Genesis 31:5-47
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 31
5and said to them, 'I see your father’s attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. 6You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to do me harm. 8If he said this: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock delivered speckled; and if he said this: ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock delivered striped. 9So God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10And it came about at the time when the flock was breeding that I raised my eyes and saw in a dream—and behold—the male goats that were mating were striped, speckled, or mottled. 11Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob’; and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12He said, ‘Now raise your eyes and see that all the male goats that are mating are striped, speckled, or mottled; for I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you. 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a memorial stone, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’?' 14Rachel and Leah said to him, 'Do we still have any share or inheritance in our father’s house? 15Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and has also entirely consumed our purchase price. 16Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has told you.'
17Then Jacob stood up and put his children and his wives on camels;
18and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had acquired, the livestock he possessed which he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac.
19Laban had gone to shear his flock, and Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s.
20And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing.
21So he fled with all that he had; and he got up and crossed the Euphrates River, and set out for the hill country of Gilead.
22When Laban was informed on the third day that Jacob had fled,
23he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
24However, God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, 'Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.'
25And Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead.
26Then Laban said to Jacob, 'What have you done by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword?
27Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with tambourine and with lyre;
28and did not allow me to kiss my grandchildren and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly.
29It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘ Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’
30Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal my gods?'
31Then Jacob replied to Laban, 'Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our relatives point out what is yours among my belongings and take it for yourself.' Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
34Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddlebag, and she sat on them. So Laban searched through all the tent, but did not find them.
35And she said to her father, 'May my lord not be angry that I cannot stand in your presence, because the way of women is upon me.' So he searched but did not find the household idols.
36Then Jacob became angry and argued with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, 'What is my offense? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me?
37Though you have searched through all my property, what have you found of all your household property? Set it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they may decide between the two of us.
38For these twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks.
39I did not even bring to you that which was torn by wild animals; I took the loss myself. You demanded it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40This is how I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.
41For 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 changed my wages ten times.
42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.'
43Then Laban replied to Jacob, 'The daughters are my daughters, the children are my grandchildren, the flocks are my flocks, and everything that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these daughters of mine or to their children to whom they have given birth?
44So now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and it shall be a witness between you and me.'
45Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial stone.
46Jacob said to his relatives, 'Gather stones.' So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap.
47Now Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
King James Version
Chapter 31
5And 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. 6And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 7And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked. 9Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
12And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
13I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
14And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
15Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
16For 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.
17Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
18And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.
20And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
21So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
22And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
23And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
24And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
25Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
26And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
27Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
28And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
30And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
31And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
32With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him 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.
33And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
34Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
35And 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 he searched, but found not the images.
36And Jacob was wroth, and chode 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?
37Whereas thou hast searched 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 both.
38This 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.
39That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
40Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
41Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
42Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
43And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
44Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 31
5He said to them, "I can see from your father’s face that his attitude toward me is not the same as before, but the God of my father has been with me. 6You know that with all my strength I have served your father 7and that he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not let him harm me. 8If he said, ‘The spotted sheep will be your wages,’ then all the sheep were born spotted. If he said, ‘The streaked sheep will be your wages,’ then all the sheep were born streaked. 9God has taken away your father’s herds and given 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.
11In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’
12And he said, ‘Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.
13I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to me. Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.’"
14Then Rachel and Leah answered him, "Do we have any portion or inheritance in our father’s family?
15Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? For he has sold us and has certainly spent our purchase price.
16In fact, all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has said to you."
17So Jacob got up and put his children and wives on the camels.
18He took all the livestock and possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, and he drove his herds to go to the land of Canaan, to his father Isaac.
19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
20And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, not telling him that he was fleeing.
21He fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
22On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
24But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night. "Watch yourself!" God warned him. "Don’t say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
25When Laban overtook Jacob, Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban and his relatives also pitched their tents in the hill country of Gilead.
26Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me and taken my daughters away like prisoners of war!
27Why did you secretly flee from me, deceive me, and not tell me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and lyres,
28but you didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters. You have acted foolishly.
29I could do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me: ‘Watch yourself! Don’t say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
30Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s family—but why have you stolen my gods?"
31Jacob answered, "I was afraid, for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
32If you find your gods with anyone here, he will not live! Before our relatives, point out anything that is yours and take it." Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, Leah’s tent, and the tents of the two concubines, but he found nothing. When he left Leah’s tent, he went into Rachel’s tent.
34Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing.
36Then Jacob became incensed and brought charges against Laban. "What is my crime?" he said to Laban. "What is my sin, that you have pursued me?
37You’ve searched all my possessions! Have you found anything of yours? Put it here before my relatives and yours, and let them decide between the two of us.
38I’ve been with you these twenty years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams from your flock.
39I did not bring you any of the flock torn by wild beasts; I myself bore the loss. You demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or by night.
40There I was—the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
41For twenty years in your household I served you—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks —and you have changed my wages ten times!
42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, certainly now you would have sent me off empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and my hard work, and he issued his verdict last night."
43Then Laban answered Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters; the sons, my sons; and the flocks, my flocks! Everything you see is mine! But what can I do today for these daughters of mine or for the children they have borne?
44Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be a witness between the two of us."
New Living Translation
Chapter 31
5He said to them, 'I have noticed that your father’s attitude toward me has changed. But the God of my father has been with me. 6You know how hard I have worked for your father, 7but he has cheated me, changing my wages ten times. But God has not allowed him to do me any harm. 8For if he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wages,’ the whole flock began to produce speckled young. And when he changed his mind and said, ‘The striped animals will be your wages,’ then the whole flock produced striped young. 9In this way, God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.
10One time during the mating season, I had a dream and saw that the male goats mating with the females were streaked, speckled, and spotted.
11Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’
12The angel said, ‘Look up, and you will see that only the streaked, speckled, and spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. For I have seen how Laban has treated you.
13I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, the place where you anointed the pillar of stone and made your vow to me. Now get ready and leave this country and return to the land of your birth.’'
14Rachel and Leah responded, 'That’s fine with us! We won’t inherit any of our father’s wealth anyway.
15He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us.
16All the wealth God has given you from our father legally belongs to us and our children. So go ahead and do whatever God has told you.'
17So Jacob put his wives and children on camels,
18and he drove all his livestock in front of him. He packed all the belongings he had acquired in Paddan-aram and set out for the land of Canaan, where his father, Isaac, lived.
19At the time they left, Laban was some distance away, shearing his sheep. Rachel stole her father’s household idols and took them with her.
20Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, for they set out secretly and never told Laban they were leaving.
21So Jacob took all his possessions with him and crossed the Euphrates River, heading for the hill country of Gilead.
22Three days later, Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23So he gathered a group of his relatives and set out in hot pursuit. He caught up with Jacob seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.
24But the previous night God had appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and told him, 'I’m warning you — leave Jacob alone!'
25Laban caught up with Jacob as he was camped in the hill country of Gilead, and he set up his camp not far from Jacob’s.
26What do you mean by deceiving me like this?' Laban demanded. 'How dare you drag my daughters away like prisoners of war?
27Why did you slip away secretly? Why did you deceive me? And why didn’t you say you wanted to leave? I would have given you a farewell feast, with singing and music, accompanied by tambourines and harps.
28Why didn’t you let me kiss my daughters and grandchildren and tell them good-bye? You have acted very foolishly!
29I could destroy you, but the God of your father appeared to me last night and warned me, ‘Leave Jacob alone!’
30I can understand your feeling that you must go, and your intense longing for your father’s home. But why have you stolen my gods?'
31I rushed away because I was afraid,' Jacob answered. 'I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
32But as for your gods, see if you can find them, and let the person who has taken them die! And if you find anything else that belongs to you, identify it before all these relatives of ours, and I will give it back!' But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.
33Laban went first into Jacob’s tent to search there, then into Leah’s, and then the tents of the two servant wives — but he found nothing. Finally, he went into Rachel’s tent.
34But Rachel had taken the household idols and hidden them in her camel saddle, and now she was sitting on them. When Laban had thoroughly searched her tent without finding them,
35she said to her father, 'Please, sir, forgive me if I don’t get up for you. I’m having my monthly period.' So Laban continued his search, but he could not find the household idols.
36Then Jacob became very angry, and he challenged Laban. 'What’s my crime?' he demanded. 'What have I done wrong to make you chase after me as though I were a criminal?
37You have rummaged through everything I own. Now show me what you found that belongs to you! Set it out here in front of us, before our relatives, for all to see. Let them judge between us!
38For twenty years I have been with you, caring for your flocks. In all that time your sheep and goats never miscarried. In all those years I never used a single ram of yours for food.
39If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, I never showed you the carcass and asked you to reduce the count of your flock. No, I took the loss myself! You made me pay for every stolen animal, whether it was taken in broad daylight or in the dark of night.
40I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights.
41Yes, for twenty years I slaved in your house! I worked for fourteen years earning your two daughters, and then six more years for your flock. And you changed my wages ten times!
42In fact, if the God of my father had not been on my side — the God of Abraham and the fearsome God of Isaac — you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen your abuse and my hard work. That is why he appeared to you last night and rebuked you!'
43Then Laban replied to Jacob, 'These women are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, and these flocks are my flocks — in fact, everything you see is mine. But what can I do now about my daughters and their children?
44So come, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and it will be a witness to our commitment.'
45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument.
46Then he told his family members, 'Gather some stones.' So they gathered stones and piled them in a heap. Then Jacob and Laban sat down beside the pile of stones to eat a covenant meal.
47To commemorate the event, Laban called the place Jegar-sahadutha (which means 'witness pile' in Aramaic), and Jacob called it Galeed (which means 'witness pile' in Hebrew).
English Standard Version
Chapter 31
5and said to them, "I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. 11Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’" 14Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father 's house? 15Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do."
17So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels.
18He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac.
19Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father 's household gods.
20And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee.
21He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
22When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled,
23he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead.
24But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
25And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead.
26And Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword?
27Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre?
28And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly.
29It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
30And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father 's house, but why did you steal my gods?"
31Jacob answered and said to Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33So Laban went into Jacob 's tent and into Leah 's tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah 's tent and entered Rachel 's.
34Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel 's saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.
35And she said to her father, "Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me." So he searched but did not find the household gods.
36Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, "What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
37For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two.
38These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks.
39What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.
41These 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.
42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night."
43Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?
44Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me."
45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
46And Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap.
47Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
New International Version
Chapter 31
5He said to them, "I see that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. 6You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength, 7yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. 8If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.
10"In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted.
11The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’
12And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.
13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.’ "
14Then Rachel and Leah replied, "Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father’s estate?
15Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.
16Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you."
17Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels,
18and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
20Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away.
21So he fled with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
22On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
24Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
25Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too.
26Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.
27Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps?
28You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing.
29I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
30Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?"
31Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.
32But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.
33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent.
34Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.
36Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. "What is my crime?" he asked Laban. "How have I wronged you that you hunt me down?
37Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.
38"I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks.
39I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night.
40This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
41It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.
42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you."
43Laban answered Jacob, "The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne?
44Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us."
New King James Version
Chapter 31
5and said to them, “I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. 6And you know that with all my might I have served your father. 7Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. 8If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked. 9So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
10“And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted.
11Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’
12And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.
13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
14Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
15Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money.
16For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
17Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels.
18And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
19Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s.
20And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee.
21So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
22And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.
24But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
26And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?
27Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp?
28And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing.
29It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’
30And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
31Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’
32With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
34Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.
35And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols.
36Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me?
37Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!
38These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.
39That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
41Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
42Unless 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-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
43And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “ These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?
44Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
