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31 Mutta hän sai kuulla, että Laabanin pojat puhuivat näin: "Jaakob on anastanut kaikki, mitä isämme omisti; isämme omaisuudesta hän on hankkinut itselleen kaiken tämän rikkauden".

Ja Jaakob huomasi Laabanin kasvoista, ettei hän ollut häntä kohtaan niinkuin ennen.

Ja Herra sanoi Jaakobille: "Palaja isiesi maahan ja sukusi tykö. Minä olen sinun kanssasi."

Niin Jaakob kutsutti Raakelin ja Leean kedolle laumansa luo,

ja hän sanoi heille: "Minä huomaan isänne kasvoista, ettei hän ole minua kohtaan niinkuin ennen, vaikka isäni Jumala on ollut minun kanssani.

Te tiedätte, että minä olen palvellut isäänne kaikin voimin,

mutta isänne on kohdellut minua petollisesti ja muuttanut palkkaani kymmenen kertaa. Jumala ei kuitenkaan ole sallinut hänen tehdä minulle mitään vahinkoa.

Kun hän sanoi: 'Pilkulliset olkoot sinun palkkasi', niin koko lauma kantoi pilkullisia; ja kun hän sanoi: 'Juovikkaat olkoot sinun palkkasi', niin koko lauma kantoi juovikkaita.

Niin on Jumala ottanut isänne omaisuuden ja antanut minulle.

10 Mutta lauman pariutumisen aikana minä nostin silmäni ja näin unessa, että vuohipukit, jotka astuivat laumaa, olivat juovikkaita, pilkullisia ja kirjavia.

11 Ja Jumalan enkeli sanoi minulle unessa: 'Jaakob!' Minä vastasin: 'Tässä olen'.

12 Niin hän sanoi: 'Nosta silmäsi ja katso, kaikki vuohipukit, jotka astuvat laumaa, ovat juovikkaita, pilkullisia ja kirjavia, sillä minä olen nähnyt kaiken, mitä Laaban sinulle tekee.

13 Minä olen Jumala, joka ilmestyin Beetelissä, jossa sinä voitelit patsaan ja jossa teit minulle lupauksen. Nouse nyt ja lähde tästä maasta ja palaja synnyinmaahasi.'"

14 Silloin Raakel ja Leea vastasivat ja sanoivat hänelle: "Ei meillä ole enää osaa eikä perintöä isämme talossa.

15 Eikö hän pitänyt meitä kuin vieraita, koska myi meidät ja söi suuhunsa meistä saamansa hinnan.

16 Niin, koko se rikkaus, jonka Jumala on ottanut isältämme, meidän se on ja meidän lastemme. Tee siis nyt kaikki, mitä Jumala on sinulle sanonut."

17 Silloin Jaakob nousi ja nosti lapsensa ja vaimonsa kamelien selkään

18 ja kuljetti pois kaiken karjansa ja kaiken omaisuutensa, jonka hän oli koonnut, kaiken omistamansa ja Mesopotamiassa hankkimansa karjan, mennäkseen isänsä Iisakin luo Kanaanin maahan.

19 Mutta Laaban oli mennyt keritsemään lampaitaan. Silloin Raakel varasti isänsä kotijumalat.

20 Ja Jaakob lähti varkain aramilaisen Laabanin luota eikä ilmaissut hänelle pakenemisaiettaan.

21 Niin hän pakeni kaikkinensa, lähti ja meni virran yli ja suuntasi kulkunsa Gileadin vuorille päin.

22 Mutta kolmantena päivänä Laabanille ilmoitettiin, että Jaakob oli paennut.

23 Silloin hän otti mukaansa heimonsa miehet ja ajoi häntä takaa seitsemän päivänmatkaa ja saavutti hänet Gileadin vuorilla.

24 Mutta Jumala tuli aramilaisen Laabanin luo unessa yöllä ja sanoi hänelle: "Varo, ettet puhu Jaakobille hyvää etkä pahaa".

25 Ja Laaban saavutti Jaakobin. Jaakob oli pystyttänyt telttansa vuorelle, Laaban taas pystytti telttansa Gileadin vuorelle.

26 Ja Laaban sanoi Jaakobille: "Mitä oletkaan tehnyt? Sinä olet pettänyt minut ja kuljettanut pois minun tyttäreni niinkuin miekalla otetut!

27 Minkätähden pakenit salaa, läksit luotani varkain? Et ilmoittanut minulle mitään, ja niin minä en saanut saattaa sinua matkalle iloiten ja laulaen, vaskirummuin ja kantelein,

28 etkä suonut minun suudella lasteni lapsia ja tyttäriäni. Tyhmästi sinä olet menetellyt.

29 Minulla olisi valta tehdä teille pahaa, mutta teidän isänne Jumala sanoi minulle viime yönä näin: 'Varo, ettet puhu Jaakobille hyvää etkä pahaa'.

30 Olkoon: sinä olet nyt lähtenyt matkallesi, koska niin suuresti ikävöit isäsi kotiin, mutta minkätähden olet varastanut minun jumalani?"

31 Jaakob vastasi ja sanoi Laabanille: "Minä pelkäsin, sillä ajattelin, että sinä riistäisit minulta tyttäresi.

32 Mutta se, jonka hallusta löydät jumalasi, menettäköön henkensä. Heimojemme miesten läsnäollessa tutki, mitä minulla on, ja ota pois, mikä on omaasi." Sillä Jaakob ei tiennyt, että Raakel oli ne varastanut.

33 Ja Laaban meni Jaakobin telttaan, Leean telttaan ja molempien orjatarten telttaan, mutta ei löytänyt mitään. Ja tultuaan ulos Leean teltasta hän meni Raakelin telttaan.

34 Mutta Raakel oli ottanut kotijumalat, pannut ne kamelin satulaan ja istunut niiden päälle. Ja Laaban penkoi koko teltan, mutta ei löytänyt mitään.

35 Ja hän sanoi isällensä: "Älä vihastu, herrani, siitä etten voi nousta sinun edessäsi, sillä minun on, niinkuin naisten tavallisesti on". Ja Laaban etsi, mutta ei löytänyt kotijumalia.

36 Silloin Jaakob vihastui ja soimasi Laabania; Jaakob puhkesi puhumaan ja sanoi Laabanille: "Mitä minä olen rikkonut, mitä pahaa minä olen tehnyt, että näin minua ahdistat?

37 Nyt olet penkonut kaikki minun tavarani; mitä olet löytänyt sellaista, joka olisi sinun talosi tavaraa? Tuo se tähän minun heimoni ja sinun heimosi miesten eteen, että he ratkaisisivat meidän molempien välin.

38 Jo kaksikymmentä vuotta minä olen ollut sinun luonasi; sinun uuhesi ja vuohesi eivät ole synnyttäneet keskoisia, enkä minä ole oinaita sinun laumastasi syönyt.

39 Pedon haaskaamaa en ole sinulle tuonut, se oli minun itseni korvattava; minulta sinä sen vaadit, olipa se viety päivällä tai viety yöllä.

40 Päivällä vaivasi minua helle, yöllä vilu, ja uni pakeni silmistäni.

41 Jo kaksikymmentä vuotta minä olen ollut sinun talossasi; neljätoista vuotta minä palvelin sinua saadakseni molemmat tyttäresi ja kuusi vuotta saadakseni sinulta karjaa, mutta kymmenen kertaa sinä muutit minun palkkani.

42 Jos minun isäni Jumala, Aabrahamin Jumala, jota myöskin Iisak pelkää, ei olisi ollut minun puolellani, niin sinä olisit nyt lähettänyt minut tyhjänä tieheni. Jumala on nähnyt minun kurjuuteni ja kätteni vaivannäön, ja hän ratkaisi viime yönä asian."

43 Niin Laaban vastasi ja sanoi Jaakobille: "Tyttäret ovat minun tyttäriäni, ja lapset ovat minun lapsiani, ja karja on minun karjaani, ja kaikki, mitä näet, on minun omaani. Mutta minkä minä nyt mahdan näille tyttärilleni tai lapsille, jotka he ovat synnyttäneet!

44 Tule siis, tehkäämme liitto keskenämme, ja olkoon se todistuksena meidän välillämme, minun ja sinun."

45 Silloin Jaakob otti kiven ja nosti sen pystyyn patsaaksi.

46 Ja Jaakob sanoi heimonsa miehille: "Kootkaa kiviä". Ja he ottivat kiviä ja rakensivat roukkion ja aterioivat siinä sen kiviroukkion päällä.

47 Ja Laaban antoi sille nimen Jegar-Saahaduta, mutta Jaakob antoi sille nimen Galed.

48 Ja Laaban sanoi: "Tämä roukkio olkoon tänään todistajana meidän välillämme, minun ja sinun"; sentähden hän antoi sille nimen Galed

49 ja myöskin nimen Mispa, sillä hän sanoi: "Herra olkoon vartija meidän välillämme, minun ja sinun, kun joudumme loitolle toistemme näkyvistä.

50 Jos sinä kohtelet pahasti minun tyttäriäni tahi otat toisia vaimoja tyttärieni lisäksi, niin tiedä, että vaikkei ketään ihmistä olekaan läsnä, Jumala kuitenkin on todistajana meidän välillämme, minun ja sinun."

51 Ja Laaban sanoi vielä Jaakobille: "Katso, tämä roukkio ja tämä patsas, jonka minä olen pystyttänyt meidän välillemme, minun ja sinun

52 - tämä roukkio olkoon todistuksena, ja myöskin tämä patsas olkoon todistuksena siitä, etten minä kulje tämän roukkion ohi sinun luoksesi ja ettet sinäkään kulje tämän roukkion ja tämän patsaan ohi minun luokseni paha mielessä.

53 Aabrahamin Jumala ja Naahorin Jumala, heidän isiensä Jumala, olkoon tuomarina meidän välillämme." Ja Jaakob vannoi valansa Jumalan kautta, jota hänen isänsä Iisak pelkäsi.

54 Ja Jaakob uhrasi vuorella teurasuhrin ja kutsui heimonsa miehet aterioimaan, ja he aterioivat ja olivat yötä vuorella.

55 Mutta varhain seuraavana aamuna Laaban nousi, suuteli lastensa lapsia ja tyttäriään ja hyvästeli heidät; sitten hän lähti matkaan ja palasi kotiinsa.

Jacob Flees From Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons(A) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”(B) And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.(C)

Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back(D) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”(E)

So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. He said to them, “I see that your father’s(F) attitude toward me is not what it was before,(G) but the God of my father has been with me.(H) You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,(I) yet your father has cheated(J) me by changing my wages(K) ten times.(L) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.(M) If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’(N) then all the flocks bore streaked young. So God has taken away your father’s livestock(O) and has given them to me.(P)

10 “In breeding season I once had a dream(Q) in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. 11 The angel of God(R) said to me in the dream,(S) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’(T) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,(U) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(V) 13 I am the God of Bethel,(W) where you anointed a pillar(X) and where you made a vow(Y) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.(Z)’”

14 Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share(AA) in the inheritance of our father’s estate? 15 Does he not regard us as foreigners?(AB) Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.(AC) 16 Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.(AD) So do whatever God has told you.”

17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives(AE) on camels,(AF) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated(AG) in Paddan Aram,[a](AH) to go to his father Isaac(AI) in the land of Canaan.(AJ)

19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(AK) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(AL) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(AM) Laban the Aramean(AN) by not telling him he was running away.(AO) 21 So he fled(AP) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(AQ) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(AR)

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day(AS) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(AT) 23 Taking his relatives(AU) with him(AV), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(AW) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(AX) in a dream at night and said to him,(AY) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(AZ)

25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(BA) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(BB) You’ve deceived me,(BC) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(BD) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(BE) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(BF) and harps?(BG) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(BH) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(BI) but last night the God of your father(BJ) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(BK) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(BL) But why did you steal(BM) my gods?(BN)

31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(BO) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(BP) In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.(BQ)

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(BR) and into the tent of the two female servants,(BS) but he found nothing.(BT) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(BU) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(BV) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(BW) through everything in the tent but found nothing.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence;(BX) I’m having my period.(BY)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(BZ)

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

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(CF) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(CG) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen(CH) by day or night.(CI) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(CJ) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(CK) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(CL) and six years for your flocks,(CM) and you changed my wages(CN) ten times.(CO) 42 If the God of my father,(CP) the God of Abraham(CQ) and the Fear of Isaac,(CR) had not been with me,(CS) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(CT) and last night he rebuked you.(CU)

43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.(CV) All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant,(CW) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”(CX)

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.(CY) 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap,(CZ) and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.[b](DA)

48 Laban said, “This heap(DB) is a witness between you and me today.”(DC) That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah,[c](DD) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat(DE) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness(DF) between you and me.”(DG)

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(DH) and here is this pillar(DI) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(DJ) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(DK) and pillar to my side to harm me.(DL) 53 May the God of Abraham(DM) and the God of Nahor,(DN) the God of their father, judge between us.”(DO)

So Jacob took an oath(DP) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.(DQ) 54 He offered a sacrifice(DR) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.(DS) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters(DT) and blessed(DU) them. Then he left and returned home.[d](DV)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  2. Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
  3. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
  4. Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.

31 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.

And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?

15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.

34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.

36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

49 And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:

52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.