^32 (A)Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you ^(A)through any of those whom I sent to you? ^18 (B)I urged Titus to go, and sent ^(C)the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is ^(D)in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and ^(E)all for your upbuilding, beloved.

²⁰ We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, ²¹ for ^(A)we aim at what is honorable ^(B)not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.

Saul's Rash Vow

²⁴ And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, ^(A)so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food. ²⁵ Now when all the people^[a] came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground. ²⁶ And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. ²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, ^(B)so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. ²⁸ Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were ^(C)faint. ²⁹ Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.

³ Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before ^(A)his anointed. ^(B)Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me^[a] and I will restore it to you.” ⁴ They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand.” ⁵ And he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and ^(C)his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything ^(D)in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”

^9 (A)Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be ^(B)my lord's servants.” ¹⁰ He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” ¹¹ Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. ¹² And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

³⁰ And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house, but why did you ^(A)steal my gods?”

²³ he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead.

¹⁹ Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's ^(A)household gods.