| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, "Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father." | 1Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.” |
| 2And Jacob noticed that Laban's attitude toward him was not what it had been. | 2And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed. |
| 3Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you." | 3Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” |
| 4So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. | 4So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were, |
| 5He said to them, "I see that your father's attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. | 5and he told them, “I can see from your father’s countenance that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me. |
| 6You know that I've worked for your father with all my strength, | 6You know that I have served your father with all my strength. |
| 7yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. | 7And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me. |
| 8If 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,' then all the flocks bore streaked young. | 8If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore streaked offspring. |
| 9So God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me. | 9Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. |
| 10"In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. | 10When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females. |
| 11The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob.' I answered, 'Here I am.' | 11In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’ |
| 12And he said, 'Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. | 12‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you. |
| 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.'" | 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up and leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’ ” |
| 14Then Rachel and Leah replied, "Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father's estate? | 14And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house? |
| 15Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us. | 15Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us. |
| 16Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you." | 16Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you.” |
| 17Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, | 17Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels, |
| 18and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. | 18and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan. |
| 19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods. | 19Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols. |
| 20Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away. | 20Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away. |
| 21So he fled with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed for the hill country of Gilead. | 21So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead. |
| 22On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. | 22On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled. |
| 23Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. | 23So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. |
| 24Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad." | 24But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” |
| 25Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. | 25Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well. |
| 26Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You've deceived me, and you've carried off my daughters like captives in war. | 26Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war! |
| 27Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps? | 27Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps. |
| 28You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing. | 28But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing. |
| 29I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.' | 29I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ |
| 30Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father's household. But why did you steal my gods?" | 30Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?” |
| 31Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. | 31“I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. |
| 32But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods. | 32If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols. |
| 33So Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah's tent, he entered Rachel's tent. | 33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. |
| 34Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel's saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing. | 34Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing. |
| 35Rachel said to her father, "Don't be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I'm having my period." So he searched but could not find the household gods. | 35Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols. |
| 36Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. "What is my crime?" he asked Laban. "How have I wronged you that you hunt me down? | 36Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me? |
| 37Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us. | 37You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us. |
| 38"I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. | 38I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock. |
| 39I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. | 39I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night. |
| 40This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. | 40As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes. |
| 41It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. | 41Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times! |
| 42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you." | 42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.” |
| 43Laban answered Jacob, "The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? | 43But Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne? |
| 44Come now, let's make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us." | 44Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.” |
| 45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. | 45So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar, |
| 46He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. | 46and he said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate. |
| 47Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. | 47Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. |
| 48Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. | 48Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed. |
| 49It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. | 49It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other. |
| 50If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me." | 50If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.” |
| 51Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. | 51Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me. |
| 52This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. | 52This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me. |
| 53May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. | 53May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. |
| 54He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there. | 54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain. |
| 55Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home. | 55Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home. |
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