Genesis 31
Legacy Standard Bible
Jacob Leaves While Laban Is Gone
31 Then [a]Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this [b]wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the face of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. 3 Then Yahweh said to Jacob, “(A)Return to the land of your fathers and to your kin, and (B)I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5 and he said to them, “(C)I see your father’s face, that it is not friendly toward me as formerly, but (D)the God of my father has been with me. 6 (E)You also know that I have served your father with all my power. 7 Yet your father has (F)cheated me and (G)changed my wages ten times; however, (H)God did not allow him to harm me. 8 If (I)he spoke thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled; and if he spoke thus, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has (J)delivered your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 Now it happened at the time when the flock were [c]mating that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which were [d]mating were striped, speckled, and mottled. 11 Then (K)the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are [e]mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for (L)I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am (M)the God of Bethel, where you (N)anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, [f]leave this land, and (O)return to the land of your kin.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Are we not counted by him as foreigners? For (P)he has sold us and has also [g]entirely consumed [h]our purchase price. 16 Surely all the riches which God has delivered over to us from our father belong to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.”
17 Then Jacob arose and put his children and his wives upon camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had accumulated, his acquired livestock which he had accumulated in Paddan-aram, in order (Q)to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Now Laban had gone to shear his flock. Then Rachel stole the [i](R)household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob [j]deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the [k]River and set his face toward the hill country of (S)Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 Then it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled; 23 so he took his [l]relatives with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 (T)And God came to Laban the Aramean in a (U)dream of the night and said to him, “[m](V)Beware lest you speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
25 So Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his [n]relatives camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done [o]by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and [p]deceive me and not tell me—so that I might have sent you away with gladness and with songs, with (W)tambourine and with (X)lyre— 28 and not allow me (Y)to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have acted foolishly. 29 It is in my hand to do evil against you, but (Z)the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘[q](AA)Beware of speaking either good or evil to Jacob.’ 30 So now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal (AB)my gods?” 31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, because I said, ‘Lest you take your daughters from me by force.’ 32 (AC)The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our [r]relatives recognize what is yours [s]among my belongings and take it for yourself.” But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maidservants, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the [t]household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot (AD)rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the [u](AE)household idols.
36 Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob answered and said to Laban, “What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Place it here before my [v]relatives and your [w]relatives, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was: by day the [x]heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house; (AF)I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you (AG)changed my wages ten times. 42 If (AH)the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the dread of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. (AI)God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He (AJ)rendered the decision last night.”
The Covenant at Mizpah
43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and (AK)the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these daughters of mine or to their children whom they have borne? 44 So now come, let us (AL)cut a covenant, [y]you and I, and (AM)let it be a witness between [z]you and me.” 45 Then Jacob took (AN)a stone and raised it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his [aa]relatives, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 And Laban (AO)called it [ab]Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it [ac]Galeed. 48 Then Laban said, “(AP)This heap is a witness between [ad]you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49 and [ae](AQ)Mizpah, for he said, “May Yahweh watch between [af]you and me when we are [ag]absent one from the other. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, (AR)God is witness between [ah]you and me.” 51 And Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between [ai]you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me for harm. 53 (AS)The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, (AT)judge between us.” So Jacob swore by (AU)the dread of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob (AV)offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his [aj]relatives to eat a [ak]meal; and they ate [al]the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55 [am]And Laban arose early in the morning and (AW)kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 31:1 Lit he
- Genesis 31:1 Lit glory
- Genesis 31:10 Or conceiving
- Genesis 31:10 Lit leaping upon the flock
- Genesis 31:12 Lit leaping upon the flock
- Genesis 31:13 Lit go out from
- Genesis 31:15 Enjoyed the benefit of
- Genesis 31:15 Lit our money
- Genesis 31:19 Heb teraphim
- Genesis 31:20 Lit stole the heart of
- Genesis 31:21 The Euphrates River
- Genesis 31:23 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:24 Lit Take heed to yourself
- Genesis 31:25 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:26 Lit and you have stolen my heart
- Genesis 31:27 Lit steal me
- Genesis 31:29 Lit Take heed to yourself
- Genesis 31:32 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:32 Lit with me
- Genesis 31:34 Heb teraphim
- Genesis 31:35 Heb teraphim
- Genesis 31:37 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:37 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:40 Or drought
- Genesis 31:44 Lit I and you
- Genesis 31:44 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:46 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:47 Lit the heap of witness in Aram
- Genesis 31:47 Lit the heap of witness in Heb
- Genesis 31:48 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:49 Lit the watchtower
- Genesis 31:49 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:49 Lit hidden
- Genesis 31:50 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:51 Lit me and you
- Genesis 31:54 Lit brothers
- Genesis 31:54 Lit bread
- Genesis 31:54 Lit bread
- Genesis 31:55 Ch 32:1 in Heb
Genesis 31
King James Version
31 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.
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