Still Doing Things His Way

Jacob and his wives were in agreement about leaving Haran.  When Laban went to shear his sheep. Jacob slipped away, knowing he would be gone for several days, as we see in Genesis 31:17-21.  “Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; 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.  And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.  And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.  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.” 

Jacob owned the cattle and was married to both Rachel and Leah. He had every right to take them where ever he chose.  Sneaking away like he did left the impression he was trying to get by with something.  Laban was offended at the way he did it, according to Genesis 31:22-30.  “And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.  And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.  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.

Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.  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?  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?  And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.  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.  And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?”

Jacob got three days head start, and it took Laban seven days to catch up.  Obviously, Jacob was pushing his livestock very hard to get as far away as possible.  Laban pointed out Jacob’s actions indicated some kind of criminal activity.  The fact that Rachel had stolen his idols only reinforced the impression.   It would have been far better to have left openly, allowing everyone to say goodbye.   Laban had the power to wipe out Jacob and his family, but God had forbidden him to take any sort of action.   He asked why Jacob had done things the way he had. 

God had just shown Jacob that it was not Jacob’s efforts that protected him but what God did.  Instead of trusting God to care for him, Jacob had lapsed into his old habit of trying to make things happen himself, as he explains in Genesis 31:31-32,  “And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.  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.”  Not knowing Rachel had stolen the idols, Jacob promised to execute whoever had stolen them if they found them.   

Laban searched each of the tents, in Genesis 31:33-35.   “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.  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.  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.”  Rachel lied to her father, and sitting on the idols and pretending she was menstruating as an excuse for not getting up.  As a result, Laban didn’t find the idols. 

While no one likes being falsely accused, people with a guilty conscience tend to get even angrier than innocent people.   Jacob got really angry with Laban over his accusation, reviewing all the times when Laban had taken advantage of him, in Genesis 31:36-42.  “And Jacob was wroth, and chided 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?  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.  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.  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.  Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.  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.  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.”   

Jacob said only the fear of God and Isaac’s retribution had kept them from taking everything away from him.  Laban was forced into a defensive position, claiming he had a right to all those things but was unable to claim them.  He asked that they agree not to fight over it, in Genesis 31:43-44.  “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?  Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.”