| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, "Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father." | 1Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining, "Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich at our father's expense!" |
| 2And Jacob noticed that Laban's attitude toward him was not what it had been. | 2When Jacob saw the look on Laban's face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed. |
| 3Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you." | 3The LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives. I will be with you." |
| 4So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. | 4So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah to come to the field where his flocks were. |
| 5He said to them, "I see that your father's attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. | 5There he said to them, "I can tell that your father's attitude toward me has changed, but the God of my father has been with me. |
| 6You know that I've worked for your father with all my strength, | 6You know that I've worked for your father as hard as I could, |
| 7yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. | 7but your father has humiliated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm. |
| 8If he said, 'The speckled ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, 'The streaked ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks bore streaked young. | 8If he said, 'The speckled animals will be your wage,' then the entire flock gave birth to speckled offspring. But if he said, 'The streaked animals will be your wage,' then the entire flock gave birth to streaked offspring. |
| 9So God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me. | 9In this way God has snatched away your father's livestock and given them to me. |
| 10"In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. | 10"Once during breeding season I saw in a dream that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted. |
| 11The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob.' I answered, 'Here I am.' | 11In the dream the angel of God said to me, 'Jacob!' 'Here I am!' I replied. |
| 12And he said, 'Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. | 12Then he said, 'Observe that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you. |
| 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.'" | 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the sacred stone and made a vow to me. Now leave this land immediately and return to your native land.'" |
| 14Then Rachel and Leah replied, "Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father's estate? | 14Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, "Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father's house? |
| 15Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us. | 15Hasn't he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted the money paid for us! |
| 16Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you." | 16Surely all the wealth that God snatched away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So now do everything God has told you." |
| 17Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, | 17So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels. |
| 18and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. | 18He took away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac. |
| 19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods. | 19While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father. |
| 20Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away. | 20Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving. |
| 21So he fled with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed for the hill country of Gilead. | 21He left with all he owned. He quickly crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead. |
| 22On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. | 22Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. |
| 23Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. | 23So he took his relatives with him and pursued Jacob for seven days. He caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. |
| 24Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad." | 24But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, "Be careful that you neither bless nor curse Jacob." |
| 25Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. | 25Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too. |
| 26Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You've deceived me, and you've carried off my daughters like captives in war. | 26"What have you done?" Laban demanded of Jacob. "You've deceived me and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war! |
| 27Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps? | 27Why did you run away secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? |
| 28You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing. | 28You didn't even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren good-bye. You have acted foolishly! |
| 29I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.' | 29I have the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, 'Be careful that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.' |
| 30Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father's household. But why did you steal my gods?" | 30Now I understand that you have gone away because you longed desperately for your father's house. Yet why did you steal my gods?" |
| 31Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. | 31"I left secretly because I was afraid!" Jacob replied to Laban. "I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force. |
| 32But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods. | 32Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! In the presence of our relatives identify whatever is yours and take it." (Now 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 female servants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah's tent, he entered Rachel's tent. | 33So Laban entered Jacob's tent, and Leah's tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's. |
| 34Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel's saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing. | 34(Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel's saddle and sat on them.) Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. |
| 35Rachel said to her father, "Don't be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I'm having my period." So he searched but could not find the household gods. | 35Rachel said to her father, "Don't be angry, my lord. I cannot stand up in your presence because I am having my period." So he searched thoroughly, but did not find the idols. |
| 36Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. "What is my crime?" he asked Laban. "How have I wronged you that you hunt me down? | 36Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. "What did I do wrong?" he demanded of Laban. "What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit? |
| 37Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us. | 37When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? Set it here before my relatives and yours, and let them settle the dispute between the two of us! |
| 38"I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. | 38"I have been with you for the past twenty years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. |
| 39I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. | 39Animals torn by wild beasts I never brought to you; I always absorbed the loss myself. You always made me pay for every missing animal, whether it was taken by day or at night. |
| 40This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. | 40I was consumed by scorching heat during the day and by piercing cold at night, and I went without sleep. |
| 41It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. | 41This was my lot for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave for you--fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten times! |
| 42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you." | 42If the God of my father--the God of Abraham, the one whom Isaac fears--had not been with me, you would certainly have sent me away empty-handed! But God saw how I was oppressed and how hard I worked, and he rebuked you last night." |
| 43Laban answered Jacob, "The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? | 43Laban replied to Jacob, "These women are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today or the children to whom they have given birth? |
| 44Come now, let's make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us." | 44So now, come, let's make a formal agreement, you and I, and it will be proof that we have made peace." |
| 45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. | 45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. |
| 46He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. | 46Then he said to his relatives, "Gather stones." So they brought stones and put them in a pile. They ate there by the pile of stones. |
| 47Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. | 47Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. |
| 48Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. | 48Laban said, "This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement today." That is why it was called Galeed. |
| 49It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. | 49It was also called Mizpah because he said, "May the LORD watch between us when we are out of sight of one another. |
| 50If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me." | 50If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, realize that God is witness to your actions." |
| 51Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. | 51"Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between me and you," Laban said to Jacob. |
| 52This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. | 52"This pile of stones and the pillar are reminders that I will not pass beyond this pile to come to harm you and that you will not pass beyond this pile and this pillar to come to harm me. |
| 53May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. | 53May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, the gods of their father, judge between us." Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared. |
| 54He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there. | 54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain. |
| 55Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home. | 55Early in the morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home. |
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