Jacob flees from Laban
1Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, ‘Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.’ 2And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude towards him was not what it had been.
3Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.’
4So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. 5He said to them, ‘I see that your father’s attitude towards me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. 6You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength, 7yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. 8If 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,” then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.
10‘In the breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. 11The angel of God said to me in the dream, “Jacob.” I answered, “Here I am.” 12And he said, “Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.” ’
14Then Rachel and Leah replied, ‘Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father’s estate? 15Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us. 16Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you.’
17Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, 18and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram,31:18 That is, North-west Mesopotamia to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away. 21So he fled with all he had, crossed the River Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
Laban pursues Jacob
22On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
25Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26Then Laban said to Jacob, ‘What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war. 27Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, so that I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of tambourines and harps? 28You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing. 29I have the power to harm you; 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 longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?’
31Jacob answered Laban, ‘I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. 32But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. 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.
33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.
35Rachel said to her father, ‘Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.’ So he searched but could not find the household gods.
36Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. ‘What is my crime?’ he asked Laban. ‘How have I wronged you that you hunt me down? 37Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.
38‘I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. 40This was my situation: the heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you 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, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.’
43Laban answered Jacob, ‘The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.’
45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46He said to his relatives, ‘Gather some stones.’ So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
48Laban said, ‘This heap is a witness between you and me today.’ That is why it was called Galeed. 49It was also called Mizpah,31:49 Mizpah means watchtower. because he said, ‘May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50If you ill-treat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no-one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.’
51Laban also said to Jacob, ‘Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.’
So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. 54He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
55Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.
Yakob Dwane Firi Laban Nkyɛn
1Yakob tee sɛ Laban mmammarima no reka sɛ, “Yakob afa yɛn agya ho nneɛma nyinaa. Nʼahonya nyinaa firi yɛn agya nneɛma a wafa no.” 2Yakob hunuu sɛ, afei deɛ, Laban nte nʼanim nkyerɛ no sɛ kane no.
3Afei, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Yakob sɛ, “Sane kɔ wʼabusuafoɔ ne wo nkurɔfoɔ asase so, na mɛdi wʼakyi.”
4Enti, Yakob soma ma wɔkɔfrɛɛ ne yerenom Rahel ne Lea sɛ, wɔmmra ne nkyɛn wɔ ɛserɛ no so, faako a ɔne ne nnwankuo no wɔ no. 5Wɔbaeɛ no, ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Mahunu sɛ, afei deɛ, mo agya Laban anim nyɛ me fɛ sɛ kane no, nanso Onyankopɔn a mʼagya Isak somm no no ka me ho. 6Monim sɛ, mayi me yam, de mʼahoɔden nyinaa ayɛ adwuma, ama mo agya; 7nanso mo agya nam nsisie kwan so, asesa mʼakatua mu mprɛdu. Nanso, yei nyinaa akyiri, Onyankopɔn amma no ɛkwan amma wanyɛ me bɔne. 8Sɛ ɔka sɛ, ‘Mmoa a wɔn ho yɛ ntokontrama no bɛyɛ wʼakatua,’ na sɛ mmoa no wo a, na wɔawo mma a wɔn ho yɛ ntokontrama. Sɛ ɔka sɛ, ‘Mmoa a wɔn ho yɛ nsensaneɛ no bɛyɛ wʼakatua’ a, na wɔawowo mma a wɔn ho yɛ nsensaneɛ. 9Ɛkwan a Onyankopɔn nam so agye mo agya nsam nyɛmmoa no de wɔn ama me ama mayɛ ɔdefoɔ no ne no.
10“Ɛduruu ɛberɛ a mmoa no hyiam no, mesoo daeɛ hunuu sɛ, nnwennini a wɔforo nnwammedeɛ no ho yɛ ntokontrama, nsensaneɛ anaa nsisimu. 11Onyankopɔn ɔbɔfoɔ frɛɛ me wɔ daeɛ no mu ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Yakob!’ Ɛnna megyee so sɛ, ‘Me nie!’ 12Ɛnna ɔsoro abɔfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Hwɛ na hunu sɛ, nnwennini a wɔforo nnwammedeɛ no nyinaa ho yɛ nsensaneɛ, ntokontrama anaa nsisimu, na mahunu ɛkwan a Laban de wo fa so no nyinaa. 13Mene Onyankopɔn a meyii me ho adi kyerɛɛ wo wɔ Bet-El, beaeɛ a wode ɛboɔ sii hɔ, hwiee ngo guu so, somm me, hyɛɛ me bɔ sɛ, wobɛsom me no. Afei, tu firi saa asase yi so ntɛm ara, na sane kɔ asase a wɔwoo wo wɔ so no so.’ ”
14Na Rahel ne Lea bisaa sɛ, “Enti, saa tebea a yɛwɔ mu yi, yɛwɔ kyɛfa bi wɔ yɛn agya agyapadeɛ mu anaa? 15Yɛn agya mfa yɛn sɛ yɛyɛ ahɔhoɔ? Watɔn yɛn, na yɛn tiri sika a ɔgyeeɛ no nso, wadi. 16Ɛyɛ nokorɛ turodoo sɛ, yɛn agya ahodeɛ a Onyankopɔn gyeeɛ no nyinaa yɛ yɛn ne yɛn mma dea. Enti, biribiara a Onyankopɔn aka akyerɛ wo sɛ yɛ no, yɛ.”
17Ɛda bi, Yakob de ne mma ne ne yerenom tenatenaa nyoma so. 18Ɔkaa ne mmoa nyinaa, agyapadeɛ a wanya nyinaa ne mmoa a ɔnyaa wɔ Paddan-Aram nyinaa dii nʼanim sɛ, ɔrekɔ nʼagya Isak nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan asase so.
19Ɛberɛ a Laban kɔɔ wiram sɛ ɔrekɔtwitwa ne nnwan ho nwi no, Rahel faa nʼakyi kɔwiaa nʼagya fie abosom. 20Yakob daadaa Aramni Laban a wamma wanhunu sɛ, ɔredwane. 21Yakob de nʼahodeɛ nyinaa dwaneeɛ. Ɔtwaa Asubɔnten Eufrate, de nʼani kyerɛɛ bepɔ asase Gilead no so.
Laban Ti Yakob
22Yakob ne nʼabusuafoɔ dwaneeɛ no, nnansa akyiri ansa na Laban tee sɛ wɔkɔ. 23Laban faa ne fiefoɔ, kaa ne ho, de anibereɛ tii Yakob. Nnanson akyiri ansa na ɔkɔtoo Yakob ne ne nkurɔfoɔ no wɔ bepɔ Gilead so. 24Saa ɛda no ara anadwo, Onyankopɔn yii ne ho adi wɔ daeɛ mu kyerɛɛ Aramni Laban. Ɔka kyerɛɛ no wɔ daeɛ no mu sɛ, “Hwɛ yie na woankɔka asɛm biara, sɛ ɛyɛ asɛm pa anaa asɛmmɔne ankyerɛ Yakob.”
25Ɛberɛ a Laban ne ne fiefoɔ kɔtoo Yakob no, na Yakob asisi ne ntomadan wɔ bepɔ Gilead atifi. Laban ne ne fiefoɔ no nso sisii wɔn ntomadan wɔ bepɔ no ayaase. 26Afei, Laban kɔɔ Yakob nkyɛn kɔbisaa no sɛ, “Woadaadaa me. Asɛm bɛn na wode adi me yi? Woakyekyere me mmammaa de wɔn redwane te sɛ nnommumfoɔ. 27Adɛn enti na wodaadaa me, na wodwane firii me nkyɛn a woankra? Sɛ wokraa me a, anka mɛto wo ɛpono, na mama nnipa abɛbɔ sankuo, ato nnwom wɔ apontoɔ no ase, de agya wo kwan. 28Woamma mankyeakyea me nananom ne me mmammaa yi nsam mpo, amfa annya wɔn kwan. Woadi nkwaseasɛm. 29Mewɔ tumi sɛ anka meyɛ wo bɔne, nanso, nnora anadwo, Onyankopɔn a wo agya somm no no ka kyerɛɛ me wɔ daeɛ mu sɛ, ‘Hwɛ yie na woanka asɛm biara, sɛ ɛyɛ asɛm pa anaa asɛmmɔne, ankyerɛ Yakob.’ 30Esiane sɛ wʼani agyina wo agya fie enti, na ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ ara, na adɛn enti na wowiaa mʼabosom, de kaa wo nneɛma ho?”
31Yakob buaa Laban sɛ, “Na mesuro. Na ɛyɛ me sɛ wode tumi bɛgye wo mmammaa no afiri me nsam. 32Nanso, obiara a wobɛhunu wʼabosom no wɔ ne nkyɛn no, ɔsɛ owuo. Wʼankasa hwehwɛ, sɛ wobɛhunu biribiara a ɛyɛ wo dea wɔ me nneɛma yi mu wɔ yɛn nuanom yi anim. Sɛ wohunu biribiara a ɛyɛ wo dea a, fa wʼadeɛ.” Ɛberɛ a Yakob kaa saa asɛm yi no, na ɔnnim sɛ Rahel na wawia nʼagya Laban abosom no.
33Ɛno enti, Laban kɔɔ Yakob, Lea, ne nʼasomfoɔ Bilha ne Silpa ntomadan mu kɔhwehwɛɛ hɔ, nanso wanhunu biribiara. Afei, ɔkɔwuraa Rahel ntomadan mu. 34Ɛfiri sɛ, na Rahel awia abosom no de ahyehyɛ ne yoma no atɛ ase, atena so. Enti, Laban kɔhwehwɛɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ Rahel ntomadan no nyinaa mu, nanso wanhunu abosom no.
35Afei, Rahel ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya sɛ, “Agya, mma wo bo mfu me sɛ mete hɔ wɔ wʼanim na mensɔre nnyina hɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, makɔ afikyire.” Enti, Laban toaa so hwehwɛɛ abosom no ara, nanso wanhunu.
36Ɛyɛɛ saa no, Yakob bo fuu Laban yie, bisaa no sɛ, “Bɔne bɛn na mayɛ? Amumuyɛsɛm bɛn na madi a ɛno enti, woataa me ara yi?” 37Wohwehwɛɛ me nneɛma nyinaa mu yi, ɛdeɛn adeɛ na wohunuiɛ a ɛyɛ wo ne wo fiefoɔ dea? Deɛ wohunuiɛ biara no, fa bɛto dwa wɔ me nuanom ne wo nuanom a wɔahyia ha yi nyinaa anim, na wɔnkyerɛ deɛ ɛyɛ ne dea.
38“Mfirinhyia aduonu a wo ne me tenaeɛ, wo nnwan ne wo mmirekyie abereɛ no ampompɔn, na mankum wo nnwennini yi bi amfiri wo nnwankuo yi mu, anwe da. 39Mamfa wʼaboa biara a akekaboa bi atete ne mu ammrɛ wo; wɔn a mmoa kumm wɔn no, mʼankasa mehyɛɛ anan mu. Afei sɛ ɛba sɛ wɔwia wo mmoa no bi, anadwo anaa awia a, woma metua ka. 40Saa na asetena a me ne wo teɛ no teɛ. Meyɛɛ wʼadwuma awia maa owia hyee me. Meyɛɛ wʼadwuma anadwo maa awɔ dee me, maa sɛ, mekɔ kɛtɛ so koraa a, mentumi nna. 41Mfirinhyia aduonu a metenaa wo nkyɛn nyinaa, na saa na mʼasetena teɛ. Mede mfirinhyia dunan na ɛyɛɛ adwuma maa wo, de waree wo mmammaa baanu no. Ɛnna mede mfirinhyia nsia nso hwɛɛ wo nnwan. Deɛ ɛtwa toɔ koraa ne sɛ, wosesaa mʼakatua mpɛn edu. 42Sɛ ɛnyɛ Onyankopɔn a mʼagya somm no, Onyankopɔn a Abraham somm no a ɔwɔ mafa ne suro a mesuro mʼagya Isak a, anka nokorɛm nie, wopamoo me, maa mede me nsapan kɔeɛ. Nanso Onyankopɔn hunuu mʼamanehunu ne me nsa ano adwuma enti na nnora anadwo ɔkaa wʼanim no.”
Laban Ne Yakob Yɛ Apam
43Laban buaa Yakob sɛ, “Mmaa no yɛ me mmammaa, mmɔfra no nso yɛ me nananom, ɛnna nnwankuo no nso yɛ me nnwankuo. Nneɛma a wohunu yi nyinaa yɛ me dea. Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na matumi ayɛ mʼankasa me mmammaa ne me nananom bɔne? 44Afei, bra na me ne wo nyɛ apam a ɛbɛdi me ne wo ntam adanseɛ. Saa apam no so na yɛbɛdi wɔ yɛn asetena nyinaa mu.”
45Enti, Yakob faa ɛboɔ de sii hɔ yɛɛ nkaeɛdum. 46Yakob kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Montase aboɔ!” Enti, wɔtasee aboɔ boaa ano. Afei, wɔn nyinaa tenaa ho didiiɛ. 47Laban frɛɛ aboɔ kuo no Yegar-Sahaduta a asekyerɛ ne Adanseɛ Kuo. Yakob nso frɛɛ saa aboɔ kuo no Gal-Ed, a asekyerɛ ne Adanseɛ Kuo saa ara.
48Afei, Laban kaa sɛ, “Aboɔ Kuo yi na ɛdi me ne wo ntam adanseɛ ɛnnɛ!” Ɛno enti na wɔfrɛ no Gal-Ed no. 49Na wɔsane frɛ aboɔ nkaeɛdum no nso bio sɛ, “Mispa” ɛfiri sɛ, Laban kaa sɛ, “Awurade mmoa yɛn, na sɛ yɛn ntam tete mpo a, yɛn mu biara bɛdi saa apam yi so. 50Sɛ woanhwɛ me mmammaa yi yie anaasɛ woware mmaa foforɔ ka me mmammaa yi ho a, ɛwom sɛ merenhunu, nanso Onyankopɔn deɛ, ɔbɛhunu.”
51Laban sane ka kyerɛɛ Yakob sɛ, “Aboɔ Kuo yi ni. Nkaeɛdum a mede asi me ne wo ntam no nso nie. 52Aboɔ Kuo yi ne nkaeɛdum yi nyɛ adanseɛ sɛ, me Laban, merentra saa Aboɔ Kuo yi ne nkaeɛdum yi mma baabi a wowɔ mmɛtoa wo. Na wo Yakob nso, worentra saa Aboɔ kuo yi ne nkaeɛdum yi mma baabi a mewɔ mmɛtoa me. 53Ma Abraham Onyankopɔn ne Nahor31.53 Na Nahor yɛ Abraham nuabarima (11.26) ɛnna ɔyɛ Laban nana (24.24,29). Laban somm anyame bebree. Onyankopɔn, wɔn agyanom Onyankopɔn nyɛ ɔtemmufoɔ wɔ me ne wo ntam.”
Enti, Yakob de nʼagya Isak Onyankopɔn ho suro kaa ntam sɛ, ɔrentra ɛhyeɛ no. 54Afei, Yakob bɔɔ Onyankopɔn afɔdeɛ wɔ bepɔ no atifi, na ɔhyiahyiaa ne nnamfonom bɛdidiiɛ. Ɛno akyiri no, wɔdaa ne nkyɛn wɔ bepɔ no so.
55Laban sɔree anɔpatutuutu fefee ne nananom ne ne mmammaa no ano, hyiraa wɔn. Ɛno akyiri no, ɔsane nʼakyi kɔɔ ne kurom.
