Genesis 31:1-29 ▼

1 And Jacob heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying, Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and of our father's property has he gotten all this glory.

2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and behold it was not toward him as before.

3 And the Lord said to Jacob, Return to the land of thy father, and to thy family, and I will be with thee.

4 And Jacob sent and called Lea and Rachel to the plain where the flocks were.

5 And he said to them, I see the face of your father, that it is not toward me as before, but the God of my father was with me.

6 And ye too know that with all my might I have served your father.

7 But your father deceived me, and changed my wages for the ten lambs, yet God gave him not power to hurt me.

8 If he should say thus, The speckled shall be thy reward, then all the cattle would bear speckled; and if he should say, The white shall be thy reward, then would all the cattle bear white.

9 So God has taken away all the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

10 And it came to pass when the cattle conceived and were with young, that I beheld with mine eyes in sleep, and behold the he-goats and the rams leaping on the sheep and the she-goats, speckled and variegated and spotted with ash-coloured spots.

11 And the angel of God said to me in a dream, Jacob; and I said, What is it?

12 And he said, Look up with thine eyes, and behold the he-goats and the rams leaping on the sheep and the she-goats, speckled and variegated and spotted with ash-coloured spots; for I have seen all things that Laban does to thee.

13 I am God that appeared to thee in the place of God where thou anointedst a pillar to me, and vowedst to me there a vow; now then arise and depart out of this land, depart into the land of thy nativity, and I will be with thee.

14 And Rachel and Lea answered and said to him, Have we yet a part or inheritance in the house of our father?

15 Are we not considered strangers by him? for he has sold us, and quite devoured our money.

16 All the wealth and the glory which God has taken from our father, it shall be our's and our children's; now then do whatsoever God has said to thee.

17 And Jacob arose and took his wives and his children up on the camels;

18 and he took away all his possessions and all his store, which he had gotten in Mesopotamia, and all that belonged to him, to depart to Isaac his father in the land of Chanaan.

19 And Laban went to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole her father's images.

20 And Jacob hid the matter from Laban the Syrian, so as not to tell him that he ran away.

21 And he departed himself and all that belonged to him, and passed over the river, and went into the mountain Galaad.

22 But it was told Laban the Syrian on the third day, that Jacob was fled.

23 And having taken his brethren with him, he pursued after him seven days' journey, and overtook him on Mount Galaad.

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in sleep by night, and said to him, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not at any time to Jacob evil things.

25 And Laban overtook Jacob; and Jacob pitched his tent in the mountain; and Laban stationed his brothers in the mount Galaad.

26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done? wherefore didst thou run away secretly, and pillage me, and lead away my daughters as captives taken with the sword?

27 Whereas if thou hadst told me, I would have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, and timbrels, and harp.

28 And I was not counted worthy to embrace my children and my daughters; now then thou hast wrought foolishly.

29 And now my hand has power to hurt thee; but the God of thy father spoke to me yesterday, saying, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not evil words to Jacob.