Hello and welcome back...Today we read Genesis 31:1-55.Today we read that Jacob had heard Leban's sons talking...he also noticed that Leban's attitude had changed towards him...
He went and told his wives that he was being treated unfairly and they realized they no longer had claim to their father's money and decided to cling to Jacob's wealth. Jacob had been told in a dream from the lord to leave...so they did.
19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods. 20 Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away. 21 So he fled with all he had, and crossing the River, he headed for the hill country of Gilead.
22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
Leban asked Jacob why he had run off and taken his daughters and grandchildren with out even letting him say goodbye. He also asked him why he had stolen his gods.
31 Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, he shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods. He then searched their tents.
34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel's saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.
Jacob was angry and asked what his crime was...he also said that all the relatives may be put in front of them and they may choose for themselves whom they would go with.
41 It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you."
They took some stones and made a little tower...and made a covenant together.
48 Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me."
So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.
54 He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.
So today we learned that Laban did love his family. We also learned he really did not want Jacob to go because of the blessing of his father Isaac. But in the end they made a covenant together that he would bring no harm to his daughters and they were sent on their way.
I don't know about you but I am excited to see what will happen tomorrow...please join me in reading Genesis 32:1-31
