Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Genesis 28:10-32:3
Close ESV

Genesis 28:10-32:3
English Standard Version

Jacob's Dream

10 Jacob left (A)Beersheba and went toward (B)Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he (C)dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder[a] set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, (D)the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, (E)the Lord stood above it[b] and said, (F)“I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. (G)The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like (H)the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and (I)your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, (J)I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and (K)will bring you back to this land. For I will (L)not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is (M)in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

18 So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up (N)for a pillar (O)and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called the name of that place (P)Bethel,[c] but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob (Q)made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 (R)so that I come again to my father's house in peace, (S)then the Lord shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, (T)shall be God's house. And (U)of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

29 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to (V)the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, (W)“We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

9 While he was still speaking with them, (X)Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was (Y)her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, (Z)and she ran and told her father.

13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, (AA)he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, (AB)“Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak,[d] but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, (AC)“I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob (AD)served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and (AE)made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave[e] (AF)his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 (AG)Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave (AH)his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban (AI)for another seven years.

Jacob's Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was (AJ)hated, (AK)he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,[f] for she said, “Because the Lord (AL)has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.[g] 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be (AM)attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.[h] 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name (AN)Judah.[i] Then she ceased bearing.

30 When Rachel saw that (AO)she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, (AP)who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant (AQ)Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth (AR)on my behalf,[j] that even I may have children[k] through her.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has (AS)judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.[l] 7 Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings[m] I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name (AT)Naphtali.[n]

9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and (AU)gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, (AV)“Good fortune has come!” so she called his name (AW)Gad.[o] 12 Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women (AX)have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.[p]

14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found (AY)mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son's mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.[q]

19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name (AZ)Zebulun.[r] 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

22 Then God (BA)remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and (BB)opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away (BC)my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph,[s] saying, (BD)“May the Lord add to me another son!”

Jacob's Prosperity

25 As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children (BE)for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that[t] the Lord has blessed me because of you. 28 (BF)Name your wages, and I will give it.” 29 Jacob said to him, (BG)“You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me. 30 For you had little before I came, (BH)and it has increased abundantly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I (BI)provide for my own household also?” 31 He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it: 32 let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and (BJ)they shall be my wages. 33 So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” 34 Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” 35 But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. 36 And he set a distance of three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban's flock.

37 Then (BK)Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. 38 He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the (BL)watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, 39 the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban's flock. 41 Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, 42 but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. 43 Thus the man (BM)increased greatly and (BN)had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob Flees from Laban

31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw (BO)that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, (BP)“Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, (BQ)“I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father (BR)has been with me. 6 (BS)You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages (BT)ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, (BU)‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has (BV)taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10 In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for (BW)I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, (BX)where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now (BY)arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there (BZ)any portion or inheritance left to us in our father's house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For (CA)he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

17 So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in (CB)Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's (CC)household gods. 20 And Jacob tricked[u] Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the (CD)Euphrates,[v] and (CE)set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean (CF)in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, (CG)either good or bad.”

25 And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have (CH)tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly (CI)and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me (CJ)to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is (CK)in my power to do you harm. But the (CL)God of your[w] father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, (CM)either good or bad.’ 30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house, but why did you (CN)steal my gods?” 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 (CO)Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 So Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel's saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot (CP)rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.

36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and (CQ)your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. (CR)From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. (CS)I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and (CT)you have changed my wages ten times. 42 (CU)If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the (CV)Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (CW)God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and (CX)rebuked you last night.”

43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, (CY)let us make a covenant, you and I. (CZ)And let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob (DA)took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha,[x] but Jacob called it Galeed.[y] 48 Laban said, (DB)“This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 (DC)and Mizpah,[z] for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, (DD)God is witness between you and me.”

51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 (DE)This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the (DF)Fear of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called (DG)his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.

55 [aa] Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed (DH)his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.

Jacob Fears Esau

32 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God's (DI)camp!” So he called the name of that place (DJ)Mahanaim.[ab]

3 And Jacob sent[ac] messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of (DK)Seir, the country of Edom,

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:12 Or a flight of steps
  2. Genesis 28:13 Or beside him
  3. Genesis 28:19 Bethel means the house of God
  4. Genesis 29:17 Or soft
  5. Genesis 29:24 Or had given; also verse 29
  6. Genesis 29:32 Reuben means See, a son
  7. Genesis 29:33 Simeon sounds like the Hebrew for heard
  8. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like the Hebrew for attached
  9. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like the Hebrew for praise
  10. Genesis 30:3 Hebrew on my knees
  11. Genesis 30:3 Hebrew be built up, which sounds like the Hebrew for children
  12. Genesis 30:6 Dan sounds like the Hebrew for judged
  13. Genesis 30:8 Hebrew With wrestlings of God
  14. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali sounds like the Hebrew for wrestling
  15. Genesis 30:11 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for good fortune
  16. Genesis 30:13 Asher sounds like the Hebrew for happy
  17. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for wages, or hire
  18. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun sounds like the Hebrew for honor
  19. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means May he add, and sounds like the Hebrew for taken away
  20. Genesis 30:27 Or have become rich and
  21. Genesis 31:20 Hebrew stole the heart of; also verses 26, 27
  22. Genesis 31:21 Hebrew the River
  23. Genesis 31:29 The Hebrew for your is plural here
  24. Genesis 31:47 Aramaic the heap of witness
  25. Genesis 31:47 Hebrew the heap of witness
  26. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchpost
  27. Genesis 31:55 Ch 32:1 in Hebrew
  28. Genesis 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps
  29. Genesis 32:3 Or had sent
Listen to Genesis 28:10-32:3
Close NIV

Genesis 28:10-32:3
New International Version

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beersheba(A) and set out for Harran.(B) 11 When he reached a certain place,(C) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head(D) and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream(E) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.(F) 13 There above it[a] stood the Lord,(G) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(H) I will give you and your descendants the land(I) on which you are lying.(J) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(K) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(L) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b](M) 15 I am with you(N) and will watch over you(O) wherever you go,(P) and I will bring you back to this land.(Q) I will not leave you(R) until I have done what I have promised you.(S)”(T)

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(U) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!(V) This is none other than the house of God;(W) this is the gate of heaven.”

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head(X) and set it up as a pillar(Y) and poured oil on top of it.(Z) 19 He called that place Bethel,[c](AA) though the city used to be called Luz.(AB)

20 Then Jacob made a vow,(AC) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me(AD) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear(AE) 21 so that I return safely(AF) to my father’s household,(AG) then the Lord[d] will be my God(AH) 22 and[e] this stone that I have set up as a pillar(AI) will be God’s house,(AJ) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.(AK)”

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.(AL) 2 There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well.(AM) The stone(AN) over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone(AO) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.(AP) Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”(AQ)

“We’re from Harran,(AR)” they replied.

5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”(AS)

“Yes, we know him,” they answered.

6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”

“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel(AT) with the sheep.(AU)”

7 “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

8 “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone(AV) has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water(AW) the sheep.”

9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,(AX) for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel(AY) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone(AZ) away from the mouth of the well and watered(BA) his uncle’s sheep.(BB) 11 Then Jacob kissed(BC) Rachel and began to weep aloud.(BD) 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative(BE) of her father and a son of Rebekah.(BF) So she ran and told her father.(BG)

13 As soon as Laban(BH) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him(BI) and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”(BJ)

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative(BK) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages(BL) should be.”

16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,(BM) and the name of the younger was Rachel.(BN) 17 Leah had weak[f] eyes, but Rachel(BO) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.(BP) 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel(BQ) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”(BR)

19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,(BS) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.(BT)

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.(BU)”

22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.(BV) 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah(BW) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah(BX) to his daughter as her attendant.(BY)

25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?(BZ) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?(CA)”

26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.(CB) 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week;(CC) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.(CD)”

28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.(CE) 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah(CF) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.(CG) 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.(CH) And he worked for Laban another seven years.(CI)

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(CJ) he enabled her to conceive,(CK) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(CL) She named him Reuben,[g](CM) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(CN) Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,(CO) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[h](CP)

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(CQ) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[i](CR)

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[j](CS) Then she stopped having children.(CT)

30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,(CU) she became jealous of her sister.(CV) So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God,(CW) who has kept you from having children?”(CX)

3 Then she said, “Here is Bilhah,(CY) my servant.(CZ) Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”(DA)

4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(DB) Jacob slept with her,(DC) 5 and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(DD) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(DE) Because of this she named him Dan.[k](DF)

7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah(DG) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(DH) So she named him Naphtali.[l](DI)

9 When Leah(DJ) saw that she had stopped having children,(DK) she took her servant Zilpah(DL) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(DM) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(DN) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[m] So she named him Gad.[n](DO)

12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me(DP) happy.”(DQ) So she named him Asher.[o](DR)

14 During wheat harvest,(DS) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(DT) which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough(DU) that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”

“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”(DV)

16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”(DW) So he slept with her that night.

17 God listened to Leah,(DX) and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.”(DY) So she named him Issachar.[p](DZ)

19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor,(EA) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[q](EB)

21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(EC)

22 Then God remembered Rachel;(ED) he listened to her(EE) and enabled her to conceive.(EF) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(EG) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(EH) 24 She named him Joseph,[r](EI) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(EJ)

Jacob’s Flocks Increase

25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way(EK) so I can go back to my own homeland.(EL) 26 Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,(EM) and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.”

27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(EN) please stay. I have learned by divination(EO) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”(EP) 28 He added, “Name your wages,(EQ) and I will pay them.”

29 Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you(ER) and how your livestock has fared under my care.(ES) 30 The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.(ET) But now, when may I do something for my own household?(EU)”

31 “What shall I give you?” he asked.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: 32 Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat.(EV) They will be my wages.(EW) 33 And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored,(EX) will be considered stolen.(EY)”

34 “Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.” 35 That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs,(EZ) and he placed them in the care of his sons.(FA) 36 Then he put a three-day journey(FB) between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond(FC) and plane trees(FD) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.(FE) 38 Then he placed the peeled branches(FF) in all the watering troughs,(FG) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat(FH) and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches.(FI) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.(FJ) 40 Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals(FK) that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals. 41 Whenever the stronger females were in heat,(FL) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,(FM) 42 but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.(FN) 43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.(FO)

Jacob Flees From Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons(FP) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”(FQ) 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.(FR)

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

4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I see that your father’s(FU) attitude toward me is not what it was before,(FV) but the God of my father has been with me.(FW) 6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,(FX) 7 yet your father has cheated(FY) me by changing my wages(FZ) ten times.(GA) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.(GB) 8 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,’(GC) then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock(GD) and has given them to me.(GE)

10 “In breeding season I once had a dream(GF) 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(GG) said to me in the dream,(GH) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’(GI) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,(GJ) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(GK) 13 I am the God of Bethel,(GL) where you anointed a pillar(GM) and where you made a vow(GN) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.(GO)’”

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

17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives(GT) on camels,(GU) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated(GV) in Paddan Aram,[s](GW) to go to his father Isaac(GX) in the land of Canaan.(GY)

19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(GZ) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(HA) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(HB) Laban the Aramean(HC) by not telling him he was running away.(HD) 21 So he fled(HE) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(HF) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(HG)

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day(HH) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(HI) 23 Taking his relatives(HJ) with him(HK), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(HL) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(HM) in a dream at night and said to him,(HN) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(HO)

25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(HP) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(HQ) You’ve deceived me,(HR) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(HS) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(HT) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(HU) and harps?(HV) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(HW) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(HX) but last night the God of your father(HY) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(HZ) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(IA) But why did you steal(IB) my gods?(IC)”

31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(ID) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(IE) 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.(IF)

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(IG) and into the tent of the two female servants,(IH) but he found nothing.(II) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(IJ) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(IK) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(IL) 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;(IM) I’m having my period.(IN)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(IO)

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

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(IU) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(IV) 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(IW) by day or night.(IX) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(IY) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(IZ) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(JA) and six years for your flocks,(JB) and you changed my wages(JC) ten times.(JD) 42 If the God of my father,(JE) the God of Abraham(JF) and the Fear of Isaac,(JG) had not been with me,(JH) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(JI) and last night he rebuked you.(JJ)”

43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.(JK) 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,(JL) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”(JM)

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

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

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(JW) and here is this pillar(JX) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(JY) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(JZ) and pillar to my side to harm me.(KA) 53 May the God of Abraham(KB) and the God of Nahor,(KC) the God of their father, judge between us.”(KD)

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

55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters(KI) and blessed(KJ) them. Then he left and returned home.[v](KK)

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32 [w]Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God(KL) met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”(KM) So he named that place Mahanaim.[x](KN)

3 Jacob sent messengers(KO) ahead of him to his brother Esau(KP) in the land of Seir,(KQ) the country of Edom.(KR)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
  2. Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
  3. Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God.
  4. Genesis 28:21 Or Since God … father’s household, the Lord
  5. Genesis 28:22 Or household, and the Lord will be my God, 22 then
  6. Genesis 29:17 Or delicate
  7. Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
  8. Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
  9. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
  10. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
  11. Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
  12. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
  13. Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
  14. Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
  15. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
  16. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
  17. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
  18. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.
  19. Genesis 31:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  20. Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
  21. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
  22. Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.
  23. Genesis 32:1 In Hebrew texts 32:1-32 is numbered 32:2-33.
  24. Genesis 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps.
Next
Genesis 27
Genesis 33
Next
dropdown
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

ESV Study Bible
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV