Genesis 31

1 Then heard he the words of the sons of Laban, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that belonged to our father; Yea out of what belonged to our father, hath he made all this wealth.

Jacob heard Laban’s sons’ words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.”

2 And Jacob looked upon the face of Laban, —and lo! it was not with him as afore-time.

Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not towards him as before.

3 Then said Yahweh unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred, —that I may be with thee.

The LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent, and called for Rachel and for Leah, to the field unto his flock;

Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock,

5 and said to them, Beholding, am I the face of your father, that it is not towards me as aforetime, —nevertheless, the God of my father, hath been with me;

and said to them, “I see the expression on your father’s face, that it is not towards me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.

6 and, ye, know that with all my vigour, have I served your father.

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

7 But, your father, hath deceived me, and hath changed my wages ten times, —yet God hath not suffered him to deal harmfully with me.

Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me.

8 If thus he saith, The speckled, shall be thy wages, then do all the flock bring forth speckled, —But if thus he saith, The ring-straked, shall be thy wages, then do all the flock bring forth ring-straked.

If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore streaked.

9 So hath God stripped away the herds of your father, and given them to me.

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

10 And it came to pass in the season when the flock were in heat, then lifted I mine eyes and beheld in a dream, —and lo! the he-goats that were leaping upon the flock, were ring-straked speckled and dappled.

During mating season, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leapt on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled.

11 And the messenger of God said unto me in a dream, Jacob! and I said, Behold me!

The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’

12 Then he said Lift, I pray thee, thine eyes and behold All, the he-goats that are leaping upon the flock are ring-straked, speckled, and dappled, —for I have seen all that Laban, has been doing to thee.

He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you.

13 I, am the GOD of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow to me a vow, —Now, rise, go forth out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”

14 Then responded Rachel and Leah, and said to him, —Have we any longer a portion or an inheritance in the house of our father?

Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?

15 Are we not accounted, aliens, to him seeing that having sold us, he hath then gone on devouring, our silver?

Aren’t we considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money.

16 Surely all the riches which God hath stripped off from our father, unto us, it belongeth, and unto our sons, —Now, therefore, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

For all the riches which God has taken away from our father are ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

17 So Jacob arose, —and mounted his sons and his wives on the camels;

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels,

18 and drave away all his herds and all his goods which he had gathered, the gains he had gained, which he had gathered in Padan-aram; that he might go in unto Isaac his father unto the land of Canaan.

and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.

19 Now, Laban, had gone, to shear his sheep, —so Rachel stole the household gods that belonged to her father,

Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s.

20 Thus Jacob stole away unawares to Laban, the Syrian, —in that he had not told him that he was about to flee.

Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away.

21 So he fled, he—and all that he had, and he arose, and passed over the River, —and set his face towards the mountain of Gilead.

So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face towards the mountain of Gilead.

22 And it was told Laban, on the third day, —that Jacob had fled.

Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.

23 So he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him a journey of seven days—and overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.

He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.

24 And God went in unto Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, —and said to him Take heed to thyself that thou speak not with Jacob either good or bad.

God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

25 So then Laban came up with Jacob, —Jacob, having pitched his tent in the mountain, Laban, also, with his brethren pitched in the mountain of Gilead.

Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead.

26 Then said Laban to Jacob, What hadst thou done, that thou shouldst steal away unawares to me, —and shouldst carry off my daughters, as captives of the sword?

Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?

27 Wherefore didst thou secretly flee, and rob me, —and didst not tell me, that I might send thee away with rejoicing and with songs, with timbrel and with lyre;

Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;

28 and didst not suffer me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now, hast thou done, foolishly.

and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.

29 It is in the power of my hand, to deal with thee for harm, —but the God of your father, last night, spake unto me, saying, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not with Jacob, either good or bad.

It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’

30 But, now, though thou, didst even take thy journey, because thou, didst sorely long, for the house of thy father, wherefore didst thou steal away my gods?

Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”

31 And Jacob answered and said unto Laban, —Because I was afraid, for I said, Lest thou take by force thy daughters from me!

Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’

32 He with whom thou find thy gods, shall not live! Before our brethren, note thou for thyself what is with me and take what is thine. Neither did Jacob know that, Rachel, had stolen them.

Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 Then entered Laban into the tent of Jacob and into the tent of Leah and into the tent of the two handmaids, and found nothing, —then went he forth out of the tent of Leah, and entered into the tent of Rachel.

Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.

34 Now Rachel, had taken the household gods and put them in the basket-saddle of the camel, and taken her seat upon them. And Laban felt about throughout all the tent, and found them not.

Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them.

35 And she said unto her father, Let it not be vexing in the eyes of my lord that I cannot rise up at thy presence, for, the way of women, is upon me. So he made search, but found not the household gods,

She said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.

36 And it was vexing to Jacob and he contended with Laban, —and Jacob responded and said to Laban, What was my trespass, what my sin, that thou shouldst have come burning after me?

Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?

37 Now that thou hast felt about among all my goods, what hast thou found of the goods of thine own house? Set it out here, right before my brethren and thy brethren, —that they may give sentence betwixt us two.

Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two.

38 This twenty years’ time, 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,

“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks.

39 The torn, have I not brought in unto thee—I bare the loss, At my hand, didst thou require it, —Stolen by day, or stolen by night.

That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.

40 Thus have I been—By day, drought hath consumed me, And, frost, by, night, —So that my sleep fled away from mine eyes.

This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.

41 This, hath been my lot twenty years in thy house, —I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, And six years for thy sheep—And thou didst change my wages ten times: —

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.

42 But that the God of my father—The God of Abraham, and the Dread of Isaac—Proved to be mine, Surely even now, empty, hadst thou let me go? My humiliation and the wearying toil of my hands, God had seen, And therefore gave sentence last night!

Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

43 Then responded Laban and said unto Jacob—the daughters, are my daughters, And the sons, are my sons, And the sheep are my sheep, And, all that, thou, beholdest, To me doth it belong! But to my daughters, what can I do to these this day, Or to their sons whom they have borne?

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! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?

44 Now, therefore, come on! Let us solemnise a covenant, I and thou, —So shall it be a witness betwixt me and thee.

Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be for a witness between me and you.”

45 So Jacob took a stone, —and set it up as a pillar.

Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

46 Then said Jacob to his brethren—Gather stones. And they took stones and made a heap, —and they did eat there, by the heap.

Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.

47 And Laban called it, Jegar-sahadutha, —but, Jacob, called it, Galeed.

Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

48 Then said Laban: This heap, be witness betwixt me, and thee, to-day. For this cause, is the name thereof called Galeed;

Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed

49 also, The Watch Tower, as to which it is said, Yahweh watch betwixt me and thee, when we are parted one from another.

and Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.

50 If thou oppress my daughters, or if thou take wives besides my daughters, —there may be no man with us—see! God, be witness betwixt me, and thee!

If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.”

51 And Laban said to Jacob—Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have set betwixt me, and thee:

Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you.

52 A witness, be this heap, and, a witness, the pillar, —That, I, am not to pass, unto thee, over this heap, And, thou, art not to pass, unto me, over this heap and this pillar for harm.

May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.

53 The Gods of Abraham and the Gods of Nahor judge betwixt us—the Gods of their fathers. And Jacob sware by the Dread of his father Isaac:

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.

54 and Jacob offered sacrifice in the mountain, and called on his brethren to eat bread. So they did eat bread, and tarried the night in the mountain.

Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain.

55 And Laban rose up early in the morning, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban went his way and returned to his place.

Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.