Jacob Flees from Laban
1 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He got all his wealth from what our father owned.” 2 He also saw that Laban was no longer as friendly as he had been earlier. 3 Then the Lord said to him, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives. I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I have noticed that your father is not as friendly toward me as he used to be; but my father's God has been with me. 6 You both know that I have worked for your father with all my strength. 7 Yet he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not let him harm me. 8 Whenever Laban said, ‘The speckled goats shall be your wages,’ all the flocks produced speckled young. When he said, ‘The striped goats shall be your wages,’ all the flocks produced striped young. 9 God has taken flocks away from your father and given them to me.
10 “During the breeding season I had a dream, and I saw that the male goats that were mating were striped, spotted, and speckled. 11 The angel of God spoke to me in the dream and said, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Yes,’ I answered. 12 ‘Look,’ he continued, ‘all the male goats that are mating are striped, spotted, and speckled. I am making this happen because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you dedicated a stone as a memorial by pouring olive oil on it and where you made a vow to me. Now get ready and go back to the land where you were born.’”
14 Rachel and Leah answered Jacob, “There is nothing left for us to inherit from our father. 15 He treats us like foreigners. He sold us, and now he has spent all the money he was paid for us. 16 All this wealth which God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. Do whatever God has told you.”
17-18 So Jacob got ready to go back to his father in the land of Canaan. He put his children and his wives on the camels, and drove all his flocks ahead of him, with everything that he had gotten in Mesopotamia. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and during his absence Rachel stole the household gods that belonged to her father. 20 Jacob deceived Laban by not letting him know that he was leaving. 21 He took everything he owned and left in a hurry. He crossed the Euphrates River and started for the hill country of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 Three days later Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his men with him and pursued Jacob for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 In a dream that night God came to Laban and said to him, “Be careful not to threaten Jacob in any way.” 25 Jacob had set up his camp on a mountain, and Laban set up his camp with his relatives in the hill country of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, “Why did you deceive me and carry off my daughters like women captured in war? 27 Why did you deceive me and slip away without telling me? If you had told me, I would have sent you on your way with rejoicing and singing to the music of tambourines and harps. 28 You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-bye. That was a foolish thing to do! 29 I have the power to do you harm, but last night the God of your father warned me not to threaten you in any way. 30 I know that you left because you were so anxious to get back home, but why did you steal my household gods?”
31 Jacob answered, “I was afraid, because I thought that you might take your daughters away from me. 32 But if you find that anyone here has your gods, he will be put to death. Here, with our men as witnesses, look for anything that belongs to you and take what is yours.” Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban's gods.
33 Laban went and searched Jacob's tent; then he went into Leah's tent, and the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find his gods. Then he went into Rachel's tent. 34 Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but did not find them. 35 Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry with me, sir, but I am not able to stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period.” Laban searched but did not find his household gods.
36 Then Jacob lost his temper. “What crime have I committed?” he asked angrily. “What law have I broken that gives you the right to hunt me down? 37 Now that you have searched through all my belongings, what household article have you found that belongs to you? Put it out here where your men and mine can see it, and let them decide which one of us is right. 38 I have been with you now for twenty years; your sheep and your goats have not failed to reproduce, and I have not eaten any rams from your flocks. 39 Whenever a sheep was killed by wild animals, I always bore the loss myself. I didn't take it to you to show that it was not my fault. You demanded that I make good anything that was stolen during the day or during the night. 40 Many times I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was not able to sleep. 41 It was like that for the whole twenty years I was with you. For fourteen years I worked to win your two daughters—and six years for your flocks. And even then, you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac, had not been with me, you would have already sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my trouble and the work I have done, and last night he gave his judgment.”
The Agreement between Jacob and Laban
43 Laban answered Jacob, “These young women are my daughters; their children belong to me, and these flocks are mine. In fact, everything you see here belongs to me. But since I can do nothing to keep my daughters and their children, 44 I am ready to make an agreement with you. Let us make a pile of stones to remind us of our agreement.”
45 So Jacob got a stone and set it up as a memorial. 46 He told his men to gather some rocks and pile them up. Then they ate a meal beside the pile of rocks. 47 Laban named it Jegar Sahadutha, while Jacob named it Galeed. 48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will be a reminder for both of us.” That is why that place was named Galeed. 49 Laban also said, “May the Lord keep an eye on us while we are separated from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah. 50 Laban went on, “If you mistreat my daughters or if you marry other women, even though I don't know about it, remember that God is watching us. 51 Here are the rocks that I have piled up between us, and here is the memorial stone. 52 Both this pile and this memorial stone are reminders. I will never go beyond this pile to attack you, and you must never go beyond it or beyond this memorial stone to attack me. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor will judge between us.” Then, in the name of the God whom his father Isaac worshiped, Jacob solemnly vowed to keep this promise. 54 He killed an animal, which he offered as a sacrifice on the mountain, and he invited his men to the meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters good-bye, and left to go back home.
Jakob ta yi Laban ontuku
1 Jakob okwa kundana kutya aana yaLaban aamati otaa ti:
“Jakob okwa kutha po iinima yatate ayihe. Uuyamba we auhe owatate.” 2 Sho a tala oshipala shaLaban, kasha li sha fa ohela nuunambo, sho a li e na ombili. 3 Omuwa okwa lombwele Jakob a ti: “Shuna koshilongo shooho nokaakweni, otandi kala pamwe nangoye.”
4 Jakob okwa tumine Rakel naLea elaka, ya ye kuye kiimuna kelundu. 5 Okwa ti kuyo: “Sho nda tala ho, ke na ombili nangame, ngaashi ha kala shito, ihe Kalunga katate oku li pungame. 6 Ne amuhe omu shi shi, nkene nda longele ho noonkondo dhandje adhihe. 7 Ndele okwa kotokele ndje nokulundulula ondjambi yandje lwomulongo. Ihe Kalunga ine mu pitika, a monithe ndje oshiponga. 8 Shampa Laban a ti: ‘Iikombo yuutotono otayi ka ninga ondjambi yoye,’ likombo ayihe otayi vala owala uukombwena wuutotono. Uuna ta ti: ‘Iikombo yiiyala otayi ka ninga ondjambi yoye,’ iikombo ayihe otayi vala uukombwena wiiyala. 9 Kalunga okwa kutha ho iimuna e te yi pe ndje.
10 “Pethimbo lyeepepelo lyiimuna onda yaguma ndi wete iikombo iitsezi mbyoka ya li tayi epepele, ya li yi na iiyala, iimbathi nuutotono. 11 Omuyengeli gwaKalunga okwa lombwele ndje mondjodhi a ti: ‘Jakob!’ Onda yamukula: ‘Ee.’ 12 Okwa tsikile a ti: ‘Tala ko, iikombo ayihe iitsezi mbyoka tayi epepele, oyo oyi na iiyala, iimbathi nuutotono. Otandi ningi ngeyi, oshoka ondi wete Laban shoka te ku ningile. 13 Ongame Kalunga ngoka nde ku ihololele puBetel, hoka wa yapula emanya li ninge endhindhiliko, sho wa tilile ko omagadhi gooholivi nowa ganene ndje. Ngashingeyi thikama, u shune kevi lyaandjeni hoka wa valelwa.’ ”
14 Rakel naLea oya yamukula Jakob ya ti: “Tse katu na we uuthiga washa putate. 15 Ote tu ngwandjagula twa fa aayeni. Okwe tu landitha po nokwa hepitha owala iimaliwa mbyoka a futa molwetu. 16 Eliko alihe ndika Kalunga e li kutha tate, olyetu nolyaana yetu. Ninga ano shoka Kalunga e ku lombwele.”
17 Jakob okwa londeke oyana naakadhi koongamelo, 18 e ta faalele iimuna ye ayihe naashihe shoka a likola muMesopotamia. Osho a zi po, a ka shune kuhe Isak kevi lyaKaanan. 19 Laban okwa adhika a ka kulula oonzi dhe. Manga a li hoka, Rakel okwa yaka po iimenka yomegumbo lyahe. 20 Jakob okwa kotokele Laban Omuaramea, ine mu lombwela nando kutya ye ota yi. 21 Okwa gongele iinima ye ayihe e ta yi neulumo. Okwa tokola omulonga Eufrat e ta yi u uka koshilongo shokoondundu dhaGilead.
Laban ta landula Jakob
22 Omasiku gatatu sho ga piti po, Laban okwa lombwelwa kutya Jakob a yi ontuku. 23 Laban okwa kutha aantu ye e ta landula Jakob. Konima yomasiku gaheyali okwe mu adha moshilongo shokoondunda dhaGilead. 24 Uusiku tuu mboka Kalunga okwe ya kuLaban mondjodhi e ta ti kuye: “Kotoka, waa ende Jakob nayi.” 25 Jakob okwa adhika a yungu ontanda ye kondundu, naLaban okwa yungu ontanda ye koshilongo shokoondundu dhaGilead pamwe naantu ye. 26 Laban okwa ti kuJakob: “Omolwashike wa kotokele ndje e to kutha po aamwandje ya fa aakiintu ya kwatwa po kiita? 27 Omolwashike wa kotokele ndje e to iyaka po inoo lombwela ndje? Ando owa li wa laleke ndje, ando nde ku thindikile mondjila yoye nondigolo nokwiimba nokuhika oontunda nuuharpa. 28 Inandi pitikwa ndi laleke aatekulu yandje naamwandje nethipo lyokomilungu. Owa ningi uugoya! 29 Ondi na oonkondo oku ku monitha oshiponga, ihe uusiku mbuka wonena Kalunga kaho okwa londodha ndje, ndaahe ku ninge nayi. 30 Ondi shi shi kutya owa zi po, oshoka owa yuulukwa kegumbo, ihe omolwashike wa yaka po iimenka yandje yomegumbo?”
31 Jakob okwa yamukula a ti: “Onda li nda tila, oshoka onda dhiladhila kutya oto kutha ndje aamwoye. 32 Ihe ngoka to adha e na iimenka yoye, na dhipagwe. Montaneho yaantu yetu noyoye konga ashihe shoka shoye, ngoye u shi kuthe po.” Jakob ina tseya kutya Rakel okwa yaka po iimenka yaLaban.
33 Laban okwa hadha metsali lyaJakob, nena okwa yi metsali lyaLea nometsali lyaakulukadhi aapika yaali, ihe ina mona mo iimenka ye. Nena okwa yi metsali lyaRakel. 34 Rakel okwa li a kutha po iimenka e te yi tula kohi yomutumba gwongamelo nokwa li a kuutumba kugwo. Laban okwa hadha etsali alihe, ihe ine yi mona. 35 Rakel okwa lombwele he a ti: “Tate, ino geela ndje, oshoka ite vulu okuthikama montaneho yoye; ondi li komwedhi.” Laban okwa hadha, ihe ina mona iimenka ye yomegumbo.
36 Nena Jakob okwa geye e ta ti: “Uuwinayi washike nda ninga?” Okwa nyenyetele Laban e ta ti: “Oshinima naanaa nda yona, oshishike, sho to thiminike ndje ngeyi? 37 Ngashingeyi sho wa hadha iinima yandje ayihe, owa mona tuu iinima yoye? Yi tula nduno mpaka puuyelele, opo tse naantu yoye tu yi mone, yo ya tokole kutya olye gwomutse e li mondjila. 38 Onda kala pungoye omimvo omilongo mbali. Oonzi dhoye niikombo inayi gwitha mo omala, nangame inandi lya po nando onzi yoye yimwe. 39 Onzi ndjoka ya lika po kiilikama, ondi ihepeke nayo. Inandi yi kutha, ndi yi ete kungoye ngaye ndi tye kandi na mbedhi. Owa li ho pula ndje, ndi fute oshimuna kehe sha yakwa, ongele omutenya nenge uusiku. 40 Omutenya onda li nda pi omutenya nuusika onda si uutalala, omulumentu nda londokwa koomposi. 41 Osho sha li omimvo ndhoka omilongo mbali, sho nda kalele pungoye. Omimvo omulongo nane onde ku longelele aakadhona yoye yaali, nomimvo hamano iimuna. Nando ongeyi, owa lundulula ondjambi yandje lwomulongo. 42 Ando Kalunga kootate, Kalunga kaAbraham naIsak, ina kala pungame, ando wa shunitha ndje iikaha yowala. Ihe Kalunga okwa mono uudhigu wandje niilonga mbyoka nda ningi, nuusiku wa zi ko okwa pangula shoka shu uka.”
Jakob ta hangana naLaban
43 Laban okwa yamukula Jakob a ti: “Aakiintu mbaka aamwandje, oyana wo aamwandje, iimuna mbika oyandje. Tashi ti, iinima ayihe to mono mpaka, oyandje. Ihe aamwandje noyana otandi ya ningi ngiini? 44 Ondi ilongekidha okuhangana nangoye. Natu ninge ondumba yomamanya, yi ninge onzapo yehangano lyetu.”
45 Jakob okwa kutha emanya e te li dhike, li ninge endhindhiliko. 46 Jakob okwa lombwele aantu ye, ya ndumbile omamanya ondumba. Sho ye shi ningi, oya lile po pondumba. 47 Laban okwe li luku Jegar Sahaduta, manga Jakob e li luka Galed. 48 Laban okwa lombwele Jakob a ti: “Ondumba ndjika yomamanya oyo edhimbulutho lyetu atuhe yaali.” Omolwashoka ehala ndyoka olya lukwa Galed. 49 Laban okwa ti ishewe: “Omuwa ne tu tonatele, sho tatu topoka.” Onkee ehala olya lukwa Mispa. 50 Laban okwa tsikile a ti: “Ngele oto ningi aamwandje nayi nenge to hokana aakiintu yalwe, manga ndaaye shi shi, dhimbulukwa kutya Kalunga okwe tu tonatela.” 51 Laban okwa ti natango kuJakob: “Mpaka ope na ondumba yomamanya naampaka ope na endhindhilikomanya nde li dhike pokati ketu nangoye. 52 Ondumba ndjika nendhindhilikomanya ndika nayi kale onzapo okudhimbulutha ndje, ndaa konde omamanya ngaka, ndi ku matukile. Onzapo ndjika nayi ku dhimbuluthe wo, waa konde omamanya ngaka, u matukile ndje. 53 Kalunga kaAbraham naKalunga kaNahor na tokole pokati ketu.” Jakob okwa gana medhina lyaKalunga ngoka he Isak ha tila, a gwanithe euvaneko ndika. 54 Okwa dhipaga oshimuna e te shi yamba omagandjelondjambo kondundu e ta hiya aantu ye kiikulya. Sho ya li, oya lala kondundu. 55 Laban okwa meneka ongula onene e ta laleke aatekulu ye noyana nethipo lyokomilungu nokwa shuna kaandjawo.
