affinity now newly contracted between us; nor to those wives whom
thou hast married; nor to those children, of whom I am the
grandfather. Thou hast treated me as an enemy, driving away my
cattle, and by persuading my daughters to run away from their
father; and by carrying home those sacred paternal images which
were worshipped by my forefathers, and have been honored with the
like worship which they paid them by myself. In short, thou hast
done this whilst thou art my kinsman, and my sister's son, and
the husband of my daughters, and was hospiably treated by me, and
didst eat at my table." When Laban had said this, Jacob made his
defense - That he was not the only person in whom God had
implanted the love of his native country, but that he had made it
natural to all men; and that therefore it was but reasonable
that, after so long time, he should go back to it. "But as to the
prey, of whose driving away thou accusest me, if any other person
were the arbitrator, thou wouldst be found in the wrong; for
instead of those thanks I ought to have had from thee, for both
keeping thy cattle, and increasing them, how is it that thou art
unjustly angry at me because I have taken, and have with me, a
small portion of them? But then, as to thy daughters, take
notice, that it is not through any evil practices of mine that
they follow me in my return home, but from that just affection
which wives naturally have to their husbands. They follow
therefore not so properly myself as their own children." And thus
far of his apology was made, in order to clear himself of having
acted unjustly. To which he added his own complaint and
accusation of Laban; saying, "While I was thy sister's son, and
thou hadst given me thy daughters in marriage, thou hast worn me
out with thy harsh commands, and detained me twenty years under
them. That indeed which was required in order to my marrying thy