GENESIS
Chapter 31

Jacob leaves Laban

31:1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob has taken away all that [was] our father's ; and of [that] which [was] our father's has he gotten all this wealth.
31:2 And Jacob saw the face of Laban, and, behold, it [was] not toward him as before.
31:3 And Yehovah said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers, and to your kindred ; and I will be with you.
31:4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock,
31:5 And said to them, I see your father's face, that it [is] not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.
31:6 And you know that with all my power I have served your father.
31:7 And your father has cheated me, and changed my wages ten times ; but Eloheem has not let him do evil to me.
31:8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be your wages ; then all the flocks bore speckled and if he said thus, The striped shall be your wages ; then all the flocks bore striped.
31:9 This Eloheem has taken away the livestock of your father, and given [them] to me.
31:10 And at the time that the flock was in heat, that I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped up on the flock [were] striped, speckled, and spotted.
31:11 And the angel of Eloheem spoke to me in a dream, [saying], Jacob And I said, Behold me.
31:12 And he said, Lift up now your eyes, and see, all the rams which leap up on the flock [are] striped, speckled, and spotted. For I have seen all that Laban does to you.
31:13 I [am] the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, [and] where you vowed a vow to me now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your kindred.
31:14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, [Is there] yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house ?
31:15 Are we not counted strangers by him ? For he has sold us, and he has also entirely spent our silver.
31:16 For all the riches which Eloheem has taken from our father, that [is] ours, and our son's now then, what ever Eloheem has said to you, do.
31:17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on camels ;
31:18 And he carried away all his livestock, and all his goods which he had gotten, the livestock of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-Aram, to come to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
31:19 And Laban went to shear his sheep and Rachel had stolen the images that [were] her father's.
31:20 And Jacob decieved the heart of Laban the Syrian, for he did not tell him he was about to flee.
31:21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face to Mount Gilead.

Laban pursues

31:22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
31:23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey ; and they overtook him in Mount Gilead.
31:24 And Eloheem came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, Watch out for youself, that you not speak with Jacob either good or bad.
31:25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the Mount. And Laban with his brethren pitched iat Mount Gilead.
31:26 And Laban said to Jacob, What have you done, that you have deceived my heart, and drove my daughters, as captives [taken] with the sword ?
31:27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and did not tell me, I woul have sent you away with rejoicing, and with music, with tabret, and with harp ?
31:28 And have not let me to kiss my sons and my daughters ? Now you have been foolish to do this.
31:29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, Take you heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
31:30 And now surely you have gone, because you longed after your father's house, Why have you stolen my household gods ?
31:31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid for I said, Perhaps you would take by force your daughters from me.
31:32 With whomsoever you find your household gods, let him not live before our brethren discern you what [is] your with me, and take [it] to you. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
31:33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents ; but he found [them] not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
31:34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods, and put them in the camel's saddle, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found [them] not.
31:35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you; for the way of women is to me. And he searched, but found not the household idols.
31:36 And Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What [is] my trsnsgression ? What [is] my sin, that you have so hotly pursued after me?
31:37 For you have searched all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff ? Set [it] here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both.
31:38 This twenty years [have] I [been] with you; your ewes and your she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of your flock have I not eaten.
31:39 I did not bring to you the mangled; I replaced it; of my hand did you exact it, [whether] stolen by day, or stolen by night.
31:40 I was there; in the day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night ; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
31:41 I have now been twenty years in your house ; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock and you have changed my wages ten times.
31:42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely you had sent me away now empty. Eloheem has seen mine affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked [you] last night.

Laban's and Jacob's covenant

31:43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, [These] daughters [are] my daughters, and [these] sons [are] my sons, and [these] flocks [are] my flocks, and all that you see [is] mine and my daughters. What can I do to these today, or to their sons which they have born ?
31:44 And come now you, let us make a covenant, I and you; and let it be for a witness between me and you.
31:45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a memorial.
31:46 And Jacob said to his brothers, Gather stones ; and they took stones, and made an heap and they ate there on the heap.
31:47 And Laban called it Heap of Testimony. And Jacob called it Heap of Testimony.
31:48 And Laban said, This heap [is] a witness between me and you this day. So he its name of it called Heap of Testimony ;
31:49 Also Watch Tower; for he said, Yehovah watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.
31:50 If you will not afflict my daughters, or if you will not take [other] wives above my daughters, no man [is] with us; see, Eloheem [is] witness between me and you.
31:51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold [this] pillar, which I have cast between me and you;
31:52 This heap [be] witness, and [this ] pillar [be] witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you shall not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
31:53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us. And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread and they did eat bread, and stayed all night on the mountain.
31:55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them and Laban departed, and returned to his place.

Genesis Index Main Menu