Genesis 31

God is writing his story in your life, and it is an amazing story. Now, honestly, there are people who think, and others who teach, that if God is truly writing our story, life is going to be smooth sailing, no bumps, no issues. But when we dig into Scripture, we know that is not the case. Often, God uses significant challenges to write our story. We see this illustrated again today in the life of Jacob.

Jacob was forced to flee his home upon deceitfully acquiring his father’s blessing. Following an encounter with God at Bethel, Jacob continued traveling to the country where his mother’s family was living. The plan was for Jacob to stay there for a short time and return home (Gen. 27:45), but when we come to Genesis 31, Jacob has been in Paddan-aram for twenty years! He has two wives, eleven sons, and one daughter. And as we saw last time, there is obvious animosity between his wives, Leah and Rachel.

Jacob had struck a business deal with his father-in-law concerning their flocks, but now there are accusations being leveled against him by Laban’s sons.

Genesis 31:1-3
Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” ² And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. ³ Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

It’s amazing how many times money causes division in families. Jesus calls money the other god, and it carries with it hidden emotions like jealousy, envy, and greed. Jacob called a family meeting with Leah and Rachel to discuss the issue. He told them of the complaints by their brothers and that their dad’s opinion of him had changed. Jacob reminded them that their father had “cheated [him] and changed [his] wages ten times” (Gen. 31:7), but God was with him and had given him success (Gen. 31:5, 7). He also recounted a recent dream.

Genesis 31:11-13
“Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ ¹² And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. ¹³ I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’”

Leah and Rachel had no argument with Jacob’s decision. They knew their father had acted unfairly to them and their family. They acknowledged, “All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do” (Gen. 31:16). So, Joseph loaded up his property, gathered his livestock, put his family members on camels, and set out for Canaan, back to his father, Isaac, and mother, Rebekah. But before they left, Rachel found time to sneak away without Jacob’s knowledge and steal Laban’s household gods—the word used here describes a figurine of a deity. Laban’s stash of manmade idols reveals the pagan influence on him and his family. The missing statues will become an issue later in the story. We are not told why Rachel took these household gods, but here are some possibilities:

• Although Jacob served one God, Rachel may have still leaned toward polytheism, thinking the deities provided protection. They would serve as a safeguard for the move to a new country.
• She may have thought the statues would give her the right to her inheritance. It did signify this according to the ancient Nuzi laws of the 15^th century BC.^[1]
• Perhaps this was to get back at her father for giving Leah to Jacob first.
• Statues of gods were thought to provide wisdom (Ezek. 21:21). Rachel may have stolen them thinking this would prevent Laban from knowing which way Jacob and his family were traveling.[2]

Moses reminds us of Jacob’s tendency toward deceit when he writes, “And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee” (Gen. 31:20).

When Laban learned that Jacob had left, he chased after him. During the pursuit, God warned him in a dream that he should not say anything to Jacob “either good or bad” (Gen. 31:24). God continued to protect Jacob. Seven days later, Laban overtook Jacob in the country of Gilead. The area was hilly, so Jacob and his family were on one hill and Laban and his entourage on another. When they met between the hills, Laban reprimanded Jacob for taking his daughters away like prisoners of war. He didn’t even get to kiss his grandchildren goodbye. Given the chance, Laban would have sent them off with a great celebration! And then he asked, “Why did you steal my gods?” (Gen. 31:30).

Jacob admitted that he was afraid Laban would take Jacob’s family from him by force had Laban known they were leaving, but Jacob denied taking the gods. In fact, he said, “Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live” (Gen. 31:32). Laban thoroughly searched all the tents and finally got to Rachel’s.

Genesis 31:34-35
Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them. ³⁵ And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.

We can see Jacob’s anger by his reaction to Laban’s accusation. Jacob obviously had pent-up emotions stemming from Laban tricking him into marrying Leah, the fourteen years of service for Leah and Rachel, his thankless work with Laban’s livestock, Laban’s deceit regarding wages, and now being implicated for stealing Laban’s idols. Twenty years of frustration are heard in Jacob’s response.

Genesis 31:42
“If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.” 

They both agreed to make a covenant that would be a witness between them. The covenant was tangibly represented by a pile of rocks. They both called the pile “heap of stones,” with Laban using the Aramaic word and Jacob using the Hebrew word. They both added the name Mizpah, meaning “watchpost.” Laban said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight” (Gen. 31:49). Some have called this the Mizpah blessing with the idea of watching over people as they go their way, but this is not a spoken blessing. This represents an agreement between two people who don’t trust each other. It means—”even if I don’t see what you are doing, God does.”

The covenant, signified by the pile of rocks, was Laban’s idea, and he made sure Jacob understood the terms (Gen. 31:52). Laban made it clear that he didn’t trust Jacob. He wanted Jacob to be afraid of him and, in essence, used the pile of rocks to threaten Jacob. Laban said, “The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us” (Gen. 31:53). The word “judge” is in the plural in Hebrew, suggesting that Laban has more than one god in mind. Laban had a polytheistic worldview, as demonstrated by his household idols. The Hebrew text used “God” when speaking of Abraham’s God and “god” when referring to Nahor’s god, probably referencing a local deity.^[3]

Jacob swore by the “Fear of his father Isaac” (Gen. 31:53)—the God his father Isaac feared and worshiped. In a profound act of reverence, Jacob humbled himself before the one true God by offering a sacrifice. The next day, Jacob and Laban moved on from their history of discord and went their separate ways.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Genesis 31. As you read this chapter, note the ways that God works throughout the account. Sometimes behind the scenes, sometimes through dreams, but he is always working.

Talking to God
Thank God for always working in your life—even when you don’t see it.

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^[1] Allen P. Ross, “Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 78.
[2] Archeology Study Bible (Wheaton Ill: Crossway, 2017), 55.
^[3] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Gen 31:53.