Genesis 31
BSA1 Now Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] heard that Laban’s sons [descendants, family members] were saying, “Jacob [the one who replaces, supplants] has taken away [gotten, acquired] all that belonged [was rightfully ours, our inheritance] to our father [Laban, the patriarch] and built [obtained, amassed] all this wealth [riches, prosperity] at our father’s [Laban’s] expense [cost, detriment].” word study 2 And Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] saw [perceived, looked after] from the countenance [face, presence] of Laban [a key figure, son of Bethuel] that his attitude [feeling, disposition] toward him had changed [was not as before, not the same as yesterday]. word study 3 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah], “Go back [return, turn back] to the land [earth, territory] of your fathers [ancestors, lineage] and to your kindred [relatives, family ties], and I will be [exist, come into being] with [together, in accompaniment] you [as your helper, companion].” word study 4 So Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] sent word [a message, to summon] and called [to invite, summon by name] Rachel [ewe, a mother in Israel] and Leah [weary, a woman of hardship] to the field [a flat area of land, pasture] where his flocks [sheep, a group of grazing animals] were [existed, present in that location], word study 5 and he told them, “I can see [behold, perceive] from your father’s [parental, ancestral] countenance [face, presence] that his attitude [disposition, feeling] toward me has changed [is not as before, is different]; but the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of my father [ancestor, patriarch] has been [remains, continues to be] with me [by my side, accompanying me]. word study 6 You know [are aware, have perceived] that I have served [worked for, labored with diligence] your father with [using, by means of] all [every aspect of] my strength [power, might] [the inherent ability to act]. word study 7 And although he has [deceived, cheated] cheated me and changed [altered] my wages [payment for work, reward] ten [a decade, numerous] times, God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] has not allowed [suffered, permitted] him to harm [hurt, afflict] me [with me, in my presence]. word study 8 If he said, ‘The speckled [with spots, marked] will be your wages [payment for work, reward],’ then the whole flock [all the sheep and goats, entire herd] bore speckled [with spots, marked] offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked [ringstraked, striped] will be your wages [compensation, hire],’ then the whole flock [all the sheep and goats, entire herd] bore streaked [ringstraked, striped] offspring. word study 9 Thus God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] has taken away [rescued, stripped] your father’s [parent, ancestor] livestock [cattle, substance] and given [bestowed, transferred] them to me. word study 10 When the flocks [at the time of breeding, conceiving] were breeding [multiplying, reproducing], I saw [perceived, had a vision] in a dream [a prophetic vision, a nighttime revelation] that the streaked [ringstraked, striped], spotted [speckled, with patches], and speckled [grisled, with mixed colors] males [he-goats, male goats] were mating [leaping upon, joining with] with the females [the she-goats, female goats]. word study 11 In that dream [a prophetic vision, a supernatural communication] the angel [messenger, representative] of God [Elohim, the one supreme God] said [spoke, communicated] to me, ‘Jacob [the supplanter, a key figure in God’s plan]!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am [behold, I’m present, ready to respond].’ word study 12 ‘Look up [lift up now thine eyes],’ he said, ‘and see that all [everything] the males [he-goats, male goats] that are mating [leaping upon] with the flock [the sheep and goats] are streaked [ring-streaked, striped], spotted [speckled, with little and great spots], or speckled [grizzled]; for I have seen [observed, taken notice of] all that Laban [the one who has been deceiving you] has done [is doing] to you. word study 13 I am the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Bethel [house of God], where you anointed [poured olive oil on] the pillar [monument, memorial] and made a solemn vow [promise, oath] to Me. Now get up [rise, stand] and leave this land [country, territory] at once, and return [turn back, go back] to your native land [birthplace, homeland, place of relatives].’” word study 14 And Rachel [the mother of Joseph and Benjamin] and Leah [the first wife of Jacob] replied, “Do we have any [remaining, leftover] portion [inheritance, smoothness] or inheritance [something passed down, family heirloom] left [still, yet] in our father’s [the patriarchal, ancestral] house [dwelling place, family home]? word study 15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders [foreigners, strangers]? Not only has he sold [treated us like merchandise] us, but he has certainly squandered [devoured] what was paid [as our price, our silver] for us. word study 16 Surely all [everything, the entirety] the wealth [riches, treasures, abundance] that God [Elohim, the supreme Provider] has taken away [rescued, delivered, stripped] from our father [ancestor, patriarch] belongs to us [is ours, is our possession] and to our children [descendants, offspring]. So do whatever [all that, everything] God has told [spoken, commanded] you [to you, towards you].” word study 17 Then Jacob [rose up, stood] got up and put his children [sons, descendants] and his wives [women, female companions] on camels [upon the camels, riding], word study 18 and he drove [led, guided] all his livestock [cattle, flocks] before him, along with all the possessions [property, goods] he had acquired [gained, gathered] in Paddan-aram [the plain of Aram], to go [travel, journey] to his father [parent, ancestor] Isaac [he laughs, son of Abraham] in the land [region, territory] in Canaan [the promised land, Canaanite territory]. word study 19 Now while Laban [was gone to] was out shearing [cutting, clipping] his sheep [flock, goats], Rachel [the mother of Joseph and Benjamin] stole [secretly took, deceived to obtain] her father’s [parent, ancestor] household idols [teraphim, images, family gods]. word study 20 Moreover, Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] deceived [stole away unawares, tricked] Laban [an Aramean, from Aram] the Aramean [from Syria, a region in the Middle East] by not telling [informing, declaring openly] him that he was running away [fleeing, escaping secretly]. word study 21 So he fled [with urgency, hastily] with all [everything, his entire household] his possessions, crossed [passed over, traversed] the Euphrates [river], and headed [set his face, directed his journey] for the hill country [mountainous region, high lands] of Gilead [a rocky region, a place of refuge]. word study 22 On the third [following, subsequent] day Laban [a place in the desert] was informed [told, notified, to tell or declare openly] that Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah] had fled [to run away quickly, escaped] [from danger, his troubles]. word study 23 So he took [with him, accompanying] his relatives [brethren, family members] with him, pursued [chased after, followed closely] Jacob for [a period of, lasting] seven days, and overtook [caught up to, reached] him in the hill country [mountainous region, highlands] of Gilead [rocky region, a place of witness]. word study 24 But that night [in a dream by night, during the darkness] God [Elohim, the one supreme God] came to Laban [from Aram] the Aramean in a dream [a prophetic vision, a divine message] and warned him, “Be careful [take heed, watch yourself] not to say anything [speak not, communicate nothing] to Jacob [the son of Isaac, a key figure], either good [pleasant, beneficial] or bad [evil, harmful].” word study 25 Now Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] had pitched his tent [set up his dwelling, nomad’s home] in the hill country [mountainous region, high land] of Gilead [rocky region, east of the Jordan] when Laban [his father-in-law, uncle] overtook [caught up with, reached] him, and Laban [the one who whitens, is white] and his relatives [brothers, kin] camped [pitched their tents, settled] there as well [in the same place, together]. word study 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What [why or how] have you done [to make or bring about]? You have deceived [stolen away unawares, tricked] me and carried off my daughters [as captives taken with the sword, like prisoners of war] like [as if they were] captives of war [taken by the sword, in a battle]! word study 27 Why did you run away secretly [secretly and stealthily] and deceive [trick and cheat] me, without even telling [informing or notifying] me? I would have sent you away [dismissed or released you] with joy [happiness and gladness] and singing [music and praise], with tambourines [timbrels and percussion instruments] and harps [lyres and stringed instruments]. word study 28 But you did not even let me kiss [touch, show affection to] my grandchildren [sons, descendants] and my daughters [female children, women] goodbye [to bid farewell]. Now [at this time, in this situation] you have done [acted, made] a foolish [silly, unwise] thing [action, deed]. word study 29 I have power [ability to act, strength] to do you great harm [evil, adversity], but last night [yesterday, recently] the God [Elohim, supreme deity] of your father [ancestral parent, patriarch] said to me, ‘Be careful [take heed, watch yourself] not to say [speak, communicate] anything to Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver], either good [pleasant, beneficial] or bad [evil, harmful].’ word study 30 Now [at this time, presently] you have gone off [to depart, to leave] because you long [yearn, have a strong desire] for your father’s house [family, ancestral home]. But why [for what reason, how] have you stolen [taken secretly, pilfered] my gods [idols, objects of worship, Elohim]?” word study 31 “I was afraid [filled with fear, frightened],” Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] answered, “for [because, since] I thought [feared, was afraid] you would take [plunder, seize by force] your daughters [female children, women] from me by force [violently, against my will]. word study 32 If you find your gods [idols, household deities] with anyone here, he shall not live [will surely die, will be put to death]! In the presence [before, in front of] of our relatives [brothers, kin], see for yourself [discern, search carefully] if anything is yours [belongs to you, is yours to take], and take it back [recover it, claim it as your own].” For Jacob did not know [was unaware, had no knowledge] that Rachel had stolen [secretly taken, pilfered] the idols [household gods, images]. word study 33 So Laban [the deceitful father-in-law] went into Jacob’s [the supplanter, Israel] tent, then Leah’s [the first wife, wearily loved] tent, and then the tents of the two [a pair, a duo] maidservants [female slaves, servant-women], but he found [discovered, attained] nothing [no idols, not a thing]. Then he left [came out, departed from] Leah’s tent and entered [went into, came into] Rachel’s [the beloved wife, ewe] tent. word study 34 Now Rachel [the ewe, a wife of Jacob] had taken [gotten, seized] Laban’s [her father’s] household idols [teraphim, family images], put them in the saddlebag [camel’s furniture, litter] of her camel [a valuable riding animal], and was sitting [dwelling, remaining] on them [upon the idols]. And Laban [her father, a significant figure] searched [felt, groped] everything [all, the whole] in the tent [the nomad’s home, tabernacle] but found [discovered, attained] nothing [not anything, no]. word study 35 Rachel said to her father [my lord, master], “Sir, do not be angry [incensed, furious] that I cannot stand up [rise, get up] before you; for I am having my period [the custom of women, the manner of women is upon me].” So Laban searched [looked for, tried to find], but could not find [did not attain, was unable to discover] the household idols [teraphim, family images]. word study 36 Then Jacob [became angry, was wroth] became incensed and challenged [contended with, rebuked] Laban. “What [is my trespass, my offense] is my crime [transgression, sin]?” he said. “For [on account of, because of] what sin [guilt, punishment] of mine have you so hotly [with burning anger, eagerly] pursued [chased after] me [after my departure]? word study 37 You have searched [felt about, examined thoroughly] all my goods [possessions, belongings]! Have you found [discovered, come across] anything that belongs [is yours, pertains to you] to you? Put it [set it down, place it] here [in this location, before us] before my brothers [relatives, kin] and yours [your relatives, family], that they may judge [decide, arbitrate] between [in the midst of, separating] the two of us [us both, the two parties]. word study 38 I have been with [together, in companionship] you for twenty [a score, two decades] years now. Your sheep [female sheep, ewes] and goats [she-goats, female goats] have not miscarried [been bereaved, lost their young], nor have I eaten [devoured, consumed] the rams [strong male sheep, leaders] of your flock [sheepfold, pastoral care]. word study 39 I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts [killed by animals, mauled]; I bore the loss [made up for the damage, repaid] myself. And you demanded payment from me [required it from my hand, exacted] for what was stolen [taken secretly, lost] by day [in the light, openly] or night [in darkness, secretly]. word study 40 As it was, the heat [scorching temperatures, drought] consumed me by day and the frost [ice, bitter cold] by night, and sleep [rest, slumber] fled from my eyes [sight, vision]. word study 41 Thus for twenty [two decades, a significant period] years I have served [worked, labored, been a slave] in your household [family, dwelling place]—fourteen [a long time, many] years for your two [a pair, dual] daughters and six [a short time, few] years for your flocks [sheep, goats, livestock]—and you have changed [altered, modified] my wages [payment, reward, compensation] ten [many, numerous] times [on multiple occasions, frequently]! word study 42 If the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of my father [Abraham’s descendant], the God [the one true God] of Abraham and the Fear [dread, reverence] of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away [dismissed me, let me go] empty-handed [with nothing, in poverty]. But God [the Provider] has seen my affliction [misery, trouble] and the toil [hard work, labor] of my hands, and last night [yesterday, recently] He rendered judgment [rebuked, corrected].” word study 43 But Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters [my children, my family] are my daughters, these sons [my descendants, my heirs] are my sons, and these flocks [my livestock, my possessions] are my flocks! Everything [all that you see, my entire estate] you see is mine! Yet what can I do today [in this moment, at this time] about these daughters of mine [my beloved children] or the children [the grandchildren, the next generation] they have borne [given birth to, brought forth]? word study 44 Come now [at this time, let us act], let us make a covenant [a promise, an agreement], you and I [as individuals, personally], and let it serve as a witness [a testimony, a reminder] between you and me [in our relationship, mutually].” word study 45 So Jacob [the son of Isaac, a key figure] picked out a stone [rock, weight, or precious gem] and set it up [exalted, lifted] as a pillar [monument, memorial, or with an altar], word study 46 and he said [to command or speak] to his relatives [brothers or close kin], “Gather [to collect or pick up] some stones [rocks or precious gems].” So they took [to get or receive] stones [stones or rocks] and made [to do or construct] a mound [a heap of stones, a wave, or a spring of water], and there [in that place or location] by the mound [upon the heap] they ate [to eat or devour]. word study 47 Laban [the father-in-law, uncle of Jacob] called it [gave the name] Jegar-sahadutha [a monument, witness pile], and Jacob [the son of Isaac, Israel] called it [named, designated] Galeed [a heap of testimony, witness]. word study 48 Then Laban declared, “This [visible, stone] mound [heap, pile of stones, a witness to their agreement] is a witness [testimony, evidence] between you and me this day [at this present time, today].” Therefore [thus, in confirmation] the place was called [named, designated] Galeed [the witness heap, a memorial pile of stones]. word study 49 It was also called Mizpah [a watchtower, a place of observation], because Laban said, “May the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] keep watch [to observe, to guard] between [in the midst of, as a mediator] you and me when we are absent [hidden, out of sight] from each other [one from another, separated]. word study 50 If you mistreat [afflict, oppress] my daughters or take [acquire, marry] other wives [in addition to, besides], although no one [no man, no human] is with us, remember that God [Elohim, the supreme Judge] is a witness [testifier, observer] between you and me [in our covenant, in this agreement].” word study 51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound [heap of stones, a memorial pile], and here is the pillar [a monument, a standing stone] I have set up [erected, established] between [in the middle of, separating] you and me [as a witness, a divider]. word study 52 This mound [heap of stones, a witness to our covenant] is a witness [testimony, a reminder of our agreement], and this pillar [monument, a memorial to our promise] is a witness, that I will not go past [cross over, transition beyond] this mound to harm [cause evil, bring adversity] you, and you will not go past [cross over, transition beyond] this mound and pillar [this heap and monument] to harm [cause evil, bring adversity] me. word study 53 May the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Abraham [the father of faith] and the God of Nahor [Abraham’s brother], the God of their father [their ancestral heritage], judge [to vindicate or punish] between us [in a dispute, as a mediator].” So Jacob [the son of Isaac] swore [made a solemn promise, took an oath] by the Fear [dread, reverence] of his father Isaac [the patriarch, his ancestral legacy]. word study 54 Then Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] offered a sacrifice [an act of worship, a gift to God] on the mountain [a high place] and invited his relatives [brothers, kin] to eat a meal [food, bread]. And after they had eaten [consumed, devoured], they spent the night [lodged, tarried] on the mountain [in the hill country, at the high place]. word study 55 Early [in the morning, at dawn] the next morning, Laban got up and kissed [embraced, greeted] his grandchildren [sons, offspring] and daughters and blessed [spoke well of, invoked favor upon] them. Then he left [departed, went away] to return home [to his place, to his country]. word study