Genesis 31:31
ESV
Jacob answered and said to Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
NIV
Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.
NASB
Then Jacob replied to Laban, 'Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
CSB
Jacob answered, "I was afraid, for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
NLT
I rushed away because I was afraid,' Jacob answered. 'I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
KJV
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
NKJV
Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’
What does Genesis 31:31 mean?
After pursuing Jacob for a week, Laban has finally caught up to his fleeing son-in-law and angrily unloaded all of his accusations. Most serious of these is that Jacob stole Laban's house gods. These were small idols that might have been seen as protection totems, or even as a way to prove one's right to claim an inheritance. What Jacob does not know is that the idols were stolen, by his beloved wife, Rachel (Genesis 31:19). Given Jacob's response, it's crystal clear that he was oblivious to her theft.Here, Jacob responds to Laban's confrontation. He explains why he didn't tell Laban before he left; his motivation for tricking his father-in-law to try to get away without Laban knowing. In short, Jacob was afraid Laban would tear Rachel and Leah away from him by force. In other words, Jacob believed he had a better chance of keeping his wives and children by sneaking away than by openly telling Laban he was going.
Coming at this point in the story of Genesis, Jacob's point resonates with the reader. We have seen Laban continually cheat, lie, manipulate, and threaten (Genesis 29:20–28; 30:31–36). Legally speaking, in that era, it's also possible that Laban had legal footing to claim that everything belonging to Jacob—who'd lived as an indentured servant for years—was actually Laban's property.
Jacob will rashly answer Laban's accusation about stealing the house gods in the following verse.
Genesis 31:22–42 recounts Laban's pursuit of Jacob and his large company, after learning his son-in-law has left for Canaan without telling him. It takes a week, but Laban catches up. Warned by God in a dream not to say anything to Jacob ''either good or bad,'' Laban instead expresses his hurt to Jacob and accuses him of stealing Laban's house idols. When a search for the idols—cleverly hidden by Rachel without Jacob's knowledge—turns up nothing, Jacob finally expresses all of his complaints about Laban's unfair treatment of him in spite of twenty years of faithful service.
Genesis 31 describes Jacob's difficult separation from Laban, his father-in-law, as well as his boss for twenty years. During that time, Jacob was routinely mistreated and cheated by his master. Commanded by God to return to the land of Canaan, Jacob packs up his wives, children, and all of his possessions and leaves without telling Laban. Laban soon catches up with the large company. Laban and Jacob confront each other bitterly. Eventually, though, they make a covenant of separation and peace.
