Genesis 31:19-44

New International Version

¹⁹ When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,^(A) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.^{(B) 20} Moreover, Jacob deceived^(C) Laban the Aramean^(D) by not telling him he was running away.^{(E) 21} So he fled^(F) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,^(G) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.^(H)

Laban Pursues Jacob

²² On the third day^(I) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.^{(J) 23} Taking his relatives^(K) with him^(L), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.^{(M) 24} Then God came to Laban the Aramean^(N) in a dream at night and said to him,^(O) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”^(P)

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

³¹ Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.^{(AE) 32} But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.^(AF) 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.^(AG)

³³ So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent^(AH) and into the tent of the two female servants,^(AI) but he found nothing.^(AJ) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. ³⁴ Now Rachel had taken the household gods^(AK) and put them inside her camel’s saddle^(AL) and was sitting on them. Laban searched^(AM) 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;^(AN) I’m having my period.^(AO)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.^(AP)

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

³⁸ “I have been with you for twenty years now.^(AV) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,^(AW) 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^(AX) by day or night.^{(AY) 40} This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.^{(AZ) 41} It was like this for the twenty years^(BA) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters^(BB) and six years for your flocks,^(BC) and you changed my wages^(BD) ten times.^{(BE) 42} If the God of my father,^(BF) the God of Abraham^(BG) and the Fear of Isaac,^(BH) had not been with me,^(BI) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,^(BJ) and last night he rebuked you.^(BK)”

⁴³ Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.^(BL) 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,^(BM) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”^(BN)