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 ta i onhapo yaLaban
1 Ndelenee Jakob okwa kundana eendjovo dovana ovamati vaLaban, nokutya, tava ti: “Jakob okwa kufa ashishe eshi sha li shatate. Noupuna waye aushe ou e u lilikolela mwaashi shatate.” 2 Jakob okwa koneka yo kutya oshipala shaLaban kashi li vali ngaashi ongheleinya. 3 Ndele Omwene okwa tya kuJakob: “Shuna koshilongo shooxo nokepata leni. Naame ohandi ka kala pamwe naave.” 4 Opo nee Jakob okwa tuma Rakel naLea, ve uye kofuka keedi daye, 5 ndele ta ti kuvo: “Ame onda koneka koshipala shaxo nokutya, ye ke li vali naame ngaashi onghela nongheleinya, ndelenee Kalunga katate okwa kala naame. 6 Nanye vene omu shi shii nokutya, ame onda longela xo neenghono dange adishe. 7 Ndelenee xo okwa kengelela nge. Lwomulongo ye a lundulula ondjabi yange. Ndelenee Kalunga ine shi itavela, ye a ningile nge owii. 8 Ye eshi a tile: ‘Odo doutotone nadi ninge ondjabi yoye,’ oshuunda ashishe osha dala odo doutotone. Ndele eshi a tya: ‘Odo domapolo nadi ninge ondjabi yoye,’ oshuunda ashishe osha dala omapolo. 9 Hano osho ngaha Kalunga a kufa xo oimuna nokwe i pa nge. 10 Fiku limwe, mefimbo leedi da dikula, onda twa ondjodi, nda tala eemhedi deedi da hala oluhambo, da li domavala nodoutotone nodomapolo. 11 Ndele omweengeli waKalunga okwa lombwela nge mondjodi ta ti: ‘Jakob!’ Ndele nda nyamukula: ‘Aame ou!’ 12 Ndele ye ta ti: ‘Yelula omesho oye, u tale: eemhedi adishe odo tadi hambe domavala nodoutotone nodomapolo. Osheshi ame onde i mona aishe ei Laban e ku ningila. 13 Aame Kalunga komuBetel, omo wa vaekela emanya ledimbulukifo nowa udanekela nge eudaneko. Hano fikama u dje mo moshilongo eshi, u shune koshilongo oko wa dalelwa.’ ” 14 Ndele Rakel naLea va nyamukula, tava ti: “Fye otu na vali oshitukulwa ile efyuululo latate? 15 Fye inatu ninga mbela ovanailongo momesho aye, ye eshi e tu landifa po, noupuna oo e tu landa po, okwe u lya po? 16 Osheshi oupuna aushe Kalunga e u kufa tate, otau ningi wetu nowovana vetu. Ninga ashike osho ashishe osho Kalunga e ku lombwela.” 17 Opo nee Jakob e lilongekida ndele a londeka keengamelo ovana vaye novalikadi vaye. 18 Ndele okwa kufa oimuna yaye aishe nomaliko aeshe aa e lilikolela, oimuna yaye, ei e lilikolela muPaddan-Aram a ye kuxe Isak medu laKaanan.
19 Fimbo Laban a ya a ka kulule eedi daye, Rakel okwa vaka mo oiketi yaxe. 20 Ndele Jakob okwa kengelela Laban, Omuaram, eshi ine mu shiivifila nokutya ye ta ka ya onhapo. 21 Osho hano a ya onhapo naashishe ye e kwete. Ye okwe lilongekida ndele ta tauluka Eufrat nokwa yukilila a taalela eemhunda daGilead.
Jakob naLaban tava paafana ombili
22 Ndele mefiku etitatu Laban okwa lombwelwa nokutya, Jakob okwa ya onhapo. 23 Opo nee ye okwa kufa ovalumenhu ovakwao vaye nokwa ya navo oku mu shikula, oule wondjila u fike pomafiku aheyali ndele okwe mu hanga keemhunda daGilead. 24 Ndelenee Kalunga okwe uya oufiku kuLaban Omuaram mondjodi ndele te mu lombwele: “Likelela uha popye naJakob nande ouwa ile owii.”
25 Ndele Laban okwa fika kuJakob. Jakob okwa li a onga onhanda yaye meemhunda naLaban pamwe novalumenhu vaye va onga onhanda meemhunda daGilead. 26 Opo nee Laban okwa lombwela Jakob ndele ta ti: “Oshike wa ninga eshi wa kengelela nge nowa twala ovana oukadona vange eenghwate domoita? 27 Oshike we livakela nowa kengelela nge ino lombwela nge sha, opo ndi ku findikile nokukuwilila nokwiimba nokushika enghuma nokaxumbafeta? 28 Navali ove ino efa nge ndi fipe komilungu dovatekulu vange nodovana vange oukadona. Heeno, owa ninga nai. 29 Ame ondi na eenghono oku mu monifa oixuna, ndelenee Kalunga kooxo okwa lombwela nge oufiku wonena ndele ta ti: ‘Likelela uha popye naJakob nande ouwa ile owii.’ 30 Heeno, hano ove ou li mondjila, eshi wa djuulukwa unene keumbo laxo. Ndelenee omolwashike mwa vaka po oiketi yange?”
31 Opo nee Jakob okwa nyamukula ndele ta ti kuLaban: “Osheshi nda tila, hai ti pamwe ove to ka kufa nge ovana voye oukadona keenghono. 32 Ndelenee ou ta monika e na oiketi yoye ke na okukala nomwenyo! Hadahada hano moipafi yovalumenhu voye, eshi shi li pwaame, ndele kufa mo ei yoye.” Ndelenee Jakob ina shiiva nokutya Rakel oye e i vaka po.
33 Opo nee Laban okwa ya mofaila yaJakob nomofaila yaLea nomofaila yovapika venya vavali, ndelenee ina mona mo sha. Ndele ye eshi a pita mo mofaila yaLea okwa ya mofaila yaRakel. 34 Ndelenee Rakel okwa li a kufa po oiketi nokwe i holeka momutumba wongamelo ndele ta kala omutumba kuwo. NaLaban okwa hadahada ofaila aishe, ndelenee ina mona mo sha. 35 Opo nee Rakel okwa lombwela xe: “Omwene wange, ino ninga omwenyo mwii, tala, ame itandi dulu okufikama.” Osheshi ondi na eshi shopakainhu! Ndele ye okwa konga, ndelenee ina mona oiketi yaye.
36 Opo nee Jakob okwa handuka ndele okwa twa eemhata naLaban. NaJakob okwa nyamukula ndele ta ti kuLaban: “Etauluko lange olilipipo, etimba lange lilipi, eshi ove wa shikula nge ngaha mehandu? 37 Paife eshi wa hadahada moinima yange aishe, oshike shoye wa mona mo? Shi tula apa moipafi yovalumenhu vange noyovalumenhu voye, nava tokole pokati ketu naave. 38 Omido omilongo mbali ame nda kala pwoove. Eedi doye eenghadi noikombo yoye oikadi inandi i wifa omadimo, needi doye eendume inandi di lya po. 39 Odo da lika koilyani, inandi di ku etela, nda li ndi na oku di futa. Ove owe di fininika meke lange, ngeenge da vakwa po omutenya ile oufiku. 40 Omutenya onda fya omutenya, noufiku onda fya outalala weandu, nomomesho ange inamu ya nande eemhofi. 41 Omido omilongo mbali nda kala meumbo loye. Omido omulongo nanhee nde ku longelela ovana voye vavali oukadona, nomido hamano molweedi. Ndele ove owa lundulula ondjabi yange lwomulongo. 42 Ngeno Kalunga katate, Kalunga kaAbraham netilo laIsak ina kala kombinga yange, heeno, ngeno owa lekela nge hamakasha. Kalunga okwa mona oluhepo lange noshilonga shange shidjuu shomake ange, Ye okwa tokola oshinima oufiku wonena.”
43 Opo nee Laban ta nyamukula ta ti kuJakob: “Oukadona ovo ovana vange, novamati ovo ovana vange, eedi odo eedi dange, heeno, ashishe eshi to shi tale, oshange. Ndelenee ame ohandi dulu shike novana vange oukadona novana vavo? 44 Ila hano, tu ninge ehangano, fye naave, opo li kale ondobwedi pokati ketu naave.” 45 Opo nee Jakob okwa kufa emanya nokwe li dika edimbulukifomanya. 46 Ndele Jakob okwa lombwela ovanhu vaye: “Eteni omamanya!” Ndele vo va ya va ka tale omamanya. Ndele a ninga onduba ndele va lila popepi nayo. 47 Ndele Laban okwe i ifana Jegar-Sahaduta, ndelenee Jakob e i luka Galed. 48 Opo nee Laban ta ti: “Onduba ei oyo ondobwedi pokati ketu naave.” Onghee ove i luka Galed. 49 Ndele onduba ei yomamanya ove i luka Mispa, osheshi ye okwa ti: “Omwene na ninge Omunangeli pokati ketu naave, eshi hatu tukauka. 50 Ngeenge to hepeke ovana vange oukadona, ndele to hombola ovalikadi ponhele yovana vange, kape nomunhu nande e li po, tala, Kalunga Oye ondobwedi pokati ketu naave.”
51 Laban okwa tya vali kuJakob: “Tala onduba yomamanya opo i li apa, nosho yo edimbulukifomanya nde li dika pokati ketu naave. 52 Onduba ei yomamanya oyo ondobwedi, nedimbulukifomanya olo ondobwedi nokutya, ame itandi ke uya kwoove nokutauluka onduba ei, naave ito uya kwaame nokutauluka onduba ei nedimbulukifomanya nomauko mai. 53 Kalunga kaAbraham naKalunga kaNahor, Kalunga kooxo, ye na kale omutokoli pokati ketu.” Ndele Jakob okwa anena etilo laxe Isak. 54 Opo nee Jakob okwa yambela komhunda etomenoyambo, nokwa ifana ovalumenhu vaye keendja. Ndele vo va lya ndele va kala komhunda oufiku ou.
55 Ndelenee ongula inene Laban okwa penduka ndele okwa fipa ovana vaye ovamati novana vaye oukadona komilungu ndee okwe va nangeka noupuna. Opo nee Laban okwa fikama ndele okwa shuna konhele yaye.
