Genesis 31

1. And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and he has gotten all this glory from that which was our father’s.”

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 your fathers, and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4. And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flocks.

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

6. And you know that with all my power I have served your father,

7. Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not allow him to hurt me.

8. If he said this, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said this, ‘The striped shall be your hire,’ then all the flocks bore striped.

9. Thus God has taken away the flocks of your father, and has given them to me.

10. And at the time the flock conceived, I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream—and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the flock were striped, speckled, and mottled.

11. And the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob!’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’

12. And He said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see all the rams which leap upon the flock that they are striped, speckled, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

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

14. And Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?

15. Are we not counted as strangers by him? For he has sold us, and has also entirely devoured our silver,

16. For all the riches which God has taken from our father belong to us and to our sons. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

17. Then Jacob rose up and set all his children and wives upon camels.

18. And he drove away all his livestock and all his goods which he had gotten, the livestock of his property, which he had gotten in Padan Aram, in order to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

19. Now when Laban went to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the house idols which were her father’s.

20. And Jacob deceived the heart of Laban the Syrian in that he did not tell him that he fled.

21. And he fled with all that was his. And he rose up and passed over the river, and set his face toward Mount Gilead.

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

23. Then he took his brothers with him and pursued after him seven days’ journey. And they overtook him in Mount Gilead.

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

25. Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount. And Laban with his brothers pitched in Mount Gilead.

26. And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done that you have deceived my heart and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword?

27. Why did you flee away secretly and steal away from me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tabret drum and with lyre?

28. And why have you not allowed me to kiss my sons and my daughters? You have done foolishly in so doing.

29. It is in the power of my hand to do you harm. But the God of your fathers spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Take heed that you do not speak either good or bad to Jacob.’

30. And now you have gone because you longed after your father’s house. Why have you stolen my gods?”

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

32. With whomever you find your gods, let him not live. In the presence of our brethren, point out what I have that is yours, 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 tents of the two maidservants, and he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered into Rachel’s tent.

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

35. But she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you, for the custom of women is upon me.” And he searched but did not find the images.

36. And Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin that you have so hotly pursued after me?

37. For you have searched all my stuff—and what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren that they may judge between us both.

38. I was with you these twenty years. Your ewes and she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of your flock I have not eaten.

39. That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it at my hand, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

40. I was there; in the day the heat consumed me and the frost by night. And my sleep departed from my eyes.

41. And I have been twenty years in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six for your flocks. And you have changed my wages ten times.

42. Unless the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

43. And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the sons my sons, and the flocks my flocks. All that you see is mine. And what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their sons which they have borne?

44. And come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be for a witness between you and me.”

45. And Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar.

46. And Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap. And they ate there upon the heap.

47. And Laban called it in Syrian, Jegar Sahadutha, Both names mean Heap of the Testimony in their respective languages. and Jacob called it in Hebrew, Galeed. Both names mean Heap of the Testimony in their respective languages.

48. And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the name of it was called Heap of Testimony,

49. And Watchtower, for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me when we are absent from one another.

50. If you should afflict my daughters, or if you should take wives besides my daughters—though no man is with us—remember, God is witness between you and me.”

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

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

53. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.

54. And Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night in the mountain.

55. And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. And Laban departed and returned to his place.