Genesis 31:1-21

Holman 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.

³ Then the Lord said to him, “Go back to the land of your fathers 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, but the God of my father has been with me. ⁶ You know that I’ve worked hard^[a] for your father^{(B) 7} and that he has cheated me and changed my wages 10 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 household? ¹⁵ Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? For he has sold us^(F) and has certainly spent our money. 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 Then 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 his father Isaac in Canaan. ¹⁹ When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.^{(G) 20} And Jacob deceived^[b] Laban the Aramean, not telling him that he was fleeing. ²¹ He fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for^[c] the hill country of Gilead.