#7: Laban And Jacob (Genesis 31:1-21)
Chapter 31
1 He heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's. From that which was our father's, has he gotten all this wealth."
2 Jacob saw the expression on Laban's face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
3 Yahweh said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
4 Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock,
5 and said to them, "I see the expression on your father's face, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.
6 You know that I have served your father with all of my strength.
7 Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn't allow him to hurt me.
8 If he said this, 'The speckled will be your wages,' then all the flock bore speckled. If he said this, 'The streaked will be your wages,' then all the flock bore streaked.
9 Thus God has taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10 It happened at the time that the flock conceive, that I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled.
11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am.'
12 He said, 'Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth."
14 Rachel and Leah answered him, "Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
15 Aren't we accounted by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and has also quite devoured our money.
16 For all the riches which God has taken away from our father, that is ours and our children's. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do."
17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels,
18 and he carried away all his cattle, and all his substance which he had gathered, the cattle of his getting, which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to Isaac his father to the land of Canaan.
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father's.
20 Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn't tell him that he was running away.
21 So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.
Translation: World English Bible