Genesis 31:1-21

Jacob Flees from Laban

1 Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”

2 And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.

3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,

5 and he told them, “I can see from your father’s countenance that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me.

6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength.

7 And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.

8 If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore streaked offspring.

9 Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

10 When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females.

11 In that dream the angel ^[a] of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’

12 ‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up, leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’”

14 And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house?

15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.

16 Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you.”

17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,

18 and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, ^[b] to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan.

19 Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.

20 Moreover, Jacob deceived ^[c] Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away.

21 So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, ^[d] and 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Or Angel
• [b] That is, northwest Mesopotamia
• [c] Or stole the heart of; also in verses 26 and 27
• [d] Hebrew the River