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31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything from our father. He has acquired all his wealth from things that belonged to our father.” From the look on Laban’s face Jacob realized that his attitude toward him was not what it had been before. The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah and told them to come to the field where his flock was. He said to them, “I see the look on your father’s face, and it is not favorable toward me as it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. You know that I have served your father with all of my strength. Your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. If he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wages,’ then all the flock gave birth to speckled young. If he said, ‘The streaked animals will be your wages,’ then all the flock gave birth to streaked young. In this way God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 Once during mating season, in a dream I watched and saw male goats that were streaked, speckled, and spotted[a] mating with the flock. 11 The Angel of God called out to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I answered, ‘I am here.’ 12 He said, ‘Look! All the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, and spotted, because I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a memorial stone, and where you made a vow to me. Now get going, get out of this land, and return to the land where you were born.’”

14 Rachel and Leah answered him, “Do we still have any share of the inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Isn’t he treating us like foreigners? First he sold us. Now he has used up almost all the money he received for us. 16 All the riches that God has taken away from our father belong to us and our children. Now do whatever God has told you to do.”

17 Then Jacob got ready to go. He placed his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He took with him all his livestock and all his possessions that he had accumulated, including the livestock that he had acquired in Paddan Aram. He set out to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

19 Now when Laban had gone off to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.[b]

20 Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He set out, crossed over the Euphrates River, and headed toward the hill country[c] of Gilead.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:10 There is no consensus about the precise distinction of these three terms.
  2. Genesis 31:19 Teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the family property.
  3. Genesis 31:21 Or highlands. The word traditionally translated hill country is the same Hebrew word that means mountain. But in many cases, as it does here, it refers to highland regions, not to a mountain peak.

Jacob Flees from Laban

31 Now he[a] heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying, “Jacob has taken all that our father has,” and “From that which was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” Then Jacob saw the face of Laban and, behold, it was not like it had been in the past.[b] And Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your ancestors[c] and to your family, and I will be with you.” So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flocks, and he said to them, “Look, I see the face of your father, that it is not like it has been toward me in the past.[d] But the God of my father is with me. Now you yourselves know that I have served your father with all my strength, and your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God has not allowed him to harm me. If thus he said, ‘Speckled shall be your wage,’ then all the flock bore speckled. And if he said, ‘Streaked shall be your wage,’ then all the flock bore streaked. God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 Now it happened that at the time of the mating of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams mounting the flock were streaked, speckled, and dappled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see—all the rams mounting the flock are streaked, speckled, and dappled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel where you anointed a stone pillar, where you made a vow to me. Now get up, go out from this land and return to the land of your birth.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there yet a portion for us, and an inheritance in the house of our father? 15 Are we not regarded as foreigners by him, because he has sold us and completely consumed our money? 16 For all the wealth that God has taken away from our father, it belongs to us and to our sons. So now, all that God has said to you, do.” 17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on the camels. 18 And he drove all his livestock and his possessions that he had acquired, the livestock of his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-Aram, in order to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.

19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the idols[e] that belonged to her father. 20 And Jacob tricked[f] Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 Then he fled with all that he had, and arose and crossed the Euphrates[g] and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:1 That is, Jacob
  2. Genesis 31:2 Literally “there was not with him like yesterday or the day before”
  3. Genesis 31:3 Or “fathers”
  4. Genesis 31:5 Literally “it is not to me like yesterday or the day before”
  5. Genesis 31:19 Hebrew teraphim
  6. Genesis 31:20 Literally “stole the heart of”
  7. Genesis 31:21 Or “the river”