Genesis 31:1-21
Christian Standard Bible
Jacob Separates from Laban
31 Now Jacob heard what Laban’s sons were saying: “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s and has built this wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2 And Jacob saw from Laban’s face that his attitude toward him was not the same as before.
3 The Lord said to him, “Go back to the land of your ancestors and to your family, and I will be with you.”(A)
4 Jacob had Rachel and Leah called to the field where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I can see from your father’s face that his attitude toward me is not the same as before, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that with all my strength I have served your father(B) 7 and that he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not let him harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The spotted sheep will be your wages,’ then all the sheep were born spotted. If he said, ‘The streaked sheep will be your wages,’ then all the sheep were born streaked.(C) 9 God has taken away your father’s herds and given them to me.
10 “When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females. 11 In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(D) 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to me.(E) Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.’”
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered him, “Do we have any portion or inheritance in our father’s family? 15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? For he has sold us(F) and has certainly spent our purchase price. 16 In fact, all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has said to you.”
17 So Jacob got up and put his children and wives on the camels. 18 He took all the livestock and possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, and he drove his herds to go to the land of Canaan, to his father Isaac. 19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.(G) 20 And Jacob deceived[a] Laban the Aramean, not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 He fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for[b] the hill country of Gilead.
Read full chapter
Genesis 31:1-21
International Standard Version
Jacob Decides to Leave Laban
31 Now Jacob[a] used to listen while Laban’s sons kept on complaining,[b] “Jacob has taken over everything our father owns! He made himself wealthy from what belongs to our father!” 2 Jacob also noticed that the way[c] Laban had been looking at him wasn’t as nice as it had been just two days earlier.[d]
3 Then the Lord ordered Jacob, “Go back to your father’s territory and to your relatives. I’ll be with you.”
4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to come out to the field where his flock was 5 and informed them, “I’ve noticed that the way[e] your father has been looking at us hasn’t been as nice as it was just two days ago.[f] But my father’s God has been with me. 6 You know I’ve been serving your father with all my heart. 7 Even so, your father has cheated me. He broke our wage agreement ten times. However, God didn’t allow him to harm me.
8 “When Laban said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flock gave birth to speckled ones. Then when he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’ all the flock gave birth to streaked offspring.
9 “So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me. 10 As it was, when it was time for the livestock to breed, I once looked up in a dream, and the male goats that were mating[g] with the flock were producing streaked, speckled, and spotted offspring.
11 “Later, the angel of God spoke to me in a dream, ‘Jacob.’
“‘Here I am,’ I replied
12 “‘Look around!’ he said. ‘Go ahead, look! All the male goats have been mating with the flock, producing offspring that are streaked, speckled, and spotted, because I’ve been watching everything that Laban has done to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, the place where you consecrated that stone and made a vow to me. Now get up, leave this territory, and return to your native land.’”[h]
Rachel and Leah Consent to Leave
14 Then Rachel and Leah asked him, “Do we have anything left of inheritance[i] remaining in our father’s house? 15 He’s treating us like foreigners. He sold us and spent all of the money[j] that rightfully belonged to us. 16 Furthermore, all of the wealth that God has stripped away from our father belongs to us now and to our children. So do everything that God tells you to do.” 17 So Jacob got up, seated his children and wives on camels, 18 and drove all his livestock ahead of him, with everything that belonged to him, including the livestock that he had bought and accumulated in Paddan-aram,[k] intending to deliver them to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Laban Pursues Jacob
19 Meanwhile, Laban had been out shearing his sheep. While he was away, Rachel stole her father’s personal idols.[l] 20 Moreover, Jacob had deceived[m] Laban the Aramean,[n] because he had never told him that he was intending to leave. 21 Jacob fled, taking everything that he owned. He got up, crossed the river,[o] and headed to the hill country of Gilead.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 31:1 Lit. He
- Genesis 31:1 Lit. saying
- Genesis 31:2 Lit. face
- Genesis 31:2 Lit. been the day before yesterday
- Genesis 31:5 Lit. the face of
- Genesis 31:5 Lit. was the day before yesterday
- Genesis 31:10 Lit. climbing up
- Genesis 31:13 Lit. to the land of your birth
- Genesis 31:14 Lit. portion and inheritance
- Genesis 31:15 Lit. silver
- Genesis 31:18 Paddan-aram was located in northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 31:19 Lit. father’s teraphim; i.e. personal idols typically stored inside a small household shrine
- Genesis 31:20 Lit. had stolen away the heart of
- Genesis 31:20 In later centuries this region would be called Syria
- Genesis 31:21 I.e. possibly the Euphrates River
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
