1
And it came to pass that when Laban went out to shear his sheep he saw that some of the elohima made by the hands of man were gone, for so it was that Rachel had stolen the images that did belong to her father;
2
And he saw too that Jacob had snuck away while Laban was unaware, in that he told him not that he intended to flee.
3
And Jacob and his family and their people fled with all that they had, all that belonged to them, and the idols Rachel had taken unaware to Jacob and Laban.
4
And seeing this, it came to pass that on the third day after Jacob had fled, Laban rose up, and he took his kinsmen with him and pursued after Jacob;
5
And they passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead, and it came to pass that after seven days' journey, and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
6
But behold, in that very same night, the fear of Elohima came to Laban in a dream, saying unto him: Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
7
¶ And now it came to pass that the next morning, Laban overtook Jacob.
8
And Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount; and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
9
And Laban said to Jacob: What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword?
10
Why didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tambourine, and with harp?
11
And why hast thou not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughtersa? Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
12
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the Elohim of thy father spoke unto me yesternight, saying: Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
13
And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my godsa?
14
And Jacob answered and said to Laban: It was because I was afraid; for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
15
With whomsoever thou findest thy elohima, let him not live; before our kinsmen discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee.
16
And Jacob said this thinking nothing had been taken falsely from Laban, for he knew not that Rachel had stolen the idols hoping that she should bear her husband more sons.
17
¶ And Laban went first into the tent of Jacob, and then into the tent of Zilpah, and into the tent of Bilhah, and into the tent of Leah; but he found them not.
18
And then, when he had gone out of the tent of Leah, he entered into the tent of Rachel; and Rachel, who had taken the images and put them in the saddle of a camel and sat upon them.
19
And she said to her father: Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of womena is upon me.
20
And Laban searched all the tent save it be where she sat but he found them not.
21
And he searched all over and roundabout the camp, but he found not the images.
22
¶ And Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, saying: What is my trespass? What is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
23
And see now that thou hast searched all my things, and what hast thou found of all thy household? Set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
24
This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
25
That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
26
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
27
Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters and six years for thy cattle; and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
28
Except the Elohim of my father, the Elohim of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty.
29
Ha’Elohima hath seen my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked thee yesternight.
30
¶ And Laban answered and said unto Jacob: These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine;
31
And what can I do this day unto these, my daughters, or unto their children, which they have borne?
32
Now, therefore, come thou; let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
33
And Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar.
34
And Jacob said unto their kinsmen: Gather stones; and they took stones and made a pillar; and they did eat there upon the it.
36
¶ And Laban said: This mound shall be a witness between me and thee this day;
37
And the name of it is also the Watchtower, Mitspaha, for Laban said: YHVHb watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another;
38
But if thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, Elohim is witness betwixt me and thee:
39
Behold this pillar, which I have cast between me and thee; it is a witness that I will not pass over this mound to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this pillar unto me for harm;
40
The Elohim of Abraham, and the Elohim of Nahor, the Elohim of their father, judge betwixt us.
41
¶ And Jacob swore by the fear of the Elohim of his father, Isaac.
42
And then Jacob offered a sacrifice upon the mount and called his brethren to eat bread; and they did eat bread and tarried all night in the mount.
43
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughtersa, and blessed them; and then Laban departed and returned unto his home.