Jim Parker
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- Apr 17, 2015
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Bible 101 Lesson 5B
Read Gen 31:4-13
Jacob explained the situation to Rachael and Leah. He explained that their father, Laban, had changed their agreement ten times but God had continued to bless Jacob.
Jacob related his vision of the Angel of the Lord to them in which God gave the flocks and herds to Jacob.
Gen 31:14 -18
Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Rachael and Leah also saw that their father is not being honest with them. He had consumed any inheritance they would have received from him. They agreed that God has given Jacob their father’s wealth that was really theirs and their children’s.
What they were saying was that their father, Laban, cheated Jacob and he cheated them. But the wealth that God has given Jacob is also theirs and their children’s. So they all headed back to Canaan.
Gen 31:19
Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s.
Apparently, Rachel felt justified in stealing her father’s idols which were very likely made of gold and/or silver.
Two problems:
(1) She stole them and
(2) now she’s carrying pagan idols with her, which is an abomination to the Lord.
Gen 31:22-23
And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
By taking his brethren with him and pursuing Jacob for seven days, we understand that Laban was intending to do violence to Jacob. You don’t need a posse just to say “Good by and good luck!” What Laban appears to have intended to do is to take by force his daughters and Jacobs’s flocks back with him. But, he was warned by God in a dream to be careful what he says to Jacob.
Laban and his posse caught up with Jacob and his wives and children and his flocks and herds.
Gen 31:26-30
And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing. It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’
And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
Jacob’s act of sneaking away is a breach of decorum. That is the complaint that Laban brings because it is the truth. Under normal circumstances, they would have had a few days of feasting before Laban sent Jacob on his way with his blessing. Laban doesn’t mention that it is highly unlikely that he had any blessing for Jacob. Still, what Jacob did was contrary to the customs of the day and Jacob was properly rebuked for his action.
Then Laban asked why Jacob stole his gods. But Jacob knew nothing about what Rachel did.
So, Laban was very careful to do what God had said in the dream because, even thought he was an idolater, he feared the God of Jacob. He did not try to take his daughters and their children and all of Jacob’s flocks by force. But he did want his household gods back which was a reasonable demand.
Gen 31:31-32 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
Jacob’s answer is truthful. He feared that Laban would take his daughters back by force (not to mention his children, his flocks, and herds and camels). The fact that Laban brought all his kinsmen with him “just to say good by” bears witness to the fact that Laban would not have hesitated to use force had God not warned him.
Jacob also gives a righteous response concerning the stolen gods. He allows Laban to search through everyone’s belongings and all the baggage of their group. If the gods are found in the possession of anyone in his group, he decrees that person be put to death. He is unaware that he has put Rachel, his favorite, whom he loves more than Leah, in danger of death.
Gen 31:33-35
And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them. And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols.
Rachel acts quickly to save her life. She put the gods (idols) in the camel saddle in her tent and sat on it. Then when her father came to search she asked to be allowed to remain seated because she was having her period. Ii that culture, her condition would make her “unclean” and the camel saddle on which she sat would also be considered unclean. So Laban, in order not to be defiled by touching the “unclean” camel saddle, didn’t look there and Rachel escaped being put to death as a thief.
So she is a thief and a liar. WHAT A FAMILY!! (The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.)
Gen 31:36-55
Jacob gave Laban a chewing out for the ill treatment he received from Laban.
Laban responded that Leah and Rachel are his and all their children are his and all Jacob’s flocks are his and all that he sees is his but he’s afraid to go against the God of Jacob. In saying this, Laban confirmed that it was his intention to do exactly what Jacob feared: to take everything that Jacob had earned and gained including his wives and children and to leave him with nothing.
So they made a covenant not to be in conflict with each other. Then they made a heap of stones as a witness (tradition); they made a sacrifice; (to confirm the covenant) and they ate bread. (A sign of friendship.)
The Jacob headed off back to his father’s house and Laban back to his house and the practice of sending back to the family in Padan-Aran for wives comes to an end.
Read Gen 31:4-13
Jacob explained the situation to Rachael and Leah. He explained that their father, Laban, had changed their agreement ten times but God had continued to bless Jacob.
Jacob related his vision of the Angel of the Lord to them in which God gave the flocks and herds to Jacob.
Gen 31:14 -18
Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Rachael and Leah also saw that their father is not being honest with them. He had consumed any inheritance they would have received from him. They agreed that God has given Jacob their father’s wealth that was really theirs and their children’s.
What they were saying was that their father, Laban, cheated Jacob and he cheated them. But the wealth that God has given Jacob is also theirs and their children’s. So they all headed back to Canaan.
Gen 31:19
Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s.
Apparently, Rachel felt justified in stealing her father’s idols which were very likely made of gold and/or silver.
Two problems:
(1) She stole them and
(2) now she’s carrying pagan idols with her, which is an abomination to the Lord.
Gen 31:22-23
And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
By taking his brethren with him and pursuing Jacob for seven days, we understand that Laban was intending to do violence to Jacob. You don’t need a posse just to say “Good by and good luck!” What Laban appears to have intended to do is to take by force his daughters and Jacobs’s flocks back with him. But, he was warned by God in a dream to be careful what he says to Jacob.
Laban and his posse caught up with Jacob and his wives and children and his flocks and herds.
Gen 31:26-30
And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing. It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’
And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
Jacob’s act of sneaking away is a breach of decorum. That is the complaint that Laban brings because it is the truth. Under normal circumstances, they would have had a few days of feasting before Laban sent Jacob on his way with his blessing. Laban doesn’t mention that it is highly unlikely that he had any blessing for Jacob. Still, what Jacob did was contrary to the customs of the day and Jacob was properly rebuked for his action.
Then Laban asked why Jacob stole his gods. But Jacob knew nothing about what Rachel did.
So, Laban was very careful to do what God had said in the dream because, even thought he was an idolater, he feared the God of Jacob. He did not try to take his daughters and their children and all of Jacob’s flocks by force. But he did want his household gods back which was a reasonable demand.
Gen 31:31-32 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
Jacob’s answer is truthful. He feared that Laban would take his daughters back by force (not to mention his children, his flocks, and herds and camels). The fact that Laban brought all his kinsmen with him “just to say good by” bears witness to the fact that Laban would not have hesitated to use force had God not warned him.
Jacob also gives a righteous response concerning the stolen gods. He allows Laban to search through everyone’s belongings and all the baggage of their group. If the gods are found in the possession of anyone in his group, he decrees that person be put to death. He is unaware that he has put Rachel, his favorite, whom he loves more than Leah, in danger of death.
Gen 31:33-35
And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them. And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols.
Rachel acts quickly to save her life. She put the gods (idols) in the camel saddle in her tent and sat on it. Then when her father came to search she asked to be allowed to remain seated because she was having her period. Ii that culture, her condition would make her “unclean” and the camel saddle on which she sat would also be considered unclean. So Laban, in order not to be defiled by touching the “unclean” camel saddle, didn’t look there and Rachel escaped being put to death as a thief.
So she is a thief and a liar. WHAT A FAMILY!! (The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.)
Gen 31:36-55
Jacob gave Laban a chewing out for the ill treatment he received from Laban.
Laban responded that Leah and Rachel are his and all their children are his and all Jacob’s flocks are his and all that he sees is his but he’s afraid to go against the God of Jacob. In saying this, Laban confirmed that it was his intention to do exactly what Jacob feared: to take everything that Jacob had earned and gained including his wives and children and to leave him with nothing.
So they made a covenant not to be in conflict with each other. Then they made a heap of stones as a witness (tradition); they made a sacrifice; (to confirm the covenant) and they ate bread. (A sign of friendship.)
The Jacob headed off back to his father’s house and Laban back to his house and the practice of sending back to the family in Padan-Aran for wives comes to an end.
