Genesis 31:23-55 ▼

23 Then he toke his brethren with him, and folowed after him seuen daies iourney, & ouertoke him at the mounte Gilead.

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dreame by nyght, and sayd vnto him: take heede that thou speake not to Iacob ought saue good.

25 And Laban ouertoke Iacob, and Iacob had pitched his tent in the mounte: And Laban with his brethren, pitched also vpon the mounte Gilead.

26 And Laban said to Iacob: what hast thou done? for thou hast stollen away my heart, and caryed away my daughters as though they had ben taken captiue with the sworde.

27 Wherfore wentest thou away secretly vnknowen to me, and dyddest not tell me, that I myght haue let thee go thy way with mirth and songues, with tymbrell and harpe?

28 And hast not suffred me to kysse my chyldren and my daughters? thou wast a foole nowe in so doyng.

29 For it is in my hand through God to do you hurt: But the God of your father spake vnto me yesternight, saying: Take heede that thou speake not to Iacob ought saue good.

30 And nowe though thou wouldest nedes be gone away, because thou sore longest after thy fathers house, yet wherfore hast thou stollen my gods?

31 Iacob aunswered and sayde to Laban: because I was afrayde, & thought that peraduenture thou wouldest take away thy daughters from me.

32 But with whomsoeuer thou findest thy gods, let hym dye. Here before our brethren, seeke that thyne is by me, and take it to thee: But Iacob wyst not that Rachel had stolen them.

33 Then went Laban into Iacobs tent, and into Leas tent, and into the two maydseruaunts tentes: but found them not. Then went he out of Leas tent, and entred into Rachels tent:

34 And Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camelles strawe, & sate downe vpon them: And Laban tossed vp all ye tent, but found them not.

35 Then sayde she to her father: my Lord, be not angry that I can not ryse vp before thee, for the custome of women is come vpon me. So searched he, but founde not those images.

36 And Iacob was wroth, and chode with Laban. Iacob also aunswered and sayd to him: what haue I trespassed? or what haue I offended thee, that thou doest sore pursue after me?

37 Thou hast tossed vp all my stuffe, and what hast thou founde of all thy householde stuffe? put it here before thy brethren and my brethren, that they may iudge betwixt vs both.

38 Behold, this twentie yere haue I ben with thee, thy sheepe and thy goates haue not ben barren, and the rammes of thy flocke haue I not eaten.

39 Whatsoeuer was torne of beastes I brought it not vnto thee, but made it good my selfe: of my hande diddest thou require it that was stolen by day or nyght.

40 I was in suche case, that by day the heate consumed me, and the frost by nyght, and my slepe departed from mine eyes.

41 Thus haue I ben twentie yere in thy house, and serued thee fourteene yeres for thy two daughters, and sixe yere for thy sheepe, and thou hast chaunged my rewarde ten tymes.

42 And except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the feare of Isahac had ben with me, surely thou haddest sent me away nowe all emptie: but God behelde my tribulation and the labour of my handes, and rebuked thee yesternyght.

43 And Laban aunswered and sayd vnto Iacob: these daughters are my daughters, and these chyldren are my chyldren, & these sheepe are my sheepe, and all that thou seest is myne: and what can I do this day vnto these my daughters, or vnto their children which they haue borne?

44 Nowe therfore come on, and let vs make a league I and thou, which may be a wytnesse betwene me and thee.

45 Then toke Iacob a stone, and set it vp on ende.

46 And Iacob sayde vnto his brethren: gather stones. And they toke stones, and made an heape: and they dyd eate there vpon the heape.

47 And Laban called it Iegar Sahadutha: but Iacob called it Galeed.

48 Then saide Laban: this heape is witnesse betwene thee and me this day, therfore it is called Galeed,

49 And Mispah: for he said, the Lord loke betwene thee and me when we are departed one from another,

50 If thou shalt vexe my daughters, or shalt take other wyues beside my daughters: here is no man with vs, beholde, God is wytnesse betwixt me and thee.

51 And Laban sayde moreouer to Iacob: beholde this heape, and this stone set vp on ende, whiche I haue layde betwixt me and thee,

52 This heape be witnesse, and also this stone set vp on ende, that I wyll not come ouer this heape to thee, and thou shalt not come ouer this heape and this stone set vp on ende vnto me, to do any harme.

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nachor, and the God of theyr father, be iudge betwixt vs. And Iacob sware by the feare of his father Isahac.

54 Then Iacob dyd sacrifice vpon the mounte, and called his brethren to eate bread: and they did eate bread, and taryed all nyght in the hyll.

55 And early in the mornyng Laban rose vp, and kyssed his sonnes and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departyng, went into his place agayne.