1 - 13 Jacob Must Return to Canaan
1 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.” 2 Jacob saw the attitude [literally: face] of Laban, and behold, it was not [friendly] toward him as formerly. 3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5 and said to them, “I see your father’s attitude [literally: face], that it is not [friendly] toward me as formerly, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7 Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If he spoke thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth speckled; and if he spoke thus, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth striped. 9 Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given [them] to me. 10 And it came about at the time when the flock were mating that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which were mating [were] striped, speckled, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see [that] all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God [of] Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”
Laban’s sons are as greedy as their father. They are jealous of Jacob’s property and see his property as a loss to themselves. They forget that God had done them well because of Jacob (Gen 30:27b). In the same way, the prosperity of the people of Israel has always been a reason for the hatred of brother peoples.
Laban’s sons feel it like theft. They express their dissatisfaction, which can also be read on the face of their father. Jacob watches the face of his father-in-law. Faces often indicate the state of the soul (Neh 2:2). How does our face look? The expression on our face must be real and not hypocritical (Mt 6:16).
The LORD speaks to Jacob and reminds him of the promise he has made (Gen 28:20-22). Earlier He appeared to him in a dream and spoke to him in the dream (Gen 28:12-13). Here He speaks directly for the first time. In total God speaks seven times to Jacob (Gen 28:12-13; 31:3,11; 32:24-29; 35:1,9-13; 46:2).
Jacob discusses the matter with his wives. This is a good thing. In the same way a man must discuss with his wife what he intends to do and involve her in his considerations. Jacob points out how God has been busy with him and has taken care of him. He gives God the honor.
14 - 21 Jacob Flees
14 Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Are we not reckoned by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and has also entirely consumed our purchase price. 16 Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.” 17 Then Jacob arose and put his children and his wives upon camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had gathered, his acquired livestock which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the [Euphrates] River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
Jacob gives his wives the opportunity to express their thoughts about what he has told them. He takes them seriously in this. That is an example for the married man today. He would do well to listen to his wife’s considerations. Rachel and Leah urge Jacob to do what God has said. In this they are a real help to him, although the motives are not of the noblest kind. They choose to go with him because they know their father, while in fact they breathe the spirit of their father. They choose what is most beneficial to them.
As they leave, we see Jacob’s care for his children and wives, whom he puts on camels, while he himself takes care of the flock. At the same time Jacob is not aware of what is going on in his family. He doesn’t know that Rachel steals her father’s idols. This indicates that Rachel still hangs with her heart on the idols, something that is hidden from Jacob. The contact with Rachel does not seem to have been profound. It’s a bad thing anyway when a wife does something she hides from her husband. It says something about the relationship, namely that man and wife live at cross purposes.
They leave quietly, secretly, according to the recipe of the ‘old’ Jacob. Scripture calls it ‘deceive’ (verse 20). There is always that changing between acknowledging God’s hand in his life and acting according to his own insight. We can do something that is according to God’s will while acting from selfish motives.
For example, if we lend to others because they need it, that’s good. However, if we do so because we expect something in return that will benefit us, it is wrong (Lk 6:35). This kind of action indicates a lack of trust in God that He will provide if we obey Him.
22 - 30 Laban Pursues Jacob
22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him [a distance of] seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, “Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.” 25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with timbrel and with lyre; 28 and did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ 30 Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; [but] why did you steal my gods?”
God knows Laban’s purpose and comes to him in a dream. He warns him that he will speak to Jacob “either good or bad”, which means that he should not say anything that should move Jacob to change his plan (cf. Gen 24:50). God does not allow Laban to manipulate or threaten Jacob. God does not do this until Laban has already overtaken Jacob, so that it is still clear in his mind when he has reached Jacob.
From what Laban says, it appears that he is a hypocrite. He reproaches Jacob that he left without being given him the opportunity to lead him out in a dignified manner. People who have an evil mind, but are prevented from doing so, always turn the facts around. They claim to be full of good intentions and insinuate that the other has bad intentions. The so-called mistakes they perceive in the other person are enlarged and heavily exaggerated to cover up their own evil intent.
He also says that he did not even have the opportunity to give his children a farewell kiss. As if he was such a good father! He has always acted in his own interest, so much so that his daughters feel treated by him as strangers and sold (verse 15).
The deeper reason for the chase is that Laban has lost his house gods. This makes him feel unprotected and insecure (cf. Jdg 18:24). That Jacob took his daughters and livestock with him is one thing. It goes too far that he also took his house gods with him. Perhaps one day Jacob would return and take all his possessions from him. That could happen just like that, now that he is without protection. We see that later, because he can’t find the idols, he makes a covenant with Jacob (verses 43-53) to keep this, in his eyes unpleasant, man far from his territory.
What folly it is to call something a god that can be stolen. Is there protection to be expected from gods who are not even able to protect themselves? Yet many people connect their happiness to an amulet they wear. They feel vulnerable if they don’t have them with them or have even lost them. The real happiness is to experience the knowledge of the true God and His protection, which does not fail for anyone who calls upon it in faith.
31 - 35 The Idols with Rachel
31 Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our kinsmen point out what is yours among my belongings and take [it] for yourself.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. 33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, 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 and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find [them]. 35 She said to her father, “Let not my LORD be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household idols.
Jacob tells the true reason for his flight. He was afraid that Laban would take his wives away from him, to force him to stay with him. This is how he got to know Laban. As for the gods Laban thinks he took them with him: Jacob curses that with whom he finds them shall not live. Here he speaks in great self-assurance, but with ignorance about the real situation in his family. It is a lesson for us not to use big words hastily and thoughtlessly, even though we are so convinced that we are right.
Besides the deceit of Jacob in his secret escape (verse 20), there is also the deceit of the household idols stolen by Rachel (verse 19). Rachel behaves like a real ‘Jacob’, a cheater. And Jacob does not know it (verse 32). Once again Jacob is the failing head of the family, who does not know what has come into his house, this time through his favorite wife. Do we know what comes into our house? Do we have an eye for occult matters which can come in and be with us?
Besides theft and idolatry, Rachel is also guilty of deception. She says she has her period and cannot get up. So the theft remains covered and the evil in the house. One sin comes from another if the first sin is not confessed.
36 - 42 Jacob Blames Laban
36 Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set [it] here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I [have been] with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn [of beasts] I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand [whether] stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 [Thus] I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”
When Laban’s search is unsuccessful, Jacob becomes angry. He defends himself and blames Laban for his selfish behavior. This would not have been necessary if he had confidently placed everything in God’s hand. The Lord Jesus is our example. He has entrusted [Himself] to Him who judges righteously (1Pet 2:23). If we do not live with the Lord, we will vigorously defend ourselves against false accusations. We will blame the other.
Such reproaches can be justified, as here with Jacob, but our anger is mainly due to our own wounded pride. For the sake of convenience, we forget that we ourselves have not always acted correctly and have disadvantaged others. This disadvantage can be material, but also spiritual. We can say something bad about someone else to get out of it better ourselves.
From what Jacob says, and what Laban does not contradict, he turns out to have been a hard worker, someone who has made a lot of effort for the sake of his not easy boss. He didn’t slack off nor deceived his boss. His great patience is also evident from the endurance of the often unjust actions of his boss Laban. He did not revolt, but was submissive to injustice (cf. 1Pet 2:18). He also had the experience that God has given him justice.
Jacob speaks of God as “the God of my father, the God of Abraham”, that is the God Whom Abraham trusted. He also speaks of God as “the fear of Isaac”. At the moment Jacob says this, Isaac is still alive, and his life shows fear of God.
43 - 55 Covenant Between Jacob and Laban
43 Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and 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 So now come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 Then Jacob took a stone and set it up [as] a pillar. 46 Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Now Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, [although] no man is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.” 51 Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his kinsmen to the meal; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
Laban points at his daughters and their children and the flocks and calls them all his own. As if he has some love or affection for them. People who are without natural love will emphatically express their love when it serves their interests. It is also completely unjustified, because Jacob worked hard for them and received them as a salary. But a worldly man does not easily renounce his possessions, even if they have been transferred to another. The heart remains attached to it.
Laban proposes to make a covenant and Jacob indicates the sign for it. Laban benefits from this covenant, for Jacob it is not necessary. Through this covenant Laban wants to obtain the certainty that Jacob will not return to him. He wants to be redeemed from him forever. He also commits himself never to pass this sign to go to Jacob. The many words Laban uses are a camouflage of his own unreliability. He asks Jacob for things he himself has not lived up to.
Laban gives the erected sign – which is a boundary post – a name, and Jacob also gives it a name, each in his own language. Laban gives it the name “Jegar-sahadutha” in Aramaic. Jacob gives it the name “Galeed” in Hebrew. The meaning is the same, ‘heap of the testimony’. Both speak their own language, which is different from each other. The language of the man of the world is different from that of the believer. And Jacob is a believer. Laban gives the heap an extra name. He does this in Hebrew, “Mizpah”, which means ’watchtower’. Here is the boundary drawn, which they will not cross.
In yet another way the difference between the man of the world, Laban, and the believer Jacob appears. They both speak of God in their own way (verse 53). Laban speaks of God as a god who answers his taste and Jacob confesses the true God, Who wants him to answer His taste. We also see that he confesses the true God in the sacrifice he offers (verse 54). He involves God in this agreement, while he is aware that this agreement can only be made on the basis of the sacrifice.
Once again he speaks of God as “the fear of his father Isaac”, that is the God Whom his father Isaac fears, who has never served other gods. It is important to remember that there is only one true God: that is the God Who revealed Himself in His Son Jesus Christ. This is important, among other things, when we come into contact with islam, which also relies on the God of Abraham, but rejects the Son of God.