Jacob Flees from Laban 1 WBS 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 obtained all this glory. BSB BSB: Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”
2 WBS And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and behold, it was not towards him as before. BSB BSB: And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.
3 WBS And the LORD said to Jacob, Return to the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
4 WBS And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field to his flock, BSB BSB: So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,
5 WBS And said to them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not towards me as before: but the God of my father hath been with me. BSB BSB: and he told them, “I can see from your father’s countenance that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me.
6 WBS And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. BSB BSB: You know that I have served your father with all my strength.
7 WBS And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times: but God suffered him not to hurt me. BSB BSB: And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.
8 WBS If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bore speckled: and if he said thus, The ring-streaked shall be thy hire; then all the cattle bore ring-streaked. BSB BSB: If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore streaked offspring.
9 WBS Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. BSB BSB: Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.
10 WBS And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled. BSB BSB: When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females.
11 WBS And the angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying , Jacob: And I said, Here am I. BSB BSB: In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’
12 WBS And he said, Lift up now thy eyes and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth to thee. BSB BSB: ‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
13 WBS I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst to me a vow: now arise, depart from this land, and return to the land of thy kindred. BSB BSB: I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up, leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’”
14 WBS And Rachel and Leah answered, and said to him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? BSB BSB: And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house?
15 WBS Are we not counted by him strangers; for he hath sold us, and hath quite consumed also our money. BSB BSB: Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.
16 WBS For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then whatever God hath said to thee, do. BSB BSB: Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you.”
17 WBS Then Jacob arose, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; BSB BSB: Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,
18 WBS And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gained, the cattle of his getting, which he had gained in Padan-aram; to go to Isaac, his father, in the land of Canaan. BSB BSB: and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan.
19 WBS And Laban went to shear his sheep; and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. BSB BSB: Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
20 WBS And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he was about to depart. BSB BSB: Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away.
21 WBS So he fled with all that he had; and he arose, and passed over the river, and set his face towards the mount Gilead. BSB BSB: So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob 22 WBS And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. BSB BSB: On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled.
23 WBS And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey: and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. BSB BSB: So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
24 WBS And God came to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream by night, and said to him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. BSB BSB: But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
25 WBS Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban, with his brethren, pitched in the mount of Gilead. BSB BSB: Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well.
26 WBS 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? BSB BSB: Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war!
27 WBS Why 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? BSB BSB: Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps.
28 WBS And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons, and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. BSB BSB: But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.
29 WBS It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spoke to me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. BSB BSB: I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
30 WBS And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou didst earnestly long after thy father's house; yet why hast thou stolen my gods? BSB BSB: Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”
31 WBS And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, It may be thou wouldest take thy daughters from me by force. BSB BSB: “I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
32 WBS 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. BSB BSB: If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33 WBS And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maid-servants' tents; but he found them not. Then he went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. BSB BSB: So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
34 WBS 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. BSB BSB: Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.
35 WBS 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. BSB BSB: Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched but could not find the household idols.
36 WBS And Jacob was wroth, and chid with Laban: and Jacob answered, and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so eagerly pursued after me? BSB BSB: Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?
37 WBS 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. BSB BSB: You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us.
38 WBS These 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. BSB BSB: I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.
39 WBS That which was torn by beasts, I brought not to thee; I bore the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. BSB BSB: I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.
40 WBS Thus I was; in the day the drouth consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes.BSB BSB: As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
41 WBS 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. BSB BSB: Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!
42 WBS Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely thou hadst now sent me away empty. God hath seen my affliction, and the labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. BSB BSB: If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”
Jacob’s Covenant with Laban 43 WBS And Laban answered, and said to 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 to these my daughters, or to their children which they have borne? BSB BSB: But Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne?
44 WBS Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. BSB BSB: Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.”
45 WBS And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. BSB BSB: So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar,
46 WBS And Jacob said to his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made a heap: and they ate there upon the heap. BSB BSB: and he said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate.
47 WBS And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed: BSB BSB: Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.
48 WBS And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed: BSB BSB: Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.
49 WBS And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. BSB BSB: It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.
50 WBS If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives besides my daughters; no man is with us; See, God is witness betwixt me and thee. BSB BSB: If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”
51 WBS And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; BSB BSB: Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me.
52 WBS 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 to me, for harm. BSB BSB: This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me.
53 WBS The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. BSB BSB: May 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 WBS Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they ate bread, and tarried all night in the mount. BSB BSB: Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.
55 WBS And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned to his place. BSB BSB: Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.