| Subject: Genesis 31 vss 17-32 Post 159 |
Author:
Hillbilly
| [ Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 19:57:34 09/13/11 Tue
Genesis 31:17-32 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; 18 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. 19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. 20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 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. 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 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. 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. 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? 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? 28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. 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. 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? 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. 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.
Jacob and his family steal away from Laban without Laban having any knowledge of what is taking place. It is 3 days before his sons can inform him of the matter and Laban lights out after Jacob with harm on his mind. Sometime between the discussion with his wives and their leaving Rachel steals away back to Laban's tent and steals his idols (vs. 19 with vs. 30) . This little nugget lets us know that neither Laban nor his daughters were true worshipers of Jehovah. They worshiped gods in the plural so they were idol worshipers. Rachel may have prayed to God for children (Gen. 30:22) but she also worshiped false gods. She either had great confidence in these little statues or she felt she needed to hedge her bet just in case there was some mystical power in them. I would say she had confidence in them or she would not have hid them throughout this time of fleeing and kept them for several years until just before her death at the birth of Benjamin (Gen. 35:1-4,18).
Jacob came to this land on the run. On the run from his brother who was bent on killing him. Jacob now leaves the land running from his father in law who is at the point of wanting to kill Jacob. Jacob usurped his brother and now he has usurped his father in law. Jacob left his father's house with this brother's birthright and blessing. He now leaves his father in law's house with most of his father in law's wealth. Jacob's legacy so far has been one of deceit and covetousness. True enough it was in God's will to give him the birthright and great wealth but that does not absolve Jacob in his underhanded craftiness in obtaining the wealth. Esau's careless lifestyle and lack of dedication toward God kept God from showering him with the rights of the firstborn and Laban's deceit and shoddy treatment of Jacob also would forestall God interceding for him. He was getting his just desserts.
Jacob and all his family and flocks head south and cross the Euphrates toward Mount Gilead. to an area between Galilee and Jericho on the east side of the Jordan river. Upon hearing that Jacob had fled with his daughters and grandchildren Laban pursues and it takes him 7 days to catch him. This is instructive of how Jacob waited until he was as far as he thought he could be before he actually fled. Laban would have been in hot pursuit but Jacob could only travel at the slow speed his flocks and herds would allow.
Laban has harm on his mind but on the last night before overtaking Jacob God comes to Laban in a dream and warns him not to speak evil or good to Jacob. This simply means "Laban, don't try to persuade him to return with you and don't threaten him." When Laban overtook them they had arrived at Gilead and had stopped for the night. Laban pitches his tent on the same mount and strides into Jacob's camp. The conversation on Laban's part is very necessarily limited as God has warned him about what he can say. Basically it is what have you done and why? His questioning is accusatory because he implies that Jacob has forced his daughters to go with him: "as captives taken with the sword?" (vs. 26). Laban plays the part of the victim but Jacob will have none of it. "Jacob if you had let me know I could have thrown a going away party for all of you but you stole away in secret". "Not only did you steal away in secret but you also stole my gods". (vs.30)
Jacob's answer is to the point and honest. "I was afraid you would take back your daughters by force and as far as the gods are concerned I did not take them and you are welcome to search for yourself. If you find them the whoever stole them "let him not live:". Jacob never dreamed that Rachel had taken the gods or most likely he would have been quiet.
When reading the accounts of people's lives in the Bible we are shown the nature of man from the beginning. Man, as a whole, has not changed from the beginning. We are told that crime is a result of being underprivileged or uneducated. The truth of the matter is that man is true to his nature. Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? "---verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. " (Psalm 39:5)
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
] |
|
Feedback: 