Genesis 31:1-21

Jacob Runs Away From Laban

1 Jacob heard what Laban's sons were saying. "Jacob has taken everything our father owned," they said. "He has gained all of this wealth from what belonged to our father."

2 Jacob noticed that Laban's feelings toward him had changed.

3 Then the LORD spoke to Jacob. He said, "Go back to your father's land and to your relatives. I will be with you."

4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah. He told them to come out to the fields where his flocks were.

5 He said to them, "I see that your father's feelings toward me have changed. But the God of my father has been with me.

6 You know that I've worked for your father with all of my strength.

7 "But your father has cheated me. He has changed my pay ten times. In spite of everything that's happened, God hasn't let him harm me.

8 Sometimes Laban would say, 'The speckled ones will be your pay.' Then all the flocks had little ones with speckles. At other times he would say, 'The striped ones will be your pay.' Then all the flocks had little ones with stripes.

9 So God has taken away your father's livestock and given it to me.

10 "Once during the mating season I had a dream. In my dream I looked up and saw male goats mating with the flock. The goats had stripes, speckles or spots.

11 "The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob.' I answered, 'Here I am.'

12 He said, 'Look up. See the male goats mating with the flock. All of them have stripes, speckles or spots. That is because I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you.

13 " 'I am the God of Bethel. That is where you poured oil on a pillar. There you made a promise to me. Now leave this land. Go back to your own land.' "

14 Rachel and Leah replied, "Do we still have any share in our father's property?

15 Doesn't our father think of us as strangers? First he sold us. Now he has used up what he was paid for us.

16 All of the wealth God took away from our father really belongs to us and our children. So do what God has told you to do."

17 Then Jacob put his children and wives on camels.

18 He drove all of his livestock ahead of him. He also took with him everything he had gotten in Paddan Aram. He left to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

19 Laban had gone to clip the wool from his sheep. While he was gone, Rachel stole the statues of family gods that belonged to her father.

20 And that's not all. Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean. He didn't tell him he was running away.

21 So Jacob ran off with everything he had. He crossed the Euphrates River. And he headed for the hill country of Gilead.

Genesis 31:1-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 31

This chapter relates how that Jacob observing that Laban and his sons envied his prosperity, and having a call from God to return to his own country, acquaints his wives with it; and reports to them Laban's ill usage of him, and the wonderful appearance of God to him, and for him, and his orders to him to depart from thence, Ge 31:1-13; to which they agreed, knowing full well their father's unkindness, and that they had nothing to expect from him, and therefore judged it best to go off with what they had got through the gift of God unto them, Ge 31:14-16; upon which Jacob set out privately, with all he had, towards his own country, while Laban was shearing his sheep, Ge 31:17-21; three days after, Laban, being informed of it, pursued after Jacob, and overtook him at Mount Gilead; but was warned by the way to be cautious what he said to him, Ge 31:22-25; yet nevertheless he warmly expostulated with him about his secret flight, not giving him the opportunity of taking his leave of his children, and especially for taking away his gods, Ge 31:26-30; to which Jacob gave an answer, Ge 31:31-35; and in his turn was warm likewise, and chided Laban severely for his hot pursuit of him, his charge of stealth, when he could find nothing on him, his hard labour for the space of twenty years with him, and his ill requital of him for it, Ge 31:36-42; however, upon the whole, an amicable agreement was made between them, and they parted in a friendly manner, Ge 31:43-55.