Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (21.3)

The Book of Genesis

Genesis Chapter 30:25 to 31:1-55 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

God Blesses Jacob with Prosperity

v.25-30 After 14 years of service, Jacob was ready to return to Canaan (v.25-26) but Laban, who recognised that Jacob was blessed of God, was not anxious to see him leave (v.27).  So determined was he to keep Jacob from leaving that he was willing for Jacob to set his own conditions v.28), a concession of no small magnitude considering Laban’s previous maneuvers.  Jacob agreed that God had indeed blessed Laban because of him (v.29-30).

v.31-34 The abundance that they recognised as God’s blessing led them to a new agreement.  Jacob proposed a plan (v.31) by which he would, on the surface, gain little – as a rule, goats were black and dark brown, and sheep were white.  Hence, Jacob would not have much to gain as possessions when he asked only for the “speckled and spotted…and…brown…sheep” and the “spotted and speckled… goats” (v.32-33).  Jacob’s plan was risky because single-coloured animals do not normally produced spotted animals.  Laban agreed to this arrangement because he thought it could work only to his advantage (v.34).

v. 35-36 At first, it might seem that Jacob would receive the smaller portion of these spotted animals but Laban removed all the off-coloured sheep, goats, and cattle (v.35), and placed a “three days’ journey” (v.36) distance between them and Jacob, as an added precaution.  Thus, even though Laban entered into an imbalanced agreement to his favour, he sought to further ensure his own success by taking unfair advantages through clever schemes.

v.37-43 Jacob relied on the ancient superstition that the offspring were influenced by the fears or experiences of the mother during pregnancy – he placed peeled branches in all the watering troughs, directly in front of the breeding flocks (v.37-38).  This process is demonstrably unscientific as there is absolutely no existing mechanism (e.g. nerves) in the placenta and umbilical cord (which constitutes the only connection between the mother and the fetus), whereby the mother can mark her offspring.  Genesis records the fact that Jacob utilised a superstitious method but in no way does it attribute the results to the method (v.39, cf. 31:9-12).  He also selectively bred the stronger animals so that the weaker ones went to Laban (v.40-32).  The result of God’s blessing on Jacob (cf. 31:6-9), not Jacob’s efforts, led to his success and increasing prosperity (v.43).

Chapter 31

Jacob’s Flight from Laban

v.1-3 Of the two inter-related reasons for Jacob’s flight to Canaan, the first was the increasing animosity he sensed from Laban’s family.  The words of Laban’s sons have the ring of bitterness (v.1) and Laban’s countenance was no longer in favour of Jacob (v.2) because Laban began to resent Jacob’s prosperity under God’s blessing at his expense.  We see that God directs His people to advance His programme at His time through the use of circumstances.

The Word of the LORD also came to Jacob, instructing him to leave, with this growing danger on Jacob’s mind.  This call of Jacob was to return to “the land of [his] fathers, and to [his] kindred”.  Along with circumstances, God directs His people to do His will through His Word.

v.4-13 In this speech, Jacob showed himself to be a keen observer, true believer, and grateful proclaimer of God’s blessing and direction.  Jacob began by noting that the present circumstances were unfavourable towards him (v.4-5) and traced how God prospered him in his faithful service to Laban (v.6) and protected him from Laban’s deceit (v.7-9).  This part of his speech centers on the fact that he was both wise and justified in leaving Laban – therefore it was right for him to depart.

Then Jacob told his wives the dream he had (v.10-12), reminding him of his obligation to fulfill the vow he made at Bethel to return to the land (v.13).  If Jacob’s wives were not convinced to go by the reasoned appeal to Laban’s mistreatment of him, they would be by the news of God’s call.  Hence, the migration to Canaan was not only a wise and justified thing to do – it was God’s will.  We may learn from Jacob’s example that in making major life-changing decisions, it is important but not good enough to merely have a set of sound reasons.  Believers should seek to know if the matter is truly the will of the LORD.

v.14-16 Where the matter is truly of the LORD, one can trust the LORD to lead the parties involved to meet at the same point in agreement.  God’s justice emerges as another reason for the migration because Laban had apparently withheld their inheritance (v.14), having sold them and thoroughly consumed their money or dowry (v.15).  They therefore saw divine justice in God’s taking the wealth of their father and giving it to Jacob (v.16).  For the 1st time, the two sisters were united in opinion – they agreed that the fortunes of Jacob, as well as their own, were threatened, and that they should depart quickly.

v.17-21 Jacob’s flight from Laban (v.17-18) became more risky than it needed to be because Rachel stole her father’s teraphim (v.19).  Whether “the images” guaranteed protection or the right of inheritance, Laban was certainly exercised to retrieve them.  It was one thing for Jacob to take Laban’s flocks and family but to take his household gods could have meant that Jacob might some day return and lay claim to everything Laban possessed.  Rachel’s theft only complicated matters and left out any hope that Laban would resign himself to their departure.  Even in executing the will of God, believers must be careful to deal rightly with all parties, even with those who had wronged them.

v.22-24 Laban began his pursuit 3 days later (v.22) but he was able to overtake them 7 days later (v.23) because Jacob could not move very quickly with all of his family, servants, possessions and animals.  Before Laban overtook Jacob, however, The LORD warned him in a dream to “speak not to Jacob either good or bad” (v.24).  The expression literally means “from good to bad”.  In other words, Laban was not to get Jacob to return, either by inducements or by force.

v.25-35 In Laban’s complaint, he accused Jacob of robbing him (v.25-26).  The choice of words were militaristic (e.g. “as captives taken with the sword”), indicating that they were now enemies.  Laban further presented himself as hurt father who was not given the chance to send off his daughters with a celebration (v.27-28).  However, Laban acknowledged that God had, in a dream, suspended Laban’s prerogative to exert his powers to interfere in Jacob’s life (v.29).  Finally, Laban revealed his overriding concern over his “gods” (v.30), which he accused Jacob of stealing.

Jacob defended his integrity in leaving secretly (v.31) and protested his innocence in the matter of the household gods by declaring that “With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live” (v.32).  Laban took up the challenge to search for his gods (v.33-34) but was once again deceived, this time by Rachel.  Rachel had hidden them (usually small human figurines about 5-8 cm in length) in the camel saddle upon which she sat.  Oriental custom required children, regardless of age, to stand in the presence of their parents (cf. Lev. 19:32; 1 Ki.2:19) but she did not on the excuse that “the custom of women is upon me” (v.35).  Her statement forms a subtle rebuke for Laban’s deception of Jacob by the use of custom (cf. 29:26).  Evidently, Laban never dreamt that a woman in the period of menses would contaminate his gods.   Rachel’s actions was a great blow to the concept of household gods because not only can a person sit on these gods but they can be rendered unclean (cf. Lev. 15:19-33) by the stains of Rachel’s blood!

v.36-42 Ignorant of Rachel’s theft of Laban’s idols, Jacob delivered his stern counter-charge against Laban.  His words repeat those of his speech to his wives earlier but now with a new intensity (v.36-37, “Jacob was wroth”).  He claimed that he had served Laban faithfully for 20 years and Laban had benefitted greatly (v.38-40); Laban had dealt deceptively with him, changing his wages 10 times (v.41); but God had been with him to ensure that he did not go away empty or fall into danger (v.42).  Jacob ended his devastating attack by pointing out that God “rebuked thee yesternight” in Laban’s dream to vindicate him.

v.43-55 Laban could not counter this attack from Jacob but could only appeal for a peace treaty (v.43-44).  Jacob 1st set up “a pillar” (v.45) then “an heap” (v.46).  Laban named it in Aramaic (“Jegar-sahadutha”) but Jacob called it in Hebrew “Galeed” (v.47).  Both names meant “the heap is my witness” (v.48).  Laban further added the name “Mizpah” (v.49-50), expressing the wish that the LORD would watch between them – to keep them apart and to keep his daughters safe.  Laban’s words suggested that Jacob was the slippery one to be watched (v.51).  Jacob did not need the treaty, for God had clearly protected him from Laban, but he welcomed it because it would keep Laban apart from him (v.52-53).  Hence, “Galeed” was for Jacob a confession in stone of his release from servitude to Laban.  The treaty concluded with a feast (v.54) and the two parties parted from each other in peace (v.54-55).

This story reveals Jacob in a good light – he was obedient to God’s call to return, faithful in his service to Laban, protested his innocence before God, and acknowledged God’s presence with him.  God’s people must live on this level if they wish to enjoy God’s continued protection and provision.  Hence, believers who obedient to the will of God may be confident of God’s protection.