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
Genesis 31
Ang Biblia (1978)
31 At narinig ni Jacob ang mga salita ng mga anak ni Laban, na nagsisipagsabi, Kinuha ni Jacob ang lahat ng sa ating ama; at doon sa mga sa ating ama ay tinamo niya ang buong (A)karangalang ito.
2 At minasdan ni Jacob ang (B)mukha ni Laban, at narito't hindi sumasa kaniyang gaya ng dati.
3 At sinabi ng Panginoon kay Jacob, (C)Magbalik ka sa lupain ng iyong mga magulang, at sa iyong kamaganakan; at ako'y sasaiyo.
4 At si Jacob ay nagsugo at tinawag si Raquel at si Lea sa bukid, sa kaniyang kawan,
5 At sinabi sa kanila, (D)Nakikita ko ang mukha ng inyong ama, na hindi sumasaakin na gaya ng dati; (E)datapuwa't ang Dios ng aking ama ay sumaakin.
6 (F)At nalalaman ninyo, na ang aking buong lakas ay ipinaglingkod ko sa inyong ama.
7 At dinaya ako ng inyong ama, (G)at binagong (H)makasangpu ang aking kaupahan; datapuwa't hindi pinahintulutan siya ng Dios, na gawan ako ng masama.
8 Kung kaniyang sinabing ganito, (I)Ang mga may batik ang magiging kaupahan mo; kung magkagayo'y nanganganak ang lahat ng kawan ng mga may batik: at kung kaniyang sinabing ganito, Ang mga may guhit ang magiging kaupahan mo; kung magkagayo'y ang lahat ng kawan ay manganganak ng mga may guhit.
9 (J)Ganito inalis ng Dios ang mga hayop ng inyong ama, at ibinigay sa akin.
10 At nangyari, na sa panahong ang kawan ay naglilihi, ay itiningin ko ang aking mga mata, at nakita ko sa panaginip, at narito, ang mga kambing na lalake na nakatakip sa kawan ay mga may guhit, may batik at may dungis.
11 At sinabi sa akin ng anghel ng Dios, sa panaginip, Jacob: at sinabi ko, Narito ako.
12 At kaniyang sinabi, Itingin mo ngayon ang iyong mga mata, tingnan mo na ang lahat ng kambing na natatakip sa kawan ay may guhit, may batik at may dungis: sapagka't (K)aking nakita ang lahat na ginagawa sa iyo ni Laban.
13 (L)Ako ang Dios ng Betel, na doon mo pinahiran ng langis ang batong pinakaalaala, at doon ka gumawa ng panata sa akin: ngayo'y (M)tumindig ka, umalis ka sa lupaing ito, at bumalik ka sa lupaing pinanganakan sa iyo.
14 At nagsisagot si Raquel at si Lea, at sa kaniya'y sinabi, (N)Mayroon pa ba kaming natitirang bahagi o mana sa bahay ng aming ama?
15 Hindi ba inaari niya kaming taga ibang bayan? (O)sapagka't ipinagbili niya kami at kaniyang lubos nang kinain ang aming halaga.
16 Sapagka't ang buong kayamanang inalis ng Dios sa aming ama, ay amin yaon at sa aming mga anak: ngayon nga, gawin mo ang lahat ng sinabi sa iyo ng Dios.
Lihim na pagalis ni Jacob sa Canaan.
17 Nang magkagayo'y tumindig si Jacob, at pinasakay sa mga kamello ang kaniyang mga anak at ang kaniyang mga asawa;
18 At dinala ang kaniyang lahat na hayop, at ang kaniyang buong pagaaring tinipon, ang hayop na kaniyang napakinabang, na kaniyang tinipon, sa Padan-aram, upang pumaroon kay Isaac na kaniyang ama, sa lupain ng Canaan.
19 Si Laban nga ay yumaon upang gupitan ang kaniyang mga tupa: at ninakaw ni Raquel ang mga larawang tinatangkilik ng kaniyang ama.
20 At tumanan si Jacob na di nalalaman ni Laban na taga Siria, sa di niya pagbibigay alam na siya'y tumakas.
21 Ganito tumakas si Jacob sangpu ng buong kaniya; at bumangon at tumawid sa (P)ilog Eufrates, at siya'y (Q)tumungo sa bundok ng Gilead.
Hinabol at hinamon ni Laban si Jacob.
22 At binalitaan si Laban sa ikatlong araw, na tumakas si Jacob.
23 At ipinagsama niya ang kaniyang mga kapatid, at hinabol niyang pitong araw; at kaniyang inabutan sa bundok ng Gilead.
24 At (R)naparoon ang Dios kay Laban na taga Siria, sa panaginip sa gabi, at sa kaniya'y sinabi, (S)Ingatan mong huwag kang magsalita kay Jacob ng mabuti o masama man,
25 At inabutan ni Laban si Jacob, At naitirik na ni Jacob ang kaniyang tolda sa bundok; at si Laban sangpu ng kaniyang mga kapatid ay nagtirik din sa bundok ng Gilead.
26 At sinabi ni Laban kay Jacob, Anong ginawa mo na tumanan ka ng di ko nalalaman, at dinala mo ang aking mga anak na parang mangabihag sa tabak?
27 Bakit ka tumakas ng lihim, at tumanan ka sa akin; at hindi mo ipinaalam sa akin, upang ikaw ay napagpaalam kong may sayahan at may awitan, may tambol at may alpa;
28 At hindi mo man lamang ipinahintulot sa aking (T)humalik sa aking mga anak na lalake at babae? Ngayon nga'y gumawa ka ng kamangmangan.
29 (U)Nasa kapangyarihan ng aking kamay ang gawan ko kayo ng masama: (V)nguni't ang Dios ng inyong ama ay kinausap ako kagabi, na sinasabi, Ingatan mong huwag kang magsalita kay Jacob ng mabuti o masama man.
30 At ngayon, bagaman iyong inibig yumaon, sapagka't pinagmimithian mong datnin ang bahay ng iyong ama ay (W)bakit mo ninakaw ang aking mga dios?
31 At sumagot si Jacob, at sinabi kay Laban, Sapagka't ako'y natakot: sapagka't sinabi kong baka mo alising sapilitan sa akin ang iyong mga anak.
32 Kaya kung kanino mo masumpungan ang iyong mga dios, ay (X)huwag mabuhay: sa harap ng ating mga kapatid ay iyong kilalanin kung anong mayroon akong iyo, at dalhin mo sa iyo. Sapagka't hindi nalalaman ni Jacob na si Raquel ang nagnakaw.
33 At pumasok si Laban sa tolda ni Jacob, at sa tolda ni Lea, at sa tolda ng dalawang alilang babae, datapuwa't hindi niya nasumpungan; at lumabas sa tolda ni Lea, at pumasok sa tolda ni Raquel.
34 Nakuha nga ni Raquel ang mga larawan, at naisiksik sa mga daladalahan ng kamello at kaniyang inupuan. At inapuhap ni Laban ang buong palibot ng tolda, nguni't hindi niya nasumpungan.
35 At sinabi niya sa kaniyang ama, Huwag magalit ang aking panginoon na ako'y hindi (Y)makatindig sa harap mo; sapagka't ako'y mayroon ng kaugalian ng mga babae. At kaniyang hinanap, datapuwa't hindi masumpungan ang mga larawan.
Ang galit na sagot ni Jacob.
36 At naginit si Jacob at nakipagtalo kay Laban, at sumagot si Jacob, at sinabi kay Laban, Ano ang aking sinalangsang at ang aking kasalanan, upang ako'y habulin mong may pagiinit?
37 Yamang inapuhap mo ang lahat ng aking kasangkapan, anong nasumpungan mong kasangkapan, ng iyong bahay? Ilagay mo rito sa harap ng aking mga kapatid at ng iyong mga kapatid, upang hatulan nila tayong dalawa.
38 Ako'y natira sa iyo nitong dalawang pung taon: ang iyong mga babaing tupa, at ang iyong mga babaing kambing ay hindi nawalan ng kanilang mga anak, at ang mga tupang lalake ng iyong kawan ay hindi ko kinain.
39 (Z)Ang nilapa ng mga ganid ay hindi ko dinala sa iyo; ako ang nagbata ng kawalan; sa aking kamay mo hiningi, maging nanakaw sa araw, o nanakaw sa gabi.
40 Ganito nakaraan ako; sa araw ay pinupugnaw ako ng init, at ng lamig sa gabi; at ang pagaantok ay tumatakas sa aking mga mata.
41 Nitong dalawang pung taon ay natira ako sa iyong bahay; pinaglingkuran kitang (AA)labing apat na taon dahil sa iyong dalawang anak, at anim na taon dahil sa iyong kawan: at (AB)binago mo ang aking kaupahan na makasangpu.
42 (AC)Kung hindi sumaakin ang Dios ng aking ama, ang Dios ni Abraham, (AD)at ang Katakutan ni Isaac, ay walang pagsalang palalayasin mo ako ngayong walang dala. (AE)Nakita ng Dios ang aking kapighatian, ang kapaguran ng aking mga kamay, (AF)at sinaway ka niya kagabi.
Tipan sa Galaad.
43 At sumagot si Laban at sinabi kay Jacob, Ang mga anak na babaing ito, ay aking mga anak at itong mga anak ay mga anak ko, at ang mga kawan ay mga kawan ko, at ang lahat ng iyong nakikita ay akin: at anong magagawa ko ngayon sa mga anak kong babae, o sa kanilang mga anak na ipinanganak nila?
44 At ngayo'y halika, (AG)gumawa tayo ng isang tipan, ako't ikaw na (AH)maging patotoo sa akin at sa iyo.
45 At (AI)kumuha si Jacob ng isang bato, at itinindig na pinakaalaala.
46 At sinabi ni Jacob sa kaniyang mga kapatid, Manguha kayo ng mga bato; at kumuha sila ng mga bato at kanilang ginawang isang bunton: at sila'y nagkainan doon sa malapit sa bunton.
47 At pinanganlan ni Laban na Jegarsahadutha, datapuwa't pinanganlan ni Jacob na Galaad.
48 At sinabi ni Laban, Ang (AJ)buntong ito ay saksi sa akin at sa iyo ngayon. Kaya't ang pangalan niya'y tinawag na Galaad;
49 At (AK)Mizpa sapagka't kaniyang sinabi, Bantayan ng Panginoon ako at ikaw, pag nagkakahiwalay tayo.
50 Kung pahirapan mo ang aking mga anak, o kung magasawa ka sa iba bukod sa aking mga anak, ay wala tayong ibang kasama; tingnan mo, ang (AL)Dios ay saksi sa akin at sa iyo.
51 At sinabi ni Laban kay Jacob, Narito, ang buntong ito at ang batong pinakaalaalang ito, na aking inilagay sa gitna natin.
52 Maging saksi ang buntong ito, at saksi ang batong ito, na hindi ko lalagpasan ang buntong ito sa dako mo, at hindi mo lalagpasan ang buntong ito at ang batong pinakaalaalang ito sa pagpapahamak sa amin.
53 Ang Dios ni Abraham at ang Dios ni Nachor, ang Dios ng ama nila ay siyang humatol sa atin. At si Jacob ay sumumpa ng ayon sa (AM)Katakutan ng kaniyang amang si Isaac.
54 At naghandog si Jacob ng hain sa bundok, at tinawag ang (AN)kaniyang mga kapatid upang magsikain ng tinapay: at sila'y nagsikain ng tinapay, at sila'y nagparaan ng buong gabi sa bundok.
55 At bumangong maaga sa kinaumagahan si Laban, at hinagkan ang (AO)kaniyang mga anak na lalake at babae, at pinagbabasbasan: at yumaon at umuwi si Laban.
Genesis 31
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 31
Jacob Flees from Laban.[a] 1 Jacob came to know what the sons of Laban were saying: “Jacob is taking what belonged to our father, and he has gotten all his wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban’s attitude toward him had changed.
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, to your homeland, and I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah who were in the fields with the flocks 5 and he told them, “I see that your father’s attitude to me is not like it was before. Still, the God of my father is with me. 6 You yourselves know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 while your father has cheated and changed my salary ten times. But God did not let him harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your salary,’ then all the animals born were speckled. If he said, ‘The streaked animals will be your salary,’ then all the animals born were streaked. 9 Thus, God took back your father’s animals and gave them to me.
10 “Once, when the animals were in heat, I had a dream. I looked out and saw that the he-goats that were streaked, speckled, and mottled were ready to breed. 11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob!’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He continued, ‘Look up and see: all the goats that are ready to breed are streaked, speckled, and mottled because I saw what Laban has done to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made an oath to me. Now, rise, leave this country, and return to your homeland.’ ”
14 Rachel and Leah answered, “Do we still have property or an inheritance in the house of our father? 15 Are we not considered to be outsiders by him? He sold us and then used up our money. 16 All those things that God has taken from our father belong to us and to our children. Do what God has told you to do.”
17 Jacob got up, placed his children and his wives on camels, 18 and led all the animals away. He took all his possessions with him, including the animals that he acquired in Paddan-aram, in order to return to Isaac, his father, in the land of Canaan.
19 When Laban had gone to shear the sheep, Rachel stole the household idols[b] that belonged to her father. 20 Jacob sneaked away from Laban the Aramean, not letting him know that he was about to flee. 21 This way he was able to go with all his possessions. He rose, crossed the river,[c] and traveled toward the mountains of Gilead.
22 Laban Pursues Jacob.[d] On the third day, Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his kinsmen with him and followed him for seven days. He caught up to him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to do anything to Jacob, not a thing!”
25 Laban therefore went and caught up to Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tents in the mountains, and Laban and his kinsmen were also camped in the mountains of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You sneaked away and carried off my daughters as if they were prisoners of war! 27 Why did you secretly flee away and cheat me? Why did you not let me know? I would have given you a celebration with songs and the music of the tambourines and the harp. 28 You did not let me kiss my grandsons and my daughters. This was surely a foolish thing that you have done. 29 Realize that I could harm you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night. He forbade me to do anything to Jacob, not a thing. 30 I realize that you left because you were homesick for the house of your father, but why have you robbed my household idols?”
31 Jacob answered Laban and said, “I was afraid, and I thought that you would take your daughters back with force. 32 But as for whoever you find has taken your household idols, he will be put to death. With our relatives looking on, see if you can find anything belonging to you and take it.” Jacob did not know that Rachel had robbed them.
33 Laban entered Jacob’s tent and then the tent of Leah and the tent of the two slaves, but he did not find anything. Then he went out from Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the idols and had placed them under a camel’s saddle and had then sat upon it. Laban searched throughout the whole tent and did not find them.
35 She said to her father, “Please do not be offended, my lord, if I cannot rise in your presence, but I am having my monthly time.”[e] Laban therefore searched in the entire tent and did not find the idols.
36 Jacob was angry now and scolded Laban saying, “What crime have I committed, what sin did I do that you followed me? 37 Now that you have searched all my possessions, what have you found that belongs to you? Place it before me and your relatives and let it serve as evidence for or against me.
38 “I spent twenty years with you. None of your sheep or goats ever miscarried. I never ate any of the rams of your flock. 39 I never brought you an animal that had been injured by a wild beast. I made good for the loss myself. You held me responsible for whatever was robbed during the day and for whatever was robbed during the night. 40 By day I was burnt by the sun and by night I suffered from the cold, and I spent many sleepless nights. 41 Twenty years I was with you. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my salary ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Terror of Isaac, had not been with me, you would have sent me away with nothing. But God saw my affliction and the work of my hands, and last night he was my judge.”
43 Laban then answered Jacob and said, “These daughters are my daughters and these grandsons are my grandsons. These cattle are my cattle, and all you see is mine. What could I do to you today and to these daughters and to the children whom they have brought into the world? 44 Come, let us make a covenant between me and you, and let it be a witness between me and you.”
45 Jacob took a stone and erected it as a pillar. 46 Then he said to his relatives, “Collect some stones,” and they took stones and made a mound out of them. They then ate sitting upon the mound. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Laban said, “Let this mound be today a witness between me and you.” Because of this he called it Galeed 49 and also Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between me and you when we will no longer see each other.[f] 50 If you mistreat my daughters and take other wives besides my daughters, be warned that God will be a judge between you and me.”
51 Laban continued and said to Jacob, “Behold this mound and this pillar that I have erected between me and you. 52 Let this mound be a witness, and this pillar be a witness, that I will not cross over past this mound to do you harm and that you will not cross over past this mound and this pillar to do me harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor be a judge between us.”
Jacob swore an oath by the name of the Terror of his father Isaac. 54 Then he offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat with him. They ate and spent the night on the mountain.
Footnotes
- Genesis 31:1 Stemming from a different source, this account endeavors to show that Jacob is right in his quarrels with Laban; God himself has made him prosper. Overflowing with riches, Jacob judges it more prudent to put an end to their deteriorating relations, after having rallied his wives to his cause.
- Genesis 31:19 Household idols (Hebrew, teraphim) were small statues of divinities worshiped by the family (see v. 30). They belonged by right to the principal heir.
- Genesis 31:21 The river was the Euphrates. Gilead is the mountainous region east of the Jordan.
- Genesis 31:22 The greedy uncle pursues Jacob in anger, but Rachel saves the situation through guile and Jacob takes offense at Laban’s bad faith. The latter finally resigns himself to deal with Jacob, and an agreement is concluded concerning the relations and the pasture rights between Aram and Israel in the Transjordan. Thus, an account, which is not lacking in humor, justifies once again the rightness of Jacob—and of Israel.
- Genesis 31:35 I am having my monthly time: in later times, anything a menstruating woman sat on was considered ritually unclean (Lev 15:20). Rachel, too, had become a deceiver.
- Genesis 31:49 May . . . other: the so-called Mizpah benediction, which in context is in fact a denunciation or curse.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Ang Biblia Copyright © Philippine Bible Society 1905, 1915, 1933, 1978
