TRV
Jacob Negotiates His Departure from Laban
Genesis 30:25-36
25
Now after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can return to my homeland.
26
Give me my wives and children for whom I have served you, that I may go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you.”
27
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.”
28
And he added, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.”
29
Then Jacob answered, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock have thrived under my care.
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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?”
31
“What can I give you?” Laban asked. “You do not need to give me anything,” Jacob replied. “If you do this one thing for me, I will keep on shepherding and keeping your flocks.
32
Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, and every spotted or speckled goat. These will be my wages.
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So my honesty will testify for me when you come to check on my wages in the future. If I have any goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not dark-colored, they will be considered stolen.”
34
“Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”
35
That very day Laban removed all the streaked or spotted male goats and every speckled or spotted female goat—every one that had any white on it—and every dark-colored lamb, and he placed them under the care of his sons.
36
Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob was shepherding the rest of Laban’s flocks.
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