Genesis 31 Parallel Bible

swipe to see more →

	NLT New Living Translation	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	But 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.”	Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.”	Jacob 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.”
2	And Jacob began to notice a change in Laban’s attitude toward him.	And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before.	And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.
3	Then 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.”	Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”	Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
4	So Jacob called Rachel and Leah out to the field where he was watching his flock.	So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was	So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were.
5	He 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.	and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me.	He 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.
6	You know how hard I have worked for your father,	You know that I have served your father with all my strength,	You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,
7	but he has cheated me, changing my wages ten times. But God has not allowed him to do me any harm.	yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me.	yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me.
8	For 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.	If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped.	If 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.
9	In this way, God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.	Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.	So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has 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.	In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled.	“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.
11	Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’	Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’	The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘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.	And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.	And 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.
13	I 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.’”	I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’”	I 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.’”
14	Rachel and Leah responded, “That’s fine with us! We won’t inherit any of our father’s wealth anyway.	Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house?	Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father’s estate?
15	He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us.	Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money.	Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.
16	All 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.”	All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”	Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you.”
17	So Jacob put his wives and children on camels,	So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels.	Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels,
18	and 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.	He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac.	and 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.
19	At the time they left, Laban was some distance away, shearing his sheep. Rachel stole her father’s household idols and took them with her.	Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods.	When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
20	Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, for they set out secretly and never told Laban they were leaving.	And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee.	Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away.
21	So Jacob took all his possessions with him and crossed the Euphrates River, heading for the hill country of Gilead.	He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.	So he fled with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
22	Three days later, Laban was told that Jacob had fled.	When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled,	On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23	So he gathered a group of his relatives and set out in hot pursuit. He caught up with Jacob seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.	he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead.	Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
24	But the previous night God had appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and told him, “I’m warning you—leave Jacob alone!”	But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”	Then 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.”
25	Laban caught up with Jacob as he was camped in the hill country of Gilead, and he set up his camp not far from Jacob’s.	And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead.	Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too.
26	“What do you mean by deceiving me like this?” Laban demanded. “How dare you drag my daughters away like prisoners of war?	And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword?	Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.
27	Why did you slip away secretly? Why did you deceive me? And why didn’t you say you wanted to leave? I would have given you a farewell feast, with singing and music, accompanied by tambourines and harps.	Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre?	Why 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?
28	Why didn’t you let me kiss my daughters and grandchildren and tell them good-bye? You have acted very foolishly!	And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly.	You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing.
29	I could destroy you, but the God of your father appeared to me last night and warned me, ‘Leave Jacob alone!’	It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’	I 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.’
30	I can understand your feeling that you must go, and your intense longing for your father’s home. But why have you stolen my gods?”	And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”	Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?”
31	“I rushed away because I was afraid,” Jacob answered. “I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.	Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.	Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.
32	But as for your gods, see if you can find them, and let the person who has taken them die! And if you find anything else that belongs to you, identify it before all these relatives of ours, and I will give it back!” But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.	Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.	But 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.
33	Laban went first into Jacob’s tent to search there, then into Leah’s, and then the tents of the two servant wives—but he found nothing. Finally, he went into Rachel’s tent.	So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s.	So 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.
34	But Rachel had taken the household idols and hidden them in her camel saddle, and now she was sitting on them. When Laban had thoroughly searched her tent without finding them,	Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.	Now 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.
35	she said to her father, “Please, sir, forgive me if I don’t get up for you. I’m having my monthly period.” So Laban continued his search, but he could not find the household idols.	And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.	Rachel 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.
36	Then Jacob became very angry, and he challenged Laban. “What’s my crime?” he demanded. “What have I done wrong to make you chase after me as though I were a criminal?	Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?	Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged you that you hunt me down?
37	You have rummaged through everything I own. Now show me what you found that belongs to you! Set it out here in front of us, before our relatives, for all to see. Let them judge between us!	For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two.	Now 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.
38	“For twenty years I have been with you, caring for your flocks. In all that time your sheep and goats never miscarried. In all those years I never used a single ram of yours for food.	These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks.	“I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks.
39	If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, I never showed you the carcass and asked you to reduce the count of your flock. No, I took the loss myself! You made me pay for every stolen animal, whether it was taken in broad daylight or in the dark of night.	What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.	I 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.
40	“I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights.	There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.	This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
41	Yes, for twenty years I slaved in your house! I worked for fourteen years earning your two daughters, and then six more years for your flock. And you changed my wages ten times!	These twenty years I have been 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.	It 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.
42	In fact, if the God of my father had not been on my side—the God of Abraham and the fearsome God of Isaac—you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen your abuse and my hard work. That is why he appeared to you last night and rebuked you!”	If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”	If 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.”
43	Then Laban replied to Jacob, “These women are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, and these flocks are my flocks—in fact, everything you see is mine. But what can I do now about my daughters and their children?	Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?	Laban 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?
44	So come, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and it will be a witness to our commitment.”	Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.”	Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”
45	So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument.	So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.	So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
46	Then he told his family members, “Gather some stones.” So they gathered stones and piled them in a heap. Then Jacob and Laban sat down beside the pile of stones to eat a covenant meal.	And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap.	He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap.
47	To commemorate the event, Laban called the place Jegar-sahadutha (which means “witness pile” in Aramaic), and Jacob called it Galeed (which means “witness pile” in Hebrew).	Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.	Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.
48	Then Laban declared, “This pile of stones will stand as a witness to remind us of the covenant we have made today.” This explains why it was called Galeed—“Witness Pile.”	Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed,	Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed.
49	But it was also called Mizpah (which means “watchtower”), for Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant when we are out of each other’s sight.	and Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight.	It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.
50	If you mistreat my daughters or if you marry other wives, God will see it even if no one else does. He is a witness to this covenant between us.	If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.”	If 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.”
51	“See this pile of stones,” Laban continued, “and see this monument I have set between us.	Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me.	Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me.
52	They stand between us as witnesses of our vows. I will never pass this pile of stones to harm you, and you must never pass these stones or this monument to harm me.	This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm.	This 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.
53	I call on the God of our ancestors—the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of my grandfather Nahor—to serve as a judge between us.” So Jacob took an oath before the fearsome God of his father, Isaac, to respect the boundary line.	The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac,	May 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.
54	Then Jacob offered a sacrifice to God there on the mountain and invited everyone to a covenant feast. After they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.	and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.	He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
55	Laban got up early the next morning, and he kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.	Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.	Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.
	Read New Living Translation Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.	Read English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.	Read New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

Genesis 31 Parallel Bible Translations