Genesis 31:22-42
Modern English Version
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night and said to him, “Take care that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent on the mountain, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched in the mountains of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done that you have stolen away without my knowing and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? 27 Why did you flee away secretly and sneak away from me and not tell me? I would have sent you away with joy and with songs, with the tambourine and harp. 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? You have acted foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Take care that you not speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ 30 Now you surely have gone away because you longed desperately after your father’s house, yet why have you stolen my gods?”
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 But anyone with whom you find your gods, let him not live. In the presence of our kinsmen, point out what I have that is yours and take it.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the two female servants’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered into Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban searched the entire tent, but could not find them.
35 She said to her father, “Let not my lord be displeased that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is on me.” So he searched, but he did not find the household idols.
36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. And Jacob asked Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin that you have so hotly pursued after me? 37 You have searched all my things, and yet what have you found of all your household things? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, so that they may judge between us both.
38 “This twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and the male goats of your flock I have not eaten. 39 That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand whether it was stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 It was like this with me: In the day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 I have been twenty years in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely you would have sent me away empty now. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”
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Genesis 31:22-42
21st Century King James Version
22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him on the mount of Gilead.
24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, “Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.”
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent on the mount; and Laban with his brethren pitched on the mount of Gilead.
26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword?
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 mirth and with songs, with taboret and with harp,
28 and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your father spoke unto me yesternight, saying, ‘Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.’
30 And now, though thou wouldest be gone, because thou sorely longed after thy father’s house, yet why hast thou stolen my gods?”
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid; for I said, ‘Perhaps thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.’
32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live. Before our brethren, discern thou what is thine with me, and take it with thee.” For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents, but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee, for the custom of women is upon me.” And he searched, but found not the images.
36 And Jacob was wroth, and chided Laban; and Jacob answered and said to Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
37 Whereas thou hast searched all my goods, what hast thou found of all thy household things? Set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge between us both.
38 These twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy shegoats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
39 That which was torn by beasts I brought not unto thee; I bore the loss of it. From my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 Thus I was: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house. I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flocks; and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
42 Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou would have sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.”
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