Genesis 31:1-23 ▼

1 And Jacob heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying, “Jacob has taken away everything that belonged to our father, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.”

2 And Jacob saw the face of Laban, and behold, it was not with him as yesterday and the day before yesterday.

3 And YHWH said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 And Jacob sent and called for Rachel and for Leah to the field, to his flock,

5 and he said to them, “I can see the face of your? father, that it is not toward me as yesterday and the day before yesterday; and the God of my father has been with me.

6 And you? know that with all my strength I have served your? father.

7 And your? father has deceived me, and has changed my wage ten times; and God did not allow him to do evil with me.

8 If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wage,’ then all the flock bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The striped shall be your wage,’ then all the flock bore stripes.

9 And God has snatched away the livestock of your? father and gave them to me.

10 And it came to pass at the time the flock was conceiving, that I lifted my eyes and saw in the dream, and behold, the male goats going up on the flock were striped, speckled, and spotted.

11 And the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob!’ And I said, ‘Behold, it is I.’

12 And He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see, all the he-goats going up on the flock are striped, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed to Me a vow. Now arise, go out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and they said to him, “Is there still for us a portion and an inheritance in the house of our father?

15 Are we not considered by him strangers, for he has sold us and he has indeed eaten our silver.

16 For all the riches that God has snatched away from our father are ours and our children’s. And now, all that God has said to you—do.”

17 And Jacob rose and lifted his sons and his wives on the camels,

18 and he drove all his livestock, and all his possessions that he had gotten, the livestock of his acquiring that he had gotten in Paddan-aram, to go to Isaac his father, in the land of Canaan.

19 And Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the teraphim that belonged to her father.

20 And Jacob stole the heart of Laban the Aramaean, by not telling him that he was fleeing.

21 And he fled—he and all that was unto him—and He rose and he passed over the River and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

22 And it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.

23 And he took his brothers with him, and pursued after him a journey of seven days, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.