Genesis 31:1-13

1Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father and has gained all his wealth from him.”

2He also noticed that Laban did not appear as friendly to him as before.

3Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your ancestors and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

4So Jacob sent a message to Rachel and Leah to come out to the open country where his flocks were.

5He said to them, “I have seen that your father isn’t as friendly to me as he was before, but the God of my father has been with me.

6You know that I have worked as hard as I could for your father.

7Your father has cheated me. He has changed my wages 10 times. But God hasn’t let him harm me.

8Whenever he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ all the flocks gave birth to speckled young. And whenever he said, ‘The striped ones will be your wages,’ all the flocks gave birth to striped young.

9So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.

10“During the mating season I had a dream: I looked up and saw that the male goats which were mating were striped, speckled, or spotted.

11In the dream the Messenger of God called to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I answered, ‘Yes, here I am.’

12He said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, or spotted, because I have seen everything that Laban is doing to you.

13I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you poured olive oil on a stone marker for a holy purpose and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land, and go back to the land of your relatives.’ ”