30 When Rachel saw that (A)she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, (B)who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Then she said, “Here is my servant (C)Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth (D)on my behalf,[a] that even I may have children[b] through her.” So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has (E)judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.[c] Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings[d] I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name (F)Naphtali.[e]

When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and (G)gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, (H)“Good fortune has come!” so she called his name (I)Gad.[f] 12 Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women (J)have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.[g]

14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found (K)mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son's mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.[h]

19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name (L)Zebulun.[i] 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

22 Then God (M)remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and (N)opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away (O)my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph,[j] saying, (P)“May the Lord add to me another son!”

Jacob's Prosperity

25 As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children (Q)for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that[k] the Lord has blessed me because of you. 28 (R)Name your wages, and I will give it.” 29 Jacob said to him, (S)“You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me. 30 For you had little before I came, (T)and it has increased abundantly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I (U)provide for my own household also?” 31 He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it: 32 let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and (V)they shall be my wages. 33 So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” 34 Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” 35 But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. 36 And he set a distance of three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban's flock.

37 Then (W)Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. 38 He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the (X)watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, 39 the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban's flock. 41 Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, 42 but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. 43 Thus the man (Y)increased greatly and (Z)had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob Flees from Laban

31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth.” And Jacob saw (AA)that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. Then the Lord said to Jacob, (AB)“Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, (AC)“I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father (AD)has been with me. (AE)You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages (AF)ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. If he said, (AG)‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. Thus God has (AH)taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10 In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, 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, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for (AI)I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, (AJ)where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now (AK)arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there (AL)any portion or inheritance left to us in our father's house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For (AM)he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 30:3 Hebrew on my knees
  2. Genesis 30:3 Hebrew be built up, which sounds like the Hebrew for children
  3. Genesis 30:6 Dan sounds like the Hebrew for judged
  4. Genesis 30:8 Hebrew With wrestlings of God
  5. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali sounds like the Hebrew for wrestling
  6. Genesis 30:11 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for good fortune
  7. Genesis 30:13 Asher sounds like the Hebrew for happy
  8. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for wages, or hire
  9. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun sounds like the Hebrew for honor
  10. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means May he add, and sounds like the Hebrew for taken away
  11. Genesis 30:27 Or have become rich and

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

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

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

So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(H) Jacob slept with her,(I) and she became pregnant and bore him a son. Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(J) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(K) Because of this she named him Dan.[a](L)

Rachel’s servant Bilhah(M) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(N) So she named him Naphtali.[b](O)

When Leah(P) saw that she had stopped having children,(Q) she took her servant Zilpah(R) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(S) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(T) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[c] So she named him Gad.[d](U)

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

14 During wheat harvest,(Y) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(Z) 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(AA) 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.”(AB)

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.”(AC) So he slept with her that night.

17 God listened to Leah,(AD) 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.”(AE) So she named him Issachar.[f](AF)

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,(AG) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[g](AH)

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

22 Then God remembered Rachel;(AJ) he listened to her(AK) and enabled her to conceive.(AL) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(AM) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(AN) 24 She named him Joseph,[h](AO) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(AP)

Jacob’s Flocks Increase

25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way(AQ) so I can go back to my own homeland.(AR) 26 Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,(AS) 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,(AT) please stay. I have learned by divination(AU) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”(AV) 28 He added, “Name your wages,(AW) and I will pay them.”

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

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.(BB) They will be my wages.(BC) 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,(BD) will be considered stolen.(BE)

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,(BF) and he placed them in the care of his sons.(BG) 36 Then he put a three-day journey(BH) 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(BI) and plane trees(BJ) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.(BK) 38 Then he placed the peeled branches(BL) in all the watering troughs,(BM) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat(BN) and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches.(BO) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.(BP) 40 Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals(BQ) 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,(BR) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,(BS) 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.(BT) 43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.(BU)

Jacob Flees From Laban

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

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

So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. He said to them, “I see that your father’s(CA) attitude toward me is not what it was before,(CB) but the God of my father has been with me.(CC) You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,(CD) yet your father has cheated(CE) me by changing my wages(CF) ten times.(CG) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.(CH) 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,’(CI) then all the flocks bore streaked young. So God has taken away your father’s livestock(CJ) and has given them to me.(CK)

10 “In breeding season I once had a dream(CL) 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(CM) said to me in the dream,(CN) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’(CO) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,(CP) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(CQ) 13 I am the God of Bethel,(CR) where you anointed a pillar(CS) and where you made a vow(CT) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.(CU)’”

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

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
  2. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
  3. Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
  4. Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
  5. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
  6. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
  7. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
  8. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.

The Twelve Apostles

10 (A)And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. (B)The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, (C)who is called Peter, and (D)Andrew his brother; (E)James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and (F)Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[a] Simon the Zealot,[b] and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

(G)These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of (H)the Samaritans, (I)but go rather to (J)the lost sheep of (K)the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, (L)‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’[c] (M)Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,[d] cast out demons. (N)You received without paying; give without pay. (O)Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics[e] or sandals or a staff, for (P)the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, (Q)greet it. 13 And if the house is (R)worthy, let (S)your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let (T)your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, (U)shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, (V)it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for (W)the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Persecution Will Come

16 (X)“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be (Y)wise as serpents and (Z)innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for (AA)they will deliver you over to courts and flog you (AB)in their synagogues, 18 (AC)and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, (AD)to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 (AE)When (AF)they deliver you over, (AG)do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for (AH)what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 (AI)For it is not you who speak, but (AJ)the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 (AK)Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 (AL)and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. (AM)But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they (AN)persecute you in one town, (AO)flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel (AP)before the Son of Man comes.

24 (AQ)“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant[f] above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. (AR)If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign[g] those of his household.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:3 Some manuscripts Lebbaeus, or Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus
  2. Matthew 10:4 Greek kananaios, meaning zealot
  3. Matthew 10:7 Or The kingdom of heaven has come near
  4. Matthew 10:8 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
  5. Matthew 10:10 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin
  6. Matthew 10:24 Or bondservant; also verse 25
  7. Matthew 10:25 Greek lacks will they malign

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve(A)(B)(C)(D)(E)

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits(F) and to heal every disease and sickness.(G)

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.(H)

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.(I) Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.(J) As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven(K) has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts(L) 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.(M) 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting.(N) 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.(O) 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah(P) on the day of judgment(Q) than for that town.(R)

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.(S) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.(T) 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils(U) and be flogged in the synagogues.(V) 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings(W) as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.(X) At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father(Y) speaking through you.

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents(Z) and have them put to death.(AA) 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me,(AB) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.(AC) 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.(AD)

24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.(AE) 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,(AF) how much more the members of his household!

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:8 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.

The Faithful Have Vanished

To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith.[a] A Psalm of David.

12 Save, O Lord, for (A)the godly one is gone;
    for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
Everyone (B)utters lies to his neighbor;
    with (C)flattering lips and (D)a double heart they speak.

May the Lord cut off all (E)flattering lips,
    the tongue that makes (F)great boasts,
those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
    our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

“Because (G)the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
    (H)I will now arise,” says the Lord;
    “I will place him in the (I)safety for which he longs.”
(J)The words of the Lord are pure words,
    like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.

You, O Lord, will keep them;
    you will guard us[b] from this generation forever.
On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 12:7 Or guard him

Psalm 12[a]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.

Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;(A)
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
Everyone lies(B) to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.(C)

May the Lord silence all flattering lips(D)
    and every boastful tongue—(E)
those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;(F)
    our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

“Because the poor are plundered(G) and the needy groan,(H)
    I will now arise,(I)” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them(J) from those who malign them.”
And the words of the Lord are flawless,(K)
    like silver purified(L) in a crucible,(M)
    like gold[c] refined seven times.

You, Lord, will keep the needy safe(N)
    and will protect us forever from the wicked,(O)
who freely strut(P) about
    when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
  2. Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

13 (A)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
14 (B)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than (C)gold.
15 She is more precious than (D)jewels,
    and (E)nothing you desire can compare with her.

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13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.(A)
15 She is more precious than rubies;(B)
    nothing you desire can compare with her.(C)

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