Study Desk

When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

But Leah replied, "Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my son's mandrakes as well?" "Very well," said Rachel, "he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes."

But Laban replied, "If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you."

Indeed, you had very little before my arrival, but now your wealth has increased many times over. The LORD has blessed you wherever I set foot. But now, when may I also provide for my own household?"

Jacob set apart the young, but made the rest face the streaked dark-colored sheep in Laban's flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and did not put them with Laban's animals.

But if the animals were weak, he did not set out the branches. So the weaker animals went to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob.

and he told them, "I can see from your father's face that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me.

Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered the money paid for us.

But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."

But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.

I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'

Now you have gone off because you long for your father's house. But why have you stolen my gods?"

So Laban went into Jacob's tent, then Leah's tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent.

Now Rachel had taken Laban's household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.

Rachel said to her father, "Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period." So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.

If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the One Feared by Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment."

But Laban answered Jacob, "These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne?

Laban named it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, with only my staff I came across the Jordan, but now I have become two camps.

But You have said, 'I will surely make you prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to count.'"