Genesis 31:22-55

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.

35She said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I am having my period.” So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.

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 children, my children; 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.”

45So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a marker.

46Then Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a mound, then ate there by the mound.

47Laban named the mound Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob named it Galeed.

48Then Laban said, “This mound is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore the place was called Galeed

49and also Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are out of each other’s sight.

50If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, though no one is with us, understand that God will be a witness between you and me.”

51Laban also said to Jacob, “Look at this mound and the marker I have set up between you and me.

52This mound is a witness and the marker is a witness that I will not pass beyond this mound to you, and you will not pass beyond this mound and this marker to do me harm.

53The God of Abraham, and the gods of Nahor — the gods of their father  — will judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.

54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. So they ate a meal and spent the night on the mountain.

55Laban got up early in the morning, kissed his grandchildren and daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban left to return home.