31
1 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s son’s saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s and from what was our father’s he has acquired as wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your father’s and to your family, and I will be with you.” 28:15, 20, 21; 32:9; 46:4
Six years have now passed since Jacob made an agreement with Laban, about the matter of his wages if he would stay on with him a while longer. Since then Jacob has prospered much. when Jacob first made this agreement with Laban, Jacob had no livestock. The sons of Laban, as well as Laban himself have become envious of the wealth that Jacob has acquired. The statement the sons make; that Jacob has taken away all that was their fathers is just shy of accusing him of theft. Laban has lost all trust in Jacob that he had in him over the past twenty years. in verse three, it is my humble opinion that Jacob, hearing the words of the sons of Laban, and seeing Laban’s distrust in him, goes to the Lord and prays to Him for help. I make this conclusion because of the first part of the verse: “Then the Lord said to Jacob” to me this implies that Jacob is in prayer, and why God has manifested Himself to Jacob at this time. If my opinion is correct, this reveals to the reader the change in Jacob’s character. everything we have read about Jacob up to now we have never seen, where he cries out to the Lord for help. With this opinion in mind I will continue. Jacob has been humbled. He has no one he can trust in except the Lord. Jacob may even be reflecting back when the Lord first appeared to him in a dream; where the Lord told him that He would be with him wherever he would go. it wouldn’t be unlike Jacob to say to the Lord in this prayer; “Lord you said you would be with me wherever I went, and you would keep me,’ I have followed you Lord and now I fear for my life.’ Please God, answer me, ‘what am I to do? So the Lord, seeing the humility in Jacobs heart, Answers him in the same way that He spoke to him back in back in Bethel, so that there would be no doubt to Jacob who is speaking to him now (Compare Gen 28:15, 31:3), God is true to His word, He cannot lie or He would cease from being who He is. Jacob is reassured by the words of the Lord. He now knows what to do. It is time for him to go home. God now knows that He can begin to work with Jacob. He has humbled himself before the Lord and has submitted to His authority. Just like us who are baptized members of the Church; just because were are now baptized, it doesn’t mean that we are changed at the twinkling of an eye, it is a lifelong journey. a journey in which only God can lead us and create in us a new man. Now it is time to cleanse Jacob’s heart and create in him a new man, one of sincerity and truth, free from the old man that he once was, of wickedness and malice.
4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, 5 and said to them, “I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable towards me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. 6 “And you know that with all my might I have served your father. 7 “Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 “If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages, ‘then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked. 9 “So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. vv. 1, 16
As per the agreement with Laban back in Gen 30:33, Jacob claimed to Laban that his righteousness will answer for him in time to come. He now brings Rachel and Leah out to the field, among the flock, so that they can see all that He has done for their father. While he is pleading his case (so to speak), to his wives, he uses the flock as a witness, for them to see for themselves his righteousness. We find out here in these verses that Laban, being the master deceiver that he is, keeps changing the original agreement with Jacob many times, so as to benefit himself. As Jacob explains to his wives: The God of his father (Isaac), has been with him all this time, and that it is God who has rewarded him for his righteousness while serving Laban. In verse nine Jacob makes sure there is no doubt in his wives minds that it is God who took their father’s livestock from him, and gave them to Jacob (because of his righteousness). God promised Jacob that He would be with him, and he is always true to His word.
10 “And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. 11 “Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 22:11 12 “And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and Gray-spotted; For I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 ‘I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.'” 28:10-22;; 35:1, 6
Jacob goes on to explain to his wives that an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Notice that in verse eleven the word Angel is capitalized. if we consider that, along with verse thirteen, where this Angel of the Lord reveals Himself to Jacob as the “God of Bethel.” The word Angel is this context is defined as a messenger of God (H4397) So how can this Angel of the Lord be a messenger of God and not God Himself, as He say’s, “He is the God of Bethel?” there is only one answer, this Angel is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The reader must remember that God and Jesus are one: one mind, one body, and one Spirit. we read in the book of John that “in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” John goes on to explain that He (The Word), was in the beginning with God (John 1:1-2), then in verse fourteen of John he makes it clear who the word is (John 1:14), Jesus Christ once said Himself that if we see Him, we have seen the Father (John 14:7-11), the last thing to consider here is the fact that Jacob has learned to trust in the Lord, and have faith in him. Jacob is developing the faith of Abraham thru which the promised seed will come, in which all nations will be blessed. The Lord reminds Jacob of the vow he made to the Lord when he was in bethel; as if to say to Jacob, “Okay I have held up my end of the bargain now I expect you to hold up your end, so He tells him it is time to leave and go back to the land of his family (Gen 28:20-21), when God calls Jacob, Jacob replies as his fathers have, “Here I am” undoubtedly Jacob is still mindful of why he left his family in the first place; His brother Esau wanted to kill him. As far as Jacob knows, Esau still has bitterness towards him, but Jacob’s faith in God will now allow him to overcome his fear for what awaits him upon his arrival back home, and he now puts his trust in God.
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15 “Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. 16 “for all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
I see nothing but wickedness that comes out of the mouths of Jacob’s wives. It appears to me that the only reason they decide to go with Jacob back to his family is purely out of their love of money and riches, not because Jacob is their husband and the head of the household. The way they are talking, it is as if their dad still had money, and a portion of inheritance for them, then they would stay right where they are. Not just that but they have the gall to suggest that all the riches God gave to Jacob are actually theirs and their children for the taken. We have already seen before where Rachel sold Jacob’s bed for some mandrakes, and now it’s more for the riches that Jacob has, that they will follow him, not out of love, or loyalty as his wives. But Jacob doesn’t respond to this selfishness, he has come to trust in the Lord. The old Jacob might have tried to go ahead and play their little game as to who really is the rightful air to Laban’s riches, and promise them a portion of the inheritance just to get them to come along with him, never intending to give them anything that God has promised Jacob. This family, from Rebekah, to Jacob, and from Laban to Leah, and Rachel, are such devious people. They have no sense of loyalty to family, or even to God for that matter. Yet as evil and wicked as this family of Nahor (Abraham’s brother), is, God still Blesses this family, by including them in the Genealogy that leads to our Lord Jesus Christ, and also with the birth of a nation (Israel), that God will call His own and a holy people unto Him. As God promised Abraham long ago: thru his seed will all nations of the world be blessed. What I take from this, just as I have taken from other books of the bible is that God loves all of His creation (Children), and works with many nations, even Pagan cultures to be a part of the bloodline that will lead to our Lord Jesus Christ. We see this in the story of Ruth, who is a Moabite, that sacrificed their children to their Pagan gods. She married Boaz, and is the Grandmother of king David of Israel. King David’s son Solomon, who bore Rehoboam (Whose mother was Naamah, and Ammonitess), The Ammonites also fought against the Israeli nation from time to time and were also a pagan culture, yet thru her the seed was planted by which all nations are blessed. In the previous chapters God makes it very plain, on more than one occasion that this family of Bethuel are Syrians. With this in mind we can ascertain that the Syrian people can be dated back to at least 1950 years after creation of man. I think one reason why God makes it very clear as to the identity of the family of Nahor as Syrians is for us to be aware of the family ties between modern day Syria and the Israeli nation. Understanding this family tie, also helps us to understand the prophecy in Isaiah chapter nineteen, keep in mind that The Syrian people and the Assyrians are basically one in the same (Isa 19:23-25), in this prophecy we read that Assyria will have part in the blessings along with Israel, and Egypt, during Christ’s 1000 year reign here on earth. On a short note; the reason Egypt is part of this blessing in my opinion is because of Ishmael, who is the son of Abraham thru Sarah’s handmaiden Hagar (The Egyptian).
17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. 17:8; 33:18; 35:27
So Jacob packed up all his belongings. all the cattle that his righteousness answered for him, like he and Laban the Syrian agreed upon. Jacob only took that which he and Laban agreed on, as far as the cattle he labored for the past six years, nothing more, nothing less. Jacob took his family and all his children with him. He is going back to His father Isaac, as God had commanded. Even though in his mind his brother Esau is waiting there for him with vengeance, as far as he knows. Jacob doesn’t know what awaits him upon his return, but just as his father, and his father’s father, he obeys God and will trust in Him.
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s.
I would like to touch on different trains of thought regarding this verse. One train of thought is that of my own as I understood this passage, after careful consideration, and actually, completely deleting my first commentary. Upon reviewing this first thought of mine it didn’t feel right so I deleted it all together, went back, meditated some more on this verse, and wrote the following as I felt the Spirit was leading me in this juncture of my spiritual growth: Rachel, Jacobs true love, the woman who has stolen his heart, is revealed to us here as an idol worshiper: one who worships graven images made by the hands of men, which is an abomination to The God of Jacob. All this time with Jacob Rachel has not turned to the one true God, Creator of the heavens and earth, Creator of all things. Rachel was brought up in this culture of pagan worship, and she intends on bringing this belief system back to the land of Canaan. Now scriptures doesn’t say that Rachel imposes this belief on her son Joseph so I wont go there. that is between Rachel and God, He will judge her not any of us. God’s revelation of her character in this verse, I think, shows how God works with His people (Believers) and even those who do not believe. Rachel is still blessed by God with two sons (One who hasn’t been born yet), and that is Benjamin. Joseph will go on to be a major character in God’s master plan for the world, and for his people (the Israeli nation), to me, this shows that God is not partial to any one person, He will work with the sinner as well as the righteous to carry out His purpose for mankind. Jacob loves Rachel, and God respects that in any marriage, so He did not hold her back from him, but Jacob had to work extra hard to get her. Rachel, the unbeliever, is blessed thru the believer (Jacob), otherwise their children will be unclean (1 Co 7:13-14), if this were not the case, then Joseph, and Benjamin, and their descendants could not be a holy people unto God (Deut 7:6-9), God made all the children of Jacob a holy people. therefore Rachel (the non believer), is sanctified thru Jacob (the believer), for the sake of their children, and their descendants. The above commentary, after writing it, and reviewing it felt right in my heart, and it made sense to me. The next day I decided to read the commentary my own church has on this verse, and found that I was miles apart from my comments on this verse than their perspective. Of course the church and the Elders as a whole have so much more knowledge than I. I thought it would be worth mentioning their comments on this verse as well, so as to bring two different points of view about Rachel’s action; one from a simple man who is not yet weaned from the milk and moved onto the solid meat of God’s word, and that of my own churches years of spiritual growth, to which I give leave to. The United Church of God:
Before he left, though, Rachel stole Laban’s household idols. It is possible that she took the idols because it was commonly believed that the possessor of the idols would enjoy the blessing of the gods; Rachel, according to the paganism in which she was raised, may have attempted to “secure” her husband’s good fortune. Yet she and Leah had apparently both come to worship the true God, seeing Him as the one who had blessed them with children and wealth and the one from whom to seek direction (see Gen 29:32; 30:22-23; 31:16). Why, then, did Rachel take the idols? A number of commentators point out that the most likely explanation is that she stole them because they represented ownership of Laban’s possessions. The one who had the idols could thereby prove himself or herself to be the legitimate owner or heir to the property. For instance, the Broadman Bible Commentary states: “The possession of household gods was legal proof of the right to inheritance. Since Rachel believed that the property should be theirs, she ‘appropriated’ what she considered to be hers by right. This did not make the act any less wrong” http://bible.ucg.org/bible-commentary/Genesis/Jacob-departs-from-Laban/ As the Broadman Bible Commentary points out in the end of their commentary: “It doesn’t make the act any less wrong” no matter the intent of Rachel. Also I would like to Add, that even though Leah and Rachel had both come to worship the one true God, (As the United Church of God states), and I don’t dispute that, the fact of the matter is, is that throughout the history of the Israeli nation, the descendants of Jacob would worship the one true God openly, but then, behind closed doors they also worshiped baal and other gods as well. Just look at the book of Ezekial when God revealed the iniquities of His people to him in chapter eight. Even in the temple of God, they worshiped other gods as well. My point is that our God is a jealous God and He does not share His glory with others nor should He. So what Rachel did was flat wrong and there is no justifying it (Exo 20:1-5).
20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed towards the mountains of Gilead.
Jacob did not want Laban the Syrian to know that he was leaving for good, and that he was taking his family with him along with all the cattle that he had acquired (rightfully so), from Laban, and all the possessions he had gained while in Padan Aram. After searching out maps of the location of Padan Aram, and the Journey’s of both Abraham, and Isaac, we can clearly see that the river Jacob crossed is the river Euphrates. you can go to my map section on my home page and see these maps for yourself. Later on in verse thirty one Jacob tells us why he did not tell Laban the Syrian that he was leaving for good. Now I have mentioned before how, when God talks of Laban, he describes him as Laban the Syrian, and I explained, in my opinion why He does this. So therefore Since God keeps describing over and over Laban in this manner, then I feel it is only appropriate that I do the same. I did this with Abraham. While God was calling Abraham Abram, I did the same thing back then. It wasn’t until Genesis chapter seventeen, when God first called Abram, Abraham that I started doing the same out of respect for God and His word.
22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.” 20:3
Laban the Syrian was away from his home shearing the sheep. We must remember that Laban the Syrian took all his sheep that were blemished three days journey from the flock that Jacob would tend to (Gen 30:35-36), this is Why it took three days for someone to tell Laban that Jacob had fled. So Jacob has a good head start from Laban. It isn’t until Jacob reaches the mountains of Gilead that Laban catches up to him. So Jacob is well away from the country of the land of Haran. Laban is now the stranger in a land that is not his. The mountains of Gilead are probably about 200 miles from Laban’s home. Before Laban the Syrian does anything foolish God appears to him in a dream and warns him to be careful how he speaks to Jacob. Laban the Syrian is well aware of the God of Jacob, and he fears Him.
25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
Laban has many men with Him, and Jacob has few in number, He could have easily done harm to Jacob, but he has already been warned by God to treat Jacob with respect.
26 And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with a sword? 27 “Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? 28 “And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing.
At first glance of the Scriptures above it appears that Laban the Syrian is calling Jacob a thief because twice he tells Jacob that he has “stolen away unknown to me” in verse twenty six. Then is the next verse Laban the Syrian again tells Jacob that he has stolen away from him and did not tell him. But when I look closer at his statement, right after he accuses Jacob of Stealing from him, he says in verse twenty six “Unknown to me” and then in verse twenty seven “And not tell me” this tells me that Laban does mean to steal as a thief (Literally), but to go away secretly (figuratively), Laban is doing exactly as God told him, and is being very careful in the words he chooses to use against Jacob. Then Laban wants Jacob to think that he would not have hindered Jacob from leaving, he would sent Jacob away with music, and joy (Implying it would have been a joyous occasion), and Laban the Syrian would have been able to give his family a proper goodbye by given them hugs and kisses. “Why act foolishly by not letting me do this with my family?” I propose to the reader here to not be so swayed by the words of Laban the Syrian here. We have already seen may times over, the true character of this man, he is a deceiver, and speaks only half truths. If God had not appeared to him in a dream this encounter would be a whole different scenario. But Laban the Syrian knows that God is watching, so he has no choice but to bow to His power and do as He commands.
29 “it is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying. ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’ v. 24
What an oxymoron statement Laban makes here in this verse. It is so laughable when you think about it. He tells Jacob that it is in his power to do him harm, BUT!! because the God of Isaac warns him not to speak good nor bad of him, then Laban will not do so. So who has the power here? it most definitely is not Laban, which he claims he does. Make no bones about it, God is wielding the power here.
30 “And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
All Laban can do is admit that his free ride is over and acknowledge that Jacob misses his family back home, and that there is no evil intent on jacobs part for leaving. Then Laban the Syrian wonders why he stole his pagan gods. He knows that Jacob has nothing to do with these gods so why would he take them? Laban thinks it is Jacob who stole the idols from his house, when in fact as we read earlier it was Rachel who did this.
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’
The original question that Laban the Syrian ask’s of Jacob was why he took his daughters from him without telling him. The only other question Laban poses to Jacob is to inquire about his gods, and why Jacob took them. So Jacob answers these questions in the order they were given. As much as Jacob has come to trust in the Lord he still has that human nature in him that we all have. we are not perfect by nature, we never will be as long as we are of the flesh. No matter how much we come to believe in the Lord, (His existence, His power, His truths), we still feel at times that we must do things on our own without the help of anyone. Jacob could have been thinking to himself, “God did not say to take my family with me He just said to go back to my fathers house, to the land of my family,’ “So if I tell anyone about me leaving, God will use the power that Laban the Syrian has over me, to keep me from disobeying Him.” This is just the way our mind works sometimes when we try to rationalize things in our mind. I am not saying that this is what played out in Jacob’s mind, I am just trying to give the reader an understanding, that no matter how much we trust in the Lord we sometimes have doubts. I myself pray to God many of times to strengthen my faith in Him, and to help me with my unbelief. So let us not Judge the heart of Jacob here or His faith in God. Let each of us look into the mirror and look at ourselves and ask; How strong is my faith? “Oh Lord please strengthen me, and teach me to believe”
32 “With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. 44:9
Jacob was unaware that Rachel (The woman he loved with all his heart), had stolen the idols that Laban the Syrian is talking about. This is the only place in the Bible that I know of that speaks of Rachel, and the idols she stole from her Father Laban the Syrian. We are never told that Rachel worshiped these Idols. or what she does with them. I will expand a little more on this subject in chapter thirty five, at the time of her death. I don’t believe there is any point in assuming what might have happened if the idols were discovered in her possessions. Jacob states to Laban, “What I have of yours take it with you.” when Laban the Syrian overcomes Jacob at the mountains of Gilead he is only concerned with Jacob taking his daughters and sons, not allowing him to give them a proper farewell, and of the Idols. Laban never accuses Jacob of stolen away all the livestock he brought with him. Jacob knows that his righteousness has accounted for him and the livestock he has acquired. As far as his daughters and grandsons, Jacob again has served Laban honorably for the right to marry them; deep down inside Laban does as well, which is why Jacob is comfortable in telling Laban the Syrian to take what he has of his. The only issue Laban has a right to have with Jacob is the Idols. Jacob wants no part of the idols, and the statement he makes about who has the idols: that they should die, might as well be the word of God Himself speaking here. There are many passages in the bible where God does indeed kill people who have taken Idols for themselves, or where God commands His people to not worship false idols or surely be put to death. The first and second commandment of God is not to have any other gods before Him, nor make any graven image (Compare Deut 5:7-8, 8:19-20, Eze 6:1-7), I have listed just a few passages about Idols, and the consequences of worshiping them.
33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into the two maids tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols.
Laban the Syrian searches all over for the idols but comes up empty handed. When he enters into Rachel’s tent she tells him that “the manner of women are with me” meaning that it is her time of menstruation and she is unclean. Laban understands and respects this, therefore he doesn’t even bother to ask her to rise. So the idols end up staying with Rachel as they head towards the land of Canaan.
36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? 37 “Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!
The household items (The idols), are the only thing Jacob was accused of stealing that weren’t rightfully his, Laban has searched Jacobs tents and has found none of the idols he accuses Jacob of stealing. This not a private conversation between just Jacob and Laban the Syrian, all of Jacob’s and Laban’s brethren are gathered around. Jacob wants it to be known among all the brethren that he has done no wrong against Laban, as a matter of fact, by him making the statement to let all the brethren judge between them, he is throwing it back in Laban’s face accuses him of the one who has committed the sin and done wrong. In verses thirty eight thru forty two we see Jacob pleading his case in front of everyone to let them decide who is right and who is wrong.
38 “These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. 39 “That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 “There I was! in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. 41 “Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 “Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.” Is. 8:13
For the first time in twenty years Jacob has the upper hand over his father in law, and he will not hold back his feelings any longer as to how Laban has treated him ever since Jacob first came to the land of Haran. Jacob reminds Laban, and all the brethren around how loyal he has been with Laban over the course of the past twenty years. Again Jacob repeats to everyone that he has served Laban for twenty years, and he breaks it down to make it clear as to how many years he served for his daughters, and how many years he served for the livestock he now rightfully has in his possession. Jacob lets it be known that it was Laban who kept changing the agreement they made and not him. As we read earlier when Jacob was pleading his case with his own wives how their father was treating him, every time the goats were speckled and spotted Laban would change the agreement, then when they were unblemished he would change it back to the original agreement, over and over Laban kept changing the agreement so as to benefit him and leave Jacob high and dry (Gen 31:6-8), now to put the nail in the coffin (So to speak), Jacob reminds Laban (Lest he forget), and for all to know, that it is the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac who has been with Jacob and blessed him since he first arrived in Haran, knowing full well that the Lord has already visited Laban in a dream and warned him not to speak bad of Jacob: Genesis. 31:24. The last thing I want to touch on here is why Isaac uses the term, “The fear of Isaac” instead of the God of Isaac like he did when he mentioned Abraham. I went to my commentaries and Adam Clark I think has the best explanation for this so I will copy his commentary here for the reader:
Adam Clark: The fear of Isaac – It is strange that Jacob should say, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, when both words are meant of the same Being. The reason perhaps was this; Abraham was long since dead, and God was his unalienable portion for ever. Isaac was yet alive in a state of probation, living in the fear of God, not exempt from the danger of falling; therefore God is said to be his fear, not only the object of his religious worship in a general way, but that holy and just God before whom he was still working out his salvation with fear and trembling, fear lest he should fall, and trembling lest he should offend.
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?
Even though Laban thinks all that Jacob has is actually his, he knows there is nothing he can do to stop Jacob from taking all the possessions he has accumulated thru his righteousness, and his family, in which he served Laban for twenty years to acquire. God has already warned Laban the Syrian not to speak good nor evil of him.
44 “Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar 28:18 46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, Josh. 24:27 49 Also Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. Josh. 10:17; Judges 11:29 50 “if you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us-see, God is witness between you and me!
All Laban the Syrian can do is make a covenant with Jacob, a contract, if you will. This covenant between Jacob and Laban is one sided. Laban is the one who stipulates what is in this covenant. Jacob has no part in details that are in this contract. This is telling of both the character of Jacob, and Laban the Syrian. In this covenant Laban has only two stipulations: one is in regards to his daughters, and the other part is basically a peace pact between the two as I see it. In this covenant we see for the first time another side of Laban that we have not seen, and that is the love of a father for his daughters. He tells Jacob not to marry any other women, and also not to hurt them in any way. Myself I don’t see any ulterior motive behind Laban’s stipulation here. In the past Laban “the Syrian” would have had deceitful thoughts behind his arrangements with Jacob, but Laban “The Father” cares only of the well being of his daughters. He knows this will probably be the last time he sees them, and his grandsons. I cant help but feel the pain in his heart to have to come to this realization. All he can do is hold Jacobs feet to the fire and trust in the God of Jacob, that He will protect them from any harm. I say the God of Jacob here because of the following verses that are to come at the end this chapter (Gen 31:53), notice to that in Gen 31:50 God is capitalized; meaning the one true God. All other gods in the bible are not capitalized. It is the God of Abraham, and Nahor, and the God of their father (Terah), in which Laban the Syrian acknowledges as the God to judge between them if one is to break the covenant. On the surface it appears that Laban the Syrian and Jacob have two different names for the pillar: one is Jegar Sahadutha, and the other name given is Galeed. both names mean the same (Heap-witness) Jegar Sahadutha is Aramaic, which is the language of the Syrians, and Galeed is the Hebrew name given. In Adam Clarke’s commentary he describes the Heap of stones, the pillar, and why the name Mizpah was also used to describe the place in which this covenant was made:
Genesis 31:46
Made a heap – גל gal, translated heap, signifies properly a round heap; and this heap was probably made for the double purpose of an altar and a table, and Jacob’s stone or pillar was set on it for the purpose of a memorial.
Genesis 31:48-49
I think these two verses are badly divided, and should be read thus:
Gen 31:48 – And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day.
Gen 31:49 – Therefore was the name of it called Galeed and Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
Mizpah – מעפה mitspah signifies a watch-tower; and Laban supposes that in consequence of the consecration of the place, and the covenant now solemnly made and ratified, that God would take possession of this heap, and stand on it as on a watch-tower, to prevent either of them from trenching on the conditions of their covenant.
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. 52 “This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
This is the second, and last part of the covenant made between Jacob and Laban. Again it is Laban the Syrian who is making the stipulations in this covenant. Jacob has not made any counter proposals in this covenant, as he did when the Lord first appeared to him on his journey to the land of Haran (Gen 28:20), granted in this verse it says that Jacob made a vow, not a covenant, they are similar in nature but still different by definition. The point being, is that Jacob is silent, which reflects the character change in him from when he was living in the land of his fathers, with his family. Jacob was once the deceiver, always wheeling and dealing to get what he wanted, trusting only in himself and not in The Lord. Jacob made a vow to the Lord, and now he must man up (so to speak), he’s been humbled. God has done all He said He would(Gen 28:15), proving to Jacob that His words are true, and that he can count on the Lord to provide for him all his needs. I think back to the time when Lot’s clan was bickering with Abraham’s clan over land and water for their livestock. Abraham, being the patriarch, could have demanded that he have the better land, but he didn’t. Abraham trusted in the lord to provide for him, so he gave Lot first choice of where he would dwell (Gen 13:7-12). The covenant being made here is partially a peace pact between Jacob and Laban the Syrian, just as it was, in certain ways, between Abraham and Lot. Both Jacob and Laban the Syrian kept their word during their lifetime, so there was peace between the Laban the Syrian and Jacob (Israel). It’s a shame that we don’t see this covenant being kept today between the Syrian people and the people of Israel. There has been strife between these two people since the time of the kings of Israel; after the time of king David and Solomon. The six sons which Leah bore to Jacob, and the two sons Rachel (Who Jacob loved dearly), are half Syrians and half Israeli’s. If we look up the BDB definition and Zilpah(Handmaid of Leah, and mother of Jacobs two sons, Gad and Asher), we will see that she is also described as being Syrian.This means that out of the twelve tribes of Israel, ten of them have 50 % Syrian blood running thru their veins, and 50% Israeli blood running thru their veins. That would mean that the nation of Israel, as a whole, are made up of Syrians and Israelites. to me this a WOW! factor when I first gave it thought, Or should I say more appropriately, when God revealed this truth to me thru His spirit. So then with this said, it is just more proof that all the conflict going on in the middle east between the Muslims and the Israelis, is a family feud that goes back thousands of years, beginning with Ishmael, Abraham’s firstborn thru Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid. This is why God promises the bring these families back together in the latter days and worship Him, the one true God, as a reunited family (Isa 19:23-25). So let us keep praying: “Thy Kingdom Come”.
53 “The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. v. 42 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain 55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
This chapter closes out with the affirmation of the one true God Almighty, creator of the heavens and the earth, and of all things. Laban States, “by the God of Abraham, Nahor, and the God of their father” (Terah), and their God is God, He will be the judge between them. As we know Laban chased after Jacob because of the Idols/gods that were taken from his home (At least that’s what he claimed), I think he came after Jacob for other reasons, but God stopped him from harming Jacob before he could. that is beside the point, the point, is that Laban is an idol worshiper, and he worships many gods. That is what is revealing about him in Gen 31: 30-32. But here he acknowledges the one true God, and Jacob swears by the fear of his father Isaac. I have already gone over what it means: “By the fear of Isaac,” in verse forty two of this chapter. The other telling point here is in verse fifty four. Here we see Isaac offering up a sacrifice on the mountain, and that all they ate was bread. For the first time we see Jacob offering up a sacrifice to the Lord. Jacob undoubtedly knows all about the sacrificial laws of God because of his father and his grandfather, yet he never performed this ritual until now (At least this is the first time it is revealed to us, the reader), back in Gen 28:20-21, Jacob made a vow to God that if the Lord would return him back to his fathers house in peace, then the Lord God will be his God, and a part of this covenant is a peace covenant between the two men. Jacob also said if God will give him bread to eat, which is a good segue leading into the other point I wanted to make. After Jacob offered up the sacrifice he invited all his brethren to eat bread, and they ate bread. In my opinion this is symbolic of the priesthood of the Levites. The sacrifice Jacob offered up to the Lord, every part of it, was for the Lord. They could not eat any portion of that sacrifice. In the book of Leviticus, When God is giving the laws of sacrificial offerings, only the priest’s were able to eat any portion of the offerings ( Compare Lev 2:3, 10, 5:13, 6:16-18, 7:9-10) This is because,the priest’s of the old testament were a foreshadowing of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. So the priest were representative of Him that is to come, and they were sanctified by God from the other tribes of Israel to be holy unto them, and God. Even though the nation of Israel was a holy nation unto the Lord (Compare Deut 7:6, 14:2), the Levites were even more so ( Compare Num 1:47-51, 3:9-13). So Jacob, nor any of his brethren could eat any portion of the sacrifice. This would be in keeping with the sacrificial laws of God, and it reveals to me that these laws were in place well before the time the law was given in Leviticus. As I have said before: in my opinion, the reason for the given of the law on mount Sinai, is because the Israeli’s had been in captivity so long, and had been corrupted by the Egyptians and their gods, that they forgot the law of God, and therefore they had to be reminded of these laws, and the different types: Sacrificial, civil, moral, clean and unclean meats, hygienic, and spiritual laws.