< Genesis 31 >

1 He heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's. From that which was our father's he has gained all this wealth."
וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת־דִּבְרֵי בְנֵֽי־לָבָן לֵאמֹר לָקַח יַעֲקֹב אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר לְאָבִינוּ וּמֵאֲשֶׁר לְאָבִינוּ עָשָׂה אֵת כָּל־הַכָּבֹד הַזֶּֽה׃
2 Jacob saw the expression on Laban's face, and look, it was not as it had been.
וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב אֶת־פְּנֵי לָבָן וְהִנֵּה אֵינֶנּוּ עִמּוֹ כִּתְמוֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃
3 Then God said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹב שׁוּב אֶל־אֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתֶּךָ וְאֶֽהְיֶה עִמָּֽךְ׃
4 Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flock was,
וַיִּשְׁלַח יַעֲקֹב וַיִּקְרָא לְרָחֵל וּלְלֵאָה הַשָּׂדֶה אֶל־צֹאנֽוֹ׃
5 and said to them, "I see the expression on your father's face, that it is not what it was before. But the God of my father has been with me.
וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶן רֹאֶה אָנֹכִי אֶת־פְּנֵי אֲבִיכֶן כִּֽי־אֵינֶנּוּ אֵלַי כִּתְמֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם וֽ͏ֵאלֹהֵי אָבִי הָיָה עִמָּדִֽי׃
6 You know that I have served your father with all of my strength.
וְאַתֵּנָה יְדַעְתֶּן כִּי בְּכָל־כֹּחִי עָבַדְתִּי אֶת־אֲבִיכֶֽן׃
7 Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.
וַאֲבִיכֶן הֵתֶל בִּי וְהֶחֱלִף אֶת־מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי עֲשֶׂרֶת מֹנִים וְלֹֽא־נְתָנוֹ אֱלֹהִים לְהָרַע עִמָּדִֽי׃
8 If he said this, 'The speckled will be your wages,' then all the flock bore speckled. If he said this, 'The streaked will be your wages,' then all the flock bore streaked.
אִם־כֹּה יֹאמַר נְקֻדִּים יִהְיֶה שְׂכָרֶךָ וְיָלְדוּ כָל־הַצֹּאן נְקֻדִּים וְאִם־כֹּה יֹאמַר עֲקֻדִּים יִהְיֶה שְׂכָרֶךָ וְיָלְדוּ כָל־הַצֹּאן עֲקֻדִּֽים׃
9 Thus God has taken away your father's livestock and given them to me.
וַיַּצֵּל אֱלֹהִים אֶת־מִקְנֵה אֲבִיכֶם וַיִּתֶּן־לִֽי׃
10 And it came about at the time when the flocks were breeding I looked up and saw in a dream, and look, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted.
וַיְהִי בְּעֵת יַחֵם הַצֹּאן וָאֶשָּׂא עֵינַי וָאֵרֶא בַּחֲלוֹם וְהִנֵּה הָֽעַתֻּדִים הָעֹלִים עַל־הַצֹּאן עֲקֻדִּים נְקֻדִּים וּבְרֻדִּֽים׃
11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am.'
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים בַּחֲלוֹם יֽ͏ַעֲקֹב וָאֹמַר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
12 He said, 'Now lift up your eyes, and look, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
וַיֹּאמֶר שָׂא־נָא עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה כָּל־הָֽעַתֻּדִים הָעֹלִים עַל־הַצֹּאן עֲקֻדִּים נְקֻדִּים וּבְרֻדִּים כִּי רָאִיתִי אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר לָבָן עֹשֶׂה לָּֽךְ׃
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a standing-stone, where you made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your birth.'"
אָנֹכִי הָאֵל בֵּֽית־אֵל אֲשֶׁר מָשַׁחְתָּ שָּׁם מַצֵּבָה אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתָּ לִּי שָׁם נֶדֶר עַתָּה קוּם צֵא מִן־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וְשׁוּב אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃
14 Rachel and Leah answered him, "Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
וַתַּעַן רָחֵל וְלֵאָה וַתֹּאמַרְנָה לוֹ הַעוֹד לָנוּ חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה בְּבֵית אָבִֽינוּ׃
15 Aren't we regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has used up what was paid for us.
הֲלוֹא נָכְרִיּוֹת נֶחְשַׁבְנוּ לוֹ כִּי מְכָרָנוּ וַיֹּאכַל גַּם־אָכוֹל אֶת־כַּסְפֵּֽנוּ׃
16 For all the wealth which God has taken away from our father, that is ours and our children's. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do."
כִּי כָל־הָעֹשֶׁר אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֱלֹהִים מֵֽאָבִינוּ לָנוּ הוּא וּלְבָנֵינוּ וְעַתָּה כֹּל אֲשֶׁר אָמַר אֱלֹהִים אֵלֶיךָ עֲשֵֽׂה׃
17 Then Jacob got up and put his sons and his wives on the camels,
וַיָּקָם יַעֲקֹב וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת־בָּנָיו וְאֶת־נָשָׁיו עַל־הַגְּמַלִּֽים׃
18 and he took away all his livestock and all his property which he had acquired, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
וַיִּנְהַג אֶת־כָּל־מִקְנֵהוּ וְאֶת־כָּל־רְכֻשׁוֹ אֲשֶׁר רָכָשׁ מִקְנֵה קִנְיָנוֹ אֲשֶׁר רָכַשׁ בְּפַדַּן אֲרָם לָבוֹא אֶל־יִצְחָק אָבִיו אַרְצָה כְּנָֽעַן׃
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the idols that belonged to her father.
וְלָבָן הָלַךְ לִגְזֹז אֶת־צֹאנוֹ וַתִּגְנֹב רָחֵל אֶת־הַתְּרָפִים אֲשֶׁר לְאָבִֽיהָ׃
20 Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he intended to flee.
וַיִּגְנֹב יַעֲקֹב אֶת־לֵב לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי עַל־בְּלִי הִגִּיד לוֹ כִּי בֹרֵחַ הֽוּא׃
21 So he fled with everything that he had, and he arose and crossed the River, and set out toward the hill country of Gilead.
וַיִּבְרַח הוּא וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וַיָּקָם וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת־הַנָּהָר וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־פָּנָיו הַר הַגִּלְעָֽד׃
22 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
וַיֻּגַּד לְלָבָן בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי בָרַח יַעֲקֹֽב׃
23 He took his relatives with him, and pursued after him for seven days, and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
וַיִּקַּח אֶת־אֶחָיו עִמּוֹ וַיִּרְדֹּף אַחֲרָיו דֶּרֶךְ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וַיַּדְבֵּק אֹתוֹ בְּהַר הַגִּלְעָֽד׃
24 God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night, and said to him, "Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad."
וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל־לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי בַּחֲלֹם הַלָּיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן־תְּדַבֵּר עִֽם־יַעֲקֹב מִטּוֹב עַד־רָֽע׃
25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his relatives camped in the hill country of Gilead.
וַיַּשֵּׂג לָבָן אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹב וְיַעֲקֹב תָּקַע אֶֽת־אָהֳלוֹ בָּהָר וְלָבָן תָּקַע אֶת־אֶחָיו בְּהַר הַגִּלְעָֽד׃
26 Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken in war?
וַיֹּאמֶר לָבָן לְיַעֲקֹב מֶה עָשִׂיתָ וַתִּגְנֹב אֶת־לְבָבִי וַתְּנַהֵג אֶת־בְּנֹתַי כִּשְׁבֻיוֹת חָֽרֶב׃
27 Why did you flee in secret and deceive me, and not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and singing, with a tambourine and with a lyre.
לָמָּה נַחְבֵּאתָ לִבְרֹחַ וַתִּגְנֹב אֹתִי וְלֹא־הִגַּדְתָּ לִּי וָֽאֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְשִׁרִים בְּתֹף וּבְכִנּֽוֹר׃
28 And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly.
וְלֹא נְטַשְׁתַּנִי לְנַשֵּׁק לְבָנַי וְלִבְנֹתָי עַתָּה הִסְכַּלְתָּֽ עֲשֽׂוֹ׃
29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.'
יֶשׁ־לְאֵל יָדִי לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּכֶם רָע וֽ͏ֵאלֹהֵי אֲבִיכֶם אֶמֶשׁ ׀ אָמַר אֵלַי לֵאמֹר הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ מִדַּבֵּר עִֽם־יַעֲקֹב מִטּוֹב עַד־רָֽע׃
30 Now you have indeed gone away, because you longed greatly for your father's house. But why have you stolen my gods?"
וְעַתָּה הָלֹךְ הָלַכְתָּ כִּֽי־נִכְסֹף נִכְסַפְתָּה לְבֵית אָבִיךָ לָמָּה גָנַבְתָּ אֶת־אֱלֹהָֽי׃
31 Jacob answered Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.'
וַיַּעַן יַעֲקֹב וַיֹּאמֶר לְלָבָן כִּי יָרֵאתִי כִּי אָמַרְתִּי פֶּן־תִּגְזֹל אֶת־בְּנוֹתֶיךָ מֵעִמִּֽי׃
32 Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, identify what I have that is yours, and take it with you." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
עִם אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא אֶת־אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא יִֽחְיֶה נֶגֶד אַחֵינוּ הַֽכֶּר־לְךָ מָה עִמָּדִי וְקַֽח־לָךְ וְלֹֽא־יָדַע יַעֲקֹב כִּי רָחֵל גְּנָבָֽתַם׃
33 Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he did not find them. He went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
וַיָּבֹא לָבָן בְּאֹהֶל יַעֲקֹב ׀ וּבְאֹהֶל לֵאָה וּבְאֹהֶל שְׁתֵּי הָאֲמָהֹת וְלֹא מָצָא וַיֵּצֵא מֵאֹהֶל לֵאָה וַיָּבֹא בְּאֹהֶל רָחֵֽל׃
34 Now Rachel had taken the idols, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them.
וְרָחֵל לָקְחָה אֶת־הַתְּרָפִים וַתְּשִׂמֵם בְּכַר הַגָּמָל וַתֵּשֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶם וַיְמַשֵּׁשׁ לָבָן אֶת־כָּל־הָאֹהֶל וְלֹא מָצָֽא׃
35 She said to her father, "Do not let my lord be angry that I can't rise up before you; for the manner of women is on me." He searched, but did not find the teraphim.
וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־אָבִיהָ אַל־יִחַר בְּעֵינֵי אֲדֹנִי כִּי לוֹא אוּכַל לָקוּם מִפָּנֶיךָ כִּי־דֶרֶךְ נָשִׁים לִי וַיְחַפֵּשׂ וְלֹא מָצָא אֶת־הַתְּרָפִֽים׃
36 Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, "What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued after me?
וַיִּחַר לְיַעֲקֹב וַיָּרֶב בְּלָבָן וַיַּעַן יַעֲקֹב וַיֹּאמֶר לְלָבָן מַה־פִּשְׁעִי מַה חַטָּאתִי כִּי דָלַקְתָּ אַחֲרָֽי׃
37 Now that you have searched around in all my stuff, did you find anything from all of your household's belongings? Put it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between the two of us.
כִּֽי־מִשַּׁשְׁתָּ אֶת־כָּל־כֵּלַי מַה־מָּצָאתָ מִכֹּל כְּלֵי־בֵיתֶךָ שִׂים כֹּה נֶגֶד אַחַי וְאַחֶיךָ וְיוֹכִיחוּ בֵּין שְׁנֵֽינוּ׃
38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks.
זֶה עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ רְחֵלֶיךָ וְעִזֶּיךָ לֹא שִׁכֵּלוּ וְאֵילֵי צֹאנְךָ לֹא אָכָֽלְתִּי׃
39 That which was torn by animals I did not bring to you. I bore its loss. You demanded payment from me whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
טְרֵפָה לֹא־הֵבֵאתִי אֵלֶיךָ אָנֹכִי אֲחַטֶּנָּה מִיָּדִי תְּבַקְשֶׁנָּה גְּנֻֽבְתִי יוֹם וּגְנֻֽבְתִי לָֽיְלָה׃
40 I was consumed by the heat during the day and by the frost at night, and sleepless nights.
הָיִיתִי בַיּוֹם אֲכָלַנִי חֹרֶב וְקֶרַח בַּלָּיְלָה וַתִּדַּד שְׁנָתִי מֵֽעֵינָֽי׃
41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
זֶה־לִּי עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה בְּבֵיתֶךָ עֲבַדְתִּיךָ אַרְבַּֽע־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בִּשְׁתֵּי בְנֹתֶיךָ וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים בְּצֹאנֶךָ וַתַּחֲלֵף אֶת־מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי עֲשֶׂרֶת מֹנִֽים׃
42 Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the one whom Isaac fears, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my harsh treatment and my hard work, and rebuked you last night."
לוּלֵי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם וּפַחַד יִצְחָק הָיָה לִי כִּי עַתָּה רֵיקָם שִׁלַּחְתָּנִי אֶת־עָנְיִי וְאֶת־יְגִיעַ כַּפַּי רָאָה אֱלֹהִים וַיּוֹכַח אָֽמֶשׁ׃
43 Laban answered Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine: and what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?
וַיַּעַן לָבָן וַיֹּאמֶר אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹב הַבָּנוֹת בְּנֹתַי וְהַבָּנִים בָּנַי וְהַצֹּאן צֹאנִי וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּה רֹאֶה לִי־הוּא וְלִבְנֹתַי מָֽה־אֽ͏ֶעֱשֶׂה לָאֵלֶּה הַיּוֹם אוֹ לִבְנֵיהֶן אֲשֶׁר יָלָֽדוּ׃
44 So now, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between the two of us." And he said to him, "Look, there is no one with us; see, God is witness between me and you."
וְעַתָּה לְכָה נִכְרְתָה בְרִית אֲנִי וָאָתָּה וְהָיָה לְעֵד בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶֽךָ׃
45 Jacob took a stone and set it up as a standing-stone.
וַיִּקַּח יַעֲקֹב אָבֶן וַיְרִימֶהָ מַצֵּבָֽה׃
46 Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." So they took stones and made a mound. They ate there by the mound.
וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְאֶחָיו לִקְטוּ אֲבָנִים וַיִּקְחוּ אֲבָנִים וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־גָל וַיֹּאכְלוּ שָׁם עַל־הַגָּֽל׃
47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
וַיִּקְרָא־לוֹ לָבָן יְגַר שָׂהֲדוּתָא וְיַֽעֲקֹב קָרָא לוֹ גַּלְעֵֽד׃
48 Laban said, "This mound is a witness between me and you today." Therefore it was named Galeed
וַיֹּאמֶר לָבָן הַגַּל הַזֶּה עֵד בֵּינִי וּבֵינְךָ הַיּוֹם עַל־כֵּן קָרָֽא־שְׁמוֹ גַּלְעֵֽד׃
49 and Mizpah, for he said, "God watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.
וְהַמִּצְפָּה אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יִצֶף יְהוָה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ כִּי נִסָּתֵר אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵֽהוּ׃
50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us; see, God is witness between me and you."
אִם־תְּעַנֶּה אֶת־בְּנֹתַי וְאִם־תִּקַּח נָשִׁים עַל־בְּנֹתַי אֵין אִישׁ עִמָּנוּ רְאֵה אֱלֹהִים עֵד בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶֽךָ׃
51 Laban said to Jacob, "See this mound, and see the standing-stone, which I have set between me and you.
וַיֹּאמֶר לָבָן לְיַעֲקֹב הִנֵּה ׀ הַגַּל הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה הַמַצֵּבָה אֲשֶׁר יָרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶֽךָ׃
52 May this mound be a witness, and the standing-stone be a witness, that I will not pass over this mound to you, and that you will not pass over this mound and this standing-stone to me, to do harm.
עֵד הַגַּל הַזֶּה וְעֵדָה הַמַּצֵּבָה אִם־אָנִי לֹֽא־אֽ͏ֶעֱבֹר אֵלֶיךָ אֶת־הַגַּל הַזֶּה וְאִם־אַתָּה לֹא־תַעֲבֹר אֵלַי אֶת־הַגַּל הַזֶּה וְאֶת־הַמַּצֵּבָה הַזֹּאת לְרָעָֽה׃
53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם וֵֽאלֹהֵי נָחוֹר יִשְׁפְּטוּ בֵינֵינוּ אֱלֹהֵי אֲבִיהֶם וַיִּשָּׁבַע יַעֲקֹב בְּפַחַד אָבִיו יִצְחָֽק׃
54 Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his relatives to eat the meal. They ate the meal and stayed all night on the mountain.
וַיִּזְבַּח יַעֲקֹב זֶבַח בָּהָר וַיִּקְרָא לְאֶחָיו לֶאֱכָל־לָחֶם וַיֹּאכְלוּ לֶחֶם וַיָּלִינוּ בָּהָֽר׃
55 Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
וַיַּשְׁכֵּם לָבָן בַּבֹּקֶר וַיְנַשֵּׁק לְבָנָיו וְלִבְנוֹתָיו וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶתְהֶם וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיָּשָׁב לָבָן לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃

< Genesis 31 >