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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://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 Catholic Public Domain Version</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></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="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CPDV</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 width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="../menu.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table><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"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">Catholic Public Domain Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/parallel/genesis/31-1.htm" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Verses"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Jacob Flees from Laban<p><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>But afterwards, he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and being enlarged by his ability, he has become famous.” <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Likewise, he observed that Laban’s face was not the same toward him as it was yesterday and the day before. <A name="4"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Most importantly, the Lord was saying to him, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your generation, and I will be with you.” <A name="5"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>He sent and called for Rachel and Leah, in the field where he pastured the flocks, <A name="6"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>and he said to them: “I see that your father’s face is not the same toward me as it was yesterday and the day before. But the God of my father has been with me. <A name="7"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>And you know that I have served your father with all my strength. <A name="8"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Even so, your father has circumvented me, and he has changed my wages ten times. And yet God has not permitted him to harm me. <A name="9"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Whenever he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ all the sheep gave birth to speckled newborns. Yet truly, when he said the contrary, ‘You will take whatever is white for your wages,’ all the flocks gave birth to white ones. <A name="10"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>And it is God who has taken your father’s substance and given it to me. <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>For after the time had arrived for the ewes to conceive, I lifted up my eyes, and I saw in my sleep that the males climbing on the females were of variegated, and spotted, and diverse colors. <A name="12"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>And the Angel of God said to me in my sleep, ‘Jacob.’ And I responded, ‘Here I am.’ <A name="13"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>And he said: ‘Lift up your eyes, and see that all the males climbing on the females are variegated, spotted, and also speckled. For I have seen all that Laban has done to you. <A name="14"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the stone and made a vow to me. Now therefore arise, and depart from this land, returning to the land of your nativity.’ ” <A name="15"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>And Rachel and Leah responded: “Have we anything left behind among the resources and inheritance of our father’s house? <A name="16"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Has he not considered us as foreigners, and sold us, and consumed our price? <A name="17"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>But God has taken our father’s riches and handed these to us and to our sons. Therefore, do all that God has instructed you.”<p> <A name="18"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>And so Jacob rose up, and having placed the children and his wives upon camels, he went forth. <A name="19"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>And he took all his substance and flocks, and whatever he had acquired in Mesopotamia, and he journeyed to his father Isaac, in the land of Canaan. <A name="20"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>At that time, Laban had gone to shear the sheep, and so Rachel stole her father’s idols. <A name="21"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>And Jacob was not willing to confess to his father-in-law that he was fleeing. <A name="22"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>And when he had gone away with all such things that were justly his, and, having crossed the river, was continuing on toward Mount Gilead,<p> <A name="23"></a><p class="hdg">Laban Pursues Jacob<p><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>it was reported to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. <A name="24"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>And taking his brothers with him, he pursued him for seven days. And he overtook him at Mount Gilead. <A name="25"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>And he saw in a dream, God saying to him, “Beware that you not speak anything harsh against Jacob.”<p> <A name="26"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>And now Jacob had pitched his tent at the mountain. And when he, with his brothers, had overtaken him, he set his tent at the same place at Mount Gilead. <A name="27"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>And he said to Jacob: “Why have you acted this way, departing from me in secret, with my daughters like captives of the sword? <A name="28"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Why would you want to flee without my knowledge and without telling me, though I might have led you forward with gladness, and songs, and timbrels, and lyres? <A name="29"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>You have not permitted me to kiss my sons and daughters. You have acted foolishly. And now, indeed, <A name="30"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>my hand has power to repay you with harm. But the God of your father said to me yesterday, ‘Beware that you not speak anything stern against Jacob.’ <A name="31"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>It may be that you desired to go to your own, and that you longed for the house of your father. But why have you stolen my gods?” <A name="32"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Jacob answered: “I set out, unknown to you, because I feared that you might take away your daughters by violence. <A name="33"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>But, since you accuse me of theft, with whomever you will find your gods, let him be slain in the sight of our brothers. Search; anything of yours that you will find with me, take it away.” Now when he said this, he did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.<p> <A name="34"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>And so Laban, entering the tent of Jacob, and of Leah, and of both the handmaids, did not find them. And when he had entered the tent of Rachel, <A name="35"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>she quickly hid the idols under the camel’s bedding, and she sat upon them. And when he had searched the entire tent and found nothing, <A name="36"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>she said: “Do not be angry, my lord, that I am unable to rise up in your sight, because it has now happened to me according to the custom of women.” So his careful search was thwarted.<p> <A name="37"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>And Jacob, being inflated, said with contention: “For which fault of mine, or for what sin of mine, have you become so enraged against me <A name="38"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>and searched all the items of my house? What have you found from all the substance of your house? Place it here before my brothers, and your brothers, and let them judge between me and you. <A name="39"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>For what reason have I been with you for twenty years? Your ewes and she-goats were not barren; the rams of your flocks I did not consume. <A name="40"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>Neither did I reveal to you what was seized by the wild beast. I replaced all that was damaged. Whatever was lost by theft, you collected it from me. <A name="41"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>Day and night, I was burned by heat and by frost, and sleep fled from my eyes. <A name="42"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>And in this way, for twenty years, I have served you in your house: fourteen for your daughters, and six for your flocks. You have also changed my wages ten times. <A name="43"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>If the God of my father Abraham and the fear of Isaac had not been close to me, perhaps by now you would have sent me away naked. But God looked kindly on my affliction and the labor of my hands, and he rebuked you yesterday.”<p> <A name="44"></a><p class="hdg">Jacob’s Covenant with Laban<p><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span>Laban answered him: “My daughters and sons, and your flocks, and all that you discern are mine. What can I do to my sons and grandchildren? <A name="45"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-44.htm"><b>44</b></a></span>Come, therefore, let us enter into a pact, so that it may be a testimony between me and you.” <A name="46"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-45.htm"><b>45</b></a></span>And so Jacob took a stone, and he set it up as a memorial. <A name="47"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-46.htm"><b>46</b></a></span>And he said to his brothers, “Bring stones.” And they, gathering together stones, made a tomb, and they ate upon it. <A name="48"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-47.htm"><b>47</b></a></span>And Laban called it, ‘Tomb of Witness,’ and Jacob, ‘Pile of Testimony;’ each of them according to the fitness of his own language. <A name="49"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-48.htm"><b>48</b></a></span>And Laban said: “This tomb will be a witness between me and you this day.” (And for this reason, its name has been called Gilead, that is, ‘Tomb of Witness.’) <A name="50"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-49.htm"><b>49</b></a></span>“May the Lord consider and judge between us, when we will have withdrawn from one another. <A name="51"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-50.htm"><b>50</b></a></span>If you afflict my daughters, and if you bring in other wives over them, no one is a witness of our words except God, who understands beforehand.” <A name="52"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-51.htm"><b>51</b></a></span>And again he said to Jacob. “Lo, this tomb and the stone that I have set up between me and you, <A name="53"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-52.htm"><b>52</b></a></span>will be a witness. This tomb,” I say, “and the stone, they are for testimony, in case either I cross beyond it going toward you, or you cross beyond it thinking to harm me. <A name="54"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-53.htm"><b>53</b></a></span>May the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Therefore, Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. <A name="55"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-54.htm"><b>54</b></a></span>And after he had immolated sacrifices on the mountain, he called his brothers to eat bread. And when they had eaten, they lodged there. <span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/31-55.htm"><b>55</b></a></span>In truth, Laban rose up in the night, and he kissed his sons and daughters, and he blessed them. And he returned to his place.<p><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Catholic Public Domain Version<br><br>Section Headings Courtesy <a href="https://berean.bible">Berean Bible</i><span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></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="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>