36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my [a]trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? 37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both! 38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. 39 (A)That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. (B)You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. 41 Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I (C)served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and (D)you have changed my wages ten times. 42 (E)Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and (F)the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (G)God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and (H)rebuked you last night.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:36 transgression

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

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(F) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(G) 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(H) by day or night.(I) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(J) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(K) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(L) and six years for your flocks,(M) and you changed my wages(N) ten times.(O) 42 If the God of my father,(P) the God of Abraham(Q) and the Fear of Isaac,(R) had not been with me,(S) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(T) and last night he rebuked you.(U)

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