What I Noticed Today (Genesis 30-31)
Genesis 30
Verses 1-8 record sons born to Billah, Rachel’s servant:
- When Rachel saw that Leah was bearing children and she was not, she was angry. She gave Billah, her servant, to Jacob to bear children for her.
- Billah conceived and bore a son named Dan, and Rachel said God had vindicated her.
- Billah conceived again and bore a son named Naphtali, and Rachel said I have wrestled with my sister and won.
In verses 9-24, the rest of Jacobs sons are born to him:
- When Leah realized she had stopped having children, she gave her servant, Zilpah, to Jacob.
- Zilpah conceived and bore a son named Gad, and Leah said what good fortune.
- Zilpah conceived again and bore a son named Asher, and Leah said I am happy that women call me happy.
- Rachel wanted some mandrakes, so she allowed Leah to sleep with Jacob in exchange for some mandrakes.
Note: Mandrakes were thought to be aphrodisiacs.
- When Jacob came in from the field that day, Leah met him and said she had “hired” him with her sons’ mandrakes. So Jacob slept with Leah, and Leah conceived again.
- Leah bore a fifth son to Jacob and named him Issachar, saying God rewarded her for giving her servant to Jacob.
- Leah conceived again and bore Jacob, a sixth son and named him Zebulun, saying, this time, my husband will honor me.
- Leah conceived again and bore a daughter named Dinah.
- God remembered Rachel, opened her womb, and she conceived and bore a son named Joseph, saying God had taken away her shame.
Note: Many of the rivalries seen between Leah and Rachel, and Billah and Zilpah in having children will be seen in future tribal rivalries.
In verses 25-43, the Lord blesses Jacob’s flocks at the expense of Laban’s:
- After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob went to Laban, saying he wanted to return to his homeland.
- Laban, realizing (through divination) that it was God who had blessed Jacob, asked him to stay and name his wages.
- Jacob said he had increased Laban’s wealth, but now it was time for him to work for his own family.
- Jacob finally agreed to stay if Laban would allow him to go through all the flocks and take out all the spotted sheep, and dark-colored goats as his wages.
- Laban agreed and separated out all the spotted and colored sheep and goats from the flocks, and had his sons drive them three days’ journey away.
- Jacob then tended Laban’s flocks. He did everything he could to produce spotted and speckled sheep and goats that became his at the expense of Laban. Additionally, his animals were stronger, and Laban’s were weaker.
- Jacob became very rich, with many flocks, slaves, camels, and donkeys.
Note: Jacob admitted later (Genesis 31:7-12) that God had intervened on his behalf, increasing his herds and flocks at the expense of Laban’s. This went on during the last six years of Jacob’s service to Laban.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- I am reminded of the quote from the poem Marmion, “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when at first we practice to deceive.” Laban deceived the deceiver Jacob. Then in building their family, wives became envious of each other, giving servants as child bearers. All to increase their status and perceived value to their husband.
- Jacob’s family grew, and he became very rich over time, fulfilling God’s promise. But in both cases, man manipulated events trying to bring God’s promises to fruition. Lies and deception were the results. God fulfilled His promises, but He did it in spite of their interference.
Genesis 31
Source: Deluxe Then and Now Bible Maps by Rose Publishing
In verses 1-21, Jacob leaves Laban to return to Canaan:
- Great resentment formed between Laban and his sons against Jacob because Jacob continued to gain wealth at Laban’s expense.
- The Lord told Jacob to return home and promised to be with him.
- Jacob gathered Leah and Rachel and explained to them how their father’s attitude toward him had changed, how his father had changed his wages several times, but that the Lord had always protected and blessed them.
- Then Jacob explained to Leah and Rachel about the dream from God and His instruction to return home to his native land.
- Leah and Rachel both answered they felt like outsiders in their father’s house, so do whatever God has told you.
- Jacob then gathered all his possessions, the flocks, and herds, and set out with his family to go to the land of his father Isaac in Canaan.
- Before they left, Rachel snuck into her father’s house and stole his idols.
Note: The household idols Rachel stole were figurines of deities, indicating a pagan influence in Laban’s household. Traditionally, these household idols were thought to provide protection to the household.
- Jacob left without telling Laban that he was leaving. He fled away from Paddan-Aram crossed the Euphrates River (in modern-day Syria) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
In verses 22-35, Laban chases after Jacob and confronts him:
- After three days, Laban was told Jacob had fled, so he gathered his relatives and pursued Jacob for seven days until he caught up with him at Mt. Gilead.
- God came to Laban at night in a dream and warned him not to say anything to Jacob, good or bad.
Note: God’s warning to Laban about Jacob is another example of God fulfilling His promise to protect Jacob. It is also an indication that Laban may have been angry enough about his missing idols to do harm to Jacob.
- When Laban and his brothers caught up to Jacob, they pitched their tents in the hill country, and Laban confronted Jacob about leaving without saying goodbye. He claimed he would have thrown a feast of celebration for them. Laban accused Jacob of acting foolishly.
- Laban admitted that he had planned to harm Jacob, but God had warned him in a dream not to say anything good or bad. But, Laban asked, why did you steal my household idols?
- Jacob answered he left in secret because he was afraid Laban would have taken Leah and Rachel away from him by force. He also told Laban he knew nothing of the stolen idols. Search the camp. Anyone with your idols will die.
- So Laban searched the camp starting with Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s, and finally Rachel’s. Rachel had hidden the idols in a camel’s saddlebag that she sat on as he searched. She claimed she could not get up because she was on her period.
In verses 36-55, Jacob makes a covenant with Laban:
- After Laban searched and found nothing, Jacob let loose a tirade of complaints at Laban about how he had taken care of Laban’s property for 20 years (14 for the daughters, and 6 for the flocks). Laban had changed his wages ten times, but God had blessed him. Otherwise, Jacob said, Laban would have sent him away with nothing.
Note: Jacob refers to God in three ways: as the “God of my father,” the “God of Abraham,” and the “Fear of Isaac.” The name “Fear of Isaac” for God appears only in this chapter.
- Laban claims the daughters, sons, and flocks are all his, but he can do nothing for his daughters now, so he suggests he and Jacob make a covenant.
- So Jacob and his relatives gathered stones and made a mound.
- Laban named the mound Jegar-sahadutha (Aramaic for “Mound of Witness”), but Jacob named it Galeed (Hebrew for “Mound of Witness”).
- Laban said the mound was a witness between them. The Lord would watch between you and me when we are out of each other’s sight.
- Laban warned Jacob not to mistreat his daughters because God was a witness.
- Laban also said the mound was a marker that he would not pass by it to do Jacob harm, and Jacob would not pass by it to do Laban harm.
- Laban swore by the God of Abraham, the gods of Nahor, and the God of their father (Terah), who would be judges over the covenant.
Note: “Mizpah” means watchtower.
- Jacob swore by the “Fear of his father, Isaac.”
- Then Jacob offered a sacrifice and invited everyone to eat a meal to commemorate the covenant.
- Laban got up early the next morning, kissed his daughters and grandchildren, blessed them, and returned home.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
