Genesis 31

1 Someone told Jacob that Laban’s sons were complaining and saying, “Jacob has become very rich by taking everything [HYP] that belonged to our father.”

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 And Jacob noticed that Laban was not acting friendly toward him as he had done before.

And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

3 Then Yahweh said to Jacob, “Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will help you there.”

And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy birthplace; and I will be with thee.

4 So Jacob sent a message to Rachel and Leah, telling them to come out to the pastures where his flocks of sheep and goats were.

And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock.

5 When they arrived, he said to them, “I see that your father does not act friendly toward me as he did previously. But God, whom my father worshiped, has helped me.

And he 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 You two know that I have worked very hard for your father,

And ye know well that with all my power I have served your father.

7 but many times [HYP] he has cheated me by decreasing my wages. But God has not allowed him to harm me.

And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times: but God suffered him not to do me evil.

8 When Laban said, ‘The speckled animals are the ones that I will give you to be your wages,’ then all the animals gave birth to young ones that were speckled. When he changed and said, ‘The ones that have black and white stripes on them will be your wages,’ then all the animals gave birth to young ones that were striped.

If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages: then bore all the flocks speckled: and if he said thus, The ring-streaked shall be thy reward; then bore all the flocks ring-streaked.

9 In that way, God has taken away the livestock that belonged to your father and has given them to me.

Thus God took away the cattle of your father, and gave them to me.

10 “One time, when the animals were mating, I had a dream. In my dream I [looked up and was surprised to] see that some of the male goats that were mating with the female goats had black and white stripes on them, some were speckled, and some were spotted.

And it came to pass at the time that the flocks conceived, that I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled.

11 An angel who was sent by God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I am here!’

And an angel of God spoke unto me in the dream, Jacob: and I said, Here am I.

12 He said to me, ‘Look up and you will see that all the male goats that are mating have black and white stripes on them, or are speckled or spotted. This is happening because I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

And he said, Lift up now thy eyes and see, all the rams which leap upon the flocks are ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled; for I have seen all that Laban doth unto thee.

13 I am God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you set up a stone to show that the place was holy, and you poured [olive] oil on the stone and made a solemn promise to me. So now leave this land immediately, and return to the land where you were born.’”

I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst a pillar, where thou madest unto me a vow: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy birth.

14 Rachel and Leah replied, “Our father will not give us anything more when he dies [RHQ].

And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?

15 He treats us as though we were foreigners [RHQ]! [Your working for him all these years was like a payment] that you gave him as a price for us, but we will not inherit any of that money that he got as a price for us. He has spent it all!

Were we not counted of him as strangers? for he hath sold us; and he hath quite consumed also our money.

16 Surely all of the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you to do!”

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 put his children and his wives on camels.

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

18 He made all his livestock go ahead of him. Besides the livestock, he took along all the other things that he had acquired while living in Paddan-Aram. And they prepared to return to his father Isaac, in the Canaan region.

And he led away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his acquiring, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, to go to Isaac his father into the land of Canaan.

19 Before they left, while Laban was shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the [small wooden] idols [that were in her father’s tent].

And Laban was gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the images that were her father's.

20 Furthermore, Jacob deceived Laban, who belonged to the Aram people-group, by not telling him that they were planning to leave.

And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, by not letting him know that he was going to flee.

21 So Jacob and his family fled with all their possessions, and they crossed the Euphrates River, and then started traveling south toward the hilly Gilead region.

And 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 On the third day after they left, someone told Laban that Jacob and his family had left.

And it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

23 So he took some of his relatives with him and started to pursue Jacob. They continued walking for seven days.

And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him a seven days' journey; and he overtook him at the mount of Gilead.

24 Then God appeared to Laban in a dream at night, and said to him, “When you catch up to Jacob, be sure that you do not say anything at all [HYP] to him in an angry manner!”

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

25 The next day, by the time Laban caught up with Jacob, Jacob and his household had set up their tents in the hilly Gilead region. So Laban and his relatives set up their tents there, too.

Then Laban overtook Jacob; now Jacob had pitched his tent on the mount, and Laban with his brethren pitched on the mount of Gilead.

26 Then Laban went to Jacob and said to him, “Why have you done this? You have deceived me by carrying away my daughters as though you had captured them in a war [MTY]!

And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and led away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword.

27 Why did you run away and deceive me? Why did you not tell me that you were going to leave, so that we could have rejoiced and sung while people played music on tambourines and harps before I said ‘goodbye’ to you?

Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and why didst thou not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

28 (You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye before they left!/Why did you not allow me to kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye before they left?) [RHQ] What you have done was foolish!

And [why] hast thou not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? now thou hast acted foolishly in so doing.

29 My relatives and I have the power to harm you, but last night the God whom your father worships said to me in a dream, ‘Be sure that you do not say anything at all to Jacob in an angry way.’

It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your father spoke unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

30 Now, I know you have left because you long to go back home. But why did you steal my [wooden] idols?”

And now, thou wouldst needs be gone, because thou greatly longedst after thy father's house; [yet] wherefore hast thou stolen my gods.

31 Jacob replied to Laban, saying, “I did not tell you that we were planning to leave, because I was afraid. I thought that [if I told you], you would forcefully take your daughters away from me.

And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid, for I said, Peradventure thou wouldst take by force thy daughters from me.

32 But if you find anyone here who has your wooden idols, we will execute that person. While our relatives are watching, search for yourself to see if there is anything that belongs to you that is here with me. If you find anything, you can take it!” When Jacob said that, he did not know that Rachel had stolen the wooden idols.

With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live; before our brethren seek out thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee; but Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

33 Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and then into Leah’s tent, and then into the tents of the two female slaves and searched for the idols, but he did not find them. After he left their tents, he entered Rachel’s tent.

And Laban went into the tent of Jacob, and into the tent of Leah, and into the tent of the two maid-servants; but he found nothing; he then went out of the tent of Leah, and entered into Rachel's tent.

34 But Rachel had previously taken the idols and put them in the saddle of a camel, and she was sitting on the saddle. So when Laban searched all over for them inside Rachel’s tent, he did not find them.

Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the saddle-cushion of the camel, and sat upon them; and Laban searched all the tent, and found nothing.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry with me, sir, but I cannot get up in your presence [to show respect for you], because I am having my monthly menstrual period. [EUP]” So when Laban searched some more, he did not find the [wooden] idols.

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 thus he searched, but found not the images.

36 Then Jacob became angry. He rebuked Laban, saying, “What crime did I commit? For what sin that I committed have you pursued me?

Now Jacob became wroth, and quarrelled 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 Now you have searched through all my possessions, and what did you find from all these possessions that belongs to you? Put it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they can decide who is right, you or me!

Although thou hast searched all my goods, what hast thou found of all the articles of thy household? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge between us both.

38 I was with you for 20 years. In all that time, your sheep and goats have (not miscarried/always given birth to animals safely). I have not [killed and] eaten any rams from 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 flock have I not eaten.

39 When one of your animals was attacked and mauled/killed by a wild animal, I did not bring it to you. I replaced the dead animal with a living one of my own animals. Whenever one of your animals was stolen, during the day or during the night, you demanded that I replace it with one of my own animals.

That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I had to bear the loss of it, of my hand didst thou require it, whatever was stolen by day, or stolen by night.

40 I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was often not even able to sleep [PRS]!

[Where] I was in the day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes.

41 I lived in your household for 20 years. I worked for you for 14 years to buy your two daughters, and for six more years to buy some of your sheep and goats. During that time, you changed and reduced my wages many times [HYP].

These twenty years have I been in thy house; I have served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flocks: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

42 If God, the one whom my grandfather Abraham worshiped and before whom my father Isaac trembled in fear, had not been with me and helped me, you would have sent me away (with nothing in my hands/owning nothing)! But God saw how much I was suffering and how hard I was working, so last night he told you that what you have done to me was wrong.”

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst now sent me away empty; my affliction and the labor of my hands God hath seen, and decided yesternight.

43 Laban replied, “These two women are my daughters, and their children are my grandchildren, and the animals are my animals. Everything you see here is mine [HYP]! But what can I do today to keep my daughters or the children they have given birth to [RHQ]?

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; but as to my daughters, what can I do unto them this day, or unto their children whom they have born?

44 I cannot do anything in order to keep them, so hey, we should make a peace agreement, you and I, and do something that will remind us about our agreement.”

And now, come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

45 So Jacob took a [large] stone and set it on its end.

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

46 Then Jacob said to his relatives, “You also gather some stones.” So they gathered some rocks and put them in a heap, and they ate some food there near the heap.

And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made a heap; and they ate there upon the heap.

47 Laban gave the heap the Aramaic name Jegar-Sahadutha, [which means ‘rock-pile to remind us’, ] but Jacob gave the rock-pile the Hebrew name Galeed, [which has the same meaning].

And Laban called it Yegar-sahadutha; but Jacob called it Galed.

48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks we have put here today will help us to remember our agreement.” That is why Jacob called it Galeed.

And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day; therefore called he its name Galed;

49 They also named the place Mizpah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘watchtower’, ] because Laban said, “We will ask Yahweh to watch you and me while we are separated from each other, [so that we do not try to harm each other].

And Mitzpah; for he said, The Lord shall watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from the other;

50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take other women to be your wives, even if no one tells me about it, don’t forget that God sees what you and I are doing!”

If thou shouldst afflict my daughters, or if thou shouldst take other wives besides my daughters, when there is no man with us: see, God is witness between me and thee.

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “You see this large stone and this pile of rocks that we have set up to be between us.

And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast up between me and thee;

52 Both this pile of rocks and this large stone will remind us, that I will not go past these rocks to harm you, and you will not go past these rocks to harm me.

Witness be this heap and witness be this pillar, that I will not pass by this heap, and that thou shalt not pass unto me by this heap and this pillar, for evil.

53 We will ask the God whom [your grandfather] Abraham and [his father] Nahor worshiped to punish [MTY] either one of us, [if we harm the other one].” So Jacob solemnly promised to do what they said in their peace agreement. And he asked God, the one before whom his father Isaac trembled, to listen to what they promised.

The God of Abraham and the God of Nachor shall judge between us, the God of their father; but Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.

54 He offered a sacrifice to God there in the hilly area, and he invited his relatives to eat with him. After they had eaten, they slept there that night.

Then Jacob slew some cattle upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread; and they did eat bread, and tarried all night on the mount.

55 The next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters [goodbye] and asked God to bless them. Then he [and his men] left them and returned home.

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 own place.