Genesis 31:19-34

New International Version

¹⁹When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,^(A) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.^(B) ²⁰Moreover, Jacob deceived^(C) Laban the Aramean^(D) by not telling him he was running away.^(E) ²¹So he fled^(F) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,^(G) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.^(H)

Laban Pursues Jacob

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

²⁵Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead^(Q) when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. ²⁶Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done?^(R) You’ve deceived me,^(S) and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.^(T) ²⁷Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me,^(U) so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels^(V) and harps?^(W) ²⁸You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.^(X) You have done a foolish thing. ²⁹I have the power to harm you;^(Y) but last night the God of your father^(Z) said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’^(AA) ³⁰Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.^(AB) But why did you steal^(AC) my gods?^(AD)”

³¹Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.^(AE) ³²But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live.^(AF) In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.^(AG)

³³So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent^(AH) and into the tent of the two female servants,^(AI) but he found nothing.^(AJ) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. ³⁴Now Rachel had taken the household gods^(AK) and put them inside her camel’s saddle^(AL) and was sitting on them. Laban searched^(AM) through everything in the tent but found nothing.