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Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks

31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; he has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.” And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favorably as he did before. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”(A) So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me as favorably as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me.(B) You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me.(C) If he said, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled, and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped.(D) Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.

10 “During the mating of the flock I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats that leaped upon the flock were striped, speckled, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’(E) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the goats that leap on the flock are striped, speckled, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth.’ ”(F) 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house?(G) 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has been using up the money given for us. 16 All the property that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.”

17 So Jacob arose and set his children and his wives on camels, 18 and he drove away all his livestock, all the property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(H) 20 And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. 21 So he fled with all that he had; starting out he crossed the Euphrates[a] and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 31.21 Heb the river

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”