1 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.
2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 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.
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ring-streaked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ring-streaked.
9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10 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 ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled.
11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
13 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.
14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
16 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.
17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
18 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.
19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.
20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
21 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.
22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
24 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.
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
26 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?
27 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?
28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29 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.
30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
32 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.
33 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.
34 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.
35 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.
36 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?
37 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.
38 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.
39 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.
40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
41 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.
42 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 labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
43 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?
44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
50 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.
51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:
52 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.
53 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.
54 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.
55 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.
Genesis Chapter 31 is a continuation of the story of Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham. In this chapter, we see Jacob's journey back to his homeland after spending 20 years in Haran with his uncle Laban. The main themes of this chapter include family dynamics, deception, and God's faithfulness. Through the events in this chapter, we can learn valuable lessons about relationships, trust, and the providence of God.
The chapter begins with Jacob's realization that Laban's sons were becoming jealous of his increasing wealth and success. He also learns that Laban's attitude towards him has changed, and he no longer sees him as a valuable asset. Jacob then decides to leave Haran and return to his homeland with his wives, children, and livestock.
Before leaving, Jacob calls his wives Rachel and Leah to the field where he was tending his flock. He tells them about his dream where God appeared to him and instructed him to return to his homeland. He also shares with them how Laban has been deceiving him and changing his wages ten times, but God has been faithful and blessed him with wealth.
Rachel and Leah agree to leave with Jacob, and they all set out on their journey. However, Rachel secretly steals her father's household idols, which were believed to bring good luck and prosperity. This act of deception foreshadows the theme of deception that will continue to play out in the rest of the chapter.
When Laban learns that Jacob has fled with his family and possessions, he becomes angry and pursues them. After seven days of chasing, Laban catches up with Jacob and his family in the mountains of Gilead. God appears to Laban in a dream and warns him not to harm Jacob.
When Laban confronts Jacob about his departure, Jacob defends himself by reminding Laban of his years of hard work and how God has blessed him. He also accuses Laban of changing his wages and deceiving him. Laban denies any wrongdoing and demands that Jacob return his daughters and grandchildren.
However, Jacob refuses to give in to Laban's demands and tells him that whoever has stolen his household idols will be put to death. Rachel, who had hidden the idols in her camel's saddle, lies to her father and says she cannot get up because she is having her period. This lie not only shows Rachel's deception but also highlights the cultural belief that menstruating women were unclean and could not be touched.
After their confrontation, Jacob and Laban make a covenant to never harm each other. They set up a pillar as a witness and a boundary between their territories. Laban also blesses Jacob and his family before returning to his homeland.
This covenant marks the end of the relationship between Jacob and Laban and symbolizes the end of Jacob's time in Haran. It also serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and protection over Jacob throughout his time with Laban.
One of the main themes of this chapter is family dynamics. We see how Jacob's relationship with Laban and his family has changed over the years. Initially, Laban welcomed Jacob and treated him as a valuable asset, but as Jacob's wealth increased, Laban's attitude towards him changed. This shows how material possessions can affect relationships and cause jealousy and conflict.
The theme of deception is also prevalent in this chapter. We see how Laban deceived Jacob by changing his wages and how Rachel deceived her father by stealing his household idols. This deception ultimately leads to a breakdown in their relationship and highlights the consequences of dishonesty.
However, amidst all the deception and conflict, we also see God's faithfulness and providence. God appears to Jacob in a dream and instructs him to return to his homeland. He also protects Jacob from Laban's anger and blesses him with wealth. This chapter reminds us that even in the midst of difficult situations, God is always faithful and will fulfill His promises.
Another important lesson we can learn from this chapter is the importance of trust in relationships. Jacob trusted God's guidance and protection, and he was able to overcome the challenges he faced with Laban. On the other hand, Laban's lack of trust in Jacob and his dishonesty ultimately led to the breakdown of their relationship.
Lastly, the covenant between Jacob and Laban serves as a reminder of the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation. Despite their differences and past conflicts, they were able to make peace and set boundaries for their future relationship. This teaches us the importance of forgiveness and the power of reconciliation in restoring broken relationships.
Genesis Chapter 31 is a significant chapter in the story of Jacob. It marks the end of his time in Haran and the beginning of his journey back to his homeland. Through the events in this chapter, we can learn valuable lessons about family dynamics, deception, trust, and God's faithfulness. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation in relationships. As we reflect on this chapter, may we be reminded of God's faithfulness and trust in His guidance and protection in our own lives.
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