Genesis 31

Jacob fled from Laban with his wives, children, and livestock after God told him to return to his homeland; Rachel secretly stole her father's household gods. Laban pursued and overtook Jacob in the hill country of Gilead, but God warned Laban in a dream not to harm him. They confronted each other, searched the tents without finding the idols, and made a covenant at a heap of stones before parting in peace.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	And 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.	Jacob heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, 'Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth.'
2	And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.	Jacob saw the face of Laban. It was not toward him as before.
3	And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.	Then the LORD said to Jacob, 'Return to the land of your fathers and to your family. I will be with you.'
4	And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,	So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field to his flock
5	And 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.	said to them, 'I see that your father's face is not toward me as before. But the God of my father has been with me.
6	And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.	You know that I have served your father with all my strength,
7	And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.	yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit Him to harm me.
8	If 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.	If he said, The speckled shall be your wages, then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, The striped shall be your wages, then all the flock bore striped.
9	Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.	Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
10	And 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.	In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the rams leaping on the flock were striped, speckled, and mottled.
11	And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.	Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am.'
12	And 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.	He said, 'Lift up your eyes and see, all the rams leaping on the flock are striped, speckled, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.
13	I 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.	I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your family.'
14	And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?	Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, 'Is there any portion or inheritance left for us in our father's house?
15	Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.	Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us. He has also entirely consumed our money.
16	For 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.	All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.'
17	Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;	So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels,
18	And 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.	He drove away all his livestock and all his property that he had acquired, the livestock he had gained in Padanaram, to go to the land of Canaan, to his father Isaac.
19	And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.	Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's household gods.
20	And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.	Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, by not telling him that he was fleeing.
21	So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.	So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the Euphrates and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
22	And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.	On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23	And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.	He took his kinsmen with him and pursued Jacob for seven days and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
24	And 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.	But God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night and said to Him, 'Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.'
25	Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.	Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead.
26	And 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?	Laban said to Jacob, 'What have you done, that you have deceived me and driven away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?
27	Wherefore 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?	Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with tambourine and lyre?
28	And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.	why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly.
29	It 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.	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 speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.
30	And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?	now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house, but why did you steal my gods?'
31	And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.	Jacob answered and said to Laban, 'Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32	With 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.	Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen, point out what I have that is yours, and take it.' Now 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 two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.	So Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two female servants. But he did not find them. And he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's.
34	Now 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.	Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel's saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent but did not find them.
35	And 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.	she said to her father, 'Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.' So he searched but did not find the household gods.
36	And 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?	Then Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. Jacob said to Laban, 'What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
37	Whereas 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.	For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two.
38	This 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.	These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried. I have not eaten the rams of your flocks.
39	That 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.	What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40	Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.	There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.
41	Thus 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.	These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
42	Except 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.	If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.'
43	And 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?	Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, 'The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks. All that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?
44	Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.	Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.'
45	And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.	So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
46	And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.	Jacob said to his kinsmen, 'Gather stones.' And they took stones and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.
47	And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.	Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48	And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;	Laban said, 'This heap is a witness between you and me today.' Therefore he named it Galeed,
49	And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.	also Mizpah, for He said, 'The LORD watch between You and me, when we are out of one another's sight.
50	If 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.	If You mistreat my daughters, or if You take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between You and me.'
51	And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;	Then Laban said to Jacob, 'See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me.
52	This 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.	This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will 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 betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.	The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.' So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
54	Then 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.	Then Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.
55	And 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.	Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his home.