Genesis 31 - English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Jacob Flees from Laban

31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw (A)that Laban did not regard him with favour as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, (B)“Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, (C)“I see that your father does not regard me with favour as he did before. But the God of my father (D)has been with me. 6 (E)You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages (F)ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, (G)‘The spotted shall be your wages’, then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages’, then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has (H)taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10 In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for (I)I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, (J)where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now (K)arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there (L)any portion or inheritance left to us in our father's house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For (M)he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 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 So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in (N)Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's (O)household gods. 20 And Jacob tricked[a] Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the (P)Euphrates, and (Q)set his face towards the hill country of Gilead.

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean (R)in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, (S)either good or bad.”

25 And 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 have you done, that you have (T)tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly (U)and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me (V)to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is (W)in my power to do you harm. But the (X)God of your[b] father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, (Y)either good or bad.’ 30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house, but why did you (Z)steal my gods?” 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 (AA)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 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 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 not my lord be angry that I cannot (AB)rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.

36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offence? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and (AC)your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. (AD)From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. (AE)I served you for fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and (AF)you have changed my wages ten times. 42 (AG)If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the (AH)Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. (AI)God saw my affliction and the labour of my hands and (AJ)rebuked you last night.”

43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and 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 Come now, (AK)let us make a covenant, you and I. (AL)And let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob (AM)took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha,[c] but Jacob called it Galeed.[d] 48 Laban said, (AN)“This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 (AO)and Mizpah,[e] for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, (AP)God is witness between you and me.”

51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 (AQ)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, to do harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the (AR)Fear of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called (AS)his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.

55 [f] Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed (AT)his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 31:20 Hebrew stole the heart of; also verses 26, 27
  2. Genesis 31:29 The Hebrew for your is plural here
  3. Genesis 31:47 Aramaic the heap of witness
  4. Genesis 31:47 Hebrew the heap of witness
  5. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watchpost
  6. Genesis 31:55 Ch 32:1 in Hebrew

Cross references

  1. Genesis 31:2 : ch. 4:5
  2. Genesis 31:3 : ver. 13; ch. 28:15; 32:9
  3. Genesis 31:5 : ver. 2
  4. Genesis 31:5 : ver. 3
  5. Genesis 31:6 : ver. 38-40; ch. 30:29
  6. Genesis 31:7 : ver. 41; [Num. 14:22; Neh. 4:12; Job 19:3; Zech. 8:23]
  7. Genesis 31:8 : ch. 30:32
  8. Genesis 31:9 : ver. 1
  9. Genesis 31:12 : [Ex. 3:7]
  10. Genesis 31:13 : See ch. 28:18-22
  11. Genesis 31:13 : ver. 3; ch. 32:9
  12. Genesis 31:14 : [2 Sam. 20:1; 1 Kgs. 12:16]
  13. Genesis 31:15 : ch. 30:26; See ch. 29:15-20, 27
  14. Genesis 31:18 : ch. 25:20; 28:2, 6, 7
  15. Genesis 31:19 : ver. 30, 34; [Judg. 17:5; 1 Sam. 15:23; 19:13; Ezek. 21:21; Hos. 3:4; Zech. 10:2]
  16. Genesis 31:21 : Ex. 23:31; Ps. 72:8
  17. Genesis 31:21 : 2 Kgs. 12:17; Luke 9:51
  18. Genesis 31:24 : See ch. 20:3
  19. Genesis 31:24 : ch. 24:50; Num. 24:13; 2 Sam. 13:22
  20. Genesis 31:26 : ver. 20
  21. Genesis 31:27 : [See ver. 26 above]; ver. 20
  22. Genesis 31:28 : ver. 55; Ruth 1:9, 14; 1 Kgs. 19:20; Acts 20:37
  23. Genesis 31:29 : Deut. 28:32; Neh. 5:5 (Heb.); Prov. 3:27; Mic. 2:1
  24. Genesis 31:29 : ver. 42, 53; ch. 28:13
  25. Genesis 31:29 : ver. 24
  26. Genesis 31:30 : ver. 19; Judg. 18:24
  27. Genesis 31:32 : [ch. 44:9]
  28. Genesis 31:35 : [Lev. 19:32]
  29. Genesis 31:37 : ver. 54
  30. Genesis 31:39 : [Ex. 22:12]
  31. Genesis 31:41 : ch. 29:27, 28
  32. Genesis 31:41 : ver. 7
  33. Genesis 31:42 : Ps. 124:1, 2
  34. Genesis 31:42 : ver. 53
  35. Genesis 31:42 : See ch. 29:32
  36. Genesis 31:42 : ver. 29
  37. Genesis 31:44 : ch. 26:28
  38. Genesis 31:44 : Josh. 24:27
  39. Genesis 31:45 : ch. 28:18
  40. Genesis 31:48 : ver. 44
  41. Genesis 31:49 : Judg. 11:29, 34
  42. Genesis 31:50 : Judg. 11:10; 1 Sam. 12:5; Jer. 42:5; Mic. 1:2; [Job 16:19]
  43. Genesis 31:52 : ver. 43, 44
  44. Genesis 31:53 : ver. 42
  45. Genesis 31:54 : ver. 37
  46. Genesis 31:55 : ver. 28, 43

You Might Also Like:

Genesis 31 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

31 And he heareth the words of Laban's sons, saying, `Jacob hath taken all that our father hath; yea, from that which our father hath, he hath made all this honour;' 2 and Jacob seeth the face of Laban, and lo, it is not with him as heretofore. 3 And Jehovah saith unto Jacob, `Turn back unto the lan...
Read More

Genesis 31 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

31 After that, Jacob heard the words of the sons of Laban, that said, Jacob hath taken away all things that were our father’s, and of his chattel Jacob is made rich, and noble (and Jacob was made rich, and noble, out of our father’s possessions). 2 Also Jacob perceived the face of Laban, that it was...
Read More

Genesis 31 - World English Bible (WEB)

31 Jacob heard Laban’s sons’ words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.” 2 Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3 Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of y...
Read More

Genesis 31 - The Voice (VOICE)

Jacob, the heel-catcher, has met a kindred spirit. Both men are deceivers and manipulators. Both do whatever they can to get the better of the other. It just comes naturally. Laban tricks Jacob first by marrying him to Leah before Rachel. Then, after Jacob and he agree on a clear strategy to separat...
Read More

Genesis 31 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Jacob Secretly Leaves Laban31 Now Jacob heard the words Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belongs to our father, and from what belongs to our father he has made all these riches.” 2 Then Jacob saw Laban’s face, and he noticed that his expression wasn’t the same as it was ju...
Read More

Genesis 31 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Re...
Read More

Genesis 31 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Re...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, ‘Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; he has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.’ 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favourably as he did before. 3 Then the Lord said t...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; he has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favorably as he did before. 3 Then the Lord said to J...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Jacob Flees from Laban31 But Jacob soon learned that Laban’s sons were grumbling about him. “Jacob has robbed our father of everything!” they said. “He has gained all his wealth at our father’s expense.” 2 And Jacob began to notice a change in Laban’s attitude toward him. 3 Then the Lord said to Jac...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jacob Leaves Laban31 Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that our father had. He has become rich with what had belonged to our father.” 2 Jacob saw that Laban did not show him as much favor as he did before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Jacob Flees from Laban31 Now 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 acquired all this (A)wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the (B)countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not (C)favorable toward him as before. 3 T...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Jacob flees from Laban31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, ‘Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.’ 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude towards him was not what it had been. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Go back ...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New International Version (NIV)

Jacob Flees From Laban31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons(A) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”(B) 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.(C) 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “G...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Jacob Runs Away From Laban31 Jacob heard what Laban’s sons were saying. “Jacob has taken everything our father owned,” they said. “He has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2 Jacob noticed that Laban’s feelings toward him had changed. 3 Then the Lord spoke to Jacob. He said, ...
Read More

Genesis 31 - New English Translation (NET)

Jacob’s Flight from Laban31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining,[a] “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich[b] at our father’s expense!”[c] 2 When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed.[d] 3 The Lord said...
Read More