GENESIS 31: Jacob’s family departs from Laban
It wasn’t that Jacob had taken anything that belonged to Laban. Rather, it was that his wealth was increasing in proportion to Laban’s wealth. The problem wasn’t that Jacob stole anything; it was that Laban’s sons were filled with envy. Is this a problem? The New Testament explicitly identifies envy as a primary motivation for the religious leaders who handed Jesus over to be crucified. Both the Gospels of Matthew (27:18) and Mark (15:10) record that Pilate recognized envy as the driving force behind the actions of the Jewish leaders, it’s a big problem…
- Envy always distorts the truth. Jacob had not taken anything of Laban’s, but envy will lie. Therefore, Laban’s sons said, Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s.
- Envy is not only bad on its own, but also bad for the company it keeps: The Apostle Paul had a lot to say on this:
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 New King James Version
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
- The Apostle Paul didn’t waste any time punching us right in the mouth before 11:30 am. This scripture seems to be referring to the church within.
- People under one roof fighting and complaining with one another. We haven’t seen this here in almost forever here. But what if we started talking smack about another church because they do things differently than we do? But Pastor, we have doctrinal differences! AND they do and say weird things. Then don’t go there!
- We have no right judging anyones commitment and belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here’s the bottom line, if a Church regardless of denomination affiliation confesses Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they believe in the Life, Death and Resurrection of our God, they are part of the Body of Christ. Just because you don’t like how they do it, “you better keep your mouth shut”.
Genesis 31 New King James Version
1 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.”
2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before.
- The envy of Laban’s sons poisoned Laban’s heart against Jacob. Before, Laban was entirely pleased with the agreement.
- Envy is no small sin. It put Jesus on the cross: For He knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. (Matthew 27:18)
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”
- Even if Jacob never knew it, God prepared him for this time. First, God gave him the desire to go back home (Genesis 30:25). Then, his present circumstances became unbearable. Finally, the LORD gave personal direction to Jacob. Today, God may lead people after the same pattern. And He says I will be with you: This was the most important aspect, pray, if your heart is right, even if you make a mistake, you just turn around and go back. He said, I will be with you, both ways.
4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock,
5 and said to them, “I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.
- Even though Laban tried to cheat Jacob, God protected him all the time. He kept working hard no matter what his boss was like.
- God showed Jacob that He was greater and able to overcome what any man might do to Jacob. God’s presence was with Jacob, just as God had promised.
6 And you know that with all my might I have served your father.
7 Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.
8 If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked.
- Jacob is telling his wives and you, God has your back. If you’re not happy with your job, pray, look for new opportunities, but don’t be a slacker. You do better and be better, blow the place away with good character and work ethics. Your Boss is only the man who signs your checks. You’re working as unto the Lord, God is your paymaster!
9 So, God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
10 “And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted.
- Here, we learn that the blessing of blessed production of sheep and goats described in Genesis 30:37-43 was in some way revealed to Jacob in a dream. Jacob did not only use clever agricultural methods; more importantly, he trusted in the blessing of God. Do you??
11 Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’
12 And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
- It is good to remember times and places where the LORD did great works for us and has met us in wonderful ways. As we remember them, God reminds us He is still the same God who met our needs then and wants to meet our needs now. But Pastor, I thought that when I got saved from my life would be better? It is, you now have eternal life. Life is hard, the Bible never said do this and everything will be easy. Just think of Jacob’s life. He left to go find a wife from his father and grandfathers’ family. Sounds easy. He has a moment with God on his way, becomes a true believer of the God of Abraham and Isaac, but then loses 20 years of life to obtain the wife of his dreams. Why? God had a plan to develop Jacob into the man God needs him to be.
Genesis 31:14-20
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
15 Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money.
- This is sarcasm, Rachel and Leah noted that their father Laban had already used any potential inheritance they may have once received (also completely consumed our money). This meant they were happy to leave their homeland with Jacob and return to Bethel and the land promised to Jacob.
16 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.”
- Their support of Jacob in a costly and perhaps dangerous move was significant. It was a huge undertaking to move such a large family so far. If not for the support of his wives, Jacob perhaps would not have done what the LORD had told him to do.
- This may be the first time in quite a while when the sisters Leah and Rachel agreed on anything. They could agree to unite against a common enemy — their father Laban.
17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels.
- Jacob intended a quick departure, traveling as fast as possible. Jacob was wealthy enough that his entire family could travel on camels.
18 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.
- Fear made it impossible to reap the full measure of blessing. He sneaked away into the will of God “instead of departing in triumph.”
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s.
20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee.
- Let’s address these scriptures, there’s lots of speculation as to why Rachel took her father’s idols. Bottom line we don’t know what her thinking was. You can choose which narrative fits your thinking, praise God it’s not a salvation issue. You can be like me and just say I don’t know. These idols are called “teraphim”.
- Perhaps she worshipped these idols and did not want to be without them.
- Perhaps she did not want her father to inquire of them, to use them as tools of divination to catch them (as he may have previously done, as in Genesis 30:27)
- Perhaps it was because such idols were often used as deeds to property and she thought that by taking the idols, she was taking whatever inheritance might be left to Laban’s children.
- Perhaps Rachel stole the teraphim simply to get back at her father, whom she felt had mistreated her, her husband, and her whole family.
- According to some Jewish traditions, Rachel took the teraphim because she wanted to keep her father Laban from idolatry.
GENESIS 31:21-27
21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
- It was nearly 300 miles from Haran to the mountains of Gilead, but the journey was longer and more difficult psy-cho-logically than it was physically for Jacob. He left the place of safety, where he lived in a comfortable servitude, to go to a place where God called him, but there were many dangerous enemies (such as his brother Esau, who had sworn to kill him).
23 Then he (Laban) took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.
24 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.”
25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
- Apparently, Laban did have an evil intention against Jacob. Yet God protected Jacob through this dream by night, telling Laban to be careful in his dealings with Jacob.
26 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?
27 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?
GENESIS 31:28-35
28 And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing.
29 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.’
30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’
32 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.
33 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.
34 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.
35 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.
GENESIS 31:36-42
36 Then 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 me?
37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!
38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.
39 That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
41 Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
42 Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
GENESIS 31:43-55
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?
44 Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap.
47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Gale-ed.
48 And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore, its name was called Gale-ed,
49 also Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.
- Mizpah is a Hebrew word meaning “watchtower” or “lookout point” (derived from tzaphah, “to watch/guard”), commonly interpreted as a blessing: “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent from each other”. Rooted in Genesis 31:49, it signifies a divine covenant, protection, and an emotional bond between the separated.
50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”
- “In effect, the pillar of Mizpah meant, ‘If you come over on my side of this line, the pact is void and I will kill you.’
- The covenant breaker would need God to take care of him, because the other would shoot to kill”. Mizpah was never meant to be a nice sentiment — despite what a Mizpah coin shared between two people might say.
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me.
52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.
55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.