Genesis

雅各逃离拉班

1雅各听见拉班的儿子们有话说：「雅各把我们父亲所有的都夺了去，并借着我们父亲的，得了这一切的荣耀。」

2雅各见拉班的气色向他不如从前了。

3耶和华对雅各说：「你要回你祖、你父之地，到你亲族那里去，我必与你同在。」

4雅各就打发人，叫拉结和利亚到田野羊群那里来，

5对她们说：「我看你们父亲的气色向我不如从前了；但我父亲的 神向来与我同在。

6你们也知道，我尽了我的力量服事你们的父亲。

7你们的父亲欺哄我，十次改了我的工价；然而 神不容他害我。

8他若说：『有点的归你作工价』，羊群所生的都有点；他若说：『有纹的归你作工价』，羊群所生的都有纹。

9这样， 神把你们父亲的牲畜夺来赐给我了。

10羊配合的时候，我梦中举目一看，见跳母羊的公羊都是有纹的、有点的、有花斑的。

11神的使者在那梦中呼叫我说：『雅各。』我说：『我在这里。』

12他说：『你举目观看，跳母羊的公羊都是有纹的、有点的、有花斑的；凡拉班向你所做的，我都看见了。

13我是伯特利的 神；你在那里用油浇过柱子，向我许过愿。现今你起来，离开这地，回你本地去吧！』」

14拉结和利亚回答雅各说：「在我们父亲的家里还有我们可得的分吗？还有我们的产业吗？

15我们不是被他当作外人吗？因为他卖了我们，吞了我们的价值。

16神从我们父亲所夺出来的一切财物，那就是我们和我们孩子们的。现今凡 神所吩咐你的，你只管去行吧！」

17雅各起来，使他的儿子和妻子都骑上骆驼，

18又带着他在巴旦·亚兰所得的一切牲畜和财物，往迦南地、他父亲以撒那里去了。

19当时拉班剪羊毛去了，拉结偷了他父亲家中的神像。

20雅各背着亚兰人拉班偷走了，并不告诉他，

21就带着所有的逃跑。他起身过大河，面向基列山行去。

拉班追赶雅各

22到第三日，有人告诉拉班，雅各逃跑了。

23拉班带领他的众弟兄去追赶，追了七日，在基列山就追上了。

24夜间， 神到亚兰人拉班那里，在梦中对他说：「你要小心，不可与雅各说好说歹。」

25拉班追上雅各。雅各在山上支搭帐棚；拉班和他的众弟兄也在基列山上支搭帐棚。

26拉班对雅各说：「你做的是什么事呢？你背着我偷走了，又把我的女儿们带了去，如同用刀剑掳去的一般。

27你为什么暗暗地逃跑，偷着走，并不告诉我，叫我可以欢乐、唱歌、击鼓、弹琴地送你回去？

28又不容我与外孙和女儿亲嘴？你所行的真是愚昧！

29我手中原有能力害你，只是你父亲的 神昨夜对我说：『你要小心，不可与雅各说好说歹。』

30现在你虽然想你父家，不得不去，为什么又偷了我的神像呢？」

31雅各回答拉班说：「恐怕你把你的女儿从我夺去，所以我逃跑。

32至于你的神像，你在谁那里搜出来，就不容谁存活。当着我们的众弟兄，你认一认，在我这里有什么东西是你的，就拿去。」原来雅各不知道拉结偷了那些神像。

33拉班进了雅各、利亚，并两个使女的帐棚，都没有搜出来，就从利亚的帐棚出来，进了拉结的帐棚。

34拉结已经把神像藏在骆驼的驮篓里，便坐在上头。拉班摸遍了那帐棚，并没有摸着。

35拉结对她父亲说：「现在我身上不便，不能在你面前起来，求我主不要生气。」这样，拉班搜寻神像，竟没有搜出来。

36雅各就发怒斥责拉班说：「我有什么过犯，有什么罪恶，你竟这样火速地追我？

37你摸遍了我一切的家具，你搜出什么来呢？可以放在你我弟兄面前，叫他们在你我中间辨别辨别。

38我在你家这二十年，你的母绵羊、母山羊没有掉过胎。你群中的公羊，我没有吃过；

39被野兽撕裂的，我没有带来给你，是我自己赔上。无论是白日，是黑夜，被偷去的，你都向我索要。

40我白日受尽干热，黑夜受尽寒霜，不得合眼睡着，我常是这样。

41我这二十年在你家里，为你的两个女儿服事你十四年，为你的羊群服事你六年，你又十次改了我的工价。

42若不是我父亲以撒所敬畏的 神，就是亚伯拉罕的 神与我同在，你如今必定打发我空手而去。 神看见我的苦情和我的劳碌，就在昨夜责备你。」

雅各和拉班立约

43拉班回答雅各说：「这女儿是我的女儿，这些孩子是我的孩子，这些羊群也是我的羊群；凡在你眼前的都是我的。我的女儿并她们所生的孩子，我今日能向他们做什么呢？

44来吧！你我二人可以立约，作你我中间的证据。」

45雅各就拿一块石头立作柱子，

46又对众弟兄说：「你们堆聚石头。」他们就拿石头来堆成一堆，大家便在旁边吃喝。

47拉班称那石堆为伊迦尔·撒哈杜他，雅各却称那石堆为迦累得。

48拉班说：「今日这石堆作你我中间的证据。」因此这地方名叫迦累得，

49又叫米斯巴，意思说：「我们彼此离别以后，愿耶和华在你我中间鉴察。

50你若苦待我的女儿，又在我的女儿以外另娶妻，虽没有人知道，却有 神在你我中间作见证。」

51拉班又说：「你看我在你我中间所立的这石堆和柱子。

52这石堆作证据，这柱子也作证据。我必不过这石堆去害你；你也不可过这石堆和柱子来害我。

53但愿亚伯拉罕的 神和拿鹤的 神，就是他们父亲的 神，在你我中间判断。」雅各就指着他父亲以撒所敬畏的 神起誓，

54又在山上献祭，请众弟兄来吃饭。他们吃了饭，便在山上住宿。

55拉班清早起来，与他外孙和女儿亲嘴，给他们祝福，回往自己的地方去了。

Jacob Flees from Laban

1Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”

2And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.

3Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,

5and he told them, “I can see from your father’s countenance that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me.

6You know that I have served your father with all my strength.

7And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.

8If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore streaked offspring.

9Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

10When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females.

11In that dream the angelof God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’

12‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up, leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’”

14And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house?

15Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.

16Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you.”

17Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,

18and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram,to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan.

19Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.

20Moreover, Jacob deceivedLaban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away.

21So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates,and headed for the hill country of Gilead.

Laban Pursues Jacob

22On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled.

23So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.

24But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

25Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well.

26Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war!

27Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps.

28But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.

29I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’

30Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”

31“I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.

32If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.

33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.

34Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.

35Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched but could not find the household idols.

36Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?

37You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us.

38I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.

39I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.

40As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

41Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!

42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”

Jacob’s Covenant with Laban

43But Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne?

44Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.”

45So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar,

46and he said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate.

47Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

48Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.

49It was also called Mizpah,because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.

50If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”

51Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me.

52This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me.

53May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.

54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.

55Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.