1 Mosebok 31

1 Så fikk han høre at Labans sønner hadde sagt: Jakob har tatt alt det som vår far eide, og av det som vår far eide, har han lagt sig til all denne rikdom.

Someone told Jacob that Laban’s sons were complaining and saying, “Jacob has become very rich by taking everything [HYP] that belonged to our father.”

2 Og Jakob så på Labans ansikt at han ikke var den samme mot ham som før.

And Jacob noticed that Laban was not acting friendly toward him as he had done before.

3 Og Herren sa til Jakob: Vend tilbake til dine fedres land og ditt eget folk, og jeg vil være med dig.

Then Yahweh said to Jacob, “Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will help you there.”

4 Da sendte Jakob bud efter Rakel og Lea og bad dem komme ut på marken, hvor han var med sin buskap.

So Jacob sent a message to Rachel and Leah, telling them to come out to the pastures where his flocks of sheep and goats were.

5 Og han sa til dem: Jeg ser på eders fars ansikt at han ikke er den samme mot mig som før; men min fars Gud har vært med mig.

When they arrived, he said to them, “I see that your father does not act friendly toward me as he did previously. But God, whom my father worshiped, has helped me.

6 Og I vet selv at jeg av all min evne har tjent eders far.

You two know that I have worked very hard for your father,

7 Men eders far har sveket mig og forandret min lønn ti ganger; men Gud lot ham ikke få gjøre mig noget ondt.

but many times [HYP] he has cheated me by decreasing my wages. But God has not allowed him to harm me.

8 Når han sa: Det flekkete skal være din lønn, da fikk alt småfeet flekkete unger, og når han sa: Det stripete skal være din lønn, da fikk alt småfeet stripete unger.

When Laban said, ‘The speckled animals are the ones that I will give you to be your wages,’ then all the animals gave birth to young ones that were speckled. When he changed and said, ‘The ones that have black and white stripes on them will be your wages,’ then all the animals gave birth to young ones that were striped.

9 Således tok Gud eders fars fe fra ham og gav mig det.

In that way, God has taken away the livestock that belonged to your father and has given them to me.

10 Og ved den tid småfeet parret sig, så jeg frem for mig i drømme og fikk se at bukkene som parret sig med småfeet, var stripete, flekkete og prikkete.

“One time, when the animals were mating, I had a dream. In my dream I [looked up and was surprised to] see that some of the male goats that were mating with the female goats had black and white stripes on them, some were speckled, and some were spotted.

11 Og Guds engel sa til mig i drømmen: Jakob! Og jeg sa: Ja, her er jeg.

An angel who was sent by God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I am here!’

12 Da sa han: Se nu frem for dig, så skal du få se at alle bukkene som parrer sig med småfeet, er stripete, flekkete og prikkete; for jeg har sett alt det Laban gjør mot dig.

He said to me, ‘Look up and you will see that all the male goats that are mating have black and white stripes on them, or are speckled or spotted. This is happening because I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

13 Jeg er den Gud som du så i Betel, der hvor du salvet en minnesten, og hvor du gjorde mig et løfte; gjør dig nu rede og dra bort fra dette land, og vend tilbake til ditt fødeland.

I am God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you set up a stone to show that the place was holy, and you poured [olive] oil on the stone and made a solemn promise to me. So now leave this land immediately, and return to the land where you were born.’”

14 Da svarte Rakel og Lea og sa til ham: Har vi vel ennu nogen lodd og arv i vår fars hus?

Rachel and Leah replied, “Our father will not give us anything more when he dies [RHQ].

15 Har han ikke aktet oss som fremmede? Han har jo solgt oss og selv fortært det han fikk for oss.

He treats us as though we were foreigners [RHQ]! [Your working for him all these years was like a payment] that you gave him as a price for us, but we will not inherit any of that money that he got as a price for us. He has spent it all!

16 All den rikdom Gud har tatt fra vår far, den hører oss og våre barn til; gjør nu bare du alt det Gud har sagt til dig!

Surely all of the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you to do!”

17 Så gjorde Jakob sig ferdig og satte sine barn og hustruer på kamelene,

Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels.

18 og han tok med sig hele sin buskap og alt det gods som han hadde samlet sig, det fe han eide, og som han hadde lagt sig til i Mesopotamia, og vilde dra til Isak, sin far, i Kana'ans land.

He made all his livestock go ahead of him. Besides the livestock, he took along all the other things that he had acquired while living in Paddan-Aram. And they prepared to return to his father Isaac, in the Canaan region.

19 Men Laban hadde draget bort for å klippe sine får; da stjal Rakel sin fars husguder.

Before they left, while Laban was shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the [small wooden] idols [that were in her father’s tent].

20 Og Jakob stjal sig bort fra arameeren Laban; han sa ikke noget til ham om at han vilde flykte.

Furthermore, Jacob deceived Laban, who belonged to the Aram people-group, by not telling him that they were planning to leave.

21 Så flyktet han med alt det han hadde; han gjorde sig ferdig og satte over elven og tok veien til Gileadfjellet.

So Jacob and his family fled with all their possessions, and they crossed the Euphrates River, and then started traveling south toward the hilly Gilead region.

22 Den tredje dag efter fikk Laban vite at Jakob var flyktet.

On the third day after they left, someone told Laban that Jacob and his family had left.

23 Da tok han med sig sine frender og satte efter ham syv dagsreiser, og nådde ham igjen på Gilead-fjellet.

So he took some of his relatives with him and started to pursue Jacob. They continued walking for seven days.

24 Men Gud kom til arameeren Laban i en drøm om natten og sa til ham: Vokt dig og si ikke noget til Jakob, hverken godt eller ondt!

Then God appeared to Laban in a dream at night, and said to him, “When you catch up to Jacob, be sure that you do not say anything at all [HYP] to him in an angry manner!”

25 Da Laban nådde Jakob igjen, hadde Jakob slått op sitt telt på fjellet, og Laban med sine frender slo også op sitt telt på Gilead-fjellet.

The next day, by the time Laban caught up with Jacob, Jacob and his household had set up their tents in the hilly Gilead region. So Laban and his relatives set up their tents there, too.

26 Da sa Laban til Jakob: Hvad er det du har gjort? Du har stjålet dig bort fra mig og ført mine døtre avsted som om de var tatt i krig.

Then Laban went to Jacob and said to him, “Why have you done this? You have deceived me by carrying away my daughters as though you had captured them in a war [MTY]!

27 Hvorfor flyktet du hemmelig og stjal dig bort fra mig og sa ikke noget om det til mig, så jeg kunde ha fulgt dig på veien med gledesrop og sanger, med trommer og harper?

Why did you run away and deceive me? Why did you not tell me that you were going to leave, so that we could have rejoiced and sung while people played music on tambourines and harps before I said ‘goodbye’ to you?

28 Du lot mig ikke engang få kysse mine sønner og døtre; det var uforstandig gjort av dig.

(You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye before they left!/Why did you not allow me to kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye before they left?) [RHQ] What you have done was foolish!

29 Jeg har det i min makt å gjøre ondt mot eder; men eders fars Gud sa til mig inatt: Vokt dig og si ikke noget til Jakob, hverken godt eller ondt!

My relatives and I have the power to harm you, but last night the God whom your father worships said to me in a dream, ‘Be sure that you do not say anything at all to Jacob in an angry way.’

30 Men når du nu har draget bort, fordi du lengtes så såre efter din fars hus, hvorfor stjal du da mine guder?

Now, I know you have left because you long to go back home. But why did you steal my [wooden] idols?”

31 Da svarte Jakob og sa til Laban: Jeg var redd; jeg tenkte at du kunde ta dine døtre fra mig med makt.

Jacob replied to Laban, saying, “I did not tell you that we were planning to leave, because I was afraid. I thought that [if I told you], you would forcefully take your daughters away from me.

32 Men den som du finner dine guder hos, han skal ikke leve. Se nu efter i våre frenders nærvær, om du kjennes ved noget av det jeg har med mig, og ta det så! Men Jakob visste ikke at Rakel hadde stjålet dem.

But if you find anyone here who has your wooden idols, we will execute that person. While our relatives are watching, search for yourself to see if there is anything that belongs to you that is here with me. If you find anything, you can take it!” When Jacob said that, he did not know that Rachel had stolen the wooden idols.

33 Da gikk Laban inn i Jakobs telt og i Leas telt og i begge trælkvinnenes telt, men fant ikke noget. Så gikk han ut av Leas telt og inn i Rakels telt.

Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and then into Leah’s tent, and then into the tents of the two female slaves and searched for the idols, but he did not find them. After he left their tents, he entered Rachel’s tent.

34 Men Rakel hadde tatt husgudene og lagt dem i kamelsalen og satt sig på dem; og Laban gjennemsøkte hele teltet, men fant ikke noget.

But Rachel had previously taken the idols and put them in the saddle of a camel, and she was sitting on the saddle. So when Laban searched all over for them inside Rachel’s tent, he did not find them.

35 Og hun sa til sin far: Min herre må ikke bli vred fordi jeg ikke kan reise mig for dig; for det går mig på kvinners vis. Så lette han efter husgudene, men fant dem ikke.

Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry with me, sir, but I cannot get up in your presence [to show respect for you], because I am having my monthly menstrual period. [EUP]” So when Laban searched some more, he did not find the [wooden] idols.

36 Da blev Jakob vred og gikk i rette med Laban. Og Jakob tok til orde og sa til Laban: Hvad er min brøde, hvad er min synd, siden du forfølger mig så?

Then Jacob became angry. He rebuked Laban, saying, “What crime did I commit? For what sin that I committed have you pursued me?

37 Du har nu gjennemsøkt alt det jeg har; hvad fant du da som hører ditt hus til? Legg det frem her for mine og dine frender, så de kan dømme mellem oss to!

Now you have searched through all my possessions, and what did you find from all these possessions that belongs to you? Put it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they can decide who is right, you or me!

38 Nu har jeg vært hos dig i tyve år; dine får og dine gjeter har ikke født i utide, og værene av ditt småfe har jeg ikke ett op;

I was with you for 20 years. In all that time, your sheep and goats have (not miscarried/always given birth to animals safely). I have not [killed and] eaten any rams from your flocks.

39 det som var sønderrevet, kom jeg ikke hjem til dig med; jeg godtgjorde selv skaden; av mig krevde du det, enten det var stjålet om dagen, eller det var stjålet om natten.

When one of your animals was attacked and mauled/killed by a wild animal, I did not bring it to you. I replaced the dead animal with a living one of my own animals. Whenever one of your animals was stolen, during the day or during the night, you demanded that I replace it with one of my own animals.

40 Slik hadde jeg det: Om dagen fortærtes jeg av hete og av kulde om natten, og søvnen flydde fra mine øine.

I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was often not even able to sleep [PRS]!

41 I tyve år har jeg nu vært i ditt hus, jeg har tjent dig fjorten år for dine to døtre og seks år for ditt småfe; men du forandret min lønn ti ganger.

I lived in your household for 20 years. I worked for you for 14 years to buy your two daughters, and for six more years to buy some of your sheep and goats. During that time, you changed and reduced my wages many times [HYP].

42 Hadde ikke min fars Gud vært med mig, han som var Abrahams Gud, og som også Isak frykter, sannelig, du hadde nu latt mig fare med tomme hender. Men Gud har sett min møie og alt mitt strev, og han har dømt inatt.

If God, the one whom my grandfather Abraham worshiped and before whom my father Isaac trembled in fear, had not been with me and helped me, you would have sent me away (with nothing in my hands/owning nothing)! But God saw how much I was suffering and how hard I was working, so last night he told you that what you have done to me was wrong.”

43 Da svarte Laban og sa til Jakob: Døtrene er mine døtre, og barna er mine barn, og buskapen er min buskap, og alt det du ser, er mitt; hvad skulde jeg da nu kunne gjøre mot disse mine døtre eller mot deres barn, som de har født?

Laban replied, “These two women are my daughters, and their children are my grandchildren, and the animals are my animals. Everything you see here is mine [HYP]! But what can I do today to keep my daughters or the children they have given birth to [RHQ]?

44 Så kom nu og la oss gjøre en pakt, jeg og du, og den skal være et vidne mellem mig og dig.

I cannot do anything in order to keep them, so hey, we should make a peace agreement, you and I, and do something that will remind us about our agreement.”

45 Da tok Jakob en sten og reiste den op som en minnesten.

So Jacob took a [large] stone and set it on its end.

46 Og Jakob sa til sine frender: Sank sammen stener! Og de tok stener og laget en røs; og de holdt måltid der ved stenrøsen.

Then Jacob said to his relatives, “You also gather some stones.” So they gathered some rocks and put them in a heap, and they ate some food there near the heap.

47 Og Laban kalte den Jegar-Sahaduta, men Jakob kalte den Gal-Ed.

Laban gave the heap the Aramaic name Jegar-Sahadutha, [which means ‘rock-pile to remind us’, ] but Jacob gave the rock-pile the Hebrew name Galeed, [which has the same meaning].

48 Da sa Laban: Denne røs skal være et vidne mellem mig og dig idag. Derfor kalte de den Gal-Ed,

Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks we have put here today will help us to remember our agreement.” That is why Jacob called it Galeed.

49 og tillike Mispa, fordi han sa: Herren holde vakt mellem mig og dig, når vi kommer hverandre av syne;

They also named the place Mizpah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘watchtower’, ] because Laban said, “We will ask Yahweh to watch you and me while we are separated from each other, [so that we do not try to harm each other].

50 dersom du farer ille med mine døtre eller tar dig andre hustruer foruten mine døtre, da er det vel intet menneske hos oss, men se, Gud er vidne mellem mig og dig.

If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take other women to be your wives, even if no one tells me about it, don’t forget that God sees what you and I are doing!”

51 Så sa Laban til Jakob: Se, denne røs og denne minnesten som jeg har reist mellem mig og dig -

Laban also said to Jacob, “You see this large stone and this pile of rocks that we have set up to be between us.

52 vidner skal de være, både røsen og minnestenen, at ikke skal jeg dra til dig forbi denne røs, og at heller ikke skal du dra til mig forbi denne røs og denne minnesten med ondt i sinne.

Both this pile of rocks and this large stone will remind us, that I will not go past these rocks to harm you, and you will not go past these rocks to harm me.

53 Abrahams Gud og Nakors Gud skal dømme mellem oss, han som var deres fars Gud. Så svor Jakob ved ham som hans far Isak fryktet.

We will ask the God whom [your grandfather] Abraham and [his father] Nahor worshiped to punish [MTY] either one of us, [if we harm the other one].” So Jacob solemnly promised to do what they said in their peace agreement. And he asked God, the one before whom his father Isaac trembled, to listen to what they promised.

54 Og Jakob ofret et slaktoffer på fjellet og innbød sine frender til måltid. Og de holdt måltid og blev natten over på fjellet.

He offered a sacrifice to God there in the hilly area, and he invited his relatives to eat with him. After they had eaten, they slept there that night.

55 Morgenen efter stod Laban tidlig op, og han kysset sine sønner og sine døtre og velsignet dem. Så drog Laban hjem igjen.

The next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters [goodbye] and asked God to bless them. Then he [and his men] left them and returned home.