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Genesis 31
New International Version

### Jacob Flees From Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons(A) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”(B) 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.(C)

3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back(D) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”(E)

4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I see that your father’s(F) attitude toward me is not what it was before,(G) but the God of my father has been with me.(H) 6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,(I) 7 yet your father has cheated(J) me by changing my wages(K) ten times.(L) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.(M) 8 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,’(N) then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock(O) and has given them to me.(P)

10 “In breeding season I once had a dream(Q) in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. 11 The angel of God(R) said to me in the dream,(S) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’(T) 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,(U) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.(V) 13 I am the God of Bethel,(W) where you anointed a pillar(X) and where you made a vow(Y) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.(Z)’”

14 Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share(AA) in the inheritance of our father’s estate? 15 Does he not regard us as foreigners?(AB) Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.(AC) 16 Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.(AD) So do whatever God has told you.”

17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives(AE) on camels,(AF) 18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated(AG) in Paddan Aram,[a](AH) to go to his father Isaac(AI) in the land of Canaan.(AJ)

19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,(AK) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.(AL) 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived(AM) Laban the Aramean(AN) by not telling him he was running away.(AO) 21 So he fled(AP) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,(AQ) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.(AR)

### Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day(AS) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.(AT) 23 Taking his relatives(AU) with him(AV), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.(AW) 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean(AX) in a dream at night and said to him,(AY) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(AZ)

25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead(BA) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?(BB) You’ve deceived me,(BC) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.(BD) 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,(BE) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels(BF) and harps?(BG) 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.(BH) You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you;(BI) but last night the God of your father(BJ) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’(BK) 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.(BL) But why did you steal(BM) my gods?(BN)”

31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.(BO) 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.(BP) 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.(BQ)

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent(BR) and into the tent of the two female servants,(BS) but he found nothing.(BT) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods(BU) and put them inside her camel’s saddle(BV) and was sitting on them. Laban searched(BW) through everything in the tent but found nothing.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence;(BX) I’m having my period.(BY)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.(BZ)

36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged(CA) you that you hunt me down?(CB) 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household?(CC) Put it here in front of your relatives(CD) and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.(CE)

38 “I have been with you for twenty years now.(CF) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,(CG) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39 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(CH) by day or night.(CI) 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.(CJ) 41 It was like this for the twenty years(CK) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters(CL) and six years for your flocks,(CM) and you changed my wages(CN) ten times.(CO) 42 If the God of my father,(CP) the God of Abraham(CQ) and the Fear of Isaac,(CR) had not been with me,(CS) you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands,(CT) and last night he rebuked you.(CU)”

43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.(CV) All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant,(CW) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”(CX)

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.(CY) 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap,(CZ) and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.[b](DA)

48 Laban said, “This heap(DB) is a witness between you and me today.”(DC) That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah,[c](DD) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat(DE) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness(DF) between you and me.”(DG)

51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,(DH) and here is this pillar(DI) I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,(DJ) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap(DK) and pillar to my side to harm me.(DL) 53 May the God of Abraham(DM) and the God of Nahor,(DN) the God of their father, judge between us.”(DO)

So Jacob took an oath(DP) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.(DQ) 54 He offered a sacrifice(DR) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.(DS) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters(DT) and blessed(DU) them. Then he left and returned home.[d](DV)

#### Footnotes

1. Genesis 31:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
2. Genesis 31:47 The Aramaic Jegar Sahadutha and the Hebrew Galeed both mean witness heap.
3. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchtower.
4. Genesis 31:55 In Hebrew texts this verse (31:55) is numbered 32:1.

#### Cross references

1. Genesis 31:1 : Ge 30:35
2. Genesis 31:1 : S Ge 30:42
3. Genesis 31:2 : ver 5
4. Genesis 31:3 : ver 13; Ge 32:9; Dt 30:3; Isa 10:21; 35:10; Jer 30:3; 42:12
5. Genesis 31:3 : S Ge 21:22; S 26:3
6. Genesis 31:5 : ver 29, 42, 53; Ge 43:23; Da 2:23
7. Genesis 31:5 : ver 2
8. Genesis 31:5 : S Ge 21:22; S 26:3
9. Genesis 31:6 : Ge 30:29
10. Genesis 31:7 : Lev 6:2; Am 8:5
11. Genesis 31:7 : S Ge 29:15
12. Genesis 31:7 : ver 41; Nu 14:22; Job 19:3
13. Genesis 31:7 : ver 52; S Ge 24:50
14. Genesis 31:8 : S Ge 30:32
15. Genesis 31:9 : Job 39:2; Eze 31:6
16. Genesis 31:9 : S Ge 30:42
17. Genesis 31:10 : S Ge 20:3
18. Genesis 31:11 : S Ge 16:7
19. Genesis 31:11 : S Ge 20:3
20. Genesis 31:11 : S Ge 22:1; S Ex 3:4
21. Genesis 31:12 : S Ge 30:32
22. Genesis 31:12 : Ex 3:7
23. Genesis 31:13 : Ge 28:10-22
24. Genesis 31:13 : S Ge 28:18
25. Genesis 31:13 : S Ge 28:20
26. Genesis 31:13 : S ver 3
27. Genesis 31:14 : 2Sa 20:1; 1Ki 12:16
28. Genesis 31:15 : Dt 15:3; 23:20; Ru 2:10; 2Sa 15:19; 1Ki 8:41; Ob 1:11
29. Genesis 31:15 : S Ge 29:20
30. Genesis 31:16 : S Ge 30:42
31. Genesis 31:17 : S Ge 27:41
32. Genesis 31:17 : S Ge 24:63-64
33. Genesis 31:18 : S Ge 12:5
34. Genesis 31:18 : S Ge 25:20
35. Genesis 31:18 : Ge 35:27
36. Genesis 31:18 : S Ge 10:19
37. Genesis 31:19 : Ge 38:12, 13; 1Sa 25:2, 4, 7; 2Sa 13:23
38. Genesis 31:19 : ver 30, 32, 34-35; Ge 35:2; Jos 24:14; Jdg 17:5; 18:14, 17, 24, 30; 1Sa 7:3; 19:13; 2Ki 23:24; Hos 3:4
39. Genesis 31:20 : S Ge 27:36
40. Genesis 31:20 : S Ge 25:20
41. Genesis 31:20 : ver 27
42. Genesis 31:21 : ver 22; Ex 2:15; 14:5; 1Ki 18:46; 19:3; Jer 26:21
43. Genesis 31:21 : S Ge 2:14
44. Genesis 31:21 : ver 23, 25; Ge 37:25; Nu 26:30; 32:1; Dt 3:10; Jos 12:2; Jer 22:6
45. Genesis 31:22 : S Ge 30:36
46. Genesis 31:22 : S ver 21
47. Genesis 31:23 : ver 37
48. Genesis 31:23 : Ex 14:9
49. Genesis 31:23 : S ver 21
50. Genesis 31:24 : S Ge 25:20
51. Genesis 31:24 : S Ge 20:3
52. Genesis 31:24 : S Ge 24:50
53. Genesis 31:25 : S ver 21
54. Genesis 31:26 : S Ge 12:18
55. Genesis 31:26 : S Ge 27:36
56. Genesis 31:26 : Ge 34:29; 1Sa 30:2-3
57. Genesis 31:27 : ver 20
58. Genesis 31:27 : Ex 15:20; Jdg 11:34; 1Sa 10:5; 2Sa 6:5; Ps 68:25; Isa 24:8; Jer 31:4
59. Genesis 31:27 : S Ge 4:21
60. Genesis 31:28 : ver 55; S Ge 27:27; Ru 1:14; Ac 20:37
61. Genesis 31:29 : S ver 7; S Ge 26:29
62. Genesis 31:29 : S ver 5
63. Genesis 31:29 : S Ge 24:50
64. Genesis 31:30 : S Ge 28:15; Job 29:2
65. Genesis 31:30 : Ge 44:8
66. Genesis 31:30 : S ver 19
67. Genesis 31:31 : S Ge 20:11
68. Genesis 31:32 : Ge 44:9
69. Genesis 31:32 : S ver 19
70. Genesis 31:33 : Ge 24:67
71. Genesis 31:33 : S Ge 16:1
72. Genesis 31:33 : ver 37
73. Genesis 31:34 : S ver 19
74. Genesis 31:34 : S Ge 24:63-64
75. Genesis 31:34 : ver 37; Ge 44:12
76. Genesis 31:35 : Ex 20:12; Lev 19:3, 32; Dt 21:18; 27:16; Jer 35:18
77. Genesis 31:35 : Lev 15:19-23
78. Genesis 31:35 : ver 19
79. Genesis 31:36 : 1Sa 19:5; 20:32
80. Genesis 31:36 : 1Sa 23:23; 24:11
81. Genesis 31:37 : ver 33
82. Genesis 31:37 : ver 23
83. Genesis 31:37 : Dt 1:16; 16:18
84. Genesis 31:38 : S Ge 27:44
85. Genesis 31:38 : S Ge 30:27
86. Genesis 31:39 : Ge 30:33
87. Genesis 31:39 : Ex 22:13
88. Genesis 31:40 : Ps 132:4; 2Co 11:27
89. Genesis 31:41 : S Ge 27:44
90. Genesis 31:41 : Ge 29:30
91. Genesis 31:41 : S Ge 30:32
92. Genesis 31:41 : S Ge 29:15
93. Genesis 31:41 : S ver 7
94. Genesis 31:42 : S ver 5; S Ex 3:15
95. Genesis 31:42 : S Ge 24:12
96. Genesis 31:42 : ver 53; Ge 46:1
97. Genesis 31:42 : S Ge 21:22; Ps 124:1-2
98. Genesis 31:42 : S Ge 3:17
99. Genesis 31:42 : S Ge 24:50
100. Genesis 31:43 : Ge 30:32, 42
101. Genesis 31:44 : S Ge 21:27
102. Genesis 31:44 : S Ge 21:30
103. Genesis 31:45 : S Ge 28:18
104. Genesis 31:46 : ver 48, 51, 52
105. Genesis 31:47 : S Ge 21:30
106. Genesis 31:48 : S ver 46
107. Genesis 31:48 : S Ge 21:30; Jer 29:23; 42:5
108. Genesis 31:49 : Jos 11:3; Jdg 10:17; 11:29
109. Genesis 31:50 : Ge 16:6
110. Genesis 31:50 : Dt 31:19; Jos 24:27; Jdg 11:10; 1Sa 12:5; 20:14, 23, 42; Job 16:19; Jer 29:23; 42:5; Mic 1:2
111. Genesis 31:50 : S Ge 21:30; S Dt 4:26; S Jer 7:11
112. Genesis 31:51 : S ver 46
113. Genesis 31:51 : S Ge 28:18
114. Genesis 31:52 : S Ge 21:30
115. Genesis 31:52 : S ver 46
116. Genesis 31:52 : S ver 7; S Ge 26:29
117. Genesis 31:53 : S Ge 24:12
118. Genesis 31:53 : S Ge 11:27
119. Genesis 31:53 : S Ge 16:5
120. Genesis 31:53 : S Ge 21:23, 27
121. Genesis 31:53 : S ver 42
122. Genesis 31:54 : Ge 46:1; Ex 24:5; Lev 3:1
123. Genesis 31:54 : S Ge 26:30
124. Genesis 31:55 : S ver 28; Ru 1:9
125. Genesis 31:55 : S Ge 24:60; S Ex 39:43
126. Genesis 31:55 : Ge 18:33

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