CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Genesis 31 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/genesis/31.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/genesis/31-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Genesis 31</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../genesis/30.htm" title="Genesis 30">◄</a> Genesis 31 <a href="../genesis/32.htm" title="Genesis 32">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Jacob Runs from Laban</h3><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_1"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.1" class="v0_31_1">1</span>Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining, “Jacob is now a rich man, and he got everything he owns from our father.” </span><span class="v0_31_2"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.2" class="v0_31_2">2</span>Jacob also noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been before. </span><span class="v0_31_3"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.3" class="v0_31_3">3</span>One day the <span class="nd">Lord</span> said, “Jacob, go back to your relatives in the land of your ancestors, and I will be with you.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_4"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.4" class="v0_31_4">4</span>Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him in the pasture where he kept his sheep, </span><span class="v0_31_5"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.5" class="v0_31_5">5</span>and he told them:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_5">Your father isn't as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God my ancestors worshiped has been on my side. </span><span class="v0_31_6"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.6" class="v0_31_6">6</span>You know that I have worked hard for your father </span><span class="v0_31_7"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.7" class="v0_31_7">7</span>and that he keeps cheating me by changing my wages time after time. But God has protected me. </span><span class="v0_31_8"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.8" class="v0_31_8">8</span>When your father said the speckled sheep would be my wages, all of them were speckled. And when he said the spotted ones would be mine, all of them were spotted. </span><span class="v0_31_9"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.9" class="v0_31_9">9</span>That's how God has taken sheep and goats from your father and given them to me.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_10"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.10" class="v0_31_10">10</span>Once, when the flocks were mating, I dreamed that all the rams were either spotted or speckled. </span><span class="v0_31_11"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.11" class="v0_31_11">11</span>Then God's angel called me by name. I answered, </span><span class="v0_31_12"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.12" class="v0_31_12">12</span>and he said, “Notice that all the rams are either spotted or speckled. I know everything Laban is doing to you, </span><span class="v0_31_13"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.13" class="v0_31_13">13</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.13!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> and I am the God you worshiped at Bethel,<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.13!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> when you poured olive oil on a rock and made a promise to me. Leave here at once and return to the land where you were born.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_14"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.14" class="v0_31_14">14</span>Rachel and Leah said to Jacob:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_14">There's nothing left for us to inherit from our father. </span><span class="v0_31_15"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.15" class="v0_31_15">15</span>He treats us like foreigners and has even cheated us out of the bride price<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.15!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> that should have been ours. </span><span class="v0_31_16"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.16" class="v0_31_16">16</span>So do whatever God tells you to do. Even the property God took from our father and gave to you really belongs to us and our children.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_17"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.17" class="v0_31_17">17</span>Then Jacob, his wives, and his children got on camels and left </span><span class="v0_31_18"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.18" class="v0_31_18">18</span>northern Syria<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.18!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> for the home of his father Isaac in Canaan. Jacob took along all his flocks, herds, and other property.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_19"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.19" class="v0_31_19">19</span>Before Rachel left, she stole the household idols<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.19!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> while Laban was out shearing his sheep.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_20"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.20" class="v0_31_20">20</span>Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.20!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> by not saying that he intended to leave. </span><span class="v0_31_21"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.21" class="v0_31_21">21</span>When Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead, he took with him everything he owned.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Laban Catches Up with Jacob</h3><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_22"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.22" class="v0_31_22">22</span>Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone. </span><span class="v0_31_23"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.23" class="v0_31_23">23</span>So he took some of his relatives along and chased after Jacob for seven days, before catching up with him in the hill country of Gilead. </span><span class="v0_31_24"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.24" class="v0_31_24">24</span>But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, “Don't say a word to Jacob. Don't make a threat or a promise.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_25"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.25" class="v0_31_25">25</span>Jacob had set up camp in the hill country of Gilead, when Laban and his relatives came and set up camp in another part of the hill country. Laban went to Jacob </span><span class="v0_31_26"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.26" class="v0_31_26">26</span>and said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_26">Look what you've done! You've tricked me and run off with my daughters like a kidnapper. </span><span class="v0_31_27"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.27" class="v0_31_27">27</span>Why did you sneak away without telling me? I would have given you a going-away party with singing and with music on tambourines and harps. </span><span class="v0_31_28"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.28" class="v0_31_28">28</span>You didn't even give me a chance to kiss my own grandchildren and daughters goodbye. That was really foolish. </span><span class="v0_31_29"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.29" class="v0_31_29">29</span>I could easily hurt you, but the God your father worshiped has warned me not to make any threats or promises.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_30"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.30" class="v0_31_30">30</span>I can understand why you were eager to return to your father, but why did you have to steal my idols?</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_31"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.31" class="v0_31_31">31</span>Jacob answered, “I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force. </span><span class="v0_31_32"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.32" class="v0_31_32">32</span>If you find that any one of us has taken your idols, I'll have that person killed. Let your relatives be witnesses. Show me what belongs to you, and you can take it back.” Jacob did not realize that Rachel had stolen the household idols.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_33"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.33" class="v0_31_33">33</span>Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two servant women,<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.33!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> but did not find the idols. Then he went to Rachel's tent. </span><span class="v0_31_34"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.34" class="v0_31_34">34</span>She had already hidden them in the cushion she used as a saddle and was sitting on it. Laban searched everywhere and did not find them. </span><span class="v0_31_35"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.35" class="v0_31_35">35</span>Rachel said, “Father, please don't be angry with me for not getting up; I'm having my period.” Laban kept on searching, but still did not find the idols.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_36"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.36" class="v0_31_36">36</span>Jacob became very angry and said to Laban:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_36">What have I done wrong? Have I committed some crime? Is that why you hunted me down? </span><span class="v0_31_37"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.37" class="v0_31_37">37</span>After searching through everything I have, did you find anything of yours? If so, put it here, where your relatives and mine can see it. Then we can decide what to do.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_38"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.38" class="v0_31_38">38</span>In all the 20 years that I've worked for you, not one of your sheep or goats has had a miscarriage, and I've never eaten even one of your rams. </span><span class="v0_31_39"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.39" class="v0_31_39">39</span>If a wild animal killed one of your sheep or goats, I paid for it myself. In fact, you demanded the full price, whether the animal was killed during the day or at night.<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.39!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v0_31_40"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.40" class="v0_31_40">40</span>I sweated every day, and I couldn't sleep at night because of the cold.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_41"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.41" class="v0_31_41">41</span>I had to work 14 of these 20 long years to earn your two daughters and another 6 years to buy your sheep and goats. During that time you kept changing my wages. </span><span class="v0_31_42"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.42" class="v0_31_42">42</span>If the fearsome God<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.42!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> worshiped by Abraham and my father Isaac had not been on my side, you would have sent me away without a thing. But God saw my hard work, and he knew the trouble I was in, so he helped me. Then last night he told you how wrong you were.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Jacob and Laban Make an Agreement</h3><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_43"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.43" class="v0_31_43">43</span>Laban said to Jacob, “Leah and Rachel are my daughters, and their children belong to me. All these sheep you are taking are really mine too. In fact, everything you have belongs to me. But there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children. </span><span class="v0_31_44"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.44" class="v0_31_44">44</span>So I am ready to make an agreement with you, and we will pile up some large rocks here to remind us of the agreement.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_45"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.45" class="v0_31_45">45</span>After Jacob had set up a large rock, </span><span class="v0_31_46"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.46" class="v0_31_46">46</span>he told his men to get some more rocks and pile them up next to it. Then Jacob and Laban ate a meal together beside the rocks. </span><span class="v0_31_47"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.47" class="v0_31_47">47</span>Laban named the pile of rocks Jegar Sahadutha.<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.47!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> But Jacob named it Galeed.<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.47!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v0_31_48"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.48" class="v0_31_48">48</span>Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will remind us of our agreement.” That's why the place was named Galeed. </span><span class="v0_31_49"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.49" class="v0_31_49">49</span>Laban also said, “This pile of rocks means that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> will watch us both while we are apart from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah.<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.49!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_50"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.50" class="v0_31_50">50</span>Then Laban said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_31_50">If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women, I may not know about it, but remember, God is watching us! </span><span class="v0_31_51"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.51-Gen.31.52" class="v0_31_51">51-52</span>Both this pile of rocks and this large rock have been set up between us as a reminder. I must never go past them to attack you, and you must never come past them to attack me. </span><span class="v0_31_53"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.53" class="v0_31_53">53</span>My father Nahor, your grandfather Abraham, and their ancestors all worshiped the same God, and he will make sure that we each keep the agreement.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_31_53">Then Jacob made a promise in the name of the fearsome God<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.31.53!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> his father Isaac had worshiped. </span><span class="v0_31_54"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.54" class="v0_31_54">54</span>Jacob killed an animal and offered it as a sacrifice there on the mountain, and he invited his men to eat with him. After the meal they spent the night on the mountain. </span><span class="v0_31_55"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.31.55" class="v0_31_55">55</span>Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and his grandchildren goodbye, then he left to go back home.</span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.13 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">you … Bethel: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “who appeared to you at Bethel.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.15 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">bride price: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Usually the husband-to-be paid a bride price to the father of the bride. But Jacob didn't pay Laban a bride price for either Rachel or Leah. Instead he was tricked into working 14 years to get the bride he loved. So there was no money for either of Laban's daughters.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.18 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">northern Syria: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 24.10.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.19 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">household idols: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">These were thought to protect the household from danger. It is also possible that the person who had them would inherit the family property.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.20 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the Aramean: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Meaning someone from northern Syria (see the note at 24.10).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.33 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">two servant women: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Bilhah and Zilpah (see 30.4,9).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.39 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">you demanded … night: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">A shepherd was not responsible for sheep and goats killed by wild animals, if the shepherd could supply proof of how they were killed.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.42 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">fearsome God: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.47 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Jegar Sahadutha: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">In Aramaic “Jegar Sahadutha” means “a pile of rocks to remind us.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.47 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Galeed: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">In Hebrew “Galeed” means “a pile of rocks to remind us.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.49 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Mizpah: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">In Hebrew “Mizpah” sounds like “a place from which to watch.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">31.53 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">fearsome God: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 31.42.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Bible text from the Contemporary English Version 2nd Edition (CEV®) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (<a href="http://www.americanbible.org">www.americanbible.org</a>). Learn more at <a href="http://www.cev.bible">www.cev.bible</a>. Discover .BIBLE resources for your ministry at <a href="http://www.get.bible/cev">www.get.bible/cev</a></span></p><br /><br /><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /><br /><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../genesis/30.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 30"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 30" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../genesis/32.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 32"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 32" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/genesis/31-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>