< Genesis 31 >

1 He heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's. From that which was our father's he has gained all this wealth."
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 wealth.'
2 Jacob saw the expression on Laban's face, and look, it was not as it had been.
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as beforetime.
3 Then God said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
And the LORD said unto Jacob: 'Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.'
4 Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flock was,
And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 and said to them, "I see the expression on your father's face, that it is not what it was before. But the God of my father has been with me.
and said unto them: 'I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as beforetime; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 You know that I have served your father with all of my strength.
And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.
And your father hath mocked me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
8 If he said this, 'The speckled will be your wages,' then all the flock bore speckled. If he said this, 'The streaked will be your wages,' then all the flock bore streaked.
If he said thus: The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said thus: The streaked shall be thy wages; then bore all the flock streaked.
9 Thus God has taken away your father's livestock and given them to me.
Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10 And it came about at the time when the flocks were breeding I looked up and saw in a dream, and look, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted.
And it came to pass at the time that the flock conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the he-goats which leaped upon the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled.
11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am.'
And the angel of God said unto me in the dream: Jacob; and I said: Here am I.
12 He said, 'Now lift up your eyes, and look, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
And he said: Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats which leap upon the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled; for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a standing-stone, where you made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your birth.'"
I am the God of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow a vow unto Me. Now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy nativity.'
14 Rachel and Leah answered him, "Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him: 'Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
15 Aren't we regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has used up what was paid for us.
Are we not accounted by him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath also quite devoured our price.
16 For all the wealth which God has taken away from our father, that is ours and our children's. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do."
For all the riches which God hath taken away from our father, that is ours and our children's. Now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.'
17 Then Jacob got up and put his sons and his wives on the camels,
Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon the camels;
18 and he took away all his livestock and all his property which he had acquired, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
and he carried away all his cattle, and all his substance which he had gathered, the cattle of his getting, which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to Isaac his father unto the land of Canaan.
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the idols that belonged to her father.
Now Laban was gone to shear his sheep. And Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father's.
20 Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he intended to flee.
And Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, in that he told him not that he fled.
21 So he fled with everything that he had, and he arose and crossed the River, and set out toward the hill country of Gilead.
So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.
22 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
23 He took his relatives with him, and pursued after him for seven days, and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and he overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.
24 God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night, and said to him, "Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad."
And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night, and said unto him: 'Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.'
25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his relatives camped in the hill country of Gilead.
And Laban came up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain; and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountain of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken in war?
And Laban said to Jacob: 'What hast thou done, that thou hast outwitted me, and carried away my daughters as though captives of the sword?
27 Why did you flee in secret and deceive me, and not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and singing, with a tambourine and with a lyre.
Wherefore didst thou flee secretly, and outwit 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 you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly.
and didst not suffer me to kiss my sons and my daughters? now hast thou done foolishly.
29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.'
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your father spoke unto me yesternight, saying: Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
30 Now you have indeed gone away, because you longed greatly for your father's house. But why have you stolen my gods?"
And now that thou art surely gone, because thou sore longest after thy father's house, wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?'
31 Jacob answered Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.'
And Jacob answered and said to Laban: 'Because I was afraid; for I said: Lest thou shouldest take thy daughters from me by force.
32 Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, identify what I have that is yours, and take it with you." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall 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 Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he did not find them. He went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two maid-servants; but he found them not. And he went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the idols, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them.
Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the saddle of the camel, and sat upon them. And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not.
35 She said to her father, "Do not let my lord be angry that I can't rise up before you; for the manner of women is on me." He searched, but did not find the teraphim.
And she said to her father: 'Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee; for the manner of women is upon me.' And he searched, but found not the teraphim.
36 Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, "What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued after me?
And Jacob was wroth, and strove with Laban. And Jacob answered and said to Laban: 'What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast hotly pursued after me?
37 Now that you have searched around in all my stuff, did you find anything from all of your household's belongings? Put it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between the two of us.
Whereas thou hast felt about 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 two.
38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks.
These twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flocks have I not eaten.
39 That which was torn by animals I did not bring to you. I bore its loss. You demanded payment from me whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bore the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 I was consumed by the heat during the day and by the frost at night, and sleepless nights.
Thus I was: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
These twenty years have I been in thy house: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock; and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
42 Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the one whom Isaac fears, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my harsh treatment and my hard work, and rebuked you last night."
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been on my side, surely now hadst thou sent me away empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and gave judgment yesternight.'
43 Laban answered Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine: and what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob: 'The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that thou seest is mine; and what can I do this day for these my daughters, or for their children whom they have borne?
44 So now, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between the two of us." And he said to him, "Look, there is no one with us; see, God is witness between me and you."
And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.'
45 Jacob took a stone and set it up as a standing-stone.
And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
46 Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." So they took stones and made a mound. They ate there by the mound.
And Jacob said unto his brethren: 'Gather stones'; and they took stones, and made a heap. And they did eat there by the heap.
47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha; but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Laban said, "This mound is a witness between me and you today." Therefore it was named Galeed
And Laban said: 'This heap is witness between me and thee this day.' Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
49 and Mizpah, for he said, "God watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.
and Mizpah, for he said: 'The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us; see, God is witness between me and you."
If thou shalt afflict my daughters, and if thou shalt take wives beside my daughters, no man being with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.'
51 Laban said to Jacob, "See this mound, and see the standing-stone, which I have set between me and you.
And Laban said to Jacob: 'Behold this heap, and behold the pillar, which I have set up betwixt me and thee.
52 May this mound be a witness, and the standing-stone be a witness, that I will not pass over this mound to you, and that you will not pass over this mound and this standing-stone to me, to do harm.
This heap be witness, and the 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 between us." Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us.' And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
54 Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his relatives to eat the meal. They ate the meal and stayed all night on the mountain.
And Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread; and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mountain.
55 Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
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.

< Genesis 31 >