Genesis 31
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jacob Separates from Laban
31 Now Jacob heard what Laban’s sons were saying: “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s and has built this wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2 And Jacob saw from Laban’s face that his attitude toward him was not the same.
3 Then the Lord said to him, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”(A)
4 Jacob had Rachel and Leah called to the field where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I can see from your father’s face that his attitude toward me is not the same, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I’ve worked hard[a] for your father(B) 7 and that he has cheated me and changed my wages 10 times. But God has not let him harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The spotted sheep will be your wages,’ then all the sheep were born spotted. If he said, ‘The streaked sheep will be your wages,’ then all the sheep were born streaked.(C) 9 God has taken away your father’s herds and given them to me.
10 “When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females. 11 In that dream the Angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 And He said, ‘Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(D) 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to Me.(E) Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.’”
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered him, “Do we have any portion or inheritance in our father’s household? 15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? For he has sold us(F) and has certainly spent our money. 16 In fact, all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has said to you.”
17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and wives on the camels. 18 He took all the livestock and possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, and he drove his herds to go to the land of his father Isaac in Canaan. 19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.(G) 20 And Jacob deceived[b] Laban the Aramean, not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 He fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for[c] the hill country of Gilead.
Laban Overtakes Jacob
22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him at Mount Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night. “Watch yourself!” God warned him. “Don’t say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(H)
25 When Laban overtook Jacob, Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban and his brothers also pitched their tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and taken my daughters away like prisoners of war! 27 Why did you secretly flee from me, deceive me, and not tell me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and lyres, 28 but you didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters. You have acted foolishly. 29 I could do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me: ‘Watch yourself. Don’t say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ 30 Now you have gone off because you long for your father—but why have you stolen my gods?”(I)
31 Jacob answered, “I was afraid, for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 If you find your gods with anyone here, he will not live!(J) Before our relatives, point out anything that is yours and take it.” Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two female slaves, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 34 Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing.
35 She said to her father, “Sir, don’t be angry that I cannot stand up in your presence;(K) I am having my period.” So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.
Jacob’s Covenant with Laban
36 Then Jacob became incensed and brought charges against Laban. “What is my crime?” he said to Laban. “What is my sin, that you have pursued me? 37 You’ve searched all my possessions! Have you found anything of yours? Put it here before my relatives and yours, and let them decide between the two of us. 38 I’ve been with you these 20 years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams from your flock. 39 I did not bring you any of the flock torn by wild beasts; I myself bore the loss. You demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or by night. 40 There I was—the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41 For 20 years I have worked in your household—14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks(L)—and you have changed my wages 10 times! 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, certainly now you would have sent me off empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and my hard work,[d] and He issued His verdict last night.”
43 Then Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters; the sons, my sons; and the flocks, my flocks! Everything you see is mine! But what can I do today for these daughters of mine or for the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I.(M) Let it be a witness between the two of us.”
45 So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a marker.(N) 46 Then Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a mound, then ate there by the mound. 47 Laban named the mound Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob named it Galeed.[e]
48 Then Laban said, “This mound is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore the place was called Galeed 49 and also Mizpah,[f](O) for he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are out of each other’s sight. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, though no one is with us, understand that God will be a witness between you and me.”(P) 51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Look at this mound and the marker I have set up between you and me. 52 This mound is a witness and the marker is a witness that I will not pass beyond this mound to you, and you will not pass beyond this mound and this marker to do me harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the gods(Q) of Nahor—the gods of their father[g]—will judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. So they ate a meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55 [h]Laban got up early in the morning, kissed his grandchildren and daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban left to return home.
Footnotes
- Genesis 31:6 Lit worked with all my strength
- Genesis 31:20 Lit And he stole the heart of
- Genesis 31:21 Lit and set his face to
- Genesis 31:42 Lit and the work of my hands
- Genesis 31:47 Jegar-sahadutha is Aram, and Galeed is Hb; both names = Mound of Witness
- Genesis 31:49 = Watchtower
- Genesis 31:53 Two Hb mss, LXX omit the gods of their father
- Genesis 31:55 Gn 32:1 in Hb
Genesis 31
New King James Version
Jacob Flees from Laban
31 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this (A)wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the (B)countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not (C)favorable toward him as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, (D)“Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will (E)be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, 5 and said to them, (F)“I see your father’s [a]countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father (G)has been with me. 6 And (H)you know that with all my might I have served your father. 7 Yet your father has deceived me and (I)changed my wages (J)ten times, but God (K)did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If he said thus: (L)‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked. 9 So God has (M)taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
10 “And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. 11 Then (N)the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for (O)I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, (P)where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now (Q)arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, (R)“Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not considered strangers by him? For (S)he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. 16 For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of (T)Canaan. 19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the (U)household[b] idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and (V)headed[c] toward the mountains of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 Then he took (W)his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 But God (X)had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you (Y)speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
26 And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and (Z)carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? 27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? 28 And you did not allow me (AA)to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now (AB)you have done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the (AC)God of your father spoke to me (AD)last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’ 30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you (AE)steal my gods?”
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was (AF)afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ 32 With whomever you find your gods, (AG)do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, 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 [d]household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban [e]searched all about the tent but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot (AH)rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the [f]household idols.
36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my [g]trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? 37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both! 38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. 39 (AI)That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. (AJ)You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. 41 Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I (AK)served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and (AL)you have changed my wages ten times. 42 (AM)Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and (AN)the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (AO)God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and (AP)rebuked you last night.”
Laban’s Covenant with Jacob
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? 44 Now therefore, come, (AQ)let us make a [h]covenant, (AR)you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
45 So Jacob (AS)took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. 47 Laban called it [i]Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it [j]Galeed. 48 And Laban said, (AT)“This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, 49 also (AU)Mizpah,[k] because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father (AV)judge between us.” And Jacob (AW)swore by (AX)the [l]Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. 55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and (AY)kissed his sons and daughters and (AZ)blessed them. Then Laban departed and (BA)returned to his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 31:5 Lit. face
- Genesis 31:19 Heb. teraphim
- Genesis 31:21 Lit. set his face toward
- Genesis 31:34 Heb. teraphim
- Genesis 31:34 Lit. felt
- Genesis 31:35 Heb. teraphim
- Genesis 31:36 transgression
- Genesis 31:44 treaty
- Genesis 31:47 Lit., in Aram., Heap of Witness
- Genesis 31:47 Lit., in Heb., Heap of Witness
- Genesis 31:49 Lit. Watch
- Genesis 31:53 A reference to God
Bereshis 31
Orthodox Jewish Bible
31 And he heard the divrei Bnei Lavan, saying, Ya’akov hath taken away all that belonged to avinu; and of that which belonged to avinu hath he gotten all this kavod.
2 And Ya’akov beheld the countenance of Lavan, and, hinei, it was not toward him as before.
3 And Hashem said unto Ya’akov, Shuv el Eretz Avoteicha! And to thy moledet; and I will be with thee.
4 And Ya’akov sent and called Rachel and Leah to the sadeh unto his tzon,
5 And said unto them, I see penei avichen, that it is not toward me as before; but Elohei Avi is with me.
6 And ye know that with all my koach I have served avichen.
7 And avichen hath deceived me, and changed my sachar aseret monim but Elohim allowed him not to harm me.
8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy sachar; then all the tzon bore speckled; and if he said thus, The streaked shall be thy sachar; then bore all the tzon streaked.
9 Thus Elohim hath taken away the mikneh of your av, and given them to me.
10 And it came to pass at the time that the tzon breed, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a chalom, and, hinei, the male goats mounting the tzon were streaked, speckled, and spotted.
11 And the Malach HaElohim spoke unto me in a chalom saying, Ya’akov: And I said, Hineni.
12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the male goats leaping upon the tzon are streaked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Lavan doeth unto thee.
13 I am HaEl Beit-El, where thou anointedst a matzevah (pillar), and where thou vowedst a neder (vow) unto Me: now arise, get thee out from HaAretz Hazot, and return unto thy eretz moledet.
14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any chelek or nachalah for us in bais avinu?
15 Are we not regarded by him nokhriyyot (foreigners, strangers)? For he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our kesef.
16 For all the oisher Elohim hath taken from avinu, that belongs to us and baneinu; so then, whatsoever Elohim hath said unto thee, do.
17 Then Ya’akov rose up, and set his banim and his nashim upon the gemalim;
18 And he drove all his mikneh, and all his goods which he had gotten, the mikneh of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan Aram, for to go to Yitzchak aviv in Eretz Kena’an.
19 And Lavan went to shear his tzon; and Rachel had stolen the terafim that belong to her av.
20 Unawares to Lavan HaArami, Ya’akov stole away, in that he told him not that he was fleeing.
21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the Nahar [i.e. the Euphrates], and set his face toward Har Gil’ad.
22 And it was told Lavan on Yom HaShlishi that Ya’akov was fled.
23 And he took his achim with him, and pursued after him derech shivat yamim; and they overtook him at Har Gil‘ad.
24 And Elohim came to Lavan HaArami in a chalom halailah, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Ya’akov either tov or rah.
25 Then Lavan overtook Ya’akov. Now Ya’akov had pitched his ohel on the har; and Lavan with his achim encamped in Har Gil‘ad.
26 And Lavan said to Ya’akov, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my banot, like shevuyot (captives) taken with the cherev?
27 Why didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with simchah, and with shirim (songs), with tof (timbrel, tambourine) and with kinnor (harp)?
28 And hast not allowed me to kiss my banim (grandchildren) and my banot? Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29 It is in the power of my yad to do you rah; but Elohei Avichem spoke unto me emesh (last night), saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Ya’akov either tov or rah.
30 And now, though thou had to go, because thou greatly longedst after bais avicha, yet why hast thou stolen elohai?
31 And Ya’akov answered and said to Lavan, Because I was afraid; for I said, Thou wouldest take by force thy banot from me.
32 With whomsoever thou findest eloheicha, let him not live; before acheinu discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Ya’akov knew not that Rachel had played the ganav with them.
33 And Lavan went into the ohel Ya’akov, and into the ohel Leah and into the ohel shtei ha’amahot; but he found them not. Then went he out of the ohel Leah, and entered into the ohel Rachel.
34 Now Rachel had taken the terafim, and put them in the saddle of the gamal, and sat upon them. And Lavan searched all the ohel, but found them not.
35 And she said to her av, Let it not displease adoni that I cannot rise up in thy presence; for the derech nashim is upon me. And he searched but found not the terafim.
36 And Ya’akov was in wrath, and upbraided Lavan: and Ya’akov answered and said to Lavan, What is my peysha? What is my chattat, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
37 Whereas thou hast searched through all that I own, what hast thou found of all thy kelei bais? Set it here before my achim and thy achim, that they may judge between us both.
38 These esrim shanah have I been with thee; recheleicha (thy ewes) and thy female goats have not miscarried, and the rams of thy tzon have I not eaten.
39 That which was terefah (torn of beasts) I brought not unto thee; I bore the loss of it; of my yad didst thou require it, whether stolen by yom, or stolen by lailah.
40 Thus I was; in the yom the chorev (heat) consumed me, and the kerach (cold) by lailah; and my sheynah (sleep) departed from mine eyes.
41 Thus have I been esrim shanah in thy bais; I served thee arba-esreh shanah for thy two banot, and shesh shanim for thy tzon: and thou hast changed my sachar aseret monim.
42 Except Elohei Avi, Elohei Avraham, and the Pachad of Yitzchak had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty handed. Elohim hath seen mine oni and the toil of my palms, and rebuked thee emesh (last night).
43 And Lavan answered and said unto Ya’akov, These banot are my banot, and these banim are my banim, and this tzon is my tzon, and all that thou seest is mine; yet what can I do today about these my banot, or about their banim which they have born?
44 Now therefore come thou, let us cut a brit, I and thou; and let it be for an ed between me and thee.
45 And Ya’akov took an even, and set it up for a matzevah (pillar).
46 And Ya’akov said unto his achim, Gather avanim; and they took avanim, and made a gal (heap, mound); and they did eat there upon the gal.
47 And Lavan called it Yegar Sahaduta; but Ya’akov called it Gale’ed ("Heap of Witness").
48 And Lavan said, This gal (heap, mound) is an ed (witness) between me and thee this day. Therefore was shmo called Gale’ed;
49 And Mitzpah (Watch); for he said, Hashem watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
50 If thou shalt afflict my banot, or if thou shalt take nashim besides my banot, no man is with us; see, Elohim ed beini uveinecha (Elohim is witness between me and you).
51 And Lavan said to Ya’akov, Hinei this gal (heap, mound), and hinei the matzevah (pillar), which I have cast between me and thee;
52 This gal (heap, mound) be ed (witness), and this matzevah (pillar) be edah (witness), that for ra’ah I will not pass over this gal to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this gal and this matzevah unto me.
53 The Elohei Avraham, and Elohei Nachor, Elohei Avihem judge between us. And Ya’akov swore by the Pachad Aviv Yitzchak.
54 Then Ya’akov offered zavach upon the har, and called his achim to eat lechem; and they did eat lechem, and tarried all night on the har.
55 And early in the boker (morning) Lavan rose up, and kissed his banim and his banot, and made on them a brocha; and Lavan departed, and returned unto his makom.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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