Genesis 31 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Genesis 31 (WEBP)

[1] Jacob heard Laban’s sons’ words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.”
[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, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore streaked.
[9] Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock, and given them to me.
[10] During mating season, 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 considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money.
[16] For all the riches which God has taken away from our father are 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 took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained 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.
[22] Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
[23] He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.
[24] God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
[25] Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead.
[26] Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?
[27] Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;
[28] and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.
[29] It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’
[30] Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”
[31] Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’
[32] Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.
[33] Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.
[34] Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them.
[35] She said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.
[36] Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
[37] Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two.
[38] “These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks.
[39] That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
[40] This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.
[41] 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] Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
[43] Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?
[44] Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be for a witness between me and you.”
[45] Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
[46] Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.
[47] Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
[48] Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed
[49] and Mizpah, for he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.
[50] If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.”
[51] Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you.
[52] May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
[53] The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.
[54] Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain.
[55] Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.

Genesis 31:19 teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property.
Genesis 31:47a “Jegar Sahadutha” means “Witness Heap” in Aramaic.
Genesis 31:47b “Galeed” means “Witness Heap” in Hebrew.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Genesis 31 (KJVS)

[1] And he heard () the words of Laban’s sons , saying (), Jacob hath taken away () all that [was] our father’s ; and of [that] which [was] our father’s hath he gotten () all this glory .
[2] And Jacob beheld () the countenance of Laban , and, behold, it [was] not toward him as before .
[3] And the LORD said () unto Jacob , Return () unto the land of thy fathers , and to thy kindred ; and I will be with thee.
[4] And Jacob sent () and called () Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock ,
[5] And said () unto them, I see () your father’s countenance , that it [is] not toward me as before ; but the God of my father hath been () with me.
[6] And ye know () that with all my power I have served () your father .
[7] And your father hath deceived () me, and changed () my wages ten times ; but God suffered him () not to hurt () me .
[8] If he said () thus, The speckled shall be thy wages ; then all the cattle bare () speckled : and if he said () thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire ; then bare () all the cattle ringstraked .
[9] Thus God hath taken away () the cattle of your father , and given () [them] to me.
[10] And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived (), that I lifted up () mine eyes , and saw () in a dream , and, behold, the rams which leaped () upon the cattle [were] ringstraked , speckled , and grisled .
[11] And the angel of God spake () unto me in a dream , [saying], Jacob : And I said (), Here [am] I.
[12] And he said (), Lift up () now thine eyes , and see (), all the rams which leap () upon the cattle [are] ringstraked , speckled , and grisled : for I have seen () all that Laban doeth () unto thee.
[13] I [am] the God of Bethel , where thou anointedst () the pillar , [and] where thou vowedst () a vow unto me: now arise (), get thee out () from this land , and return () unto the land of thy kindred .
[14] And Rachel and Leah answered () and said () unto him, [Is there] yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house ?
[15] Are we not counted () of him strangers ? for he hath sold () us, and hath quite () devoured () also our money .
[16] For all the riches which God hath taken () from our father , that [is] ours, and our children’s : now then, whatsoever God hath said () unto thee, do ().
[17] Then Jacob rose up (), and set () his sons and his wives upon camels ;
[18] And he carried away () all his cattle , and all his goods which he had gotten (), the cattle of his getting , which he had gotten () in Padanaram , for to go () to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan .
[19] And Laban went () to shear () his sheep : and Rachel had stolen () the images that [were] her father’s .
[20] And Jacob stole away () unawares to Laban the Syrian , in that he told () him not that he fled ().
[21] So he fled () with all that he had; and he rose up (), and passed over () the river , and set () his face [toward] the mount Gilead .
[22] And it was told () Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled ().
[23] And he took () his brethren with him, and pursued () after him seven days ’ journey ; and they overtook () him in the mount Gilead .
[24] And God came () to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night , and said () unto him, Take heed () that thou speak () not to Jacob either good or bad .
[25] Then Laban overtook () Jacob . Now Jacob had pitched () his tent in the mount : and Laban with his brethren pitched () in the mount of Gilead .
[26] And Laban said () to Jacob , What hast thou done (), that thou hast stolen away () unawares to me, and carried away () my daughters , as captives () [taken] with the sword ?
[27] Wherefore didst thou flee away () secretly (), and steal away () from me; and didst not tell () me, that I might have sent thee away () with mirth , and with songs , with tabret , and with harp ?
[28] And hast not suffered () me to kiss () my sons and my daughters ? thou hast now done foolishly () in [so] doing ().
[29] It is in the power of my hand to do () you hurt : but the God of your father spake () unto me yesternight , saying (), Take thou heed () that thou speak not () to Jacob either good or bad .
[30] And now, [though] thou wouldest needs () be gone (), because thou sore () longedst () after thy father’s house , [yet] wherefore hast thou stolen () my gods ?
[31] And Jacob answered () and said () to Laban , Because I was afraid (): for I said (), Peradventure thou wouldest take by force () thy daughters from me.
[32] With whomsoever thou findest () thy gods , let him not live (): before our brethren discern () thou what [is] thine with me, and take () [it] to thee. For Jacob knew () not that Rachel had stolen () them.
[33] And Laban went () into Jacob’s tent , and into Leah’s tent , and into the two maidservants ’ tents ; but he found () [them] not. Then went he out () of Leah’s tent , and entered () into Rachel’s tent .
[34] Now Rachel had taken () the images , and put () them in the camel’s furniture , and sat () upon them. And Laban searched () all the tent , but found () [them] not.
[35] And she said () to her father , Let it not displease () my lord that I cannot () rise up () before thee ; for the custom of women [is] upon me. And he searched (), but found () not the images .
[36] And Jacob was wroth (), and chode () with Laban : and Jacob answered () and said () to Laban , What [is] my trespass ? what [is] my sin , that thou hast so hotly pursued () after me ?
[37] Whereas thou hast searched () all my stuff , what hast thou found () of all thy household stuff ? set () [it] here before my brethren and thy brethren , that they may judge () betwixt us both .
[38] This twenty years [have] I [been] with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young (), and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten ().
[39] That which was torn [of beasts] I brought () not unto thee; I bare the loss () of it; of my hand didst thou require () it, [whether] stolen () by day , or stolen () by night .
[40] [Thus] I was; in the day the drought consumed () me, and the frost by night ; and my sleep departed () from mine eyes .
[41] Thus have I been twenty years in thy house ; I served thee () fourteen years for thy two daughters , and six years for thy cattle : and thou hast changed () my wages ten times .
[42] Except the God of my father , the God of Abraham , and the fear of Isaac , had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away () now empty . God hath seen () mine affliction and the labour of my hands , and rebuked () [thee] yesternight .
[43] And Laban answered () and said () unto Jacob , [These] daughters [are] my daughters , and [these] children [are] my children , and [these] cattle [are] my cattle , and all that thou seest () [is] mine: and what can I do () this day unto these my daughters , or unto their children which they have born ()?
[44] Now therefore come thou (), let us make () a covenant , I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
[45] And Jacob took () a stone , and set it up () [for] a pillar .
[46] And Jacob said () unto his brethren , Gather () stones ; and they took () stones , and made () an heap : and they did eat () there upon the heap .
[47] And Laban called () it Jegarsahadutha : but Jacob called () it Galeed .
[48] And Laban said (), This heap [is] a witness between me and thee this day . Therefore was the name of it called () Galeed ;
[49] And Mizpah ; for he said (), The LORD watch () between me and thee, when we are absent () one from another .
[50] If thou shalt afflict () my daughters , or if thou shalt take () [other] wives beside my daughters , no man [is] with us; see (), God [is] witness betwixt me and thee.
[51] And Laban said () to Jacob , Behold this heap , and behold [this] pillar , which I have cast () betwixt me and thee;
[52] This heap [be] witness , and [this] pillar [be] witness , that I will not pass over () this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over () this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm .
[53] The God of Abraham , and the God of Nahor , the God of their father , judge () betwixt us. And Jacob sware () by the fear of his father Isaac .
[54] Then Jacob offered () sacrifice upon the mount , and called () his brethren to eat () bread : and they did eat () bread , and tarried all night () in the mount .
[55] And early in the morning Laban rose up (), and kissed () his sons and his daughters , and blessed () them: and Laban departed (), and returned () unto his place .

Young’s Literal Translation

Genesis 31 (YLT)

[1] And he heareth the words of Laban’s sons, saying, ‘Jacob hath taken all that our father hath; yea, from that which our father hath, he hath made all this honour;’
[2] and Jacob seeth the face of Laban, and lo, it is not with him as heretofore.
[3] And Jehovah saith unto Jacob, ‘Turn back unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I am with thee.’
[4] And Jacob sendeth and calleth for Rachel and for Leah to the field unto his flock;
[5] and saith to them, ‘I am beholding your father’s face-that it is not towards me as heretofore, and the God of my father hath been with me,
[6] and ye-ye have known that with all my power I have served your father,
[7] and your father hath played upon me, and hath changed my hire ten times; and God hath not suffered him to do evil with me.
[8] ‘If he say thus: The speckled are thy hire, then bare all the flock speckled ones; and if he say thus: The ring-streaked are thy hire, then bare all the flock ring-streaked;
[9] and God taketh away the substance of your father, and doth give to me.
[10] ‘And it cometh to pass at the time of the flock conceiving, that I lift up mine eyes and see in a dream, and lo, the he-goats, which are going up on the flock, are ring-streaked, speckled, and grisled;
[11] and the messenger of God saith unto me in the dream, Jacob, and I say, Here am I.
[12] ‘And He saith, Lift up, I pray thee, thine eyes, and see-all the he-goats which are going up on the flock are ring-streaked, speckled, and grisled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to thee;
[13] I am the God of Bethel where thou hast anointed a standing pillar, where thou hast vowed a vow to me; now, arise, go out from this land, and turn back unto the land of thy birth.’
[14] And Rachel answereth-Leah also-and saith to him, ‘Have we yet a portion and inheritance in the house of our father?
[15] have we not been reckoned strangers to him? for he hath sold us, and he also utterly consumeth our money;
[16] for all the wealth which God hath taken away from our father, it is ours, and our children’s; and now, all that God hath said unto thee-do.’
[17] And Jacob riseth, and lifteth up his sons and his wives on the camels,
[18] and leadeth all his cattle, and all his substance which he hath acquired, the cattle of his getting, which he hath acquired in Padan-Aram, to go unto Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.
[19] And Laban hath gone to shear his flock, and Rachel stealeth the teraphim which her father hath;
[20] and Jacob deceiveth the heart of Laban the Aramaean, because he hath not declared to him that he is fleeing;
[21] and he fleeth, he and all that he hath, and riseth, and passeth over the River, and setteth his face toward the mount of Gilead.
[22] And it is told to Laban on the third day that Jacob hath fled,
[23] and he taketh his brethren with him, and pursueth after him a journey of seven days, and overtaketh him in the mount of Gilead.
[24] And God cometh in unto Laban the Aramaean in a dream of the night, and saith to him, ‘Take heed to thyself lest thou speak with Jacob from good unto evil.’
[25] And Laban overtaketh Jacob; and Jacob hath fixed his tent in the mount; and Laban with his brethren have fixed theirs in the mount of Gilead.
[26] And Laban saith to Jacob, ‘What hast thou done that thou dost deceive my heart, and lead away my daughters as captives of the sword?
[27] Why hast thou hidden thyself to flee, and deceivest me, and hast not declared to me, and I send thee away with joy and with songs, with tabret and with harp,
[28] and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters?-now thou hast acted foolishly in doing so;
[29] my hand is to God to do evil with you, but the God of your father yesternight hath spoken unto me, saying, Take heed to thyself from speaking with Jacob from good unto evil.
[30] ‘And now, thou hast certainly gone, because thou hast been very desirous for the house of thy father; why hast thou stolen my gods?’
[31] And Jacob answereth and saith to Laban, ‘Because I was afraid, for I said, Lest thou take violently away thy daughters from me;
[32] with whomsoever thou findest thy gods-he doth not live; before our brethren discern for thyself what is with me, and take to thyself:’ and Jacob hath not known that Rachel hath stolen them.
[33] And Laban goeth into the tent of Jacob, and into the tent of Leah, and into the tent of the two handmaidens, and hath not found; and he goeth out from the tent of Leah, and goeth into the tent of Rachel.
[34] And Rachel hath taken the teraphim, and putteth them in the furniture of the camel, and sitteth upon them; and Laban feeleth all the tent, and hath not found;
[35] and she saith unto her father, ‘Let it not be displeasing in the eyes of my lord that I am not able to rise at thy presence, for the way of women is on me;’ and he searcheth, and hath not found the teraphim.
[36] And it is displeasing to Jacob, and he striveth with Laban; and Jacob answereth and saith to Laban, ‘What is my transgression? what my sin, that thou hast burned after me?
[37] for thou hast felt all my vessels: what hast thou found of all the vessels of thy house? set here before my brethren, and thy brethren, and they decide between us both.
[38] ‘These twenty years I am with thee: thy ewes and thy she-goats have not miscarried, and the rams of thy flock I have not eaten;
[39] the torn I have not brought in unto thee-I, I repay it-from my hand thou dost seek it; I have been deceived by day, and I have been deceived by night;
[40] I have been thus: in the day consumed me hath drought, and frost by night, and wander doth my sleep from mine eyes.
[41] ‘This is to me twenty years in thy house: I have served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock; and thou changest my hire ten times;
[42] unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been for me, surely now empty thou hadst sent me away; mine affliction and the labour of my hands hath God seen, and reproveth yesternight.’
[43] And Laban answereth and saith unto Jacob, ‘The daughters are my daughters, and the sons my sons, and the flock my flock, and all that thou art seeing is mine; and to my daughters-what do I to these to-day, or to their sons whom they have born?
[44] and now, come, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and it hath been for a witness between me and thee.’
[45] And Jacob taketh a stone, and lifteth it up for a standing pillar;
[46] and Jacob saith to his brethren, ‘Gather stones,’ and they take stones, and make a heap; and they eat there on the heap;
[47] and Laban calleth it Jegar-Sahadutha; and Jacob hath called it Galeed.
[48] And Laban saith, ‘This heap is witness between me and thee to-day;’ therefore hath he called its name Galeed;
[49] Mizpah also, for he said, ‘Jehovah doth watch between me and thee, for we are hidden one from another;
[50] if thou afflict my daughters, or take wives beside my daughters-there is no man with us-see, God is witness between me and thee.’
[51] And Laban saith to Jacob, ‘Lo, this heap, and lo, the standing pillar which I have cast between me and thee;
[52] this heap is witness, and the standing pillar is witness, that I do not pass over this heap unto thee, and that thou dost not pass over this heap and this standing pillar unto me-for evil;
[53] the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, doth judge between us-the God of their father,’ and Jacob sweareth by the Fear of his father Isaac.
[54] And Jacob sacrificeth a sacrifice in the mount, and calleth to his brethren to eat bread, and they eat bread, and lodge in the mount;
[55] and Laban riseth early in the morning, and kisseth his sons and his daughters, and blesseth them; and Laban goeth on, and turneth back to his place.