That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
When wild animals killed any of your sheep or goats, I didn't bring the torn carcass to you. Instead, I took the loss myself and paid you back with my own animals. You made me responsible for replacing any animal that was stolen, whether it happened during the day or at night.
Jacob is telling Laban that he went above and beyond his duties as a shepherd by personally covering all losses, even those that weren't his fault.
📚 Historical Context
Jacob is confronting his father-in-law Laban about twenty years of unfair treatment while working as his shepherd. In ancient Near Eastern culture, shepherds were typically only responsible for losses due to their own negligence, not for attacks by wild animals or theft. Jacob is pointing out how Laban made him pay for losses that were beyond his control.
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