Genesis 31

And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.

Jacob overheard Laban's sons accusing him, saying, "Jacob has stolen our father's wealth and used it to build his own success."

And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

Jacob noticed a change in Laban's face; it no longer held the warmth it once did for him.

And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

The Lord gently told Jacob, "Go back to your father's land, to your family. Don't worry, I'll be right there with you."

And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

Jacob, filled with urgency, summoned Rachel and Leah to join him among his flock in the open field.

And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

He told them, "I sense a change in your father's attitude towards me. But my father's God has always been by my side."

And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

You're aware that I've devoted my entire strength to serve your father faithfully.

And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

Your father has tricked me, altering my earnings ten times over. Yet God protected me, not allowing him to harm me.

If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

If he declared, "Your payment will be the speckled ones," then the whole flock gave birth to speckled young. And if he stated, "Your earnings will be the striped ones," then the whole flock produced striped offspring.

Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

God, in His wisdom, has removed your father's livestock and entrusted them to me.

And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

When the flocks were breeding, I had a dream. In it, I saw that the rams mating with the flock had striped, spotted, and patchy coats.

And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

In my dream, God's angel called out to me, "Jacob". I responded, overwhelmed with awe, "I am here."

And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

He said, "Look up and notice, all the rams mating with the flock are striped, spotted, and gray. I've seen everything Laban has done to you."

I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

I am the God you met in Bethel, where you blessed a sacred stone and made a promise to me. Now, it's time for you to leave this place and go back to your family's land.

And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?

Rachel and Leah, with a hint of desperation in their voices, asked him, "Do we still have any share or rights in our father's home?"

Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

Doesn't he see us as outsiders? He sold us, and even took all our money.

For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

All the wealth God took from our father is now ours and our children's. So, follow whatever God has instructed you to do.

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

With a heart full of determination, Jacob stood tall. He gently guided his sons and wives onto the camels, their eyes filled with trust and anticipation.

And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

He took all his livestock and possessions, everything he had earned in Padanaram, and set off to see his father Isaac in Canaan.

And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.

Laban busied himself with shearing his sheep, oblivious to the fact that Rachel had secretly stolen her father's cherished idols.

And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

Jacob secretly slipped away from Laban the Syrian, without letting him know that he was fleeing.

So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

Overwhelmed, he escaped with everything he owned. Rising up, he crossed the river, his gaze fixed on Mount Gilead with determination.

And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

On the third day, news reached Laban that Jacob had escaped.

And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

With his relatives by his side, he chased him for a full week. Finally, they caught up with him on the slopes of Mount Gilead.

And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

In a nighttime dream, God visited Laban the Syrian. He warned him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, whether it's good or bad."

Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

Laban finally caught up with Jacob. Jacob had already set up his camp on the mountain, while Laban and his relatives made their camp on the Gilead mountain.

And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

Laban confronted Jacob, his voice trembling with disbelief and hurt, "Jacob, why? Why did you sneak away, taking my daughters as if they were prisoners of war?"

Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

Why did you leave in secret, taking away from me without a word? You could have left amidst joy, music, and celebration.

And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

Why didn't you let me hug and kiss my children goodbye? That was a thoughtless decision.

It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

I have the ability to harm you, but your father's God warned me last night, telling me to be careful not to say anything good or bad to Jacob.

And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

Even though you were desperate to return home, why did you feel the need to take my cherished idols?

And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

Jacob responded to Laban, his voice trembling with fear, "I was scared you might forcefully take your daughters away from me."

With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

If you find anyone with your gods, they shouldn't live. Let our family decide what's yours and take it. Little did Jacob know, it was Rachel who took them.

And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.

Laban, filled with anxiety, searched Jacob's tent, then Leah's, and the maidservants', but found nothing. Disappointed, he left Leah's tent and, with a glimmer of hope, stepped into Rachel's.

Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

Rachel, filled with fear, had hidden the idols in the camel's saddlebag and was sitting on them. Laban, frantic and desperate, searched every corner of the tent but couldn't find them.

And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.

She pleaded with her father, "Please don't be upset, father, that I can't stand up for you. I'm dealing with womanly issues." He looked around, but couldn't find the idols.

And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

Jacob was furious and confronted Laban, asking him, "What have I done wrong? What sin have I committed that you've chased after me so aggressively?"

Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

You've gone through all my things, so what did you find that belongs to you? Bring it out here in front of our families, let them decide who's right.

This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

For two decades, I've been by your side. Your sheep and goats have thrived, their young safe. I've never feasted on your flock's rams.

That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

I didn't bring you what was destroyed by wild animals; I bore that loss myself. You held me responsible, whether it was stolen in broad daylight or in the cover of darkness.

Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

I was like this; during the day, the drought drained me, and the frost chilled me at night; sleep eluded my weary eyes.

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

For twenty long years, I've lived under your roof. Fourteen of those years, I worked for the love of your two daughters, and another six for your livestock. Yet, you've altered my pay a staggering ten times.

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

If it wasn't for the God of my ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, who has always been with me, you would have left me with nothing. God has seen my struggles and hard work, and last night He rebuked you.

And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

Laban replied to Jacob, "These girls are my daughters, these kids are my offspring, and these flocks are mine. Everything you see belongs to me. So, what can I possibly do today to my daughters or their children?"

Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

So come now, let's make a promise, you and I. Let it stand as proof of the bond between us.

And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

Jacob, filled with determination, lifted a stone and firmly established it as a monument.

And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

Jacob passionately urged his relatives, "Collect stones!" They did as told, creating a mound from the stones. There, they shared a meal together on the pile.

And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

Laban named it Jegarsahadutha with a firm voice, while Jacob, with a gentle smile, preferred to call it Galeed.

And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

Laban declared, "This mound stands as a testament to our agreement today." Hence, it was named Galeed.

And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Mizpah; he prayed, "May God keep an eye on us, even when we're apart."

If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

If you harm my daughters or marry others, even when no one is around, remember, God is watching both of us.

And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:

Laban told Jacob, "Look at this mound and this monument I've placed between us."

This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

This mound and this monument stand as proof that I won't cross this boundary to hurt you, and you won't cross it to harm me.

The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

May the God of our ancestors, Abraham and Nahor, be our fair judge. And Jacob made a solemn promise, swearing by the God his father Isaac feared.

Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

Jacob, filled with reverence, made a sacrifice on the mountain top. He then invited his relatives to share a meal of bread with him. They ate together, their hearts warmed by the shared meal, and stayed on the mountain throughout the night.

And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

At the break of dawn, Laban woke up. He tenderly kissed his children, showering them with blessings. Then, with a heavy heart, he left, returning to his own home.