Genesis 28:10-32:2
New American Standard Bible 1995
Jacob’s Dream
10 Then Jacob departed from (A)Beersheba and went toward (B)Haran. 11 He [a]came to [b]a (C)certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it [c]under his head, and lay down in that place. 12 (D)He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, (E)the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, (F)the Lord stood [d]above it and said, “I am the Lord, (G)the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it (H)to you and to (I)your [e]descendants. 14 Your [f]descendants will also be like (J)the dust of the earth, and you will [g]spread out (K)to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and (L)in you and in your [h]descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, (M)I am with you and (N)will keep you wherever you go, and (O)will bring you back to this land; for (P)I will not leave you until I have done what I have [i]promised you.” 16 Then Jacob (Q)awoke from his sleep and said, “(R)Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “(S)How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took (T)the stone that he had put [j]under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. 19 He called the name of that place [k](U)Bethel; however, [l]previously the name of the city had been (V)Luz. 20 Then Jacob (W)made a vow, saying, “(X)If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I [m]take, and will give me [n](Y)food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and (Z)I return to my father’s house in [o]safety, (AA)then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, (AB)will be God’s house, and (AC)of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
Jacob Meets Rachel
29 Then Jacob [p]went on his journey, and came to the land of (AD)the sons of the east. 2 He looked, and [q]saw (AE)a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from (AF)Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the (AG)son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6 And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is (AH)Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob (AI)kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a [r](AJ)relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and (AK)she ran and told her father.
13 So when (AL)Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and (AM)embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things. 14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are (AN)my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my [s]relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall (AO)your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was (AP)beautiful of form and [t]face. 18 Now Jacob (AQ)loved Rachel, so he said, “(AR)I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days (AS)because of his love for her.
Laban’s Treachery
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my [u]time is completed, that I may (AT)go in to her.” 22 Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. 24 Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “(AU)What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you (AV)deceived me?” 26 But Laban said, “It is not [v]the practice in our place to [w]marry off the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which (AW)you shall serve with me for another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid. 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed (AX)he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with [x]Laban for (AY)another seven years.
31 Now the Lord saw that Leah was [y]unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived and bore a son and named him [z]Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has [aa](AZ)seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, “(BA)Because the Lord has [ab]heard that I am [ac]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. 34 She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will become [ad]attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named (BB)Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will [ae]praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him [af](BC)Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
The Sons of Jacob
30 Now when Rachel saw that (BD)she bore Jacob no children, [ag]she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, “(BE)Give me children, or else I die.” 2 Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has (BF)withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 She said, “(BG)Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her that she may (BH)bear on my knees, that [ah](BI)through her I too may have children.” 4 So (BJ)she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has [ai](BK)vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him [aj]Dan. 7 Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 So Rachel said, “With [ak]mighty wrestlings I have [al]wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali.
9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “[am]How fortunate!” So she named him [an]Gad. 12 Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “[ao]Happy am I! For women (BL)will call me happy.” So she named him [ap]Asher.
14 Now in the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found (BM)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 for you to take my husband? And would you take my son’s mandrakes also?” So Rachel said, “Therefore he may lie with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, then Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 God gave heed to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has given me my [aq]wages because I gave my maid to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. 19 Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good gift; now my husband [ar]will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and named her Dinah.
22 Then (BN)God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and (BO)opened her womb. 23 So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has (BP)taken away my reproach.” 24 She named him Joseph, saying, “(BQ)May the Lord [as]give me another son.”
Jacob Prospers
25 Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “(BR)Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country. 26 Give me my wives and my children (BS)for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have [at]rendered you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If now [au]it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined (BT)that the Lord has blessed me on your account.” 28 He [av]continued, “(BU)Name me your wages, and I will give it.” 29 But he said to him, “(BV)You yourself know how I have served you and how your cattle have [aw]fared with me. 30 For you had little before [ax]I came and it has [ay]increased to a multitude, and the Lord has blessed you [az]wherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own household also?” 31 So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock: 32 let me pass through your entire flock today, removing from there every (BW)speckled and spotted sheep and every black [ba]one among the lambs and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages. 33 So my [bb]honesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my [bc]wages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen.” 34 Laban said, “[bd]Good, let it be according to your word.” 35 So he removed on that day the striped and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, every one with white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the [be]care of his sons. 36 And he put a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
37 Then Jacob [bf]took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white which was [bg]in the rods. 38 He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the gutters, even in the watering troughs, where the flocks came to drink; and they [bh]mated when they came to drink. 39 So the flocks [bi]mated by the rods, and the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 Jacob separated the lambs, and [bj]made the flocks face toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own herds apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. 41 Moreover, whenever the [bk]stronger of the flock [bl]were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the gutters, so that they might [bm]mate by the rods; 42 but when the flock was feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the [bn]stronger Jacob’s. 43 So (BX)the man [bo]became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks and female and male servants and camels and donkeys.
Jacob Leaves Secretly for Canaan
31 Now [bp]Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this [bq]wealth.” 2 Jacob saw the [br]attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “(BY)Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and (BZ)I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5 and said to them, “(CA)I see your father’s [bs]attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as formerly, but (CB)the God of my father has been with me. 6 (CC)You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7 Yet your father has (CD)cheated me and (CE)changed my wages ten times; however, (CF)God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If (CG)he spoke thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth speckled; and if he spoke thus, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth striped. 9 Thus God has (CH)taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 And it came about at the time when the flock were [bt]mating that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which were [bu]mating were striped, speckled, and mottled. 11 Then (CI)the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are [bv]mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for (CJ)I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am (CK)the God of Bethel, where you (CL)anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, [bw]leave this land, and (CM)return to the land of your birth.’” 14 Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Are we not reckoned by him as foreigners? For (CN)he has sold us, and has also [bx]entirely consumed [by]our purchase price. 16 Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.”
17 Then Jacob arose and put his children and his wives upon camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had gathered, his acquired livestock which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, (CO)to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the [bz](CP)household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob [ca]deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of (CQ)Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 then he took his [cb]kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 (CR)God came to Laban the Aramean in a (CS)dream of the night and said to him, “[cc](CT)Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his [cd]kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done [ce]by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and [cf]deceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with (CU)timbrel and with (CV)lyre; 28 and did not allow me (CW)to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in [cg]my power to do you harm, but (CX)the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘[ch](CY)Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ 30 Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal (CZ)my gods?” 31 Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 (DA)The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our [ci]kinsmen [cj]point out what is yours [ck]among my belongings and take it for yourself.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the [cl]household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them. 35 She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot (DB)rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the [cm](DC)household idols.
36 Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my [cn]kinsmen and your [co]kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was: by day the [cp]heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house; (DD)I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you (DE)changed my wages ten times. 42 If (DF)the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (DG)God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He (DH)rendered judgment last night.”
The Covenant of Mizpah
43 Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and (DI)the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? 44 So now come, let us (DJ)make a covenant, [cq]you and I, and (DK)let it be a witness between [cr]you and me.” 45 Then Jacob took (DL)a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Jacob said to his [cs]kinsmen, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Now Laban (DM)called it [ct]Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it [cu]Galeed. 48 Laban said, “(DN)This heap is a witness between [cv]you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49 and [cw](DO)Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord watch between [cx]you and me when we are [cy]absent one from the other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, (DP)God is witness between [cz]you and me.” 51 Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between [da]you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 (DQ)The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, (DR)judge between us.” So Jacob swore by (DS)the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob (DT)offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his [db]kinsmen to [dc]the meal; and they ate [dd]the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55 [de]Early in the morning Laban arose, and (DU)kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
Jacob’s Fear of Esau
32 Now as Jacob went on his way, (DV)the angels of God met him. 2 Jacob said when he saw them, “This is God’s [df]camp.” So he named that place [dg](DW)Mahanaim.
Footnotes
- Genesis 28:11 Lit lighted on
- Genesis 28:11 Lit the place
- Genesis 28:11 Lit at his head-place
- Genesis 28:13 Or beside him
- Genesis 28:13 Lit seed
- Genesis 28:14 Lit seed
- Genesis 28:14 Lit break through
- Genesis 28:14 Lit seed
- Genesis 28:15 Lit spoken to
- Genesis 28:18 Lit at his head-place
- Genesis 28:19 I.e. the house of God
- Genesis 28:19 Lit at the first
- Genesis 28:20 Lit go
- Genesis 28:20 Lit bread
- Genesis 28:21 Lit peace
- Genesis 29:1 Lit lifted up his feet
- Genesis 29:2 Lit behold
- Genesis 29:12 Lit brother
- Genesis 29:15 Lit brother
- Genesis 29:17 Lit beautiful of appearance
- Genesis 29:21 Lit days are
- Genesis 29:26 Lit done thus in
- Genesis 29:26 Lit give
- Genesis 29:30 Lit him
- Genesis 29:31 Lit hated
- Genesis 29:32 I.e. see, a son
- Genesis 29:32 Lit looked upon
- Genesis 29:33 Heb shama, related to Simeon
- Genesis 29:33 Lit hated
- Genesis 29:34 Heb lavah, related to Levi
- Genesis 29:35 Heb Jadah, related to Judah
- Genesis 29:35 Heb Jehudah
- Genesis 30:1 Lit Rachel
- Genesis 30:3 Lit from her I too may be built
- Genesis 30:6 Lit judged
- Genesis 30:6 I.e. He judged
- Genesis 30:8 Lit wrestlings of God
- Genesis 30:8 Heb niphtal, related to Naphtali
- Genesis 30:11 Lit With fortune! Some versions read Fortune has come
- Genesis 30:11 I.e. Fortune
- Genesis 30:13 Lit With my happiness!
- Genesis 30:13 I.e. happy
- Genesis 30:18 Heb sachar, related to Issachar
- Genesis 30:20 Heb zabal, related to Zebulun. Some translate will honor
- Genesis 30:24 Lit add to me; Heb Joseph
- Genesis 30:26 Lit served
- Genesis 30:27 Lit I have found favor in your eyes
- Genesis 30:28 Lit said
- Genesis 30:29 Lit been
- Genesis 30:30 Lit me
- Genesis 30:30 Lit broken forth
- Genesis 30:30 Lit at my foot
- Genesis 30:32 Lit sheep
- Genesis 30:33 Lit righteousness
- Genesis 30:33 Lit wages which are before you
- Genesis 30:34 Lit Behold, would that it might be
- Genesis 30:35 Lit hand
- Genesis 30:37 Lit took to himself
- Genesis 30:37 Lit on
- Genesis 30:38 Or conceived
- Genesis 30:39 Or conceived
- Genesis 30:40 Lit set the faces
- Genesis 30:41 Lit bound ones; i.e. firm and compact
- Genesis 30:41 Or conceived
- Genesis 30:41 Or conceive
- Genesis 30:42 Lit bound ones; i.e. firm and compact
- Genesis 30:43 Lit broke forth
- Genesis 31:1 Lit he
- Genesis 31:1 Lit glory
- Genesis 31:2 Lit face
- Genesis 31:5 Lit face
- Genesis 31:10 Or conceiving
- Genesis 31:10 Lit leaping upon the flock
- Genesis 31:12 Lit leaping upon the flock
- Genesis 31:13 Lit go out from
- Genesis 31:15 I.e. enjoyed the benefit of
- Genesis 31:15 Lit our money
- Genesis 31:19 Heb teraphim
- Genesis 31:20 Lit stole the heart of
- Genesis 31:23 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:24 Lit Take heed to yourself
- Genesis 31:25 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:26 Lit and you have stolen my heart
- Genesis 31:27 Lit steal me
- Genesis 31:29 Lit the power of my hand
- Genesis 31:29 Lit Take heed to yourself
- Genesis 31:32 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:32 Lit recognize
- Genesis 31:32 Lit with me
- Genesis 31:34 Heb teraphim
- Genesis 31:35 Heb teraphim
- Genesis 31:37 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:37 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:40 Or drought
- Genesis 31:44 Lit I and you
- Genesis 31:44 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:46 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:47 I.e. the heap of witness, in Aram
- Genesis 31:47 I.e. the heap of witness, in Heb
- Genesis 31:48 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:49 Lit the Mizpah; i.e. the watchtower
- Genesis 31:49 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:49 Lit hidden
- Genesis 31:50 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:51 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:54 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:54 Lit eat bread
- Genesis 31:54 Lit bread
- Genesis 31:55 Ch 32:1 in Heb
- Genesis 32:2 Or company
- Genesis 32:2 I.e. Two Camps, or Two Companies
Genesis 28:10-32:2
Tree of Life Version
Parashat Vayetze
Jacob’s Ladder From Heaven
10 Then Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. 11 He happened upon a certain place and spent the night there, for the sun had set. So he took one of the stones from the place and put it by his head and lay down in that place. 12 He dreamed: All of a sudden, there was a stairway set up on the earth and its top reaching to the heavens—and behold, angels of God going up and down on it! 13 Surprisingly, Adonai was standing on top of it[a] and He said, “I am Adonai, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your seed. 14 Your seed will be as the dust of the land, and you will burst forth to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed—and in your seed. 15 Behold, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land, for I will not forsake you until I have done what I promised you.”
16 Jacob woke up from his sleep and said, “Undoubtedly, Adonai is in this place—and I was unaware.” 17 So he was afraid and said, “How fearsome this place is! This is none other than the House of God—this must be the gate of heaven!”
18 Early in the morning Jacob got up and took the stone, which he had placed by his head, and set it up as a memorial stone and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called the name of that place Beth-El (though originally the city’s name was Luz). 20 Then Jacob made a vow saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this way that I am going, and provide me food to eat and clothes to wear, 21 and I return in shalom to my father’s house, then Adonai will be my God. 22 So this stone which I set up as a memorial stone will become God’s House, and of everything You provide me I will definitely give a tenth of it to You.”
Jacob Loves Rachel
29 Then Jacob lifted up his feet and went to the land of the peoples of the east. 2 When he looked, suddenly, there was a well in the field, and there were three herds of sheep resting by it. (For from that well they would water the flocks. The stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the herds gathered there, they would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the flocks, and put the stone back to its place over the mouth of the well.)
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?”
“We’re from Haran,” they said.
5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s son?”
They said, “We know.”
6 He said to them, “Is he well?”
“Well,” they said. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the flock.”
7 He said, “Since it’s still the middle of the day, it’s not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the flock and let them go and graze.”
8 But they said, “We can’t, not until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well—then we water the flock.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the flock that belonged to her father (for she was a shepherdess). 10 Now when Jacob saw Rachel (the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother), Jacob stepped forward and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban, his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 Then Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.
13 Now when Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, hugged and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then he told Laban all these things. 14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my own bone and flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you, my relative, serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?”
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, “Let me serve you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than I give her to another man! Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, yet in his eyes it was like a few days, because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are completed, so I may go to her.” 22 So Laban gathered all the men of the place and he prepared a feast. 23 When it was evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him, and he went to her. 24 Laban also gave her Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a female servant.
25 So when it was morning, behold there she was, Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you’ve done to me? Wasn’t it for Rachel that I worked with you? So why have you deceived me?”
26 But Laban said, “It’s not done so in our place—to give the younger before the first-born. 27 Complete the bridal week for this one. Then we’ll also give you this other—for work that you’ll do with me—another seven years more.”
28 So Jacob did; he also completed this one’s bridal week. Then he gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban also gave his daughter Rachel his female servant Bilhah, to be a servant for her.
30 Jacob also went to Rachel and indeed loved Rachel more than Leah. So he served with him for yet another seven years.
Rivalry Continues With Wives
31 Now Adonai saw that Leah was unloved, so he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son and named him Reuben because she said, “For Adonai has seen my affliction. Surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son, and said, “For Adonai heard that I am hated, so He’s given me this one also,” and she named him Simeon. 34 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will join himself to me because I’ve given birth to three sons for him.” For this reason he was named Levi. 35 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I praise Adonai.” For this reason she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
30 When Rachel saw that she bore no children for Jacob, Rachel was jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me sons—if there are none, I’ll die!”
2 But Jacob became furious with Rachel and said, “Am I, instead of God, the one who withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”
3 So she said, “Here’s my maid-servant Bilhah. Go to her and let her give birth on my knees, so that from her I may also build a family.” 4 Then she gave her maid-servant Bilhah to him for a wife, and Jacob went to her. 5 Bilhah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Jacob. 6 So Rachel said, “God has judged my cause and also heard my voice—and given me a son.” Therefore she named him Dan. 7 Then Rachel’s female servant became pregnant again and gave birth to a second son for Jacob. 8 So Rachel said, “I’ve surely wrestled greatly with my sister—also I’ve won.” So she named him Naphtali.
9 Now Leah saw that she stopped having children, so she took Zilpah her female servant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Zilpah, Leah’s female servant, gave birth to a son for Jacob. 11 Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad. 12 Then Zilpah, Leah’s female servant, gave birth to a second son for Jacob. 13 Leah said, “How happy am I, for daughters have called me happy.” So she named him Asher.
14 Now during the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and he brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”[b]
15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took my husband away? You’d also take away my son’s mandrakes?”
So Rachel said, “That being so, let him lie with you tonight, in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”
16 So when Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him, and she said, “You must come to me. For I’ve actually hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that very night. 17 Moreover, God heard Leah, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. 18 Leah said, “God gave me my reward[c] because I gave my female servant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. 19 Then Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. 20 Leah said, “God has presented me a good gift. This time my husband will honor me for I’ve borne six sons for him.” So she named him Zebulun. 21 Afterwards she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 Then she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. So she said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” 24 She named him Joseph saying, “May Adonai add another son for me.”
Jacob Outwits Laban
25 Now it was after Rachel gave birth to Joseph that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away so that I can go to my place and to my land. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I’ve served you, and let me go. For you yourself know my labor—that I’ve served you.”
27 But Laban said to him, “If I’ve found favor in your eyes—I’ve looked for good omens, and Adonai has blessed me because of you.” 28 Moreover he said, “Name your own price and I’ll pay it.”
29 Then he said to him, “You yourself know how I’ve served you and how your livestock fared with me. 30 For you had very little before I came, and it has been busting at the seams in abundance. So Adonai blessed you with my every step. So now, when am I myself going to make something for my household also?”
31 Then he said, “What can I pay you?”
Jacob said, “You don’t need to pay me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will shepherd your flock again and watch it: 32 let me pass through your flock today, removing every colorfully spotted lamb from there and every dark-colored lamb among the sheep as well as the colorfully spotted among the goats—and that will be my salary. 33 So tomorrow my honesty will testify on my behalf when you come to check on my salary you agreed to. Every one that isn’t colorfully spotted among the goats or dark-colored among the sheep with me, it is stolen.”
34 So Laban said, “All right! May it be according to your word.” 35 On that day he removed the colorfully striped and colorful billy goats as well as all the colorfully spotted goats—everyone with white on it—and every dark-colored one among the lambs, and he put them in the hand of his sons. 36 Then he put a three-day’s journey between them and Jacob, while Jacob was shepherding Laban’s remaining flocks.
37 But Jacob took fresh white poplar, almond, and plane tree branches, peeled away white stripped sections on them, exposing the white of the branches. 38 Then he set the branches he had peeled in front of the flocks in the drinking troughs and watering channels where the flocks come to drink. Since they were in heat when they came to drink, 39 the flocks mated near the branches, and the flocks gave birth to striped, spotted and colorful ones. 40 Now Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped ones as well as all the dark-colored ones among Laban’s flocks. Then he set aside the herds for himself and did not put them with Laban’s flocks. 41 Whenever the strong flocks mated, Jacob put the branches in the watering troughs before the eyes of the flocks, to have them mate near the branches. 42 But when the flocks were sickly, he did not put the branches down—so the sickly ones became Laban’s and the stronger ones became Jacob’s. 43 And the man grew exceedingly prosperous and had numerous flocks, along with female and male servants, camels and donkeys.
Jacob Secretly Leaves Laban
31 Now Jacob heard the words Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belongs to our father, and from what belongs to our father he has made all these riches.” 2 Then Jacob saw Laban’s face, and he noticed that his expression wasn’t the same as it was just a day or two before. 3 Then Adonai said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent and called for Rachel and Leah to come to the field, to his flock. 5 He said to them, “I can see by your father’s face that his expression isn’t the same as it was just a day or two ago. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 Now you yourselves know that I’ve served your father with all my strength. 7 Yet your father has fooled around with me and has changed my salary ten times—but God hasn’t allowed him to harm me. 8 If he would say, ‘the spotted ones will be your salary,’ then the flocks would give birth to spotted ones. Or if he would say, ‘the striped ones will be your salary,’ then all the flocks would give birth to striped ones. 9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me. 10 Now it happened when the flocks were in heat that I lifted up my eyes and saw, in a dream, behold, the males going up to the flocks were striped, spotted and speckled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Hineni.’ 12 He said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see that all the males going up to the flocks are striped, spotted and speckled. For I have seen everything Laban has done to you. 13 I am the God of Beth-El where you anointed a memorial stone, where you made a vow to Me. Get up now and leave this land, and return to the land of your relatives.’”
14 Then Rachel answered along with Leah and they said to him, “Is there still a portion and inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15 Aren’t we considered foreigners to him? For he has sold us and has also completely used up our bridal price. 16 For all the riches that God has taken away from our father is for us and for our children. So now, everything God said to you, do it!”
17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock and all his possessions that he had acquired—the livestock in his possession that he acquired in Paddan-aram—to go to his father Isaac, to the land of Canaan.
19 But while Laban went to shear his flocks, Rachel stole the idols that belonged to her father, 20 while Jacob stole the heart from Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 He himself fled with everything that belonged to him, and he got up and crossed the River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
Laban Confronts Jacob and Makes Covenant
22 When Laban was told on the third day after Jacob had fled, 23 he took his relatives with him and pursued him a seven days’ journey. Then he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Watch yourself—lest you say anything to Jacob, good or bad.”
25 So Laban caught up to Jacob. (Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, so Laban and his brothers pitched their tents in the hill country of Gilead as well). 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you’ve stolen my heart and have driven my daughters away like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you secretly flee away, and steal from me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and with songs, with tambourines and with lyres? 28 And you didn’t even let me kiss my sons and daughters!
“Now, you’ve behaved foolishly. 29 It is in the power of my hand to do evil with you, but yesterday the God of your fathers spoke to me, saying, ‘Watch yourself—lest you say anything to Jacob, good or bad.’ 30 So now, when you up and left because you really missed your father’s house, why did you steal my gods?”
31 In response, Jacob said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought, ‘Suppose you snatch your daughters away from me.’ 32 Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In front of our relatives, identify whatever is yours that is with me, and take it back.” (But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.)
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he found nothing. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols, put them in the camel’s saddlebag and sat on them.) So Laban felt around the entire tent but did not find them. 35 She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for I am having the way of women.” So he searched but did not find the idols.
36 Then Jacob got angry and argued with Laban. Jacob answered and said to Laban, “What’s my crime? What’s my sin that you’ve hotly pursued me? 37 For you’ve felt through all my things. What did you find? Any of your household things? Put them here, in front of my relatives and yours—so they can decide between the two of us. 38 These past twenty years I’ve been with you, your ewes and female goats have never miscarried, and I’ve never eaten the rams of your flock. 39 I didn’t bring you animals torn by wild beasts. I myself would bear the loss. You would require it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 I was consumed by heat during the day, consumed by frost during the night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 This is how it’s been for me twenty years in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flocks—and you changed my salary ten times! 42 Had I not had the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, you would have sent me away empty-handed now. But God saw my misery and the toil of my hands and last night He became the Judge.”
43 In response Laban said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flocks are my flocks. Everything you see is mine. But what can I do for these, my daughters, today, or for their sons to whom they’ve given birth? 44 So now, come, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar, 46 and Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they took the stones and made a pile. Then they ate there on the pile. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha and Jacob called it Gal-ed. 48 And Laban said, “This pile is a witness between me and you today.” That is why its name is Gal-ed, 49 or Mizpah, for he said, “Let Adonai keep watch between you and me when we are out of one another’s sight. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, and if you take wives besides my daughters, though no one is with us, look! God is the witness between you and me.”
51 Laban said further to Jacob, “Behold, this pile, and this pillar which I’ve set up between you and me: 52 this pile serves as a witness, that I won’t pass by this pillar to go to you, and that you won’t pass by this pile and this pillar to go to me—with evil intent. 53 May the God of Abraham and the gods of Nahor, the gods of their father, judge between us.”
Jacob also made an oath by the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and he invited his relatives to eat bread. So they ate bread and spent the night on the mountain.
32 Early in the morning Laban got up, kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned to his place. 2 While Jacob left on his way, the angels of God met him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 28:13 Or, above him or next to him.
- Genesis 30:14 Or, passion posies; Heb. Similar to love, lover.
- Genesis 30:18 Or, wages.
Hosea 12:13-14:9
New American Standard Bible 1995
13 But by a (A)prophet the Lord brought Israel from Egypt,
And by a prophet he was kept.
14 (B)Ephraim has provoked to bitter anger;
So his Lord will leave his (C)bloodguilt on him
And bring back his (D)reproach to him.
Ephraim’s Idolatry
13 (E)When Ephraim [a]spoke, there was trembling.
He (F)exalted himself in Israel,
But through (G)Baal he [b]did wrong and died.
2 And now they sin more and more,
And make for themselves (H)molten images,
Idols [c](I)skillfully made from their silver,
All of them the (J)work of craftsmen.
They say of them, “Let the [d]men who sacrifice kiss the (K)calves!”
3 Therefore they will be like the (L)morning cloud
And like dew which [e]soon disappears,
Like (M)chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor
And like (N)smoke from a [f]chimney.
4 Yet I have been the (O)Lord your God
Since the land of Egypt;
And you were not to know (P)any god except Me,
For there is no savior (Q)besides Me.
5 I [g](R)cared for you in the wilderness,
(S)In the land of drought.
6 As they had their pasture, they became (T)satisfied,
And being satisfied, their (U)heart became proud;
Therefore they (V)forgot Me.
7 So I will be (W)like a lion to them;
Like a (X)leopard I will [h]lie in wait by the wayside.
8 I will encounter them (Y)like a bear robbed of her cubs,
And I will tear open [i]their chests;
There I will also (Z)devour them like a lioness,
As a wild beast would tear them.
9 It is your destruction, O Israel,
[j]That you are (AA)against Me, against your (AB)help.
10 Where now is your (AC)king
That he may save you in all your cities,
And your (AD)judges of whom you [k]requested,
“Give me a king and princes”?
11 I (AE)gave you a king in My anger
And (AF)took him away in My wrath.
12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;
His sin is (AG)stored up.
13 The pains of (AH)childbirth come upon him;
He is (AI)not a wise son,
For [l]it is not the time that he should (AJ)delay at the opening of the womb.
14 Shall I (AK)ransom them from the [m]power of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from death?
(AL)O Death, where are your thorns?
O Sheol, where is your sting?
(AM)Compassion will be hidden from My sight.
15 Though he (AN)flourishes among the [n]reeds,
An (AO)east wind will come,
The wind of the Lord coming up from the wilderness;
And his fountain will (AP)become dry
And his spring will be dried up;
It will (AQ)plunder his treasury of every precious article.
16 [o]Samaria will be held (AR)guilty,
For she has (AS)rebelled against her God.
(AT)They will fall by the (AU)sword,
Their little ones will be (AV)dashed in pieces,
And their pregnant (AW)women will be ripped open.
Israel’s Future Blessing
14 [p](AX)Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
For you have stumbled [q]because of your (AY)iniquity.
2 Take words with you and return to the Lord.
Say to Him, “(AZ)Take away all iniquity
And [r]receive us graciously,
That we may (BA)present [s]the fruit of our lips.
3 “Assyria will not save us,
We will (BB)not ride on horses;
Nor will we say again, ‘(BC)Our god,’
To the (BD)work of our hands;
For in (BE)You the [t]orphan finds mercy.”
4 I will (BF)heal their apostasy,
I will (BG)love them freely,
For My anger has (BH)turned away from them.
5 I will be like the (BI)dew to Israel;
He will blossom like the (BJ)lily,
And he will [u]take root like the cedars of (BK)Lebanon.
6 His shoots will [v]sprout,
And his [w]beauty will be like the (BL)olive tree
And his fragrance like the cedars of (BM)Lebanon.
7 Those who (BN)live in his shadow
Will [x]again raise (BO)grain,
And they will blossom like the vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 O Ephraim, what more have I to do with (BP)idols?
It is I who answer and look after [y]you.
I am like a luxuriant (BQ)cypress;
From (BR)Me comes your fruit.
9 (BS)Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
Whoever is discerning, let him know them.
For the (BT)ways of the Lord are right,
And the (BU)righteous will walk in them,
But (BV)transgressors will stumble in them.
Footnotes
- Hosea 13:1 Or spoke with trembling
- Hosea 13:1 Or became guilty
- Hosea 13:2 Or according to their own understanding
- Hosea 13:2 Lit sacrificers of or, (among) mankind
- Hosea 13:3 Lit goes away early
- Hosea 13:3 Lit window
- Hosea 13:5 Or knew
- Hosea 13:7 Or watch
- Hosea 13:8 Lit the enclosure of their heart
- Hosea 13:9 Or But in Me is your help
- Hosea 13:10 Lit said
- Hosea 13:13 Lit it is the time that he should not tarry at the breaking forth of children
- Hosea 13:14 Lit hand
- Hosea 13:15 Or brothers
- Hosea 13:16 Ch 14:1 in Heb
- Hosea 14:1 Ch 14:2 in Heb
- Hosea 14:1 Or in
- Hosea 14:2 Or accept that which is good
- Hosea 14:2 So with ancient versions; M.T. our lips as bulls
- Hosea 14:3 Or fatherless
- Hosea 14:5 Lit strike his roots
- Hosea 14:6 Lit go
- Hosea 14:6 Or splendor
- Hosea 14:7 Or return, they will raise grain
- Hosea 14:8 Lit him
Hosea 12:13-14:10
Tree of Life Version
13 Now Jacob fled to the field of Aram,
when Israel served for a wife—
yes, he kept watch for a wife.
14 So by a prophet Adonai brought Israel up out of Egypt,
and by a prophet he was kept.
15 Ephraim has provoked bitter anger,
so his bloodguilt will remain on him—
his Lord will repay him for his contempt.
No Other Savior
13 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling.
He exalted himself in Israel,
but he became guilty through Baal, and died.
2 But now, they sin more and more.
They made themselves molten images,
idols skillfully made from their silver,
all of them the work of the craftsmen.
They say about them:
“Let those who sacrifice kiss the calves.”
3 Therefore they will be like morning clouds,
like dew passing away early,
like chaff blown from the threshing-floor,
or like smoke from a chimney.
4 “Yet I have been Adonai your God
since the land of Egypt.
You should know no God but Me,
and there is no Savior apart from Me.[a]
5 I Myself knew you in the wilderness,
in a land of terrible drought.
6 While they were fed, they were satisfied.
Filled, their hearts became haughty.
Therefore they forgot Me.
7 So I became like a lion to them—
like a leopard lying in wait by the way.
8 I will meet them like a bear robbed of her cubs,
and I will tear open their chests.
There I will devour them like a lioness.
A beast of the field will rip them to shreds.
9 It has corrupted you, O Israel,
for you are against Me—against your Helper!
10 Where then is your king?
So, will he save you in all your cities?
Or your judges, to whom you said:
‘Give me a king and princes!’
11 I give you a king in My anger,
and take him away in My wrath.
12 Ephraim is bound by iniquity;
his sin is treasured up.
13 Pains of birth come on him.
He is not a wise son.
When the time comes,
he should not delay at the opening of the womb.
14 Should I ransom them from the hand of Sheol?
Should I redeem them from death?
O death, where are your plagues?
O Sheol, where is your sting?[b]
Comfort is hidden from My eyes.”
15 Because he is the son of kinsmen,
he should have been fruitful.
An east wind will come—the wind from Adonai,
coming up from the wilderness.
His spring will become dry,
and his fountain will dry up.
He will plunder the treasury
of every precious vessel.
Salvation Like Dew for Israel
14 Samaria will bear her guilt,[c]
for she has rebelled against her God.
They will fall by the sword,
their infants dashed to pieces,
their pregnant women ripped open.
2 Return O Israel, to Adonai your God,
for you have stumbled in your iniquity.
3 Take words with you and return to Adonai.
Say to Him: “Take away all iniquity,
and accept what is good,
so we may repay with offerings[d] of our lips:
4 ‘Assyria will not save us.
We will not ride on horses,
and we will never again say, “Our god,”
to the work of our hands,
for with You, orphans find mercy.’”
5 “I will heal their backsliding,
I will love them freely,
for My anger will turn away from him.
6 I will be like dew for Israel.
He will blossom like a lily,
and thrust out his roots like Lebanon.
7 His tender shoots will spread out.
His beauty will be like an olive tree
and his fragrance will be like Lebanon.
8 Those dwelling in his shadow will return.
They will grow grain and bud like a vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
9 Ephraim: “What more are idols to me?
I have responded and observed Him.
I will be like a luxuriant cypress tree.
From me will be found Your fruit.”
10 Who is wise? Let him discern these things.
Who is intelligent? Let him know them.[e]
For the ways of Adonai are straight,
and the just walk in them,
but the wicked stumble in them.
Footnotes
- Hosea 13:4 Cf. Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:3-6.
- Hosea 13:14 cf. 1 Cor. 15:55.
- Hosea 14:1 Traditional Christian text numbers as 12:16 to 14:9.
- Hosea 14:3 Lit. bulls, or perhaps fruit.
- Hosea 14:10 cf. Jacob 3:13.
John 1:10-51
New American Standard Bible 1995
10 He was in the world, and (A)the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His [a]own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become (B)children of God, even (C)to those who believe in His name, 13 (D)who were [b]born, not of [c]blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Made Flesh
14 And (E)the Word (F)became flesh, and [d](G)dwelt among us, and (H)we saw His glory, glory as of [e]the only begotten from the Father, full of (I)grace and (J)truth. 15 John *(K)testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘(L)He who comes after me [f]has a higher rank than I, (M)for He existed before me.’” 16 For of His (N)fullness [g]we have all received, and [h]grace upon grace. 17 For (O)the Law was given through Moses; (P)grace and (Q)truth [i]were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 (R)No one has seen God at any time; (S)the only begotten God who is (T)in the bosom of the Father, (U)He has explained Him.
The Testimony of John
19 This is (V)the testimony of John, when (W)the Jews sent to him priests and Levites (X)from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “(Y)I am not [j]the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “What then? Are you (Z)Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” “Are you (AA)the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am (AB)a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the [k]Christ, nor Elijah, nor (AC)the Prophet?” 26 John answered them saying, “(AD)I baptize [l]in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is (AE)He who comes after me, the (AF)thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany (AG)beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, (AH)the Lamb of God who (AI)takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘(AJ)After me comes a Man who [m]has a higher rank than I, (AK)for He existed before me.’ 31 I did not recognize [n]Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing [o]in water.” 32 John (AL)testified saying, “(AM)I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize [p]Him, but He who sent me to baptize [q]in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, (AN)this is the One who baptizes [r]in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is (AO)the Son of God.”
Jesus’ Public Ministry, First Converts
35 Again (AP)the next day John was standing [s]with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, “Behold, (AQ)the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and *said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “(AR)Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” 39 He *said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the [t]tenth hour. 40 (AS)One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He *found first his own brother Simon and *said to him, “We have found the (AT)Messiah” (which translated means [u]Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of [v](AU)John; you shall be called (AV)Cephas” (which is translated [w](AW)Peter).
43 (AX)The next day He purposed to go into (AY)Galilee, and He *found (AZ)Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “(BA)Follow Me.” 44 Now (BB)Philip was from (BC)Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 (BD)Philip *found (BE)Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom (BF)Moses in the Law and also (BG)the Prophets wrote—Jesus of (BH)Nazareth, (BI)the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “(BJ)Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (BK)Philip *said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an (BL)Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before (BM)Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “(BN)Rabbi, You are (BO)the Son of God; You are the (BP)King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see (BQ)the heavens opened and (BR)the angels of God ascending and descending on (BS)the Son of Man.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- John 1:11 Or own things, possessions, domain
- John 1:13 Or begotten
- John 1:13 Lit bloods
- John 1:14 Or tabernacled; i.e. lived temporarily
- John 1:14 Or unique, only one of His kind
- John 1:15 Lit has become before me
- John 1:16 Lit we all received
- John 1:16 Lit grace for grace
- John 1:17 Lit came to be
- John 1:20 I.e. the Messiah
- John 1:25 I.e. Messiah
- John 1:26 The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
- John 1:30 Lit has become before me
- John 1:31 I.e. as the Messiah
- John 1:31 The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
- John 1:33 I.e. as the Messiah
- John 1:33 The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
- John 1:33 The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
- John 1:35 Lit and
- John 1:39 Perhaps 10 a.m. (Roman time)
- John 1:41 Gr Anointed One
- John 1:42 Gr Joannes
- John 1:42 I.e. Rock or Stone
John 1:10-51
Tree of Life Version
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him; but the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. 12 But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God. 13 They were born not of a bloodline, nor of human desire, nor of man’s will, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory,[a] the glory of the one and only[b] from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testifies about Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘The One who comes after me is above me, because He existed before me.’” 16 Out of His fullness, we have all received grace on top of grace. 17 Torah was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Yeshua the Messiah. 18 No one has ever seen God; but the one and only God,[c] in the Father’s embrace, has made Him known.
John’s Witness to Israel’s Leaders
19 This is John’s testimony, when the Judean leaders sent kohanim and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He openly admitted and did not deny; he admitted, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 “What then? Are you Elijah?” they asked him.
“I am not,” said John.
“Are you the Prophet?”
“No,” he answered.
22 So they said to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said, “I am ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of Adonai,”’[d] as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24 Now those sent were from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, “If you’re not the Messiah, Elijah, or the Prophet, why then are you immersing?”
26 “I immerse in water,” John answered. “Among you stands One you do not know, 27 coming after me, whose sandals I’m not worthy to untie.” 28 These things happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was immersing.
Behold, the Lamb of God
29 The next day, John sees Yeshua coming to him and says, “Behold, the Lamb[e] of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One about whom I told you, ‘He who comes after me is above me, because He was before me.’ 31 I didn’t know Him, but I came immersing with water so that He might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John testified, “I have seen the Ruach coming down like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on Him. 33 I did not know Him; but the One who sent me to immerse in water said to me, ‘The One on whom you see the Ruach coming down and remaining, this is the One who immerses in the Ruach ha-Kodesh.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is Ben-Elohim.”[f]
Yeshua’s First Disciples
35 Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples 36 and watched Yeshua walking by. He said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Yeshua.
38 Yeshua turned around and saw them following. He said to them, “What are you looking for?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is translated Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come and see,” Yeshua tells them. So they came and saw where He was staying, and they spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.[g]
40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John speak and followed Yeshua. 41 First he finds his own brother Simon and tells him, “We’ve found the Messiah!” (which is translated Anointed One).
42 Andrew brought Simon to Yeshua. Yeshua looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You shall be called Kefa (which is translated Peter).”
Disciples Offer Witness
43 The next day, Yeshua decided to go to the Galilee. He finds Philip and says to him, “Follow Me!” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip finds Nathanael and tells him, “We’ve found the One that Moses in the Torah, and also the prophets, wrote about—Yeshua of Natzeret, the son of Joseph!”
46 “Natzeret!” Nathanael answered. “Can anything good come from there?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47 Yeshua saw Nathanael coming toward Him. He said, “Look, a true Israelite! There’s nothing false in him.”
48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do you know me?”
Yeshua answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are Ben-Elohim! You are the King of Israel!”[h]
50 “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, you believe?” Yeshua replied to him. “You will see greater things than that!” 51 And He said, “Amen, amen I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man!”[i]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- John 1:14 cf. Exod. 40:34.
- John 1:14 Lit. unique, sometimes translated only begotten.
- John 1:18 Some mss. say the only Son.
- John 1:23 Is. 40:3.
- John 1:29 cf. Exod. 12:21; Num. 28:8; Isa. 53:5-7.
- John 1:34 cf. Ps. 2:7; Prov. 30:4.
- John 1:39 4 p.m.
- John 1:49 cf. Ps. 2:6-7.
- John 1:51 cf. Gen. 28:12-13; Dan. 7:13.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.