创世记——第三十一章

约拿

创世记第三十一章： 31:1 雅各听见拉班的儿子们有话说：“雅各把我们父亲所有的都夺了去，并藉著我们父亲的，得了这一切的荣耀（注：“荣耀”或作“财”）。” 31:2 雅各见拉班的气色向他不如从前了。 31:3 耶和华对雅各说：“你要回你祖你父之地，到你亲族那里去，我必与你同在。” 31:4 雅各就打发人，叫拉结和利亚到田野羊群那里来， 31:5 对她们说：“我看你们父亲的气色向我不如从前了，但我父亲的　神向来与我同在。 31:6 你们也知道，我尽了我的力量服事你们的父亲。 31:7 你们的父亲欺哄我，十次改了我的工价，然而　神不容他害我。 31:8 他若说：‘有点的归你作工价’，羊群所生的都有点；他若说：‘有纹的归你作工价’，羊群所生的都有纹。 31:9 这样，　神把你们父亲的牲畜夺来赐给我了。 31:10 羊配合的时候，我梦中举目一看，见跳母羊的公羊都是有纹的、有点的、有花斑的。 31:11 神的使者在那梦中呼叫我说：‘雅各！’我说：‘我在这里。’ 31:12 他说：‘你举目观看，跳母羊的公羊都是有纹的、有点的、有花斑的；凡拉班向你所做的，我都看见了。 31:13 我是伯特利的　神，你在那里用油浇过柱子，向我许过愿。现今你起来离开这地，回你本地去吧！’” 31:14 拉结和利亚回答雅各说：“在我们父亲的家里还有我们可得的分吗？还有我们的产业吗？ 31:15 我们不是被他当作外人吗？因为他卖了我们，吞了我们的价值。 31:16 神从我们父亲所夺出来的一切财物，那就是我们和我们孩子们的。现今凡　神所吩咐你的，你只管去行吧！” 31:17 雅各起来，使他的儿子和妻子都骑上骆驼。 31:18 又带著他在巴旦亚兰所得的一切牲畜和财物，往迦南地他父亲以撒那里去了。 31:19 当时拉班剪羊毛去了，拉结偷了她父亲家中的神像。　 31:20 雅各背著亚兰人拉班偷走了，并不告诉他， 31:21 就带著所有的逃跑。他起身过大河，面向基列山行去。 31:22 到第三日，有人告诉拉班：“雅各逃跑了。” 31:23 拉班带领他的众弟兄去追赶，追了七日，在基列山就追上了。　 31:24 夜间，　神到亚兰人拉班那里，在梦中对他说：“你要小心，不可与雅各说好说歹！” 31:25 拉班追上雅各。雅各在山上支搭帐棚；拉班和他的众弟兄也在基列山上支搭帐棚。 31:26 拉班对雅各说：“你做的是甚么事呢？你背著我偷走了，又把我的女儿们带了去，如同用刀剑掳去的一般。 31:27 你为甚么暗暗地逃跑，偷著走，并不告诉我，叫我可以欢乐、唱歌、击鼓、弹琴地送你回去？ 31:28 又不容我与外孙和女儿亲嘴，你所行的真是愚昧！ 31:29 我手中原有能力害你，只是你父亲的　神昨夜对我说：‘你要小心，不可与雅各说好说歹！’　　　　　　　 31:30 现在你虽然想你父家，不得不去，为甚么又偷了我的神像呢？” 31:31 雅各回答拉班说：“恐怕你把你的女儿从我夺去，所以我逃跑。 31:32 至于你的神像，你在谁那里搜出来，就不容谁存活，当著我们的众弟兄你认一认，在我这里有甚么东西是你的，就拿去。”原来雅各不知道拉结偷了那些神像。 31:33 拉班进了雅各、利亚并两个使女的帐棚，都没有搜出来，就从利亚的帐棚出来，进了拉结的帐棚。 31:34 拉结已经把神像藏在骆驼的驮篓里，便坐在上头。拉班摸遍了那帐棚，并没有摸著。 31:35 拉结对她父亲说：“现在我身上不便，不能在你面前起来，求我主不要生气。”这样，拉班搜寻神像，竟没有搜出来。 31:36 雅各就发怒斥责拉班说：“我有甚么过犯，有甚么罪恶，你竟这样火速地追我？ 31:37 你摸遍了我一切的家具，你搜出甚么来呢？可以放在你我弟兄面前，叫他们在你我中间辨别辨别。 31:38 我在你家这二十年，你的母绵羊、母山羊没有掉过胎。你群中的公羊，我没有吃过； 31:39 被野兽撕裂的，我没有带来给你，是我自己赔上。无论是白日，是黑夜，被偷去的，你都向我索要。 31:40 我白日受尽乾热，黑夜受尽寒霜，不得合眼睡著，我常是这样。 31:41 我这二十年在你家里，为你的两个女儿服事你十四年，为你的羊群服事你六年，你又十次改了我的工价。 31:42 若不是我父亲以撒所敬畏的　神，就是亚伯拉罕的　神与我同在，你如今必定打发我空手而去。　神看见我的苦情和我的劳碌，就在昨夜责备你。” 31:43 拉班回答雅各说：“这女儿是我的女儿，这些孩子是我的孩子，这些羊群也是我的羊群；凡在你眼前的都是我的。我的女儿并她们所生的孩子，我今日能向他们做甚么呢？　 31:44 来吧！你我二人可以立约，作你我中间的证据。” 31:45 雅各就拿一块石头立作柱子， 31:46 又对众弟兄说：“你们堆聚石头。”他们就拿石头来堆成一堆，大家便在旁边吃喝。 31:47 拉班称那石堆为伊迦尔撒哈杜他，雅各却称那石堆为迦累得（注：都是“以石堆为证”的意思）。 31:48 拉班说：“今日这石堆作你我中间的证据。”因此这地方名叫迦累得， 31:49 又叫米斯巴，意思说：“我们彼此离别以后，愿耶和华在你我中间鉴察。 31:50 你若苦待我的女儿，又在我的女儿以外另娶妻，虽没有人知道，却有　神在你我中间作见证。” 31:51 拉班又说：“你看我在你我中间所立的这石堆和柱子。 31:52 这石堆作证据，这柱子也作证据。我必不过这石堆去害你；你也不可过这石堆和柱子来害我。 31:53 但愿亚伯拉罕的　神和拿鹤的　神，就是他们父亲的　神，在你我中间判断。”雅各就指著他父亲以撒所敬畏的　神起誓， 31:54 又在山上献祭，请众弟兄来吃饭。他们吃了饭，便在山上住宿。 31:55 拉班清早起来，与他外孙和女儿亲嘴，给他们祝福，回往自己的地方去了。

约拿

5．雅各返回迦南（三一）

　　三一1～18 雅各发现拉班和儿子们嫉妒他，并且充满怨愤。耶和华告诉他。是时候要回迦南了。他先叫拉结和利亚来商量这事，重说拉班如何欺哄他，十次改了他的工价；神如何驾御这一切，使羊群如他安排地交配；神如何提醒他二十年前所立的誓言（二八20～22）；并神怎样告诉他要返回迦南了。两个妻子也认为父亲为人有欠诚实，也决定一同离开。

　　拉班对两个女儿十分刻薄，就像他对雅各一样，所以拉结和利亚都乐意跟雅各一同离家。按照当时的习俗，她们应当得到雅各为她们所付的聘礼，就是雅各做了十四年苦工所得到的财物，但是拉班没有把她们应得的给她们。她们知道自己不会得到父亲的任何遗产，所以全力支持雅各的计划，把他所得的财富带走。

　　谭姆士指出察验神带领的几点有用的原则： 　　第一，雅各心存愿望（三Ｏ25）。 　　第二，环境造就某些改变。 　　第三，神的话清楚的临到他。

　　最后，即使妻子与拉班血脉相连，但仍诚信不渝地支持他……注意神的使者（l节）就是伯特利的神（l节）

　　三一19～21 拉结秘密离开之前，偷了他父亲家中的神象，藏在她骆驼的驮篓中。拥有家中的神象代表可以作一家之主。假若是嫁作人妇的女儿。这样做可以确立她丈夫继承父亲产业的权利。雅各返回迦南的时候，拉班是有亲生子的，他们有权承取父亲家中的神象。因此，拉结偷去神象，事态严重。她的目的在于保存丈夫继承父亲产业的正名。

　　5一22～30 拉班知道雅各走了，就带领他的众弟兄去追赶，追了七日。神却在梦中警告他，不可打扰雅各和他的车队。后来，他追上了雅各，他只是投诉为何雅各不让他安排雅各一家风风光光的离开，和他的神象被偷一事。

　　三一31～35 就第一个投诉，雅各回答拉班说，他不辞而别，是因恐怕拉班从他夺去自己的女儿（拉结和利亚）、至于第二个投诉，他否认偷了神象。还冲动地要判犯者死罪。很显然地雅各毫不知情，被他最亲爱的拉结所欺蒙了。拉班彻底搜索车队，却追寻不获。

　　拉结把神象藏在骆驼的驮篓里，坐在上头，称因经期，不便下来，以免对父亲不敬。古时人认为女人行经时为不洁净，凡沾到她的或属她沾过的东西的，均为不洁净(参利十五19～24)。拉班没有搜出偶像，并不是神要保存那偶像，而是要保守拉结的性命(参32节)，所以后来神仍要对付他们，迫使他们除掉偶像(参卅五2)。

　　三一36～42 这时轮到雅各大怒。他斥责拉班诬告偷窃和亏待他二十年，纵使他忠心大方的服事他。经文揭开雅各是个勤奋工作的人。主因他所作的一切就赐福与他。虽然雅各受到拉班的不公平对待，但神仍然增加他的财富。神的大能不受人的不公平的限制。即使别人亏待我们，神总能满足我们的需要，使我们兴旺。我们对雇主忠心吗？神会否因我们的工作赐福我们呢？针锋相对和斤斤计较，只会使我们跟敌人一般见识。

　　三一43～50 拉班为免事件愈闹愈大，就以谦恭自保，说他不会伤害自己的女儿，外孙或牛群，并建议他们二人立约，求主在他们分离后看顾他们双方。然而，这并非一个慈爱友善的约，却是两帮骗子之间的协定，好叫他们双方不在对方的视线范围内，有主看守他们是否行差踏错！“米斯巴”的原意是因为彼此不能信任，只好求神鉴察，以免相害。

　　结果，这是一条互不侵犯条约，规管雅各不得亏待他的两个女儿，也不得另娶妻妾。拉班拿石头作柱子，称那石为伊迦尔撒哈杜他——一个亚兰语用词。雅各却称那石堆为迦累得——一个希伯来词语。两词都是指“以石堆力证”的意思。无人能越过石堆侵犯对方。

　　三一51～55 拉班指着亚伯拉罕的神和拿鹤的神，就是他们父亲他拉的神起誓。在几个英文圣经版本中（新英王钦定本、莫法特译本及新国际译本等），神的大写字母表示翻译者认为，拉班指的是亚伯拉罕认识的独一真神。然而，希伯来文字母无分大写小写，我们无法定断拉班所指的是否那些在吾珥敬拜的偶像。雅各就指着他父亲以撒所敬畏的神起誓——即是以撒所敬畏的独一真神。以撒从来不是个拜偶像的人。雅各先献祭，再请所有在场的弟兄吃饭，当夜便在山上住宿。

　　拉班清早起来，与他外孙和女儿亲嘴道别，便回自己的地方去了。

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Genesis 31 Jacob Leaves Secretly for Canaan 1Now Jacob heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth." 2Jacob saw the [a]attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. 3Then the LORD said to Jacob, "(A)Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and (B)I will be with you." 4So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5and said to them, "(C)I see your father's attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as formerly, but (D)the God of my father has been with me. 6"(E)You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7"Yet your father has (F)cheated me and (G)changed my wages ten times; however, (H)God did not allow him to hurt me. 8"If (I)he spoke thus, 'The speckled shall be your wages,' then all the flock brought forth speckled; and if he spoke thus, 'The striped shall be your wages,' then all the flock brought forth striped. 9"Thus God has (J)taken away your father's livestock and given them to me. 10"And it came about at the time when the flock were mating that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which were mating were striped, speckled, and mottled. 11"Then (K)the angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am.' 12"He said, 'Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for (L)I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13'I am (M)the God of Bethel, where you (N)anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and (O)return to the land of your birth.'" 14Rachel and Leah said to him, "Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father's house? 15"Are we not reckoned by him as foreigners? For (P)he has sold us, and has also entirely consumed our purchase price. 16"Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you." 17Then Jacob arose and put his children and his wives upon camels; 18and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had gathered, his acquired livestock which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, (Q)to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the (R)household idols that were her father's. 20And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of (S)Gilead. Laban Pursues Jacob 22When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days' journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24(T)God came to Laban the Aramean in a (U)dream of the night and said to him, "(V)Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad." 25Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27"Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with (W)timbrel and with (X)lyre; 28and did not allow me (Y)to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29"It is in my power to do you harm, but (Z)the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, '(AA)Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.' 30"Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house; but why did you steal (AB)my gods?" 31Then Jacob replied to Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32"(AC)The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our kinsmen point out what is yours among my belongings and take it for yourself." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. 33So Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent. 34Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel's saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them. 35She said to her father, "Let not my lord be angry that I cannot (AD)rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me " So he searched but did not find the (AE)household idols. 36Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, "What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37"Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38"These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39"That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40"Thus I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41"These twenty years I have been in your house; (AF)I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you (AG)changed my wages ten times. 42"If (AH)the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed (AI)God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He (AJ)rendered judgment last night." The Covenant of Mizpah 43Then Laban replied to Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and (AK)the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? 44"So now come, let us (AL)make a covenant, you and I, and (AM)let it be a witness between you and me." 45Then Jacob took (AN)a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather stones." So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47Now Laban (AO)called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it [c]Galeed. 48Laban said, "(AP)This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore it was named Galeed, 49and [d](AQ)Mizpah, for he said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other. 50"If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, (AR)God is witness between you and me." 51Laban said to Jacob, "Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between you and me. 52"This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53"(AS)The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, (AT)judge between us " So Jacob swore by (AU)the fear of his father Isaac. 54Then Jacob (AV)offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his kinsmen to the meal; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55Early in the morning Laban arose, and (AW)kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.