New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Genesis 31
1
Jacob heard what Laban's sons were saying. "Jacob has taken everything our father owned," they said. "He has gained all of this wealth from what belonged to our father."
Reference
Glory
Isaiah 5:14
Jeremiah 9:23
Matthew 4:8
Parallel theme
Ecclesiastes 4:4
Psalm 17:14
Job 31:31
Proverbs 27:4
Proverbs 14:30
Word
Psalm 57:4
1 Timothy 6:4
3
Then the Lord spoke to Jacob. He said, "Go back to your father's land and to your relatives. I will be with you."
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 28:15
Hebrews 13:5
Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 50:15
Genesis 31:13
Genesis 21:22
Psalm 46:1
Genesis 13:15
Genesis 35:1
References Lord
Genesis 32:9
4
So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah. He told them to come out to the fields where his flocks were.
5
He said to them, "I see that your father's feelings toward me have changed. But the God of my father has been with me.
Reference
6
You know that I've worked for your father with all of my strength.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 30:29
7
"But your father has cheated me. He has changed my pay ten times. In spite of everything that's happened, God hasn't let him harm me.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 31:41
Psalm 37:28
Nehemiah 4:12
Numbers 14:22
Isaiah 4:1
Isaiah 54:17
Job 19:3
Job 1:10
References God
Genesis 31:29
Zechariah 8:23
8
Sometimes Laban would say, 'The speckled ones will be your pay.' Then all the flocks had little ones with speckles. At other times he would say, 'The striped ones will be your pay.' Then all the flocks had little ones with stripes.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 30:32
10
"Once during the mating season I had a dream. In my dream I looked up and saw male goats mating with the flock. The goats had stripes, speckles or spots.
Reference
11
"The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob.' I answered, 'Here I am.'
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 58:9
Genesis 18:17
1 Samuel 3:6
1 Samuel 3:4
1 Samuel 3:8
1 Samuel 3:16
References God
Genesis 31:13
Exodus 3:4
Genesis 22:1
Genesis 31:5
12
He said, 'Look up. See the male goats mating with the flock. All of them have stripes, speckles or spots. That is because I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you.
Reference
13
" 'I am the God of Bethel. That is where you poured oil on a pillar. There you made a promise to me. Now leave this land. Go back to your own land.' "
Reference
15
Doesn't our father think of us as strangers? First he sold us. Now he has used up what he was paid for us.
Reference
16
All of the wealth God took away from our father really belongs to us and our children. So do what God has told you to do."
Reference
18
He drove all of his livestock ahead of him. He also took with him everything he had gotten in Paddan Aram. He left to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Reference
19
Laban had gone to clip the wool from his sheep. While he was gone, Rachel stole the statues of family gods that belonged to her father.
Reference
20
And that's not all. Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean. He didn't tell him he was running away.
21
So Jacob ran off with everything he had. He crossed the Euphrates River. And he headed for the hill country of Gilead.
Reference
📍 Gilead
22
On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had run away.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 30:36
23
He took his relatives with him and went after Jacob. Seven days later he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
Reference
📍 Gilead
24
Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night. He said to him, "Be careful. Do not say anything to Jacob, whether it is good or bad."
Reference
Good
Genesis 24:50
Genesis 31:29
Numbers 24:13
2 Samuel 13:22
Parallel theme
Matthew 27:19
Isaiah 37:29
Job 33:25
Matthew 1:20
References God
Genesis 20:3
Genesis 31:42
25
Jacob had set up his tent in the hill country of Gilead. That's where Laban caught up with him. Laban and his relatives camped there too.
Reference
📍 Gilead
26
Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have tricked me. You have taken my daughters away like prisoners of war.
Reference
27
Why did you run away in secret and trick me? Why didn't you tell me? Then I could have sent you away happily. We could have sung to the music of tambourines and harps.
Reference
28
You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-by. You have done a foolish thing.
Reference
29
"I have the power to harm you. But last night the God of your father spoke to me. He said, 'Be careful. Do not say anything to Jacob, whether it is good or bad.'
Reference
Good
Genesis 31:24
Psalm 52:1
Parallel theme
Acts 9:5
References God
Genesis 31:42
Genesis 31:53
Genesis 28:13
2 Kings 19:10
Daniel 6:20
Daniel 3:28
Daniel 2:47
30
"Now you have run away. You longed to go back to your father's home. But why did you have to steal my gods?"
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 31:19
2 Samuel 5:21
References God
Judges 18:24
Jeremiah 10:11
Isaiah 37:19
Jeremiah 43:12
Exodus 12:12
Numbers 33:4
Judges 6:31
31
Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid. I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.
Reference
32
"But if you find anyone who has your gods, he will not remain alive. While our relatives are watching, look for yourself. See if there's anything of yours here with me. If you find anything belonging to you, take it." But Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen the gods.
Reference
33
So Laban went into Jacob's tent and Leah's tent. He went into the tent of their two female servants. But he didn't find anything. After he came out of Leah's tent, he entered Rachel's tent.
Reference
34
Rachel was the one who had taken his family gods. She had put them inside her camel's saddle. She was sitting on them. Laban searched the whole tent. But he didn't find anything.
Reference
35
Rachel said to her father, "I'm sorry, sir. I can't get up for you right now. But don't be angry with me. I'm having my monthly period." So he searched everywhere but couldn't find his family gods.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Kings 2:19
Leviticus 15:19
1 Peter 2:18
References Lord
Exodus 20:12
Ephesians 6:1
Leviticus 19:3
1 Peter 3:6
Resurrection
Leviticus 19:32
36
Jacob was very angry with Laban. "What have I done wrong?" he asked. "What sin have I committed to make you hunt me down like this?
Reference
37
You have searched through all of my things. What have you found that belongs to your family? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine. Let them decide between the two of us.
Reference
38
"I've been with you for 20 years now. The little ones of your sheep and goats were not dead when they were born. I haven't eaten rams from your flocks.
Reference
39
I didn't bring you animals that were torn apart by wild beasts. I made up for the loss myself. Also, you made me pay for anything that was stolen by day or night.
Reference
40
"And what was my life like? The heat burned me in the daytime. And it was so cold at night that I froze. I couldn't sleep.
Reference
41
That's what it was like for the 20 years I was living with you. "I worked for 14 years to get your two daughters. I worked for six years to get my share of your flocks. You changed my pay ten times.
Reference
42
"But the God of my father was with me. He is the God of Abraham and the God Isaac worshiped. If he hadn't been with me, you would certainly have sent me away without anything to show for all of my work. But God has seen my hard times. He has seen all of the work my hands have done. So last night he warned you."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 31:7
Genesis 29:32
Isaiah 8:13
Exodus 3:7
Jude 1:9
Genesis 31:12
References God
Genesis 31:29
Genesis 31:53
Genesis 31:24
1 Chronicles 12:17
43
Laban answered Jacob, "The women are my daughters. The children are my children. The flocks are my flocks. Everything you see is mine. But what can I do today about these daughters of mine? What can I do about the children they've had?
45
So Jacob took a stone. He set it up as a pillar.
46
He said to his relatives, "Get some stones." So they took stones and put them in a pile. And they ate there by it.
Reference
47
Laban named the pile of stones Jegar Sahadutha. Jacob named it Galeed.
📍 Locations
48
Laban said, "This pile of stones is a witness between you and me today." That's why it was named Galeed.
Reference
📍 Galeed
49
It was also called Mizpah. That's because Laban said, "May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.
Reference
📍 Mizpah 1
50
Don't treat my daughters badly. Don't get married to any women besides my daughters. There isn't anyone here to see what we're doing. But remember that God is a witness between you and me."
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 18:18
Witness
Jeremiah 42:5
Jeremiah 29:23
Judges 11:10
Micah 1:2
1 Thessalonians 2:5
Malachi 3:5
Malachi 2:14
1 Samuel 12:5
51
Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this pile of stones. And here is this pillar. I've set them up between you and me.
52
This pile is a witness. And this pillar is a witness. They give witness that I won't go past this pile to harm you. And they give witness that you won't go past this pile and pillar to harm me.
Reference
Witness
Genesis 31:48
53
"The God of Abraham and Nahor is also the God of their father. May their God decide which of us is right." So Jacob took an oath in the name of the God his father Isaac worshiped.
Reference
Judgment
Genesis 16:5
Parallel theme
Genesis 11:31
References God
Genesis 31:42
Exodus 3:6
Joshua 24:2
Genesis 14:22
Genesis 28:13
Genesis 17:7
Deuteronomy 6:13
54
He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country. And he invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
Reference
55
Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters. He gave them his blessing. Then he left and returned home.
Reference
Blessing
Genesis 28:1
Genesis 24:60
Deuteronomy 23:5
Parallel theme
Genesis 31:28
Genesis 18:33
Genesis 30:25
Psalm 76:10
Proverbs 16:7
Genesis 31:43
Genesis 33:4
Summary of Genesis 31
The chapter begins with Jacob noting a change in the atmosphere – he hears Laban’s sons grumbling that their brother has “taken away all that was our father’s” and that Jacob has acquired riches by right of his own skill. Jacob also sees that his patron behaves differently towards him now. At about the same time, the Lord advises Jacob to return to the land of his fathers and promises to be with him.
Jacob summons Rachel and Leah to the place where his flocks are and tells them what he has seen and heard. He warns them that Laban is treating them as outsiders while he is being unjust to his employees and that God has protected him from his father-in-law’s greed. He recounts how many times Laban changed his wages and how God protected him from the deceit of Laban. In addition, Jacob relates that he learned the secrets of animal breeding in a dream in which the Lord spoke to him about the art of animal breeding and promised to be with him. God told him to leave his father-in-law’s land and return to his own country. Rachel and Leah are surprised at these words because Laban has been treating them as outsiders and has been exploiting them. They believe that their father sold them and wasted his wealth to get rid of them. God has spoken to his son, and they have no choice but to obey. In addition, they are tired of being treated as slaves.
Jacob prepares to return to his father’s homeland and warns his family to be ready to leave. He makes his children and wives ride on camels and takes away all Laban’s property, leading his flocks and herds to the border of Canaan. When Rachel steals her father’s household gods from the roof of their parents’ house, Laban is unaware of this. Jacob seizes the opportunity to get away from his father-in-law and flees to the mountains of Gilead with all the wealth that belongs to him. Laban then learns from his slaves that Jacob has fled and pursues him with his relatives for seven days.
They find him in the territory of Gilead. This meeting took place at night, and God warned Laban to leave Jacob alone. He told him not to speak to him either badly or well when he wakes up. It is noteworthy that Laban was told this directly by God when he fell asleep.
Laban is furious with Jacob and asks him what he means by deceiving him and stealing his daughters. In addition, he accuses Jacob of fleeing secretly and not allowing him to bid farewell to his daughters and grandsons. Laban tells Jacob that he could have injured him for speaking thus, but God warned him the night before and told him not to say a word to Jacob. What does Jacob say to this accusation? Laban demands that he return the gods that belong to him, and Jacob warns him that the one who has hidden them will die.
Laban searched all the tents, and his servants helped him. Jacob and his two wives were the last to be searched, and Rachel was still sitting on the camel saddle. Her father found nothing as he went to the tent. Rachel told her father that she was unwell, and Laban left the tent, saying nothing more. Thus, Laban did not find the gods. Jacob warns Laban that he has the right to accuse him of lying and steal his wealth, but Laban has nothing to accuse him of.
Laban replies that for twenty years he has served him, suffering greatly. He is exhausted from living in the sun and the cold, and he does not know if he has deserved such treatment from his son-in-law. Laban tells Jacob that if the God of his father were with him and if he saw how much he suffered, he would have ordered him to leave his service long ago.
Laban suggests that it is time for them to make a covenant to guarantee the security of both parties, and they agreed.
They made a pile of stones, on which they sat and had a meal. Laban called this heap a “pile of witness” in Aramaic, and Jacob called it “Mizpah,” saying that the Lord would watch over them. They both said that if one of them went beyond the boundaries of this pile of witnesses, the other would bring the one who did this to the notice of the Lord. Laban says to his daughters that he will bless them when he sees them again, and in the morning he kissed his grandchildren and went home.
These events that occurred to Jacob at the end of his twenty-year-long service to Laban demonstrate that the relationship between the two men was very complex. Laban was quite a cunning person and took advantage of his subordinate at various times. Jacob, in turn, was quite resourceful and managed not to lose anything in this long and arduous service. Laban did not manage to find a single opportunity to take advantage of Jacob many times and suffered from his resourcefulness. Jacob left his father-in-law’s home free from all accusations, which opened the way to his journey to his father. Nevertheless, he still has to reckon with the hostility of his brother Esau, which awaits him at the border of his father’s kingdom.
Jacob summons Rachel and Leah to the place where his flocks are and tells them what he has seen and heard. He warns them that Laban is treating them as outsiders while he is being unjust to his employees and that God has protected him from his father-in-law’s greed. He recounts how many times Laban changed his wages and how God protected him from the deceit of Laban. In addition, Jacob relates that he learned the secrets of animal breeding in a dream in which the Lord spoke to him about the art of animal breeding and promised to be with him. God told him to leave his father-in-law’s land and return to his own country. Rachel and Leah are surprised at these words because Laban has been treating them as outsiders and has been exploiting them. They believe that their father sold them and wasted his wealth to get rid of them. God has spoken to his son, and they have no choice but to obey. In addition, they are tired of being treated as slaves.
Jacob prepares to return to his father’s homeland and warns his family to be ready to leave. He makes his children and wives ride on camels and takes away all Laban’s property, leading his flocks and herds to the border of Canaan. When Rachel steals her father’s household gods from the roof of their parents’ house, Laban is unaware of this. Jacob seizes the opportunity to get away from his father-in-law and flees to the mountains of Gilead with all the wealth that belongs to him. Laban then learns from his slaves that Jacob has fled and pursues him with his relatives for seven days.
They find him in the territory of Gilead. This meeting took place at night, and God warned Laban to leave Jacob alone. He told him not to speak to him either badly or well when he wakes up. It is noteworthy that Laban was told this directly by God when he fell asleep.
Laban is furious with Jacob and asks him what he means by deceiving him and stealing his daughters. In addition, he accuses Jacob of fleeing secretly and not allowing him to bid farewell to his daughters and grandsons. Laban tells Jacob that he could have injured him for speaking thus, but God warned him the night before and told him not to say a word to Jacob. What does Jacob say to this accusation? Laban demands that he return the gods that belong to him, and Jacob warns him that the one who has hidden them will die.
Laban searched all the tents, and his servants helped him. Jacob and his two wives were the last to be searched, and Rachel was still sitting on the camel saddle. Her father found nothing as he went to the tent. Rachel told her father that she was unwell, and Laban left the tent, saying nothing more. Thus, Laban did not find the gods. Jacob warns Laban that he has the right to accuse him of lying and steal his wealth, but Laban has nothing to accuse him of.
Laban replies that for twenty years he has served him, suffering greatly. He is exhausted from living in the sun and the cold, and he does not know if he has deserved such treatment from his son-in-law. Laban tells Jacob that if the God of his father were with him and if he saw how much he suffered, he would have ordered him to leave his service long ago.
Laban suggests that it is time for them to make a covenant to guarantee the security of both parties, and they agreed.
They made a pile of stones, on which they sat and had a meal. Laban called this heap a “pile of witness” in Aramaic, and Jacob called it “Mizpah,” saying that the Lord would watch over them. They both said that if one of them went beyond the boundaries of this pile of witnesses, the other would bring the one who did this to the notice of the Lord. Laban says to his daughters that he will bless them when he sees them again, and in the morning he kissed his grandchildren and went home.
These events that occurred to Jacob at the end of his twenty-year-long service to Laban demonstrate that the relationship between the two men was very complex. Laban was quite a cunning person and took advantage of his subordinate at various times. Jacob, in turn, was quite resourceful and managed not to lose anything in this long and arduous service. Laban did not manage to find a single opportunity to take advantage of Jacob many times and suffered from his resourcefulness. Jacob left his father-in-law’s home free from all accusations, which opened the way to his journey to his father. Nevertheless, he still has to reckon with the hostility of his brother Esau, which awaits him at the border of his father’s kingdom.