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51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.
55 Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.
(Genesis 31:51-55 ESV)

The heap and pillar were actually set by both Jacob and Laban. They were set as Laban said to be a witness to each of them that each of them would not cross over the heap to do harm to the other. God was to be the judge between them. Jacob swore by the God of his father Issac and offered a sacrifice. He called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate and spent the night there. Early the next day Laban arose, kissed his daughters and grandchildren and blessed them. He departed for his home.

Heavenly Father, In this short passage we find the culmination to this part of the story. Laban and Jacob have made a covenant and set up a pillar and a heap as a reminder of it. As we come to the end of a difficult relationship may we find a way to part amicably and to ensure that neither side will do harm to the other as did Laban and Jacob. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.”
(Genesis 31:43-50 ESV)

The confrontation is being resolved in this passage. Laban claims that Jacob’s wives are his daughters and that the flocks are his flocks. He wonders what he can do for his daughters and his grandchildren. He suggests that he and Jacob make a covenant between them, and let it be a witness between them. Jacob took up a stone and set it up as a pillar, and he had his kinsmen gather stones to make a heap. They ate by the heap. “Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.” Laban acknowledged that the heap was a witness between them, and he named it Galeed and Mizpah as a witness that the Lord would watch between them when they were not together. Laban did not want his daughters to be oppressed, or Jacob to take another wife. He pointed out that God is a witness between them.

Heavenly Father, When we are in a confrontation with another let us resolve it peacefully that both sides may commend the other to You and that you will be a witness to the resolution that is made. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 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.”
(Genesis 31:36-42 ESV)

Jacob became angry after Laban’s search. He wanted to know what his offense was that caused Laban’s pursuit. He said, “For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two.” Jacob pointed out that he had been with him for twenty years and his ewes had not miscarried and his flock grew and prospered. He also pointed out that he had bored the loss of an animal that was destroyed by wild beasts himself. Jacob reminded Laban that he had labored for him for fourteen years for his daughters and six for his flock, and that his wages had been changed several times. He finished by pointing out that the God of his father Abraham had not been with him he would be sent away empty-handed, and by saying that God had rebuked Laban.

Heavenly Father, Here you show us your care for us when someone may do us an injustice. As you protected Jacob in his confrontation with Laban protect us when we are in a situation where someone plans to do us an injustice. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 34 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.
(Genesis 31:33-35 ESV)

Laban went from Jacob’s tent to Leah’s tent to the tent of the servants, but he did not find his household gods. He went to Rachel’s tent and searched through it.  Rachel had taken the gods and she put them in a camel’s saddle and sat on them. Rachel said to her father that he ought not to be angry with her as she could not rise because she was menstruating.

Heavenly Father, This passage gives us insight into how we are to behave when confronted and charged. Let our actions be as righteous as was Jacob’s when Laban confronted him. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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25 And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ 30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
(Genesis 31:25-32 ESV)

Laban confronted Jacob and asked him why he had fled and tricked him and taken away his daughters. He wondered why Jacob did not tell him so he could send him away with songs and mirth. And, he asked why he was not permitted to kiss his daughters farewell. He said Jacob had done foolishly. He stated that is was in his power to do him harm but that God had told him not to say anything good or bad to Jacob. Laban lamented that Jacob was returning to his father’s house, but he wondered why he had stolen Laban’s household gods. Jacob told him that he was afraid that he would take his daughters from him by force. He said if you find your gods with someone that one shall not live. If you find anything of yours in the presence of our kinsmen take it. Jacob did not know Rachel had stolen the gods.

Heavenly Father, In this exchange we see how a resolution between to people who are at odds with each other can still be made. Help us to resolve the things that can come between us and another person equitably that both sides can say they were treated justly. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
(Genesis 31:22-24 ESV)

Three days after Jacob left Laban was told he had gone. Laban took his kinsmen with him and pursued Jacob for a week and came close to him in the hill country of Gilead. There God came to Laban in a dream and required him to be careful in what he said and to say nothing good or bad to Jacob.

Heavenly Father, When someone is desirous of doing us harm for something we have done that they perceive as against them, give them the desire in their heart to find the truth without attacking us. I ask this in the name of Jesus.

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17 So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-Aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
(Genesis 31:17-21 ESV)

Jacob put his wives and sons on camels, and he drove all of his livestock, all his property, and the livestock he gained in Paddan-Aram, to return to his father Isaac. Laban had gone to shear his sheep. Rachel stole his household gods. Jacob by leaving without telling him tricked Laban and he fled. He left with all that he had, crossed the Euphrates, and went to the hill country of Gilead.

It is sometimes best to quietly move on rather than have a major confrontation with someone who is mistreating you or is someone of whom you are afraid. In this way, you avoid a painful breakup and have a more peaceful life.

Heavenly Father, When we are involved in a relationship that becomes abusive or is unhealthy in some other way give us the wisdom to know whether or not to allow it to continue and let us seek that wisdom and follow it when it is given. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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11 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.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 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.”                                                                      (Genesis 31:11-16 ESV)

In his dream, the angel of God pointed out that God had seen all that Laban is doing and told Jabob to look at the flock and see that all the goats that mate with the flock are mottled, striped and spotted. He told him that he is the God of Bethel, where you made a vow to me. Jacob was told to leave and return to his homeland. Rachel and Leah answered by telling him that their father saw them as foreigners and that he had sold them and spent their inheritance. They said that the wealth that God took from their father was given to Jacob. They told him to do what God told him to do.

When we are in a similar situation we should spend time seeking God and His will for what we are to do. When we discern what God is telling us we should do it as Jacob intended to do in this passage. In that way, our lives will be prospered and not impoverished.

Heavenly Father, Often we are in situations that if we had sought You first and done what You showed us to do the situation would have resulted in our living better. Help us to have the wisdom to seek You and Your will for us when we are making life-changing decisions that they will benefit and not harm us. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10 In the breeding season of the flock, I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled.
(Genesis 31:4-10 ESV)

After Jacob determined that Naman did not hold him in favor any longer, he sent for Rachel and Leah. He said to them that he realized that their father no longer regarded him with favor. He said the God of my father is with me. You know that I have served your father but he cheated me out of my wages, but God did not permit him to harm me. If he told me the spotted are your wages then the folk bore only spotted, and if he told me the striped then the flock bore only striped. In this way, God took away the livestock of your father and gave it to me. At the time of breeding, Jacob said he saw in a dream that the goats that mated were all striped, spotted, and mottled.

In this passage, we see how God made sure that Jacob received his wages for tending Laban’s flock by ensuring that when one type of animal was to be Jacobs wages all those who came from that year’s mating were of the kind specified. In that way, God transferred Laban’s flock to Jacob.

Heavenly Father, In your compassion you provided Jacob with his wages. When we are having difficulty receiving our wages from an employer please ensure that we receive what is owed to us without our having to resort to legal means. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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1 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.”
(Genesis 31:1-3 ESV)

Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying he had taken everything of their fathers’ and that is how he gained his wealth, and he perceived that Laban no longer regarded him with favor. The Lord told him to return to the land of your fathers and to your kin and that he would be with him.

When you have a turn of events in your life if you have moved away from your kins home you may wish to return to your kin. Be assured that the Lord will be with you as he was with Jacob. In this passage, we see that Jacob was told to do that and that the Lord was with him.

Heavenly Father, When we have reverses in our lives we may be inclined to return to the land where our kin dwell if we have moved away. Assure us that if we return you will be with us. I ask this in the name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.

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