Genesis 31 – Jacob’s Departure, Cutting a Covenant

Genesis 31 – Jacob’s Departure, Cutting a Covenant

Jacob heard Yahweh say, “Return to the land of your fathers and your kindred, and I will be with you.” Laban had cheated and he  felt everyone as against him. Jacob recognized that his prosperity was all God’s doing. God commanded him to leave again. So he packed up his family and possessions and left, and Rachel stole one of Laban’s household gods. He pursued Jacob, but God warned Laban in a dream not to hurt Jacob. He accused Jacob of leaving wrongly and taking his household god. Jacob said anyone who took the household god would die. Rachel hid it under her saddle and said the “way of women is upon me,” so Laban didn’t look there. Laban and Jacob made a covenant (1)that God would judge Jacob if he harmed Rachel and Leah (2) that they wouldn’t pass the heap of stones. Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac, and he offereced a sacrifice. Laban left the next morning.

When you read this chapter it’s hard to miss how God is meticulously in control of everything. First, it’s clear that Jacob was leaving Laban because he was afraid, and yet, he was also leaving because God told him to. Further, this chapter says that all of Jacob’s prosperity came to him because of God’s choosing. It wasn’t a superstitious belief in laying down sticks from poplar, almond, and plane trees. It was because of God. Second, God spoke to Laban in his dream while he was in hot pursuit of Jacob, and basically told him not to charge him of anything and to leave him alone: “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” (Gen. 31:24) It’s pretty clear that God is on Jacob’s side here, and not because of anything Jacob did, but because of God’s sovereign choice (31:42).