Genesis 31
31
Jacob Escapes from Laban
1Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were complaining, “Everything Jacob owns he has taken from our father! He gained all his wealth from what our father owned.” 2And Jacob saw that Laban no longer viewed him favorably as he once did. 3Then Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your ancestors where you were born; and remember, I will be with you.” 4So Jacob sent a message for Leah and Rachel to meet him in the field where his flocks were grazing. 5When they arrived, he said to them, “I can see that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, but the God of my father has been with me. 6You both know I have worked for your father as hard as I could, 7although he has cheated me and reduced # 31:7 Or “changed.” The implication is that Laban did not give him raises, but reduced his salary literally in the Hebrew “ten times” (a term not meant to define how many times, but a figure of speech for “many, many times”). my wages over and over. Yet God has not allowed him to harm me. 8If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, ‘The striped ones will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9Because of these miracles, God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me!”
10Jacob continued, “Once during the breeding season, I had a dream. I saw that the male goats who were mating were all speckled, streaked, or spotted. 11In the dream, the angel of God called me by my name, ‘Jacob.’ ”
“ ‘I am here,’ I answered.
12“Then he said, ‘Observe and note that all the male goats that are mating are speckled, streaked, or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, # 31:13 As translated from the Septuagint and ancient Targums. The Hebrew is “I am the God of Bethel.” where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth.’ ”
14Then Rachel and Leah answered him, “Our father doesn’t want us to inherit a portion from his estate. 15Hasn’t he treated us as outsiders and not as members of his family? Not only did he sell us like property, but he has also spent our purchase price! 16Our father’s wealth that God has given you was legally ours and our children to begin with! So, go ahead and do whatever God has told you.”
17Jacob immediately put his wives and children on camels 18and took with him all the livestock and everything he had amassed in Paddan-Aram. He set out to return to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
19One day, when Laban had gone to his fields to shear his sheep, # 31:19 Sheep shearing was done in the spring, and it was a time of celebration and festivities that could have lasted a week (see 1 Sam. 25:2, 8, 11; 2 Sam. 13:23). Laban was preoccupied with the festivities and didn’t realize that his household gods had been stolen and that Jacob was secretly taking off with his daughters. Rachel stole her father’s household idols. # 31:19 This is the Hebrew word teraphim; they can be described as small, carved figurines passed down within the family or clan. Teraphim is taken from an Aramaic root word meaning “to inquire.” Apparently, Laban used these images for guidance by divination. Rachel’s taking her father’s gods meant she took his ability to discover where they had gone (see Judg. 17:5; 1 Sam. 19:13; Ezek. 21:21). Other scholars believe that the teraphim guaranteed the right of inheritance to whoever possessed them. According to ancient Akkadian writings, the possession of these family idols (gods) could verify legal title to the family estate. This was perhaps the reason for Laban’s angry accusation of Jacob (v. 30). 20Jacob had outwitted Laban the Aramean by secretly departing without telling him. 21He fled with all that he had, and after crossing the Euphrates, # 31:21 The Euphrates was known to the Hebrews simply as “the River.” It was about fifty miles from Laban’s home to the Euphrates. he headed for the hill country of Gilead. 22And it wasn’t until three days later that Laban discovered Jacob had left.
Laban Pursues Jacob
23Laban, along with some of his relatives, took off in pursuit and chased after Jacob for seven days. He had almost caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead, 24when God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful that you neither harm nor threaten Jacob.” # 31:24 Or “that you speak not to Jacob a word either good or evil.” This is a merism, for God was not telling Laban to remain silent, but rather to neither harm nor threaten Jacob with his words.
25Now Jacob had set up his camp with his flocks on a hill, and Laban had him in his sights. Laban and his companions set up their camp nearby. 26Laban approached Jacob and said, “Nephew, what have you done? You’ve deceived me and carried away my daughters like captives on a battlefield. 27Why did you trick me and run away in secret without telling me? I would have sent you off joyously, celebrating with singing and dancing to the tambourine and stringed instruments. 28And why did you not even let me kiss my daughters and grandchildren goodbye? What you have done is foolish! 29I could harm you, but the God of your father spoke to me in a dream last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you neither harm nor threaten Jacob.’ 30Now I realize you ran away because you desperately long to return to your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
31“I left in a hurry because I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “and I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. 32Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! So here, in the presence of our relatives, if you can find among our possessions anything that is yours, take it.” Now Jacob had no clue that Rachel had stolen the gods.
33Laban went immediately into Jacob’s tent to search. Then he went into the tents of Zilpah and Bilhah but found nothing. After searching Leah’s tent, he went into Rachel’s. 34Now Rachel had taken the family gods and put them in her camel’s cushion and sat on them. 35She said to her father, “Please my father, # 31:35 Or “my lord.” don’t be angry if I don’t rise before you, for I’m having my period.” When he rummaged through her tent, he did not find them.
36Then Jacob became angry and complained to Laban, “What have I done wrong? What sin have I committed that you would hotly pursue me as if you were chasing a criminal? 37You have rummaged through all my things, and did you find anything of your own property? If you did, set them here in front of your relatives and mine. Let them decide between the two of us.”
38Jacob continued, “For the last twenty years I have served you, and the whole time your sheep and goats did not miscarry, nor did I feast on any of your rams. 39If one from your flock was mauled by a wild beast, I didn’t bring it to you; I absorbed the loss myself. And you always made me pay for any missing animal, whether snatched by day or by night. 40Many times, scorching heat consumed me by day and hard frost by night; I endured sleepless nights. 41For these twenty years that I’ve lived among you, I slaved away fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flocks. And besides all that, you’ve reduced my wages over and over. 42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Awesome One of Isaac # 31:42 Or “the One whom Isaac worships” or “the Fear of Isaac.” The Hebrew is uncertain. , had not been on my side, you certainly would have sent me away empty-handed! But God in his mercy took notice of how much I’ve suffered and how hard I’ve worked—and that’s why he rebuked you last night in your dream!”
Laban and Jacob Make a Covenant
43Laban replied to Jacob, “These women are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren; and the flocks are mine. In fact, everything you see belongs to me. But from today I will not be able to do anything more for my daughters and grandchildren. # 31:43 Or “What can I do today about these daughters of mine and these children they have borne?” 44Come now, let’s form a covenant between you and me. Let it endure as a witness between us.” # 31:44 This covenant (treaty), memorialized by the heap of stones and their covenant meal, was an agreement to never harm each other. 45So Jacob took a stone, set it up as a pillar, 46and in the presence of his relatives, he said to them, “Everyone gather stones, and place them here in a pile.” And they did so, and afterward, they ate together next to the heap of stones. 47Laban and Jacob named the place in both languages, Aramaic # 31:47 Or “Jegar Sahadutha,” Aramaic for “Heap of Witness.” and Hebrew, # 31:47 Or “Galeed,” Hebrew for “Heap of Witness.” calling it Witness Heap. 48And Laban said, “Today, this heap of stones will be a witness between you and me of our enduring friendship.” He called it Witness Heap 49and Watchpost, # 31:49 Or “Mizpah,” which means “Watchpost [Lookout].” Jesus is our Mizpah. Eph. 2:14 states that Jesus made the Jew and the gentile one, breaking down the middle wall between them. Jacob, the father of the Israelites, and Laban, a gentile, found peace at Mizpah. for Laban declared, “May Yahweh keep his eyes on us when we are absent from each other. 50If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women besides my daughters, remember that even though no one else is with us, God is watching us. 51Here is the heap of stones and here is the memorial pillar that stands between us. # 31:51 Or “that I have set up between us.” 52This heap and this pillar stand as witnesses that I will never pass beyond them to harm you and that you will never pass beyond them to harm me. 53Now may the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor judge between us!” # 31:53 As translated from some Hebrew manuscripts and the Septuagint. Other Hebrew manuscripts add “the gods of their fathers.” Yahweh, the God of Abraham, was not the god of Nahor. Yahweh called Abraham out of Haran (see Gen. 12:4) and away from idol worship (see Josh. 24:2).
Jacob made his vow by the Awesome One of his father Isaac. # 31:53 Or “by [in the name of] the Fear of Isaac [the One whom Isaac feared].” 54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called everyone together for a meal, and they remained there all night on the mountain.
55Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren, blessed them, and then he returned home.
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Genesis 31: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationBereshis 31
31
1And he heard the divrei Bnei Lavan, saying, Ya'akov hath taken away all that belonged to avinu; and of that which belonged to avinu hath he gotten all this kavod.
2And Ya'akov beheld the countenance of Lavan, and, hinei, it was not toward him as before.
3And Hashem said unto Ya'akov, Shuv el Eretz Avoteicha! And to thy moledet; and I will be with thee.
4And Ya'akov sent and called Rachel and Leah to the sadeh unto his tzon,
5And said unto them, I see penei avichen, that it is not toward me as before; but Elohei Avi is with me.
6And ye know that with all my koach I have served avichen.
7And avichen hath deceived me, and changed my sachar aseret monim but Elohim allowed him not to harm me.
8If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy sachar; then all the tzon bore speckled; and if he said thus, The streaked shall be thy sachar; then bore all the tzon streaked.
9Thus Elohim hath taken away the mikneh of your av, and given them to me.
10And it came to pass at the time that the tzon breed, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a chalom, and, hinei, the male goats mounting the tzon were streaked, speckled, and spotted.
11And the Malach HaElohim spoke unto me in a chalom saying, Ya'akov: And I said, Hineni.
12And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the male goats leaping upon the tzon are streaked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Lavan doeth unto thee.
13I am HaEl Beit-El, where thou anointedst a matzevah (pillar), and where thou vowedst a neder (vow) unto Me: now arise, get thee out from HaAretz Hazot, and return unto thy eretz moledet.
14And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any chelek or nachalah for us in bais avinu?
15Are we not regarded by him nokhriyyot (foreigners, strangers)? For he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our kesef.
16For all the oisher Elohim hath taken from avinu, that belongs to us and baneinu; so then, whatsoever Elohim hath said unto thee, do.
17Then Ya'akov rose up, and set his banim and his nashim upon the gemalim;
18And he drove all his mikneh, and all his goods which he had gotten, the mikneh of his getting, which he had gotten in Paddan-Aram, for to go to Yitzchak aviv in Eretz Kena'an.
19And Lavan went to shear his tzon; and Rachel had stolen the terafim that belong to her av.
20Unawares to Lavan HaArami, Ya'akov stole away, in that he told him not that he was fleeing.
21So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the Nahar [i.e. the Euphrates], and set his face toward Har Gil'ad.
22And it was told Lavan on Yom HaShlishi that Ya'akov was fled.
23And he took his achim with him, and pursued after him derech shivat yamim; and they overtook him at Har Gil'ad.
24And Elohim came to Lavan HaArami in a chalom halailah, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Ya'akov either tov or rah.
25Then Lavan overtook Ya'akov. Now Ya'akov had pitched his ohel on the har; and Lavan with his achim encamped in Har Gil'ad.
26And Lavan said to Ya'akov, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my banot, like shevuyot (captives) taken with the cherev?
27Why didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with simchah, and with shirim (songs), with tof (timbrel, tambourine) and with kinnor (harp)?
28And hast not allowed me to kiss my banim (grandchildren) and my banot? Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29It is in the power of my yad to do you rah; but Elohei Avichem spoke unto me emesh (last night), saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Ya'akov either tov or rah.
30And now, though thou had to go, because thou greatly longedst after bais avicha, yet why hast thou stolen elohai?
31And Ya'akov answered and said to Lavan, Because I was afraid; for I said, Thou wouldest take by force thy banot from me.
32With whomsoever thou findest eloheicha, let him not live; before acheinu discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Ya'akov knew not that Rachel had played the ganav with them.
33And Lavan went into the ohel Ya'akov, and into the ohel Leah and into the ohel shtei ha'amahot; but he found them not. Then went he out of the ohel Leah, and entered into the ohel Rachel.
34Now Rachel had taken the terafim, and put them in the saddle of the gamal, and sat upon them. And Lavan searched all the ohel, but found them not.
35And she said to her av, Let it not displease adoni that I cannot rise up in thy presence; for the derech nashim is upon me. And he searched but found not the terafim.
36And Ya'akov was in wrath, and upbraided Lavan: and Ya'akov answered and said to Lavan, What is my peysha? What is my chattat, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
37Whereas thou hast searched through all that I own, what hast thou found of all thy kelei bais? Set it here before my achim and thy achim, that they may judge between us both.
38These esrim shanah have I been with thee; recheleicha (thy ewes) and thy female goats have not miscarried, and the rams of thy tzon have I not eaten.
39That which was treifah (torn of beasts) I brought not unto thee; I bore the loss of it; of my yad didst thou require it, whether stolen by yom, or stolen by lailah.
40Thus I was; in the yom the chorev (heat) consumed me, and the kerach (cold) by lailah; and my sheynah (sleep) departed from mine eyes.
41Thus have I been esrim shanah in thy bais; I served thee arba-esreh shanah for thy two banot, and shesh shanim for thy tzon: and thou hast changed my sachar aseret monim.
42Except Elohei Avi, Elohei Avraham, and the Pachad of Yitzchak had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty handed. Elohim hath seen mine oni and the toil of my palms, and rebuked thee emesh (last night).
43And Lavan answered and said unto Ya'akov, These banot are my banot, and these banim are my banim, and this tzon is my tzon, and all that thou seest is mine; yet what can I do today about these my banot, or about their banim which they have born?
44Now therefore come thou, let us cut a brit, I and thou; and let it be for an ed between me and thee.
45And Ya'akov took an even, and set it up for a matzevah (pillar).
46And Ya'akov said unto his achim, Gather avanim; and they took avanim, and made a gal (heap, mound); and they did eat there upon the gal.
47And Lavan called it Yegar Sahaduta; but Ya'akov called it Gale'ed (“Heap of Witness”).
48And Lavan said, This gal (heap, mound) is an ed (witness) between me and thee this day. Therefore was shmo called Gale'ed;
49And Mitzpah (Watch); for he said, Hashem watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
50If thou shalt afflict my banot, or if thou shalt take nashim besides my banot, no man is with us; see, Elohim ed beini uveinecha (Elohim is witness between me and you).
51And Lavan said to Ya'akov, Hinei this gal (heap, mound), and hinei the matzevah (pillar), which I have cast between me and thee;
52This gal (heap, mound) be ed (witness), and this matzevah (pillar) be edah (witness), that for ra'ah I will not pass over this gal to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this gal and this matzevah unto me.
53The Elohei Avraham, and Elohei Nachor, Elohei Avihem judge between us. And Ya'akov swore by the Pachad Aviv Yitzchak.
54Then Ya'akov offered zavach upon the har, and called his achim to eat lechem; and they did eat lechem, and tarried all night on the har.
55And early in the boker (morning) Lavan rose up, and kissed his banim and his banot, and made on them a brocha; and Lavan departed, and returned unto his makom.
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