Genesis:31



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* 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 wealth ." * And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban , and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before . * Then the LORD said to Jacob , "Return to the land of your fathers and to your family , and I will be with you ." * So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field , to his flock , * and said to them , "I see your father 's countenance , that it is not favorable toward me as before ; but the God of my father has been with me . * And you know that with all my might I have served your father . * Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times , but God did not allow him to hurt me . * If he said thus : "The speckled shall be your wages ,' then all the flocks bore speckled . And if he said thus : "The streaked shall be your wages ,' then all the flocks bore streaked . * So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me . * "And it happened , at the time when the flocks conceived , that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream , and behold , the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked , speckled , and gray-spotted . * Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream , saying , "Jacob .' And I said , "Here I am .' * And He said , "Lift your eyes now and see , all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked , speckled , and gray-spotted ; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you . * I am the God of Bethel , where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me . Now arise , get out of this land , and return to the land of your family ."' * Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him , "Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father 's house ? * Are we not considered strangers by him ? For he has sold us , and also completely consumed our money . * For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children 's ; now then , whatever God has said to you , do it ." * Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels . * And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained , his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram , to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan . * Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep , and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father 's . * And Jacob stole away , unknown to Laban the Syrian , in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee . * So he fled with all that he had . He arose and crossed the river , and headed toward the mountains of Gilead . * And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled . * Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days ' journey , and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead . * But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night , and said to him , "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad ." * So Laban overtook Jacob . Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains , and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead . * And Laban said to Jacob : "What have you done , that you have stolen away unknown to me , and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword ? * Why did you flee away secretly , and steal away from me , and not tell me ; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs , with timbrel and harp ? * And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters . Now you have done foolishly in so doing . * 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 .' * And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father 's house , but why did you steal my gods ?" * Then Jacob answered and said to Laban , "Because I was afraid , for I said , "Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force .' * With whomever you find your gods , do not let him live . In the presence of our brethren , identify what I have of yours and take it with you ." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them . * And Laban went into Jacob 's tent , into Leah 's tent , and into the two maids ' tents , but he did not find them . Then he went out of Leah 's tent and entered Rachel 's tent . * Now Rachel had taken the household idols , put them in the camel 's saddle , and sat on them . And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them . * And she said to her father , "Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you , for the manner of women is with me ." And he searched but did not find the household idols . * Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban , and Jacob answered and said to Laban : "What is my trespass ? What is my sin , that you have so hotly pursued me ? * Although you have searched all my things , what part of your household things have you found ? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren , that they may judge between us both ! * These twenty years I have been with you ; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young , and I have not eaten the rams of your flock . * That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you ; I bore the loss of it . You required it from my hand , whether stolen by day or stolen by night . * There I was ! In the day the drought consumed me , and the frost by night , and my sleep departed from my eyes . * Thus I have been in your house twenty years ; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters , and six years for your flock , and you have changed my wages ten times . * Unless the God of my father , the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac , had been with me , surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed . God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands , and rebuked you last night ." * And Laban answered and said to Jacob , "These daughters are my daughters , and these children are my children , and this flock is my flock ; all that you see is mine . But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne ? * Now therefore , come , let us make a covenant , you and I , and let it be a witness between you and me ." * So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar . * Then Jacob said to his brethren , "Gather stones ." And they took stones and made a heap , and they ate there on the heap . * Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha , but Jacob called it Galeed . * And Laban said , "This heap is a witness between you and me this day ." Therefore its name was called Galeed , * also Mizpah , because he said , "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another . * If you afflict my daughters , or if you take other wives besides my daughters , although no man is with us--see , God is witness between you and me !" * Then Laban said to Jacob , "Here is this heap and here is this pillar , which I have placed between you and me . * This heap is a witness , and this pillar is a witness , that I will not pass beyond this heap to you , and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me , for harm . * The God of Abraham , the God of Nahor , and the God of their father judge between us ." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac . * Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain , and called his brethren to eat bread . And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain . * And early in the morning Laban arose , and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them . Then Laban departed and returned to his place .

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