Genèse 31:16-26

16 Car toutes les richesses que Dieu a ôtées à notre père, sont à nous et à nos enfants. Maintenant donc, fais tout ce que Dieu t'a dit.

17 Alors Jacob se leva, et fit monter ses enfants et ses femmes sur les chameaux.

18 Et il emmena tout son bétail et tout le bien qu'il avait acquis, son bétail particulier, qu'il avait acquis à Paddan-Aram, pour venir vers Isaac, son père, au pays de Canaan.

19 Or Laban était allé tondre ses brebis; et Rachel déroba les théraphim de son père.

20 Et Jacob trompa Laban l'Araméen, en ne lui disant point qu'il voulait s'enfuir.

21 Il s'enfuit donc, lui et tout ce qui lui appartenait; et il se leva, et passa le fleuve, et s'avança vers la montagne de Galaad.

22 Et le troisième jour on rapporta à Laban que Jacob s'était enfui.

23 Alors il prit ses frères avec lui, et le poursuivit sept journées de marche, et le rejoignit à la montagne de Galaad.

24 Mais Dieu vint vers Laban, l'Araméen, dans un songe de la nuit, et lui dit: Garde-toi de rien dire à Jacob, ni en bien, ni en mal.

25 Laban atteignit donc Jacob. Et Jacob avait planté sa tente sur la montagne. Et Laban tendit la sienne avec ses frères sur la montagne de Galaad.

26 Et Laban dit à Jacob: Qu'as-tu fait? Tu m'as trompé, et tu as emmené mes filles comme des prisonnières de guerre.

Genèse 31:16-26 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.