Genesis, Chapter 31:

Verses from Genesis, Chapter 31 of the Book of Genesis of the Bible.

Genesis - Old Testament — Genesis – Old Testament

Jacob flees from Laban

1. Jacob heard the words of the sons of Laban, who said: “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father and has accumulated all this wealth.”
2. Jacob also noticed that Laban was not looking at him with the same eyes as before.
3. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
4. Jacob called Rachel and Leah to the field where their flock was,
5. and said to them: “I have noticed that your father no longer looks at me with the same eyes as before. But my father's God has been with me.
6. You know that I have served your father with all my might,
7. However, your father has deceived me by changing my salary ten times. But God did not allow him to harm me.
8. If he said, 'The speckled ones will be your wages,' then the whole flock gave speckled offspring; if he said, 'The striped ones will be your wages', then the whole herd gave birth to striped offspring.
9. Thus God has taken the flock from you and given it to me.
10. At the time of the mating of the herd, I raised my eyes and saw in a dream that the males that covered the females were striped, speckled and spotted.
11. And the Angel of God said to me in a dream: 'Jacob!' I replied: 'Here I am'.
12. He said, 'Lift up your eyes and see that all the males that cover the females are striped, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen everything that Laban has done to you.
13. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Get up now, leave this land and return to the land of your relatives'”.
14. Then Rachel and Leah answered, “Do we still have a share in our father’s inheritance?
15. Does he not consider us foreigners? Because he sold us and used all the money he received for us.
16. All the wealth that God took from our father is ours and our children's. Therefore, do everything that God has commanded.”
17. Jacob got up and put his sons and his wives on the camels,
18. and taking with him all his flock and all his wealth, which he had acquired in Paddan-aram, he went to the land of Canaan, to his father Isaac.
19. Now, while Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the idols from the home that belonged to her father.
20. Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by fleeing to the land of Aram without his knowledge.
21. He fled with everything he owned. He got up, crossed the Euphrates, and headed toward the hill country of Gilead.

Laban pursues Jacob

22. On the third day, someone informed Laban that Jacob had fled.
23. Then he and his relatives went after Jacob, and when they overtook him in the hill country of Gilead,
24. God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
25. Jacob had already pitched his tent on the mountain, and Laban and his relatives pitched their tents in Gilead.
26. Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? Did you deceive me and carry off my daughters as prisoners of war?
27. Why did you sneak away, deceiving me and not warning me? I would have thrown a farewell party for you with singing, to the sound of tambourines and harps.
28. You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters. He acted like a fool.
29. I could do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and said, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, neither good nor bad.'
30. Now you left because you missed your father's house, but why did you steal my gods?”
31. Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
32. But whoever you meet with your gods, let him not live! Before our relatives, see what is yours and take it with us.” Jacob, however, did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33. Then Laban entered Jacob's tent, Leah's tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. Leaving Leah's tent, he entered Rachel's tent.
34. But Rachel took the idols and put them on the bed; then he sat on them. Laban looked for them throughout the tent, but he did not find them.
35. Then she said to her father, “Do not be angry, my lord, if I cannot stand up before you, for I am in the custom of women.” And when he searched, he did not find the idols.
36. Jacob became angry and challenged Laban. “What is my transgression? - He asked. – What sin have I committed that you are furiously persecuting me?
37. Now that you have searched through all my things, what have you found of all your things in your house? Put here, in front of our relatives, what you found in my possession and take it back.” Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
38. Laban replied, “Here are my daughters, and my grandchildren are with them. The flocks and everything you have are mine. But what can I do now against these daughters of mine and their sons?
39. Come, let’s make a pact, you and I, and let it serve as a testimony between the two of us.” 40 Then Jacob picked up a stone and set it up as a pillar.
41. Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They gathered them together and made a pile. Then they ate there, next to the mountain.
42. Laban called him Jegar-shahaduthah, and Jacob called him Gilead.
43. Laban said, “This mountain is a witness between me and you today.” That's why it was called Gilead.
44. He was also called Mizpah, because he said: “May the Lord watch over you and me when we are separated from each other.
45. If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women, although no one is with us, remember that God is witness between me and you.”
46. Laban further said to Jacob, “Here is this mountain, and here is this pillar that I have erected between me and you.
47. This mountain is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over from this mountain to your side, nor will you pass over from this mountain and this pillar to my side, to harm me.
48. May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of your father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore an oath out of fear for his father Isaac.
49. Jacob offered sacrifices on the mountain and invited his relatives to a meal. After eating, they spent the night there.
50. Early in the morning, Laban said goodbye to his grandchildren and daughters and returned to his homeland.
51. Jacob continued on his way and the angels of God met him.
52. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp!” Therefore, he named that place Mahanaim.
3. Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir, the field of Edom.
4. He gave them this command: “Say this to my lord Esau: This is what Jacob says: 'I lived as a foreigner with Laban and have remained there until now.
5. I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, male and female servants. I now send this message to my lord, to obtain his favor'”.