Genesis 31:17-23

Contemporary English Version

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

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

²⁰Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean^[c] by not saying that he intended to leave. ²¹When 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

²²Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone. ²³So 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.

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Footnotes

31.18 northern Syria: See the note at 24.10.
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.
31.20 the Aramean: Meaning someone from northern Syria (see the note at 24.10).