Genesis 31:8-41

8If he would say, ‘the spotted ones will be your salary,’ then the flocks would give birth to spotted ones. Or if he would say, ‘the striped ones will be your salary,’ then all the flocks would give birth to striped ones.

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

10Now it happened when the flocks were in heat that I lifted up my eyes and saw, in a dream, behold, the males going up to the flocks were striped, spotted and speckled.

11Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Hineni.’

12He said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see that all the males going up to the flocks are striped, spotted and speckled. For I have seen everything Laban has done to you.

13I am the God of Beth-El where you anointed a memorial stone, where you made a vow to Me. Get up now and leave this land, and return to the land of your relatives.’”

14Then Rachel answered along with Leah and they said to him, “Is there still a portion and inheritance for us in our father’s house?

15Aren’t we considered foreigners to him? For he has sold us and has also completely used up our bridal price.

16For all the riches that God has taken away from our father is for us and for our children. So now, everything God said to you, do it!”

17Then Jacob got up and put his children and wives on camels.

18He drove away all his livestock and all his possessions that he had acquired—the livestock in his possession that he acquired in Paddan-aram—to go to his father Isaac, to the land of Canaan.

19But while Laban went to shear his flocks, Rachel stole the idols that belonged to her father,

20while Jacob stole the heart from Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing.

21He himself fled with everything that belonged to him, and he got up and crossed the River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

22When Laban was told on the third day after Jacob had fled,

23he took his relatives with him and pursued him a seven days’ journey. Then he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.

24But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Watch yourself—lest you say anything to Jacob, good or bad.”

25So Laban caught up to Jacob. (Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, so Laban and his brothers pitched their tents in the hill country of Gilead as well).

26Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you’ve stolen my heart and have driven my daughters away like captives of the sword?

27Why did you secretly flee away, and steal from me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and with songs, with tambourines and with lyres?

28And you didn’t even let me kiss my sons and daughters! “Now, you’ve behaved foolishly.

29It is in the power of my hand to do evil with you, but yesterday the God of your fathers spoke to me, saying, ‘Watch yourself—lest you say anything to Jacob, good or bad.’

30So now, when you up and left because you really missed your father’s house, why did you steal my gods?”

31In response, Jacob said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought, ‘Suppose you snatch your daughters away from me.’

32Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In front of our relatives, identify whatever is yours that is with me, and take it back.” (But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.)

33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he found nothing. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.

34(Now Rachel had taken the idols, put them in the camel’s saddlebag and sat on them.) So Laban felt around the entire tent but did not find them.

35She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for I am having the way of women.” So he searched but did not find the idols.

36Then Jacob got angry and argued with Laban. Jacob answered and said to Laban, “What’s my crime? What’s my sin that you’ve hotly pursued me?

37For you’ve felt through all my things. What did you find? Any of your household things? Put them here, in front of my relatives and yours—so they can decide between the two of us.

38These past twenty years I’ve been with you, your ewes and female goats have never miscarried, and I’ve never eaten the rams of your flock.

39I didn’t bring you animals torn by wild beasts. I myself would bear the loss. You would require it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.

40I was consumed by heat during the day, consumed by frost during the night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.

41This is how it’s been for me twenty years in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flocks—and you changed my salary ten times!