Genesis 31:36-55 comments: Jacob and Laban make an agreement

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? 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. 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. 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. 40  Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. 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. 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.

Jacob is very angry, or wroth, used previously in reference to Cain in Genesis 4. He chode, the past tense of chide, meaning to rebuke someone, to speak angrily at. The Hebrew word is translated for plead, strive, contend, and debate. He defies Laban to explain what sin he committed against Laban to justify this hot pursuit and search of Jacob’s belongings. He served Laban for two decades and served him well, looking after and multiplying Laban’s possessions, taking responsibility himself for any losses. He suffered much physically. For fourteen years he worked to earn Leah and Rachel and for six years the wealth that was his, enduring many changes of payment. Laban is a crook and were it not for God’s hand in this Jacob is certain he would have been forced to go away empty handed. God saw his suffering and hard work and that is why Laban was warned by the God of Jacob’s fathers not to harm him.

Be warned about employers like this. This is a good lesson to learn also regarding God’s will in blessing someone in a difficult situation where those with power are against him. God can help you prosper even when you are being cheated, oppressed, or held in contempt. This does not justify an employer saying that you should trust in God so he can cheat you out of your pay. It just lets you know that God can help even in a situation where everything seems to be against you if you are doing right. Notice the extra mile that Jacob went to protect Laban’s assets and take losses upon himself. Jacob was an independent contractor whose hours worked in a day were not determined by his employer. He used his knowledge and God’s will to accomplish his work making sure that his employer received no hurt, when possible.

For you who complain about how you are treated by your employer do you take responsibility for losses ‘on your watch’ like Jacob did? Of course, this only applies to an independent contractor situation you might think. But, at work, do you give your employer all the work they are paying you for? Do you take office supplies home or do you have little regard for wasting your employer’s equipment or being efficient? This is a two-way street. The employee who expects God to bless them in spite of a bad situation better not find that he or she is just as much a villain as the boss, if they want that blessing.

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? 44  Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. 45  And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 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. 47  And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. 48  And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 49  And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. 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. 51  And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; 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. 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. 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. 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 replies that Rachel and Leah are his daughters and that Jacob’s offspring belong to him. He claims that Jacob’s sheep are his sheep and everything Jacob has carried off belongs to him. He then admits that he could not possibly do any harm to his daughters and their children, weakly cutting Jacob out of the equation. After this verbal domination game he then offers a covenant to Jacob. I would presume he knows he is beaten in this, that he cannot go against Jacob and face God’s wrath.

They laid a pile of stones to memorialize their covenant. Laban called it Jegarsahadutha which Strong says, confirmed by the context, means ‘witness heap.’ Jacob calls it Galeed. This also means ‘witness heap’ according to Strong’s. It is given the names Galeed and Mizpah, meaning a watchtower. Laban, and most fathers can understand this sentiment as Laban warns that this heap of stones signifies that God is watching Jacob’s behavior toward Laban’s daughters. Laban acknowledges Jehovah God as the judge between himself and Jacob. Neither of them is to pass that heap of stones to each other with the intent of doing harm. Jacob agreed and offered a sacrifice and then they had a meal. The next day Laban departed after kissing his daughters and grandchildren, presumably never to see them again.

Laban has engaged in a psychological device where he feels more secure even though he has no security. The presumed weaker party in a conflict, it is revealed, has a powerful ally who changes the balance of power in the conflict. The party that thought it had all the power now demands an agreement where they mutually agree not to harm each other, as if he still had the power to harm the weaker party and would be held back by the agreement he proposed. Neither Laban, nor you, nor your employer, nor your government, nor any individual or collective you can imagine is able to stand against God; all contracts, signed agreements, and treaties aside.

God’s plan of reconciling mankind to Himself continues and another saint has been nurtured and strengthened in a potential enemy’s camp, receiving booty and gain, then moving on. The stage is now being set for the creation of the people of Israel, through which Christ will come.