Genesischapter 31

A.Time to Go Homevv. 1-16

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 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 and 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.”

B.Rachel Steals the Household Godsvv. 17-24

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, 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 Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away. 21 So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead. 22 On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled. 23 So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

C.Laban Searches and Finds Nothingvv. 25-42

25 Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war! 27 Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps. 28 But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing. 29 I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ 30 Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?” 31 “I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols. 33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing. 35 Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols. 36 Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me? 37 You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us. 38 I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock. 39 I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night. 40 As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41 Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times! 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”

D.The Heap of Witness at Mizpahvv. 43-55

43 But Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar, 46 and he said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.” 51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me. 53 May 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. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.

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Chapter summary

Jacob flees from Laban.

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Jacob flees from Laban. The LORD tells him to return to the land of his fathers; he gathers his wives, children, and flocks and slips away without farewell. Rachel steals her father's teraphim. Laban pursues and overtakes at Mount Gilead; a dream from God has already warned him to speak only good or ill. They quarrel; Jacob defends his twenty years of service. A covenant is cut at Mizpah: ‘the LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another’. Often quoted as benediction, originally a boundary oath. Laban goes home; Jacob turns toward the land.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Law · Moses — Genesis overview

A. 1–16 Time to Go Home
B. 17–24 Rachel Steals the Household Gods
C. 25–42 Laban Searches and Finds Nothing
D. 43–55 The Heap of Witness at Mizpah

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Genesis 3123 verses
- Genesis 31:1Now 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.”
- Genesis 31:2And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.
- Genesis 31:3Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
- Genesis 31:5and 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.
- Genesis 31:7And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.
- Genesis 31:9Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.
- Read Genesis 31: 17 more there →
Genesis 309 verses
- Genesis 30:2Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
- Genesis 30:25Now after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can return to my homeland.
- Genesis 30:26Give me my wives and children for whom I have served you, that I may go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you.”
- Genesis 30:27But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”
- Genesis 30:29Then Jacob answered, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock have thrived under my care.
- Genesis 30:32Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, and every spotted or speckled goat. These will be my wages.
- Read Genesis 30: 3 more there →
Genesis 245 verses
- Genesis 24:10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
- Genesis 24:28The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
- Genesis 24:50Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
- Genesis 24:61Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
- Genesis 24:67And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
- Read Genesis 24 →
Genesis 284 verses
- Genesis 28:12And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.
- Genesis 28:15Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
- Genesis 28:18Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone that he had placed under his head, and he set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on top of it,
- Genesis 28:21so that I may return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God.
- Read Genesis 28 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Joshua 243 verses
- Joshua 24:2And Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods.
- Joshua 24:25On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he established for them a statute and ordinance.
- Joshua 24:27And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone. It will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the LORD has spoken to us, and it will be a witness against you if you ever deny your God.”
- Read Joshua 24 →
Genesis 203 verses
- Genesis 20:3One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
- Genesis 20:6Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.
- Genesis 20:11Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’
- Read Genesis 20 →
Hebrews 132 verses
- Hebrews 13:5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
- Hebrews 13:18Pray for us; we are convinced that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
- Read Hebrews 13 →
Exodus 32 verses
- Exodus 3:1Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- Exodus 3:7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
- Read Exodus 3 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.