31:14And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
31:15Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
31:16For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
31:17Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
31:18And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
31:19And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.
31:20And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
31:21So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
31:22And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
31:23And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
31:24And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
31:25Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
31:26And 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?
31:27Wherefore 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?
31:28And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
31:29It 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.
31:30And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
31:31And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
31:32With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
31:33And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.
31:34Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
31:35And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.
Rachel enters carrying responsibility, not waiting to be admired. For she kept them. Before the Book of Genesis describes her beauty, it identifies her work: she brings her father's sheep to the well. Jacob has already been advising the local shepherds about their working hours, despite having only just arrived. Then Rachel appears, and the newcomer stops giving instructions and moves the stone himself.
The sentence describing that effort names Laban his mother's brother three times. This meeting is not floating free of the family Jacob has left behind. The sheep, the girl, and the welcome all belong to his mother's people. The kiss and the tears come before any declaration of romantic love. Rachel, meanwhile, runs to report what has happened. She is the person who brings the stranger at the well into the household.