28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed(A) him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman.(B) Go at once to Paddan Aram,[a](C) to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel.(D) Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.(E) May God Almighty[b](F) bless(G) you and make you fruitful(H) and increase your numbers(I) until you become a community of peoples. May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham,(J) so that you may take possession of the land(K) where you now reside as a foreigner,(L) the land God gave to Abraham.” Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way,(M) and he went to Paddan Aram,(N) to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean,(O) the brother of Rebekah,(P) who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,”(Q) and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women(R) were to his father Isaac;(S) so he went to Ishmael(T) and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth(U) and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.(V)

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beersheba(W) and set out for Harran.(X) 11 When he reached a certain place,(Y) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head(Z) and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream(AA) 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.(AB) 13 There above it[c] stood the Lord,(AC) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(AD) I will give you and your descendants the land(AE) on which you are lying.(AF) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(AG) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(AH) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[d](AI) 15 I am with you(AJ) and will watch over you(AK) wherever you go,(AL) and I will bring you back to this land.(AM) I will not leave you(AN) until I have done what I have promised you.(AO)(AP)

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(AQ) 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!(AR) This is none other than the house of God;(AS) this is the gate of heaven.”

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head(AT) and set it up as a pillar(AU) and poured oil on top of it.(AV) 19 He called that place Bethel,[e](AW) though the city used to be called Luz.(AX)

20 Then Jacob made a vow,(AY) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me(AZ) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear(BA) 21 so that I return safely(BB) to my father’s household,(BC) then the Lord[f] will be my God(BD) 22 and[g] this stone that I have set up as a pillar(BE) will be God’s house,(BF) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.(BG)

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.(BH) 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.(BI) The stone(BJ) over the mouth of the well was large. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone(BK) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.(BL) Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

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

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

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

“Yes, we know him,” they answered.

Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”

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

“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.”

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

While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,(BT) for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel(BU) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone(BV) away from the mouth of the well and watered(BW) his uncle’s sheep.(BX) 11 Then Jacob kissed(BY) Rachel and began to weep aloud.(BZ) 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative(CA) of her father and a son of Rebekah.(CB) So she ran and told her father.(CC)

13 As soon as Laban(CD) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him(CE) 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.”(CF)

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(CG) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages(CH) should be.”

16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,(CI) and the name of the younger was Rachel.(CJ) 17 Leah had weak[h] eyes, but Rachel(CK) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.(CL) 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel(CM) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”(CN)

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,(CO) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.(CP)

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

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

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

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

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

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(DF) he enabled her to conceive,(DG) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(DH) She named him Reuben,[i](DI) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(DJ) 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,(DK) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[j](DL)

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

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.[l](DO) Then she stopped having children.(DP)

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

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

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

So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(DX) Jacob slept with her,(DY) and she became pregnant and bore him a son. Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(DZ) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(EA) Because of this she named him Dan.[m](EB)

Rachel’s servant Bilhah(EC) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(ED) So she named him Naphtali.[n](EE)

When Leah(EF) saw that she had stopped having children,(EG) she took her servant Zilpah(EH) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(EI) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(EJ) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[o] So she named him Gad.[p](EK)

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

14 During wheat harvest,(EO) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(EP) 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(EQ) 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.”(ER)

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.”(ES) So he slept with her that night.

17 God listened to Leah,(ET) 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.”(EU) So she named him Issachar.[r](EV)

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,(EW) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[s](EX)

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

22 Then God remembered Rachel;(EZ) he listened to her(FA) and enabled her to conceive.(FB) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(FC) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(FD) 24 She named him Joseph,[t](FE) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(FF)

Jacob’s Flocks Increase

25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way(FG) so I can go back to my own homeland.(FH) 26 Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,(FI) 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,(FJ) please stay. I have learned by divination(FK) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”(FL) 28 He added, “Name your wages,(FM) and I will pay them.”

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

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.(FR) They will be my wages.(FS) 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,(FT) will be considered stolen.(FU)

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,(FV) and he placed them in the care of his sons.(FW) 36 Then he put a three-day journey(FX) 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(FY) and plane trees(FZ) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.(GA) 38 Then he placed the peeled branches(GB) in all the watering troughs,(GC) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat(GD) and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches.(GE) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.(GF) 40 Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals(GG) 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,(GH) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,(GI) 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.(GJ) 43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.(GK)

Jacob Flees From Laban

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

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

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(GQ) attitude toward me is not what it was before,(GR) but the God of my father has been with me.(GS) You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,(GT) yet your father has cheated(GU) me by changing my wages(GV) ten times.(GW) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.(GX) 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,’(GY) then all the flocks bore streaked young. So God has taken away your father’s livestock(GZ) and has given them to me.(HA)

10 “In breeding season I once had a dream(HB) 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(HC) said to me in the dream,(HD) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’(HE) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,(HF) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(HG) 13 I am the God of Bethel,(HH) where you anointed a pillar(HI) and where you made a vow(HJ) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.(HK)’”

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

17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives(HP) on camels,(HQ) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated(HR) in Paddan Aram,[u](HS) to go to his father Isaac(HT) in the land of Canaan.(HU)

19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(HV) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(HW) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(HX) Laban the Aramean(HY) by not telling him he was running away.(HZ) 21 So he fled(IA) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(IB) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(IC)

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day(ID) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(IE) 23 Taking his relatives(IF) with him(IG), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(IH) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(II) in a dream at night and said to him,(IJ) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(IK)

25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(IL) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(IM) You’ve deceived me,(IN) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(IO) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(IP) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(IQ) and harps?(IR) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(IS) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(IT) but last night the God of your father(IU) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(IV) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(IW) But why did you steal(IX) my gods?(IY)

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

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(JC) and into the tent of the two female servants,(JD) but he found nothing.(JE) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(JF) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(JG) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(JH) 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;(JI) I’m having my period.(JJ)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(JK)

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

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(JQ) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(JR) 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(JS) by day or night.(JT) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(JU) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(JV) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(JW) and six years for your flocks,(JX) and you changed my wages(JY) ten times.(JZ) 42 If the God of my father,(KA) the God of Abraham(KB) and the Fear of Isaac,(KC) had not been with me,(KD) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(KE) and last night he rebuked you.(KF)

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

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

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

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(KS) and here is this pillar(KT) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(KU) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(KV) and pillar to my side to harm me.(KW) 53 May the God of Abraham(KX) and the God of Nahor,(KY) the God of their father, judge between us.”(KZ)

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

55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters(LE) and blessed(LF) them. Then he left and returned home.[x](LG)

Footnotes

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

28 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughers of Laban thy mother's brother.

And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan;

And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;

Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

20 And Jacob vowed 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 raiment to put on,

21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God:

22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

29 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.

And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.

And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.

10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

30 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.

And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.

And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.

12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.

13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.

16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.

17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.

18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.

20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.

21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:

24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.

25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.

26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.

28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.

40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.

41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

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.