Genesis 31 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Jacob found out that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. All the wealth he has actually came from our father.”
1 Y OÍA él las palabras de los hijos de Labán, que decían: Jacob ha tomado todo lo que era de nuestro padre; y de lo que era de nuestro padre ha adquirido toda esta grandeza.
2 Jacob also noticed that Laban was treating him differently to the way he had before.
2 Miraba también Jacob el semblante de Labán, y veía que no era para con él como ayer y antes de ayer.
3 The Lord told Jacob, “Go back to the country of your forefathers, to your family home. I will be with you.”
3 También Jehová dijo á Jacob: Vuélvete á la tierra de tus padres, y á tu parentela; que yo seré contigo.
4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah, telling them to come and meet him out in the fields where he was with his flock.
4 Y envió Jacob, y llamó á Rachêl y á Lea al campo á sus ovejas,
5 “I've noticed that your father is treating me differently to the way he did before,” he told them. “But the God of my father will be with me.
5 Y díjoles: Veo que el semblante de vuestro padre no es para conmigo como ayer y antes de ayer: mas el Dios de mi padre ha sido conmigo.
6 You both know very well how hard I worked for your father.
6 Y vosotras sabéis que con todas mis fuerzas he servido á vuestro padre:
7 But he's been cheating me—he's reduced my wages ten times! However, God hasn't let him hurt me.
7 Y vuestro padre me ha engañado, y me ha mudado el salario diez veces: pero Dios no le ha permitido que me hiciese mal.
8 If he said, ‘You can have the speckled ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had speckled young. If he said, ‘You can have the streaked ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had streaked young.
8 Si él decía así: Los pintados serán tu salario; entonces todas las ovejas parían pintados: y si decía así: Los listados serán tu salario; entonces todas las ovejas parían listados.
9 This is how God took your father's livestock and gave them to me.
9 Así quitó Dios el ganado de vuestro padre, y diómelo á mí.
10 During the time the flock was breeding I had a dream where I saw that the male goats mating with the flock were all streaked, speckled, or spotted.
10 Y sucedió que al tiempo que las ovejas se recalentaban, alcé yo mis ojos y vi en sueños, y he aquí los machos que cubrían á las hembras [eran] listados, pintados y abigarrados.
11 Then in the dream the angel of the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I'm here.’
11 Y díjome el ángel de Dios en sueños: Jacob. Y yo dije: Heme aquí.
12 He told me, ‘Take a look and you'll see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I've been watching everything that Laban has been doing to you.
12 Y él dijo: Alza ahora tus ojos, y verás todos los machos que cubren á las ovejas listados, pintados y abigarrados; porque yo he visto todo lo que Labán te ha hecho.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you poured olive oil on the stone pillar and made a solemn promise to me. Now get ready to leave this land and go back to your homeland.’”
13 Yo soy el Dios de Beth-el, donde tú ungiste el título, y donde me hiciste un voto. Levántate ahora, y sal de esta tierra, y vuélvete á la tierra de tu naturaleza.
14 “There's nothing for us to inherit from our father's estate anyway,” Rachel and Leah replied.
14 Y respondió Rachêl y Lea, y dijéronle: ¿Tenemos ya parte ni heredad en la casa de nuestro padre?
15 “He treats us like foreigners because he sold us to you, and now he's spent all that money.
15 ¿No nos tiene ya como por extrañas, pues que nos vendió, y aun se ha comido del todo nuestro precio?
16 All the wealth that God has taken from him belongs to us and our children, so do whatever God has told you to do!”
16 Porque toda la riqueza que Dios ha quitado á nuestro padre, nuestra es y de nuestros hijos: ahora pues, haz todo lo que Dios te ha dicho.
17 So Jacob got ready. He helped his children and his wives onto the camels,
17 Entonces se levantó Jacob, y subió sus hijos y sus mujeres sobre los camellos.
18 and drove all his livestock in front of him. He took with him all his possessions and livestock he'd gained during his time in Paddan-aram, and left to go back to his father in the country of Canaan.
18 Y puso en camino todo su ganado, y toda su hacienda que había adquirido, el ganado de su ganancia que había obtenido en Padan-aram, para volverse á Isaac su padre en la tierra de Canaán.
19 While Laban was away from home shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.
19 Y Labán había ido á trasquilar sus ovejas: y Rachêl hurtó los ídolos de su padre.
20 Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not informing him that he was going to run away.
20 Y recató Jacob el corazón de Labán Arameo, en no hacerle saber que se huía.
21 So Jacob left in a hurry with everything he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed towards the hill country of Gilead.
21 Huyó, pues, con todo lo que tenía; y levantóse, y pasó el río, y puso su rostro al monte de Galaad.
22 Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had run away.
22 Y fué dicho á Labán al tercero día como Jacob se había huído.
23 Taking some of his relatives with him, he chased after Jacob and caught up with him seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.
23 Entonces tomó á sus hermanos consigo, y fué tras él camino de siete días, y alcanzóle en el monte de Galaad.
24 But during the night God came to Laban in a dream and told him, “Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.”
24 Y vino Dios á Labán Arameo en sueños aquella noche, y le dijo: Guárdate que no hables á Jacob descomedidamente.
25 Jacob had set up his tents in the hill country of Gilead when Laban caught up with him, so Laban and his relatives did the same.
25 Alcanzó pues Labán á Jacob, y éste había fijado su tienda en el monte: y Labán plantó[la] con sus hermanos en el monte de Galaad.
26 “Why did you deceive me like this?” Laban asked Jacob. “You carried off my daughters as if they were some prisoners captured by the sword!
26 Y dijo Labán á Jacob: ¿Qué has hecho, que me hurtaste el corazón, y has traído á mis hijas como prisioneras de guerra?
27 Why did you run away in secret, trying to trick me? Why didn't you come and tell me? I would have given you a good send-off, a celebration with singing and the music of tambourines and lyres.
27 ¿Por qué te escondiste para huir, y me hurtaste, y no me diste noticia, para que yo te enviara con alegría y con cantares, con tamborín y vihuela?
28 You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye! You've really acted stupidly!
28 Que aun no me dejaste besar mis hijos y mis hijas. Ahora locamente has hecho.
29 I could really punish you badly, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and told me, ‘Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.’
29 Poder hay en mi mano para haceros mal: mas el Dios de vuestro padre me habló anoche diciendo: Guárdate que no hables á Jacob descomedidamente.
30 Clearly you wanted to leave and go back to your family home, but why did you have to steal my idols?”
30 Y ya que te ibas, porque tenías deseo de la casa de tu padre, ¿por qué me hurtaste mis dioses?
31 “I ran away because I was afraid,” Jacob explained to Laban. “I was worried that you would take your daughters from me by force.
31 Y Jacob respondió, y dijo á Labán: Porque tuve miedo; pues dije, que quizá me quitarías por fuerza tus hijas.
32 As for your idols, anyone you find who has them will die. You can search everything in the presence of our relatives, and if you find I have anything that belongs to you, you can take it.” (Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.)
32 En quien hallares tus dioses, no viva: delante de nuestros hermanos reconoce lo que yo tuviere tuyo, y llévatelo. Jacob no sabía que Rachêl los había hurtado.
33 Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two personal maids, but didn't find anything. He left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent.
33 Y entró Labán en la tienda de Jacob, y en la tienda de Lea, y en la tienda de las dos siervas, y no los halló, y salió de la tienda de Lea, y vino á la tienda de Rachêl.
34 Rachel had put the household idols in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on it. Laban carefully searched the whole tent but couldn't find them.
34 Y tomó Rachêl los ídolos, y púsolos en una albarda de un camello, y sentóse sobre ellos: y tentó Labán toda la tienda, y no los halló.
35 She said to her father, “Sir, please don't get upset with me for not standing up in your presence, but I have my period.” He looked everywhere but didn't find the idols.
35 Y ella dijo á su padre: No se enoje mi señor, porque no me puedo levantar delante de ti; pues estoy con la costumbre de las mujeres. Y él buscó, pero no halló los ídolos.
36 Jacob got angry with Laban and confronted him, saying, “What crime am I guilty of? What wrong have I done to you that you've come hunting me down?
36 Entonces Jacob se enojó, y regañó con Labán; y respondió Jacob y dijo á Labán: ¿Qué prevaricación es la mía? ¿cuál es mi pecado, que con tanto ardor has venido en seguimiento mío?
37 You've searched through all my possessions. Did you find anything belonging to you? If you did, bring it out here before my relatives and yours so they can decide who's right!
37 Pues que has tentado todos mis muebles, ¿qué has hallado de todas las alhajas de tu casa? Ponlo aquí delante de mis hermanos y tuyos, y juzguen entre nosotros ambos.
38 I've worked for you for these past twenty years. During that time none of your sheep and goats miscarried, and I haven't eaten a single ram from your flock.
38 Estos veinte años he estado contigo: tus ovejas y tus cabras nunca abortaron, ni yo comí carnero de tus ovejas.
39 If any of them were killed by wild animals, I never even brought you the carcass to prove the loss—I bore the loss myself. But you on the other hand always made me compensate you for any animals that were stolen, whether at night or in broad daylight.
39 Nunca te traje lo arrebatado por las fieras; yo pagaba el daño; lo hurtado así de día como de noche, de mi mano lo requerías.
40 Whether it was sweating in the heat of the day, or freezing in the cold of the night when I couldn't sleep, I went on working for you for twenty years in your home.
40 De día me consumía el calor, y de noche la helada, y el sueño se huía de mis ojos.
41 I worked fourteen years for your two daughters, and six more years with your flocks. You reduced my wages ten times!
41 Así he estado veinte años en tu casa: catorce años te serví por tus dos hijas, y seis años por tu ganado; y has mudado mi salario diez veces.
42 If it weren't for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the awesome God of Isaac, who took care of me, you would have dismissed me with nothing. But God saw my suffering, how hard I worked, and he condemned you last night.”
42 Si el Dios de mi padre, el Dios de Abraham, y el temor de Isaac, no fuera conmigo, de cierto me enviarías ahora vacío: vió Dios mi aflicción y el trabajo de mis manos, y reprendióte anoche.
43 Laban replied, “These are my daughters and these are my children and these are my flocks! In fact, everything you see here is mine! However, what can I do now about my daughters and their children?
43 Y respondió Labán, y dijo á Jacob: Las hijas son hijas mías, y los hijos, hijos míos son, y las ovejas son mis ovejas, y todo lo que tú ves es mío: ¿y qué puedo yo hacer hoy á estas mis hijas, ó á sus hijos que ellas han parido?
44 So let's make a solemn agreement between you and I, and it will be a witness to our mutual commitment.”
44 Ven pues ahora, y hagamos alianza yo y tú; y sea en testimonio entre mí y entre ti.
45 Jacob took a stone and set it upright as a pillar.
45 Entonces Jacob tomó una piedra, y levantóla por título.
46 Then he told his relatives, “Go and collect some stones.” They all made a pile of stones and then sat beside it to eat a meal.
46 Y dijo Jacob á sus hermanos: Coged piedras. Y tomaron piedras é hicieron un majano; y comieron allí sobre aquel majano.
47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed.
47 Y llamólo Labán Jegar Sahadutha: y lo llamó Jacob Galaad.
48 Laban announced, “This pile of stone serves as a witness between me and you.” This is why it was called Galeed.
48 Porque Labán dijo: Este majano es testigo hoy entre mí y entre ti; por eso fué llamado su nombre Galaad;
49 It was also called Mizpah, for as Laban said, “May the Lord keep a close eye on both of us when we're not together.
49 Y Mizpa, por cuanto dijo: Atalaye Jehová entre mí y entre ti, cuando nos apartáremos el uno del otro.
50 If you treat my daughters badly or marry more wives in addition to them, God will see what you do even if no one else finds out!”
50 Si afligieres mis hijas, ó si tomares otras mujeres además de mis hijas, nadie está con nosotros; mira, Dios es testigo entre mí y entre ti.
51 Then Laban told Jacob, “Look at this pile of stones and this pillar that I have set up as a memorial of the agreement between you and me.
51 Dijo más Labán á Jacob: He aquí este majano, y he aquí este título, que he erigido entre mí y ti.
52 They also act as a witness to our solemn promises to each other: I will not come past them to attack you; and you will not come past them to attack me.
52 Testigo sea este majano, y testigo sea este título, que ni yo pasaré contra ti este majano, ni tú pasarás contra mí este majano ni este título, para mal.
53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor—the God of our forefathers—be the one to judge between us in any dispute.” Jacob in turn made his solemn promise in the name of the awesome God of his father Isaac.
53 El Dios de Abraham, y el Dios de Nachôr juzgue entre nosotros, el Dios de sus padres. Y Jacob juró por el temor de Isaac su padre.
54 Then he offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited all his relatives to eat a meal there. They spent the night on the mountain.
54 Entonces Jacob inmoló víctimas en el monte, y llamó á sus hermanos á comer pan: y comieron pan, y durmieron aquella noche en el monte.
55 Laban got up early in the morning and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye. He blessed them, and then left to go back home.
55 Y levantóse Labán de mañana, y besó sus hijos y sus hijas, y los bendijo; y retrocedió y volvióse á su lugar.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Jacob
He wrestled with God through the night and rose as Israel, father of twelve tribes.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 25–35; 46–49
Rachel
Jacob's beloved wife, mother of Joseph and Benjamin, who died in childbirth.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 29-35
Cross references (51)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Ecclesiastes 4:4; Psalm 17:14; Proverbs 27:4; Proverbs 14:30; 1 Peter 1:24
- 2 Daniel 3:19; 1 Samuel 18:9–11; Genesis 4:5; Genesis 30:27; 1 Samuel 19:7
- 3 Genesis 28:15; Hebrews 13:5; Genesis 32:9; Genesis 31:13; Psalm 50:15
- 5 Genesis 31:2–3; Genesis 31:53; Genesis 48:15; Genesis 31:42; Genesis 32:9
- 6 Genesis 30:29; Ephesians 6:5–8; Colossians 3:22–25; Genesis 31:38–42; Titus 2:9–10
- 7 Zechariah 8:23; Genesis 31:29; Genesis 31:41; Nehemiah 4:12; Numbers 14:22
- 8 Genesis 30:32
- 9 Genesis 31:1; Genesis 31:16; Proverbs 13:22; Matthew 20:15; Esther 8:1–2
- 10 Deuteronomy 13:1; Genesis 20:6; Numbers 12:6; 1 Kings 3:5; Genesis 31:24
- 11 Isaiah 58:9; Genesis 31:13; Genesis 48:15–16; Genesis 18:17; 1 Samuel 3:16
- 12 Exodus 3:7; Genesis 31:42; Deuteronomy 24:15; Ecclesiastes 5:8; Ephesians 6:9
- 13 Genesis 31:3; Genesis 32:9; Genesis 28:12–22; Genesis 35:7
- 14 Ruth 4:11; Genesis 2:24; Genesis 29:29; Genesis 29:24
- 15 Genesis 29:15–20; Genesis 29:27–30; Nehemiah 5:8; Genesis 30:26; Exodus 21:7–11
- 16 Genesis 31:9; Genesis 30:35–31:1; Psalm 45:10
- 17 Genesis 24:61; 1 Samuel 30:17; Genesis 24:10
- 18 Genesis 27:41; Genesis 28:21; Genesis 27:1–2; Genesis 35:27–29
- 19 1 Samuel 19:13; Hosea 3:4; Genesis 31:30; Ezekiel 21:21; Genesis 35:2
- 21 2 Kings 12:17; Joshua 24:2–3; Genesis 37:25; Genesis 15:18; Luke 9:51–53
- 22 Exodus 14:5–31; Genesis 30:36; Job 5:12–13
- 23 Genesis 13:8; Exodus 2:11; Exodus 2:13; Genesis 24:27
- 24 Genesis 24:50; Genesis 20:3; Genesis 31:29; Numbers 24:13; Genesis 31:42
- 25 Genesis 33:18; Hebrews 11:9; Genesis 12:8
- 26 1 Samuel 30:2; Genesis 4:10; Genesis 31:36; 1 Samuel 17:29; Genesis 2:24
- 27 Exodus 15:20; Genesis 31:3–5; Proverbs 26:23–26; Job 21:11–14; Genesis 31:20–21
- 28 Genesis 31:55; 1 Kings 19:20; Ruth 1:14; Acts 20:37; Genesis 31:24
- 29 Genesis 31:42; Genesis 31:53; Joshua 24:2–3; Genesis 31:24; Genesis 28:13
- 30 Jeremiah 10:11; Genesis 31:19; Judges 18:24; 1 Samuel 5:2–6; 2 Samuel 5:21
- 31 Proverbs 29:25; Genesis 31:26–27; Genesis 20:11
- 32 Genesis 31:19; Genesis 31:23; 1 Samuel 12:3–5; Genesis 44:9–12; Genesis 31:30
- 33 Genesis 24:28; Genesis 24:67
- 34 Genesis 31:19; Genesis 31:17
- 35 Leviticus 19:32; Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1; 1 Kings 2:19; Genesis 18:11–12
- 36 Ephesians 4:26; Genesis 30:2; 2 Kings 5:11; Mark 3:5; Numbers 16:15
- 37 1 Peter 2:12; Hebrews 13:18; 1 Corinthians 6:4–5; 1 Thessalonians 2:10; Joshua 7:23
- 38 Deuteronomy 28:4; Ezekiel 34:2–4; Exodus 23:26; Genesis 30:27; Genesis 30:30
- 39 Exodus 22:10–13; Leviticus 22:8; Luke 2:8; Exodus 22:31; John 10:12–13
- 40 Psalm 78:70–71; Luke 2:8; Exodus 2:19–22; John 21:15–17; Hebrews 13:7
- 41 Genesis 31:7; Genesis 31:38; 2 Corinthians 11:26; Genesis 30:33–40; 1 Corinthians 15:10
- 42 Psalm 31:7; Isaiah 8:13; Genesis 31:53; Genesis 31:29; Genesis 31:24
- 44 Joshua 24:25–27; 1 Samuel 20:14–17; Genesis 15:18; Joshua 22:27; Deuteronomy 31:19
- 45 Genesis 28:18–22
- 46 Ecclesiastes 3:5; Genesis 31:37; Genesis 31:32; Joshua 4:5–9; Joshua 7:26
- 47 Hebrews 12:1
- 48 Joshua 24:27; Joshua 13:8–9; Genesis 31:23; Deuteronomy 3:16; Deuteronomy 2:36
- 49 Judges 11:29; Judges 10:17; 1 Samuel 7:5–6; Judges 11:11; 1 Kings 15:22
- 50 Jeremiah 42:5; Jeremiah 29:23; Micah 1:2; Judges 11:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:5
- 52 Genesis 31:48; Genesis 31:44–45
- 53 Genesis 31:42; Genesis 16:5; Exodus 3:6; Joshua 24:2; Genesis 11:24–29
- 54 Exodus 18:12; Genesis 26:30; 2 Samuel 3:20–21; Genesis 21:8; Genesis 37:25
- 55 Genesis 31:28; Deuteronomy 23:5; Genesis 30:25; Genesis 18:33; Proverbs 16:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For not only did not the nations in this life serve this Jacob; but even after he had received the blessing, he himself going forth [from his home], served his uncle Laban the Syrian for twenty years; and not only was he not made lord of his brother, but he did himself bow down before his brother Esau, upon his …
In fact, "a testament" is a name given in the Scriptures not only to that which is of no avail till the death of the testators, but every covenant and decree they used to call a testament. For Laban and Jacob made a testament, which was certainly to have force between the living; and such cases without number are read …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
Moreover, Joshua, the son of Nun, even set up a stone as witness of his words (already a heap somewhere had been called a witness by Jacob), for he says, "Behold this stone shall be a witness unto you this day to the end of days, when ye lie to the Lord our God," perhaps believing that by God's power …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)