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 Jacob heard Laban’s sons’ words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.”
2 Jacob also noticed that Laban was treating him differently to the way he had before.
2 Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
3 The Lord told Jacob, “Go back to the country of your forefathers, to your family home. I will be with you.”
3 Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
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 Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock,
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 and said to them, “I see the expression on your father’s face, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.
6 You both know very well how hard I worked for your father.
6 You know that I have served your father with all of my strength.
7 But he's been cheating me—he's reduced my wages ten times! However, God hasn't let him hurt me.
7 Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me.
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 If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore streaked.
9 This is how God took your father's livestock and gave them to me.
9 Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock, and given them to me.
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 During mating season, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled.
11 Then in the dream the angel of the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I'm here.’
11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’
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 He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you.
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 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”
14 “There's nothing for us to inherit from our father's estate anyway,” Rachel and Leah replied.
14 Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
15 “He treats us like foreigners because he sold us to you, and now he's spent all that money.
15 Aren’t we considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money.
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 For all the riches which God has taken away from our father are ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”
17 So Jacob got ready. He helped his children and his wives onto the camels,
17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels,
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 and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.
19 While Laban was away from home shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s.
20 Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not informing him that he was going to run away.
20 Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away.
21 So Jacob left in a hurry with everything he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed towards the hill country of Gilead.
21 So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.
22 Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had run away.
22 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
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 He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.
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 God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
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 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead.
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 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?
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 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;
28 You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye! You've really acted stupidly!
28 and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly.
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 It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’
30 Clearly you wanted to leave and go back to your family home, but why did you have to steal my idols?”
30 Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”
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 Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’
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 Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.
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 Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.
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 Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them.
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 She said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.
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 Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
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 Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two.
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 “These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks.
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 That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
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 This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.
41 I worked fourteen years for your two daughters, and six more years with your flocks. You reduced my wages ten times!
41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
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 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. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
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 Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?
44 So let's make a solemn agreement between you and I, and it will be a witness to our mutual commitment.”
44 Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be for a witness between me and you.”
45 Jacob took a stone and set it upright as a pillar.
45 Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
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 Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.
47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed.
47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Laban announced, “This pile of stone serves as a witness between me and you.” This is why it was called Galeed.
48 Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed
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 and Mizpah, for he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.
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 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.”
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 Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you.
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 May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
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 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.
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 Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain.
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 Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
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)