Genesis 31
Revised Geneva Translation
31 Now he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and he has gotten all this honor from our father’s goods.”
2 Also Jacob beheld the face of Laban, that it was not towards him as in times past.
3 And the LORD said to Jacob, “Return into the land of your fathers, and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
4 Therefore, Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock.
5 Then he said to them, “I see your father’s face, that it is not towards me as it used to be. But the God of my father has been with me.
6 “And you know that I have served your father with all my might.
7 “But your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times. Yet God did not allow him to hurt me.
8 “If he said thus: ‘The spotted shall be your wages’, then all the sheep bore spotted. And if he said thus: ‘The parti-colored shall be your reward’, then all the sheep bore parti-colored.
9 “Thus has God taken away your father’s substance and given it to me.
10 “For in breeding time, I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats lept upon the female goats that were parti-colored with little and great spots spotted.
11 “And the Angel of God said to me in a dream, ‘Jacob.’ And I answered, ‘Lo, I am here.’
12 “And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes, now, and see all the male goats leaping upon the female goats that are parti-colored, spotted with little and great spots. For I have seen all that Laban does to you.
13 ‘I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, where you vowed a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this country and return to the land where you were born.’”
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered, and said to him, “Do we have any more portion and inheritance in our father’s house?
15 “Does he not count us as strangers? For he has sold us and has eaten up and consumed our money.
16 “Therefore, all the riches which God has taken from our father is ours and our children’s. Now, then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
17 Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and his wives upon camels.
18 And he carried away all his flocks, and all his substance which he had gotten (his riches which he had gotten in Padan Aram) to go to Isaac, his father, to the land of Canaan.
19 When Laban was gone to sheer his sheep, then Rachel stole her father’s idols.
20 Thus, Jacob stole away the heart of Laban the Aramite. For he did not tell him that he fled.
21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up and passed the river and set his face toward Mount Gilead.
22 And three days later, Laban was told that Jacob fled.
23 Then he took his brothers with him and followed after him seven days’ journey and overtook him at Mount Gilead.
24 And God came to Laban the Aramite in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob; and Jacob had pitched his tent on the Mount. And Laban, with his brothers, pitched upon Mount Gilead.
26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have even stolen away my heart and carried away my daughters, as though they had been taken captives with the sword.
27 “Why did you flee so secretly and steal away from me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you forth with mirth and with songs, with timbrel and with harp?
28 “But you have not allowed me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now, you have done foolishly in doing so.
29 “I am able to do you evil. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak neither good nor bad to Jacob.’
30 “Now, you went your way because you greatly longed after your father’s house. Yet why have you stolen my gods?”
31 Then Jacob answered, and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid and thought that you would have taken your daughters from me.
32 “With whomever you find your gods, let him not live. Search what I have in the presence of my brothers and take what is yours, (but Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.)
33 Then Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maid’s tents, but did not find them. So, he went out of Leah’s tent and entered into Rachel’s tent
34 (now Rachel had taken the idols and put them in the camel’s straw and sat down upon them). And Laban searched the entire tent but did not find them.
35 Then she said to her father, “My Lord, do not be angry but I cannot rise up before you. For the custom of women is upon me.” So, he searched but did not find the idols.
36 Then Jacob was angry and argued with Laban. Jacob also answered and said to Laban, “What have I trespassed? What have I offended, that you have pursued after me?
37 “Seeing you have searched all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Put it here before my brothers and your brothers, so that they may judge between us both.
38 “This past twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your goats have not miscarried their young; and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.
39 “Whatever was torn by beasts I did not bring to you but made it good myself. Of my hand did you require it, were it stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 “I was consumed with heat in the day, and with frost in the night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
41 “Thus have I been in your house twenty years. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your sheep; and you have changed my wages ten times.
42 “Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely you would have sent me away now empty. But God beheld my tribulation, and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
43 Then Laban answered, and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these sons are my sons, and these sheep are my sheep, and all that you see is mine. And what can I do this day to these, my daughters, or to their sons which they have borne?
44 “Now, therefore, come let us make a covenant, you and I, which may be a witness between me and you.”
45 Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar:
46 And Jacob said to his brothers, “Gather stones.” Who brought stones and made a heap; and they ate there upon the heap.
47 And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha; and Jacob called it Galeed.
48 For Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you this day.” Therefore, he called the name of it Galeed.
49 He also called it Mizpah, because he said, “The LORD keep watch between me and him, when we shall be departed one from another.
50 “If you shall afflict my daughters, or shall take wives beside my daughters, though no man with us, behold, God is witness between me and you.”
51 Moreover, Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap, and behold the pillar which I have set between me and you.
52 “This heap shall be witness, and the pillar shall be witness, so that I will not come over this heap to you, and so that you shall not pass over this heap and this pillar to me for evil.
53 “The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father be judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.
54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice upon the Mount, and called his brothers to eat bread; and they ate bread and stayed on the Mount all night.
55 And early in the morning, Laban rose up and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them; and Laban, departing, returned to his place.
Genesis 31
Common English Bible
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[a] 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.”[b]
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,[c] but Jacob called it Galeed.[d]
48 Laban said, “This mound is our witness today,” and, therefore, he too named it Galeed. 49 He also named it Mizpah,[e] 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[f] 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 [g] Laban got up early in the morning, kissed his sons and daughters, blessed them, and left to go back to his own place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 31:18 LXX; MT includes he had acquired, the livestock in his possession.
- Genesis 31:44 Or convenant or testimony
- Genesis 31:47 Or mound of witness (Aram)
- Genesis 31:47 Or mound of witness
- Genesis 31:49 Or observation
- Genesis 31:53 LXX; MT includes their father’s God.
- Genesis 31:55 32:1 in Heb
Genesis 31
New King James Version
Jacob Flees from Laban
31 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this (A)wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the (B)countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not (C)favorable toward him as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, (D)“Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will (E)be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, 5 and said to them, (F)“I see your father’s [a]countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father (G)has been with me. 6 And (H)you know that with all my might I have served your father. 7 Yet your father has deceived me and (I)changed my wages (J)ten times, but God (K)did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If he said thus: (L)‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked. 9 So God has (M)taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
10 “And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. 11 Then (N)the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for (O)I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, (P)where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now (Q)arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, (R)“Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not considered strangers by him? For (S)he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. 16 For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of (T)Canaan. 19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the (U)household[b] idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and (V)headed[c] toward the mountains of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 Then he took (W)his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 But God (X)had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you (Y)speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
26 And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and (Z)carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? 27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? 28 And you did not allow me (AA)to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now (AB)you have done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the (AC)God of your father spoke to me (AD)last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’ 30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you (AE)steal my gods?”
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was (AF)afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ 32 With whomever you find your gods, (AG)do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, 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 [d]household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban [e]searched all about the tent but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot (AH)rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the [f]household idols.
36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my [g]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 (AI)That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. (AJ)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 (AK)served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and (AL)you have changed my wages ten times. 42 (AM)Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and (AN)the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (AO)God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and (AP)rebuked you last night.”
Laban’s Covenant with Jacob
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; 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 Now therefore, come, (AQ)let us make a [h]covenant, (AR)you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
45 So Jacob (AS)took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. 47 Laban called it [i]Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it [j]Galeed. 48 And Laban said, (AT)“This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, 49 also (AU)Mizpah,[k] because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father (AV)judge between us.” And Jacob (AW)swore by (AX)the [l]Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. 55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and (AY)kissed his sons and daughters and (AZ)blessed them. Then Laban departed and (BA)returned to his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 31:5 Lit. face
- Genesis 31:19 Heb. teraphim
- Genesis 31:21 Lit. set his face toward
- Genesis 31:34 Heb. teraphim
- Genesis 31:34 Lit. felt
- Genesis 31:35 Heb. teraphim
- Genesis 31:36 transgression
- Genesis 31:44 treaty
- Genesis 31:47 Lit., in Aram., Heap of Witness
- Genesis 31:47 Lit., in Heb., Heap of Witness
- Genesis 31:49 Lit. Watch
- Genesis 31:53 A reference to God
1 Mosebok 31
Svenska Folkbibeln
Jakob flyr från Laban
31 Jakob fick höra hur Labans söner sade: "Jakob har tagit allt vad vår far ägde. Av det som tillhörde vår far har han skaffat sig hela denna rikedom." 2 Jakob märkte också att Laban inte såg på honom med samma ögon som förut. 3 Då sade Herren till Jakob: "Vänd tillbaka till dina fäders land och till din släkt. Jag är med dig."
4 Och Jakob sände bud efter Rakel och Lea och bad dem komma ut på marken till hans hjord, 5 och han sade till dem: "Jag märker att er far inte ser på mig med samma ögon som förut, men min fars Gud har varit med mig. 6 Ni vet själva att jag har tjänat er far med all min kraft. 7 Ändå har er far lurat mig och ändrat min lön tio gånger, men Gud har inte tillåtit honom att göra mig något ont. 8 När han sade: De spräckliga skall vara din lön, då fick hela hjorden spräcklig avkomma. Och när han sade: De strimmiga skall vara din lön, då fick hela hjorden strimmig avkomma. 9 Så har Gud tagit er fars boskap och gett den åt mig.
10 När parningstiden för småboskapen kom hade jag en dröm. Jag lyfte min blick och fick se att hannarna, som betäckte småboskapen, var strimmiga, spräckliga och fläckiga. 11 Och Guds ängel sade till mig i drömmen: Jakob! Jag svarade: Här är jag. 12 Då sade han: Lyft blicken och se hur alla hannar som betäcker småboskapen är strimmiga, spräckliga och fläckiga. Jag har sett allt som Laban gör mot dig. 13 Jag är Betels Gud. Det var där du smorde en minnessten och gav mig ett löfte. Bryt nu upp och drag ut ur detta land och vänd tillbaka till ditt fosterland." 14 Då sade Rakel och Lea: "Har vi kvar någon lott eller arvedel i vår fars egendom? 15 Var vi inte som främlingar för honom när han sålde oss? Sedan har han också gjort slut på det han fick i betalning för oss. 16 Ja, hela den rikedom som Gud har tagit från vår far tillhör oss och våra barn. Gör därför allt vad Gud har sagt till dig."
17 Jakob bröt så upp och satte sina barn och hustrur på kamelerna 18 och tog med sig all boskap och all egendom som han hade samlat, den boskap han ägde och hade skaffat sig i Paddan-Aram, och begav sig till sin fader Isak i Kanaans land. 19 Men Laban hade gått för att klippa sina får. Då stal Rakel sin fars husgudar. 20 Och Jakob smög sig i väg från arameen Laban utan att låta honom märka att han tänkte fly. 21 Han bröt upp och flydde med allt han hade och gick över floden[a] och ställde sin färd mot Gileads berg.
Laban förföljer Jakob
22 På tredje dagen fick Laban veta att Jakob hade flytt. 23 Då tog han med sig sina bröder och satte efter honom, och efter sju dagar hann han upp honom i Gileads bergsbygd. 24 Men Gud kom till arameen Laban i en dröm om natten och sade till honom: "Akta dig för att säga något mot Jakob, gott eller ont."
25 När Laban hann upp Jakob, hade denne slagit läger på berget. Också Laban och hans män slog läger på Gileads berg. 26 Då sade Laban till Jakob: "Vad har du gjort? Du smög dig i väg från mig och förde bort mina döttrar liksom fångar tagna med svärd. 27 Varför flydde du i hemlighet och rymde från mig? Eftersom du inte lät mig veta något, kunde jag inte sända i väg dig med jubel och sång, med pukor och harpor. 28 Du unnade mig inte ens att kyssa mina barnbarn och mina döttrar. Du har handlat som en dåre. 29 Det står i min makt att göra er illa, men er fars Gud sade till mig i natt: Akta dig för att säga något mot Jakob, gott eller ont. 30 Nu gav du dig i väg därför att du längtade hem så mycket, men varför stal du mina gudar?"
31 Jakob svarade Laban: "Jag var rädd för dig, för jag tänkte att du skulle ta dina döttrar från mig med våld. 32 Men den som du hittar dina gudar hos skall inte få behålla livet. I våra släktingars närvaro får du se efter om jag har något hos mig som är ditt. Tag det i så fall!" Jakob visste inte att Rakel hade stulit dem.
33 Laban gick då in i Jakobs tält och sedan in i Leas tält och in i de båda slavinnornas tält, men han fann inget. När han hade kommit ut ur Leas tält gick han in i Rakels tält. 34 Men Rakel hade tagit husgudarna och lagt dem i kamelsadeln och satt sig på dem. Laban sökte igenom hela tältet utan att finna dem. 35 Hon sade till sin far: "Bli inte arg på mig, herre, för att jag inte kan stiga upp för dig. Jag har det på kvinnors vis." Så sökte han efter husgudarna men kunde inte finna dem.
36 Jakob blev arg och kom i gräl med Laban och sade till honom: "Vad har jag gjort för illa eller syndat, eftersom du förföljer mig så våldsamt? 37 Nu har du letat igenom allt jag äger. Vad har du då funnit som tillhör dig? Lägg fram det inför både mina och dina släktingar här så att de får döma mellan oss båda. 38 I tjugo år har jag varit hos dig. Dina tackor och getter har inte fått missfall och av baggarna i din hjord har jag inte ätit. 39 Inget ihjälrivet djur förde jag till dig. Jag var tvungen att själv ersätta det. Du krävde ersättning av mig för det stulna, antingen det stulits på dagen eller på natten. 40 Så hade jag det. Om dagen plågades jag av hetta och om natten av köld, och sömnen vek ifrån mig. 41 I tjugo år har jag varit hos dig. Jag har tjänat dig i fjorton år för dina båda döttrar och i sex år för din boskap, men du har ändrat min lön tio gånger. 42 Om inte min fars Gud hade varit med mig - Abrahams Gud som också Isak fruktar - så hade du säkert låtit mig fara med tomma händer. Men Gud såg mitt lidande och min möda, och han fällde domen i natt."
Jakob och Laban försonas
43 Laban svarade Jakob: "Döttrarna är mina döttrar, barnen är mina barn och hjordarna är mina hjordar. Allt som du ser är mitt. Vad skulle jag väl kunna göra mot mina döttrar eller mot barnen som de har fött? 44 Kom nu och låt oss sluta förbund med varandra. Det skall vara vittne mellan mig och dig." 45 Då tog Jakob en sten och reste den till en stod. 46 Sedan sade han till sitt folk: "Samla ihop sten." Då tog de stenar och gjorde ett röse och höll en måltid där på röset. 47 Laban kallade det Jegar-Sahaduta, men Jakob kallade det Galed.[b]
48 Och Laban sade: "Detta röse skall i dag vara vittne mellan mig och dig." Det var så det fick namnet Galed. 49 Men det kallades också Mispa,[c] ty han sade: " Herren skall vara en väktare mellan mig och dig, när vi inte längre ser varandra. 50 Om du behandlar mina döttrar illa eller tar andra hustrur vid sidan av mina döttrar, skall du komma ihåg att Gud är vittne mellan mig och dig, även om ingen människa är närvarande."
51 Laban sade vidare till Jakob: "Se detta röse och se denna stod som jag rest mellan mig och dig. 52 Detta röse skall vara ett vittne, och stoden skall vara ett vittne, att jag inte skall fara till dig förbi detta röse och att inte heller du skall fara till mig förbi detta röse och förbi denna stod med onda avsikter. 53 Abrahams och Nahors Gud, han som var deras faders Gud, skall vara domare mellan oss." Och Jakob svor eden vid honom som hans fader Isak fruktade. 54 Sedan offrade Jakob slaktoffer på berget och bjöd in sina släktingar till en måltid. De åt och stannade på berget över natten. 55 På morgonen steg Laban upp tidigt, och när han hade kysst sina barnbarn och sina döttrar och välsignat dem, gav han sig i väg och återvände hem.
Footnotes
- 1 Mosebok 31:21 floden Dvs Eufrat.
- 1 Mosebok 31:47 Jegar-Sahaduta . . . Galed Jegar-Sahaduta är arameiska och Galed hebreiska. Orden betyder "edsröse".
- 1 Mosebok 31:49 Mispa betyder "vaktplats".
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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