1 But afterwards, he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and being enlarged by his ability, he has become famous.”
2 Likewise, he observed that Laban’s face was not the same toward him as it was yesterday and the day before.
3 Most importantly, the Lord was saying to him, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your generation, and I will be with you.”
4 He sent and called for Rachel and Leah, in the field where he pastured the flocks,
5 and he said to them: “I see that your father’s face is not the same toward me as it was yesterday and the day before. But the God of my father has been with me.
6 And you know that I have served your father with all my strength.
7 Even so, your father has circumvented me, and he has changed my wages ten times. And yet God has not permitted him to harm me.
8 Whenever he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ all the sheep gave birth to speckled newborns. Yet truly, when he said the contrary, ‘You will take whatever is white for your wages,’ all the flocks gave birth to white ones.
9 And it is God who has taken your father’s substance and given it to me.
10 For after the time had arrived for the ewes to conceive, I lifted up my eyes, and I saw in my sleep that the males climbing on the females were of variegated, and spotted, and diverse colors.
11 And the Angel of God said to me in my sleep, ‘Jacob.’ And I responded, ‘Here I am.’
12 And he said: ‘Lift up your eyes, and see that all the males climbing on the females are variegated, spotted, and also speckled. For I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the stone and made a vow to me. Now therefore arise, and depart from this land, returning to the land of your nativity.’ ”
14 And Rachel and Leah responded: “Have we anything left behind among the resources and inheritance of our father’s house?
15 Has he not considered us as foreigners, and sold us, and consumed our price?
16 But God has taken our father’s riches and handed these to us and to our sons. Therefore, do all that God has instructed you.”
17 And so Jacob rose up, and having placed the children and his wives upon camels, he went forth.
18 And he took all his substance and flocks, and whatever he had acquired in Mesopotamia, and he journeyed to his father Isaac, in the land of Canaan.
19 At that time, Laban had gone to shear the sheep, and so Rachel stole her father’s idols.
20 And Jacob was not willing to confess to his father-in-law that he was fleeing.
21 And when he had gone away with all such things that were justly his, and, having crossed the river, was continuing on toward Mount Gilead,
22 it was reported to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23 And taking his brothers with him, he pursued him for seven days. And he overtook him at Mount Gilead.
24 And he saw in a dream, God saying to him, “Beware that you not speak anything harsh against Jacob.”
25 And now Jacob had pitched his tent at the mountain. And when he, with his brothers, had overtaken him, he set his tent at the same place at Mount Gilead.
26 And he said to Jacob: “Why have you acted this way, departing from me in secret, with my daughters like captives of the sword?
27 Why would you want to flee without my knowledge and without telling me, though I might have led you forward with gladness, and songs, and timbrels, and lyres?
28 You have not permitted me to kiss my sons and daughters. You have acted foolishly. And now, indeed,
29 my hand has power to repay you with harm. But the God of your father said to me yesterday, ‘Beware that you not speak anything stern against Jacob.’
30 It may be that you desired to go to your own, and that you longed for the house of your father. But why have you stolen my gods?”
31 Jacob answered: “I set out, unknown to you, because I feared that you might take away your daughters by violence.
32 But, since you accuse me of theft, with whomever you will find your gods, let him be slain in the sight of our brothers. Search; anything of yours that you will find with me, take it away.” Now when he said this, he did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33 And so Laban, entering the tent of Jacob, and of Leah, and of both the handmaids, did not find them. And when he had entered the tent of Rachel,
34 she quickly hid the idols under the camel’s bedding, and she sat upon them. And when he had searched the entire tent and found nothing,
35 she said: “Do not be angry, my lord, that I am unable to rise up in your sight, because it has now happened to me according to the custom of women.” So his careful search was thwarted.
36 And Jacob, being inflated, said with contention: “For which fault of mine, or for what sin of mine, have you become so enraged against me
37 and searched all the items of my house? What have you found from all the substance of your house? Place it here before my brothers, and your brothers, and let them judge between me and you.
38 For what reason have I been with you for twenty years? Your ewes and she-goats were not barren; the rams of your flocks I did not consume.
39 Neither did I reveal to you what was seized by the wild beast. I replaced all that was damaged. Whatever was lost by theft, you collected it from me.
40 Day and night, I was burned by heat and by frost, and sleep fled from my eyes.
41 And in this way, for twenty years, I have served you in your house: fourteen for your daughters, and six for your flocks. You have also changed my wages ten times.
42 If the God of my father Abraham and the fear of Isaac had not been close to me, perhaps by now you would have sent me away naked. But God looked kindly on my affliction and the labor of my hands, and he rebuked you yesterday.”
43 Laban answered him: “My daughters and sons, and your flocks, and all that you discern are mine. What can I do to my sons and grandchildren?
44 Come, therefore, let us enter into a pact, so that it may be a testimony between me and you.”
45 And so Jacob took a stone, and he set it up as a memorial.
46 And he said to his brothers, “Bring stones.” And they, gathering together stones, made a tomb, and they ate upon it.
47 And Laban called it, ‘Tomb of Witness,’ and Jacob, ‘Pile of Testimony;’ each of them according to the fitness of his own language.
48 And Laban said: “This tomb will be a witness between me and you this day.” (And for this reason, its name has been called Gilead, that is, ‘Tomb of Witness.’)
49 “May the Lord consider and judge between us, when we will have withdrawn from one another.
50 If you afflict my daughters, and if you bring in other wives over them, no one is a witness of our words except God, who understands beforehand.”
51 And again he said to Jacob. “Lo, this tomb and the stone that I have set up between me and you,
52 will be a witness. This tomb,” I say, “and the stone, they are for testimony, in case either I cross beyond it going toward you, or you cross beyond it thinking to harm me.
53 May the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Therefore, Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
54 And after he had immolated sacrifices on the mountain, he called his brothers to eat bread. And when they had eaten, they lodged there.
55 In truth, Laban rose up in the night, and he kissed his sons and daughters, and he blessed them. And he returned to his place.
Versículos relacionados com Genesis, 31:
Genesis 31 reports Jacob's escape from Laban's house with his family and his flocks. Jacob had worked for many years to Laban, but realized that he was being deceived and explored by him. After receiving a message from God saying to return to his parents' land, Jacob decided to escape with everything he had acquired in his years of work to Laban. During his escape, Laban chased him, but God intervened to protect Jacob. Below are five verses related to the topics addressed in Genesis 31:
Deuteronomy 24:14: "Thou shalt not overwhelm the poor and needy diarist, whether he is of your brothers, or the foreigners who live in your land and in your cities." This verse talks about the injustice that Jacob felt on the part of Laban, who explored him for years. The Bible condemns the oppression of the poor and the needy, including workers who depend on their daily salary.
Psalm 121:7-8: "The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your departure and your arrival from now and forever." Jacob fled from Laban for fear of being persecuted and harmed by him. This psalm talks about divine protection, showing that God takes care of those who trust him and protects them from all evil.
Proverbs 14:31: "He who oppresses the poor insults his Creator, but whoever shakes himself from the needy honor to God." Laban acted selfishly and oppressive in relation to Jacob, disrespecting him as a worker and a relative. This verse shows that Laban's attitude was not only unfair, but also dishonored God.
Isaiah 41:10: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be discouraged, for I am your God. I give you strength and help you; I protect you with my strong hand." Jacob was afraid of Laban, but trusted God to protect him during his escape. This verse shows that God is the one who gives us strength to face difficulties and protects us in times of danger.
Acts 26:17-18: "I send them to them, to open their eyes and convert them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness from sins and inheritance between those who are sanctified by faith in me. " Jacob moved away from Laban to fulfill God's plan for his life and return to his parents' land. This verse shows that God has a plan for each of us, and that it is often necessary to make difficult decisions to follow him.
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