20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee.
21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and aheaded toward the mountains of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23 Then he took ahis brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.
24 But God ahad come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you bspeak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
26 And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and acarried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?
27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp?
28 And you did not allow me ato kiss my sons and my daughters. Now byou have done foolishly in so doing.
29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the aGod of your father spoke to me blast night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’
30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you asteal my gods?”
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was aafraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’
32 With whomever you find your gods, ado not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the1 household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.
35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot arise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the1 household idols.
36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me?
37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!
38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.
39 aThat which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. bYou required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
41 Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I aserved you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and byou have changed my wages ten times.
42 aUnless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and bthe Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. cGod has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and drebuked you last night.”
Laban’s Covenant with Jacob
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?
44 Now therefore, come, alet us make a covenant, byou and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
45 So Jacob atook a stone and set it up as a pillar.
46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap.
47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 And Laban said, a“This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed,
49 also aMizpah, because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.
50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me.
52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father ajudge between us.” And Jacob bswore by cthe Fear of his father Isaac.
54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.
55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and akissed his sons and daughters and bblessed them. Then Laban departed and creturned to his place.
New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Book Notes:
Robertson's Book Notes (NT)
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