Genesis 30:25-31:21

New International Version

Jacob’s Flocks Increase

²⁵ After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way^(A) so I can go back to my own homeland.^{(B) 26} Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,^(C) and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.”

²⁷ But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(D) please stay. I have learned by divination^(E) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”^{(F) 28} He added, “Name your wages,^(G) and I will pay them.”

²⁹ Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you^(H) and how your livestock has fared under my care.^{(I) 30} The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.^(J) But now, when may I do something for my own household?^(K)”

³¹ “What shall I give you?” he asked.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: ³² Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat.^(L) They will be my wages.^{(M) 33} And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored,^(N) will be considered stolen.^(O)”

³⁴ “Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.” ³⁵ That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs,^(P) and he placed them in the care of his sons.^{(Q) 36} Then he put a three-day journey^(R) between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban’s flocks.

³⁷ Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond^(S) and plane trees^(T) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.^{(U) 38} Then he placed the peeled branches^(V) in all the watering troughs,^(W) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat^(X) and came to drink, ³⁹ they mated in front of the branches.^(Y) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.^{(Z) 40} Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals^(AA) that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals. ⁴¹ Whenever the stronger females were in heat,^(AB) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,^{(AC) 42} but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.^{(AD) 43} In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.^(AE)

Jacob Flees From Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons^(AF) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”^{(AG) 2} And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.^(AH)

³ Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back^(AI) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”^(AJ)

⁴ So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. ⁵ He said to them, “I see that your father’s^(AK) attitude toward me is not what it was before,^(AL) but the God of my father has been with me.^{(AM) 6} You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,^{(AN) 7} yet your father has cheated^(AO) me by changing my wages^(AP) ten times.^(AQ) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.^{(AR) 8} If 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,’^(AS) then all the flocks bore streaked young. ⁹ So God has taken away your father’s livestock^(AT) and has given them to me.^(AU)

¹⁰ “In breeding season I once had a dream^(AV) in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. ¹¹ The angel of God^(AW) said to me in the dream,^(AX) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’^{(AY) 12} And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,^(AZ) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.^{(BA) 13} I am the God of Bethel,^(BB) where you anointed a pillar^(BC) and where you made a vow^(BD) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.^(BE)’”

¹⁴ Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share^(BF) in the inheritance of our father’s estate? ¹⁵ Does he not regard us as foreigners?^(BG) Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.^{(BH) 16} Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.^(BI) So do whatever God has told you.”

¹⁷ Then Jacob put his children and his wives^(BJ) on camels,^{(BK) 18} and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated^(BL) in Paddan Aram,^[a](BM) to go to his father Isaac^(BN) in the land of Canaan.^(BO)

¹⁹ When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,^(BP) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.^{(BQ) 20} Moreover, Jacob deceived^(BR) Laban the Aramean^(BS) by not telling him he was running away.^{(BT) 21} So he fled^(BU) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,^(BV) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.^(BW)