Genesis 31

Jacob heard what Laban's sons were saying: "Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. All this wealth of his came from what belonged to our father."

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

2Jacob also looked at Laban's face, and it was not friendly toward him as it had been before.

2And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

3Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."

3And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

4So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah out to the field where his flock was.

4And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

5He said to them, "I see that your father's face is not toward me as it was before. But the God of my father has been with me.

5And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

6You yourselves know that I have worked for your father with all my strength.

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

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

7And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

Note"Ten times" is a Hebrew way of saying "over and over"; it need not be an exact count.

8When he said, 'The speckled animals will be your pay,' then the whole flock gave birth to speckled young. And when he said, 'The streaked ones will be your pay,' then the whole flock gave birth to streaked young.

8If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

NoteJacob's pay was not money but a share of the flock, defined by markings. In Near Eastern sheep and goats, plain-colored animals are the norm and speckled or streaked ones the minority, so whoever set the terms controlled how much the herdsman earned. Laban kept switching which markings counted as Jacob's.

9So God has taken away your father's livestock and given them to me.

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

10"Once, when the flock was breeding, I looked up and saw in a dream that the male animals mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted.

10And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

11In the dream the angel of God said to me, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here I am.'

11And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

NoteThe word rendered "angel" simply means "messenger." Notice that in the next verse the messenger speaks as God in the first person, the text does not distinguish sharply between the two.

12He said, 'Look up and see: all the male animals mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, and spotted. I have seen everything Laban is doing to you.

12And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the standing stone and where you made a vow to me. Now get up, leave this land, and go back to the land of your relatives.'"

13I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

NoteThis refers back to Genesis 28, where Jacob, sleeping at a place he then named Bethel, set up the stone he had used as a pillow, poured oil over it to mark it as set apart, and promised to serve God if he returned home safely.

14Rachel and Leah answered him, "Do we still have any share or inheritance left in our father's house?

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

NoteA daughter normally had no claim on her father's estate, but the payment a bridegroom made for her was expected to be held for her benefit, a kind of security if she was ever widowed or divorced. Rachel and Leah are asking whether anything of theirs is left in Laban's hands.

15Doesn't he treat us like strangers? He sold us, and he has used up all the money that was paid for us.

15Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

NoteJacob had paid for his brides with fourteen years of labor rather than cash. The sisters say Laban treated that payment as his own to spend, as if he had sold them outright to a foreigner rather than settling them with a household.

16All the wealth that God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you."

16For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

17Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels.

17Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

18He took with him all his livestock and all the goods he had gained, the livestock he had built up in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

18And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

NotePaddan-aram is the region of upper Mesopotamia around the city of Haran, in what is now southeastern Turkey, several hundred miles northeast of Canaan.

19Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.

19And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.

NoteSheep-shearing was a days-long job, usually done away from the camp and ending in a feast, so Laban would be gone and unlikely to notice anything missing. The "household idols" (Hebrew *teraphim*) were small figures kept in the home. Ancient texts connect them with family protection, with consulting for omens, and possibly with the right to inherit or head the household, which is why their theft is treated as serious, though exactly what Rachel was after the text never says.

20Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving.

20And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

Note"Aramean" (KJV "Syrian") is Laban's ethnic label: the Arameans were the peoples of upper Mesopotamia and inland Syria. Their language, Aramaic, shows up in verse 47.

21So he fled with everything he had. He got up, crossed the river, and headed toward the hill country of Gilead.

21So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

Note"The river," with no name attached, means the Euphrates. Gilead is the highland country east of the Jordan River, in modern Jordan.

22On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.

22And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

NoteLaban's own flocks had been kept three days' distance from Jacob's (Genesis 30:36), which is why the news took three days to reach him.

23He took his relatives with him and chased after Jacob for seven days, and he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.

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

24But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream that night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."

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

Note"Either good or bad" is a legal idiom for the whole range of a thing, say nothing at all on the matter, neither pressure nor threat. It amounts to an order not to interfere.

25Then Laban caught up with Jacob. Jacob had set up his tent in the hill country, and Laban and his relatives camped in the hill country of Gilead too.

25Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

26Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You deceived me and carried off my daughters like prisoners captured in war.

26And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

27Why did you run away in secret and deceive me instead of telling me? I would have sent you off with celebration and songs, with tambourine and harp.

27Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

28You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. What you have done is foolish.

28And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

29I have the power to harm you, but last night the God of your father spoke to me and said, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'

29It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

30Now you have gone away because you longed so much for your father's house. But why did you steal my gods?"

30And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

31Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, because I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force.

31And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

32But whoever you find your gods with shall not live. In front of our relatives, look for yourself and see if anything here is yours, and take it back." Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

32With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

NoteJacob is swearing a formal death-oath on the unknown thief, and such curses were taken as binding on whoever they landed on. He does not know he has just pronounced it over Rachel.

33So Laban went into Jacob's tent, then into Leah's tent, and then into the tents of the two servant women, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent.

33And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.

34Rachel had taken the idols, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. Laban searched all through the tent but found nothing.

34Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

NoteA camel's saddle here is the padded frame and pack-basket strapped to the animal, big enough to sit in and to hide things inside.

35She said to her father, "Sir, please do not be angry that I cannot stand up in front of you. I am having my monthly period." So he searched but did not find the idols.

35And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.

NoteBy the customs later written into Israelite law, a menstruating woman was ritually unclean, and so was anything she sat on. Rachel's excuse does two things at once: it explains her not standing, and it makes Laban reluctant to disturb the cushion under her.

36Then Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. He said to him, "What wrong have I done? What is my sin, that you have chased after me so hotly?

36And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

37You have searched through all my things. What have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of my relatives and yours, and let them decide between the two of us.

37Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

NoteWith no courts, disputes between households were settled in front of the assembled male relatives of both sides, who heard the case and gave a verdict. Jacob is demanding exactly that.

38I have been with you for twenty years now. Your female sheep and goats have not lost their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.

38This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

39I did not bring you animals that wild beasts had torn apart; I took the loss myself. You made me pay for whatever was stolen, whether it was stolen by day or by night.

39That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

NoteHerding contracts of the period, including those in the Babylonian law codes, released a shepherd from liability for animals killed by predators, provided he produced the carcass as evidence. Jacob says Laban ignored that protection and charged every loss to him.

40That was my life: the heat wore me down by day and the frost by night, and sleep left my eyes.

40Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

41For twenty years I have been in your house. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my pay ten times.

41Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

NoteThe fourteen years are the seven Jacob worked for Rachel and the second seven Laban extracted after substituting Leah on the wedding night (Genesis 29). Labor took the place of the bride-payment a groom would normally make in goods.

42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away with nothing. God has seen my suffering and the hard work of my hands, and last night he corrected you."

42Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

Note"The Fear of Isaac" is an unusual title for God, found almost nowhere else. It may mean the God whom Isaac holds in awe; some scholars read the same word as "Kinsman" or "Protector" of Isaac. The phrase is genuinely uncertain.

43Laban answered Jacob, "These daughters are my daughters, these children are my children, and these flocks are my flocks. Everything you see is mine. But what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne?

43And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

44So come now, let you and me make an agreement, and let it stand as a witness between us."

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

NoteA covenant is a formal, binding agreement, sworn before witnesses and normally sealed with a ritual, here a stone marker and a shared meal. Between two parties of equal standing it functions much like a treaty.

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

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

NoteAn upright stone set on end (Hebrew *massebah*) served as a permanent public marker: of a grave, a boundary, or an agreement. It stands in for the parties' sworn word once they have gone their separate ways.

46Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." They took stones and made a heap, and they ate there beside the heap.

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

NoteA piled cairn of stones was a recognized boundary marker and a standing reminder of what had been agreed at that spot.

47Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

47And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

NoteBoth names mean "heap of witness", Laban's in Aramaic, Jacob's in Hebrew. The two men are already speaking different languages, a sign that the families are parting for good. "Galeed" also echoes the name Gilead.

48Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was named Galeed.

48And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

49It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are apart from each other.

49And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

NoteMizpah means "lookout" or "watchpost," which is the point of Laban's words about God keeping watch. It is a wary agreement between men who no longer trust each other, not a fond farewell.

50If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, remember that no one is here with us; God is a witness between you and me."

50If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

NoteAgreements were normally sworn in front of human witnesses who could later testify. Out here there are none, so the parties call on God to fill that role.

51Laban also said to Jacob, "Look at this heap, and look at this pillar I have set up between you and me.

51And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:

52This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to you, and that you will not go past this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm.

52This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

NoteThis makes the cairn a border. Neither man may cross it toward the other with hostile intent, a non-aggression pact fixed to a physical line.

53May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." And Jacob swore an oath by the Fear of his father Isaac.

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

NoteNahor was Abraham's brother and Laban's grandfather; the two men descend from different branches of one family. The Hebrew verb "judge" here is plural, which may mean Laban is naming two separate family gods rather than one shared God. The text leaves it open, and Jacob answers by swearing only by his own father's God.

54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his relatives to eat a meal. They ate the meal and stayed all night on the mountain.

54Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

NoteSacrifice normally meant a shared meal: part of the animal burned, the rest eaten together. Eating from one dish bound the parties to the terms just sworn.

55Early in the morning Laban got up, kissed his grandchildren and his daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban left and went back home.

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

NoteIn Hebrew Bibles this verse is numbered as the first verse of chapter 32, so chapter and verse numbers here run one ahead of some other editions.