Genesis 31

Jacob Flees from Laban

1Now Jacob heardH8085 that Laban’sH3837H559 sonsH1121 were sayingH1697, “JacobH3290 has taken awayH3947 allH3605 thatH834 belonged to our fatherH1 and builtH6213 allH3605 thisH2088 wealthH3519 atH834 our father’s expenseH1.” 2And JacobH3290 sawH7200 from the countenanceH6440 of LabanH3837H2009 that his attitude towardH5973 himH8543H8032 had changedH369.

3Then the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 JacobH3290, “Go backH7725 toH413 the landH776 of your fathersH1 and to your kindredH4138, and I will beH1961 with youH5973.”

4So JacobH3290 sent wordH7971 and calledH7121 RachelH7354 and LeahH3812 to the fieldH7704H413 where his flocks wereH6629, 5and he toldH559 them, “IH595 can seeH7200 from your father’sH1 countenanceH6440 thatH3588 his attitude toward meH413 has changedH369H8543H8032; but the GodH430 of my fatherH1 has beenH1961 with meH5978. 6YouH859 knowH3045 thatH3588 I have servedH5647 your fatherH1 with allH3605 my strengthH3581. 7And although heH1 has cheatedH2048 me and changedH2498 my wagesH4909 tenH6235 timesH4489, GodH430 has notH3808 allowed himH5414 to harm meH7489H5978. 8IfH518H3541 he saidH559, ‘The speckledH5348 will beH1961 your wagesH7939,’ then the wholeH3605 flockH6629 boreH3205 speckled offspringH5348. IfH518H3541 he saidH559, ‘The streakedH6124 will beH1961 your wagesH7939,’ then the wholeH3605 flockH6629 boreH3205 streaked offspringH6124. 9Thus GodH430 has taken awayH5337 your father’sH1 livestockH4735 and givenH5414 them to me.

10

WhenH6256 the flocksH6629 were breedingH3179, I sawH5375H5869H7200 in a dreamH2472H2009 that the streakedH6124, spottedH1261, and speckledH5348 malesH6260 were matingH5927 withH5921 the femalesH6629. 11In that dreamH2472 the angelH43971 of GodH430 saidH559 to meH413, ‘JacobH3290!’

And I repliedH559, ‘Here I amH2009.’

12‘Look upH5375H4994H5869,’ he saidH559, ‘and seeH7200 that allH3605 the malesH6260 that are matingH5927 withH5921 the flockH6629 are streakedH6124, spottedH1261, or speckledH5348; forH3588 I have seenH7200 allH3605 thatH834 LabanH3837 has doneH6213 to you. 13IH595 am the GodH410 of BethelH1008, whereH834 you anointedH4886H8033 the pillarH4676 and madeH5087H8033 a solemn vowH5088 to Me. NowH6258 get upH6965, leaveH3318H4480 thisH2063 land at onceH776, and returnH7725 toH413 your nativeH4138 landH776.’”

14And RachelH7354 and LeahH3812 repliedH6030H559, “Do we have any portionH2506 or inheritanceH5159 leftH5750 in our father’sH1 houseH1004? 15Are we notH3808 regardedH2803 by him as outsidersH5237? Not onlyH3588 has he sold usH4376, but he hasH1571 certainly squanderedH398 what was paid for usH3701. 16SurelyH3588 allH3605 the wealthH6239 thatH834 GodH430 has taken awayH5337 from our fatherH1 belongs to usH1931 and to our childrenH1121. SoH6258 doH6213 whateverH3605 GodH430 has toldH559 youH413.”

17Then JacobH3290 got upH6965 and putH5375 his childrenH1121 and his wivesH802 onH5921 camelsH1581, 18and he droveH5090 allH3605 his livestock before himH4735, along with allH3605 the possessionsH7399 he had acquiredH7408 in Paddan-aramH758,2 to goH935 toH413 his fatherH1 IsaacH3327 in the landH776 in CanaanH3667.

19Now while LabanH3837 was outH1980 shearingH1494 his sheepH6629, RachelH7354 stoleH1589 her father’sH1 household idolsH8655. 20Moreover, JacobH3290 deceivedH1589H38203 LabanH3837 the ArameanH761H5921 by notH1097 tellingH5046 him thatH3588 heH1931 was running awayH1272. 21So heH1931 fledH1272 with allH3605 his possessionsH834, crossedH5674 the EuphratesH5104,4 and headed forH7760 the hill countryH2022 of GileadH1568.

Laban Pursues Jacob

22On the thirdH7992 dayH3117 LabanH3837 was informedH5046 thatH3588 JacobH3290 had fledH1272. 23So he tookH3947 his relativesH251 with himH5973, pursuedH7291 JacobH310H1870 for sevenH7651 daysH3117, and overtookH1692 himH853 in the hill countryH2022 of GileadH1568. 24But that nightH3915 GodH430 cameH935 toH413 LabanH3837 the ArameanH761 in a dreamH2472 and warnedH559 him, “Be carefulH8104 notH6435 to sayH1696 anything toH5973 JacobH3290, either goodH2896 orH5704 badH7451.”

25Now JacobH3290 had pitchedH8628 his tentH168 in the hill countryH2022 of GileadH1568 when LabanH3837 overtookH5381 him, and LabanH3837 and his relativesH251 campedH8628H854 there as well. 26Then LabanH3837 saidH559 to JacobH3290, “WhatH4100 have you doneH6213? You have deceivedH1589 meH853H3824 and carried off my daughtersH1323H5090 like captivesH7617 of warH2719! 27WhyH4100 did you run awayH1272 secretlyH2244 and deceiveH1589 meH853, without evenH3808 tellingH5046 me? I would have sent you awayH7971 with joyH8057 and singingH7892, with tambourinesH8596 and harpsH3658. 28But you did notH3808 even let meH5203 kissH5401 my grandchildrenH1121 and my daughters goodbyeH1323. NowH6258 you have doneH6213 a foolish thingH5528.

29

I have power to doH6213H410H3027 youH5973 great harmH7451, but last nightH570 the GodH430 of your fatherH1 saidH559 to meH413H559, ‘Be carefulH8104 not to sayH1696 anything toH5973 JacobH3290, either goodH2896 orH5704 badH7451.’ 30NowH6258 you have gone offH1980 becauseH3588 you longH3700 for your father’sH1 houseH1004. But whyH4100 have you stolenH1589 my godsH430?”

31“I was afraidH3588H3372,” JacobH3290 answeredH6030, “forH3588H559H6435 I thoughtH559 you would take your daughtersH1323 from meH5973 by forceH1497. 32If you findH4672 your godsH430 withH5973 anyone hereH834, he shall notH3808 liveH2421! In the presence ofH5048 our relativesH251, seeH5234 for yourself if anythingH4100 is yoursH5978, and takeH3947 it back.” For JacobH3290 did notH3808 knowH3045 thatH3588 RachelH7354 had stolenH1589 the idols.

33So LabanH3837 wentH935 into Jacob’sH3290 tentH168, then Leah’sH3812 tentH168, and then the tentsH168 of the twoH8147 maidservantsH519, but he foundH4672 nothingH3808. Then he leftH3318 Leah’sH3812 tentH168 and enteredH935 Rachel’sH7354 tentH168. 34Now RachelH7354 had takenH3947 Laban’s household idolsH8655, put themH7760 in the saddlebagH3733 of her camelH1581, and was sittingH3427 on themH5921. And LabanH3837 searchedH4959 everythingH3605 in the tentH168 but foundH4672 nothingH3808.

35Rachel saidH559 toH413 her fatherH1, “SirH113, do notH408 be angryH2734H5869 thatH3588 I cannotH3808H3201 stand upH6965 before youH6440; forH3588 I am having my periodH1870H802.” So Laban searchedH2664 but could notH3808 findH4672 the household idolsH8655.

36Then JacobH3290 became incensedH2734 and challengedH7378 LabanH3837H6030. “WhatH4100 is my crimeH6588?” heH3290 saidH559. “For whatH4100 sin of mineH2403 have you so hotly pursuedH1814 meH310? 37You have searchedH4959 allH3605 my goodsH3627H4100! Have you foundH4672 anythingH3605 that belongs to youH3627H1004? PutH7760 it hereH3541 beforeH5048 my brothersH251 and yoursH251, that they may judgeH3198 betweenH996 the two of usH8147.

38I haveH595 been withH5973 you forH2088 twentyH6242 years nowH8141. Your sheepH7353 and goatsH5795 have notH3808 miscarriedH7921, nor have IH3808 eatenH398 the ramsH352 of your flockH6629. 39I did notH3808 bringH935 youH413 anything torn by wild beastsH2966; IH595 bore the loss myselfH2398. And you demandedH1245 payment from meH3027 for what was stolenH1589 by dayH3117H1589 or nightH3915. 40As it wasH1961, the heatH2721 consumed meH398 by dayH3117 and the frostH7140 by nightH3915, and sleepH8142 fledH5074 from my eyesH5869.

41ThusH2088 for twentyH6242 yearsH8141 I have servedH5647 in your householdH1004—fourteenH702H6240 yearsH8141 for your twoH8147 daughtersH1323 and sixH8337 yearsH8141 for your flocksH6629—and you have changedH2498 my wagesH4909 tenH6235 timesH4489! 42If the GodH430 of my fatherH1, the GodH430 of AbrahamH85 and the FearH6343 of IsaacH3327, had notH3884 beenH1961 with me, surelyH3588 by nowH6258 you would have sent me awayH7971 empty-handedH7387. But GodH430 has seenH7200 my afflictionH6040 and the toilH3018 of my handsH3709, and last nightH570 He rendered judgmentH3198.”

Jacob’s Covenant with Laban

43But LabanH3837H559H413 answeredH6030 JacobH3290, “These daughtersH1323 are my daughtersH1323, these sonsH1121 are my sonsH1121, and these flocksH6629 are my flocksH6629! EverythingH3605 youH859 seeH7200 isH1931 mine! Yet whatH4100 can I doH6213 todayH3117 about theseH428 daughtersH1323 of mine orH176 the childrenH1121 they have borneH3205? 44ComeH1980 nowH6258, let us makeH3772 a covenantH1285, youH859 and IH589, and let it serve asH1961 a witnessH5707 between you and meH996.”

45So JacobH3290 picked outH3947 a stoneH68 and set it upH7311 as a pillarH4676, 46andH3290 he saidH559 to his relativesH251, “GatherH3950 some stonesH68.” So they tookH3947 stonesH68 and madeH6213 a moundH1530, and thereH8033 byH5921 the moundH1530 they ateH398. 47LabanH3837 called itH7121 Jegar-sahaduthaH3026, and JacobH3290 called itH7121 GaleedH1567.5

48Then LabanH3837 declaredH559, “ThisH2088 moundH1530 is a witnessH5707 between youH996 and meH996 this dayH3117.”

ThereforeH5921H3651 the place was calledH7121H8034 GaleedH1567. 49It was also called MizpahH4709,6 becauseH834 Laban saidH559, “May the LORDH3068 keep watchH6822 between youH996 and meH996 whenH3588 we are absentH5641 from each otherH7453H376. 50IfH518 you mistreatH6031 my daughtersH1323 orH518 takeH3947 otherH5921H1323 wivesH802, although noH369 oneH376 is with usH5973, rememberH7200 that GodH430 is a witnessH5707 between you and meH996.”

51LabanH3837 also saidH559 to JacobH3290, “Here isH2009 theH2088H2009 moundH1530, and here is the pillarH4676 I have set upH3384 between you and meH996. 52ThisH2088 moundH1530 is a witnessH5707, and this pillarH4676 is a witnessH5713, thatH518 IH589 will notH3808 go pastH5674 thisH2088H518 moundH1530 to harm youH413, and youH859 will notH3808 go pastH5674H413 thisH2088 moundH1530 andH2063 pillarH4676 to harm meH7451. 53May the GodH430 of AbrahamH85 and the GodH430 of NahorH5152, the GodH430 of their fatherH1, judgeH8199 between usH996.”

So JacobH3290 sworeH7650 by the FearH6343 of his fatherH1 IsaacH3327.

54Then JacobH3290 offeredH2076 a sacrificeH2077 on the mountainH2022 and invitedH7121 his relativesH251 to eatH398 a mealH3899. And after they had eatenH398H3899, they spent the nightH3885 on the mountainH2022. 55Early the next morningH1242, LabanH3837 got upH7925 and kissedH5401 his grandchildrenH1121 and daughtersH1323 and blessed themH1288. ThenH3837 he leftH1980 to returnH7725 homeH4725.