Genesis 31:23-55 ▼

23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days journey; and they overtook him on mount Gilead.

24 And God came to Laban, the Aramean, in a dream by night, and said to him, Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent on the mount; and Laban with his brethren encamped on mount Gilead.

26 And Laban said to Jacob, What have I done to you, that you have deceived me and carried away my daughters as though they were captives taken with the sword?

27 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me; and did not tell me, for I would have sent you away with joy and songs, and with harp and tambourine?

28 And you did not permit me to give a farewell kiss to my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly in so doing.

29 I could have done you harm, but the God of your fathers said to me last evening, Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

30 And now you are on your way, because you longed for your father's house; yet why did you steal my gods?

31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban. Because I was afraid; for I said, Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.

32 With whomsoever you find your gods, he shall not live; moreover, in the presence of our brethren point out whatever I have that belongs to you, and take it for yourself. For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two maidservants; but he did not find the gods. So he went out of Leah's tent into Rachel's tent.

34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's saddle bag, and sat upon them. And Laban had searched all the tent, but did not find them.

35 And Rachel said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you; for I am with child. Nevertheless he searched, but did not find the images.

36 And Jacob was displeased, and argued with Laban; and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? and what is my fault, that you have hotly pursued after me?

37 Behold you have searched all my baggage, and what have you found of all your household articles? Put it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both.

38 Behold, I have been with you for the past twenty years; your ewes and your she goats have not cast their young, and I have not eaten of the rams of your flock.

39 That which was torn by wild beasts I never brought to you; I bore the loss of it; of my hand you did require it; likewise that which was stolen by the day or by the night.

40 Thus by day I was scorched by the heat, and at night suffered from cold; and my sleep departed from my eyes.

41 Behold, I have been twenty years 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.

42 And if it had not been for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and your regard for Isaac, which have been on my side, surely you would have sent me away now empty. God saw my toil and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last evening.

43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. and all that you see is mine; and what can I do this day for these my daughters, or for their children whom they have borne?

44 Now therefore come then, let us make a covenant, I and you; and let it be for a witness between me and you.

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar.

46 And Jacob said to his brethren. Gather stones; and they took stones, and made a heap; and they did eat there upon the heap.

47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha (the Pillar of Witness); but Jacob called it Galead (Gilead).

48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you this day. Therefore he called its name Galead.

49 And a watchtower; for he said. Let the LORD watch between me and you, because we are parting one from another.

50 If you despise my daughters, or if you shall take other wives besides my daughters, now no man is with us; see, God only is witness between me and you.

51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have set between me and you;

52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this pillar against you, and that you also shall not pass over this pillar against me or this heap for harm.

53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor and the God of our forefathers judge between us. And Jacob swore by the reverence of his father Isaac.

54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and invited his brethren to eat bread; and they did eat food, and spent the night on the mountain.

55 And early in the morning Laban rose up and kissed his grandsons and his daughters, and blessed them; then Laban returned and went to his country.