²⁷ But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(A) please stay. I have learned by divination^(B) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”^{(C) 28} He added, “Name your wages,^(D) and I will pay them.”

²⁹ Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you^(E) and how your livestock has fared under my care.^{(F) 30} The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.^(G) But now, when may I do something for my own household?^(H)”

³¹ “What shall I give you?” he asked.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: 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.^(I) They will be my wages.^{(J) 33} And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored,^(K) will be considered stolen.^(L)”

³⁴ “Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”

⁶ You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,^(A)

⁷ yet your father has cheated^(A) me by changing my wages^(B) ten times.^(C) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.^(D)

⁴¹ It was like this for the twenty years^(A) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters^(B) and six years for your flocks,^(C) and you changed my wages^(D) ten times.^(E)