Genesis 31:22-55

22When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23then he took his 1kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 242God came to Laban the Aramean in a 3dream of the night and said to him, “45Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

25Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his 6kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done 7by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27Why did you flee secretly and 8deceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with 9timbrel and with 10lyre; 28and did not allow me 11to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29It is in 12my power to do you harm, but 13the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘1415Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ 30Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal 16my gods?” 31Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 3217The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our 18kinsmen 19point out what is yours 20among my belongings and take it for yourself.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34Now Rachel had taken the 21household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them. 35She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot 22rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the 2324household idols.

36Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my 25kinsmen and your 26kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40Thus I was: by day the 27heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41These twenty years I have been in your house; 28I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you 29changed my wages ten times. 42If 30the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. 31God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He 32rendered judgment last night.”

43Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and 33the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? 44So now come, let us 34make a covenant, 35you and I, and 36let it be a witness between 37you and me.” 45Then Jacob took 38a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46Jacob said to his 39kinsmen, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47Now Laban 40called it 41Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it 42Galeed. 48Laban said, “43This heap is a witness between 44you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49and 4546Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord watch between 47you and me when we are 48absent one from the other. 50If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, 49God is witness between 50you and me.” 51Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between 51you and me. 52This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 5352The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, 53judge between us.” So Jacob swore by 54the fear of his father Isaac. 54Then Jacob 55offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his 56kinsmen to 57the meal; and they ate 58the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 5559Early in the morning Laban arose, and 60kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.