• Torah (T): Bereshiyt (Genesis) 31:1-55
• Prophets (P): Jeremiah 30:10-16
• Apostolic (A): Ya’aqov (James) 4:1-12
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 29:1-12

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Genesis 31:7; Genesis 31:41 (Septuagint)
• Colossians 3:22-24 (T)
• 1 Peter 2:18-20 (T)
• Zechariah 10:2 (T)
• Judges 17:1 – 18:31 (T)
• 1 Samuel 19:11-17 (T)
• 2 Kings 23:21-25 (T)
• Leviticus 15:19-20 (T)
• Exodus 22:1-4 (T)
• Exodus 22:10-13 (T)
• Genesis 48:15-16 (T)
• Joshua 22:1-34 (T)
• Psalms 103:20-21 (T)
• Psalms 34:4 (T)
• Psalms 91:11-12 (T)
• Hebrews 1:13-14 (T)
• Romans 12:1-2 (A)
• 1 John 2:15-17 (A)
• Proverbs 3:34 (A)
• Genesis 14:5 (ADD)
• Genesis 6:4 (ADD)
• Genesis 15:16 (ADD)
• Deuteronomy 3:10-13 (ADD)

RELATED ADDITIONAL READINGS

• Sirach 10:5-7 (T, A)
• 1 Maccabees 5:1-8 (ADD)
• Genesis 31:3 – 32:2 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.19.9-11 (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Prophets portion. (A) means the verse relates to that week’s Apostolic portion. (ADD) means the verse relates to that week’s Additional portion.

Torah Portion (T)

31:1 Jacob heard Laban's sons' words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father's. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father's.” 2 Jacob saw the expression on Laban's face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3 [Elohim]^(mss) said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” 4 Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock, 5 and said to them, “I see the expression on your father's face, that it is not toward me as before; but the Elohim of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all of my strength. 7 Your father has deceived me, and [changed my wages for the ten lambs],^(LXX) but Elohim didn't allow him to hurt me. 8 If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,' then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,' then all the flock bore streaked. 9 Thus Elohim has taken away your father's livestock, and given them to me. 10 During mating season, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 11 The angel of [the Elohim]^(MTT) said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,' and I said, ‘Here I am.' 12 He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban does to you. 13 I am the Elohim of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.' ” 14 Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? 15 Aren't we considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money. 16 For all the riches which Elohim has taken away from our father are ours and our sons. Now then, whatever Elohim has said to you, do.” 17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels, 18 and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan. 19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father's. 20 Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, in that he didn't tell him that he was running away. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead. 22 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days' journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead. 24 Elohim came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don't speak to Jacob either good or bad.” 25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn't tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp; 28 and didn't allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly. 29 It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the Elohim of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don't speak to Jacob either good or bad.' 30 Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father's house, but why have you stolen my elohim?” 31 Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.' 32 Anyone you find your elohim with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen them. 33 Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two maids; but he didn't find them. He went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn't find them. 35 She said to her father, “Don't let my lord be angry that I can't rise up before you; for for the way of women is on me.” He searched, but didn't find the teraphim. 36 Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Now that you have felt around in all my belongings, what have you found of all your household belongings? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two. 38 “These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn of animals, I didn't bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you [falsely rated my wages for ten lambs].^(LXX) 42 Unless the Elohim of my father, the Elohim of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. Elohim has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.” 43 Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the sons are my sons, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their sons whom they have borne? 44 Now come, let's cut a covenant, you and I. Let it be for a witness between me and you.” [And he said to him, "Look, there is no one with us; see, Elohim is witness between me and you."]^(LXX) 45 Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46 Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Gal'ed. 48 Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Gal'ed 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “[Elohim]^(LXX) watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, Elohim is witness between me and you.” 51 Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you. 52 May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The Elohim of Abraham, and the Elohim of Nahor, [the Elohim of their father,]^(mss)(LXX) judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac. 54 Jacob offered a slaughter in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain. 55 Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.

Prophets Portion (P)

30:10 Therefore don’t be afraid, O Jacob my servant, says YHWH. Don’t be dismayed, Israel. For, behold, I will save you from afar, and save your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return, and will be quiet and at ease. No one will make him afraid. 11 For I am with you, says YHWH, to save you; for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not make a full end of you; but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.” 12 For YHWH says, “Your hurt is incurable. Your wound is grievous. 13 There is no one to plead your cause, that you may be bound up. You have no healing medicines. 14 All your lovers have forgotten you. They don’t seek you. For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins were increased. 15 Why do you cry over your injury? Your pain is incurable. For the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you. 16 Therefore all those who devour you will be devoured. All your adversaries, everyone of them, will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will be plunder. I will make all who prey on you become prey.

Apostolic Portion (A)

4:1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members? 2 You covet, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask. 3 You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward Elohim? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit [which he made to dwell]^(mss) in us yearns with zeal”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “Elohim resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (cf. Proverbs 3:34) 7 Be subject therefore to Elohim. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to Elohim, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of YHWH, and he will exalt you. 11 Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother [or]^(mss) judges his brother, speaks against the Torah and judges the Torah. But if you judge the Torah, you are not a doer of the Torah, but a judge. 12 Only one is the lawgiver [and judge],^(mss) who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge [your neighbor]?^(mss)

Additional Portion (ADD)

29:1 And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Laban went to shear his sheep; for they were distant from him a three days’ journey. 2. And Jacob saw that Laban was going to shear his sheep, and Jacob called Leah and Rachel, and spake kindly unto them that they should come with him to the land of Canaan. 3. For he told them how he had seen everything in a dream, even all that He had spoken unto him that he should return to his father’s house; and they said: “To every place whither thou goest we will go with thee.” 4. And Jacob blessed the Elohim of Isaac his father, and the Elohim of Abraham his father’s father, and he arose and mounted his wives and his children, and took all his possessions and crossed the river, and came to the land of Gilead, and Jacob hid his intention from Laban and told him not. 5. And in the seventh year of the fourth week [2135 A.M.] Jacob turned (his face) toward Gilead in the first new moon, on the twenty-first thereof. And Laban pursued after him and overtook Jacob in the mountain of Gilead in the third new moon, on the thirteenth thereof. 6. And the Lord did not suffer him to injure Jacob; for He appeared to him in a dream by night. And Laban spake to Jacob, 7. And on the fifteenth of those days Jacob made a feast for Laban, and for all who came with him, and Jacob sware to Laban that day, and Laban also to Jacob, that neither should cross the mountain of Gilead to the other with evil purpose. 8. And he made there a heap for a witness; wherefore the name of that place is called: “The Heap of Witness,” after this heap. 9. But before they used to call the land of Gilead the land of the Rephaim; for it was the land of the Rephaim, and the Rephaim were born (there), giants whose height was ten, nine, eight down to seven cubits. 10. And their habitation was from the land of the children of Ammon to Mount Hermon, and the seats of their reign were Karnaim and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, and Mîsûr, and Beon. 11. And the Lord destroyed them because of the evil of their deeds; for they were very malignant, and the Amorites dwelt in their stead, wicked and sinful, and there is no people today which hath wrought to the full all their sins, and they have no longer length of life on the land. 12. And Jacob sent away Laban, and he departed into Mesopotamia, the land of the East, and Jacob returned to the land of Gilead.

Related Scriptures

3:22 Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing Elohim. 23 And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Messiah.

2:18 Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect: not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked. 19 For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward Elohim. 20 For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with Elohim.

…And Laban had gone to shear his flock; and Rahel stole the images. For they had slain a man, a firstborn, and had cut off his head; they salted it with salt and balsams, and wrote incantations on a plate of gold, and put it under his tongue, and set it up in the wall, and it spake with them; and unto such their father bowed himself…But after Jakob had gone, the shepherds went to the well, but found no water; and they waited three days, if that it might (again) overflow; but it overflowed not ; and then came they to Laban on the third day, and he knew that Jakob had fled; because through his righteousness it had flowed twenty years.

10:2 For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are oppressed, because there is no shepherd.

17:1 There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears—behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May YHWH bless my son!” 3 He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to YHWH from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” 4 When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah. 5 The man Micah had a house of elohim, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes. 7 There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there. 8 The man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem Judah, to live where he could find a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he traveled. 9 Micah said to him, “Where did you come from?” He said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah, and I am looking for a place to live.” 10 Micah said to him, “Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, a suit of clothing, and your food.” So the Levite went in. 11 The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons. 12 Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that YHWH will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.”

18:1 In those days there was no king in Israel. In those days the tribe of the Danites sought an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day, their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel. 2 The sons of Dan sent five men of their family from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it. They said to them, “Go, explore the land!” They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. 3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; so they went over there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What do you do in this place? What do you have here?” 4 He said to them, “Thus and thus has Micah dealt with me, and he has hired me, and I have become his priest.” 5 They said to him, “Please ask counsel of Elohim, that we may know whether our way which we go will be prosperous.” 6 The priest said to them, “Go in peace. Your way in which you go is before YHWH.” 7 Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in safety, in the way of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no one in the land possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with anyone else. 8 They came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brothers asked them, “What do you say?” 9 They said, “Arise, and let’s go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. Do you stand still? Don’t be slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land. 10 When you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people, and the land is large; for Elohim has given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the land.” 11 The family of the Danites set out from Zorah and Eshtaol with six hundred men armed with weapons of war. 12 They went up and encamped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. Therefore they call that place Mahaneh Dan to this day. Behold, it is behind Kiriath Jearim. 13 They passed from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah. 14 Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brothers, “Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a carved image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what you have to do.” 15 They went over there and came to the house of the young Levite man, even to the house of Micah, and asked him how he was doing. 16 The six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the sons of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate. 17 The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. 18 When these went into Micah’s house, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19 They said to him, “Hold your peace, put your hand on your mouth, and go with us. Be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?” 20 The priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, the teraphim, and the engraved image, and went with the people. 21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones, the livestock, and the goods before them. 22 When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and overtook the sons of Dan. 23 As they called to the sons of Dan, they turned their faces, and said to Micah, “What ails you, that you come with such a company?” 24 He said, “You have taken away my elohim which I made, and the priest, and have gone away! What more do I have? How can you ask me, ‘What ails you?’ ” 25 The sons of Dan said to him, “Don’t let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household.” 26 The sons of Dan went their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house. 27 They took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword; then they burned the city with fire. 28 There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone else; and it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city and lived in it. 29 They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; however the name of the city used to be Laish. 30 The sons of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses*, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the [ark]**. 31 So they set up for themselves Micah’s engraved image which he made, and it remained all the time that Elohim’s house was in Shiloh.

*Most translations read, “the son of Menasseh…” However, as detailed in the Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament, “He was a son of Gershom, the son of Moses (Exo 2:22; Exo 18:3; 1Ch 23:14-15). Instead of בּן־משׁה, our Masoretic text has בּן־מנשּׁה with a hanging נ . With regard to this reading, the Talmud (Baba bathr.f. 109 b) observes: “Was he a son of Gershom, or was he not rather a son of Moses? as it is written, the sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer (1Ch 23:14), but because he did the deeds of Manasseh (the idolatrous son of Hezekiah, 2 Kings 21) the Scripture assigns him to the family of Manasseh.” On this Rabbabar bar Channa observes, that “the prophet (i.e., the author of our book) studiously avoided calling Gershom the son of Moses, because it would have been ignominious to Moses to have had an impious son; but he calls him the son of Manasseh, raising the n, however, above the line, to show that it might either be inserted or omitted, and that he was the son of either מנשּׁה (Manasseh) or משׁה (Moses), – of Manasseh through imitating his impiety, of Moses by descent” (cf. Buxtorfi Tiber. p. 171).”

**French Oratorian Biblical scholar Charles François Houbigant contends, that, instead of haaretz, “the land,” we should read haaron, “the ark;” for the [Vav,] wav, and [Nun,] noon final, might easily be mistaken for [Tsade,] tzadday final; which is the only difference between the two words. This conjecture is the more likely, as the next verse tells us, that Micah’s graven image continued at Dan “all the time that the house of Elohim was at Shiloh;” which was till the ark was taken by the Philistines. – Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) by Torrey, Reuben Archer; Canne, John

19:11 Shaul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through the window. He went away, fled, and escaped. 13 Michal took the teraphim and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with clothes. 14 When Shaul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Shaul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head. 17 Shaul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?”

23:21 The king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Pesach to YHWH your Elohim, as it is written in this book of the covenant.” 22 Surely there was not kept such a Pesach from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 23 but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, this Pesach was kept to YHWH in Jerusalem. 24 Moreover Josiah removed those who had familiar spirits, the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of YHWH. 25 There was no king like him before him, who turned to YHWH with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Torah of Moses; and there was none like him who arose after him.

3:1 YHWH said to me, “Go again, love a woman loved by another, and an adulteress, even as YHWH loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other elohim, and love cakes of raisins.” 2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley. 3 I said to her, “You will stay with me many days. You will not whore, and you will not be with any other man. I will also be so toward you.” 4 For the sons of Israel will live many days without king, and without prince, and without slaughter, and without sacred stone, and without ephod or idols [teraphim]. 5 Afterward the sons of Israel will return, and seek YHWH their Elohim, and David their king, and will come with trembling to YHWH and to his blessings in the last days.

15:19 If a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her flesh is blood, she will be in her impurity seven days. Whoever touches her will be unclean until the evening. 20 Everything that she lies on in her impurity will be unclean. Everything also that she sits on will be unclean.

22:1 If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he will pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there will be no guilt of bloodshed for him. 3 If the sun has risen on him, he is guilty of bloodshed. He will make restitution. If he has nothing, then he will be sold for his theft. 4 If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he will pay double.

22:10 “If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured, or driven away, no man seeing it; 11 the oath of YHWH will be between them both, he has not put his hand on his neighbor’s goods; and its owner will accept it, and he will not make restitution. 12 But if it is stolen from him, the one who stole will make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He will not make good that which was torn.

48:15 He blessed Joseph, and said, “The Elohim before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the Elohim who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude upon the land.”

22:1 Then Joshua called the ones of Reuben, the ones of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. 3 You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the commandment of YHWH your Elohim. 4 Now YHWH your Elohim has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of YHWH gave you beyond the Jordan. 5 Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you, to love YHWH your Elohim, to walk in all his ways, to guard his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents. 7 Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but Joshua gave to the other half among their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, 8 and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the plunder of your enemies with your brothers.” 9 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the sons of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of YHWH by Moses. 10 When they came to the region near the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a great altar to look at. 11 The sons of Israel heard this, “Behold, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar along the border of the land of Canaan, in the region around the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the sons of Israel.” 12 When the sons of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the sons of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war. 13 The sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest. 14 With him were ten princes, one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were each head of their fathers’ houses among the thousands of Israel. 15 They came to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16 “The whole congregation of YHWH says, ‘What trespass is this that you have committed against the Elohim of Israel, to turn away today from following YHWH, in that you have built yourselves an altar, to rebel today against YHWH? 17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of YHWH, 18 that you must turn away today from following YHWH? It will be, since you rebel today against YHWH, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19 However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of YHWH, in which the tabernacle of YHWH dwells, and take possession among us; but don’t rebel against YHWH, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than YHWH our Elohim’s altar. 20 Didn’t Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man didn’t perish alone in his iniquity.’ ” 21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel, 22 “The Mighty One, Elohim, YHWH, the Mighty One, Elohim, YHWH, he knows; and Israel will know: if it was in rebellion, or if in trespass against YHWH, don’t save us today, 23 that we have built us an altar to turn away from following YHWH; or if to offer burnt offering or grain offering, or if to offer slaughters of peace offerings, let YHWH himself require it. 24 “If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, “What have you to do with YHWH, the Elohim of Israel? 25 For YHWH has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad. You have no portion in YHWH.” ‘ So your children might make our children cease from fearing YHWH. 26 “Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for slaughter; 27 but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of YHWH before him with our burnt offerings, with our slaughters, and with our peace offerings;’ that your children may not tell our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in YHWH.’ 28 “Therefore we said, ‘It will be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we will say, “Behold the pattern of the altar of YHWH, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for slaughter; but it is a witness between us and you.” ‘ 29 “Far be it from us that we should rebel against YHWH, and turn away today from following YHWH, to build an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering, or for slaughter, besides YHWH our Elohim’s altar that is before his tabernacle!” 30 When Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well. 31 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben, to the sons of Gad, and to the sons of Manasseh, “Today we know that YHWH is among us, because you have not committed this trespass against YHWH. Now you have delivered the sons of Israel out of the hand of YHWH.” 32 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the sons of Reuben, and from the sons of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and brought them word again. 33 The thing pleased the sons of Israel; and the sons of Israel blessed Elohim, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad lived. 34 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad named the altar “A Witness Between Us that YHWH is Elohim.”

103:20 Halleluyah, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, obeying the voice of his word. 21 Halleluyah, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.

34:4 I sought YHWH, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

91:11 For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. 12 They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.

1:13 But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” 14 Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of Elohim, to present your bodies a living slaughter, holy, acceptable to Elohim, which is your spiritual service. 2 Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of Elohim.

2:15 Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the coveting of the flesh, the coveting of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s. 17 The world is passing away with its coveting, but he who does Elohim’s will remains forever.

3:34 Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.

14:5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim

6:4 The Nephilim were in the land in those days, and also after that, when Elohim’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

15:16 In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.

3:10 We took all the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salecah and Edrei, cities of the reign of Og in Bashan. 11 (For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.) 12 This land we took in possession at that time: from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead with its cities, I gave to the ones of Reuben and to the ones of Gad; 13 and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the reign of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh—all the region of Argob, even all Bashan. (The same is called the land of Rephaim.

Additional Readings​

The Sirach or simply Sirach, and also known as the Book of Ecclesiasticus  (abbreviated Ecclus.) or Ben Sira, is a work of ethical teachings, from approximately 200 to 175 B.C., written by the Jewish scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem, on the inspiration of his father Joshua son of Sirach, sometimes called Jesus son of Sirach or Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira.

10:5 A man’s prosperity is in the Lord’s hand. He will lay his honor upon the person of the scribe. 6 Don’t be angry with your neighbor for every wrong. Do nothing by works of violence. 7 Pride is hateful before the Lord and men. Unrighteousness is abhorrent in the judgment of both.

5:1 And it came to pass, when the Nations round about heard that the altar was built, and the sanctuary dedicated as aforetime, they were exceedingly angry. 2 And they took counsel to destroy the race of Jacob that was in the midst of them, and they began to kill and destroy among the people. 3 And Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumaea at Akrabattine, because they besieged Israel: and he struck them with a great slaughter, and brought down their pride, and took their spoils. 4 And he remembered the wickedness of the children of Baean, who were to the people a snare and a stumbling block, lying in wait for them in the ways. 5 And they were shut up by him in the towers; and he encamped against them, and destroyed them utterly, and burned with fire the towers of the place, with all that were therein. 6 And he passed over to the children of Ammon, and found a mighty band, and much people, with Timotheus for their leader. 7 And he fought many battles with them, and they were discomfited before his face; and he struck them, 8 and got possession of Jazer, and the villages thereof, and returned again into Judea.

Genesis 31:3 – 32:2 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)

Composed in Talmudic Israel (c.150 – c.250 AD). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum (translation) of the Torah (Pentateuch) from the land of Israel (as opposed to the eastern Babylonian Targum Onkelos). Its correct title was originally Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Targum), which is how it was known in medieval times. But because of a printer’s mistake it was later labeled Targum Jonathan, in reference to Jonathan ben Uzziel. Some editions of the Pentateuch continue to call it Targum Jonathan to this day. Most scholars refer to the text as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. This targum is more than a mere translation. It includes much Aggadic material collected from various sources as late as the Midrash Rabbah as well as earlier material from the Talmud. It is effectively a combination of a commentary and a translation. In the portions where it is pure translation, it often agrees with the Targum Onkelos. The date of its composition is disputed. It cannot have been completed before the Arabic conquest as it refers to Mohammad’s wife Fatimah, but might have been initially composed in the 4th Century AD. However, some scholars date it in the 14th Century.

Chapter 31 But he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying, Jakob hath taken all that was our father’s; and from that which was our father’s he hath made himself all the glory of these riches. And Jakob observed the looks of Laban and, behold, they were not peaceful toward him as yesterday and as before it. And the Lord said to Jakob, Return to the land of thy fathers, and to thy native place; and My Word will be for thy help. And Jakob sent Naphtali, who was a swift mes-senger, and he called Rahel and Leah, and they came into the field unto his flock. And he said to them, I consider the looks of your father, and, behold, they are not peaceful with me as yesterday and as before it; but the Elohim of my father hath been to my aid. And you know that with all my strength I have served your father, but your father hath deceived me, and hath changed [JERUSALEM. Hath commuted.] my wages ten portions; yet the Lord hath not given him power to do me evil. lf now he said, The streaked will be thy wages, all the sheep bare streaked; and if now he said, The spotted-footed will be thy wages, all the sheep bare those which were spotted in their feet: and the Lord hath taken away the flock of your father, and hath given (it) to me. [JERUSALEM. And the Word of the Lord hath taken away.] And it was at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and, behold, the goats which rose upon the flock were spotted in their feet, or streaked or white in their backs. And the Angel of the Lord said to me, in a dream, Jakob. And I said, Behold me. [JERUSALEM. Jakob answered in the holy tongue, and said, Behold me.] And He said, Lift up now thine eyes and see: all the goats that rise upon the flock are spotted in their feet, or streaked or white in their backs : because all the injury that Laban hath done thee is manifest before me. I am Eloba who did reveal Myself to thee at Beth El where thou didst anoint the pillar, and swear the oath before Me. Arise now, go forth from this land, and return to the land of my birth.

And Rahel answered with the consent of Leah, and said to him, Can there now be yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house; are we not considered by him as foreigners. For he hath sold us, and eating he hath eaten our money. Therefore all the wealth that the Lord hath taken from our father is ours and our children’s. And now, all that the Lord hath said to thee, do. [JERUSALEM. Are we not considered strangers to him? for he hath sold us and, behold he is not willing to give us our dowry. ]

And Jakob arose, and set his children and his wives upon camels. And he led all his herds and his substance which he had obtained in Padan Aram to go unto Izhak his father in the land of Kenaan. [JERUSALEM. His treasure.]

And Laban had gone to shear his flock; and Rahel stole the images. For they had slain a man, a firstborn, and had cut off his head; they salted it with salt and balsams, and wrote incantations on a plate of gold, and put it under his tongue, and set it up in the wall, and it spake with them; and unto such their father bowed himself. And Jakob stole the knowledge of Laban the Aramite, in that he did not show him when he went. And he went, he with all that he had. And he arose and crossed the Pherat, and set his face to ascend toward the mountain of Gilead; because he saw by the Holy Spirit that from thence would be deliverance for his sons, in the days of Jephtach, who was of Gilead.

But after Jakob had gone, the shepherds went to the well, but found no water; and they waited three days, if that it might (again) overflow; but it overflowed not ; and then came they to Laban on the third day, and he knew that Jakob had fled; because through his righteousness it had flowed twenty years. [JERUSALEM. And it was, when the shepherds were gathered together, they sought to water the flock, but were not able; and they waited two and three days, if that the well might overflow; but it overflowed not; and then came they to Laban in the third day, because Jakob had fled.]

And he took his kinsmen with him, and pursued after him, going seven days, and overtook him, while sojourning in Mount Gilead offering praise and praying before his God. And there came an angel with a word from before the Lord; and he drew the sword against Laban the deceitful in a dream of the night, and said to him, Beware lest thou speak with Jakob from good to evil.

And Laban came upon Jakob. And Jakob had spread his tent in the mountain, and Laban made his brethren abide in the mount of Gilead. And Laban said to Jakob, What hast thou done? Thou hast stolen my knowledge, and led away my daughters like captives of the sword. Why didst thou hide from me that thou wouldst go, and steal my knowledge, and not tell me? For if thou hadst told me, I would have sent thee away with mirth, and with hymns, and with tambourines, and with harps. Neither hast thou suffered me to kiss the sons of my daughters, nor my daughters. Now hast thou been foolish in what thou hast done. There is sufficiency in my hand to do evil with thee; [JERUSALEM. There are strength and ability.] but the Elohim of thy father spake with me in the evening, saying, Be careful of speaking with Jakob from good to evil now going thou wilt go; because desiring thou hast desired the house of thy father: (but) why hast thou stolen the images of my idols?

And Jakob answered and said to Laban, Because I feared, and said, Lest thou violently take away thy daughters from me. With whomsoever thou shalt find the images of thy idols, let him die before his time. Before all our brethren take knowledge of what with me is thine, and take it. But Jakob knew not that Rahel had stolen them. And Laban went into the tent of Jakob, and into the tent of Leah, and into the tent of the two concubines, but found not. And he went out from the tent of Leah, and entered the tent of Rahel. But Rahel had taken the images, and laid them in the paniers of the camels, and sat upon them. And he searched all the tent, but found not. And she said, Let it not be displeasing in my lord’s eyes that I am not able to arise before thee, because I have the way of women. And he searched, but found not the images.

And the anger of Jakob took fire, and he contended with Laban. And Jakob answered and said to Laban, What is my sin, and what my transgression, that thou hast so eagerly come after me? Having, therefore, searched all my vessels, what hast thou found of all the vessels of thy house? Lay now the matter before my brethren and thy brethren, and let them decide the truth between us two. These twenty years have I been with thee: thy ewes and thy goats have not failed, and the price of the rams of the flock I have not eaten.That torn by wild beasts I have not brought to thee; for had I sinned, from my hand thou wouldst have required it. What was stolen in the day by men, that have I made good; and what was stolen in the night by wild beasts was made good also.

[JERUSALEM.The dead I have not brought to thee; every one which had fled from the number, I have made that good; of my hands thou hast required it: and what thieves stole by day or wild beasts devoured by night I have made good.] I have been in the field; by day the heat hath devoured me, and the cold by night, and sleep hath been parted from me. These twenty years have I been in thy house, serving thee; fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy sheep; and thou hast changed my wages ten parts. Unless the Elohim of my father, the Elohim of Abraham, and He whom Izhak feareth had been in my help, even now hadst thou sent me away empty: but my affliction and the travail of my hands are manifest before the Lord, and therefore He admonished thee in the evening.

And Laban answered and said to Jakob, The children whom thou hast received of thy wives are my children, and the children whom they may bear will be reputed as mine, and the sheep are my sheep and all that thou seest is mine. And for my daughters what can I do this day, and for the soils which they have borne? And now come, let us strike a covenant, I and thou, and it will be for a witness between me and thee. And Jakob took a stone and set it up for a pillar. And Jakob said to his sons, whom he called his brethren, Collect stones. And they collected stones, and made a mound, and they ate upon the mound. And Laban called it Ogar Sahid but Jakob called it in the holy tongue, Gal-ed. And The Observatory also it was called because he said The Lord will observe between me and thee when we are hidden each man from his neighbour If thou shalt afflict my daughters, doing them injury, and if thou take upon my daughters, there is no man to judge us, the Word of the Lord seeing is the witness between me and thee. And Laban said to Jakob, Behold this mound, and behold the pillar which thou hast reared between me and thee. This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I may not pass beyond this mound to thee, and that thou mayest not pass beyond this mound and this pillar to do harm. The Elohim of Abraham and the Elohim of Nachor will judge between us, the Elohim of their fathers. But Jakob sware by the Elohim whom his father Izhak feared. And Jakob slew slaughters in the mount, and invited his kinsmen who came with Laban to help themselves to bread, (or strengthen themselves with bread,) and they helped themselves to bread, and lodged in the mount. And Laban arose in the morning, and kissed the sons of Jakob and his daughters, and blessed them; and Laban went and returned to his place.