Chapter 29 - 31: God fulfilled His part, as Jacob requested
Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah (in the scripture the phrase "to love less than" is often expressed as hate). God decided to keep Rachel barren and open the womb of Leah. She gave birth to Reuben (the Lord has seen my suffering). Then Simeon (the Lord has heard of my suffering). Then Levi (the Lord will join me to my husband). Then Judah (I will praise the Lord). God is for the underdog.
Rachel said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!" Jacob was upset and said, "Am I God?" She asked Jacob to bear children for her through her maid Bilhah. Dan (God judged me) was born, then Naphtali (I wrestled my sister and won).
Since Jacob would not have sex with her, Leah gave Jacob her maid, Zilpah. She bore Gad (good fortune). Then Asher (I am happy).
One day Reuben came back with some mandrakes (a poisonous plant with white or purple flowers and large yellow fruit, and root once thought to resemble the human form. It can cause vomiting and also has narcotic properties). Rachel asked Leah for some. Leah agreed on condition she gets Jacob to have sex with her for a night. So when Jacob returned from work Leah told him, "You must sleep with me tonight for I have rented you with mandrakes" God blessed her with Issachar (my hire). The lovemaking certainly did not end after one night. Next came Zebulun (my honour), then a daughter Dinah.
God remembered Rachel and gave her a son, Joseph (give me another son).
So Jacob's family life was in a mess, but God was there in perfect control, even though Jacob did not ask for it nor acknowledge the help.
Jacob sought Laban's permission to return home to Canaan. Laban knew he had prospered greatly because the Lord was with Jacob. He consented and asked Jacob to name his terms. Jacob proposed that he continue to look after Laban's sheep in exchange for all the speckled, spotted and black lambs, and all the speckled and spotted goats, born to the herd from that day. Laban agreed.
Laban was an unscrupulous person. He immediately asked his sons to separate all the black lambs, and the speckled and spotted goats from the herd that Jacob was to take charge. Three days journey away. But Jacob knew enough about sheep and goat husbandry by now. He took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane, and peeled white streaks in them and put them in front of the watering troughs. The flocks would breed when they came to drink. Their offsprings would be striped, speckled, and spotted. He then interbred the striped and the black with Laban's flock. He kept the healthiest of the flock away from the weaker, and continued to interbreed the stronger with his own flock and left the weaker for Laban (the Aramean). So Jacob's wealth grew very rapidly. Laban and his sons were very unhappy with Jacob's wealth. The Lord decided that it was time for Jacob to return to Canaan.
Jacob did not pray or build altar to the Lord like his father and grandfather, even though he faced more problems than them. Jacob solved his own problems in his own way, while keeping score with God (his covenant with God). In today's context he would most likely be named a nominal Christian. God is there, I believed in Him but He has nothing to do with me. The last item in the memorandum of understanding is for God to bring him back home.
Jacob told Rachel and Leah what God wanted him to do. "The God of my father has been with me and did not permit harm to come to me. God has seen what Laban had done and so He took the cattle of your father and gave them to me. The God of Bethel had kept his promise to me and now wanted me to return to the land of your birth" Rachel and Leah demanded that they too deserved a portion of his properties.
One day when Laban was busy shearing his flock Jacob decided to flee. Rachel took her father's household gods. When Laban discovered that Jacob had gone he gave chase. However, God warned him in a dream that he better be nice to Jacob when he caught up with him.
Laban overtook Jacob at the hill country of Gilead. His excuse was that Jacob should allow him to give them a proper send off. He expressed his displeasure "It is in my power to do you harm", but was being nice because God had warned him to do so. The other complaint was; his gods were stolen. Jacob did not know that Rachel has stolen the gods. Jacob replied, "Any one with whom you find your gods shall not live." Laban did a search. Rachel was sitting on the stolen gods. When they reached her she lied that she could not get up because she was having her menstruation. So they could not find the gods.
Jacob took the opportunity to show his indignation and to vent his frustration. For 20 years he had worked, under the heat and in the cold, day and night. 14 years for the daughters and 6 years for the flocks. The flocks were so well taken off that none have miscarried. He has not misused his position. He has not eaten any of the rams of the flocks. He made good for any lost. Any flock killed by wild beast or stolen he would debit against his own account. If not for the blessing of the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, surely I would have been empty-handed now. So God rebuked you for the afflictions you have done to me.
Laban found a face-saver. He proposed that they set the place where they were as the boundary between them; that each would not cross to the other side to cause trouble. He also reminded Jacob to take good care of his daughters and called upon God to be the witness. Laban called upon the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, while Jacob called upon the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac. They set up a pillar of stone as the maker. Jacob named the place Galeed and the marker the pillar of Mizpah (watchpost). Laban named the place Jegar-sahadu-tha (heap of witness). They concluded the meeting with a feast. Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren goodbye and left.
Jacob knew God as the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac. Meaning that Laban was fearful of his brother-in-law, Isaac, and that was why Laban treated him with courtesy.
Regardless of Jacob's attitude, God kept His covenant. Jacob was His and anyone who wanted a piece of Jacob would have to pass by God first. That is what Christian meant when they said that their God is steadfast in His faithfulness. God is always there for us no matter how badly we might have misbehaved. The attitude of God seemed to be "As long as there is life in humankind, there is hope."
