Today, I am reading and commenting on  Genesis 31-32.

Yesterday I wrote about Jacob’s wages from Laban and how he managed to grow his wealth by breeding Laban’s flocks so that the choicest offspring of each generation were those which belonged to Jacob.  When Jacob speaks to Leah and Rachel about leaving Laban, the way he describes his wages from Laban suggest that yesterday’s passage was a simplification of their deal and what happened.  This makes the first explanation I offered for how Jacob’s breeding program worked unlikely, but leaves the second two remain reasonable.  After some years, Jacob reviewed his situation and realized that he had reached the point where conflict with his in-laws was inevitable.  Further, he realized that those who lived in the region owed greater allegiance to his in-laws than to him.  I am sure Jacob’s decision to leave was one which he considered for some time before he became convinced that it was time to go.  It is not clear how God spoke to Jacob telling him to return to Canaan.  Perhaps Jacob heard a voice speaking to him, perhaps some other sign.  Perhaps even, as I suggested a few days ago, he received word from his mother that it was safe to come home.  His preparations when he heard that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men suggests otherwise, although those preparations could have just been an excess of caution.

The night before Laban overtook Jacob, God spoke to him to say nothing either good or bad to Jacob.  I have wondered for some time if perhaps part of that message from God was news that Esau was coming with 400 men.  Laban would have known the bad blood between Esau and Jacob, but would also have realized that they were twin brothers.  He would not have known if Esau was coming to support his brother, or to kill him.  Even if Esau was still murderously angry with Jacob, he might not take kindly to someone else killing his brother.  However, Laban also would not have wanted to risk being pulled into Jacob’s side if Esau attacked him.  Perhaps God spoke to Laban by supernatural means, or perhaps Laban reacted to mundane information in the way in which God desired.  More importantly, God caused Jacob to have ill-will towards Laban which guaranteed that he would never return to Haran for aid.  Laban accused Jacob of stealing his household gods, which was nominally true since Rachel had indeed done so.  But Jacob was unaware that Rachel had done so and was therefore furious when Laban was unable to prove his accusation.  In fact, as I read this, Jacob interpreted this as Laban telling lies to stir up animosity among his relatives towards Jacob.  I think the thing which I get the most out of today’s passage is that God sometimes uses mundane information to speak His message to us and we need to be listening.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.