Genesis, 31

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.

1. Jacob learned that the sons of Laban were saying, "Jacob has taken everything our father owned, and it is at our father's expense that he has accumulated this fortune."

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

2. Jacob understood from Laban's expression that his attitude towards him was no longer the same.

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

3. Then Yahweh said to Jacob, "Go back to your homeland, the country of your kinsmen. I will be with you."

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

4. Jacob had Rachel and Leah called to the field where his flocks were.

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.

5. There he said to them, "I see that your father no longer looks kindly on me, but the God of my father has been with me.

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

6. You yourselves 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.

7. But your father has not been straight with me, changing my wages ten times. But God has not allowed him to do me harm.

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.

8. Whenever he said: 'The spotted ones will be your wages,' then all the ewes had spotted lambs. And whenever he said: 'The streaked ones will be your wages,' then all the ewes produced streaked lambs.

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

9. It is God who has taken your father's livestock in that way and has given it 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.

10. For, in the breeding season, when I was looking up, I saw in a dream that the rams mating with the ewes were streaked, spotted or speckled.

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

11. And the angel in the dream said to me: 'Jacob.' 'Here I am,' I replied.

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.

12. He then said: 'Look up and see that all the rams mating with the ewes are streaked, spotted or speckled. I have seen all that Laban has done 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.

13. I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel where you anointed a pillar and vowed to me by oath. Now get ready, leave this country and return to the land of your birth."

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

14. Then Rachel and Leah replied, "Have we still any share in the inheritance of our father's estate?

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

15. Haven't we been regarded by him as foreigners since he has sold us, and well and truly used up 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.

16. Surely all the fortune that God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do then all that God has told you."

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

17. So Jacob got ready and put his children 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.

18. He also took with him all his livestock and all that he had accumulated (the livestock he had acquired at Paddan-aram) to return to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

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

19. Rachel then took advantage of Laban. While he was shearing his sheep she stole her father's family gods.

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

20. So Jacob tricked Laban in not letting him know he was running away.

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.

21. He fled with all he had, and after crossing the river Euphrates he made for the hill country of Gilead.

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

22. Three days later Laban heard 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.

23. Taking his brothers with him, he followed Jacob for seven days and caught up with 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.

24. God appeared to Laban in a dream at night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything - either good or bad - to Jacob."

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.

25. Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him. Laban and his brothers also encamped on the hills 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?

26. Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, tricking me and carrying my daughters off like prisoners of war?

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?

27. Why did you run away secretly and cheat me? Why didn't you tell me? I could have sent you off with joy and singing and the music of tambourine and harp.

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

28. You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing

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.

29. and I have power to harm you, but last night the God of your father warned me saying: 'Be careful not to say anything - good or evil - to Jacob.'

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?

30. Now if you have gone off because you were planning to return to your father's house, 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.

31. Jacob replied to Laban, "It was because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me!

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.

32. But whoever is found in possession of your gods will not live. In the presence of our relatives see for yourself if anything that belongs to you is here with me and, if so, take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.

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.

33. Laban entered Jacob's tent, then Leah's and then the tent of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. When Laban came out of Leah's tent, he entered the tent of Rachel.

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.

34. Rachel had taken the gods, but put them into 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.

35. Rachel said to her father, "Do not be angry with me, my lord, if I do not stand in your presence, for I am having my period." So he searched but did not find the 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?

36. Then Jacob became angry and rebuked Laban. "What is my crime?" he asked him. "What sin of mine makes you hound me down?

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.

37. Now that you have searched through all my belongings, have you found anything that belongs to your household? If so, let it be seen here in the presence of your family and mine and let them judge between the two of us.

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.

38. During the twenty years I have been with you, your ewes and your she-goats have not miscarried and I haven't eaten any of the rams from 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.

39. I haven't brought you any animal torn by a wild beast. I suffered the loss and you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night.

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

40. During the day I have been stifled by the heat and at night I have suffered from the cold, and sleep has left 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.

41. It's twenty years that I've been with you. I worked fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and ten times you have altered my wages.

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.

42. If the God of my father Abraham and the Fearsome God of Isaac had not been with me, you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands and last night he passed sentence."

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?

43. Laban answered and said to Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, these sheep are my sheep and all that you see are mine. How can I harm today these daughters of mine or their children?

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

44. Come now, let us make a treaty, you and me, and let it be a witness between us."

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

45. 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.

46. He then said to his kinsmen, "Collect stones." So they gathered stones and piled them up, and they ate there by the pile.

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

47. Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and 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;

48. Laban said, "This pile of stones is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed;

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

49. and it was also known as Mizpah because Laban had said, "May Yahweh watch between me and you when we are no longer in sight of each other.

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.

50. If you harm my daughters or take other wives besides my daughters, even though no man is with us, remember that 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;

51. Then Laban said to Jacob, "Here is the pile 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.

52. This pile and this pillar will witness that I will not pass beyond this pile to harm you and that you will not pass beyond this pile and pillar to harm me.

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.

53. May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor judge between us!" So Jacob swore by the Fearful God 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.

54. Jacob also offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his brothers to the meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

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.

55.