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2 he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I 3 know not the day of my death: now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take [hunt] me some venison; 4 and make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may_eat; 5 that my soul 'may bless thee before I die.' And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

6

k

Pro. 27. 1; Is. 38. 1;
Jam. 4. 14.

A ch. 25. 27, 2

i ver. 27; ch. 48, 9, 15; 49. 28; Deu. 33 1; 1 Sam. 16. 6, 7.

k ver. 13; Ac. & 19; Eph. 6. 1.

And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father 7 speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury 8 meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. Now 9 therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will 10 make them 'savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: and thou shalt bring ver. 4 it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he "may bless thee before his death. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, " Esau my brother is a hairy 12 man, and I am a smooth man: my father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. 13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey mych. 43 9:1 Sam. 14 voice, and go fetch me them. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother and his mother' made savoury meat, such as his father loved.

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And Rebekah took 'goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with 16 her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: and she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: 17 and she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.3

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18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; 19 who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, 'I am Esau thy firstborn: I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my 20 venison, "that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD' thy 21 God brought it to me. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that 22 I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's 23 voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because 24 his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him. And 25 he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, 'I am. And he said, Bring

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it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he 26 drank. And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my 27 son. And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said,

d

e

m ver. 4.
" eh. 25. 25.
• ver. 22.

P ch. 9. 25; Deu. 27.
18; 1 Thes. 5. 22.

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See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed: Hos. 14. 5–7. 28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, And plenty of corn and wine:

29 Let people serve thee,-and nations bow down to thee:

30

k

5

Be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: 'Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his 31 brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and " eat 32 of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto 33 him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, seventy-seven, and his father one hundred and thirtyseven; but if we allow forty years for that period, (as seems almost necessary,) he will be now only fifty-seven, and Isaac one hundred and seventeen.

1 It is said to have been the custom for some office or service to be performed by the son, before the dying blessing was pronounced by the father.

2 The hair of the young of the Syrian goat is peculiarly soft.

3 In this transaction all the parties were to be blamed: Isaac, for endeavouring to set aside the Divine oracle (chap. xxv. 23); Esau, for wishing to deprive his brother of the blessing he had himself relinquished to him; Rebekah and Jacob, for attempting to secure it by fraudulent

6

Heb. 11. 20. f Deu. 31, 13, 28; 2 Sam. 1. 21.

8 ch. 45. 18; Ps. 36. &
A Deu. 7. 13; 33 28;
Joel 2. 19.

ich. 9. 25; 25;
1 K. 4. 21.
ch. 49. 8.

ch. 12. 3; Num. 24.9.

ver. 4.

means, not trusting to the providence of God. Jacob suffered for his deception in his separation from his mother for the rest of her life; in the endurance of many years of toil and hardship; and in a considerable sacrifice of property to propitiate his brother.

4 Deceit and falsehood are the natural parents of profanity.

5 In the blessing here pronounced, the spiritual promises are much less explicit than usual. A fertile country, extended power, and superiority in his own family, are the most prominent. The value of the dew in a land which was often without rain for months together is often noticed in Scripture, as well as in other books. 6 Or, Who then is he?'

·

and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed 34 him? "and he shall be blessed. And when Esau heard the words of his yea, father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, 35 Bless me, even me also, O my father! And he said, Thy brother came with 36 subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, "Is not he rightly named Jacob [i. e. a supplanter]? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

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38

T

And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and 'with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, 39 even me also, O my father! And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him,

Behold, "thy dwelling shall be the fatness' of the earth, [or, of the fatness,] And of the dew of heaven from above;

40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; And it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion,

41

42

That thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

Esau's anger; Jacob goes to Haran; Esau's other wives.

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.

c

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 43 touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. Now therefore, my 44 son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; and 45 tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away; 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?

46

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??

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And God ch. 24. 49.

28 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto
2 him, 'Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. * Arise, go to
'Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife
3 from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest
4 be a multitude of people; 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
5 stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he
went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of
Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

6

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ch. 17. 1, 6

P ch. 12. 1-3; 17. 7, 8. 7 ch. 17. 8.

ch. 27. 43.

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padan-aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, 7 saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; and that Jacob 8 obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram; and Esau' see9 ing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had 'Mahalath the daughter of ch. 36. 3. Ishmael Abraham's son, "the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife."

10

Jacob's dream and vow.

AND Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay 12 down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set up on

1 Or, 'away from the fertile part of the earth, and from the dew of heaven from above; for in thy desert thou shalt live: and thou shalt serve thy brother; but the time shall come when thou shalt wander freely; for thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.' See refs.

2 This was a pretext for sending Jacob away to Haran, which Rebekah managed with her characteristic policy.

3 Not, as before, unwittingly; but designedly, and more fully-making over to him the chief promise (see ver. 4).

4 Or, then Esau saw.'

ch. 24. 3; 26. 35.

"ch. 25. 13.

Hos. 12. 12. y called, Ac. 7. 2, Charran.

ch. 41. 1: Num. 12. 6; Job 33. 15.

5 There was a similarity of condition, as well as of taste and habits, between the father and the son-in-law. 6 This was a journey of about four hundred miles; undertaken ostensibly for the same purpose as that of Abraham's servant to the same place, many years before; but in circumstances so different (see chap. xxiv. 10, 32), as might have made Jacob feel that he was already under the chastening hand of God.

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a ch. 32. 1, 2; John 1.
51; Heb. 1. 14

b ch. 35 1; 48. 3.
see refs. ch. 26 24

deh. 13. 15; 35. 12
ch. 13. 16

12. 20.

the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold, "the angels of God 13 ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land 14 whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the ch.13 14; Det. east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all 15 the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will 'keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for 'I will not leave thee," until I have done that which I have spoken ch.36 to thee of.

16

18

8 sue refs. ch. 12. 3
A see vers. 20, 21; ch.
6.24; 31. 3.

ich. 48 16; Ps. 121.
5, 7, 8

Den. 31. 6, 8; Jam 1. 5; 1 Ki, & 57: Jb 13 1; lieb.

13. 5.

Num. 23. 19; Mt. 24.35

"Jer. 1. 26.

Ex. 3 5; Jos. 5. 15

P eh. 31. 13, 45: 35. 14; 1 Sam. 7. 12.

1810-12;

7. 1.

Num.

"And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely, the LORD is in this 17 place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and P set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Beth-el [i. e. the house of God]; but the 20 name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying,Jig. 1. 23, 26 ; Hos. If 'God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give 21 me "bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's 22 house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Jacob serves Laban for his two daughters; Jacob's children, and growing wealth. 29 THEN Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the 2 east. 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 3 great stone was upon the well's mouth. And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put 4 the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place. And Jacob said unto them, 5 My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, 7 Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the 8 sheep, and go and feed them. 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.

c

d

4. 15.

eh. 31. 13; Jog. 11.
30; 2 Sim, 15 8;
Ps. 66. 13, 14.

f ver. 15
"Pro, 307-9; 1 Tim.

68

Jig. 11. 31; 2 Sam.
19. 24, 31

9 Deu. 26 17: ? Sam.
15. 8. K. 5. 17.
el. 35. 7, 14.

a eh. 14. 20; L. 27.
30-33; 1 Chr. 99. 14.
Num. 23, 7; Judg.
6 3; Hos. 12. 12.

ech. 43. 27.

Ex. 2. 17.
ch. 31 4; 45 14, 15
ch. 13. 8; 14. 14, 16

9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep for Ex. 2. 16 10 she kept them. 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 11 Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, 12 and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that 13 he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. 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 14 Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and ch 2 23; Jude. 9. 2; my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou there16 fore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger 17 was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, 'I will serve thee' seven years for Rachel thy 19 younger daughter. And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to thee, than 20 that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob " served seven

This

1 This was a symbol of God's universal providence, carried on partly through ministering spirits.' dream, with the subsequent Divine promise, would cheer the loneliness of his journey, and keep him from seeking a home in the land of his exile. It has been thought by many that our Lord refers to this, John i. 51.

2 Such pillars are frequent in eastern countries, and it is deemed most offensive and unfortunate to remove one, 3 Rather, and [i. e. and if] the Lord will be my God' (referring to God's promise), then this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house,' etc.

A ch. 24. 28.
i eh. 24. 29.

2 Sam. 5.1; 19.12,13

ch. 31. 41; 2 Sam. 3. 14. Ps. 12. 2. "eh. 30. 26; Hos. 12 12.

4 To protect it from drifting sand. Such wells are often kept locked, and are allowed to be opened only at certain times, and in the presence of the proprietors or their servants.

5 An employment in which, though very laborious, women of rank were often occupied.

6 The words denoting relationship are often used indefinitely. Jacob was Laban's nephew.

7 A wife is generally purchased in the east; and if her husband has not money, he obtains her by service to her father.

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

• Can. 8. 7.

9 Judg. 14. 10; John 2.1, 2.

21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days' are fulfilled, that 22 I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, Judg. 15. 1. 23 and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah' his 24 daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And Laban gave 25 unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 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 26 thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to 27 give the younger3 before the firstborn. Fulfil her week,' and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter 29 to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be 30 her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him 'yet seven other years.

28

31

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And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but 32 Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben [i. c. see a son]: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my 33 affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon [i. e. hearing]. 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was 35 his name called Levi [i. e. joined]. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name "Judah [i. e. praise]; and left bearing.

h

30 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her 2 sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath with3 held from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have 4 children by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid 'to wife: and Jacob 5 went in unto her. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath judged me,' and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a 7 son: therefore called she his name Dan [i. e. judging]. And Bilhah Rachel's 8 maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name 'Naphtali [i. e. my wrestling].

9

14

gave

When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and m 10 her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh and she called his name Gad [i. e. a troop, or, company 12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher [i.c. happy]. And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found P mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, 'Give 15 me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes. And she said unto her, "Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for 16 thy son's mandrakes. And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.

17

And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. 18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to

1 The days here spoken of may be days of service; meaning that Jacob's seven years of service had expired: but it is more probable that the reference is to the days of betrothment, or of marriage festivity. This latter supposition assumes that the marriage took place at the commencement of the seven years of servitude; and thus affords a longer period before Jacob's departure into Egypt, which seems to be required by the number of his grandchildren. In this case, ver. 20 is to be considered as a parenthesis.

? The bride being wholly concealed by a large veil, this deception was easily practised.

3 A similar prejudice still prevails in the east, and leads to similar impositions.

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Judg. 14. 12.

ver. 20; Deu. 21. 15. teh. 30. 26; 31. 41; Hos. 12. 12.

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4 That is, of marriage festivity. Laban probably practised this deception in order to secure Jacob's valuable services.

5 Knowing the importance attached to a son, especially in Abraham's family.

6 She who said this afterwards died in childbirth. See chap. xxxv. 16-19.

7 That is, hath taken cognizance of my cause.
8 Or, 'prosperity.'

9 This, though probable, is only a conjectural rendering. The fruit of the mandrake (atropa mandragora) is round and yellow, like a small orange, very fragrant and luscious. It is still eaten in the east by women desirous of offsprnig.

19 my husband: and she called his name Issachar [i. e. an hire]. And Leah con20 ceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have 21 born him six sons: and she called his name 'Zebulun [i. e. dwelling]. And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah [i. e. judgment].

22

And God 'remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and "opened her 23 womb. And she conceived and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my 24 reproach and she called his name Joseph [i. e. adding]; and said, "The LORD shall add to me another son.

25

2

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. 26 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. 27

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

29

called, Mt 13, Zabulon

tch. & 1; 21. 1; 1 Sam. 1. 19.

ch. 29. 31; Ps 113 9; 127. 3. eh. 29. 31; 1 Sam. 1. 6: Is. 41; Lk 1.25

y ch. 35. 17.

ch. 24. 54, 56. ach. 18 33; 31. 55. ch. 29. 20, 30.

ech. 39. 3, 5; Pa. 1. 3; Is. 61. 9.

d see ch. 26. 24 cli. 29. 15

Mt. 24. 45; Tit.2.10; 1 Pet. 2. 15, 18.

And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy ch. 31. 6, 38-40; 30 cattle was with me. For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since2 my coming: and now when shall I & provide for mine own house also? And he said, What shall I give thee?

31

And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing 32 for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock: 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: 33 and of such shall be my hire. 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.

34

33333

35

i

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

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 36 his sons. And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob

37

fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut' tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the 38 rods. 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 39 when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought 40 forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. 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 41 not unto Laban's cattle. 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 42 they might conceive among the rods: but when the cattle were feeble, he put 43 them not in. So the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. And the man "increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

31 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this 2 glory. And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him 'as before.

3

4

Jacob's flight from Haran, and treaty with Laban.

AND the LORD said unto Jacob, 'Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, and said unto them, "I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; 6 but the God of my father hath been with me. Andye know that with all my

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7 power I have served your father. And your father hath deceived me, and

1 His term of service for his wives being finished. 2 Heb., at my foot;' i. e. by my labour.'

3 Not of those already speckled, but of those which shall be born so, after these have been removed from the flock. Laban took all the speckled sheep and goats to a distance, and put them under the care of his sons; probably think

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