Jacob Flees from Laban
Genesis 31, verse 1. Now Jacob heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and from our father's property he acquired all this wealth.” Genesis 31, verse 2. So Jacob saw Laban's countenance, and indeed, it was not favorable toward him as before. Genesis 31, verse 3. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to your father's land and to your family, and I will be with you.” Genesis 31, verse 4. So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field where the flocks were, Genesis 31, verse 5. and said to them, “I see your father's countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. Genesis 31, verse 6. Now you know that with all my might I served your father. Genesis 31, verse 7. Yet your father deceived me and changed my wages ten times with respect to the male lambs, but God did not allow him to harm me. Genesis 31, verse 8. If he said thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. But if he said thus, ‘The white shall be your wages,’ then all the sheep bore white. Genesis 31, verse 9. So God has taken away all your father's cattle and given them to me. Genesis 31, verse 10. Now it came to pass, when the flocks conceived, I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats and the rams that were speckled, spotted, and ash-colored speckled were mating with the sheep and the goats. Genesis 31, verse 11. Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ Thus I said, ‘Here I am.’ Genesis 31, verse 12. So He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the male goats and the rams mating with the sheep and the goats are speckled, spotted, and ash-colored speckled; for I have seen everything Laban is doing to you. Genesis 31, verse 13. I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a vow to Me. Now then, arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your nativity, and I will be with you.’” Genesis 31, verse 14. Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? Genesis 31, verse 15. Are we not considered strangers by him? For he sold us, and also completely consumed our money. Genesis 31, verse 16. For all the riches and glory God has taken from our father are really ours and our children's; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.” Genesis 31, verse 17. Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. Genesis 31, verse 18. And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions acquired in Mesopotamia, everything belonging to him, to go to his father Isaac in Canaan. Genesis 31, verse 19. Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen her father's idols. Genesis 31, verse 20. But Jacob had hidden from Laban the Syrian his intention of running away. Genesis 31, verse 21. So he fled with all that he had, and crossed the river, and headed for the mountains of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
Genesis 31, verse 22. Then Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. Genesis 31, verse 23. So he took all his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey; and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. Genesis 31, verse 24. But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you do not speak evil things to Jacob at any time.” Genesis 31, verse 25. So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead. Genesis 31, verse 26. Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and robbed me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? Genesis 31, verse 27. Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? Genesis 31, verse 28. And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing. Genesis 31, verse 29. It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you do not speak evil things to Jacob at any time.’ Genesis 31, verse 30. Now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father's house, but why did you steal my gods?” Genesis 31, verse 31. Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters and all my possessions from me by force.’ Genesis 31, verse 32. With whomever you find your gods, let him not live in the presence of our brethren. Identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know Rachel had stolen them. Genesis 31, verse 33. Thus Laban went in and searched Leah's tent, but found nothing. Then he searched Jacob's and those of the handmaidens, but found nothing. Then he entered Rachel's tent. Genesis 31, verse 34. Now Rachel had taken the idols, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. Genesis 31, verse 35. Then she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” So he searched the entire tent but did not find the idols. Genesis 31, verse 36. Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban, “What is my injustice? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? Genesis 31, verse 37. Although you searched all my things, what part of your household goods have you found? Set them here before my brethren and your brethren, so they may judge between us. Genesis 31, verse 38. These twenty years I have been with you; your sheep and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. Genesis 31, verse 39. That which was caught by wild animals I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of any stolen by day or by night. Genesis 31, verse 40. There I was. In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. Genesis 31, verse 41. Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times with respect to the female lambs. Genesis 31, verse 42. Unless the God of my father Abraham and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
Jacob's Pact with Laban
Genesis 31, verse 43. Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these sons are my sons, and these sheep are my sheep; all you see belongs to me and my daughters. But what can I do for them today or for the children they bore? Genesis 31, verse 44. Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.” Then he said, “Look, there is no one with us. God Himself is witness between you and me.” Genesis 31, verse 45. So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. Genesis 31, verse 46. Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate and drank there on the heap; and Laban said to him, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Genesis 31, verse 47. Laban called it the Heap of Testimony, but Jacob called it the Witness Heap. Genesis 31, verse 48. Then Laban said, “This heap and this pillar are a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called This-Heap-Witnesses, Genesis 31, verse 49. and also The Vision, because he said, “May God watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. Genesis 31, verse 50. If you humble my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me.” Genesis 31, verse 51. Then Laban said to Jacob, “Listen, this heap and pillar are a witness. Genesis 31, verse 52. This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. Genesis 31, verse 53. The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor judge between us.” Thus Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. Genesis 31, verse 54. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren; and they ate bread and drank and stayed all night on the mountain.