KJV Bible MWP Genesis 31:1 - 32:32

GENESIS Chapters 31 - 32 KJV Bible (1769 Edition) Modern Words Paraphrase (MWP) Copyright (c) 2007 David A. Wagner.

Genesis Chapter 31

(31:1) And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob has taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's has he received all this glory. (31:2) And Jacob saw the disposition of Laban, and, see, it was not toward him as before. (31:3) And the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives; and I will be with you.” (31:4) And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock, (31:5) And said to them, “I see your father's disposition, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. (31:6) And you know that with all my power I have served your father. (31:7) And your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. (31:8) If he said thus, ‘The speckled will be your wages; then all the cattle bore speckled’: and if he said thus, ‘The ringstraked will be your hire; then bore all the cattle ringstraked.’ (31:9) Thus God has taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. (31:10) And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and, see, the rams that leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. (31:11) And the angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, Jacob: ‘And I said, Here am I.’ (31:12) And he said, ‘Lift up now your eyes, and see, all the rams that leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban does to you. (31:13) I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, and where you vowed a vow to me: now arise, get you out from this land, and return to the land of your relatives.’” (31:14) And Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? (31:15) Are we not counted of him visitors? for he has sold us, and has quite devoured also our money. (31:16) For all the riches that God has taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

(31:17) Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; (31:18) And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods that he had acquired, the cattle of his breeding, that he had acquired in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. (31:19) And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the idols that were her father's. (31:20) And Jacob slipped away unawares to Laban the Aramean, in that he told him not that he fled. (31:21) So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. (31:22) And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. (31:23) And he took his relatives with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. (31:24) And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, “Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad.”

(31:25) Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brothers pitched in the mount of Gilead. (31:26) And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have slipped away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? (31:27) Therefore did you flee away secretly, and slip away from me; and did not tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth, and with songs, with tambourine, and with harp? (31:28) And have not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? you have now done foolishly in so doing. (31:29) It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, Take you heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad. (31:30) And now, though you would then be gone, because you extremely longed after your father's house, yet therefore have you stolen my gods?” (31:31) And Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid: for I said, ‘Maybe you would take by force your daughters from me.’ (31:32) With whomever you find your gods, let him not live: before our brothers determine you what is yours with me, and take it to you.” For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

(31:33) And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two female servants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. (31:34) Now Rachel had taken the idols, and put them in the camel's saddle, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. (31:35) And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you; for the period of women is upon me.” And he searched, but found not the idols.

(31:36) And Jacob was furious, and argued with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, “What is my trespass? what is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued after me? (31:37) Whereas you have searched all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? set it here before my brothers and your brothers, that they may judge between us both. (31:38) This twenty years have I been with you; your ewes and your she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of your flock have I not eaten. (31:39) That that was torn of animals I brought not to you; I bore the loss of it; of my hand did you require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. (31:40) Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes. (31:41) Thus have I been twenty years in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your cattle: and you have changed my wages ten times. (31:42) Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely you had sent me away now empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

(31:43) And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that you see is mine: and what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children that they have born? (31:44) Now therefore come you, let us make a covenant, me and you; and let it be for a witness between me and you.” (31:45) And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. (31:46) And Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones;” and they took stones, and made a pile: and they did eat there upon the pile. (31:47) And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. (31:48) And Laban said, “This pile is a witness between me and you this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; (31:49) And Mizpah; for he said, “The Lord watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another. (31:50) If you will afflict my daughters, or if you will take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness between me and you.”

(31:51) And Laban said to Jacob, “See this pile, and see this pillar, which I have cast between me and you; (31:52) This pile be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this pile to you, and that you will not pass over this pile and this pillar to me, for harm. (31:53) The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. (31:54) Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his relatives to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and stayed all night in the mount.

(31:55) And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned to his place.

Genesis Chapter 32

(32:1) And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. (32:2) And when Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.”

(32:3) And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir, the country of Edom. (32:4) And he commanded them, saying, “Thus will you speak to my lord Esau; ‘Your servant Jacob says thus, I have visited with Laban, and stayed there until now: (32:5) And I have oxen, and donkeys, flocks, and male servants, and female servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in your sight.’”

(32:6) And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and also he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him.” (32:7) Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two groups; (32:8) And said, “If Esau come to the one company, and attacks it, then the other company that is left will escape.”

(32:9) And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord that said to me, ‘Return to your country, and to your relatives, and I will deal well with you’: (32:10) I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which you have showed to your servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I have become two groups. (32:11) Deliver me, I pray you, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, should he will come and strike me, and the mothers with the children. (32:12) And you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your heir as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” (32:13) And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; (32:14) Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, (32:15) Thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows, and ten bulls, twenty she donkeys, and ten foals. (32:16) And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said to his servants, “Pass over before me, and put a distance between drove and drove.” (32:17) And he commanded the foremost, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, saying, ‘Whose are you? and where go you? and whose are these before you?’ (32:18) Then you will say, ‘They are your servant Jacob's; it is a present sent to my lord Esau: and, see, also he is behind us.’” (32:19) And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, “On this manner will you speak to Esau, when you find him. (32:20) And say you moreover, ‘See, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; maybe he will accept of me.” (32:21) So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

(32:22) And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. (32:23) And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. (32:24) And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. (32:25) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. (32:26) And he said, “Let me go, for the day dawns.” And he said, “I will not let you go, except you bless me.” (32:27) And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” (32:28) And he said, “Your name will be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince have you wrestled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (32:29) And Jacob asked him, and said, “Tell me, I ask you, your name.” And he said, “Why is it that you do ask after my name?” And he blessed him there. (32:30) And Jacob called the name of the place “Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (32:31) And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he limped upon his thigh. (32:32) Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the tendon that shrank, which is upon the socket of the thigh, to this day: because he touched the socket of Jacob's thigh in the tendon that shrank.