Genesis 31:1-24

Jacob Flees From Laban

1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”
2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.
3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were.
5 He said to them, “I see that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me.
6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,
7 yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me.
8 If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked young.
9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.
10 “In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted.
11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’
12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.’ ”
14 Then Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father’s estate?
15 Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.
16 Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you.”
17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels,
18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram,[a] to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
20 Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away.
21 So he fled with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23 Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

Genesis 31:1-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 31

This chapter relates how that Jacob observing that Laban and his sons envied his prosperity, and having a call from God to return to his own country, acquaints his wives with it; and reports to them Laban's ill usage of him, and the wonderful appearance of God to him, and for him, and his orders to him to depart from thence, Ge 31:1-13; to which they agreed, knowing full well their father's unkindness, and that they had nothing to expect from him, and therefore judged it best to go off with what they had got through the gift of God unto them, Ge 31:14-16; upon which Jacob set out privately, with all he had, towards his own country, while Laban was shearing his sheep, Ge 31:17-21; three days after, Laban, being informed of it, pursued after Jacob, and overtook him at Mount Gilead; but was warned by the way to be cautious what he said to him, Ge 31:22-25; yet nevertheless he warmly expostulated with him about his secret flight, not giving him the opportunity of taking his leave of his children, and especially for taking away his gods, Ge 31:26-30; to which Jacob gave an answer, Ge 31:31-35; and in his turn was warm likewise, and chided Laban severely for his hot pursuit of him, his charge of stealth, when he could find nothing on him, his hard labour for the space of twenty years with him, and his ill requital of him for it, Ge 31:36-42; however, upon the whole, an amicable agreement was made between them, and they parted in a friendly manner, Ge 31:43-55.

Cross References 52

  • 1. Genesis 30:35
  • 2. S Genesis 30:42
  • 3. ver 5
  • 4. ver 13; Genesis 32:9; Deuteronomy 30:3; Isaiah 10:21; Isaiah 35:10; Jeremiah 30:3; Jeremiah 42:12
  • 5. S Genesis 21:22; S Genesis 26:3; Genesis 28:15
  • 6. ver 29,42,53; Genesis 43:23; Daniel 2:23
  • 7. ver 2
  • 8. S Genesis 21:22; S Genesis 26:3
  • 9. Genesis 30:29
  • 10. Leviticus 6:2; Amos 8:5
  • 11. S Genesis 29:15
  • 12. ver 41; Numbers 14:22; Job 19:3
  • 13. ver 52; S Genesis 24:50; Psalms 37:28; Psalms 105:14
  • 14. S Genesis 30:32
  • 15. Job 39:2; Ezekiel 31:6
  • 16. ver 1,16; S Genesis 30:42
  • 17. S Genesis 20:3
  • 18. S Genesis 16:7; Genesis 48:16
  • 19. S Genesis 20:3
  • 20. S Genesis 22:1; S Exodus 3:4
  • 21. S Genesis 30:32
  • 22. Exodus 3:7
  • 23. Genesis 28:10-22
  • 24. S Genesis 28:18
  • 25. S Genesis 28:20
  • 26. S ver 3; Genesis 32:9
  • 27. 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16
  • 28. Deuteronomy 15:3; Deuteronomy 23:20; Ruth 2:10; 2 Samuel 15:19; 1 Kings 8:41; Obadiah 1:11
  • 29. S Genesis 29:20
  • 30. S Genesis 30:42
  • 31. S Genesis 27:41
  • 32. S Genesis 24:63-64
  • 33. S Genesis 12:5
  • 34. S Genesis 25:20
  • 35. Genesis 35:27
  • 36. S Genesis 10:19
  • 37. Genesis 38:12,13; 1Sa 25:2,4,7; 2 Samuel 13:23
  • 38. ver 30,32,34-35; Genesis 35:2; Joshua 24:14; Judges 17:5; Judges 18:14,17,24,30; 1 Samuel 7:3; 1 Samuel 19:13; 2 Kings 23:24; Hosea 3:4
  • 39. S Genesis 27:36
  • 40. S Genesis 25:20
  • 41. ver 27
  • 42. ver 22; Exodus 2:15; Exodus 14:5; 1 Kings 18:46; 1 Kings 19:3; Jeremiah 26:21
  • 43. S Genesis 2:14
  • 44. ver 23,25; Genesis 37:25; Numbers 26:30; Numbers 32:1; Deuteronomy 3:10; Joshua 12:2; Jeremiah 22:6
  • 45. S Genesis 30:36
  • 46. S ver 21
  • 47. ver 37
  • 48. Exodus 14:9
  • 49. S ver 21
  • 50. S Genesis 25:20
  • 51. S Genesis 20:3; Job 33:15
  • 52. S Genesis 24:50

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
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