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1Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining, “Jacob is now a rich man, and he got everything he owns from our father.”
2Jacob also noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been before.
3One day the Lord said, “Jacob, go back to your relatives in the land of your ancestors, and I will be with you.”
4Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him in the pasture where he kept his sheep,
5and he told them:
14Rachel and Leah said to Jacob:
17Then Jacob, his wives, and his children got on camels and left
18northern Syria for the home of his father Isaac in Canaan. Jacob took along all his flocks, herds, and other property.[#31.18 See the note at 24.10.]
19Before Rachel left, she stole the household idols while Laban was out shearing his sheep.[#31.19 These were thought to protect the household from danger. It is also possible that the person who had them would inherit the family property.]
20Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean by not saying that he intended to leave.[#31.20 Meaning someone from northern Syria (see the note at 24.10).]
21When Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead, he took with him everything he owned.
22Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone.
23So he took some of his relatives along and chased after Jacob for seven days, before catching up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
24But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, “Don't say a word to Jacob. Don't make a threat or a promise.”
25Jacob had set up camp in the hill country of Gilead, when Laban and his relatives came and set up camp in another part of the hill country. Laban went to Jacob
26and said:
31Jacob answered, “I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force.
32If you find that any one of us has taken your idols, I'll have that person killed. Let your relatives be witnesses. Show me what belongs to you, and you can take it back.” Jacob did not realize that Rachel had stolen the household idols.
33Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two servant women, but did not find the idols. Then he went to Rachel's tent.[#31.33 Bilhah and Zilpah (see 30.4,9).]
34She had already hidden them in the cushion she used as a saddle and was sitting on it. Laban searched everywhere and did not find them.
35Rachel said, “Father, please don't be angry with me for not getting up; I'm having my period.” Laban kept on searching, but still did not find the idols.
36Jacob became very angry and said to Laban:
43Laban said to Jacob, “Leah and Rachel are my daughters, and their children belong to me. All these sheep you are taking are really mine too. In fact, everything you have belongs to me. But there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children.
44So I am ready to make an agreement with you, and we will pile up some large rocks here to remind us of the agreement.”
45After Jacob had set up a large rock,
46he told his men to get some more rocks and pile them up next to it. Then Jacob and Laban ate a meal together beside the rocks.
47Laban named the pile of rocks Jegar Sahadutha. But Jacob named it Galeed.[#31.47 In Aramaic “Jegar Sahadutha” means “a pile of rocks to remind us.”; #31.47 In Hebrew “Galeed” means “a pile of rocks to remind us.”]
48Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will remind us of our agreement.” That's why the place was named Galeed.
49Laban also said, “This pile of rocks means that the Lord will watch us both while we are apart from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah.[#31.49 In Hebrew “Mizpah” sounds like “a place from which to watch.”]
50Then Laban said:
Then Jacob made a promise in the name of the fearsome God his father Isaac had worshiped.
54Jacob killed an animal and offered it as a sacrifice there on the mountain, and he invited his men to eat with him. After the meal they spent the night on the mountain.
55Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and his grandchildren goodbye, then he left to go back home.