Genesis 31 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Jacob Leaves Secretly for Canaan

1 Now [fn]Jacob heard ^H8085 the words ^H1697 of Laban’s ^H3837 sons ^H1121, saying ^H559, “Jacob ^H3290 has taken ^H3947 away all ^H3605 that was our father’s ^H1, and from what ^H834 belonged to our father ^H1 he has made ^H6213 all ^H3605 this ^H2088 [fn]wealth ^H3519.”

2 And Jacob ^H3290 saw ^H7200 the [fn]attitude ^H6440 of Laban ^H3837, and behold ^H2009, it was not friendly toward ^H5973 him as it had been before ^H8543. 3 Then the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 to Jacob ^H3290, “Return ^H7725 to the land ^H776 of your fathers ^H1 and to your relatives ^H4138, and I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob ^H3290 sent ^H7971 word and called ^H7121 Rachel ^H7354 and Leah ^H3812 to his flock ^H6629 in the field ^H7704, 5 and said ^H559 to them, “I see ^H7200 your father’s ^H1 [fn]attitude ^H6440, that it is not friendly toward ^H413 me as it was before ^H8543, but the God ^H430 of my father ^H1 has been ^H1961 with me. 6 You know ^H3045 that I have served ^H5647 your father ^H1 with all ^H3605 my strength ^H3581. 7 Yet your father ^H1 has cheated ^H8524 me and changed ^H2498 my wages ^H4909 ten ^H6235 times ^H4489; however, God ^H430 did not allow ^H5414 him to do ^H7489 me harm ^H7489. 8 If ^H518 he said ^H559 this ^H3541: ‘The speckled ^H5348 shall be your wages ^H7939,’ then all ^H3605 the flock ^H6629 delivered ^H3205 speckled ^H5348; and if ^H518 he said ^H559 this ^H3541: ‘The striped ^H6124 shall be your wages ^H7939,’ then all ^H3605 the flock ^H6629 delivered ^H3205 striped ^H6124. 9 So God ^H430 has taken ^H5337 away ^H5337 your father’s ^H1 livestock ^H4735 and given ^H5414 them to me. 10 And it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 at the time ^H6256 when the flock ^H6629 was breeding ^H3179 that I raised ^H5375 my eyes ^H5869 and saw ^H7200 in a dream ^H2472—and behold ^H2009—the male ^H6260 goats ^H6260 that were [fn]mating ^H5927 were striped ^H6124, speckled ^H5348, or mottled ^H1261. 11 Then the angel ^H4397 of God ^H430 said ^H559 to me in the dream ^H2472, ‘Jacob ^H3290’; and I said ^H559, ‘Here ^H2009 I am.’ 12 He said ^H559, ‘Now ^H4994 raise ^H5375 your eyes ^H5869 and see ^H7200 that all ^H3605 the male ^H6260 goats ^H6260 that are [fn]mating ^H5927 are striped ^H6124, speckled ^H5348, or mottled ^H1261; for I have seen ^H7200 everything ^H3605 that Laban ^H3837 has been doing ^H6213 to you. 13 I am the God ^H410 of Bethel ^H1008, where ^H834 H8033 you anointed ^H4886 a memorial ^H4676 stone ^H4676, where ^H834 H8033 you made ^H5087 a vow ^H5088 to Me; now ^H6258 arise ^H6965, [fn]leave ^H3318 H4480 this ^H2088 land ^H776, and return ^H7725 to the land ^H776 of your birth ^H4138.’” 14 Rachel ^H7354 and Leah ^H3812 said ^H559 to him, “Do we still ^H5750 have any share ^H2506 or inheritance ^H5159 in our father’s ^H1 house ^H1004? 15 Are we not regarded ^H2803 by him as foreigners ^H5237? For he has sold ^H4376 us, and has also ^H1571 [fn]entirely ^H398 consumed ^H398 our [fn]purchase ^H3701 price ^H3701. 16 Surely ^H3588 all ^H3605 the wealth ^H6239 which ^H834 God ^H430 has taken ^H5337 away ^H5337 from our father ^H1 belongs to us and our children ^H1121; now ^H6258 then, do ^H6213 whatever ^H3605 H834 God ^H430 has told ^H559 you.”

17 Then Jacob ^H3290 stood ^H6965 up ^H6965 and put ^H5375 his children ^H1121 and his wives ^H802 on camels ^H1581; 18 and he drove ^H5090 away ^H5090 all ^H3605 his livestock ^H4735 and all ^H3605 his property ^H7399 which ^H834 he had acquired ^H7408, the livestock ^H4735 he possessed ^H7075 which ^H834 he had acquired ^H7408 in Paddan-aram ^H6307, to go ^H935 to the land ^H776 of Canaan ^H3667 to his father ^H1 Isaac ^H3327. 19 Laban ^H3837 had gone ^H1980 to shear ^H1494 his flock ^H6629, and Rachel ^H7354 stole ^H1589 the [fn]household ^H8655 idols ^H8655 that were her father’s ^H1. 20 And Jacob ^H3290 [fn]deceived ^H1589 Laban ^H3837 the Aramean ^H761 by not telling ^H5046 him that he was fleeing ^H1272. 21 So he fled ^H1272 with all ^H3605 that he had; and he got ^H6965 up ^H6965 and crossed ^H5674 the Euphrates River ^H5104, and set ^H7760 [fn]out for the hill ^H2022 country ^H2022 of Gilead ^H1568.

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 When Laban ^H3837 was informed ^H5046 on the third ^H7992 day ^H3117 that Jacob ^H3290 had fled ^H1272,

23 he took ^H3947 his kinsmen ^H251 with him and pursued ^H7291 him a distance of seven ^H7651 days’ ^H3117 journey ^H1870, and he overtook ^H1692 him in the hill ^H2022 country ^H2022 of Gilead ^H1568. 24 However, God ^H430 came ^H935 to Laban ^H3837 the Aramean ^H761 in a dream ^H2472 of the night ^H3915 and said ^H559 to him, “[fn]Be ^H8104 careful ^H8104 that you do not speak ^H1696 to Jacob ^H3290 either ^H4480 good ^H2896 or ^H5704 bad ^H7451.”

25 And Laban ^H3837 caught ^H5381 up ^H5381 with Jacob ^H3290. Now Jacob ^H3290 had pitched ^H8628 his tent ^H168 in the hill ^H2022 country ^H2022, and Laban ^H3837 with his kinsmen ^H251 camped ^H8628 in the hill ^H2022 country ^H2022 of Gilead ^H1568. 26 Then Laban ^H3837 said ^H559 to Jacob ^H3290, “What ^H4100 have you done ^H6213 [fn]by deceiving ^H1589 me and carrying ^H5090 away ^H5090 my daughters ^H1323 like captives ^H7617 of the sword ^H2719? 27 Why ^H4100 did you flee ^H1272 secretly ^H2244 and [fn]deceive ^H1589 me, and did not tell ^H5046 me, so that I might have sent ^H7971 you away ^H7971 with joy ^H8057 and with songs ^H7892, with tambourine ^H8596 and with lyre ^H3658; 28 and did not allow ^H5203 me to kiss ^H5401 my [fn]grandchildren ^H1121 and my daughters ^H1323? Now ^H6258 you have done ^H5528 H6213 foolishly ^H5528. 29 It is in [fn]my power ^H3027 to do ^H6213 you harm ^H7451, but the God ^H430 of your father ^H1 spoke ^H559 to me last ^H570 night ^H570, saying ^H559, ‘[fn]Be ^H8104 careful ^H8104 not to speak ^H1696 either ^H4480 good ^H2896 or ^H5704 bad ^H7451 to Jacob ^H3290.’ 30 Now ^H6258 you have indeed ^H1980 gone ^H1980 away because ^H3588 you longed ^H3700 greatly ^H3700 for your father’s ^H1 house ^H1004; but why ^H4100 did you steal ^H1589 my gods ^H430?” 31 Then Jacob ^H3290 replied ^H6030 to Laban ^H3837, “Because ^H3588 I was ^H3372 afraid ^H3372, for I thought ^H559 that you would take ^H1497 your daughters ^H1323 from me by ^H1497 force ^H1497. 32 The one with whom ^H834 you find ^H4672 your gods ^H430 shall not live ^H2421; in the presence ^H5048 of our relatives ^H251 [fn]point ^H5234 out ^H5234 what ^H4100 is yours [fn]among ^H5973 my belongings ^H5973 and take ^H3947 it for yourself.” Now Jacob ^H3290 did not know ^H3045 that Rachel ^H7354 had stolen ^H1589 them.

33 So Laban ^H3837 went ^H935 into Jacob’s ^H3290 tent ^H168, and into Leah’s ^H3812 tent ^H168, and into the tent ^H168 of the two ^H8147 slave ^H519 women ^H519, but he did not find ^H4672 them. Then he went ^H3318 out ^H3318 of Leah’s ^H3812 tent ^H168 and entered ^H935 Rachel’s ^H7354 tent ^H168. 34 Now Rachel ^H7354 had taken ^H3947 the [fn]household ^H8655 idols ^H8655 and put ^H7760 them in the camel’s ^H1581 saddlebag ^H3733, and she sat ^H3427 on them. So Laban ^H3837 searched ^H4959 through ^H4959 all ^H3605 the tent ^H168, but did not find ^H4672 them. 35 And she said ^H559 to her father ^H1, “May my lord ^H113 not be ^H2734 angry ^H2734 that I cannot ^H3201 H3808 stand ^H6965 in your presence ^H4480 H6440, because ^H3588 the [fn]way ^H1870 of women ^H802 is upon me.” So he searched ^H2664 but did not find ^H4672 the [fn]household ^H8655 idols ^H8655.

36 Then Jacob ^H3290 became ^H2734 angry ^H2734 and argued ^H7378 with Laban ^H3837; and Jacob ^H3290 said ^H559 to Laban ^H3837, “What ^H4100 is my offense ^H6588? What ^H4100 is my sin ^H2403 that you have hotly ^H1814 pursued ^H310 H1814 me? 37 Though ^H3588 you have searched ^H4959 through ^H4959 all ^H3605 my property ^H3627, what ^H4100 have you found ^H4672 of all ^H3605 your household ^H1004 property ^H3627? Set ^H7760 it here ^H3541 in front ^H5048 of my relatives ^H251 and your relatives ^H251, so that they may decide ^H3198 between ^H996 the two ^H8147 of us. 38 For these ^H2088 twenty ^H6242 years ^H8141 I have been with you; your ewes ^H7353 and your female ^H5795 goats ^H5795 have not miscarried ^H7921, nor ^H3808 have I eaten ^H398 the rams ^H352 of your flocks ^H6629. 39 I did not even bring ^H935 to you that which was torn ^H2966 by wild animals; I took ^H2398 the loss ^H2398 myself ^H595. You demanded ^H1245 it of my hand ^H3027 whether stolen ^H1589 by day ^H3117 or stolen ^H1589 by night ^H3915. 40 This is how I was: by day ^H3117 the [fn]heat ^H2721 consumed ^H398 me and the frost ^H7140 by night ^H3915, and my sleep ^H8142 fled ^H5074 from my eyes ^H5869. 41 For these ^H2088 twenty ^H6242 years ^H8141 I have been in your house ^H1004; I served ^H5647 you fourteen ^H702 H6240 years ^H8141 for your two ^H8147 daughters ^H1323, and six ^H8337 years ^H8141 for your flock ^H6629, and you changed ^H2498 my wages ^H4909 ten ^H6235 times ^H4489. 42 If ^H3884 the God ^H430 of my father ^H1, the God ^H430 of Abraham ^H85 and the fear ^H6343 of Isaac ^H3327, had ^H1961 not been ^H1961 for me, surely ^H3588 now ^H6258 you would have sent ^H7971 me away ^H7971 empty-handed ^H7387. God ^H430 has seen ^H7200 my affliction ^H6040 and the labor ^H3018 of my hands ^H3709, so He rendered ^H3198 judgment ^H3198 last ^H570 night ^H570.”

The Covenant of Mizpah

43 Then Laban ^H3837 replied ^H6030 to Jacob ^H3290, “The daughters ^H1323 are my daughters ^H1323, the [fn]children ^H1121 are my [fn]grandchildren ^H1121, the flocks ^H6629 are my flocks ^H6629, and everything ^H3605 that you see ^H7200 is mine. But what ^H4100 can I do ^H6213 this day ^H3117 to these ^H428 daughters ^H1323 of mine or ^H176 to their children ^H1121 to whom ^H834 they have given ^H3205 birth ^H3205?

44 So now ^H6258 come ^H1980, let’s make ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285, [fn]you and I, and it shall be a witness ^H5707 between ^H996 [fn]you and me.” 45 Then Jacob ^H3290 took ^H3947 a stone ^H68 and set ^H7311 it up ^H7311 as a memorial ^H4676 stone ^H4676. 46 Jacob ^H3290 said ^H559 to his relatives ^H251, “Gather ^H3950 stones ^H68.” So they took ^H3947 stones ^H68 and made ^H6213 a heap ^H1530, and they ate ^H398 there ^H8033 by the heap ^H1530. 47 Now Laban ^H3837 called ^H7121 it [fn]Jegar-sahadutha ^H3026, but Jacob ^H3290 called ^H7121 it [fn]Galeed ^H1567. 48 Laban ^H3837 said ^H559, “This ^H2088 heap ^H1530 is a witness ^H5707 between ^H996 [fn]you and me this day ^H3117.” Therefore ^H5921 H3651 it was named ^H7121 H8034 Galeed ^H1567, 49 and [fn]Mizpah ^H4709, for he said ^H559, “May the LORD ^H3068 keep ^H6822 watch ^H6822 between ^H996 [fn]you and me when ^H3588 we are [fn]absent ^H5641 one ^H376 from the other ^H7453. 50 If ^H518 you mistreat ^H6031 my daughters ^H1323, or if ^H518 you take ^H3947 wives ^H802 besides ^H5921 my daughters ^H1323, although no ^H369 one ^H376 is with us, see ^H7200, God ^H430 is witness ^H5707 between ^H996 [fn]you and me.” 51 Laban ^H3837 also said ^H559 to Jacob ^H3290, “Behold ^H2009 this ^H2088 heap ^H1530 and behold ^H2009 the memorial ^H4676 stone ^H4676 which ^H834 I have set ^H3384 between ^H996 [fn]you and me. 52 This ^H2088 heap ^H1530 is a witness ^H5707, and the memorial ^H4676 stone ^H4676 is a witness ^H5713, that I will not pass ^H5674 by ^H5674 this ^H2088 heap ^H1530 to you for harm, and you will not pass ^H5674 by ^H5674 this ^H2088 heap ^H1530 and this ^H2088 memorial ^H4676 stone ^H4676 to me, for harm ^H7451. 53 The God ^H430 of Abraham ^H85 and the God ^H430 of Nahor ^H5152, the God ^H430 of their father ^H1, judge ^H8199 between ^H996 us.” So Jacob ^H3290 swore ^H7650 by the fear ^H6343 of his father ^H1 Isaac ^H3327. 54 Then Jacob ^H3290 offered ^H2076 a sacrifice ^H2077 on the mountain ^H2022, and called ^H7121 his relatives ^H251 to [fn]the meal ^H398 H3899; and they ate ^H398 [fn]the meal ^H3899 and spent ^H3885 the ^H3885 night ^H3885 on the mountain ^H2022. 55 [fn]Then early ^H7925 in the morning ^H1242 Laban ^H3837 got ^H7925 up ^H7925, and kissed ^H5401 his [fn]grandchildren ^H1121 and his daughters ^H1323 and blessed ^H1288 them. Then Laban ^H3837 departed ^H1980 and returned ^H7725 to his place ^H4725.