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Genesis 31:17-32:12
Contemporary English Version

17 Then Jacob, his wives, and his children got on camels and left 18 northern Syria[a] for the home of his father Isaac in Canaan. Jacob took along all his flocks, herds, and other property.

19 Before Rachel left, she stole the household idols[b] while Laban was out shearing his sheep.

20 Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean[c] by not saying that he intended to leave. 21 When Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead, he took with him everything he owned.

Laban Catches Up with Jacob

22 Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone. 23 So he took some of his relatives along and chased after Jacob for seven days, before catching up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, “Don't say a word to Jacob. Don't make a threat or a promise.”

25 Jacob had set up camp in the hill country of Gilead, when Laban and his relatives came and set up camp in another part of the hill country. Laban went to Jacob 26 and said:

Look what you've done! You've tricked me and run off with my daughters like a kidnapper. 27 Why did you sneak away without telling me? I would have given you a going-away party with singing and with music on tambourines and harps. 28 You didn't even give me a chance to kiss my own grandchildren and daughters goodbye. That was really foolish. 29 I could easily hurt you, but the God your father worshiped has warned me not to make any threats or promises.

30 I can understand why you were eager to return to your father, but why did you have to steal my idols?

31 Jacob answered, “I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 If you find that any one of us has taken your idols, I'll have that person killed. Let your relatives be witnesses. Show me what belongs to you, and you can take it back.” Jacob did not realize that Rachel had stolen the household idols.

33 Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two servant women,[d] but did not find the idols. Then he went to Rachel's tent. 34 She had already hidden them in the cushion she used as a saddle and was sitting on it. Laban searched everywhere and did not find them. 35 Rachel said, “Father, please don't be angry with me for not getting up; I'm having my period.” Laban kept on searching, but still did not find the idols.

36 Jacob became very angry and said to Laban:

What have I done wrong? Have I committed some crime? Is that why you hunted me down? 37 After searching through everything I have, did you find anything of yours? If so, put it here, where your relatives and mine can see it. Then we can decide what to do.

38 In all the 20 years that I've worked for you, not one of your sheep or goats has had a miscarriage, and I've never eaten even one of your rams. 39 If a wild animal killed one of your sheep or goats, I paid for it myself. In fact, you demanded the full price, whether the animal was killed during the day or at night.[e] 40 I sweated every day, and I couldn't sleep at night because of the cold.

41 I had to work 14 of these 20 long years to earn your two daughters and another 6 years to buy your sheep and goats. During that time you kept changing my wages. 42 If the fearsome God[f] worshiped by Abraham and my father Isaac had not been on my side, you would have sent me away without a thing. But God saw my hard work, and he knew the trouble I was in, so he helped me. Then last night he told you how wrong you were.

Jacob and Laban Make an Agreement

43 Laban said to Jacob, “Leah and Rachel are my daughters, and their children belong to me. All these sheep you are taking are really mine too. In fact, everything you have belongs to me. But there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children. 44 So I am ready to make an agreement with you, and we will pile up some large rocks here to remind us of the agreement.”

45 After Jacob had set up a large rock, 46 he told his men to get some more rocks and pile them up next to it. Then Jacob and Laban ate a meal together beside the rocks. 47 Laban named the pile of rocks Jegar Sahadutha.[g] But Jacob named it Galeed.[h] 48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will remind us of our agreement.” That's why the place was named Galeed. 49 Laban also said, “This pile of rocks means that the Lord will watch us both while we are apart from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah.[i]

50 Then Laban said:

If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women, I may not know about it, but remember, God is watching us! 51-52 Both this pile of rocks and this large rock have been set up between us as a reminder. I must never go past them to attack you, and you must never come past them to attack me. 53 My father Nahor, your grandfather Abraham, and their ancestors all worshiped the same God, and he will make sure that we each keep the agreement.

Then Jacob made a promise in the name of the fearsome God[j] his father Isaac had worshiped. 54 Jacob killed an animal and offered it as a sacrifice there on the mountain, and he invited his men to eat with him. After the meal they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and his grandchildren goodbye, then he left to go back home.

Jacob Gets Ready To Meet Esau

32 As Jacob was on his way back home, some of God's angels came and met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God's camp.” So he named the place Mahanaim.[k]

3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead to Esau, who lived in the land of Seir, also known as Edom. 4 Jacob told them to say to Esau, “Master, I am your servant! I have lived with Laban all this time, 5 and now I own cattle, donkeys, and sheep, as well as many slaves. Master, I am sending these messengers in the hope that you will be kind to me.”

6 When the messengers returned, they told Jacob, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is heading this way with 400 men.”

7 Jacob was so frightened that he divided his people, sheep, cattle, and camels into two groups. 8 He thought, “If Esau attacks one group, perhaps the other can escape.”

9 Then Jacob prayed:

You, Lord, are the God who was worshiped by my grandfather Abraham and by my father Isaac. You told me to return home to my family, and you promised to be with me and make me successful. 10 I don't deserve all the good things you have done for me, your servant. When I first crossed the Jordan, I had only my walking stick, but now I have two large groups of people and animals. 11 Please rescue me from my brother. I am afraid he will come and attack not only me, but my wives and children as well. 12 (A) But you have promised that I would be a success and that someday it will be as hard to count my descendants as it is to count the grains of sand along the seashore.

Footnotes

  1. 31.18 northern Syria: See the note at 24.10.
  2. 31.19 household idols: These were thought to protect the household from danger. It is also possible that the person who had them would inherit the family property.
  3. 31.20 the Aramean: Meaning someone from northern Syria (see the note at 24.10).
  4. 31.33 two servant women: Bilhah and Zilpah (see 30.4,9).
  5. 31.39 you demanded … night: A shepherd was not responsible for sheep and goats killed by wild animals, if the shepherd could supply proof of how they were killed.
  6. 31.42 fearsome God: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  7. 31.47 Jegar Sahadutha: In Aramaic “Jegar Sahadutha” means “a pile of rocks to remind us.”
  8. 31.47 Galeed: In Hebrew “Galeed” means “a pile of rocks to remind us.”
  9. 31.49 Mizpah: In Hebrew “Mizpah” sounds like “a place from which to watch.”
  10. 31.53 fearsome God: See the note at 31.42.
  11. 32.2 Mahanaim: In Hebrew “Mahanaim” means “two camps.”
Listen to Genesis 31:17-32:12
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Genesis 31:17-32:12
New International Version

17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives(A) on camels,(B) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated(C) in Paddan Aram,[a](D) to go to his father Isaac(E) in the land of Canaan.(F)

19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(G) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(H) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(I) Laban the Aramean(J) by not telling him he was running away.(K) 21 So he fled(L) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(M) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(N)

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day(O) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(P) 23 Taking his relatives(Q) with him(R), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(S) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(T) in a dream at night and said to him,(U) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(V)

25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(W) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(X) You’ve deceived me,(Y) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(Z) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(AA) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(AB) and harps?(AC) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(AD) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(AE) but last night the God of your father(AF) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(AG) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(AH) But why did you steal(AI) my gods?(AJ)”

31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(AK) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(AL) In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.(AM)

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(AN) and into the tent of the two female servants,(AO) but he found nothing.(AP) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(AQ) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(AR) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(AS) through everything in the tent but found nothing.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence;(AT) I’m having my period.(AU)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(AV)

36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged(AW) you that you hunt me down?(AX) 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household?(AY) Put it here in front of your relatives(AZ) and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.(BA)

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(BB) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(BC) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen(BD) by day or night.(BE) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(BF) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(BG) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(BH) and six years for your flocks,(BI) and you changed my wages(BJ) ten times.(BK) 42 If the God of my father,(BL) the God of Abraham(BM) and the Fear of Isaac,(BN) had not been with me,(BO) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(BP) and last night he rebuked you.(BQ)”

43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.(BR) All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant,(BS) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”(BT)

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.(BU) 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap,(BV) and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.[b](BW)

48 Laban said, “This heap(BX) is a witness between you and me today.”(BY) That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah,[c](BZ) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat(CA) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness(CB) between you and me.”(CC)

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(CD) and here is this pillar(CE) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(CF) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(CG) and pillar to my side to harm me.(CH) 53 May the God of Abraham(CI) and the God of Nahor,(CJ) the God of their father, judge between us.”(CK)

So Jacob took an oath(CL) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.(CM) 54 He offered a sacrifice(CN) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.(CO) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters(CP) and blessed(CQ) them. Then he left and returned home.[d](CR)

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32 [e]Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God(CS) met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”(CT) So he named that place Mahanaim.[f](CU)

3 Jacob sent messengers(CV) ahead of him to his brother Esau(CW) in the land of Seir,(CX) the country of Edom.(CY) 4 He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord(CZ) Esau: ‘Your servant(DA) Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban(DB) and have remained there till now. 5 I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants.(DC) Now I am sending this message to my lord,(DD) that I may find favor in your eyes.(DE)’”

6 When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”(DF)

7 In great fear(DG) and distress(DH) Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups,[g](DI) and the flocks and herds and camels as well. 8 He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group,[h] the group[i] that is left may escape.”

9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham,(DJ) God of my father Isaac,(DK) Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’(DL) 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness(DM) you have shown your servant. I had only my staff(DN) when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.(DO) 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid(DP) he will come and attack me,(DQ) and also the mothers with their children.(DR) 12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand(DS) of the sea, which cannot be counted.(DT)’”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  2. Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
  3. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
  4. Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.
  5. Genesis 32:1 In Hebrew texts 32:1-32 is numbered 32:2-33.
  6. Genesis 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps.
  7. Genesis 32:7 Or camps
  8. Genesis 32:8 Or camp
  9. Genesis 32:8 Or camp
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