Genesis 31:1-21

1But Jacob soon learned that Laban’s sons were grumbling about him. “Jacob has robbed our father of everything!” they said. “He has gained all his wealth at our father’s expense.”

2And Jacob began to notice a change in Laban’s attitude toward him.

3Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you.”

4So Jacob called Rachel and Leah out to the field where he was watching his flock.

5He said to them, “I have noticed that your father’s attitude toward me has changed. But the God of my father has been with me.

6You know how hard I have worked for your father,

7but he has cheated me, changing my wages ten times. But God has not allowed him to do me any harm.

8For if he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wages,’ the whole flock began to produce speckled young. And when he changed his mind and said, ‘The striped animals will be your wages,’ then the whole flock produced striped young.

9In this way, God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.

10“One time during the mating season, I had a dream and saw that the male goats mating with the females were streaked, speckled, and spotted.

11Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’

12“The angel said, ‘Look up, and you will see that only the streaked, speckled, and spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. For I have seen how Laban has treated you.

13I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, the place where you anointed the pillar of stone and made your vow to me. Now get ready and leave this country and return to the land of your birth.’”

14Rachel and Leah responded, “That’s fine with us! We won’t inherit any of our father’s wealth anyway.

15He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us.

16All the wealth God has given you from our father legally belongs to us and our children. So go ahead and do whatever God has told you.”

17So Jacob put his wives and children on camels,

18and he drove all his livestock in front of him. He packed all the belongings he had acquired in Paddan-aram and set out for the land of Canaan, where his father, Isaac, lived.

19At the time they left, Laban was some distance away, shearing his sheep. Rachel stole her father’s household idols and took them with her.

20Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, for they set out secretly and never told Laban they were leaving.

21So Jacob took all his possessions with him and crossed the Euphrates River, heading for the hill country of Gilead.