Jēkabs slepus atstāj Lābanu
1 Reiz viņš dzirdēja Lābana dēlus runājam: “Jēkabs ir sagrābies visu, kas bija mūsu tēvam, un no tā, kas bija mūsu tēvam, viņš ir ieguvis savu bagātību!” 2 Jēkabs uzlūkoja Lābana vaigu, un, redzi, tas vairs nebija tāds kā vakar un aizvakar. 3 Un Kungs teica Jēkabam: “Atgriezies sava tēva zemē, vietā, kur tu esi dzimis, un es būšu ar tevi!” 4 Un Jēkabs lika, lai pasauc Rāhēli un Leu uz lauku, kur bija viņa avis. 5 Un viņš tām teica: “Es redzu, ka jūsu tēva prāts vairs nav pret mani tāds kā vakar un aizvakar! Bet mana tēva Dievs ir bijis ar mani! 6 Un jūs zināt, ka es esmu kalpojis jūsu tēvam ar visu savu spēku. 7 Bet jūsu tēvs pievīla mani un vai desmitām reižu ir mainījis manu algu, bet Dievs viņam nav ļāvis darīt man ļaunu! 8 Kad viņš teica: lāsainie būs tava alga! – tad visas avis dzemdēja lāsainos, bet, kad viņš teica: strīpainie būs tava alga! – tad visas avis dzemdēja strīpainos! 9 Dievs atņēma ganāmpulku jūsu tēvam un atdeva man! 10 Kad avis pārojās, es raudzījos un redzēju sapni, un, redzi, visi teķi, kas apleca avis, – strīpaini, lāsaini un raibi! 11 Un Dieva eņģelis sapnī man teica: “Jēkab!” Un es teicu: “Es te!” 12 Un viņš teica: “Paraugies jel un skaties – visi teķi, kas aplec avis, ir strīpaini, lāsaini un raibi, – jo es redzēju visu, ko Lābans tev dara! 13 Es esmu Bēteles Dievs, kur tu ar eļļu svaidīji zīmi, kur tu devi man zvērestu, – celies tagad, ej projām no šīs zemes un atgriezies zemē, kur tu esi dzimis!”” 14 Rāhēle un Lea atbildēja viņam: “Vai tad mums vēl ir kāda daļa un mantojums mūsu tēva namā?! 15 Vai ne kā svešinieces mēs viņam bijām, ka viņš mūs pārdeva un aprija sudrabu, ko par mums bija dabūjis? 16 Visa bagātība, ko Dievs atņēma mūsu tēvam, nu pieder mums un mūsu dēliem. Tad nu dari visu, ko Dievs tev teica!” 17 Tad Jēkabs cēlās un sēdināja savus dēlus un savas sievas uz kamieļiem. 18 Viņš aizveda visus savus ganāmpulkus un visus savus krājumus, ko bija iekrājis, savus sapirktos lopus, ko bija ieguvis Padān-Arāmā, un gāja pie sava tēva Īzaka uz Kanaāna zemi. 19 Bet Lābans bija aizgājis cirpt savas avis, un Rāhēle nozaga sava tēva dieviņus. 20 Un Jēkabs piemānīja aramieti Lābanu, neteikdams, ka viņš bēg. 21 Viņš bēga ar visu, kas viņam bija, un viņš cēlās un šķērsoja upi un devās uz Gileāda kalniem.
Lābans panāk Jēkabu
22 Trešajā dienā Lābanam pastāstīja, ka Jēkabs aizbēdzis. 23 Tad viņš ņēma savus brāļus un septiņas dienas dzinās viņam pakaļ, līdz panāca viņu Gileāda kalnos. 24 Un Dievs naktī nāca pie aramieša Lābana sapnī un viņam teica: “Sargies, ka tu nerunā ar Jēkabu ļaunu, bet labu!”
25 Un Lābans panāca Jēkabu, bet Jēkabs bija izpletis savu telti kalnos, un arī Lābans ar saviem brāļiem apmetās Gileāda kalnos. 26 Un Lābans teica Jēkabam: “Ko tu esi nodarījis? Kāpēc tu mani piemānīji – aizvedi manas meitas kā kara gūsteknes? 27 Kāpēc tu aizbēgi slepus, apkrāpi mani un neteici man – es tevi būtu atlaidis ar līksmi un dziesmām, ar bungām un stīgām! 28 Tu neļāvi man pat noskūpstīt savus dēlus un meitas! Muļķīgi gan tu esi darījis! 29 Manā varā būtu darīt jums ļaunu! Bet jūsu tēvu Dievs man vakar teica: sargies, ka tu nerunā ar Jēkabu ļaunu, bet labu! 30 Un nu – ej jau, ja tu tā ilgojies pēc sava tēva nama, bet kāpēc tu nozagi manus dievus?!” 31 Un Jēkabs atbildēja Lābanam: “Jo… es… baidījos! Domāju, ka tu neatņem man savas meitas! 32 Bet, pie kā tu atradīsi savus dievus, tas dzīvs nepaliks! Visu mūsu brāļu priekšā parādi, kas pie manis ir tavs, un ņem to!” Bet Jēkabs nezināja, ka tos ir nozagusi Rāhēle. 33 Un Lābans gāja Jēkaba teltī un Leas teltī, un abu kalpoņu teltīs, bet neatrada, un viņš iznāca no Leas telts un gāja Rāhēles teltī. 34 Un Rāhēle paņēma dieviņus, ielika tos kamieļa seglos un apsēdās tiem virsū. Lābans iztaustīja visu telti, bet neatrada. 35 Un viņa teica savam tēvam: “Nedusmo, mans kungs, ka es nevaru piecelties tavā priekšā, jo man ir, kā sievām mēdz būt.” Un viņš meklēja, bet dieviņus neatrada.
36 Tad Jēkabs iekarsa un sāka strīdu ar Lābanu, un Jēkabs atcirta Lābanam: “Kur ir mana vaina? Kas ir mans grēks? Kāpēc tu tik kvēli mani vajā?! 37 Tu esi iztaustījis visas manas mantas! Ko tu no sava nama mantām esi atradis? Liec visu te, manu un tavu brāļu priekšā, lai tie izšķir mūs abus! 38 Šos divdesmit gadus, kamēr es biju pie tevis, tavas avis un kazas neizmetās, un tavu avju teķus es neesmu apēdis! 39 Maitas es tev nenesu atrādīt, to vietā es atliku citus lopus, un man tu atprasīji to, kas nozagts dienā un kas nozagts naktī! 40 Bet kā man! – dienā mani rija versme un aukstums naktī, un miegs bēga no manām acīm! 41 Tādi man bija divdesmit gadi! Tavā namā es kalpoju četrpadsmit gadus par abām tavām meitām un sešus gadus par taviem lopiem, bet pat ar algu tu mani pievīli vai desmitām reižu! 42 Ja mana tēva Dievs – Ābrahāma Dievs un Īzaka Briesmas – nebūtu bijis ar mani, tad tagad tu būtu mani palaidis tukšā! Dievs redzēja manas ciešanas un manus pūliņus, un vakar Dievs izsprieda taisni!”
Lābans un Jēkabs slēdz derību
43 Un Lābans atbildēja Jēkabam: “Tās meitas ir manas meitas, un tie dēli ir mani dēli, un tās avis ir manas avis, un viss, ko tu redzi, – ir mans! Bet ko es šodien varu darīt savām meitām vai viņu dēliem, ko tās dzemdējušas?! 44 Bet nu nāc, noslēgsim derību, es un tu! Tā lai ir par liecību starp mani un tevi!” 45 Un Jēkabs ņēma akmeni un uzslēja to par piemiņas stabu. 46 Jēkabs teica saviem brāļiem: “Salasiet akmeņus!” Un viņi ņēma akmeņus un sabēra kaudzē, un viņi ēda tur uz tās kaudzes. 47 Un Lābans to nosauca: Jegar-Sahadūta , bet Jēkabs to nosauca par Galēdu . 48 Un Lābans teica: “Šī kaudze šodien ir liecība man un tev!” – tādēļ to nosauca vārdā Galēda 49 un Micpa , jo viņš teica: “Kungs uzmanīs mani un tevi, kad būsim tālu viens no otra, – 50 ja tu apspiedīsi manas meitas un ja tu ņemsi vēl kādu sievu bez manām meitām, redzi – ne cilvēks, bet Dievs ir liecinieks starp mani un tevi!” 51 Un Lābans teica Jēkabam: “Redzi, šī kaudze un, redzi, tas piemiņas stabs, ko es noliku starp mani un tevi! 52 Lieciniece ir šī kaudze, un liecinieks ir šis piemiņas stabs, ka es neiešu pie tevis tālāk par šo kaudzi un ka tu neiesi pie manis ar ļaunu tālāk par šo kaudzi un piemiņas stabu! 53 Ābrahāma Dievs un Nāhora Dievs lai tiesā starp mums un viņu tēvu Dievs!” Un Jēkabs zvērēja pie sava tēva Īzaka Briesmām! 54 Jēkabs upurēja kalnā kaujamo upuri un sasauca savus brāļus, lai ēstu maizi, un viņi ēda maizi un pārnakšņoja kalnā.
Jacob Flees from Laban
1 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He got all his wealth from what our father owned.” 2 He also saw that Laban was no longer as friendly as he had been earlier. 3 Then the Lord said to him, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives. I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I have noticed that your father is not as friendly toward me as he used to be; but my father's God has been with me. 6 You both know that I have worked for your father with all my strength. 7 Yet he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not let him harm me. 8 Whenever Laban said, ‘The speckled goats shall be your wages,’ all the flocks produced speckled young. When he said, ‘The striped goats shall be your wages,’ all the flocks produced striped young. 9 God has taken flocks away from your father and given them to me.
10 “During the breeding season I had a dream, and I saw that the male goats that were mating were striped, spotted, and speckled. 11 The angel of God spoke to me in the dream and said, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Yes,’ I answered. 12 ‘Look,’ he continued, ‘all the male goats that are mating are striped, spotted, and speckled. I am making this happen because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you dedicated a stone as a memorial by pouring olive oil on it and where you made a vow to me. Now get ready and go back to the land where you were born.’”
14 Rachel and Leah answered Jacob, “There is nothing left for us to inherit from our father. 15 He treats us like foreigners. He sold us, and now he has spent all the money he was paid for us. 16 All this wealth which God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. Do whatever God has told you.”
17-18 So Jacob got ready to go back to his father in the land of Canaan. He put his children and his wives on the camels, and drove all his flocks ahead of him, with everything that he had gotten in Mesopotamia. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and during his absence Rachel stole the household gods that belonged to her father. 20 Jacob deceived Laban by not letting him know that he was leaving. 21 He took everything he owned and left in a hurry. He crossed the Euphrates River and started for the hill country of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 Three days later Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his men with him and pursued Jacob for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 In a dream that night God came to Laban and said to him, “Be careful not to threaten Jacob in any way.” 25 Jacob had set up his camp on a mountain, and Laban set up his camp with his relatives in the hill country of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, “Why did you deceive me and carry off my daughters like women captured in war? 27 Why did you deceive me and slip away without telling me? If you had told me, I would have sent you on your way with rejoicing and singing to the music of tambourines and harps. 28 You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-bye. That was a foolish thing to do! 29 I have the power to do you harm, but last night the God of your father warned me not to threaten you in any way. 30 I know that you left because you were so anxious to get back home, but why did you steal my household gods?”
31 Jacob answered, “I was afraid, because I thought that you might take your daughters away from me. 32 But if you find that anyone here has your gods, he will be put to death. Here, with our men as witnesses, look for anything that belongs to you and take what is yours.” Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban's gods.
33 Laban went and searched Jacob's tent; then he went into Leah's tent, and the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find his gods. Then he went into Rachel's tent. 34 Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but did not find them. 35 Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry with me, sir, but I am not able to stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period.” Laban searched but did not find his household gods.
36 Then Jacob lost his temper. “What crime have I committed?” he asked angrily. “What law have I broken that gives you the right to hunt me down? 37 Now that you have searched through all my belongings, what household article have you found that belongs to you? Put it out here where your men and mine can see it, and let them decide which one of us is right. 38 I have been with you now for twenty years; your sheep and your goats have not failed to reproduce, and I have not eaten any rams from your flocks. 39 Whenever a sheep was killed by wild animals, I always bore the loss myself. I didn't take it to you to show that it was not my fault. You demanded that I make good anything that was stolen during the day or during the night. 40 Many times I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was not able to sleep. 41 It was like that for the whole twenty years I was with you. For fourteen years I worked to win your two daughters—and six years for your flocks. And even then, you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac, had not been with me, you would have already sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my trouble and the work I have done, and last night he gave his judgment.”
The Agreement between Jacob and Laban
43 Laban answered Jacob, “These young women are my daughters; their children belong to me, and these flocks are mine. In fact, everything you see here belongs to me. But since I can do nothing to keep my daughters and their children, 44 I am ready to make an agreement with you. Let us make a pile of stones to remind us of our agreement.”
45 So Jacob got a stone and set it up as a memorial. 46 He told his men to gather some rocks and pile them up. Then they ate a meal beside the pile of rocks. 47 Laban named it Jegar Sahadutha, while Jacob named it Galeed. 48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will be a reminder for both of us.” That is why that place was named Galeed. 49 Laban also said, “May the Lord keep an eye on us while we are separated from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah. 50 Laban went on, “If you mistreat my daughters or if you marry other women, even though I don't know about it, remember that God is watching us. 51 Here are the rocks that I have piled up between us, and here is the memorial stone. 52 Both this pile and this memorial stone are reminders. I will never go beyond this pile to attack you, and you must never go beyond it or beyond this memorial stone to attack me. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor will judge between us.” Then, in the name of the God whom his father Isaac worshiped, Jacob solemnly vowed to keep this promise. 54 He killed an animal, which he offered as a sacrifice on the mountain, and he invited his men to the meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters good-bye, and left to go back home.
