Chapter 31

1 Jacob upon displeasure departeth secretly. 19 Rachel stealeth her father’s images. 22 Laban pursueth after him, 26 and complaineth of the wrong. 34 Rachel’s policy to hide the images. 36 Jacob’s complaint of Laban. 43 The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed.

1. The words of Laban’s sons. The claim of Laban’s sons was obviously exaggerated, since Laban still had flocks when Jacob left him (v. 19). Laban’s sons hinted that Jacob had secured his wealth by fraud, though they did not openly accuse him of that crime. They could not prove that he had in any way violated any provision of the agreement between him and their father, though they were sure he must have done so.

2. The countenance of Laban. What Jacob overheard was confirmed by what he observed in Laban’s attitude. As a result of the fact that nothing Laban did seemed to hinder in the least Jacob’s rapid increase in wealth, even the pretense of friendliness that had marked their relations in the past had now changed to overt antagonism. In the providence of God, Laban’s attitude became the means of bringing about Jacob’s return to the land of his birth. Jacob’s conviction that the time had come to return to the land of his fathers was confirmed by a direct message from God.

4. Called Rachel and Leah. At some distance from home with the flocks, Jacob called his wives to the field for greater secrecy in planning their departure. Had this been done at home, members of Laban’s household might have overheard their conversion and reported to Laban in time for him to return and prevent their leaving. Despite all their precautions, word reached Laban the third day (vs. 19, 22). It seems that some change had taken place in the supervision of the flocks and herds, for Jacob was now in charge of his own (see ch. 30:35, 36), or at least had access to them. Likely, it was Laban’s absence, shearing his own sheep, that made possible Jacob’s escape with all his property, an event that would obviously have been impossible otherwise (vs. 1, 29). Perhaps Jacob was simultaneously shearing his own sheep, and sent for his wives and all their belongings, to erect tents on the spot under the pretext of festivities usually held upon such occasions. Thus he prepared the way for a departure that would not arouse suspicion in advance.

7. Changed my wages. “Ten” may not have been meant literally. It was used, perhaps, simply as a round number to indicate very frequent change, much as we would say “a dozen times” (cf. Dan. 1:20). Laban apparently made repeated attempts to limit the original agreement by changing its provisions. That Jacob passed over in silence his own stratagem and attributed to God’s blessing all that he secured by craft implies consciousness that the means employed were not completely honest.

9. God hath taken away. Jacob felt, perhaps, that had it not been God’s will to bless him, his own efforts would not have succeeded. Therefore, and not without reason, he deemed it right to attribute his increased wealth to God’s benevolent care. It is certain that he felt his own devices and the blessing of God not to be mutually exclusive.

11. Spake … in a dream. It is uncertain whether this dream came separately from the brief revelation of v. 3, or whether it is a more complete account of that divine communication. Some commentators suggest that it came at the very beginning of Jacob’s last six-year term of service. Some think that it was only an ordinary dream Jacob connected with the one he had received at Bethel, and now related in order to impress his wives. This view is untenable because of the biological accuracy of the information revealed in it, information which was contrary to Jacob’s own superstitious beliefs (see on ch. 30:37–42).

14. Rachel and Leah answered. The fact that the two sisters were in perfect agreement in regard to their father’s conduct, in spite of their own mutual jealousies, is clear evidence of the validity of their complaints. Laban’s heartless cruelty and insatiable greed were obviously so pronounced that even his own daughters eventually rose in protest. They complained that in spite of being freeborn, legitimate children, no inheritance had been given them, and they had been sold like slaves. Apparently, all of Laban’s property had been transferred to his sons, for his daughters received none of it.

16. All the riches. Rachel and Leah recognized the hand of God in their husband’s remarkable prosperity. Regrettable as their alienation from their father may be, his severity and meanness made such a reaction understandable if not inevitable. On the other hand, they felt bound to their husband, the father of their children, in a close and tender union. Their lives and fortunes were now completely identified with his. For the first time the two sisters are presented as united in opinion. That Rachel had but recently become the mother of a son herself may have eased the tension and jealousy that had existed between them during the first years of their married life.

19. Laban went to shear his sheep. The RSV translation, “had gone,” is preferable to that of the KJV, “went,” for Laban had probably left home before Jacob called his wives to the field, and not after their decision to leave Haran. The fact that Rachel was able to steal her father’s images suggests Laban’s absence from home at the time of her own departure. Jacob knew that his father-in-law would be detained several days by the task of shearing his sheep and the festivities commonly connected with it (see 1 Sam. 25:4, 11; 2 Sam. 13:23), to which friends were often invited. Whether Jacob had not been invited, or had declined Laban’s invitation, owing to the dissension existing between them, is uncertain. But it did afford him an excellent opportunity to escape unhindered.

Rachel had stolen the images. These “images,” teraphim (see Judges 17:5; 18:14; etc.), were usually small (v. 34) human figurines, occasionally larger, often made of wood (1 Sam. 19:13-16). Near Eastern excavations have brought them to light in profuse numbers, made of wood, clay, and precious metals. Some represent male gods, but the majority are figurines of female deities 2 to 3 in. in length. They were used as household gods or were carried on the body as protective charms. Since most of them represent nude goddesses whose sexual features are accentuated, they were probably thought to promote fertility. This may be the reason Rachel especially cherished them. Cuneiform texts from Nuzi in Mesopotamia reveal that the household gods were inherited by adopted sons only when no actual sons were present at the father’s death. If a man had sons, his gods could not go to his daughters. Rachel therefore had no right to her father’s household gods, as Jacob frankly admitted (Gen. 31:32). Documents found at Nuzi, in Mesopotamia, indicate that in the patriarchal age the possession of the family’s household gods, such as Laban had, guaranteed to their holder the title to his father’s properties (ANET 219, 220). This was probably the chief reason why Laban was so eager to retrieve them (see vs. 30, 33–35).

20. Jacob stole away. Literally, he “deceived the heart of Laban the Aramaean,” or he “outwitted Laban” (RSV). For the expression “the Syrian,” meaning the Aramaean, see on ch. 25:20.

21. Passed over the river. The Euphrates, pre-eminently the river of Bible times (1 Kings 4:21; Ezra 4:10, 16). How Jacob succeeded in crossing the Euphrates with his flocks, particularly in the springtime (Gen. 31:19), is not known. There are, of course, fords at various places along the river in this vicinity. Jacob’s immediate destination, Gilead, was the mountainous region south of the Yarmuk River. Gilead is mentioned here in view of the fact that Laban overtook him there. The name Gilead (Galeed) was given it by Jacob upon that occasion (v. 47). Its former name is unknown.

23. Pursued after him. Since Laban received word two or three days after Jacob’s flight (v. 22), and overtook him after a pursuit of seven days, it appears that the two met nine or ten days after Jacob’s departure from the vicinity of Haran. The mountains of Gilead lie more than 275 mi. from Haran, a distance that can be covered by fast camels in 7 days, the time required by Laban. But it would be impossible to drive the flocks and herds such a distance in that length of time, since they could cover no more than 9 or 10 mi. a day. Apparently Laban did not pursue the fugitives immediately upon receiving word of their flight. He knew that Jacob could make but slow progress (ch. 33:13, 14), and that he himself need therefore be in no haste. Since Rachel had taken her father’s household gods, her departure must have been from Haran, where her father’s home was situated (ch. 29:4, 5). The fact that Laban knew his idols had been stolen suggests that he must have returned home before pursuing Jacob. He may have finished the shearing of his sheep, concluded the accompanying festivities, and arranged for the care of the flocks Jacob had forsaken before leaving Haran. The time that elapsed between his receiving word of Jacob’s flight and his own departure may easily have been 30 days or more.

24. God came to Laban. In a most unexpected way God fulfilled the promise given to Jacob 20 years earlier (ch. 28:15, 20, 21). It is unusual that God should have revealed Himself to an idolater thus in a dream. Laban, who had become acquainted with Abraham’s religion through his grandfather Nahor, through Abraham’s servant Eliezer (ch. 24:31, brGE 24:50>50), and more recently through his long association with his own nephew, recognized the true God as the speaker in his dream the night previous to his overtaking Jacob (v. 29).

Good or bad. This expression, literally “from good to bad,” is proverbial (Gen. 24:50; 2 Sam. 13:22). Laban was not to compel Jacob to return, either by force or by making further attractive inducements.

27. Wherefore didst thou flee. Overtaking Jacob, Laban assumed the role of a good-natured but grievously wronged and deeply hurt father. Did Jacob not realize how easily Laban could compel him to return to Haran? That Laban was talking with him at all instead of treating him as he presumably deserved, Jacob owed solely to the intervention of the God of his fathers the previous night. But why should Jacob’s ardent longing to return to his father lead him to steal his father-in-law’s gods? This was Laban’s only legitimate complaint, a polished shaft aimed to hit hard and well. Perhaps Jacob had urged his father-in-law to discard his heathen gods, pointing out that idols were of no avail, and to accept the true religion. And now it seemed that he himself must have gained so much confidence in Laban’s family gods as to be unwilling to leave Haran without them! Or did Laban fear that Jacob was thereby attempting to secure the rest of his property (see on v. 19)?

32. Let him not live. In defense of his secret and hasty departure Jacob pleaded fear, an honest and forthright confession. As for the charge of theft, Jacob voluntarily submitted to the provisions of Mesopotamian law. This provided the death penalty for certain kinds of theft, including that of sacred objects (Code of Hammurabi, sec. 6).

Before our brethren. This was a reference to Laban’s relatives (v. 23), Jacob’s brothers by marriage.

33. The two maidservants’ tents. This passage affords an interesting glimpse into the custom of the time whereby not only husbands and wives but each individual wife and concubine possessed a separate tent.

34. The camel’s furniture. To judge from its modern counterpart, a woman’s riding saddle was probably made of wickerwork and resembled a basket or cradle. There was a carpet upon the floor, and it was protected against wind, rain, and sun by means of a canopy and curtains. Light was admitted by openings in the sides. In covering her theft by subtlety and deception Rachel proved herself a true daughter of Laban. How little an imprint had the religion of her husband made upon her character! To be sure, of course, he was hardly a paragon of virtue himself.

35. I cannot rise up. Oriental custom and politeness required children of every age and rank to rise up in the presence of their parents (Lev. 19:32; 1 Kings 2:19). Rachel’s excuse was therefore hardly in order.

The custom of women. A periphrasis for the menses (cf. ch. 18:11), which under the later Mosaic legislation incurred ceremonial uncleanness (Lev. 15:19). That this particular statute was in force prior to the Mosaic law, at least among the Aramaeans, may be inferred from this passage. That Laban did not require Rachel to stand so that he might search “the camel’s furniture” may have been due to fear of defilement.

Found not the images. Thrice repeated, this phrase emphasizes the thoroughness of Laban’s search and Rachel’s success in hiding the stolen objects.

36. Jacob was wroth. Laban knew that his family gods had disappeared when Jacob left; of this he was positive. In spite of the dream of the night before, it may be that he was still scheming to put Jacob on the defensive. The latter had voluntarily agreed to surrender to Laban anyone found guilty (v. 32). Perhaps Laban hoped to fix upon him responsibility for the deed, either directly or indirectly, and so pressed his case, if he might thereby yet secure Jacob’s return. Laban seems to have been aware that guilt on Jacob’s part would have removed him from the protecting hand of God. With the complete collapse of Laban’s charges, Jacob, no longer on the defensive, now pressed his case against a meek and subdued Laban. His service for Laban was above criticism, a fact which even Laban himself did not presume to deny (v. 43).

39. Of my hand. Jacob had a legal basis for complaint against Laban, for charging him with the loss of animals to wild beasts and to thieves. This practice was contrary to the ancient laws of Mesopotamia, for, as the Code of Hammurabi (sec. 267) shows, a shepherd was to repay only such losses as were incurred through his own neglect.

42. The fear of Isaac. It seems strange that Jacob mentioned this in addition to the “God of Abraham,” since both expressions apparently refer to the same Being. This may have been due to the fact that Abraham’s religious experience was not nearly so real to him as that of his father Isaac. Abraham had long been dead, whereas Isaac was yet living and practicing “the fear” of God. It seems that here the word “fear” is used as an alternate name for Jehovah, and should be rendered “Fear,” as in the RSV. The use of this expression here and in v. 53 suggests the deep impression made upon Jacob by the devotion with which Isaac practiced his religion.

Rebuked thee yesternight. Jacob pointed out that by the warning given Laban in the dream of the previous night, God had already pronounced sentence upon the matter at issue between them. Though he did not say so, Jacob may have read into the divine intervention on his behalf God’s approval for all he had done to increase his possessions. Perhaps he reasoned that since on his own part he had only met cunning with cunning and deceit with deceit, Laban had no right to punish him or to expect compensation. Extenuation of Jacob’s conduct may be found in the heartless treatment accorded him by his father-in-law, but the fact that God protected him against revenge did not vindicate his course of action (Prov. 20:22; Rom. 12:17; 1 Thess. 5:15).

43. These children. Laban tacitly acknowledged the truth of Jacob’s words and admitted that he had no just ground for complaint. He could do nothing but accept the existing situation and the inevitable separation it entailed. Nevertheless, his haughty spirit broke forth once more as he laid claim to all of Jacob’s possessions. Not one word of recognition or appreciation came from the lips of Laban for Jacob’s 20 years of diligent labor. Instead, he assumed the role of a greathearted and noble benefactor, who would never think of treating his own kin with less than magnanimity.

44. Let us make a covenant. With this in mind, Laban proposed a formal treaty of friendship. This may have been prompted also by the fear that Jacob might seek reconciliation with Esau and return to take revenge (v. 52). It is not necessary to assume with some commentators that v. 44 is incomplete in its present form, and that the antecedent of “it” was either the proposed memorial, or God, whose presence was assumed. “It” may just as well refer to “the covenant,” perhaps made up—as was common in Mesopotamia—in the form of a cuneiform tablet, sealed and signed by the two parties and their relatives.

45. A pillar. Jacob evinced his assent to Laban’s proposal by proceeding at once to erect a stone memorial similar to the one at Bethel (ch. 28:18). Both groups joined, also, in gathering stones to be used as a table for the covenant meal.

47. Jacob called it Galeed. Both names, one Aramaic and the other Hebrew, have practically the same meaning, a “heap of witness.” That the earliest known non-Biblical Aramaic inscriptions do not reach back to the time of Jacob, but date from a later period, does not prove the nonexistence of Aramaic in the 17th century b.c. The earliest non-Biblical evidence for the existence of such a language consists of certain Aramaic words found in the alphabetic cuneiform tablets of ancient Ugarit in Syria, dating from the 15th century b.c. Our Bible, therefore, contains the earliest attested Aramaic words known. Each of the two men gave to this memorial a name in his own language, the two being identical in meaning. Inasmuch as the region later became a possession of Israel, the Hebrew name Gilead (Galeed) was applied to it. This includes not only the vicinity of Mt. Gilead itself but all of the mountainous uplands east of the Jordan between the Yarmuk and Jabbok rivers.

49. Mizpah. The site also received another name, Mizpah, meaning “watchtower.” It became, somewhat later, the site of a town that derived its name from the “pile of witness” erected by Laban and his relatives (Judges 10:17; 11:11, 29, 34). This town was at one time the residence of the judge Jephthah (Judges 11:34).

The Lord watch. That Laban called on Jehovah, the heavenly watchman, to protect his daughters, does not prove that he accepted Jehovah as the representative of his rights. With his tribal concept of deity, Laban was willing to concede the power of Jacob’s God, at least in Canaan if not in Haran. What else could he do, particularly after the dream of the night before? Perhaps, also, he said this with the thought that Jehovah alone could bind the conscience of Jacob.

50. If thou salt afflict. In spite of his selfish disposition, Laban’s paternal instinct made him jealous for the welfare of his daughters and solicitous of their future. This seems a little strange in the light of Laban’s own conduct (v. 15); he himself had been the cause of Jacob’s polygamy. But that, as it were, was all within the family. And if Jacob should take other wives, the affection and inheritance that would fall to his own daughters and to their children would thereby be diminished. Laban remained possessive to the very end.

51. This heap. Should either of them in the future think to take revenge upon the other, this monument was to be reminder of their pact of friendship. As upon this occasion hostile intent had been subdued, so in the future, memory of the event was to deter any possible punitive expedition. From Laban’s point of view he was making a great sacrifice in permitting Jacob to escape unscathed, for Jacob’s rapidly increasing wealth and power, together with a possible reconciliation with Esau, made any future prospect of overpowering Jacob dim indeed. Laban, it seems, was eager to impress Jacob with his own magnanimous spirit.

53. The God of their father. It is known from Joshua 24:2 and from the existence of idols in Laban’s house (Gen. 31:30, 35), that Abraham’s relatives in Mesopotamia worshiped other gods. This might seem to indicate that “the God of Nahor” could not be Jehovah. But it is known also that Nahor “cherished the knowledge and worship of the true God” (PP 171) along with his idolatry. The verb “judge” is in the plural, in seeming support of the view that Laban was speaking of two distinct gods. However, the LXX, the Peshitto, and the Vulgate render “judge” in the singular, recognizing the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor as one. It would seem that Laban was seeking to bring about unity between himself and Jacob, now that separation was inevitable, by calling attention to the fact that their grandfathers, Abraham and Nahor, and great-grandfather Terah worshiped the same God.

The fear of … Isaac. See on v. 42. Perhaps Moses added this expression to make it clear that Jacob “sware” by Jehovah and not by any of the gods of Nahor.

54. Jacob offered sacrifice. It seems that only Jacob participated in the sacrificial rites he considered essential to the ratification of the covenant. Laban was only an observer, but took part again in the ceremonial feast Jacob prepared.

55. Kissed his sons and his daughters. It does not appear that Laban kissed Jacob on taking his final leave, as he had done upon meeting him the first time (ch. 29:13). Though Laban and Jacob parted reconciled to each other, and not as enemies, they were not exactly the best of friends.

And blessed them. Laban, whose better nature appears to have prevailed as a result of the covenant, or perhaps of the feast, or of the contemplated parting with his daughters, poured out his feelings in a farewell blessing upon them. Thus Laban disappears from the Scripture narrative. With this, all contact between the family in Canaan and relatives in Mesopotamia ceases.

Ellen G. White comments

1-55PP 190-194

1, 2 PP 192

1-3SR 90

3 PP 193

4-7SR 90

7 PP 190

15 PP 189

19-23, 26, 27, 29PP 193

29 SR 91

38-40PP 190

39 SR 91

40 DA 479

41, 42 SR 91

42, 44 PP 193

44-46SR 92

49, 51-53PP 194; SR 92