Laban

29Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man at the well.

And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

30Laban had seen the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms. He had heard Rebekah say, "This is what the man said to me." So he came to the man. The man was standing by the camels at the well.

And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

31Laban said, "Come in. The LORD has blessed you. Why are you standing out here? I have made the house ready, and there is room for the camels."

And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

32The man came into the house. The loads were taken off the camels. Straw and food were given to the camels. Water was brought to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him.

And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.

NoteThe roads were dusty and people wore sandals. Washing a guest's feet was a kind way to welcome him.

33Food was set in front of him to eat. But he said, "I will not eat until I have told you why I came." He said, "Go ahead and speak."

And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

NoteGuests were usually fed first. He had news he wanted to tell right away.

50Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "This comes from the LORD. We cannot say anything to you, bad or good."

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

NoteThey mean they cannot argue about it, not one way and not the other.

51"Look, Rebekah is right here. Take her and go. Let her be the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has said."

Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.

52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground. He worshiped the LORD.

And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.

53The servant brought out silver jewelry, gold jewelry, and clothes. He gave them to Rebekah. He also gave fine gifts to her brother and her mother.

And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.

NoteGifts to the bride and her family were part of getting married then.

54He and the men with him ate and drank and stayed all night. In the morning they got up. He said, "Send me back to my master."

And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.

55Her brother and her mother said, "Let the girl stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she may go."

And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

56He said to them, "Do not hold me back. The LORD has made my trip go well. Send me away so I can go to my master."

And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

57They said, "We will call the girl and ask her what she says."

And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.

NoteThey called Rebekah in so she could answer for herself.

58They called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."

And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

59So they sent their sister Rebekah away. They also sent her nurse, Abraham's servant, and his men.

And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.

NoteA nurse was a woman who had taken care of Rebekah since she was a baby.

60They blessed Rebekah. They said to her, "You are our sister. May you be the mother of thousands and thousands. May your children take the gates of the people who hate them."

And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

NoteGates were the big doors in the wall around a city. Taking the gates meant winning over your enemies.

41Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing his father gave him. Esau said in his heart, "The days of sadness for my father are near. Then I will kill my brother Jacob."

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

NoteWhen someone died, the family kept special sad days. They cried and remembered the person together.

42Someone told Rebekah what her older son Esau said. She sent for her younger son Jacob. She said to him, "Look, your brother Esau is making himself feel better. He plans to kill you."

And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

NoteThe King James says Esau "doth comfort himself." It means he made himself feel better by planning to kill Jacob.

43"So now, my son, listen to me. Get up and run away to my brother Laban in Haran."

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;

NoteLaban was Rebekah's brother, so he was Jacob's uncle. Haran was a town far away, many days of walking.

44"Stay with him a few days, until your brother's hot anger goes away."

And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away;

45"Stay until your brother is not angry with you anymore. Stay until he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back. Why should I lose both of you in one day?"

Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

NoteIf Esau killed Jacob, Rebekah would lose Jacob. She would lose Esau too, because he would have to run away.

46Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am tired of my life because of these Hittite women. Jacob might marry one of them, one of the young women of this land. If he does, what good is my life?"

And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

NoteThe Hittites were people who lived nearby. They prayed to other gods. Esau had already married two Hittite women.

1Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he told him, "Do not marry one of the women of Canaan."

And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

NoteTo bless someone was to ask God to be good to them. Canaan was the land where Jacob's family lived. The people there prayed to other gods.

2"Get up and go to Padanaram. Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father. Marry one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother."

Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.

NotePadanaram was a land far away, many days of walking. Jacob's mother's family lived there. Back then people often married a cousin from their own family.

3"May God Almighty bless you. May he give you children, and many more after them. May you become a great many people."

And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

Note"God Almighty" is a name for God. It means the one who is stronger than everything.

4"May he give you the blessing he gave Abraham. May he give it to you and to your children after you. Then this land will be yours. Right now you live here as a stranger. God gave this land to Abraham."

And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

NoteAbraham was Jacob's grandfather. God had promised Abraham this land and many, many children. A stranger is someone living in a land that is not his own.

5So Isaac sent Jacob away. Jacob went to Padanaram, to Laban. Laban was the son of Bethuel the Syrian. Laban was the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

NoteSyrian means he came from Syria, a land far to the north. That is where Rebekah's family lived.

1Then Jacob went on his way. He came to the land of the people of the east.

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

NoteThe people of the east lived far away, past the desert. Jacob had left home and walked for many days.

2He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying near it. The sheep drank water from that well. A big stone lay over the opening of the well.

And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.

NoteA well is a deep hole dug down to water under the ground. A flock is a group of sheep kept together. The heavy stone kept dirt out and kept strangers from taking the water.

3All the flocks were brought together there. Then they rolled the stone off the well. They gave the sheep water. Then they put the stone back over the well.

And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place.

4Jacob said to the men, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."

And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

NoteHaran was a town far away. Jacob's mother had grown up there. Her family still lived there.

5He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

NoteNahor was really Laban's grandfather. In those days people said "son" for a grandson too.

6He said, "Is he well?" They said, "He is well. Look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep."

And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

Note"Is he well?" means "Is he healthy and doing all right?"

7He said, "Look, the sun is still high. It is not time to bring the animals in. Give the sheep water. Then go and let them eat grass."

And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

NoteSheep were brought home at the end of the day. The sun was still high, so there was more time to eat grass.

8They said, "We cannot. We wait until all the flocks are here. Then the stone is rolled off the well. Then we give the sheep water."

And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.

9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep. She took care of them.

And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.

NoteGirls and young women often looked after the family sheep. It was a real job, out in the fields all day.

10Laban was the brother of Jacob's mother. Jacob saw Rachel, Laban's daughter, and Laban's sheep. So Jacob went over and rolled the stone off the well. He gave water to Laban's flock.

And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

NoteLaban was Jacob's uncle. The stone was so heavy that it usually took several men to move it.

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel. He cried out loud and wept.

And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

NoteA kiss on the cheek was the normal way to greet family. It was like a big hug today. People also cried out loud when they were happy.

12Jacob told Rachel that he belonged to her father's family. He told her he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.

And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.

NoteThe old words say Jacob was her father's "brother." Back then that word could mean any relative. Jacob was really Laban's nephew.

13Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son. He ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him and brought him home. Jacob told Laban all that had happened.

And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

14Laban said to him, "You are truly my own flesh and blood." Jacob stayed with him for a month.

And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

Note"My own flesh and blood" means "you are part of my family."

15Then Laban said to Jacob, "You are my relative. Should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your pay should be."

And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

NotePay was not always money. A worker might be paid with food, animals, or clothes.

16Laban had two daughters. The older one was named Leah. The younger one was named Rachel.

And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17Leah's eyes were weak. Rachel was beautiful and lovely to look at.

Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

18Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will work for you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."

And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

NoteA man usually gave the bride's family a gift before a wedding. Jacob had no money or animals with him. So he offered seven years of hard work instead.

19Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to another man. Stay here with me."

And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

20So Jacob worked seven years to get Rachel. It felt like only a few days to him, because he loved her.

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

21Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is finished. I want to sleep with her."

And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22So Laban called together all the men of that place. He made a big meal for them.

And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

NoteA wedding meal was a big party. It lasted a whole week, with many guests.

23That evening Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. Jacob slept with her.

And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

NoteThe bride wore a thick veil over her face. It was dark at night, so Jacob could not see who she was.

24Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah, to be her helper.

And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

NoteA servant girl worked for the family. She went with the bride to her new home to help her.

25In the morning, there was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What have you done to me? Did I not work for you to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?"

And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26Laban said, "In our land we do not do that. The younger daughter is not married before the older one."

And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

NoteIn that land the oldest daughter had to marry first. That was their rule for families.

27"Finish this wedding week with Leah. Then we will give you Rachel too. For her you will work seven more years for me."

Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

NoteThe wedding party lasted seven days. Jacob had to stay with Leah for all of it.

28Jacob did that. He finished the wedding week with Leah. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife too.

And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

29Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel, to be her helper.

And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

30Jacob slept with Rachel too. He loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban seven more years.

And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

NoteIn those days a man sometimes had more than one wife. That is why Jacob was married to both sisters.

25After Rachel had Joseph, Jacob spoke to Laban. He said, "Send me away. I want to go to my own place and my own country.

And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.

NoteJacob had left his home far away and come to live with Laban, his uncle. Now he wants to go back.

26Give me my wives and my children. I worked for you to get them. Then let me go. You know how hard I have worked for you."

Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

NoteJacob had worked for Laban for fourteen years to marry Leah and Rachel. That work was the price for them.

27Laban said to him, "Please stay, if you are pleased with me. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you."

And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

NoteDivination means trying to learn secret things by magic or by watching for signs. Laban did this to find out why he was doing so well.

28He said, "Tell me what pay you want. I will give it to you."

And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

29Jacob said to him, "You know how I have worked for you. You know how your animals have done while I cared for them.

And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

NoteIn those days sheep and goats were like money. The more animals you had, the richer you were.

30You had only a little before I came. Now you have very much. The LORD has blessed you since I came. When can I take care of my own family too?"

For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

31Laban said, "What shall I give you?" Jacob said, "Do not give me anything. Just do this one thing for me. Then I will keep feeding and caring for your flock.

And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

32Let me walk through your whole flock today. I will take out every sheep with spots or speckles. I will take every brown sheep. I will take every goat with spots or speckles. Those animals will be my pay.

I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

NoteMost sheep back then were white, and most goats were dark. Spotted and speckled ones were less common. So Jacob was asking for the unusual animals as his pay.

33Later you can come and check my pay. Then you will see that I have been honest. Say I have a goat without spots or speckles. Or say I have a sheep that is not brown. Then it will count as stolen."

So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

NoteJacob is setting up a simple test. If a plain animal shows up in his flock, everyone will know he took it.

34Laban said, "Good. Let it be just as you have said."

And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

35That same day Laban took out the male goats with streaks and spots. He took the female goats with speckles and spots. He took every goat with any white on it. He also took every brown sheep. He gave them to his sons to care for.

And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

NoteLaban moved all the spotted animals far away. That way they could not have spotted babies in Jacob's flock.

36He put three days of travel between himself and Jacob. Jacob took care of the rest of Laban's flocks.

And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.

NoteThree days of travel means as far as a person could walk in three days. It kept the two flocks from mixing.

37Jacob took fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He peeled strips of bark off them. That made white stripes show on the branches.

And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

NotePoplar, almond, and plane are kinds of trees. Bark is the outer skin of a branch. Peeling it off shows white wood underneath.

38He put the peeled branches in the water troughs in front of the flocks. The animals came there to drink. The flocks came into heat when they came to drink.

And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

NoteA trough is a long open box that holds water for animals to drink. "Came into heat" means the animals were ready to mate and have young.

39The flocks mated in front of the branches. Their young had streaks and speckles and spots.

And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.

NoteBack then people believed that what animals looked at could change how their babies looked.

40Jacob set the lambs apart. He turned the flocks to face the streaked and brown animals in Laban's flock. He kept his own animals by themselves. He did not put them with Laban's animals.

And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s cattle.

41Whenever the stronger animals were ready to mate, Jacob laid the branches in the troughs. He put them where the animals could see them. Then they mated near the branches.

And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

42But when the animals were weak, he did not put the branches there. So the weaker animals were Laban's. The stronger ones were Jacob's.

But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.

43So Jacob grew very rich. He had many animals, servant women and servant men, camels and donkeys.

And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

NoteCamels and donkeys carried people and heavy loads. Having many animals and many servants meant you were rich.