Daily Bread

Jacob Flees From Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons^(A) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”^{(B) 2} And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.^(C)

³ Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back^(D) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”^(E)

⁴ So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. ⁵ He said to them, “I see that your father’s^(F) attitude toward me is not what it was before,^(G) but the God of my father has been with me.^{(H) 6} You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,^{(I) 7} yet your father has cheated^(J) me by changing my wages^(K) ten times.^(L) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.^{(M) 8} If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’^(N) then all the flocks bore streaked young. ⁹ So God has taken away your father’s livestock^(O) and has given them to me.^(P)

¹⁰ “In breeding season I once had a dream^(Q) in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. ¹¹ The angel of God^(R) said to me in the dream,^(S) ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’^{(T) 12} And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted,^(U) for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.^{(V) 13} I am the God of Bethel,^(W) where you anointed a pillar^(X) and where you made a vow^(Y) to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.^(Z)’”

¹⁴ Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share^(AA) in the inheritance of our father’s estate? ¹⁵ Does he not regard us as foreigners?^(AB) Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.^{(AC) 16} Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.^(AD) So do whatever God has told you.”

¹⁷ Then Jacob put his children and his wives^(AE) on camels,^{(AF) 18} and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated^(AG) in Paddan Aram,^[a](AH) to go to his father Isaac^(AI) in the land of Canaan.^(AJ)

¹⁹ When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,^(AK) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.^{(AL) 20} Moreover, Jacob deceived^(AM) Laban the Aramean^(AN) by not telling him he was running away.^{(AO) 21} So he fled^(AP) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,^(AQ) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.^(AR)

Laban Pursues Jacob

²² On the third day^(AS) Laban was told that Jacob had fled.^{(AT) 23} Taking his relatives^(AU) with him^(AV), he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.^{(AW) 24} Then God came to Laban the Aramean^(AX) in a dream at night and said to him,^(AY) “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”^(AZ)

²⁵ Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead^(BA) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. ²⁶ Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?^(BB) You’ve deceived me,^(BC) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.^{(BD) 27} Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,^(BE) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels^(BF) and harps?^{(BG) 28} You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.^(BH) You have done a foolish thing. ²⁹ I have the power to harm you;^(BI) but last night the God of your father^(BJ) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’^{(BK) 30} Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.^(BL) But why did you steal^(BM) my gods?^(BN)”