I. Summary
Jacob confirms that Rachel’s and Leah’s loyalty is to him and not their father Laban. In order to avoid Laban, Jacob leaves Haran stealthily with his family, his many possessions, and, unbeknownst to him, the idols Rachel stole. Laban tracks Jacob down, accuses him of stealing the idols, but does not harm him on account of a warning from Yahweh. Jacob condemns whoever stole the idols to death and lambasts Laban. Jacob and Laban make a peace agreement at Mizpeh in Gilead.
II. Photo
Rachel hides her father’s idols under her body: “Let not my lord take it amiss that I cannot rise before you, for the period of women is upon me.” (v. 35)
III. Select Verses
5-9: “I see that your father’s manner toward me is not as it has been in the past. But the God of my father has been with me. As you know, I have served your father with all my might; but your father has cheated me, changing my wages time and again. God, however, would not let him do me harm. If he said thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks would drop speckled young; and if he said thus, ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks would drop streaked young. God has taken away your father’s livestock and given it to me.
14: Then Rachel and Leah answered him, saying, “Have we still a share in the inheritance of our father’s house?
24: But God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Beware of attempting anything with Jacob, good or bad.”
27-29: Why did you flee in secrecy and mislead me and not tell me? I would have sent you off with festive music, with timbrel and lyre. You did not even let me kiss my sons and daughters good-by! It was a foolish thing for you to do. I have it in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father said to me last night, ‘Beware of attempting anything with Jacob, good or bad.’
32: But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive! In the presence of our kinsmen, point out what I have of yours and take it.” Jacob, of course, did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33-35: So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and Leah’s tent and the tents of the two maidservants; but he did not find them. Leaving Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. Rachel, meanwhile, had taken the idols and placed them in the camel cushion and sat on them; and Laban rummaged through the tent without finding them. For she said to her father, “Let not my lord take it amiss that I cannot rise before you, for the period of women is upon me.” Thus he searched, but could not find the household idols.
47-52: Laban named it Yegar-sahadutha, but Jacob named it Gal-ed. And Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” That is why it was named Gal-ed; And [it was called] Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of sight of each other. If you ill-treat my daughters or take other wives besides my daughters — though no one else be about, remember, God Himself will be witness between you and me.” And Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this mound and here the pillar which I have set up between you and me: this mound shall be witness and this pillar shall be witness that I am not to cross to you past this mound, and that you are not to cross to me past this mound and this pillar, with hostile intent.
IV. Outline
1-16. Jacob confirms Rachel’s and Leah’s support
1. Jacob hears Laban’s sons complain about Jacob’s wealth
2. Jacob notices Laban has changed his demeanor
3. Yahweh tells Jacob to return his homeland
4-13. Jacob explains his side of the story to Rachel and Leah: Yahweh appeared to Jacob, told him about the multi-colored animals, and gave him Laban’s flock despite Laban’s lies
14-16. Rachel and Leah side with Jacob, viewing Laban’s wealth as their own
17-18. Jacob sets off with his family and his possessions
19-42. Discord with Laban; Rachel’s curse
19. Laban was gone and Rachel had stolen his idols (terafim)
20. Jacob did not tell Laban he left
21. Jacob had already crossed the Euphrates on his way to Canaan
22-23. Laban finds out and catches up in seven days, in Transjordan
24. Yahweh appears to Laban, warning him about Jacob
25. Laban camps near Jacob
26-30. Laban expresses his frustration and power, relates Yahweh’s message, and asks for his idols back
31-32. Jacob, who does not know about Rachel’s actions, denies the theft and condemns the thief to death
33. Laban searches Jacob’s, Leah’s, Bilhah’s, and Zilpah’s tents
34-35. Laban searches Rachel’s tent, but she sits on the idols and feigns her period so as not to stand up
36-37. Jacob yells at Laban for pursuing him for no reason
38-42. Jacob expresses the commitment he had for Laban, who would not have paid him if not for Yahweh’s intervention
43-54. Jacob and Laban’s pact
43. Laban concedes
44. Laban offers to make a covenant
45-46. Jacob and his people make a mound of stones and eat a meal
47-48. The mound is named “witness heap” by Laban in Aramaic and by Jacob in Hebrew
49-52. The site, named “lookout” (mizpeh), bears witness that Jacob wont marry other wives and Laban won’t cross with ill intent
53. The oath is made with the ancestral deities of Abraham and Nahor
54. Jacob offers a sacrifice, has a meal, and spends the night
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Photo copied from http://lowerabdominalpainwomen.blogspot.com/2013/02/pelvic-pain-or-lower-abdominal-pain-in.html