Genesis — Chapter 31

1And 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.

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

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

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

5And 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.

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

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

8If 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.

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

10And 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.

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

12And 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.

13I 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.

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

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

16For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24And 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.

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

26And 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?

27Wherefore 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?

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

29It 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.

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

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

32With 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.

33And 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.

34Now 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.

35And 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.

36And 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?

37Whereas 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.

38This 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.

39That 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.

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

41Thus 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.

42Except 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.

43And 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?

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

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

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

47And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

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

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

50If 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.

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

52This 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.

53The 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.

54Then 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.

55And 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.

1And 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.

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

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

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

5and said unto them, I see your father`s countenance, that it is not toward me as beforetime; but the God of my father hath been with me.

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

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

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

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

10And it came to pass at the time that the flock conceive, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the he-goats which leaped upon the flock were ringstreaked, speckled, and grizzled.

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

12And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats which leap upon the flock are ringstreaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst a pillar, where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy nativity.

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

15Are we not accounted by him as foreigners? for he hath sold us, and hath also quite devoured our money.

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

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

18and he carried away all his cattle, and all his substance which he had gathered, the cattle of his getting, which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to Isaac his father unto the land of Canaan.

19Now Laban was gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father`s.

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

21So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.

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

23And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days` journey; and he overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.

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

25And Laban came up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain: and Laban with his brethren encamped in the mountain of Gilead.

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

27Wherefore didst thou flee 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;

28and didst not suffer me to kiss my sons and my daughters? now hast thou done foolishly.

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

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

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

32With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall 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.

33And Laban went into Jacob`s tent, and into Leah`s tent, and into the tent of the two maid-servants; but he found them not. And he went out of Leah`s tent, and entered into Rachel`s tent.

34Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the camel`s saddle, and sat upon them. And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not.

35And she said to her father, Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee; for the manner of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the teraphim.

36And 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 hotly pursued after me?

37Whereas thou hast felt about 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 two.

38These twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flocks have I not eaten.

39That 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.

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

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

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

43And 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: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children whom they have borne?

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

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

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

47And Laban called it Jegar-saha-dutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

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

49and Mizpah, for he said, Jehovah watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

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

51And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold the pillar, which I have set betwixt me and thee.

52This heap be witness, and the 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.

53The 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.

54And Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mountain.

55And 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.

1Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich at our father’s expense!”

2When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed.

3The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives. I will be with you.”

4So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah to come to the field where his flocks were.

5There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, but the God of my father has been with me.

6You know that I’ve worked for your father as hard as I could,

7but your father has humiliated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm.

8If he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to speckled offspring. But if he said, ‘The streaked animals will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to streaked offspring.

9In this way God has snatched away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

10“Once during breeding season I saw in a dream that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted.

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

12Then he said, ‘Observe that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you.

13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the sacred stone and made a vow to me. Now leave this land immediately and return to your native land.’”

14Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house?

15Hasn’t he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted the money paid for us!

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

17So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels.

18He took away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac.

19While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.

20Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving.

21He left with all he owned. He quickly crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead.

22Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left.

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

24But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, “Be careful that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.”

25Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too.

26“What have you done?” Laban demanded of Jacob. “You’ve deceived me and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war!

27Why did you run away secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps?

28You didn’t even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren goodbye. You have acted foolishly!

29I have the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, ‘Be careful that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.’

30Now I understand that you have gone away because you longed desperately for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?”

31“I left secretly because I was afraid!” Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force.

32Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! In the presence of our relatives identify whatever is yours and take it.” (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.)

33So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s.

34(Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle and sat on them.) Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them.

35Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord. I cannot stand up in your presence because I am having my period.” So he searched thoroughly, but did not find the idols.

36Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit?

37When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? Set it here before my relatives and yours, and let them settle the dispute between the two of us!

38“I have been with you for the past 20 years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks.

39Animals torn by wild beasts I never brought to you; I always absorbed the loss myself. You always made me pay for every missing animal, whether it was taken by day or at night.

40I was consumed by scorching heat during the day and by piercing cold at night, and I went without sleep.

41This was my lot for 20 years in your house: I worked like a slave for you—14 years for your two daughters and 6 years for your flocks—but you changed my wages 10 times!

42If the God of my father—the God of Abraham, the one whom Isaac fears—had not been with me, you would certainly have sent me away empty-handed! But God saw how I was oppressed and how hard I worked, and he rebuked you last night.”

43Laban replied to Jacob, “These women are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today or the children to whom they have given birth?

44So now, come, let’s make a formal agreement, you and I, and it will be proof that we have made peace.”

45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar.

46Then he said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they brought stones and put them in a pile. They ate there by the pile of stones.

47Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

48Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement today.” That is why it was called Galeed.

49It was also called Mizpah because he said, “May the Lord watch between us when we are out of sight of one another.

50If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, realize that God is witness to your actions.”

51“Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between me and you,” Laban said to Jacob.

52“This pile of stones and the pillar are reminders that I will not pass beyond this pile to come to harm you and that you will not pass beyond this pile and this pillar to come to harm me.

53May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared.

54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.

55(32:1) Early in the morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home.

1He heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.”

2Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

3Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

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

5and said to them, “I see the expression on your father’s face, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.

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

7Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me.

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

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

10During mating season, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled.

11The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’

12He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you.

13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”

14Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?

15Aren’t we considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money.

16For all the riches which God has taken away from our father, that is ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

17Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels,

18and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.

19Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s.

20Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away.

21So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.

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

23He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.

24God came to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

25Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead.

26Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?

27Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;

28and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.

29It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’

30Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”

31Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’

32Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.

33Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.

34Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them.

35She said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.

36Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?

37Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two.

38“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks.

39That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.

40This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.

41These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.

42Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

43Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine: and what can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?

44Now come, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be for a witness between me and you.”

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

46Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.

47Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

48Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed

49and Mizpah, for he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.

50If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.”

51Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you.

52May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.

53The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.

54Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain.

55Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.