Study Desk

Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "^(o)Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country.

Give me my wives and my children ^(p)for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have ^[n]rendered you."

But Laban said to him, "If now ^[o]it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined ^(q)that the Lord has blessed me on your account."

He ^[p]continued, "^(r)Name me your wages, and I will give it."

But he said to him, "^(s)You yourself know how I have served you and how your cattle have ^[q]fared with me.

For you had little before ^[r]I came and it has ^[s]increased to a multitude, and the Lord has blessed you ^[t]wherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own household also?"

So he said, "What shall I give you?" And Jacob said, "You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock:

let me pass through your entire flock today, removing from there every ^(t)speckled and spotted sheep and every black ^[u]one among the lambs and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages.

So my ^[v]honesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my ^[w]wages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen."

Laban said, "^[x]Good, let it be according to your word."

So he removed on that day the striped and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, every one with white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the ^[y]care of his sons.

And he put a distance of three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.