Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 54
48
Genesis 31
PG 46
31:1-55
SCENIC
22
JACOB FLEES FROM LABAN
As the years pass, Jacob’s family and wealth increase. Despite Laban’s deceit,
Jacob honors his agreements with him, and his efforts meet with great success.
It is God’s blessing. Laban’s sons, however, grow jealous of Jacob’s success,
accusing him of stealing from their father. Jacob begins to sense conflict brewing, and God confirms that it is time for Jacob and his family to leave.
me because of you. 28 Tell me how much I owe
you. Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.”
29
Jacob replied, “You know how hard I’ve
worked for you, and how your flocks and
herds have grown under my care. 30 You had
little indeed before I came, but your wealth has
increased enormously. The Lord has blessed
you through everything I’ve done. But now,
what about me? When can I start providing for
my own family?”
31
“What wages do you want?” Laban asked
again.
Jacob replied, “Don’t give me anything. Just
do this one thing, and I’ll continue to tend
and watch over your flocks. 32 Let me inspect
your flocks today and remove all the sheep
and goats that are speckled or spotted, along
with all the black sheep. Give these to me as
my wages. 33 In the future, when you check on
the animals you have given me as my wages,
you’ll see that I have been honest. If you find in
my flock any goats without speckles or spots,
or any sheep that are not black, you will know
that I have stolen them from you.”
34
“All right,” Laban replied. “It will be as
you say.” 35 But that very day Laban went out
and removed the male goats that were streaked
and spotted, all the female goats that were
speckled and spotted or had white patches,
and all the black sheep. He placed them in
the care of his own sons, 36 who took them a
three-days’ journey from where Jacob was.
Meanwhile, Jacob stayed and cared for the rest
of Laban’s flock.
37
Then Jacob took some fresh branches from
poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled off
strips of bark, making white streaks on them.
38
Then he placed these peeled branches in the
watering troughs where the flocks came to
drink, for that was where they mated. 39 And
when they mated in front of the white-streaked
branches, they gave birth to young that were
streaked, speckled, and spotted. 40 Jacob separated those lambs from Laban’s flock. And at
mating time he turned the flock to face Laban’s
animals that were streaked or black. This is
how he built his own flock instead of increasing Laban’s.
41
Whenever the stronger females were ready
to mate, Jacob would place the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of them.
Then they would mate in front of the branches.
42
But he d
idn’t do this with the weaker ones,
so the weaker lambs belonged to Laban, and
the stronger ones were Jacob’s. 43 As a result,
Jacob became very wealthy, with large flocks
of sheep and goats, female and male servants,
and many camels and donkeys.
JACOB FLEES FROM LABAN
31
But Jacob soon learned that Laban’s
sons were grumbling about him. “Jacob
has robbed our father of everything!” they
said. “He has gained all his wealth at our father’s expense.” 2 And Jacob began to notice a
change in Laban’s attitude toward him.
3
Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to
the land of your father and grandfather and to
your relatives there, and I will be with you.”
4
So Jacob called Rachel and Leah out to the
field where he was watching his flock. 5 He said
to them, “I have noticed that your father’s attitude toward me has changed. But the God of
my father has been with me. 6 You know how
hard I have worked for your father, 7 but he has
cheated me, changing my wages ten times. But
God has not allowed him to do me any harm.
8
For if he said, ‘The speckled animals will be
