Genesis31

Jacob, perceiving Laban's changed demeanor and hearing God's command, secretly departed from Padanaram with his family and possessions. Laban pursued him for seven days, but God warned Laban not to harm Jacob. After a tense confrontation where Jacob defended his integrity and Laban searched for his stolen household images, they made a covenant at Galeed and Mizpah, establishing peace and a boundary between them.
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Jacob Prepares to Leave Laban

1
And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. ​
2
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
3
And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. ​
4
And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5
And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6
And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7
And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. ​
8
If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9
Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10
And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11
And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
12
And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. ​
13
I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. ​
14
And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
15
Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. ​
16
For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

Jacob Flees Padan-aram

17
Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
18
And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19
And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. ​
20
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. ​
21
So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

Laban Pursues Jacob

22
And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
23
And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. ​
24
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. ​

The Confrontation and Search

25
Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
26
And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
27
Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? ​
28
And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. ​
30
And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? ​
31
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
32
With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. ​
33
And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
34
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
35
And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images. ​

Jacob’s Defense of His Integrity

36
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? ​
37
Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
38
This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
39
That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. ​
40
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
41
Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
42
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. ​

The Covenant at Galeed and Mizpah

43
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? ​
44
Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
45
And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
46
And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
47
And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. ​
48
And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
49
And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. ​
50
If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. ​
51
And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;
52
This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. ​
53
The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. ​
54
Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. ​
55
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

Study Notes for Genesis 31

Verse 1

Laban's sons envy Jacob’s accumulated wealth (which they view as stolen inheritance), forcing Jacob to recognize the deteriorating relationship. The term 'glory' refers to the visible prosperity gained through God's blessing.

Verse 3

This divine command validates Jacob’s departure. God confirms the promise made at Bethel (Gen 28:15) and directs Jacob back to the land of promise, making his journey an act of obedience rather than mere flight.

Verse 7

The phrase 'changed my wages ten times' signifies repeated and systematic deceit by Laban, emphasizing his unscrupulous character. However, God consistently intervened to protect Jacob's interests.

Verse 12

This dream confirms that Jacob’s successful breeding method was not a result of pagan magic or his own ingenuity, but a direct, miraculous intervention by God, who observed Laban’s oppression.

Verse 13

By identifying Himself as 'the God of Bethel,' the Lord links this command directly to the covenant Jacob made twenty years earlier (Gen 28:18-22), establishing the return as a fulfillment of Jacob’s vow.

Verse 15

Rachel and Leah realize that their father has treated them as property, 'selling' them to Jacob and consuming their bridal price. This justifies their decision to abandon their father and fully commit to Jacob and his God.

Verse 19

The 'images' (*teraphim*) were household gods, possibly small idols, used for divination or associated with family inheritance rights in Mesopotamian culture. Stealing them was a serious offense, perhaps an attempt by Rachel to secure her claim to family wealth.

Verse 20

Jacob 'stole away unawares' (literally, 'stole the heart of Laban'), meaning he deceived Laban by keeping his plans secret. This secrecy was motivated by his fear that Laban would use force (v. 31).

Verse 23

Laban's seven-day pursuit, a significant distance, demonstrates his determination to recover his family and perhaps the stolen *teraphim*.

Verse 24

God's direct intervention in Laban’s dream is crucial. It restricts Laban to verbal accusation only, ensuring Jacob’s physical safety and demonstrating that divine protection is active on the journey.

Verse 27

Laban’s feigned regret about not being able to hold a celebratory farewell contrasts sharply with his documented history of deceit and his current aggressive pursuit.

Verse 29

Laban openly acknowledges that divine power alone prevented him from carrying out his intended violence, serving as powerful testimony to God's faithfulness to Jacob.

Verse 30

Laban shifts the accusation from Jacob's flight (which he accepts) to the theft of the *teraphim* (household gods), confirming their perceived value, perhaps as tokens of family headship or inheritance.

Verse 32

Jacob, unaware that Rachel was the thief, makes a rash oath condemning the culprit to death. This rashness contrasts with the careful obedience shown in the preceding verses.

Verse 35

Rachel uses the cultural taboo associated with menstruation to evade detection, demonstrating her continued reliance on deception, a trait common in both her and Jacob’s families.

Verse 36

Once the search fails to produce the gods, Jacob, relieved and angry, shifts from defensive fear to righteous indignation, confronting Laban publicly regarding his decades of mistreatment.

Verse 39

Jacob describes the harsh responsibilities of a shepherd, noting that he bore the loss of animals injured by predators or thieves, rather than imposing the loss on Laban.

Verse 42

Jacob appeals to God as the ultimate judge. 'The fear of Isaac' is a unique and ancient title for God, referring to the object of Isaac’s reverence; it emphasizes Jacob's connection to the patriarchal covenant.

Verse 43

Laban attempts to save face by claiming all of Jacob's possessions as his own, yet acknowledges the impracticality of harming his own daughters and grandchildren. This sets the stage for a negotiated peace.

Verse 47

The names Laban (*Jegar-sahadutha*, Aramaic) and Jacob (*Galeed*, Hebrew) both mean 'Heap of Witness,' symbolizing the linguistic and cultural division between the two families.

Verse 49

Mizpah means 'watchtower.' This verse is often misread as a blessing; in context, it is a sober warning that God will 'watch' to ensure neither man crosses the boundary marker to harm the other.

Verse 50

Laban's concern focuses on the protection of his daughters, requiring Jacob to treat them justly and not take additional wives who might marginalize them.

Verse 52

The covenant establishes a physical boundary, signifying the final separation of Jacob’s family (the covenant line) from Laban’s Mesopotamian household.

Verse 53

Laban invokes the 'God of Abraham' (Jacob's side) and the 'God of Nahor' (Laban's grandfather/family side), revealing his syncretistic religious practice, unlike Jacob, who swears exclusively by the God of Isaac.

Verse 54

Jacob offers a sacrifice, likely a burnt offering, dedicating the covenant to the Lord and marking the reconciliation with a communal meal, a traditional symbol of peace.

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