Genesis 31
1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and of what was our father's he has acquired all this glory.
Jacob found out that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. All the wealth he has actually came from our father.”
2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and behold, it was not toward him as previously.
Jacob also noticed that Laban was treating him differently to the way he had before.
3 And Jehovah said to Jacob, Return into the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
The Lord told Jacob, “Go back to the country of your forefathers, to your family home. I will be with you.”
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the fields to his flock,
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah, telling them to come and meet him out in the fields where he was with his flock.
5 and said to them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as previously; but the God of my father has been with me.
“I've noticed that your father is treating me differently to the way he did before,” he told them. “But the God of my father will be with me.
6 And you know that with all my power I have served your father.
You both know very well how hard I worked for your father.
7 And your father has mocked me, and has changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
But he's been cheating me—he's reduced my wages ten times! However, God hasn't let him hurt me.
8 If he said thus; The speckled shall be thy hire, then all the flocks bore speckled; and if he said thus: The ringstraked shall be thy hire, then all the flocks bore ringstraked.
If he said, ‘You can have the speckled ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had speckled young. If he said, ‘You can have the streaked ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had streaked young.
9 And God has taken away the cattle of your father, and given [them] to me.
This is how God took your father's livestock and gave them to me.
10 And it came to pass at the time of the ardour of the flocks, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams that leaped upon the flocks were ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
During the time the flock was breeding I had a dream where I saw that the male goats mating with the flock were all streaked, speckled, or spotted.
11 And the Angel of God said to me in a dream, Jacob! And I said, Here am I.
Then in the dream the angel of the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I'm here.’
12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see: all the rams that leap upon the flock are ringstraked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Laban does to thee.
He told me, ‘Take a look and you'll see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I've been watching everything that Laban has been doing to you.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, where thou vowedst a vow to me. Now arise, depart out of this land, and return to the land of thy kindred.
I am the God of Bethel, where you poured olive oil on the stone pillar and made a solemn promise to me. Now get ready to leave this land and go back to your homeland.’”
14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
“There's nothing for us to inherit from our father's estate anyway,” Rachel and Leah replied.
15 Are we not reckoned of him strangers? for he has sold us, and has even constantly devoured our money.
“He treats us like foreigners because he sold us to you, and now he's spent all that money.
16 For all the wealth that God has taken from our father is ours and our children's; and now whatever God has said to thee do.
All the wealth that God has taken from him belongs to us and our children, so do whatever God has told you to do!”
17 And Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels,
So Jacob got ready. He helped his children and his wives onto the camels,
18 and carried away all his cattle, and all his property that he had acquired — the cattle of his possessions that he had acquired in Padan-Aram, to go to Isaac his father, into the land of Canaan.
and drove all his livestock in front of him. He took with him all his possessions and livestock he'd gained during his time in Paddan-aram, and left to go back to his father in the country of Canaan.
19 And Laban had gone to shear his sheep. And Rachel stole the teraphim that [belonged] to her father.
While Laban was away from home shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.
20 And Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he fled.
Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not informing him that he was going to run away.
21 And he fled with all that he had; and he rose up and passed over the river, and set his face [toward] mount Gilead.
So Jacob left in a hurry with everything he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed towards the hill country of Gilead.
22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.
Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had run away.
23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey, and overtook him on mount Gilead.
Taking some of his relatives with him, he chased after Jacob and caught up with him seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.
24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, Take care thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
But during the night God came to Laban in a dream and told him, “Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.”
25 And Laban came up with Jacob; and Jacob had pitched his tent on the mountain; Laban also with his brethren pitched on mount Gilead.
Jacob had set up his tents in the hill country of Gilead when Laban caught up with him, so Laban and his relatives did the same.
26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast deceived me, and hast carried away my daughters as captives of war?
“Why did you deceive me like this?” Laban asked Jacob. “You carried off my daughters as if they were some prisoners captured by the sword!
27 Why didst thou flee away covertly, and steal away from me, and didst not tell me, that I might have conducted thee with mirth and with songs, with tambour and with harp;
Why did you run away in secret, trying to trick me? Why didn't you come and tell me? I would have given you a good send-off, a celebration with singing and the music of tambourines and lyres.
28 and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now thou hast acted foolishly.
You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye! You've really acted stupidly!
29 It would be in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, Take care that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
I could really punish you badly, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and told me, ‘Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.’
30 And now that thou must needs be gone, because thou greatly longedst after thy father's house, why hast thou stolen my gods?
Clearly you wanted to leave and go back to your family home, but why did you have to steal my idols?”
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, I was afraid; for I said, Lest thou shouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
“I ran away because I was afraid,” Jacob explained to Laban. “I was worried that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live. Before our brethren discern what is thine with me, and take [it] to thee. But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
As for your idols, anyone you find who has them will die. You can search everything in the presence of our relatives, and if you find I have anything that belongs to you, you can take it.” (Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.)
33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two handmaids' tents, and found nothing; and he went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two personal maids, but didn't find anything. He left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the teraphim and put them under the camel's saddle; and she sat upon them. And Laban explored all the tent, but found nothing.
Rachel had put the household idols in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on it. Laban carefully searched the whole tent but couldn't find them.
35 And she said to her father, Let it not be an occasion of anger in the eyes of my lord that I cannot rise up before thee, for it is with me after the manner of women. And he searched carefully, but did not find the teraphim.
She said to her father, “Sir, please don't get upset with me for not standing up in your presence, but I have my period.” He looked everywhere but didn't find the idols.
36 And Jacob was angry, and he disputed with Laban. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my fault, what my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
Jacob got angry with Laban and confronted him, saying, “What crime am I guilty of? What wrong have I done to you that you've come hunting me down?
37 Whereas thou hast explored all my baggage, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? Set [it] here before my brethren and thy brethren, and let them decide between us both.
You've searched through all my possessions. Did you find anything belonging to you? If you did, bring it out here before my relatives and yours so they can decide who's right!
38 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 I have not eaten.
I've worked for you for these past twenty years. During that time none of your sheep and goats miscarried, and I haven't eaten a single ram from your flock.
39 What was torn I have not brought to thee; I had to bear the loss of it: of my hand hast thou required it, [whether] stolen by day or stolen by night.
If any of them were killed by wild animals, I never even brought you the carcass to prove the loss—I bore the loss myself. But you on the other hand always made me compensate you for any animals that were stolen, whether at night or in broad daylight.
40 Thus it was with me: in the day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
Whether it was sweating in the heat of the day, or freezing in the cold of the night when I couldn't sleep, I went on working for you for twenty years in your home.
41 I have been these twenty years in thy house: I have served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock; and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
I worked fourteen years for your two daughters, and six more years with your flocks. You reduced my wages ten times!
42 Had not the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, been with me, it is certain thou wouldest have sent me away now empty. God has looked upon my affliction and the labour of my hands, and has judged last night.
If it weren't for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the awesome God of Isaac, who took care of me, you would have dismissed me with nothing. But God saw my suffering, how hard I worked, and he condemned you last night.”
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flock is my flock, and all that thou seest is mine; but as for my daughters, what can I do this day to them, or to their sons whom they have brought forth?
Laban replied, “These are my daughters and these are my children and these are my flocks! In fact, everything you see here is mine! However, what can I do now about my daughters and their children?
44 And now, come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be a witness between me and thee.
So let's make a solemn agreement between you and I, and it will be a witness to our mutual commitment.”
45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up [for] a pillar.
Jacob took a stone and set it upright as a pillar.
46 And Jacob said to his brethren, Gather stones. And they took stones, and made a heap, and ate there upon the heap.
Then he told his relatives, “Go and collect some stones.” They all made a pile of stones and then sat beside it to eat a meal.
47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.
Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed.
48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed,
Laban announced, “This pile of stone serves as a witness between me and you.” This is why it was called Galeed.
49 — and Mizpah; for he said, Let Jehovah watch between me and thee, when we shall be hidden one from another:
It was also called Mizpah, for as Laban said, “May the Lord keep a close eye on both of us when we're not together.
50 if thou shouldest afflict my daughters, or if thou shouldest take wives besides my daughters, — no man is with us; see, God is witness between me and thee!
If you treat my daughters badly or marry more wives in addition to them, God will see what you do even if no one else finds out!”
51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold the pillar which I have set up between me and thee:
Then Laban told Jacob, “Look at this pile of stones and this pillar that I have set up as a memorial of the agreement between you and me.
52 [let] this heap be witness, and the pillar a witness, that neither I pass this heap [to go] to thee, nor thou pass this heap and this pillar [to come] to me, for harm.
They also act as a witness to our solemn promises to each other: I will not come past them to attack you; and you will not come past them to attack me.
53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us! And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor—the God of our forefathers—be the one to judge between us in any dispute.” Jacob in turn made his solemn promise in the name of the awesome God of his father Isaac.
54 And Jacob offered a sacrifice upon the mountain, and invited his brethren to eat bread: and they ate bread, and lodged on the mountain.
Then he offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited all his relatives to eat a meal there. They spent the night on the mountain.
55 And Laban rose early in the morning, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them; and Laban went and returned to his place.
Laban got up early in the morning and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye. He blessed them, and then left to go back home.
