Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
English Standard Version ESV
1 Now Jacob heard what Laban's sons were saying: "Jacob has taken all that was our father's and has built this wealth from what belonged to our father."
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Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth. ”
2 And Jacob saw from Laban's face that his attitude toward him was not the same.
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And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before.
3 Then the Lord said to him, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you."
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Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you. ”
4 Jacob had Rachel and Leah called to the field [where] his flocks were.
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So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was
5 He said to them, "I can see from your father's face that his attitude toward me is not the same, but the God of my father has been with me.
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and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me.
6 You know that I've worked hard for your father
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You know that I have served your father with all my strength,
7 and that he has cheated me and changed my wages 10 times. But God has not let him harm me.
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yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me.
8 If he said, 'The spotted sheep will be your wages,' then all the sheep were born spotted. If he said, 'The streaked sheep will be your wages,' then all the sheep were born streaked.
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If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages, ’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages, ’ then all the flock bore striped.
9 God has taken your father's herds and given them to me.
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Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father 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.
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In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled.
11 In that dream the Angel of God said to me, 'Jacob!' and I said: Here I am.
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Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob, ’ and I said, ‘Here I am! ’
12 And He said, 'Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.
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And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to Me. Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.' "
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I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred. ’”
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered him, "Do we have any portion or inheritance in our father's household?
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Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house?
15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? For he has sold us and has certainly spent our money.
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Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money.
16 In fact, all the wealth that God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has said to you."
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All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do. ”
17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and wives on the camels.
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So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels.
18 He took all the livestock and possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, and he drove his herds to go to the land of his father Isaac in Canaan.
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He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac.
19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household idols.
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Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
20 And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, not telling him that he was fleeing.
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And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee.
21 He fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
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He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
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When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled,
23 So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him at Mount Gilead.
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he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead.
24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night. "Watch yourself!" God warned him. "Don't say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
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But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad. ”
25 When Laban overtook Jacob, Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban and his brothers also pitched [their tents] in the hill country of Gilead.
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And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead.
26 Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me and taken my daughters away like prisoners of war!
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And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword?
27 Why did you secretly flee from me, deceive me, and not tell me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and lyres,
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Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre?
28 but you didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters. You have acted foolishly.
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And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly.
29 I could do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me: 'Watch yourself. Don't say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'
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It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad. ’
30 Now you have gone off because you long for your father-but why have you stolen my gods?"
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And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods? ”
31 Jacob answered, "I was afraid, for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
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Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32 If you find your gods with anyone [here], he will not live! Before our relatives, point out anything that is yours and take it." Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen [the idols].
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Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it. ” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 So Laban went into Jacob's tent, then Leah's tent, and then the tents of the two female slaves, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's.
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So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s.
34 Now Rachel had taken Laban's household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing.
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Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.
35 She said to her father, "Sir, don't be angry that I cannot stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period." So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.
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And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me. ” So he searched but did not find the household gods.
36 Then Jacob became incensed and brought charges against Laban. "What is my crime?" he said to Laban. "What is my sin, that you have pursued me?
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Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
37 You've searched all my possessions! Have you found anything of yours? Put it here before my relatives and yours, and let them decide between the two of us.
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For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two.
38 I've been with you these 20 years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams from your flock.
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These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks.
39 I did not bring you any of the flock torn by wild beasts; I myself bore the loss. You demanded [payment] from me for what was stolen by day or by night.
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What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 There I was-the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
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There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.
41 For 20 years I have worked in your household-14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks-and you have changed my wages 10 times!
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These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, certainly now you would have sent me off empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and my hard work, and He issued His verdict last night."
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If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night. ”
43 Then Laban answered Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters; the sons, my sons; and the flocks, my flocks! Everything you see is mine! But what can I do today for these daughters of mine or for the children they have borne?
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Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?
44 Come now, let's make a covenant, you and I. Let it be a witness between the two of us."
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Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me. ”
45 So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a marker.
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So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
46 Then Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a mound, then ate there by the mound.
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And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones. ” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap.
47 Laban named the mound Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob named it Galeed.
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Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Then Laban said, "This mound is a witness between me and you today." Therefore the place was called Galeed,
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Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today. ” Therefore he named it Galeed,
49 and [also] Mizpah, for he said, "May the Lord watch between you and me when we are out of each other's sight.
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and Mizpah, for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight.
50 If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, though no one is with us, understand that God will be a witness between you and me."
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If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me. ”
51 Laban also said to Jacob, "Look at this mound and the marker I have set up between you and me.
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Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me.
52 This mound is a witness and the marker is a witness that I will not pass beyond this mound to you, and you will not pass beyond this mound and this marker to do me harm.
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This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm.
53 The God of Abraham, and the gods of Nahor-the gods of their father-will judge between us." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
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The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us. ” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac,
54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. So they ate a meal and spent the night on the mountain.
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and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.
55 Laban got up early in the morning, kissed his grandchildren and daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban left to return home.
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Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025