^31:26“What have you done?” Laban demanded of Jacob. “You’ve deceived me⁴⁷ and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war!⁴⁸^31:27Why did you run away secretly⁴⁹ and deceive me?⁵⁰ Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps?⁵¹^31:28You didn’t even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren⁵² good-bye. You have acted foolishly! ^31:29I have⁵³ the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, ‘Be careful⁵⁴ that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.’⁵⁵^31:30Now I understand that⁵⁶ you have gone away⁵⁷ because you longed desperately⁵⁸ for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?”⁵⁹

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Footnotes

47 Heb “and you have stolen my heart.” This expression apparently means “to deceive” (see v. 20).
48 Heb “and you have led away my daughters like captives of a sword.”
49 Heb “Why did you hide in order to flee?” The verb “hide” and the infinitive “to flee” form a hendiadys, the infinitive becoming the main verb and the other the adverb: “flee secretly.”
50 Heb “and steal me.”
51 Heb “And [why did] you not tell me so I could send you off with joy and with songs, with a tambourine and with a harp?”
52 Heb “my sons and my daughters.” Here “sons” refers to “grandsons,” and has been translated “grandchildren” since at least one granddaughter, Dinah, was involved. The order has been reversed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
53 Heb “there is to my hand.”
54 Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.
55 Heb “from speaking with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 24, is uncertain. See the note on the same phrase in v. .
56 Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
57 The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.
58 The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.
59 Yet why did you steal my gods? This last sentence is dropped into the speech rather suddenly. See C. Mabee, “Jacob and Laban: The Structure of Judicial Proceedings,” 30 (1980): 192–207, and G. W. Coats, “Self-Abasement and Insult Formulas,” 91 (1972): 90–92.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war. Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps? You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing. I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and taken my daughters away like prisoners of war! Why did you secretly flee from me, deceive me, and not tell me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and lyres, but you didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters. You have acted foolishly. I could do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Watch yourself! Don’t say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s family—but why have you stolen my gods?”

NLTNew Living Translation

“What do you mean by deceiving me like this?” Laban demanded. “How dare you drag my daughters away like prisoners of war? Why did you slip away secretly? Why did you deceive me? And why didn’t you say you wanted to leave? I would have given you a farewell feast, with singing and music, accompanied by tambourines and harps. Why didn’t you let me kiss my daughters and grandchildren and tell them good-bye? You have acted very foolishly! I could destroy you, but the God of your father appeared to me last night and warned me, ‘Leave Jacob alone!’ I can understand your feeling that you must go, and your intense longing for your father’s home. But why have you stolen my gods?”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done that you tricked me and have carried off my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you hide your intention to flee and trick me, and did not tell me so that I would have sent you away with joy and song and tambourine and lyre? And why did you not give me opportunity to kiss my grandsons and my daughters goodbye? Now you have behaved foolishly by doing this. It is in my power to do harm to you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night saying, ‘Take care from speaking with Jacob, whether good or evil.’ Now, you have surely gone because you desperately longed for the house of your father, but why did you steal my gods?”

KJV 1900King James Version

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? Wherefore 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 tabret, and with harp? And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

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