Genesis 31
Modern English 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 he has gotten all his wealth from what was our father’s.” 2 Jacob saw the look of Laban and saw he was not congenial toward him as before.
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, to your family, and I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flock was, 5 and said to them, “I see your father’s demeanor, that it is not congenial toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that with all my strength I have served your father. 7 Your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then all the flock produced speckled. If he said, ‘The striped will be your pay,’ then all the flock produced striped. 9 In this way God has taken away your father’s flock and given them to me.
10 “When the livestock conceived, I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the male goats mating with the flock were striped, speckled, and spotted. 11 The angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes and see all the male goats which mate with the flock are striped, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has done to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, where you vowed a vow to Me. Now arise, and get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
14 Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left for us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not seen by him as foreigners? For he has sold us and has completely spent our money also. 16 For all the riches which God has taken from our father are 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 on camels. 18 Then he carried away all his livestock and all his goods which he had obtained, his acquired livestock which he had gotten in Paddan Aram, in order to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19 When Laban went to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s. 20 Jacob also deceived Laban the Syrian by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So Jacob fled with all that he had, and he rose up and passed over the river and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night and said to him, “Take care that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent on the mountain, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched in the mountains of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done that you have stolen away without my knowing and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? 27 Why did you flee away secretly and sneak away from me and not tell me? I would have sent you away with joy and with songs, with the tambourine and harp. 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? You have acted foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Take care that you not speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ 30 Now you surely have gone away because you longed desperately after your father’s house, yet why have you stolen my gods?”
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 But anyone with whom you find your gods, let him not live. In the presence of our kinsmen, point out what I have that is yours and take it.” 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 two female servants’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered into Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban searched the entire tent, but could not find them.
35 She said to her father, “Let not my lord be displeased that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is on me.” So he searched, but he did not find the household idols.
36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. And Jacob asked Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin that you have so hotly pursued after me? 37 You have searched all my things, and yet what have you found of all your household things? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, so that they may judge between us both.
38 “This twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and the male goats of your flock I have not eaten. 39 That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand whether it was stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 It was like this with me: In the day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 I have been twenty years in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely you would have sent me away empty now. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”
Laban’s Covenant With Jacob
43 Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? 44 Now therefore come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be as a witness between you and me.”
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar. 46 Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a pile, and they ate there on the pile. 47 And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Laban said, “This pile is a witness between me and you this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me, when we are apart from one another. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take other wives beside my daughters, although no one else is with us, remember that God is witness between you and me.”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this pile and see this pillar which I have thrown between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, so that I will not cross over this pile to you and so that you will not pass over this pile and this pillar to me for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father, judge between us.”
Then Jacob vowed by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his kinsmen to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.
55 Early in the morning Laban rose up, kissed his grandchildren and his daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
創世記 31
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
雅各逃離拉班
31 雅各聽見拉班的兒子們說：「雅各奪去了我們父親的一切！他的財富都是從我們父親那裡得來的。」 2 雅各發覺拉班對他的態度不如從前了。 3 這時，耶和華對雅各說：「回到你的家鄉和親族那裡吧！我必與你同在。」 4 於是，雅各就派人把拉結和利亞叫到放羊的地方， 5 對她們說：「我感到你們父親對我不如從前了，但我父親的上帝常與我同在。 6 你們知道我是怎樣盡心盡力地替你們父親工作， 7 他卻欺騙我，把我的工酬更改了十次。然而，上帝不讓他苦待我。 8 如果他說把有斑點的羊給我當酬勞，羊群生的就都是有斑點的；如果他說把有條紋的給我，羊群生的就都是有條紋的。 9 上帝就這樣把你們父親的牲畜奪過來給了我。
10 「在羊群交配的季節，我夢見所有和母羊交配的公羊都是有條紋或有斑點的。 11 在夢中，上帝的天使叫我，我說，『僕人在。』 12 他說，『拉班對你的所作所為，我都看見了。現在你留心看看，與母羊交配的公羊都是有條紋或有斑點的。 13 我就是你在伯特利遇見的上帝。你在那裡用油澆過柱子，向我許過願。現在，你要動身離開這裡，回到你的家鄉。』」
14 拉結和利亞說：「父親的家產沒有我們的份兒， 15 我們早就被當作外人了，他賣了我們，把我們的身價全部吞了。 16 上帝從我們父親那裡奪過來的一切財產，本來就屬於我們和我們的兒女。現在你只管照上帝的吩咐做吧！」
17 雅各便起來讓兒女和妻子都騎上駱駝， 18 帶著他在巴旦·亞蘭得到的所有牲畜和財物，啟程去迦南的父親以撒那裡。 19 那時拉班正在外面剪羊毛，拉結偷了父親的家庭神像。 20 雅各不辭而別，背著亞蘭人拉班偷偷地跑了。 21 他帶著所有的一切渡過幼發拉底河，逃往基列山區。
拉班追趕雅各
22 到了第三天，拉班才知道雅各逃走了。 23 於是，他帶著族人去追趕，追了七天，在基列山區追上了雅各。 24 當天晚上，上帝在夢中對亞蘭人拉班說：「你要當心，不可對雅各多說什麼。」
25 拉班追上了雅各，那時雅各在基列山搭起帳篷，拉班和他的族人也在那裡搭起帳篷。 26 拉班對雅各說：「你做的是什麼？你欺瞞我，把我的女兒像戰俘一樣帶走。 27 你為什麼要偷偷地溜走？你為什麼不告訴我，我好擊鼓、彈琴、唱歌歡送你？ 28 你甚至不讓我親吻外孫和女兒，與他們道別，你這樣做真愚蠢。 29 我有能力傷害你，但你父親的上帝昨夜對我說，『你要小心，不可對雅各多說什麼。』 30 你思家心切，一定要走，但你為什麼要偷走我的神像呢？」
31 雅各對拉班說：「我逃跑是因為害怕你會奪回你的女兒。 32 至於你的神像，你在誰身上搜出來，誰就是該死的。你可以當著眾弟兄的面察看，如果在我這裡有什麼物件是你的，你只管拿走。」雅各不知道拉結偷走了神像。
33 拉班進入雅各、利亞和兩個婢女的帳篷搜查，卻搜不出什麼。拉班離開利亞的帳篷進入拉結的帳篷， 34 那時拉結已經把神像藏在駱駝的鞍座裡，自己坐在上面。拉班搜遍了整個帳篷什麼也找不到。 35 拉結對父親說：「父親，請別生氣，我有月事在身，不便起來。」結果，拉班搜來搜去找不到神像。
36 雅各發怒，斥責拉班說：「我做錯了什麼、犯了什麼罪以致你對我窮追不捨？ 37 你搜遍我所有的東西，搜到了什麼？現在就當著眾弟兄的面拿出來，讓他們評評理吧！ 38 我在你家這二十年，你的母綿羊、母山羊沒有掉過胎，我也沒有吃過你公羊的肉。 39 我沒有把被野獸撕裂的羊帶來給你，而是自己賠上。無論在白晝或黑夜被偷去的，你都要我賠償。 40 我白天受盡烈日煎熬，晚上飽嚐夜露寒霜，不得好睡。 41 這二十年來，我為了你的兩個女兒，替你工作了十四年，又用了六年才從你那裡得到這些羊，你把我的工錢更改了十次。 42 如果不是我父親以撒敬畏的上帝，就是亞伯拉罕的上帝與我同在，你肯定會讓我兩手空空地回家。但上帝看見了我的難處和勞苦，所以在昨夜責備了你。」
雅各和拉班立約
43 拉班回答說：「女兒是我的，這些孩子是我的，羊群也是我的，你的一切都是我的，我又怎會傷害我的女兒和她們的孩子呢？ 44 來吧，你我立約為證。」 45 於是，雅各拿來一塊石頭，立作柱子， 46 又吩咐族人去收集石頭。他們把石頭堆成一堆，在旁邊吃喝。 47 拉班稱那石堆為伊迦爾·撒哈杜他[a]，雅各卻稱那石堆為迦累得[b]。
48 拉班說：「今日，這石堆是你我之間的憑證。」因此，那地方名叫迦累得， 49 又叫米斯巴，因為拉班說：「我們分手以後，願上帝親自鑒察我們。 50 倘若你虐待我的女兒，或在她們以外另娶妻子，即使沒人知道，也有上帝在你我之間做見證。」
51 拉班又說：「看我在你我之間立的這石堆和石柱。 52 這石堆和石柱都是憑證，我一定不會越過石堆去害你，你也不可越過石堆和石柱來害我。 53 願亞伯拉罕和拿鶴的上帝，就是他們父親的上帝，在你我之間判斷是非。」雅各便在他父親以撒敬畏的上帝面前起誓， 54 又在山上獻祭，請眾弟兄吃飯。飯後，他們一同在山上過夜。
55 拉班清早起來，親吻外孫和女兒，給他們祝福，然後回家去了。
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
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
