10. “I had a dream during the season when the animals were mating. I saw that the only male goats who were mating were streaked, speckled or spotted.
11. The angel of God spoke to me in that dream. He said, ‘Jacob!’ I answered, ‘Yes!’
12. The angel said, ‘Look! Only the streaked, speckled or spotted goats are mating. I have seen all the wrong things Laban does to you.
13. I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel. There you poured olive oil on the stone you set up on end. There you made a promise to me. Now I want you to leave here. Go back to the land where you were born.’”
14. Rachel and Leah answered Jacob, “Our father has nothing to give us when he dies.
15. He has treated us like strangers. He sold us to you, and then he spent all of the money you paid for us.
16. God took all this wealth from our father, and now it belongs to us and our children. So you do whatever God told you to do.”
17. So Jacob put his children and his wives on camels.
18. Then they began their journey back to Isaac, his father. He lived in the land of Canaan. All the flocks of animals that Jacob owned walked ahead of them. He carried everything with him that he had gotten while he lived in Northwest Mesopotamia.
19. Laban was gone to cut the wool from his sheep. While he was gone, Rachel stole the idols of false gods that belonged to him.
20. And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean. He did not tell Laban he was leaving.
21. Jacob and his family left quickly. They crossed the Euphrates River and traveled toward the mountains of Gilead.
22. Three days later Laban learned that Jacob had run away.
23. So Laban gathered his relatives and began to chase Jacob. After seven days Laban found him in the mountains of Gilead.
24. That night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream. The Lord said, “Be careful! Do not say anything to Jacob, good or bad.”
25. So Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had made his camp in the mountains. So Laban and his relatives set up their camp in the mountains of Gilead.
26. Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? Why did you trick me? You took my daughters as if you had captured them in a war.
27. Why did you run away without telling me? Why did you trick me? Why didn’t you tell me? Then I could send you away with joy and singing. There would be the music of tambourines and harps.
28. You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-bye. You were very foolish to do this!
29. I have the power to harm you. But last night the God of your father spoke to me. He warned me not to say anything to you, good or bad.