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.
30. I know you want to go back to your home. But why did you steal my idols?”
31. Jacob answered Laban, “I left without telling you, because I was afraid! I thought you would take your daughters away from me.
32. If you find anyone here who has taken your idols, he will be killed! Your relatives will be my witnesses. You may look for anything that belongs to you. Take anything that is yours.” (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban’s idols.)
33. So Laban looked in Jacob’s tent and in Leah’s tent. He looked in the tent where the two slave women stayed. But he did not find his idols. When he left Leah’s tent, he went into Rachel’s tent.