Jacob Runs from Laban
1 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining, “Jacob is now a rich man, and he got everything he owns from our father.” 2 Jacob also noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been before. 3 One day the Lord said, “Jacob, go back to your relatives in the land of your ancestors, and I will be with you.”
4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him in the pasture where he kept his sheep, 5 and he told them:
Your father isn't as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God my ancestors worshiped has been on my side. 6 You know that I have worked hard for your father 7 and that he keeps cheating me by changing my wages time after time. But God has protected me. 8 When your father said the speckled sheep would be my wages, all of them were speckled. And when he said the spotted ones would be mine, all of them were spotted. 9 That's how God has taken sheep and goats from your father and given them to me.
10 Once, when the flocks were mating, I dreamed that all the rams were either spotted or speckled. 11 Then God's angel called me by name. I answered, 12 and he said, “Notice that all the rams are either spotted or speckled. I know everything Laban is doing to you, 13 and I am the God you worshiped at Bethel, when you poured olive oil on a rock and made a promise to me. Leave here at once and return to the land where you were born.”
14 Rachel and Leah said to Jacob:
There's nothing left for us to inherit from our father. 15 He treats us like foreigners and has even cheated us out of the bride price that should have been ours. 16 So do whatever God tells you to do. Even the property God took from our father and gave to you really belongs to us and our children.
17 Then Jacob, his wives, and his children got on camels and left 18 northern Syria for the home of his father Isaac in Canaan. Jacob took along all his flocks, herds, and other property.
19 Before Rachel left, she stole the household idols while Laban was out shearing his sheep.
20 Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean by not saying that he intended to leave. 21 When Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead, he took with him everything he owned.
Laban Catches Up with Jacob
22 Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone. 23 So he took some of his relatives along and chased after Jacob for seven days, before catching up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, “Don't say a word to Jacob. Don't make a threat or a promise.”
25 Jacob had set up camp in the hill country of Gilead, when Laban and his relatives came and set up camp in another part of the hill country. Laban went to Jacob 26 and said:
Look what you've done! You've tricked me and run off with my daughters like a kidnapper. 27 Why did you sneak away without telling me? I would have given you a going-away party with singing and with music on tambourines and harps. 28 You didn't even give me a chance to kiss my own grandchildren and daughters goodbye. That was really foolish. 29 I could easily hurt you, but the God your father worshiped has warned me not to make any threats or promises.
30 I can understand why you were eager to return to your father, but why did you have to steal my idols?
31 Jacob answered, “I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 If you find that any one of us has taken your idols, I'll have that person killed. Let your relatives be witnesses. Show me what belongs to you, and you can take it back.” Jacob did not realize that Rachel had stolen the household idols.
33 Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two servant women, but did not find the idols. Then he went to Rachel's tent. 34 She had already hidden them in the cushion she used as a saddle and was sitting on it. Laban searched everywhere and did not find them. 35 Rachel said, “Father, please don't be angry with me for not getting up; I'm having my period.” Laban kept on searching, but still did not find the idols.
36 Jacob became very angry and said to Laban:
What have I done wrong? Have I committed some crime? Is that why you hunted me down? 37 After searching through everything I have, did you find anything of yours? If so, put it here, where your relatives and mine can see it. Then we can decide what to do.
38 In all the 20 years that I've worked for you, not one of your sheep or goats has had a miscarriage, and I've never eaten even one of your rams. 39 If a wild animal killed one of your sheep or goats, I paid for it myself. In fact, you demanded the full price, whether the animal was killed during the day or at night. 40 I sweated every day, and I couldn't sleep at night because of the cold.
41 I had to work 14 of these 20 long years to earn your two daughters and another 6 years to buy your sheep and goats. During that time you kept changing my wages. 42 If the fearsome God worshiped by Abraham and my father Isaac had not been on my side, you would have sent me away without a thing. But God saw my hard work, and he knew the trouble I was in, so he helped me. Then last night he told you how wrong you were.
Jacob and Laban Make an Agreement
43 Laban said to Jacob, “Leah and Rachel are my daughters, and their children belong to me. All these sheep you are taking are really mine too. In fact, everything you have belongs to me. But there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children. 44 So I am ready to make an agreement with you, and we will pile up some large rocks here to remind us of the agreement.”
45 After Jacob had set up a large rock, 46 he told his men to get some more rocks and pile them up next to it. Then Jacob and Laban ate a meal together beside the rocks. 47 Laban named the pile of rocks Jegar Sahadutha. But Jacob named it Galeed. 48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will remind us of our agreement.” That's why the place was named Galeed. 49 Laban also said, “This pile of rocks means that the Lord will watch us both while we are apart from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah.
50 Then Laban said:
If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women, I may not know about it, but remember, God is watching us! 51-52 Both this pile of rocks and this large rock have been set up between us as a reminder. I must never go past them to attack you, and you must never come past them to attack me. 53 My father Nahor, your grandfather Abraham, and their ancestors all worshiped the same God, and he will make sure that we each keep the agreement.
Then Jacob made a promise in the name of the fearsome God his father Isaac had worshiped. 54 Jacob killed an animal and offered it as a sacrifice there on the mountain, and he invited his men to eat with him. After the meal they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and his grandchildren goodbye, then he left to go back home.
Jakob ma taura komurungu wa Laban
1 Jakob wa zuva ovazandu va Laban amave tja: “Jakob wa kambura oviṋa avihe, mbi ri ovya tate; noutumbe we auhe wa isa moviṋa vya tate.” 2 Jakob tja tara momurungu wa Laban, tjimanga otja muna kutja eye ke tji ri nawa na ye otja tja ri rutenga. 3 Nu Muhona wa tja ku Jakob: “Twende u yaruke kehi rooiho na komuhoko woye; nami me kara puna ove.”
4 Jakob arire tja hindi ombuze kooRahel na Lea kutja ve hakaenene mokuti ku kwa ri ozonyanda ze. 5 Neye wa tja ku wo: “Ami mba munu kutja omurungu waiho kuna ami kau tji ri otja rukuru; nungwari Ndjambi wootate wa kara puna ami. 6 Neṋe amuyevari mamu tjiwa kutja mba ungurira iho nomasa wandje aehe; 7 vari iho we ndji wovisa na rundurura ondjambi yandje ovikando omurongo. Nungwari Ndjambi ke mu yandjerere okundjitjita otjipo. 8 Laban tja tja: ‘Ozongombo ozombinḓe onḓu maze rire ondjambi yoye,’ okutja ozonyanda azehe otjaa ze kwata oungombona ouvinḓe; neye tja tja: ‘Ozonyanda zotuvao ngaze rire ondjambi yoye,’ okutja ozonyanda azehe otjaa ze kwata oungombona wotuvao. 9 Ndjambi otja yeka iho ozonyanda ne ze yandja ku ami.
10 “Nu moruveze rwokuhambwa kwozonyanda ami mba muna moruroto ozondwezu zozongombo nḓaa ze hamba ozonyanda kutja za ri notuvao nozombinḓe nozombonde. 11 Nomuengeri wa Ndjambi wa hungira ku ami moruroto na tja: ‘Jakob!’ Ami e itavere e tja: ‘Owami ngwi!’ 12 Neye wa tja: ‘Yera omeho woye u tare ozondwezu zozongombo nḓu maze hamba, ozo ze notuvao nozombinḓe nozombonde. Ami mba tjita nai, tjinga amba muna avihe Laban mbya tjita kove. 13 Owami Ndjambi, ngu mba munika kove mObetel, ove ku wa twirisa ewe rotjizemburukiro nomaze womiṋinga, nu ku wa tjitira omakwizikiro ku ami. Nambano rongera, za mo mehi ndi u yaruke kehi rongwatero yoye.’ ”
14 OoRahel na Lea otji va zira ku Jakob ave tja: “Kape notjiṋa tji tja hupu eṱe okurumata pu tate. 15 Hapo eye ketu vara otja ovozonganda are? Eye we tu randisa, nu nambano wa mana ovimariva avihe mbya muna mu eṱe. 16 Outumbe auhe Ndjambi mbwa yeka tate ombu ri owetu novanatje vetu. Nambano tjita ngamwa atjihe Ndjambi tje ku raera.”
17 Jakob arire tja rongere okuyaruka na kavirisa ovanatje novakazendu ve kozongamero, 18 neye wa hinga ozonyanda ze azehe; nu avihe mbya muna mOmesopotamie wa twaerera ku ihe kehi ra Kanaan. 19 Laban ngunda a ya okukahora ozonḓu ze, nu ngunda e ha ri mo, Rahel otja vaka otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tjomondjuwo ya ihe. 20 Nu Jakob wa wovisa Laban, Omuaramea, okuhinokumutjivisa kutja ma i. 21 Neye wa taura noviṋa avihe mbya ri na vyo, a kakonda onḓonḓu Eufrat na hungama ozondundu za Gilead.
Laban ma tezere Jakob
22 Kombunda yomayuva yetatu Laban wa raerwa kutja Jakob wa hena. 23 Eye arire tja toora ovandu puna ye na tezere Jakob oure womayuva hambombari nga tje kemuvaza kozondundu za Gilead. 24 Nu ouṱuku mbo Ndjambi weya ku Laban, Omuaramea, moruroto, na tja ku ye: “Ṱakamisa kutja o ha hungire embo ku Jakob.” 25 Laban wa kavaza Jakob a tono ozondanda mozondundu. Nu Laban novandu ve wina va tona ozondanda zawo mozondundu za Gilead.
26 Laban arire tja tja ku Jakob: “Okutjavi tji we ndji wovisa, no toora ovasuko vandje otja ovahuurwa? 27 Okutjavi tji wa hene nokuhinokundjiraera? Andakuzu we ndji raera, etje ku esa okuyenda mondjira yoye nondjoroka nomaimburiro nombosiro yovinangoma noviharpe. 28 Wina ko ndji esire kutja mbi hupite ovanatje vandje novanatje vawo. Nao wa tjita ouyova! 29 Ami mbi nomasa okumutjita otjipo. Nungwari ouṱuku mbwa zu ko Ndjambi waiho we ndji raere a tja: ‘Ṱakamisa kutja o ha hungire embo ku Jakob.’ 30 Ami me tjiwa kutja ove wa ya mena rokutja wa ri nonḓero onene okuyaruka konganda yaiho. Nu otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tjandje we tji vakere tjike?”
31 Nu Jakob wa zira a tja ku Laban: “Ami mba tira, nu mbe ripura kutja ngahino mo ndji yeka ovanatje voye. 32 Nungwari tji mo munu kutja pena umwe ngu notjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tjoye, nga ṱe. Ove paha otjiṋa ngamwa tji tji ri otjoye momurungu wovarumendu imba womuhoko wetu, nu u tji toore.” Nungwari Jakob ka tjivirwe kutja otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tja vakwa i Rahel.
33 Laban wa hita mondanda ya Jakob na paha; tjazumba ookuhita mondanda ya Lea na mozondanda zovakarere imba ovakazendu vevari. Nungwari eye ka mwine otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tje. Tjazumba arire tja hiti mondanda ya Rahel. 34 Rahel otja toora ihi otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tjondjuwo ne tji twa mondjaṱu yotjikaviriro tjongamero na haama kombanda yatjo. Nu Laban wa tjingatjinga mondanda aihe, nungwari ke tji mwine. 35 Rahel wa tja ku ihe: “O pindike na ami, muhona wandje, tji mbi hi nokusora okusekama komurungu woye; orondu tji mbi ri momuhingo woukazendu.” Nu Laban wa tjingatjinga, nungwari ka munine ihi otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina.
36 Jakob arire tja ṱomazenge na posisa Laban na tja: “Ami mba tataiza tjike, nu mba katuka tjike, tji tje ku pa ousemba wokundjitezera. 37 Nu tji wa zu nokupaha mokati kouini wandje wa munu mo otjikeṋa tji tji ri ouini wondjuwo yoye? Tji pitisa imba momuhoko wandje novoye pu mave tji munu, nu ve pangure kutja ngu ri osemba pokati ketu na ove, ouṋe.
38 “Ami mba kara puna ove oure wozombura omirongo vivari; ozongombo nozonḓu zoye kaze na pu za hukura, nami hi na pu mba rya ozondwezu zotupanda twoye. 39 Onḓu tji ya ṱu i ovipuka vyokuti, ami hi na pu mbe i eta kove okuyarisa kutja indji kandjo yandje; nungwari ondjo ndji iyei tjindi; ove iyo ningire otjisuta ku ami, nangarire kutja ya ṱu omutenya poo ouṱuku. 40 Ovikando ovingi ami ee ṱoupyu omutenya nee ṱombepera ouṱuku, hiye sora okurara. 41 Ozombura omirongo vivari ami mba kara monganda yoye; ami mbe ku ungurira ozombura omurongo na ine mena rovasuko voye aveyevari, nozombura hamboumwe mena rovinamuinyo vyoye, nove wa rundurura ondjambi yandje povikando omurongo. 42 Andakuzu Ndjambi wootate, Ndjambi wa Abraham ngwa yozikirwe i Isak wina, ka ri puna ami, otjo ndji ramba ambi ri tjo. Nungwari Ndjambi wa muna ondjenda yandje, noviungura, mbi mba ungura; nouṱuku mbwa zu ko otja tjiti ombanguriro ye.”
Omazuvasaneno pokati kooJakob na Laban
43 Nu Laban wa zira ku Jakob a tja: “Ovasuko mba ovandje, ovanatje mba ovandje, nozonyanda nḓa ozandje; avihe, mbi mo munu ovyandje. Nungwari nambano me sokutjita tjike kovasuko vandje novanatje vawo mbu va panduka. 44 Nambano osemba! Ngatu tjite omazuvasaneno ngu maye rire omahongonone pokati kandje na ove.”
45 Nokuzambo Jakob otja zika ewe rotjizemburukiro. 46 Narire tja raere ovarumendu ve okuwonga omawe, ngu va twa pamwe; nowo va tjitira omariro pombindi ndji. 47 Nu Laban we i ruka Jegar-Sahaduta, nungwari Jakob we i ruka Galed, okutja “Ombindi ohongonone.”
48 Laban arire tja tja ku Jakob: “Ombindi ndji ondji mai rire ohongonone pokati kandje na ove,” poṋa mbo opu pa rukirwa Galed. 49 Nu “Muhona nge tu tjevere ngunda atwa haṋika peke.” Laban wina opa rukira ombindi ndji ena Mispa, okutja “Opomatjeverero”. 50 Laban arire tja tja nai rukwao: “Tji mo tatumisa ovasuko vandje poo ove tji mo kupu ovakazendu varwe posi yovasuko vandje, nandi pe hi nomundu pu eṱe, zemburuka kutja Ndjambi eye omuhongonone pokati ketu.” 51 Nu Laban arire tja tja ku Jakob: “Tara, ombindi na indi ewe rotjizemburukiro mbi mba ziki pokati ketu, ovyo mbi! 52 Ombindi ndji na indi ewe rotjizemburukiro aviyevari mbi ngavi rire ovihongonone: Ami tji mbi nomeripuriro wokukurwisa, himee kapita pombindi ndji; nove wina komoo kapita pu yo poo pewe ndi rotjizemburukiro, tji u nomeripuriro wokundjirwisa. 53 Nu Ndjambi wa Abraham na Ndjambi wa Nahor ma pangura pokati ketu.” Nu Jakob wa yana ku Ndjambi ngwa yozikwa i ihe Isak. 54 Nu Jakob wa punguhira ombunguhiro kondundu, na isana ovandu ve, ve ye okurya. Nu tji va za nokurya, va rara kondundu ouṱuku mbo. 55 Nomuhuka omunene mependukirwa Laban wa hupita ovanatje vovasuko novasuko ve, ne ve sere ondaya, na yaruka konganda ye.
