(Genesis 31:1)
And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.

• This almost sounds like either whining, or covetousness or a false accusation of stealing
• What Jacob did was trust God and allow Him to bless Jacob; he stole nothing
• What the boys want is their inheritance from Laban their dad
• Laban could have stopped him at any time, or done the same himself, or had these boys do the same

(Genesis 31:2)
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

• Uh oh....Laban changed his countenance when he saw God blessing Jacob
• His countenance may have changed, but inside he was still the same old Laban
• When a deceiver is taken, they do not like it. This was not part of Laban's plan at all
• Before it was because he was taking Jacob for a ride; hence the nice countenance

(Genesis 31:3)
And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

• This is the exact opposite of the command to Abraham his grandfather
• The timing could not be better, either

(Genesis 12:1-2)
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: (Genesis 31:4)
And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

• This has to be a private conversation, since Jacob has not been able to trust Laban for some time
• They are his wives first and Laban's daughters second
• He wants this to be a private conversation, out of earshot of Laban

(Genesis 31:5)
And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

• It does not matter if man is against you. What matters is that God is on your side

(Psalms 56:4)
In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

(Psalms 118:6)
The LORD ison my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

(Hebrews 13:5-6)
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

(Deuteronomy 31:6)
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

(Isaiah 54:17)
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

(Genesis 31:6)
And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

• Jacob has been the best employee Laban has had, even if he had a hundred of them
• Under his hand Laban prospered, and admitted so

(Colossians 3:22-23)
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

(Genesis 30:27)
And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

(Genesis 31:7)
And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

• Jacob recognizes what God has done and what Laban tried to do
• He remembers the promises of God to Abraham of blessing
• After fourteen years, changing wages ten times is a lot of times and, presumably, it was not upward.
• Later in the same chapter, Jacob explains his distrust of Laban

LATER: (Genesis 31:42)
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

(Genesis 31:8)
If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

• Laban apparently did not know who was in charge here, which is why he blames Jacob for his wages being so much better suddenly from God, after his own attempts to change them
• Laban made the agreement, but can't stand the outcome of it
• Whatever Laban said (speckled or ringstraked) it was in Jacob's favor.
• From this he should have concluded that it was from God and not Jacob
• Man cannot make goats, lambs, cows produce, but a good animal husbandman can in fact use genetics to breed for certain characteristics Jacob knew some genetics!

(Genesis 31:9)
Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

• All of the genetic knowledge and that of animal husbandry will not guarantee the results. God has to bless.
• It is obvious that He did so, turning the tables on Laban

(Genesis 31:10-11)
And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

• God often spoke to His people in dreams, because they did not have the Word of God, complete, back then.
• Today He speaks through His complete Word, so that we can judge all things

(Joel 2:28)
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

(Acts 2:17)
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

(Revelation 22:18)
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

(1 Corinthians 13:8)
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

(Genesis 31:12)
And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

• God is clearly telling Jacob what he already was promised through Abraham and Isaac, He has his back

(Genesis 13:14)
And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

(Genesis 31:13)
I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

• The God of the house of God
• Time to leave to fulfill God's promise

(Genesis 28:20-22)
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-9)
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

(Genesis 31:14-15)
And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

• We can guess that the implied answer is a resounding, "NO!"
• It almost seems that they are in agreement with Jacob on their father
• Jacob worked for these women, and in their mind they were sold, and sold them out!
• They had already seen the handwriting on the wall, showing that their father had no intention of giving the inheritance to his daughters anyways
• Since Jacob has the goods and dear old Dad does not, any plans of staying are evaporated now.

(Genesis 31:16)
For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

• Their trust is now with Jacob
• No doubt that, after having seen his work ethic, character and integrity all of these past fourteen years, how God has blessed Jacob, that he is the one who they should stick close to

(Genesis 31:17-18)
Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

• Meeting adjourned, time to get up and get out and protect the assets from the corrupt boss/father-in-law
• There is a time for discussion and a time for action
• Home is where you hang your heart.
• He has been away fourteen years; Isaac has not met the wives of Jacob or his kids yet.

(Genesis 31:19)
And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

• Either Rachel thought that they were good for her to have or bad for Laban to have
• If she had thought that they were bad for her father, she would have destroyed them

(Genesis 31:20)
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

• Most likely Laban had plans to steal the flocks from Jacob, since he could not get them any other way, God blessing Jacob and not him.
• Being an A+ employee, this would have been out of character and a surprise to Laban

(Genesis 31:21)
So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

• He would be heading south for some time from Padanaram

(Genesis 31:22)
And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

• It could be that Jacob often was away from Laban for days at a time, quite often, out in the fields, camping along the entire route
• It could also be that the information was kept from Laban for those three days

(Genesis 31:23)
And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

• Jacob still moved for three more days, Laban at a slightly faster pace most of the time would then catch up
• Laban has brought his brethren as backup with him, in case of what?

(Genesis 31:24)
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

• Laban was Isaac's brother-in-law through Rebekah, Jacob's uncle, yet he was called a Syrian
• This would be common after someone lived in an area for an extended period of time

(Genesis 31:25)
Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

• This is probably about a third of the way for Jacob to be back at home, so something must be pretty important to Laban to have to chase him down like this
• After a day or so of tracking, most would have given up. Who pursues someone three days for their manmade idols?
• This time also gave Laban plenty of time to think, rethink, reflect, repent, turn back

(Genesis 31:26)
And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

• All Jacob did was take his own wives and children away without informing Laban
• They are not his daughters now, they are Jacob's wives

(Genesis 2:24)
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

CLEAVE, v.i.

1. To stick; to adhere; to hold to.
   My bones cleave to my skin. Psa 102.
   Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. Psa 137.
   Cleave to that which is good. Rom 12.
2. To unite aptly; to fit; to sit well on.
3. To unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment.
   A man shall leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife. Gen 2. Math. 19.
   Cleave to Jehovah your God. Josh 23.

CLEAVE, v.t.

1. To part or divide by force; to split or rive; to open or serve the cohering parts of a body, by cutting or by the application of force; as,
   to cleave wood; to cleave a rock; to cleave the flood. Psalm 74.
2. To part or open naturally.
   Every beast that cleaveth the cleft into two claws. Deu 14.
CLEAVE, v.i.
1. To part; to open; to crack; to separate, as parts of cohering bodies; as, the ground cleaves by frost.
   The mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof. Zec 14.
(Genesis 31:27)
Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
• Could Jacob really buy the merriment argument again? Jacob wanted to leave earlier, but Laban refused
• This is recorded in Genesis 29: 20-30
• He gave Jacob a feast, etc.
• He "beguiled" Jacob with Leah (Genesis 3, the serpent)
• He then made Jacob work seven more years for Rachel
(Genesis 31:28)
And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
• Laban came for his gods, not his daughters and sons
(Genesis 31:29)
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
• If it was in his power, then it is not now, since it is always in God's power to give and take life
• God spoke to Laban rather than stopped him. He gave Laban free will to exercise
• He must have had some entourage as to be able to harm Jacob and his clan
(Genesis 31:30)
And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
• Assumption is Jacob stole them
• Why would Jacob who worships the one true God, steal his gods?
• Why would Jacob not just destroy them?
• If Jacob was so adamant about Laban's idols, he would have destroyed them years earlier. He was there fourteen years.
(Genesis 31:31)
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
• The character of Laban was burned into the mind and memory of Jacob and, being so defrauded so many times, he no longer trusted Laban to allow him to leave safely with his own family.
• True deceivers like Jacob know the mind of a guy like Laban....love and God's timing is all that kept him there
• True deceivers like Laban appear to be nice and take all that you have slowly, over time, using whatever methods at their disposal
• Bait and switch
• False promises
• Use and abuse over time
• Refusal to release when the actual time is fulfilled
(Genesis 31:32)
With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
• Apparently Jacob knew how important they were that important to Laban, having lived with and worked for him for fourteen plus six years now.
• If these gods were that important to Laban, why? Would he show that they were?
(Genesis 31:33)
And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
• This shows he would have killed, since he took Jacob up on his offer.
• He marched right in immediately, looking for the culprit-first to Jacob's tent. Hmmmmmm
• Next is Leah's tent. So he basically, primarily suspected first the first couple.
(Genesis 31:34)
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found themnot.
• The camel's furniture would have been the bags, any sorts of saddles, jewelry, etc.
• Basically a pile big enough to hide idols in and sit on top of.
(Genesis 31:35)
And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.
• She was in her monthly cycle-due to privacy, he would never search there in that only spot
(Genesis 31:36)
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
• Not knowing that Rachel had the gods, Jacob, after allowing the search and it turning up empty, turns up the heat on Laban
• Laban is about to feel it for himself, finally after twenty years straight of Laban's games
• First seven years for a wife he did NOT want (Leah)
• Seven more years for a wife he DID want (Rachel)
• Six more years so he would not be left empty-handed (Cattle, etc.)
• All of the while not trusting Laban and leaving the possibility that, in the end, Laban would take it all back anyways, perhaps even including the daughters
• This was Laban's legacy with Jacob
(Genesis 31:37)
Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
• This is like a courtroom scene with a defense lawyer
(Genesis 31:38)
This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
• Blessings from God through Jacob
• The shepherd's job was to protect the flock, and loss of young ones to predators, during childbirth, was common and hard to prevent.
• Jacob was a "specialist" animal husbandman
• The right to eat of the flock was not even taken
• All of the gains at the time of the fourteenth year to now were all Jacob had.
• Not one of the flock was o originally go with him, only the increase.
• This was his own work and profit.
• Laban had been all too willing to send Jacob away with nothing and Jacob reminds him of this
(Genesis 31:39)
That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
• This is something he did not have to do. These he could have eaten himself, according to the rights of the shepherds
• The master customarily bore the cost of a loss from the flock.
• The bringing of it to the master was just for proof that the shepherd had done all he could to defend the flock against the predator
(Genesis 31:40)
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
• This is how Jacob lived while Laban took advantage of him and lived in his own home, "faring sumptuously" as they say
(Genesis 31:41)
Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
• Right in the kneecaps, this no doubt would have deeply offended a man of conscience, but Laban is not a man of conscience
(Genesis 31:42)
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
• In the human realm, injustice is common. With those who trust God, it is the same, except that they have someone who they can rely on to get them through it, even as it happens
• Christians are not immune from persecution on the job, being taken advantage of in business, personal life, marriage, by family even God has our backs anyways.
(2 Corinthians 7:2)
Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
(1 Corinthians 6:7)
Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
(Genesis 31:43)
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
• Usually, when a person has no defense, they first deflect, then change the subject
• As is the case always with deceivers, they are self deceived first, then they try to deceive others
• None of this is Laban's so this is proof that Jacob was reasonable in his paranoia
(Genesis 31:44)
Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
• The one who takes is always first to want to make contracts, because they always want something and see first a way to get it through any means
• They rarely, if ever, repent. Just like Laban. No apology, nothing.
• He simply changes the subject and thinks that it will all be fine
(Genesis 31:45)
And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
• Not hewn, just a rock from the ground; God made rocks
• The Law was not even given yet
(Exodus 20:25)
And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
(Genesis 31:46)
And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
• This heap means it is nothing light.
• This heap was only done for formal covenants only.
(Genesis 31:47)
And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
• This was presumably in Chaldean
• Laban: The Heap of Testimony-more of an account
• Jacob: The Heap of Witness-more lawfully binding
(Genesis 31:48-49)
And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. 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.
• Apparently Jacob got the last word for the name
• Laban was too embarrassed to argue much more, but not enough to try and control the whole covenant thing
(Genesis 31:50)
If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.
• Why on earth would Jacob, after all of this hard labor and time, hurt his own wives and children? Why?
• The one who the witness, pillar and covenant is for is Laban, mostly. He lacks the character and is most likely again the recant on any contract, or "re-contract"
(Genesis 31:51)
And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;
• I'm sorry. WHO exactly set the stones up?
• Jacobs' brethren, his servants and children
EARLIER: (Genesis 31:46)
And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
(Genesis 31:52)
This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.
• We can pass over, but not for harm?
• Jacob knows for sure that, unless God calls him, he will not be "passing over" this heap for any reason. He wants nothing to do with Laban
(Genesis 31:53)
The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.
• The God of "their" father......this is the reason for the other god.
• Laban does not know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And this after twenty years
(Genesis 31:54)
Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
• Jacob offered sacrifice. Laban watched and sulked over his gods and ate and slept
(Genesis 31:55)
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
• Laban watched and sulked over his gods and ate and slept... and then left
• Laban is never heard from again, except perhaps in a reference to his name on the land
(Deuteronomy 1:1)
These bethe words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.