31 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining about him. They were saying, ‘Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He has taken things from our father and he has become rich himself.’
2 And Jacob could see that Laban was not as nice to him as he had been before.
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Go back to the land where your father and grandfather lived. Go back to your relatives. I will be with you there.’ 4 Jacob sent a message to Rachel and Leah. He said that they must come to the field where he was taking care of his animals. 5 Jacob said to them, ‘I see that your father is not as nice to me now as he was before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have worked very hard for your father. I have worked as well as I can. 7 But your father has cheated me many times. He has changed what I receive for my work at least ten times. But God has protected me from him. 8 Sometimes Laban said, “I will pay you with the animals that have different colours on their skin.” If he said that, all the animals gave birth to babies with different colours on their skins. Sometimes he said, “I will pay you with the animals that have marks on them.” Then all the animals gave birth to babies with marks on them. 9 In this way God took away your father's animals, and he gave them to me.
10 One night I had a dream. It was at the time when the animals were becoming pregnant. In the dream, I saw that the male goats had marks and different colours on their skin. 11 The angel of God spoke to me in the dream. He said, “Jacob.” I replied, “Yes, here I am.” 12 The angel said, “Look carefully. See all the male goats that are having sex with the female goats. They all have marks and different colours on their skin. I am helping you because I have seen the bad things that Laban has done to you. 13 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel. That is where you poured oil on the special stone and you made a promise to me. Now I am telling you to leave this land. Go back to the land where you were born.” ’
14 Rachel and Leah replied, ‘Our father will not give us anything more when he dies. 15 He now thinks of us like foreigners. You worked hard for him so that we could become your wives. He has cheated us as well as you! 16 So everything that God has taken away from our father really belongs to us and to our children. So you must do everything that God has told you to do.’
17 So Jacob put his children and wives on his camels. 18 He put together all his animals and everything that he had received in Paddan Aram. He took them with him to go to the land of Canaan. He left to go back to his father Isaac. 19 Before they left, Laban had gone to cut the wool from his sheep. While he was away from the house, Rachel took the idols that Laban worshipped in his house. [ a ]
20 Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean. He did not tell Laban that he was going away. 21 Jacob went away quickly and he took all his things. He went across the Euphrates river. He went towards the hill country of Gilead.
22 After three days, someone told Laban that Jacob had gone away. 23 So Laban took his relatives with him and he followed Jacob. After seven days, he found him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 Then God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night. God warned him, ‘Be careful what you say to Jacob. Do not say anything good or bad to him.’
25 Jacob had put up his tent in the hill country of Gilead. That is where Laban found him. So Laban and his relatives also put up their tents in that place. 26 Laban said to Jacob, ‘Why did you do that? You have deceived me. You have taken my daughters away as if you had caught them in a war. 27 Why did you go away secretly? Yes, you have deceived me. You should have told me that you were leaving. Then I would have prepared a big meal. We would have been happy together, with songs and music. 28 But you did not even let me say “goodbye” to my daughters or my grandchildren. What you have done is not right. 29 I have the power to hurt you. But last night the God of your father appeared to me. He told me, “Be careful what you say to Jacob. Do not say anything good or bad against him.” 30 I know that you want very much to return to your father's house. That is why you have left my home. But why did you take my idols?’
31 Jacob replied, ‘I left secretly because I was afraid. I thought that you might fight me to take your daughters away from me. 32 But if you find your idols with anyone here, that person must die. While our relatives watch, you may look for anything that belongs to you. If you find anything then take it.’
Jacob did not know that Rachel had taken her father's idols.
33 So Laban went into Jacob's tent. Then he went into Leah's tent. He also went into the female servants' tent. But he did not find the idols. When he left Leah's tent, he went into Rachel's tent. 34 Rachel had taken the idols and she had put them inside her camel's seat. Now she was sitting on them. Laban looked everywhere in Rachel's tent but he did not find the idols. 35 Rachel said to him, ‘Do not be angry with me, sir. I cannot stand up in front of you. It is the time of my monthly blood loss.’ [ b ] So Laban looked everywhere for the idols, but he did not find them.
36 Then Jacob became angry and he quarrelled with Laban. He asked Laban, ‘What have I done wrong? What sin have I done against you so that you had to catch me? 37 Now you have looked through everything that I have. Did you find anything that belongs to you? If you have found anything, put it here. Then your relatives and my relatives can see it. Our relatives can decide which of us is right, you or me!’
38 Jacob continued to say to Laban, ‘I have worked for you for 20 years. Your female sheep and goats have all safely given birth to young ones. I have not taken any of your male animals as food for myself. 39 If wild animals attacked your sheep or goats, I did not show them to you. I myself paid you for them. If any animal was lost, in the day or at night, you said that I must pay you for it. 40 This is what it was like to work for you: I worked in the strong heat of the sun in the day. I had pain from the cold at night. I could not always sleep. 41 It was like this for 20 years as I worked like a slave for you. I worked for 14 years to pay you for your two daughters. Then I worked for six years for your sheep and goats. You changed what you paid me at least ten times! 42 The God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac was with me. [ c ] If he had not helped me, then you would have sent me away with nothing. But God has seen what you have done to hurt me. He has seen how hard I have worked for you. So last night he told you that you had done wrong.’
43 Laban replied to Jacob, ‘These women are my daughters. Their children are my grandchildren. The animals are my animals. Everything that you have with you here belongs to me. But there is nothing that I can do today about my daughters or about their children. 44 So we should be friends. Let us make an agreement together. It will show that we have agreed to be friends.’
45 So Jacob took a large stone and made it stand up in the ground. 46 He said to his relatives, ‘Go and get some stones.’ So they brought some stones and they put them together on the ground. Then they all ate a meal together, near the heap of stones. [ d ]
47 Laban called that place Jegar Sahadutha. Jacob called it Galeed. [ e ]
48 Laban said, ‘These stones show that we have made an agreement today.’ That is why the place was called Galeed. 49 The place was also called Mizpah. That was because Laban said, ‘May the Lord watch you and me when we are away from each other. 50 Remember that God is watching you. If you do wrong to my daughters, God will see it. And if you marry any other women, remember this. God is watching you. Even if no one else sees you, God will know.’
51 Laban also said, ‘I have put this special stone here, and the heap of stones near it. They stand there between your land and my land. 52 I will not go past the stones to your side to hurt you. And you must not go past them to my side to hurt me. 53 Let the God of Abraham, Nahor, and their ancestors decide if one of us is guilty.’
So Jacob made a promise in the name of the God that his father Isaac worshipped. 54 He offered a sacrifice to God there in the hill country. He asked his relatives to eat a meal with him. After they had eaten, they stayed the night there.
55 Early the next morning, Laban got up to return home. He kissed his grandchildren and his daughters. He said ‘goodbye’ and he blessed them. Then he left and he went back to his home.
31 One day Jacob heard Laban’s sons talking. They said, “Jacob has taken everything that our father owned. He has become rich—and he has taken all this wealth from our father.” 2 Then Jacob noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been in the past. 3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to your own land where your ancestors lived. I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob told Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field where he kept his flocks of sheep and goats. 5 He said to them, “I have noticed that your father is not as friendly with me as he used to be. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You both know that I have worked as hard as I could for your father. 7 But he cheated me. He has changed my pay ten times. But during all this time, God protected me from all of Laban’s tricks.
8 “At one time Laban said, ‘You can keep all the goats with spots. This will be your pay.’ After he said this, all the animals gave birth to spotted goats, so they were all mine. But then Laban said, ‘I will keep the spotted goats. You can have all the striped goats. That will be your pay.’ After he said this, all the animals gave birth to striped goats. 9 So God has taken the animals away from your father and has given them to me.
10 “I had a dream during the time when the animals were mating. I saw that the only male goats that were mating were the ones with stripes and spots. 11 The angel of God spoke to me in that dream. The angel said, ‘Jacob!’
“I answered, ‘Yes!’
12 “The angel said, ‘Look, only the striped and spotted goats are mating. I am causing this to happen. I have seen all the wrong things Laban has been doing to you. I am doing this so that you can have all the new baby goats. 13 I am the God who came to you at Bethel, and there you made an altar, poured olive oil on it, and made a promise to me. Now I want you to be ready to go back to the country where you were born.’”
14 Rachel and Leah answered Jacob, “Our father has nothing to give us when he dies. 15 He treated us like strangers. He sold us to you, and then he spent all the money that should have been ours. 16 God took all this wealth from our father, and now it belongs to us and our children. So you should do whatever God told you to do.”
17 So Jacob prepared for the trip. He put his children and his wives on camels. 18 Then they began traveling back to the land of Canaan, where his father lived. All the flocks of animals that Jacob owned walked ahead of them. He carried everything with him that he had gotten while he lived in Paddan Aram.
19 While Laban was gone to cut the wool from his sheep, Rachel went into his house and stole the false gods that belonged to her father.
20 Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean. He did not tell Laban he was leaving. 21 Jacob took his family and everything he owned and left quickly. They crossed the Euphrates River and traveled toward the hill country of Gilead.
22 Three days later Laban learned that Jacob had run away. 23 So he gathered his men together and began to chase Jacob. After seven days Laban found Jacob near the hill country of Gilead. 24 That night God came to Laban in a dream and said, “Be careful! Be careful of every word you say to Jacob.”
25 The next morning Laban caught up with Jacob. Jacob had set up his camp on the mountain, so Laban and all his men set up their camp in the hill country of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, “Why did you trick me? Why did you take my daughters like they were women you captured during war? 27 Why did you run away without telling me? If you had told me, I would have given you a party. There would have been singing and dancing with music. 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You were very foolish to do this! 29 I have the power to really hurt you. But last night the God of your father came to me in a dream. He warned me not to hurt you in any way. 30 I know that you want to go back to your home. That is why you left. But why did you steal the gods from my house?”
31 Jacob answered, “I left without telling you, because I was afraid. I thought you would take your daughters away from me. 32 But I did not steal your gods. If you find anyone here with me who has taken your gods, they will be killed. Your men will be my witnesses. You can look for anything that belongs to you. Take anything that is yours.” (Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban’s gods.)
33 So Laban went and looked through Jacob’s camp. He looked in Jacob’s tent and then in Leah’s tent. Then he looked in the tent where the two slave women stayed, but he did not find the gods from his house. Then he went into Rachel’s tent. 34 Rachel had hidden the gods inside her camel’s saddle, and she was sitting on them. Laban looked through the whole tent, but he did not find the gods.
35 And Rachel said to her father, “Father, don’t be angry with me. I am not able to stand up before you. I am having my monthly time of bleeding.” So Laban looked through the camp, but he did not find the gods from his house.
36 Then Jacob became very angry and said, “What wrong have I done? What law have I broken? What right do you have to chase me and stop me? 37 You looked through everything I own and found nothing that belongs to you. If you found something, show it to me. Put it here where our men can see it. Let our men decide which one of us is right. 38 I have worked 20 years for you. During all that time none of the baby sheep and goats died during birth. And I have not eaten any of the rams from your flocks. 39 Any time a sheep was killed by wild animals, I always paid for the loss myself. I did not take the dead animal to you and say that it was not my fault. But I was robbed day and night. 40 In the daytime the sun took away my strength, and at night sleep was taken from my eyes by the cold. 41 I worked 20 years like a slave for you. For the first 14 years I worked to win your two daughters. The last six years I worked to earn your animals. And during that time you changed my pay ten times. 42 But the God of my ancestors, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, [ a ] was with me. If God had not been with me, you would have sent me away with nothing. But he saw the trouble that I had and the work that I did, and last night God proved that I am right.”
43 Laban said to Jacob, “These women are my daughters. These children belong to me, and these animals are mine. Everything you see here belongs to me, but I can do nothing to keep my daughters and their children. 44 So I am ready to make an agreement with you. We will set up a pile of stones to show that we have an agreement.”
45 So Jacob found a large rock and put it there to show that he had made an agreement. 46 He told his men to find some more rocks and to make a pile of rocks. Then they ate beside the pile of rocks. 47 Laban named that place Yegar Sahadutha. [ b ] But Jacob named that place Galeed. [ c ]
48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will help us both remember our agreement.” That is why Jacob called the place Galeed.
49 Then Laban said, “Let the Lord watch over us while we are separated from each other.” So that place was also named Mizpah. [ d ]
50 Then Laban said, “If you hurt my daughters, remember that God will punish you. If you marry other women, remember that God is watching. 51 Here are the rocks that I have put between us, and here is the special rock to show that we made an agreement. 52 This pile of rocks and this one special rock both help us to remember our agreement. I will never go past these rocks to fight against you, and you must never go on my side of these rocks to fight against me. 53 May the God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their ancestors judge us guilty if we break this agreement.”
Jacob’s father, Isaac, called God “Fear.” So Jacob used that name to make the promise. 54 Then Jacob killed an animal and offered it as a sacrifice on the mountain. And he invited his men to come and share a meal. After they finished eating, they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye. He blessed them and went back home.
31 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.
2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
3 And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.
20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount 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 in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in 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 Wherefore 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 tabret, 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 spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure 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 to 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 furniture, 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 chode with 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 stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of 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 cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
49 And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.
51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:
52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.
53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.
54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
31 Now [ a ] Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this [ b ] wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the [ c ] attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as it had been before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “ ( A ) Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and ( B ) I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5 and said to them, “ ( C ) I see your father’s [ d ] attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as it was before, but ( D ) the God of my father has been with me. 6 ( E ) You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7 Yet your father has ( F ) cheated me and ( G ) changed my wages ten times; however, ( H ) God did not allow him to do me harm. 8 If ( I ) he said this: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock delivered speckled; and if he said this: ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock delivered striped. 9 So God has ( J ) taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 And it came about at the time when the flock was breeding that I raised my eyes and saw in a dream—and behold—the male goats that were [ e ] mating were striped, speckled, or mottled. 11 Then ( K ) the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob’; and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Now raise your eyes and see that all the male goats that are [ f ] mating are striped, speckled, or mottled; for ( L ) I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am ( M ) the God of Bethel, where you ( N ) anointed a memorial stone, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, [ g ] leave this land, and ( O ) return to the land of your birth.’” 14 Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any share or inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For ( P ) he has sold us, and has also [ h ] entirely consumed our [ i ] purchase price. 16 Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has told you.”
17 Then Jacob stood up and put his children and his wives on camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had acquired, the livestock he possessed which he had acquired in Paddan-aram, ( Q ) to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his flock, and Rachel stole the [ j ] ( R ) household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob [ k ] deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he got up and crossed the Euphrates River, and set [ l ] out for the hill country of ( S ) Gilead.
22 When Laban was informed on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 However, ( T ) God came to Laban the Aramean in a ( U ) dream of the night and said to him, “ [ m ] ( V ) Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
25 And Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done [ n ] by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and [ o ] deceive me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with ( W ) tambourine and with ( X ) lyre; 28 and did not allow me ( Y ) to kiss my [ p ] grandchildren and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in [ q ] my power to do you harm, but ( Z ) the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘ [ r ] ( AA ) Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ 30 Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal ( AB ) my gods?” 31 Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 ( AC ) The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our relatives [ s ] point out what is yours [ t ] among my belongings and take it for yourself.” Now 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 tent of the two slave women, but he did not find them . Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the [ u ] household idols and put them in the camel’s saddlebag, and she sat on them. So Laban searched through all the tent, but did not find them . 35 And she said to her father, “May my lord not be angry that I cannot ( AD ) stand in your presence, because the [ v ] way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the [ w ] ( AE ) household idols.
36 Then Jacob became angry and argued with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Though you have searched through all my property, what have you found of all your household property? Set it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they may decide between the two of us. 38 For these twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 I did not even bring to you that which was torn by wild animals ; I took the loss myself. You demanded it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 This is how I was: by day the [ x ] heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 For these twenty years I have been in your house; ( AF ) I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you ( AG ) changed my wages ten times. 42 If ( AH ) the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. ( AI ) God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, so He ( AJ ) rendered judgment last night.”
43 Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the [ y ] children are my [ z ] grandchildren, ( AK ) the flocks are my flocks, and everything that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these daughters of mine or to their children to whom they have given birth? 44 So now come, let’s ( AL ) make a covenant, [ aa ] you and I, and ( AM ) it shall be a witness between [ ab ] you and me.” 45 Then Jacob took ( AN ) a stone and set it up as a memorial stone. 46 Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Now Laban ( AO ) called it [ ac ] Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it [ ad ] Galeed. 48 Laban said, “ ( AP ) This heap is a witness between [ ae ] you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49 and [ af ] ( AQ ) Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord keep watch between [ ag ] you and me when we are [ ah ] absent one from the other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, ( AR ) God is witness between [ ai ] you and me.” 51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the memorial stone which I have set between [ aj ] you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the memorial stone is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this memorial stone to me, for harm. 53 ( AS ) The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, ( AT ) judge between us.” So Jacob swore by ( AU ) the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob ( AV ) offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his relatives to [ ak ] the meal; and they ate [ al ] the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55 [ am ] Then early in the morning Laban got up, and ( AW ) kissed his [ an ] grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons ( A ) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.” ( B ) 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been. ( C )
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back ( D ) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” ( E )
4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I see that your father’s ( F ) attitude toward me is not what it was before, ( G ) but the God of my father has been with me. ( H ) 6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength, ( I ) 7 yet your father has cheated ( J ) me by changing my wages ( K ) ten times. ( L ) However, God has not allowed him to harm me. ( M ) 8 If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’ ( N ) then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock ( O ) and has given them to me. ( P )
10 “In breeding season I once had a dream ( Q ) in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. 11 The angel of God ( R ) said to me in the dream, ( S ) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’ ( T ) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, ( U ) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. ( V ) 13 I am the God of Bethel, ( W ) where you anointed a pillar ( X ) and where you made a vow ( Y ) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land. ( Z ) ’”
14 Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share ( AA ) in the inheritance of our father’s estate? 15 Does he not regard us as foreigners? ( AB ) Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us. ( AC ) 16 Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. ( AD ) So do whatever God has told you.”
17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives ( AE ) on camels, ( AF ) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated ( AG ) in Paddan Aram, [ a ] ( AH ) to go to his father Isaac ( AI ) in the land of Canaan. ( AJ )
19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, ( AK ) Rachel stole her father’s household gods. ( AL ) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived ( AM ) Laban the Aramean ( AN ) by not telling him he was running away. ( AO ) 21 So he fled ( AP ) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River, ( AQ ) and headed for the hill country of Gilead. ( AR )
22 On the third day ( AS ) Laban was told that Jacob had fled. ( AT ) 23 Taking his relatives ( AU ) with him ( AV ) , he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. ( AW ) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean ( AX ) in a dream at night and said to him, ( AY ) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” ( AZ )
25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead ( BA ) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? ( BB ) You’ve deceived me, ( BC ) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war. ( BD ) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, ( BE ) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels ( BF ) and harps? ( BG ) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. ( BH ) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you; ( BI ) but last night the God of your father ( BJ ) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ ( BK ) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. ( BL ) But why did you steal ( BM ) my gods? ( BN ) ”
31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. ( BO ) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. ( BP ) 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. ( BQ )
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent ( BR ) and into the tent of the two female servants, ( BS ) but he found nothing. ( BT ) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods ( BU ) and put them inside her camel’s saddle ( BV ) and was sitting on them. Laban searched ( BW ) 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; ( BX ) I’m having my period. ( BY ) ” So he searched but could not find the household gods. ( BZ )
36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged ( CA ) you that you hunt me down? ( CB ) 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? ( CC ) Put it here in front of your relatives ( CD ) and mine, and let them judge between the two of us. ( CE )
38 “I have been with you for twenty years now. ( CF ) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, ( CG ) 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 ( CH ) by day or night. ( CI ) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. ( CJ ) 41 It was like this for the twenty years ( CK ) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters ( CL ) and six years for your flocks, ( CM ) and you changed my wages ( CN ) ten times. ( CO ) 42 If the God of my father, ( CP ) the God of Abraham ( CQ ) and the Fear of Isaac, ( CR ) had not been with me, ( CS ) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, ( CT ) and last night he rebuked you. ( CU ) ”
43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. ( CV ) All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant, ( CW ) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.” ( CX )
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. ( CY ) 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap, ( CZ ) and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. [ b ] ( DA )
48 Laban said, “This heap ( DB ) is a witness between you and me today.” ( DC ) That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, [ c ] ( DD ) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat ( DE ) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness ( DF ) between you and me.” ( DG )
51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap, ( DH ) and here is this pillar ( DI ) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, ( DJ ) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap ( DK ) and pillar to my side to harm me. ( DL ) 53 May the God of Abraham ( DM ) and the God of Nahor, ( DN ) the God of their father, judge between us.” ( DO )
So Jacob took an oath ( DP ) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. ( DQ ) 54 He offered a sacrifice ( DR ) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. ( DS ) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters ( DT ) and blessed ( DU ) them. Then he left and returned home. [ d ] ( DV )
