Genesis 31:25-42 - The Search For The Stolen Idols
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. And Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount. And Laban with his brothers pitched in Mount Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, What have you done, that you have deceived my heart and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword? 27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret and with harp? 28 And why have you not allowed me to kiss my sons and my daughters? You have done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in the power of my hand to do you harm. But the God of your fathers spoke to me last night, saying, Take heed that you do not speak either good or bad to Jacob. 30 And now you have gone because you longed after your father's house. Why have you stolen my gods?
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid, for I said, Perhaps you would take your daughters away from me by force. 32 With whomever you find your gods, let him not live. Before our brothers, choose what is yours with me, and take it to you. For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the tents of the two slave women, and he did not find. And he went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 34 And Rachel had taken the images and put them into the camel's saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all the tent, but did not find them.
35 But she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you. For the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but did not find the images.
36 And Jacob was angry, and rebuked Laban. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued after me? 37 For you have searched all my stuff; what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my brothers and your brothers, that they may judge between us both. 38 I was with you these twenty years. Your ewes and she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of your flock I have not eaten. 39 That which was mangled I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it at my hand, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. 40 I was there; in the day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night. And my sleep departed from my eyes. 41 And I have been twenty years in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six for your flocks. And you have changed my wages ten times. 42 Unless the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac had been with me, surely you would have sent me away now empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.