favored. And Jacob loved Rachel; and he
said, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter."

And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to thee, than that I
should give her to another man: abide with me."

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but
a few days, for the love he had to her.

JACOB SETS OUT FOR HIS NATIVE LAND.

_He Is Pursued by Laban, but a Covenant of Peace Is Made Between Them_.

(Jacob also took Leah to be his wife. After many years of service, in
which time many sons and daughters were born to him, Jacob, who
increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, and maidservants and
menservants, and camels and asses, wished to depart from the household
of his father-in-law to his native land. So he went away secretly,
with his wives and all his possessions. )

Now Laban was angry, and pursued Jacob, and Laban came up with Jacob.
Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain: and Laban with his
brethren pitched in the mountain of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob,
"What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and
carried away my daughters as captives of the {72} sword? Wherefore
didst thou flee secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell
me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with
tabret and with harp; and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my
daughters? now hast thou done foolishly. It is in the power of my hand
to do you hurt: but the God of your father spoke unto me yesternight,
saying, 'Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good
or bad.'"

And Jacob was wroth with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban,
"What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast hotly pursued
after me? This twenty years have I been with thee. The sheep of the
flock which were torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bore the
loss of them; of my hand didst thou require them, whether stolen by
day or stolen by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed
me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes. These
twenty years have I been in thy house; I served thee fourteen years
for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock: and thou hast
changed my wages ten times. Except the God of my father, the God of
Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now hadst
thou sent me away empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labor
of my hands, and rebuked thee yest