GENESIS CHAPTER 31 ------------------ Verses 1-2, In this verse we see the envy that Laban and his sons had toward Jacob for what had happened with the flocks, which thing could not have occurred naturally, but God must have blessed Jacob in it for it to have occurred. Verse 3, The Lord tells Jacob to return to his land. Andrew Fuller said, " If Jacob had removed from mere personal resentment, or as stimulated only by a sense of injury, he might have sinned against God, though not against Laban. But when it was said to him 'Return unto the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee,' his way was plain before him. In all our removals, it becomes us to act as that we may hope for the Divine presence and blessing to attend us; else, though we may flee from one trouble, we shall fall into many, and be less able to endure them." Here we see God's wonderful grace toward Jacob. The whole time that Jacob has spent Padan-Aram, (some 20 years), there has been no mention that Jacob had any dealings with God during that time. No mention of an altar where Jacob might commune with his God. Verse 4, Jacob calls his two wives into the field, where his flock was at, probably so that he could have conversation with them and not be overheard by Laban or any of his household. Verses 5-6, He relates to his wives how that their father's countenance had changed toward him and how that he had served their father with all his strength. Verse 7, Their father, Laban, had used deception and had changed his wages ten times. Yet God would not allow the changing of the wages to hurt Jacob or hinder his prosperity. Verses 8-9, Declares how that Laban had changed Jacob's wages, yet whatever he changed it to that was the kind of sheep and goats that the flock produced when they were born, thus God was with him and saw that Jacob received of the flock and would not let the changing of the wages take away from what Jacob received. Verse 10, According to Gill this dream is what had led Jacob to come up this type of wage in the first place. Verses 11-12, Gill thinks that this dream is at the beginning of the six years and led Jacob to the wages that he presented to Laban. Verse 13, "I [am] the God of Bethel" meaning the same Angel of the LORD that had before appeared unto him before in a dream at the beginning of the six years servitude and also that had appeared unto him in Bethel. READ: Gen 28:12-22 Now he is telling Jacob to get out of this land and return unto the land of his father Isaac. Verses 14-16, Rachel and Leah see that their father never intended on giving them anything and so they agreed that they should leave their father, just as the LORD had told Jacob. Verse 17-18, Jacob gathers his family and all the he had gained in Padanaram, to depart to his father, Isaac, in the land of Canaan. Verses 19, Before leaving, while Laban had gone to shear his sheep (which was 3 days journey from Jacob's sheep), Rachel went into her father's tent and stole his gods, or images that he had there. images: Heb. teraphim {ter-aw-feme'} AV - image 7, teraphim 6, idol 1, idolatry 1; 15 1) idolatry, idols, image(s), teraphim, family idol 1a) a kind of idol used in household shrine or worship These might be used to enquire about things and as protection for the household. Scholars say that this word may be traced to a Syrian root, which means "to enquire." Possibly the word "teraphim" was a corruption of the word "cherubim." Jacob was unaware the she had done this (vs 32) and she hid them in the camel furniture that she sat upon vs 34). Rachel's reason may have been two-fold. Evidently she placed value on them. She may have been trying to keep her father from consulting them and not discovering which way they went or else she wanted them for her own protection, at any rate she had respect unto them. Many places in the scripture, teraphims, are used to consult with. Ez 21:21 For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made [his] arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver. {parting of: Heb. mother of} {arrows: or, knives} {images: Heb. teraphim} 22 At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint [battering] rams against the gates, to cast a mount, [and] to build a fort. Zec 10:2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because [there was] no shepherd. {idols: Heb. teraphims} {were...: or, answered that, etc} Pink thinks that the prophet Balaam, who did not disown Jehovah but practiced the abominations of the heathen, was a descendant of Laban. Nu 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. Jos 13:22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them. {soothsayer: or, diviner} Verses 20-21, Jacob fled away while Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and never gave him any hint that he was leaving. Gilead = "rocky region" 1) a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called 'Mount Gilead' or the 'land of Gilead' or just 'Gilead'. Divided into north and south Gilead Verse 22, It was told to Laban on the third day, since where he was at was three days journey from home. Verse 23, The 13th day of Jacob's journey. 3 days for Laban to find out. 3 days journey back to his house, and then 7 days journey to catch up with him. So Jacob had a 6 day head start, but was traveling with all that he had. Verse 24, Laban must have came to Gilead at night and then he pitched his tent where Jacob was, but had not spoken to Jacob yet. It was during the night that God spoke to Laban in a dream and said unto him, "Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." Verses 25-29, Laban relates to Jacob how that he views the situation. He calls the true God the God of Jacob's father, as though there were many gods, for in the next verse he tells Jacob that he has stolen his gods, and in verse 53 he recognizes the god of Terah, Abraham's father, who is not the true God. So, even though the true God spoke to Laban, yet he is still an idolator. Verse 30, He recognizes Jacob's need to return unto his father, but why did he steal his gods, which he did not, but Rachel did. Verse 31-32, Jacob gives reason why he fled, but knows nothing of his gods and in fact he tells Laban that whoever has his gods, may they not live, not knowing the Rachel had stolen them. (Rachel died in child birth sometime later.) Verse 33-34, Laban searches every tent and does not find his images. Verse 35, Rachel gives excuse for not rising at her father's entrance into her tent, because she was sitting on the images. Verses 36-42, Jacob's response to Laban for pursuing him so hotly. Verses 43-44, Laban's response back to Jacob and his desire for a covenant between them. Verses 45-52, The covenant made and conditions of it related. Jegarsahadutha: that is, The heap of witness, Chaldee. Galeed: that is, The heap of witness, Hebrew. Laban spoke in the language of the heathen, but Jacob spoke in the language of God. Mizpah: that is, A beacon, or, watchtower Verse 53, Laban's answer of the God of Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, was not the true God but a false god. But, Jacob swore by the fear of Isaac, or the God of his father Isaac, who was the true and only God. Verse 54, Jacob offered sacrifice to the true God at the place where he and Laban made this covenant between themselves, not to do harm to each other. Verse 55, Laban returned home, to Haran, after kissing his daughters and their sons, which were his grandsons, and his one granddaughter, Dinah.