< Genesis 31 >

1 Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”
Jacob found out that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. All the wealth he has actually came from our father.”
2 And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.
Jacob also noticed that Laban was treating him differently to the way he had before.
3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
The Lord told Jacob, “Go back to the country of your forefathers, to your family home. I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah, telling them to come and meet him out in the fields where he was with his flock.
5 and he told them, “I can see from your father’s countenance that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me.
“I've noticed that your father is treating me differently to the way he did before,” he told them. “But the God of my father will be with me.
6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength.
You both know very well how hard I worked for your father.
7 And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.
But he's been cheating me—he's reduced my wages ten times! However, God hasn't let him hurt me.
8 If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore streaked offspring.
If he said, ‘You can have the speckled ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had speckled young. If he said, ‘You can have the streaked ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had streaked young.
9 Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.
This is how God took your father's livestock and gave 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.
During the time the flock was breeding I had a dream where I saw that the male goats mating with the flock were all streaked, speckled, or spotted.
11 In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’
Then in the dream the angel of the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I'm here.’
12 ‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
He told me, ‘Take a look and you'll see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I've been watching everything that Laban has been doing to you.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up and leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’”
I am the God of Bethel, where you poured olive oil on the stone pillar and made a solemn promise to me. Now get ready to leave this land and go back to your homeland.’”
14 And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house?
“There's nothing for us to inherit from our father's estate anyway,” Rachel and Leah replied.
15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.
“He treats us like foreigners because he sold us to you, and now he's spent all that money.
16 Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you.”
All the wealth that God has taken from him belongs to us and our children, so do whatever God has told you to do!”
17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,
So Jacob got ready. He helped his children and his wives onto the camels,
18 and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan.
and drove all his livestock in front of him. He took with him all his possessions and livestock he'd gained during his time in Paddan-aram, and left to go back to his father in the country of Canaan.
19 Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
While Laban was away from home shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.
20 Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away.
Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not informing him that he was going to run away.
21 So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
So Jacob left in a hurry with everything he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed towards the hill country of Gilead.
22 On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled.
Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had run away.
23 So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
Taking some of his relatives with him, he chased after Jacob and caught up with him seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.
24 But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
But during the night God came to Laban in a dream and told him, “Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.”
25 Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well.
Jacob had set up his tents in the hill country of Gilead when Laban caught up with him, so Laban and his relatives did the same.
26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war!
“Why did you deceive me like this?” Laban asked Jacob. “You carried off my daughters as if they were some prisoners captured by the sword!
27 Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps.
Why did you run away in secret, trying to trick me? Why didn't you come and tell me? I would have given you a good send-off, a celebration with singing and the music of tambourines and lyres.
28 But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.
You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye! You've really acted stupidly!
29 I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
I could really punish you badly, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and told me, ‘Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.’
30 Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”
Clearly you wanted to leave and go back to your family home, but why did you have to steal my idols?”
31 “I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
“I ran away because I was afraid,” Jacob explained to Laban. “I was worried that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32 If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
As for your idols, anyone you find who has them will die. You can search everything in the presence of our relatives, and if you find I have anything that belongs to you, you can take it.” (Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.)
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two personal maids, but didn't find anything. He left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.
Rachel had put the household idols in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on it. Laban carefully searched the whole tent but couldn't find them.
35 Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.
She said to her father, “Sir, please don't get upset with me for not standing up in your presence, but I have my period.” He looked everywhere but didn't find the idols.
36 Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?
Jacob got angry with Laban and confronted him, saying, “What crime am I guilty of? What wrong have I done to you that you've come hunting me down?
37 You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us.
You've searched through all my possessions. Did you find anything belonging to you? If you did, bring it out here before my relatives and yours so they can decide who's right!
38 I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.
I've worked for you for these past twenty years. During that time none of your sheep and goats miscarried, and I haven't eaten a single ram from your flock.
39 I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.
If any of them were killed by wild animals, I never even brought you the carcass to prove the loss—I bore the loss myself. But you on the other hand always made me compensate you for any animals that were stolen, whether at night or in broad daylight.
40 As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
Whether it was sweating in the heat of the day, or freezing in the cold of the night when I couldn't sleep, I went on working for you for twenty years in your home.
41 Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!
I worked fourteen years for your two daughters, and six more years with your flocks. You reduced 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 by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”
If it weren't for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the awesome God of Isaac, who took care of me, you would have dismissed me with nothing. But God saw my suffering, how hard I worked, and he condemned you last night.”
43 But Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne?
Laban replied, “These are my daughters and these are my children and these are my flocks! In fact, everything you see here is mine! However, what can I do now about my daughters and their children?
44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.”
So let's make a solemn agreement between you and I, and it will be a witness to our mutual commitment.”
45 So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar,
Jacob took a stone and set it upright as a pillar.
46 and he said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate.
Then he told his relatives, “Go and collect some stones.” They all made a pile of stones and then sat beside it to eat a meal.
47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.
Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.
Laban announced, “This pile of stone serves as a witness between me and you.” This is why it was called Galeed.
49 It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.
It was also called Mizpah, for as Laban said, “May the Lord keep a close eye on both of us when we're not together.
50 If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”
If you treat my daughters badly or marry more wives in addition to them, God will see what you do even if no one else finds out!”
51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me.
Then Laban told Jacob, “Look at this pile of stones and this pillar that I have set up as a memorial of the agreement between you and me.
52 This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me.
They also act as a witness to our solemn promises to each other: I will not come past them to attack you; and you will not come past them to attack me.
53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor—the God of our forefathers—be the one to judge between us in any dispute.” Jacob in turn made his solemn promise in the name of the awesome God of his father Isaac.
54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.
Then he offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited all his relatives to eat a meal there. They spent the night on the mountain.
55 Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.
Laban got up early in the morning and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye. He blessed them, and then left to go back home.

< Genesis 31 >