Genesis
Chapter 31
1 He heard Laban’s sons say, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned, and from our father’s wealth, he has gained all this wealth.”
2 Jacob saw that Laban’s attitude toward him was not the same as before.
3 God said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and your relatives, and I will be with you.”
4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to come to the field where his sheep were.
5 He told them, “I can tell that your father doesn’t look at me the same way as before; but my father’s God has been with me.”
6 You know I have served your father with all my strength.
7 Your father tricked me and changed my pay ten times, but God did not let him harm me.
8 If he promised, “You will be paid with speckled animals,” then all the animals were speckled. And if he promised, “Your pay will be the striped ones,” then all the animals were striped.
9 God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.
10 When the cattle mated, I looked up and in my dream I saw that the male sheep jumping on the cattle had stripes, spots, and gray patches.
11 The angel of God spoke to me in a dream and said, “Jacob.” I answered, “I am here.”
12 He said, “Look up and see, all the male sheep mating with the flock are striped, spotted, and dark-colored, because I have seen everything that Laban is doing to you.”
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone and made a promise to me. Now get up, leave this land, and go back to the land of your relatives.
14 Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share or inheritance in our father’s home?”
15 Doesn’t he think of us as strangers? He sold us and has completely spent our money.
16 All the wealth that God took from our father belongs to us and our children. So now, do whatever God has told you to do.
17 Then Jacob got up, put his sons and wives on camels.
18 He took all his animals and everything he owned, the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in Canaan.
19 Laban went to cut his sheep’s wool, and Rachel took the idols that belonged to her father.
20 Jacob left without telling Laban the Syrian, so Laban didn’t know that he had run away.
21 So he ran away with everything he owned; he got up, crossed the river, and headed for Mount Gilead.
22 On the third day, Laban heard that Jacob had run away.
23 He took his brothers with him and chased him for seven days; they caught up to him at Mount Gilead.
24 God appeared to Laban the Syrian in a dream at night and told him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, whether it’s good or bad.”
25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Jacob had set up his tent on the hill, and Laban and his brothers camped on the hill of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You’ve left without telling me and taken my daughters as if they were captured by force.”
27 Why did you run away secretly and leave without telling me? If you had told me, I could have sent you off happily with music and songs, with drums and harps.
28 You didn’t let me kiss my sons and daughters goodbye? You acted foolishly by doing this.
29 I have the power to harm you, but your father’s God told me last night to be careful not to say anything good or bad to Jacob.
30 And now, even though you really wanted to leave because you missed your father’s home, why did you steal my gods?
31 Jacob replied to Laban, “I was scared that you might forcefully take your daughters away from me.”
32 If you find your gods with anyone, that person should not survive. Let our relatives see what’s yours with me and take it. Jacob did not know Rachel had taken them.
33 Laban went into Jacob’s tent, Leah’s tent, and the two female servants’ tents; but he didn’t find them. Then he left Leah’s tent and went into Rachel’s tent.
34 Rachel took the idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, then she sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but did not find them.
35 She said to her father, “Please don’t be upset that I can’t get up in front of you; I’m having my period.” He searched but didn’t find the idols.
36 Jacob was angry and argued with Laban. Jacob replied, “Laban, what have I done wrong? What is my sin that you have chased after me so eagerly?”
37 Since you looked through all my things, what of your household items did you find? Put it here in front of my brothers and your brothers, so they can decide between us.
38 I have been with you for twenty years; your female sheep and goats have not lost their babies, and I have not eaten the males of your flock.
39 I didn’t bring you animals killed by beasts; I covered the loss myself. Whether they were stolen during the day or night, you made me responsible.
40 I was like this: In the daytime, drought drained me, and at night, frost; and I could not sleep.
41 I have been in your house for twenty years; I worked for you fourteen years to marry your two daughters, and six years for your livestock; and you have changed my pay ten times.
42 If my father’s God, Abraham’s God, and the one Isaac fears had not been with me, you would have sent me away with nothing. But God saw my troubles and my hard work, and he corrected you last night.
43 Laban replied to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, these children are my children, these animals are my animals, and everything you see is mine. What can I do today for my daughters or for their children they have given birth to?”
44 So come on, let’s make an agreement, you and I, and it will serve as evidence between us.
45 Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
46 Jacob told his brothers, “Get some stones.” So they gathered stones and built a pile. They ate there by the pile.
47 Laban named it Jegarsahadutha, but Jacob named it Galeed.
48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness between us today. That’s why it was named Galeed.”
49 And Mizpah; for he said, “May God watch over us when we are apart from each other.”
50 If you hurt my daughters, or if you marry other women besides my daughters, no one is with us; see, God is a witness between you and me.
51 Laban said to Jacob, “Look at this pile of stones and look at this pillar that I’ve put between us.
52 This pile of stones will be a witness, and this stone pillar will be a witness, that I will not go past this pile to hurt you, and you will not go past this pile and pillar to hurt me.
53 God of Abraham and Nahor, the God of their father, decides between us. And Jacob promised, respecting his father Isaac.
54 Jacob made a sacrifice on the mountain, invited his brothers to share a meal, and they ate and stayed overnight on the mountain.
55 Early in the morning, Laban got up, kissed his sons and daughters, blessed them, and then he left and went back to his home.