וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָבָ֖ן הֵ֑ן ל֖וּ יְהִ֥י כִדְבָרֶֽךָ׃
האָט לָבָן געזאָגט: יאָ, זאָל זײַן אַזױ װי דײַן װאָרט.
Sefer HaYashar (midrash)
And at that time Ishmael took his wife and his children, and his cattle, and all belonging to him, and went forth into the land of the Philistines to his father Abraham, and Abraham related unto his son all concerning the treatment he received of Ishmael’s first wife. And Ishmael and his children tarried with Abraham for many days in the land of the Philistines. And Abraham dwelt in the land of the Philistines many years, and the time increased to twenty-six years. And after that time Abraham and all his servants departed from the land of the Philistines unto a great distance, and they came into the neighborhood of Hebron and they located there. And Abraham and his servants dug there wells of water, and Abraham and all belonging to him dwelt around the water. And the servants of Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, heard it that the servants of Abraham have dug wells within the limits of the Philistines’ land, and they came and quarreled with the servants of Abraham, and they ejected them and took possession of the great well which Abraham's servants had dug. And when Abimelech, king of the Philistines, heard these things, he and Fichol his commander-in-chief and twenty of his men came unto Abraham, and Abimelech spoke unto Abraham concerning his servants. And Abraham rebuked Abimelech on account of his men having ejected him from the well, and Abimelech replied, saying: As God liveth who created all the earth, I know nothing of the whole affair between our servants until this day. And Abraham took seven sheep and gave them to Abimelech, saying: Take this from me that it be a testimony that I have dug this well. And Abimelech accepted the seven sheep as also flocks and herds in great numbers which Abraham gave unto him, and Abimelech swore unto Abraham in regard to that well. Therefore this place is called Beer-Sheba, because there both of them have sworn. And after they had established a covenant between themselves, Abimelech and Fichol with his men arose and returned unto the land of the Philistines. And Abraham with all belonging to him remained in Beer-Sheba, where they dwelt for many days. And Abraham planted in Beer-Sheba a large grove and made to it four gates towards the four winds of heaven. And within that grove he planted a vineyard, so that the traveler could enter from whatever side he came, and he could eat and drink and resume his journey. For Abraham's house was ever open to all the sons of man that passed and repassed that way; and the travelers always stopped in to eat and to drink in Abraham's house day after day.
Bereshit Rabbah
“My honesty will speak on my behalf on a future day, when you will review my wages before you: every one among the goats that is not speckled and spotted, or brown, among the sheep, was stolen by me” (Genesis 30:33).
“My honesty will speak on my behalf on a future day” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: It is written: “Do not glory in a future day” (Proverbs 27:1). You said: “My honesty will speak on my behalf on a future day” – in the future, your daughter will go out and be violated, as it is stated: “Dina, Leah’s daughter, went out” (Genesis 34:1).
“Laban said: Indeed, if only it will be in accordance with your statement” (Genesis 30:34).
“Laban said: Indeed, if only [hen lu] it will be in accordance with your statement” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Rabba said: Each and every matter that Laban would stipulate with Jacob, he would renege upon it ten times retroactively, as it is stated: “Hen lu.”16Hen means yes, lu indicates uncertainty, which constitutes the first step toward reneging on his agreement. The Rabbis say: One hundred times, as it is stated: “But your father has cheated me, and changed my wages ten times [monim]” (Genesis 31:7) – ten times ten, as a quorum [minyan] is no fewer than ten.
“He established a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob. Jacob herded the remaining flock of Laban” (Genesis 30:36).
“He established a distance of three days…Jacob herded the remaining [notarot] flock of Laban” – Reish Lakish said: Notarot – among them of poor quality, among them barren, and among them ill. Nateret is written <just as="" it="" says:="" the="" front="" and="" the="" back="" teeth="" of="" the="" emperor="" fell="" [<i="">natur]>.17Ḥullin 59b.
“My honesty will speak on my behalf on a future day” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: It is written: “Do not glory in a future day” (Proverbs 27:1). You said: “My honesty will speak on my behalf on a future day” – in the future, your daughter will go out and be violated, as it is stated: “Dina, Leah’s daughter, went out” (Genesis 34:1).
“Laban said: Indeed, if only it will be in accordance with your statement” (Genesis 30:34).
“Laban said: Indeed, if only [hen lu] it will be in accordance with your statement” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Rabba said: Each and every matter that Laban would stipulate with Jacob, he would renege upon it ten times retroactively, as it is stated: “Hen lu.”16Hen means yes, lu indicates uncertainty, which constitutes the first step toward reneging on his agreement. The Rabbis say: One hundred times, as it is stated: “But your father has cheated me, and changed my wages ten times [monim]” (Genesis 31:7) – ten times ten, as a quorum [minyan] is no fewer than ten.
“He established a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob. Jacob herded the remaining flock of Laban” (Genesis 30:36).
“He established a distance of three days…Jacob herded the remaining [notarot] flock of Laban” – Reish Lakish said: Notarot – among them of poor quality, among them barren, and among them ill. Nateret is written <just as="" it="" says:="" the="" front="" and="" the="" back="" teeth="" of="" the="" emperor="" fell="" [<i="">natur]>.17Ḥullin 59b.
Bereshit Rabbah
“He said to them: I see your father's countenance, and it is not toward me as in the past, and the God of my father was with me” (Genesis 31:5).
“And you know that I worked for your father with all of my strength” (Genesis 31:6).
“But your father has cheated me, and changed my wages ten times; but God did not allow him to harm me” (Genesis 31:7).
“He said to them: I see…But your father has cheated me” – Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba said: Each and every matter that Laban would stipulate with Jacob, he would renege upon it ten times retroactively, as it is stated: “Hen lu”3Hen means yes, lu indicates uncertainty, which constitutes the first step toward reneging on his agreement. (Genesis 30:34). The Rabbis say: One hundred times, as it is stated: “But your father has cheated me, and changed my wages ten times [monim]” (Genesis 31:7); as a quorum [minyan] is no fewer than ten.
“If he said this: The speckled will be your wages, then all the flocks bore speckled, and if he said that: The streaked will be your wages, all the flocks bore streaked” (Genesis 31:8).
“God has diverted the livestock of your father, and given it to me” (Genesis 31:9).
“If he said this [im ko yomar]: The speckled will be your wages, then all the flocks bore [speckled]” – Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He foresaw what Laban was destined to do to our patriarch Jacob, and He shaped a corresponding form.4A form that corresponds with Laban’s final position. Im ko yomar – amar5Past tense. The first does not say that after Laban said which animals would be Jacob's salary, then all the births would be of that type. is not written here, but rather, yomar.6Future tense, as the Holy One blessed be He foresaw what Laban was going to do in the future, and before Laban said to Jacob what the new salary would be, the animals born were in accordance with the new salary. Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Aivu said: “For I have seen everything that Laban did to you” is not written here, but rather, “everything that Laban is doing to you” (Genesis 31:12).
“The angel of God said to me in the dream: Jacob, and I said: Here I am” (Genesis 31:11).
“The angel of God said to me in the dream…” – Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said: To him and to his generations. There is no generation that does not have one like Abraham. There is no generation that does not have one like Jacob. There is no generation that does not have one like Samuel.
“He said: Please lift your eyes and see, all the males that mount the flock are streaked, speckled, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you” (Genesis 31:12).
“He said: Please lift your eyes and see, all the males that mount the flock are…streaked, speckled…” – Rabbi Huna of Beit Ḥoron said: “Olim” is not written here, but rather, “haolim” – they mounted involuntarily.7The angel did not merely show him that males were mounting the flock, but rather he was shown that the angels were making sure that the right males were mounting the females. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Torrential rain.8Transported the males from Laban’s flock. The Rabbis said: Clouds of glory. 9Transported the males from Laban’s flock.
“God has diverted the livestock of your father, and given it to me” – like one who saves items from refuse.
“And you know that I worked for your father with all of my strength” (Genesis 31:6).
“But your father has cheated me, and changed my wages ten times; but God did not allow him to harm me” (Genesis 31:7).
“He said to them: I see…But your father has cheated me” – Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba said: Each and every matter that Laban would stipulate with Jacob, he would renege upon it ten times retroactively, as it is stated: “Hen lu”3Hen means yes, lu indicates uncertainty, which constitutes the first step toward reneging on his agreement. (Genesis 30:34). The Rabbis say: One hundred times, as it is stated: “But your father has cheated me, and changed my wages ten times [monim]” (Genesis 31:7); as a quorum [minyan] is no fewer than ten.
“If he said this: The speckled will be your wages, then all the flocks bore speckled, and if he said that: The streaked will be your wages, all the flocks bore streaked” (Genesis 31:8).
“God has diverted the livestock of your father, and given it to me” (Genesis 31:9).
“If he said this [im ko yomar]: The speckled will be your wages, then all the flocks bore [speckled]” – Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He foresaw what Laban was destined to do to our patriarch Jacob, and He shaped a corresponding form.4A form that corresponds with Laban’s final position. Im ko yomar – amar5Past tense. The first does not say that after Laban said which animals would be Jacob's salary, then all the births would be of that type. is not written here, but rather, yomar.6Future tense, as the Holy One blessed be He foresaw what Laban was going to do in the future, and before Laban said to Jacob what the new salary would be, the animals born were in accordance with the new salary. Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Aivu said: “For I have seen everything that Laban did to you” is not written here, but rather, “everything that Laban is doing to you” (Genesis 31:12).
“The angel of God said to me in the dream: Jacob, and I said: Here I am” (Genesis 31:11).
“The angel of God said to me in the dream…” – Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said: To him and to his generations. There is no generation that does not have one like Abraham. There is no generation that does not have one like Jacob. There is no generation that does not have one like Samuel.
“He said: Please lift your eyes and see, all the males that mount the flock are streaked, speckled, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you” (Genesis 31:12).
“He said: Please lift your eyes and see, all the males that mount the flock are…streaked, speckled…” – Rabbi Huna of Beit Ḥoron said: “Olim” is not written here, but rather, “haolim” – they mounted involuntarily.7The angel did not merely show him that males were mounting the flock, but rather he was shown that the angels were making sure that the right males were mounting the females. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Torrential rain.8Transported the males from Laban’s flock. The Rabbis said: Clouds of glory. 9Transported the males from Laban’s flock.
“God has diverted the livestock of your father, and given it to me” – like one who saves items from refuse.