CHAP. XXIX. ham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. 5. And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram, unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother. 6. 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 daughters of Canaan; 7. And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram. 3. And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; 9. 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 upon 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. 27 19. And he called the name of that place Beth-el: 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? and they said, Of Haran are we. 5. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6. And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well; and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. 7. 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. 8. 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. 9. 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 And he was afraid and said How brother and the sheen of Lahan his mo 32. And Leah conceived, and bar and she called his name Reuben: said, Surely the LORD hath looked u affliction; now, therefore, my husba love me. 33. And she conceived again, an son; and said, Because the Lon heard that I was hated, he hath t given me this son also: and she ca name Simeon. 34. And she conceived again, and son; and said, Now this time will band be joined unto me, because borne him three sons: therefore name called Levi. 35. And she conceived again, and son: and she said, Now will I pra LORD: therefore she called his name and left bearing. 1 Rachel's grief for her barrenness. 5 Bilhah be and Naphtali. 9 Zilpah beareth Gad and Reuben findeth mandrakes. 17 Leah beareth Zebulun, and Dinah. 22 Rachel beareth Josep cob desireth to depart: 37 His policy, wher cometh rich. 1. ND when Rachel saw that s Jacob no children, Rachel her sister; and said unto Jacob, G children, or else I die. 2. And Jacob's anger was kindled Rachel; and he said, Am I in God' who hath withheld from thee the the womb ? 3. And she said, Behold my Bilhah, go in unto her; and she sha upon my knees, that I may also ha dren by her. 4. And she gave him Bilhah he maid to wife: and Jacob went in un 5. And Bilhah conceived, and b cob a son. 6. And Rachel said, God hath jude and hath also heard my voice, an given me a son: therefore called name Dan. 7. And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, com again, and bare Jacob a second son. 8. And Rachel said, with great lings have I wrestled with my sister, have prevailed: and she called his Naphtali. 9. When Leah saw that she ha bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, an her Jacob to wife. 10. And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bare daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher. 30 And he went in also unto Rachel anda son CHAP. XXX. 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 borne him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. 21. And afterward 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 29 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 today, 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 hegoats that were ring-straked 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 hands 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 ring-straked, speckled, and spotted. 40. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-straked 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, 4 1 18. And he carried away all and all his goods which he had g cattle of his getting, which he had AND he heard the words of Laban's Padan-aram, for to go to Isaac 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. 2. And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3. And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 4. And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, unto his flock, 5. 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. 6. And ye know, that with all my power I have served your father. 7. And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times: but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8. If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ring-straked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ring-straked. 9. 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 ring-straked, 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 ring-straked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 13. I am the God of Beth-el, 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 in the land of Canaan. 19. And Laban went to shear and Rachel had stolen the images her father's. 20. And Jacob stole away una Laban the Syrian, in that he told that he fled. 21. So he fled with all that he he rose up, and passed over the r set his face toward the mount Gile 22. And it was told Laban on day, that Jacob was fled. 23. And he took his brethren with pursued after him seven days' journ they overtook him in the mount of 24. And God came to Laban the in a dream by night, and said un Take heed that thou speak not t either good or bad. 25. Then Laban overtook Jacob Jacob had pitched his tent in the and Laban with his brethren pit the mount of Gilead. 26. And Laban said to Jacob, W thou done, that thou hast stolen a awares to me, and carried away my ters as captives taken with the swor 27. Wherefore didst thou flee a cretly, and steal away from me; a not tell me, that I might have sent the with mirth and with songs, with tab with harp? 28. And hast not suffered me to sons and my daughters? Thou ha done foolishly in so doing. 29. It is in the power of my han you hurt: but the God of your fathe unto me yesternight, saying, Tak heed that thou speak not to Jacob good or bad. 30. And now, though thou wouldes be gone, because thou sore longeds thy father's house, yet wherefore ha stolen my gods? 31. And Jacob answered and s Laban, Because I was afraid: for Peradventure thou wouldest take b thy daughters from me. 32. With whomsoever thou find gods, let him not live: before our bre discern thou what is thine with mi take it to thee. For Jacob knew n Rebel bad stolen them CHAP. XXXII. 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. These 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 af fliction 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 borne? 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 31 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 besides 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. CHAP. XXXII. A angels 2. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3. And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother, unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4. And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: 5. And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and men-servants, and women-servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. 6. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. 7. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, : 4 |