Genesis 31
Share
CHAPTER 31
Jacob Flees From Laban (31:1–21)
1–9 After Jacob had been in Haran for twenty years, the Lord told him to return to the “land of his fathers,” the land of Canaan (verse 1). But for Jacob that was a land of danger; supposing his brother Esau was still alive and still intent on killing him. But the Lord told him to go, and once again He promised to be with him (Genesis 28:15). Indeed, the Lord would be the only protection Jacob could count on.
Sometimes in life the Lord asks us to return to the place from which we have fled, the place of fear, the place of failure. And as He promised Jacob, He promises to be with us as well.
For several years Laban had been cheating Jacob. Whenever Laban decided that animals with a particular marking should belong to Jacob, then God caused only animals with that marking to be born. Then Laban would change the rules, and decide on a different marking; then only animals with that new marking would be born. Laban changed the marking many times in an effort to stop Jacob’s flocks from growing, but it was to no avail. Not surprisingly, Laban and his sons grew more and more hostile toward Jacob.
10–13 The Lord had given Jacob the command to return to Canaan in a dream (verse 10). In the dream, the angel of the Lord said, “I am the God of Bethel” (verse 13). It was at Bethel that Jacob really met God for the first time (Genesis 28:16–17). Jacob could now be sure that the same God who promised to be with him at Bethel would continue to be with him on his way back to Canaan.
14–21 Rachel and Leah agreed to go with Jacob, and the whole family with all their animals departed for Canaan, crossing the Euphrates River on their way (verse 21). But they left secretly without telling Laban. Not only that, as they were leaving Rachel stole her father’s household gods (verse 19). She probably believed these idols would provide some protection for them during their journey. Rachel had not yet given up the pagan beliefs of her family.
Laban Pursues Jacob (31:22–55)
22–30 Laban and his relatives pursued Jacob and his family for seven days, and finally caught up with them not far from Canaan (verse 23). Though Laban was a pagan, God spoke to him in a dream telling him not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad (verse 24). From this, Laban understood that Jacob was under God’s protection, so he prudently decided not to harm him.
However, Laban expressed distress that Jacob had run away with his daughters and most of his animals—though according to the animals markings, they all belonged to Jacob. Here was one deceiver complaining about the behavior of another deceiver! People commonly accuse others of the very thing they themselves are guilty of (Romans 2:1).
31–35 But perhaps what upset Laban the most was the theft of his household gods (verse 30). So Jacob promised to punish with death anyone who was found to have stolen them. Jacob didn’t know that Rachel was the guilty one! (verse 32).
Rachel was sitting on the gods when her father came to search her tent. But Rachel—a deceiver also—told her father she couldn’t stand up because she was having her menstrual period. Thus the gods were not found.
36–42 Jacob then rebuked Laban for pursuing him and for treating him harshly for twenty years. Jacob told Laban it was God—the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac (verse 42)—who had made it possible for him to leave with his family and animals; it was God who had re-strained Laban from harming him.
43–55 Laban realized he could not oppose Jacob’s God. Seeing that he would not prevail over Jacob, Laban did the next best thing: he made a peace treaty with him. In these verses we are given a description of that treaty, or covenant.