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Genesis 31:22-42
New International Version
Genesis 31:22-42
New International Version
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 On the third day(A) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(B) 23 Taking his relatives(C) with him(D), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(E) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(F) in a dream at night and said to him,(G) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(H)
25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(I) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(J) You’ve deceived me,(K) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(L) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(M) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(N) and harps?(O) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(P) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(Q) but last night the God of your father(R) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(S) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(T) But why did you steal(U) my gods?(V)”
31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(W) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(X) In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.(Y)
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(Z) and into the tent of the two female servants,(AA) but he found nothing.(AB) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(AC) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(AD) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(AE) through everything in the tent but found nothing.
35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence;(AF) I’m having my period.(AG)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(AH)
36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged(AI) you that you hunt me down?(AJ) 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household?(AK) Put it here in front of your relatives(AL) and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.(AM)
38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(AN) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(AO) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen(AP) by day or night.(AQ) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(AR) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(AS) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(AT) and six years for your flocks,(AU) and you changed my wages(AV) ten times.(AW) 42 If the God of my father,(AX) the God of Abraham(AY) and the Fear of Isaac,(AZ) had not been with me,(BA) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(BB) and last night he rebuked you.(BC)”
Genesis 31:22-42
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Genesis 31:22-42
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Laban Overtakes Jacob
22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 So he took his kinsfolk with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(A) 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad.”(B)
25 Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsfolk camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword.(C) 27 Why did you flee secretly and deceive me and not tell me? I would have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre.(D) 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? What you have done is foolish. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Take heed that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’(E) 30 Even though you had to go because you longed greatly for your father’s house, why did you steal my gods?”(F) 31 Jacob answered 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 shall not live. In the presence of our kinsfolk, point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.[a](G)
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about in the tent but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.(H)
36 Then Jacob became angry and upbraided Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Although you have felt about through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsfolk and your kinsfolk, so that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself; of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.(I) 40 It was like this with me: by day the heat consumed me and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been 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.(J) 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear[b] of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”(K)
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