Genesis 31

1 Now he heard the words of Labans sonnes, saying, Iaakob hath taken away all that was our fathers, and of our fathers goods hath he gotten all this honour.

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.”

2 Also Iaakob beheld the countenance of Laban, that it was not towards him as in times past:

And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.

3 And the Lord had said vnto Iaakob, Turne againe into the lande of thy fathers, and to thy kinred, and I wilbe with thee.

Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 Therefore Iaakob sent and called Rahel and Leah to the fielde vnto his flocke.

So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,

5 Then sayde hee vnto them, I see your fathers countenance, that it is not towardes me as it was wont, and the God of my father hath bene with me.

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.

6 And yee knowe that I haue serued your father with all my might.

You know that I have served your father with all my strength.

7 But your father hath deceiued me, and changed my wages tenne times: but God suffred him not to hurt me.

And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.

8 If he thus sayd, The spotted shall be thy wages, then all the sheepe bare spotted: and if he sayd thus, the party coloured shalbe thy rewarde, then bare all the sheepe particoloured.

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.

9 Thus hath God taken away your fathers substance, and giuen it me.

Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

10 For in ramming time I lifted vp mine eyes and saw in a dreame, and beholde, ye hee goates leaped vpon the shee goates, that were partie coloured with litle and great spots spotted.

When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females.

11 And the Angel of God sayde to mee in a dreame, Iaakob. And I answered, Lo, I am here.

In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’

12 And he sayde, Lift vp nowe thine eyes, and see all the hee goates leaping vpon ye shee goates that are partie coloured, spotted with litle and great spots: for I haue seene all that Laban doeth vnto thee.

‘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.

13 I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anoyntedst the pillar, where thou vowedst a vowe vnto me. Nowe arise, get thee out of this countrey and returne vnto ye land where thou wast borne.

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.’”

14 Then answered Rahel and Leah, and sayde vnto him, Haue wee any more porcion and inheritance in our fathers house?

And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house?

15 Doeth not he count vs as strangers? for he hath solde vs, and hath eaten vp and consumed our money.

Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.

16 Therefore all the riches, which God hath taken from our father, is ours and our childrens: nowe then whatsoeuer God hath saide vnto thee, doe it.

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.”

17 Then Iaakob rose vp, and set his sonnes and his wiues vpon camels.

Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,

18 And he caried away all his flockes, and al his substance which he had gotten, to wit, his riches, which he had gotten in Padan Aram, to goe to Izhak his father vnto the land of Canaan.

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.

19 Whe Laban was gone to shere his sheepe, Then Rahel stole her fathers idoles.

Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.

20 Thus Iaakob stole away ye heart of Laban the Aramite: for he told him not that he fled.

Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away.

21 So fled he with all that he had, and he rose vp, and passed the riuer, and set his face towarde mount Gilead.

So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.

22 And the third day after was it told Laban, that Iaakob fled.

On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled.

23 Then he tooke his brethren with him, and followed after him seuen dayes iourney, and ouertooke him at mount Gilead.

So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.

24 And God came to Laban the Aramite in a dreame by night, and sayde vnto him, Take heede that thou speake not to Iaakob ought saue good.

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.”

25 Then Laban ouertooke Iaakob, and Iaakob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban also with his brethren pitched vpon mount Gilead.

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.

26 Then Laban sayde to Iaakob, What hast thou done? thou hast euen stolen away mine heart and caried away my daughters as though they had bene taken captiues with the sworde.

Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war!

27 Wherfore diddest thou flie so secretly and steale away from me, and diddest not tel me, that I might haue sent thee foorth with mirth and with songs, with timbrel and with harpe?

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.

28 But thou hast not suffered me to kisse my sonnes and my daughters: nowe thou hast done foolishly in doing so.

But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.

29 I am able to do you euill: but the God of your father spake vnto me yesternight, saying, Take heed that thou speake not to Iaakob ought saue good.

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.’

30 Nowe though thou wentest thy way, because thou greatly longedst after thy fathers house, yet wherefore hast thou stollen my gods?

Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”

31 Then Iaakob answered, and said to Laban, Because I was afraid, and thought that thou wouldest haue taken thy daughters from me.

“I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.

32 But with whome thou findest thy gods, let him not liue. Search thou before our brethre what I haue of thine, and take it to thee, (but Iaakob wist not that Rahel had stolen them)

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.

33 Then came Laban into Iaakobs tent, and into Leahs tent, and into the two maides tentes, but founde them not. So hee went out of Leahs tent, and entred into Rahels tent.

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.

34 (Nowe Rahel had taken the idoles, and put them in the camels litter and sate downe vpon them) and Laban searched al the tent, but found them not.

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.

35 Then said she to her father, My Lord, be not angrie that I cannot rise vp before thee: for the custome of women is vpon me: so he searched, but found not the idoles.

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.

36 The Iaakob was wroth, and chode with Laban: Iaakob also answered and sayd to Laban, What haue I trespassed? what haue I offended, that thou hast pursued after me?

Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?

37 Seeing thou hast searched all my stuffe, what hast thou foud of all thine houshold stuffe? put it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may iudge betweene vs both.

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.

38 This twenty yere I haue bin with thee: thine ewes and thy goates haue not cast their yong, and the rammes of thy flocke haue I not eaten.

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.

39 Whatsoeuer was torne of beasts, I brought it not vnto thee, but made it good my selfe: of mine hand diddest thou require it, were it stollen by day or stollen by night.

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.

40 I was in the day consumed with heate, and with frost in the night, and my sleepe departed from mine eyes.

As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

41 Thus haue I bene twentie yeere in thine house, and serued thee fourteene yeeres for thy two daughters, and sixe yeeres for thy sheepe, and thou hast changed my wages tenne times.

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!

42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the feare of Izhak had bene with me, surely thou haddest sent me away nowe emptie: but God behelde my tribulation, and the labour of mine hads, and rebuked thee yester night.

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.”

43 Then Laban answered, and saide vnto Iaakob, These daughters are my daughters, and these sonnes are my sonnes, and these sheepe are my sheepe, and all that thou seest, is mine, and what can I doe this day vnto these my daughters, or to their sonnes which they haue borne?

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?

44 Nowe therefore come and let vs make a couenant, I and thou, which may be a witnes betweene me and thee.

Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.”

45 Then tooke Iaakob a stone, and set it vp as a pillar:

So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar,

46 And Iaakob sayde vnto his brethren, Gather stones: who brought stones, and made an heape, and they did eate there vpon the heape.

and he said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate.

47 And Laban called it Iegar-sahadutha, and Iaakob called it Galeed.

Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

48 For Laban sayd, This heape is witnesse betweene me and thee this day: therefore he called the name of it Galeed.

Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.

49 Also he called it Mizpah, because he said, The Lord looke betweene me and thee, when we shalbe departed one from another,

It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.

50 If thou shalt vexe my daughters, or shalt take wiues beside my daughters: there is no man with vs, beholde, God is witnesse betweene me and thee.

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.”

51 Moreouer Laban sayd to Iaakob, Beholde this heape, and behold the pillar, which I haue set betweene me and thee,

Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me.

52 This heape shall be witnesse, and the pillar shall be witnesse, that I will not come ouer this heape to thee, and that thou shalt not passe ouer this heape and this pillar vnto me for euill.

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.

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nabor, and the God of their father be iudge betweene vs: But Iaakob sware by the feare of his father Izhak.

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.

54 Then Iaakob did offer a sacrifice vpon the mount, and called his brethren to eate bread. and they did eate bread, and taried all night in the mount.

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.

55 And earely in the morning Laban rose vp and kissed his sonnes and his daughters, and blessed them, and Laban departing, went vnto his place againe.

Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.