Genesis 31 Summary

Sensing the growing hostility of Laban and his sons, and directed by the LORD to return to Canaan, Jacob secretly departs from Padan-aram with his wives, children, and all his cattle. Rachel secretly takes her father's household images (teraphim), and three days pass before Laban discovers the flight; he pursues Jacob for seven days and overtakes him at mount Gilead, but God warns Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob. Laban confronts Jacob over the secret departure and the stolen images; Jacob, unaware of Rachel's theft, hotly defends his twenty years of faithful service and challenges Laban to produce any evidence of wrongdoing. Laban searches all the tents but fails to find the images, as Rachel conceals them under her camel's saddle. The confrontation ends peaceably: Jacob and Laban erect a stone pillar and a heap of stones at a place called Galeed and Mizpah, swearing before God to a mutual non-aggression covenant; they share a meal, and Laban departs the next morning after blessing his daughters and grandchildren.