Genesis 31:1-42

Genesis 31:1-42

[1] And he heard  the words  of Laban's  sons,  saying,  Jacob  hath taken away  all that was our father's;  hath he gotten  all this glory.  [2] And Jacob  beheld  the countenance  of Laban,  and, behold, 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;  [4] And Jacob  sent  and called  Rachel  and Leah  to the field  unto 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. [6] And ye  know  that with all my power  I have served  your father.  [7] And your father  hath deceived  me, and changed  my wages  ten  times;  but God  suffered him  not to hurt  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.  [9] Thus God  hath taken away  the cattle  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.  [11] And the angel  of God  spake  unto me in a dream,  saying, Jacob:  And I said,  [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. [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.  [14] And Rachel  and Leah  answered  and said  unto him, Is there yet any portion  or inheritance  for us in our father's  house?  [15] Are we not counted  of him strangers?  for he hath sold  us, and hath quite  also 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.  [17] Then Jacob  rose up,  and set  his sons  and his wives  upon 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.  [19] And Laban  went  to shear  his sheep:  and Rachel  had stolen  the images  that were her father's.  [20] And Jacob  stole away  unawares  to Laban  the Syrian,  in that  he told  him not  that he fled.  [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.  [22] And it was told  Laban  on the third  day  that Jacob  was fled.  [23] And he took  his brethren  with him, and pursued  after him  seven  days'  journey;  and they overtook  him in the mount  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.  [25] Then Laban  overtook  Jacob.  had pitched  his tent  in the mount:  and Laban  with his brethren  pitched  in the mount  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?  [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?  [28] And hast not suffered  me to kiss  my sons  and my daughters?  thou hast now done foolishly  in so doing.  [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.  [30] And now, though thou wouldest needs  because thou sore  after thy father's  house,  yet wherefore hast thou stolen  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  [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. [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.  [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  [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.  [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?  [37] Whereas  thou hast searched  all my stuff,  what hast thou found  of all thy household  stuff?  set  it here  before my brethren  that they may judge  betwixt  us both.  [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.  [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.  [40] Thus I was; in the day  the drought  consumed  me, and the frost  by night;  and my sleep  departed  from mine 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.  [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.