Genesis 31

1 Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”

2 And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.

3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,

5 and he told them, “I can see from your father’s countenance that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me.

6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength.

7 And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.

8 If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore streaked offspring.

9 Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

10 When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females.

11 In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’

12 ‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up, leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’”

14 And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house?

15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.

16 Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you.”

17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,

18 and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan.

19 Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.

20 Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away.

21 So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.

22 On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled.

23 So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.

24 But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

25 Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well.

26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war!

27 Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps.

28 But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.

29 I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’

30 Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”

31 “I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.

32 If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.

34 Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched but could not find the household idols.

36 Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?

37 You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us.

38 I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.

39 I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.

40 As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

41 Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!

42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”

43 But Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne?

44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.”

45 So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar,

46 and he said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate.

47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

48 Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.

49 It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.

50 If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me.

52 This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me.

53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.

54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.

55 Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.

1 ¶ And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that [was] our father's; and of [that] which [was] our father's hath he gotten all this glory.

2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it [was] not toward him as before.

3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it [is] not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given [them] to me.

10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle [were] ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, [saying], Jacob: And I said, Here [am] I.

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle [are] ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I [am] the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, [and] where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, [Is there] yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?

15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that [is] ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

17 ¶ Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that [were] her father's.

20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face [toward] the mount Gilead.

22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

25 ¶ Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives [taken] with the sword?

27 Wherefore didst thou flee away 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?

28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in [so] doing.

29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

30 And now, [though] thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, [yet] wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what [is] thine with me, and take [it] to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found [them] not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.

34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found [them] not.

35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women [is] upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.

36 ¶ And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What [is] my trespass? what [is] my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set [it] here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

38 This twenty years [have] I [been] with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

39 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.

40 [Thus] I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked [thee] yesternight.

43 ¶ And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, [These] daughters [are] my daughters, and [these] children [are] my children, and [these] cattle [are] my cattle, and all that thou seest [is] mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up [for] a pillar.

46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

48 And Laban said, This heap [is] a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take [other] wives beside my daughters, no man [is] with us; see, God [is] witness betwixt me and thee.

51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold [this] pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;

52 This heap [be] witness, and [this] pillar [be] witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

1 And the words of the children of Laban came before him, saying: Jacob hath brought all our father's goods unto him, and of our father's goods hath he gotten such riches.

2 And Jacob looked upon the face of Laban; and, behold, it was not against him, as it was yesterday, and as it was before yesterday.

2 And when he saw them, he said, They are the armies of God: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto thy fathers' country, and to thy friendship; and I will be with thee.

4 And Jacob sent, and called Rachel and Leah into the field with his flock.

5 And he said unto them: I see your father's face, that it is not against me, as it was yesterday, and as it was yesterday: but the God of my father is with me.

6 And ye know that with all my strength I have served your Father.

7 And he hath deceived me, and hath changed my wages ten times: but God hath not suffered him to hurt me.

8 And when he said, The multicolored ones shall be thy reward; then the whole flock bare multicolored. And when he said, The light ones shall be thy reward, then the whole flock bare the light ones.

9 So God took your father's goods from him and gave them to me.

10 For when the time of the running was come, I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the goats leaped upon the herd, bright and spotted and multicoloured.

11 And the angel of God said unto me in a dream, Jacob. And I answered: Here I am.

12 And he said, Lift up thine eyes, and, behold, the goats leap upon the herd, which is full of spittle, and of spot, and of multitude: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I am the God of Bethel, because thou hast anointed the stone, and hast vowed a vow unto me there. Now arise, depart out of this land, and return unto the land of thy friendship.

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Surely we have no part nor inheritance left in our father's house.

15 Yet hath he kept us as strangers: for he hath sold us, and eaten up our wages.

16 Therefore hath God delivered unto our Father his riches unto us, and unto our children: All things therefore whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

17 So Jacob arose, and loaded his children and his wives upon camels.

18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his substance, which he had gotten in Mesopotamia, to come unto Isaac his father unto the land of Canaan.

19 And Laban went to shear his flock: and Rachel stole her father's idols.

20 So Jacob stole the heart of Laban of Syria, because he told him not that he fled.

21 So he fled, and all that were his arose, and passed over the waters, and went to mount Gilead.

22 And it was told Laban the third day, that Jacob fled.

23 And he took his brethren, and pursued after him seven days' journey, and met him in mount Gilead.

24 But God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him: Beware that thou speak not to Jacob otherwise than kindly.

25 And Laban drew nigh unto Jacob. And Jacob pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban and his brethren pitched their tent in the mount Gilead.

26 And Laban said unto Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen my heart, and carried away my daughters, when they were taken by the sword?

27 Why hast thou fled secretly, and stolen away, and not told me, that I might have led thee with joy, with singing, with timbrels and harps?

28 And hast thou not made me kiss my children and my daughters? Well, thou hast done foolishly.

29 And I would have so much power with the help of God, that I could do you evil: but your father's God said unto me yesterday, Beware that thou speak not unto Jacob otherwise than kindly.

30 And because thou wouldest go, and didst long for thy father's house, why didst thou steal my gods from me?

31 And Jacob answered and said unto Laban, I was afraid, and thought that thou wouldest pluck thy daughters from me.

32 But with whom thou shalt find thy gods, let him die here before our brethren. Seek thine own with me, and receive it. But Jacob did not know that she had stolen Rachel.

33 And Laban went into the tabernacle of Jacob, and into the tabernacle of Leah, and into the tabernacle of Rachel, and into the tabernacle of Jacob, and into the tabernacle of Leah, and into the tabernacle of Rachel, and into the two maidservants, and found them not.

34 And Rachel took the idols, and put them under the camels' bedding, and sat upon them. And Laban searched the whole tabernacle, and found nothing.

35 And she said unto her father, My lord, be not angry: for I cannot rise up against thee; for I am after the manner of women. So he found not the idols, as almost he sought.

36 And Jacob was wroth, and rebuked Laban, and said unto him, What have I wronged, or sinned, that thou art so hot against me?

37 thou hast touched all my goods. What hast thou found of thy household? Set it before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge between us.

38 These twenty years have I been with thee; thy sheep and thy goats have not been barren; the rams of thy flock have I never eaten.

39 What the beasts tore, I brought not unto thee; I had to pay for it: thou requiredst it of my hand, it was stolen from me by day or by night.

40 I languished in the day for heat, and in the night for frost, and no sleep came into mine eyes.

41 So I have served in thy house these twenty years, fourteen for thy daughters, and six for thy flock; and thou hast changed my wages tenfold.

42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, you would have left me empty. But God looked upon my affliction and trouble, and punished thee yesterday.

43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks; and all that thou seest is mine: what can I do unto my daughters this day, or unto their children which they have born?

44 Come now therefore, and let us make a covenant, I and thou, which shall be a testimony between me and thee.

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a mark. 46: And said unto his brethren: Pick up stones. And they took stones, and made a heap, and did eat in the same heap.

47 And Laban called his name Jegar-sahaduthah: but Jacob called his name Gilead.

48 And Laban said, Let the multitude be a witness this day between me and thee (therefore is it called Gilead).

49 And be a wait, for he said, The LORD look between me and thee, when we come one from another,

50 Wherefore thou hast offended my daughters, or taken other wives over my daughters. There is no man here with us: but, behold, God is a witness between me and thee.

51 And Laban said again unto Jacob, Behold, this is the multitude, and this is the mark which I have set up between me and thee.

52 Let this heap be a witness, and let the mark also be a witness, where I pass over unto thee, or thou pass over unto me this heap, and mark to hurt.

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, and the God of their fathers, be judge between us.

54 And Jacob sware unto him by the fear of Isaac his father. And Jacob sacrificed in the mount, and invited his brethren to eat. And when they had eaten, they tarried in the mount overnight.

55 And Laban rose up early in the morning, and kissed his children and his daughters, and blessed them; and he departed, and returned unto his place. Ch. 32. v.1. But Jacob went his way; and the angels of God met him.