Jacob Leaves Laban

Click here to read Genesis 31.

Chapter 31 deals with Jacob's determination to return to the land of his father. Deception continued on the part of Laban. He changed the rules concerning the sheep some 10 times. In spite of this, Jacob's flocks grew because the Lord was with him. Because of this, Laban became unhappy with Jacob and Laban's sons conveyed his ill will to Jacob. Jacob confers with his wives and they decide to leave and go back to his homeland.
When Rachel leaves her home, she takes with her an object that was believed to have some magical powers, some kind of household idol. There were two beliefs concerning this object:

It was a representative of the ancestors of the family and Rachel was particularly fond of it and since she was going to a foreign country, she desired to take it with her.
More probable, it was an image of a religious nature and used as an oracle of divination. She may have taken it to keep her father from consulting it and somehow finding out which way they had gone. More likely, she took it to show her father the folly of regarding it as any kind of security when it couldn't secure itself. (Isa. 46)

Laban sets out after Jacob and after 7 days catches up with him. Jacob apologizes and Laban, after searching for his stolen property and finding none, is convinced by his own conscience that he has wrongly accused them. They part company with a covenant and a blessing that has become quite famous. It is known as the "Mizpah Benediction". "May the Lord watch between me and thee, while we are absent one from another." The next day, Laban arose, kissed his grandsons and daughters and returned to his home.

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