Genesis 31

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Jacob learned that Laban's sons were saying, 'Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father;it is at our father's expense that he has acquired al this wealth,'	1 Jacob learned that Laban's sons were saying, "Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father, and he has accumulated all this wealth of his by using our father's property."
2 and Jacob also saw that Laban's manner towards him was not as it had been in the past.	2 Jacob perceived, too, that Laban's attitude toward him was not what it had previously been.
3 Yahweh said to Jacob, 'Go back to the land of your ancestors, where you were born, and I shal bewith you.'	3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers, where you were born, and I will be with you."
4 So Jacob had Rachel and Leah cal ed to the fields where his flocks were,	4 So Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him where he was in the field with his flock.
5 and he said to them, 'I can see that your father's manner towards me is not as it was in the past, butthe God of my father has been with me.	5 There he said to them: "I have noticed that your father's attitude toward me is not as it was in the past; but the God of my father has been with me.
6 You yourselves know that I have worked for your father with al my might,	6 You well know what effort I put into serving your father;
7 and that your father has tricked me, changing my wages ten times over, and yet God has not al owedhim to harm me.	7 yet your father cheated me and changed my wages time after time. God, however, did not let him do me any harm.
8 Whenever he said, "The spotted ones will be your wages," all the animals produced spotted young;whenever he said, "The striped ones wil be your wages," al the animals produced striped young.	8 Whenever your father said, 'The speckled animals shall be your wages,' the entire flock would bear speckled young; whenever he said, 'The streaked animals shall be your wages,' the entire flock would bear streaked young.
9 Thus God has reclaimed your father's livestock and given it to me.	9 Thus God reclaimed your father's livestock and gave it to me.
10 Once, when the animals were on heat, I suddenly saw in a dream that the he-goats covering thefemales were striped or spotted or piebald.	10 Once, in the breeding season, I had a dream in which I saw mating he-goats that were streaked, speckled and mottled.
11 In the dream the angel of God cal ed to me, "Jacob!" I said, "Here I am."	11 In the dream God's messenger called to me, 'Jacob!' 'Here!' I replied.
12 He said, "Now take note: al the he-goats covering the females are striped or spotted or piebald -- forI too have noted all the things that Laban has been doing to you,	12 Then he said: 'Note well. All the he-goats in the flock, as they mate, are streaked, speckled and mottled, for I have seen all the things that Laban has been doing to you.
13 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you poured oil on a pillar and made a vow tome. On your feet, then, leave this country and return to the land of your birth." '	13 I am the God who appeared to you in Bethel, where you anointed a memorial stone and made a vow to me. Up, then! Leave this land and return to the land of your birth.'"
14 In answer Rachel and Leah said to him, 'Are we stil likely to inherit anything from our father's estate?	14 Rachel and Leah answered him: "Have we still an heir's portion in our father's house?
15 Does he not think of us as outsiders now? For not only has he sold us, but he has completelyswal owed up the money he got for us.	15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? He not only sold us; he has even used up the money that he got for us!
16 Al the wealth that God has reclaimed from our father belonged to us and our children in any case.So do whatever God has told you.'	16 All the wealth that God reclaimed from our father really belongs to us and our children. Therefore, do just as God has told you."
17 Forthwith, Jacob put his children and his wives on camels,	17 Jacob proceeded to put his children and wives on camels,
18 and drove off all his livestock -- with al the possessions he had acquired, the livestock belonging tohim which he had acquired in Paddan-Aram -- to go to his father Isaac in Canaan.	18 and he drove off with all his livestock and all the property he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
19 Laban was away, shearing his sheep; Rachel in the meanwhile had appropriated the household idolsbelonging to her father,	19 Now Laban had gone away to shear his sheep, and Rachel had meanwhile appropriated her father's household idols.
20 and Jacob had outwitted Laban the Aramaean so that he would not be forewarned of his flight.	20 Jacob had hoodwinked Laban the Aramean by not telling him of his intended flight.
21 Thus he got away with all he had. He was soon across the River and heading for Mount Gilead.	21 Thus he made his escape with all that he had. Once he was across the Euphrates, he headed for the highlands of Gilead.
22 Three days later Laban was told that Jacob had fled.	22 On the third day, word came to Laban that Jacob had fled.
23 Taking his brothers with him, he pursued him for seven days and overtook him at Mount Gilead.	23 Taking his kinsmen with him, he pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
24 But God appeared to Laban the Aramaean in a dream that night and said to him, 'On no account sayanything whatever to Jacob.'	24 But that night God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, "Take care not to threaten Jacob with any harm!"
25 Laban caught up with Jacob, who had pitched his tent in the hil s; and Laban pitched camp on MountGilead.	25 When Laban overtook Jacob, Jacob's tents were pitched in the highlands; Laban also pitched his tents there, on Mount Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, 'What do you mean by outwitting me and then carrying off my daughters likeprisoners of war?	26 "What do you mean," Laban demanded of Jacob, "by hoodwinking me and carrying off my daughters like war captives?
27 Why did you flee in secret, stealing away without letting me know, so that I could send you on yourway rejoicing, with songs and the music of tambourines and harps?	27 Why did you dupe me by stealing away secretly? You should have told me, and I would have sent you off with merry singing to the sound of tambourines and harps.
28 You did not even let me kiss my sons and daughters. You have behaved like a fool.	28 You did not even allow me a parting kiss to my daughters and grandchildren! What you have now done is a senseless thing.
29 It is in my power to harm you, but the God of your father said to me last night, "On no account sayanything whatever to Jacob."	29 I have it in my power to harm all of you; but last night the God of your father said to me, 'Take care not to threaten Jacob with any harm!'
30 Now it may be you real y went because you had such a longing for your father's house, but why didyou steal my gods?'	30 Granted that you had to leave because you were desperately homesick for your father's house, why did you steal my gods?"
31 Jacob answered Laban, 'I was afraid, thinking you were going to snatch your daughters from me.	31 "I was frightened," Jacob replied to Laban, "at the thought that you might take your daughters away from me by force.
32 But whoever is found in possession of your gods shall not remain alive. In the presence of ourbrothers, examine for yourself what I have, and take what is yours.' Now Jacob did not know that Rachel hadappropriated them.	32 But as for your gods, the one you find them with shall not remain alive! If, with my kinsmen looking on, you identify anything here as belonging to you, take it." Jacob, of course, had no idea that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33 Laban went into Jacob's tent, and then into Leah's tent and the tent of the two slave-girls, but hefound nothing. He came out of Leah's tent and went into Rachel's.	33 Laban then went in and searched Jacob's tent and Leah's tent, as well as the tents of the two maidservants; but he did not find the idols. Leaving Leah's tent, he went into Rachel's.
34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them inside a camel cushion, and was sitting onthem. Laban went through everything in the tent but found nothing.	34 Now Rachel had taken the idols, put them inside a camel cushion, and seated herself upon them. When Laban had rummaged through the rest of her tent without finding them,
35 Then Rachel said to her father, 'Do not look angry, my lord, because I cannot rise in your presence,for I am as women are from time to time.' Laban searched but did not find the idols.	35 Rachel said to her father, "Let not my lord feel offended that I cannot rise in your presence; a woman's period is upon me." So, despite his search, he did not find his idols.
36 Then Jacob lost his temper and took Laban to task. And Jacob said to Laban, 'What is my offence,what is my crime, for you to have hounded me like this?	36 Jacob, now enraged, upbraided Laban. "What crime or offense have I committed," he demanded, "that you should hound me so fiercely?
37 You have gone through al my belongings; have you found anything belonging to your household?Produce it here in the presence of my brothers and yours, and let them decide between the two of us.	37 Now that you have ransacked all my things, have you found a single object taken from your belongings? If so, produce it here before your kinsmen and mine, and let them decide between us two.
38 In al the twenty years I was under you, your ewes and your she-goats never miscarried, and I neverate rams from your flock.	38 "In the twenty years that I was under you, no ewe or she-goat of yours ever miscarried, and I have never feasted on a ram of your flock.
39 Those mauled I never brought back to you, but bore the loss myself. You demanded compensationfrom me, whether the animal was stolen in daylight or at night.	39 I never brought you an animal torn by wild beasts; I made good the loss myself. You held me responsible for anything stolen by day or night.
40 In the daytime the heat devoured me, and frost at night; I never had a good night's sleep.	40 How often the scorching heat ravaged me by day, and the frost by night, while sleep fled from my eyes!
41 It was like this for the twenty years I spent in your household. Fourteen years I slaved for you for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, since you changed my wages ten times over.	41 Of the twenty years that I have now spent in your household, I slaved fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, while you changed my wages time after time.
42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the Kinsman of Isaac, had not been with me, you wouldhave sent me away empty-handed. But God saw my plight and my labours, and last night he deliveredjudgement.'	42 If my ancestral God, the God of Abraham and the Awesome One of Isaac, had not been on my side, you would now have sent me away empty-handed. But God saw my plight and the fruits of my toil, and last night he gave judgment."
43 Laban replied to Jacob, 'These daughters are my daughters and these children are my children, thislivestock is my livestock: everything you see belongs to me. But what can I do today about my daughters here orabout the children they have borne?	43 Laban replied to Jacob: "The women are mine, their children are mine, and the flocks are mine; everything you see belongs to me. But since these women are my daughters, I will now do something for them and for the children they have borne.
44 So come, let us make a pact, you and me . . . , and let that serve as a witness between us.'	44 Come, then, we will make a pact, you and I; the LORD shall be a witness between us."
45 Jacob then took a stone and set it up as a memorial.	45 Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial stone.
46 Jacob said to his kinsmen, 'Col ect some stones,' and gathering some stones they made a cairn.They had a meal there, on the cairn, and	46 Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather some stones." So they got some stones and made a mound; and they had a meal there at the mound.
47 Laban cal ed it Jegar-Sahadutha while Jacob called it Galeed.	47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob named it Galeed.
48 Laban said, 'May this cairn be a witness between us today.' That is why he named it Galeed,	48 "This mound," said Laban, "shall be a witness from now on between you and me." That is why it was named Galeed--
49 and also Mizpah, because he said, 'Let Yahweh act as watchman between us when we are nolonger in sight of each other.	49 and also Mizpah, for he said: "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are out of each other's sight.
50 If you il -treat my daughters or marry other women besides my daughters, even though no one bewith us, remember: God is witness between us.'	50 If you mistreat my daughters, or take other wives besides my daughters, remember that even though no one else is about, God will be witness between you and me."
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, 'Here is this cairn I have thrown up between us, and here the pil ar.	51 Laban said further to Jacob: "Here is this mound, and here is the memorial stone that I have set up between you and me.
52 This cairn is a witness, and the pil ar is a witness, that I am not to cross to your side of this cairn andyou are not to cross to my side of this cairn and pillar, with hostile intent.	52 This mound shall be witness, and this memorial stone shall be witness, that, with hostile intent, neither may I pass beyond this mound into your territory, nor may you pass beyond it into mine.
53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor judge between us.' Then Jacob swore by theKinsman of his father Isaac.	53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor (their ancestral deities) maintain justice between us!" Jacob took the oath by the Awesome One of Isaac.
54 He offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his kinsmen to the meal. They ate the meal, andpassed the night on the mountain.	54 He then offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his kinsmen to share in the meal. When they had eaten, they passed the night on the mountain.