That night, God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and said, “Be careful and don’t say anything hastily to Jacob one way or the other.”

25 Laban reached Jacob after Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains. So Laban and his brothers also pitched theirs in the mountains of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and taken off with my daughters as if they were prisoners of war. 27 Why did you leave secretly, deceiving me, and not letting me know? I would’ve sent you off with a celebration, with songs and tambourines and harps. 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my sons and my daughters good-bye. Now you’ve acted like a fool, 29 and I have the power to punish you. However, your father’s God told me yesterday, ‘Be careful and don’t say anything hastily to Jacob one way or the other.’ 30 You’ve rushed off now because you missed your father’s household so much, but why did you steal my gods?”

31 Jacob responded to Laban, “I was afraid and convinced myself that you would take your daughters away from me. 32 Whomever you find with your divine images won’t live. Identify whatever I have that is yours, in front of your brothers, and take it.” Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them. 33 Laban went into Jacob’s tent, Leah’s tent, and her two servants’ tent and didn’t find them.

So he left Leah’s tent and went into Rachel’s. 34 Now Rachel had taken the divine images and put them into the camel’s saddlebag and sat on them. Laban felt around in the whole tent but couldn’t find them. 35 Rachel said to her father, “Sir, don’t be angry with me because I can’t get up for you; I’m having my period.” He searched but couldn’t find the divine images.

36 Jacob was angry and complained to Laban, “What have I done wrong and what’s my crime that you’ve tracked me down like this? 37 You’ve now felt through all of my baggage, and what have you found from your household’s belongings? Put it in front of our relatives, and let them decide between us. 38 For these twenty years I’ve been with you, your female sheep and goats haven’t miscarried, and I haven’t eaten your flock’s rams. 39 When animals were killed, I didn’t bring them to you but took the loss myself. You demanded compensation from me for any animals poached during the day or night. 40 The dry heat consumed me during the day, and the frost at night; I couldn’t sleep. 41 I’ve now spent twenty years in your household. I worked for fourteen years for your two daughters and for six years for your flock, and you changed my pay ten times. 42 If the God of my father—the God of Abraham and the awesome one of Isaac—hadn’t been with me, you’d have no doubt sent me away without anything. God saw my harsh treatment and my hard work and reprimanded you yesterday.”

Jacob and Laban’s treaty

43 Laban responded and told Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. Everything you see is mine. But what can I do now about my daughters and about their sons? 44 Come, let’s make a treaty, you and me, and let something be our witness.”[x]

45 So Jacob took a stone, set it up as a sacred pillar, 46 and said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they took stones, made a mound, and ate there near the mound. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha,[y] but Jacob called it Galeed.[z]

48 Laban said, “This mound is our witness today,” and, therefore, he too named it Galeed. 49 He also named it Mizpah,[aa] because he said, “The Lord will observe both of us when we are separated from each other. 50 If you treat my daughters badly and if you marry other women, though we aren’t there, know that God observed our witness.”

51 Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this mound and here is the sacred pillar that I’ve set up for us. 52 This mound and the sacred pillar are witnesses that I won’t travel beyond this mound and that you won’t travel beyond this mound and this pillar to do harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor[ab] will keep order between us.” So Jacob gave his word in the name of the awesome one of his father Isaac. 54 Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and invited his relatives to a meal. They ate together and spent the night on the mountain. 55 [ac] Laban got up early in the morning, kissed his sons and daughters, blessed them, and left to go back to his own place.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:3 Heb El Shaddai or God of the Mountain
  2. Genesis 28:13 Or beside it or beside him
  3. Genesis 28:19 Or God’s house
  4. Genesis 29:8 Or they
  5. Genesis 29:17 Heb uncertain; perhaps Leah had poor eyesight
  6. Genesis 29:27 LXX, Sam, Syr, Tg, Vulg; MT we will give
  7. Genesis 29:32 Or see, a son
  8. Genesis 29:33 Sounds like the Heb verb hear
  9. Genesis 29:34 Or be connected to me
  10. Genesis 29:34 Sounds like the Heb verb embrace, or connect
  11. Genesis 29:35 Sounds like the Heb verb praise
  12. Genesis 30:6 Or he judged
  13. Genesis 30:8 Or my competition or my wrestling
  14. Genesis 30:11 Or good fortune
  15. Genesis 30:13 Or happy
  16. Genesis 30:14 Or mandrakes
  17. Genesis 30:15 Or he
  18. Genesis 30:18 Or there is payment
  19. Genesis 30:20 Or honor
  20. Genesis 30:24 Or he adds
  21. Genesis 30:30 Or them
  22. Genesis 30:31 Heb uncertain
  23. Genesis 31:18 LXX; MT includes he had acquired, the livestock in his possession.
  24. Genesis 31:44 Or convenant or testimony
  25. Genesis 31:47 Or mound of witness (Aram)
  26. Genesis 31:47 Or mound of witness
  27. Genesis 31:49 Or observation
  28. Genesis 31:53 LXX; MT includes their father’s God.
  29. Genesis 31:55 32:1 in Heb
Listen to Genesis 28-31
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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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