G
E N E S I S
CHAP. XXXI.
Jacob was a very honest good man, a man of great
devotion and integrity, yet he had more trouble and vexation than any of the
patriarchs. He left his father's house in a fright, went to his uncle's in
distress, very hard usage he met with there, and now is going back surrounded
with fears. Here is, I. His resolution to return, ver. 1-16. II. His
clandestine departure, ver. 17-21. III. Laban's pursuit of him in displeasure,
ver. 22-25. IV. The hot words that passed between them, ver. 26-42. V. Their
amicable agreement at last, ver. 43, &c.).
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Jacob's Departure.
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B. C. 1739.
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1 And he heard the words of Laban's
sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that
which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. 2 And
Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward
him as before. 3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to
thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 4 And Jacob sent and called
Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not
toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. 6
And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 7
And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God
suffered him not to hurt me. 8 If he said thus, The speckled shall
be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The
ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to
me. 10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived,
that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which
leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I
said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes,
and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked,
speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
13 I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and
where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and
return unto the land of thy kindred. 14 And Rachel and Leah
answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for
us in our father's house? 15 Are we not counted of him strangers?
for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 16
For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours,
and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
Jacob is here
taking up a resolution immediately to quit his uncle's service, to take what
he had and go back to Canaan. This resolution he took up upon a just
provocation, by divine direction, and with the advice and consent of his
wives.
I. Upon a just
provocation; for Laban and his sons had become very cross and ill-natured
towards him, so that he could not stay among them with safety or satisfaction.
1. Laban's sons
showed their ill-will in what they said, v. 1. It should seem they said
it in Jacob's hearing, with a design to vex him. The last chapter began with
Rachel's envying Leah; this begins with Laban's sons envying Jacob. Observe,
(1.) How greatly they magnify Jacob's prosperity: He has gotten all this
glory. And what was this glory that they made so much ado about? It was a
parcel of brown sheep and speckled goats (and perhaps the fine colours made
them seem more glorious), and some camels and asses, and such like trading;
and this was all this glory. Note, Riches are glorious things in the
eyes of carnal people, while to all those that are conversant with heavenly
things they have no glory in comparison with the glory which excelleth. Men's
over-valuing worldly wealth is that fundamental error which is the root of
covetousness, envy, and all evil. (2.) How basely they reflect upon Jacob's
fidelity, as if what he had he had not gotten honestly: Jacob has taken
away all that was our father's. Not all, surely. What had become of those
cattle which were committed to the custody of Laban's sons, and sent three
days' journey off? ch. xxx. 35, 36. They mean all that was
committed to him; but, speaking invidiously, they express themselves thus
generally. Note, [1.] Those that are ever so careful to keep a good conscience
cannot always be sure of a good name. [2.] This is one of the vanities and
vexations which attend outward prosperity, that it makes a man to be envied of
his neighbors (Eccl. iv. 4), and who can stand before envy? Prov. xxvii.
4. Whom Heaven blesses hell curses, and all its children on earth.
2. Laban himself
said little, but his countenance was not towards Jacob as it used to be; and
Jacob could not but take notice of it, v. 2, 5. He was but a churl at
the best, but now he was more churlish than formerly. Note, Envy is a sin that
often appears in the countenance; hence we read of an evil eye, Prov.
xxiii. 6. Sour looks may do a great deal towards the ruin of peace and love in
a family, and the making of those uneasy of whose comfort we ought to be
tender. Laban's angry countenance lost him the greatest blessing his family
ever had, and justly.
II. By divine
direction and under the convoy of a promise: The Lord said unto Jacob,
Return, and I will be with thee, v. 3. Though Jacob had met with
very hard usage here, yet he would not quit his place till God bade him. He
came thither by orders from Heaven, and there he would stay till he was
ordered back. Note, It is our duty to set ourselves, and it will be our
comfort to see ourselves, under God's guidance, both in our going out and in
our coming in. The direction he had from Heaven is more fully related in the
account he gives of it to his wives (v. 10-13), where he tells them of
a dream he had about the cattle, and the wonderful increase of those of his
colour; and how the angel of God, in that dream (for I suppose the dream
spoken of v. 10 and that v. 11 to be the same), took notice of
the workings of his fancy in his sleep, and instructed him, so that it was not
by chance, or by his own policy, that he obtained that great advantage; but,
1. By the providence of God, who had taken notice of the hardships Laban had
put upon him, and took this way to recompense him: "For I have seen
all that Laban doeth unto thee, and herein I have an eye to that."
Note, There is more of equity in the distributions of the divine providence
than we are aware of, and by them the injured are recompensed really, though
perhaps insensibly. Nor was it only by the justice of providence that Jacob
was thus enriched, but, 2. In performance of the promise intimated in what is
said v. 13, I am the God of Beth-el, This was the place where
the covenant was renewed with him. Note, Worldly prosperity and success are
doubly sweet and comfortable when we see them flowing, not from common
providence, but from covenant-love, to perform the mercy promised--when
we have them from God as the God of Beth-el, from those promises of the
life which now is that belong to godliness. Jacob, even when he had this
hopeful prospect of growing rich with Laban, must think of returning. When the
world begins to smile upon us we must remember it is not our home. Now
arise (v. 13) and return, (1.) To thy devotions in Canaan,
the solemnities of which had perhaps been much intermitted while he was with
Laban. The times of this servitude God had winked at; but now, "Return to
the place where thou anointedst the pillar and vowedst the vow. Now that thou
beginnest to grow rich it is time to think of an altar and sacrifices
again." (2.) To thy comforts in Canaan: Return to the land of thy
kindred. He was here among his near kindred; but those only he must look
upon as his kindred in the best sense, the kindred he must live and die with,
to whom pertained the covenant. Note, The heirs of Canaan must never reckon
themselves at home till they come thither, however they may seem to take root
here.
III. With the
knowledge and consent of his wives. Observe,
1. He sent for
Rachel and Leah to him to the field (v. 4), that he might confer with
them more privately, or because one would not come to the other's apartment
and he would willingly talk with them together, or because he had work to do
in the field which he would not leave. Note, Husbands that love their wives
will communicate their purposes and intentions to them. Where there is a
mutual affection there will be a mutual confidence. And the prudence of the
wife should engage the heart of her husband to trust in her, Prov. xxxi. 11.
Jacob told his wives, (1.) How faithfully he had served their father, v.
6. Note, If others do not do their duty to us, yet we shall have the comfort
of having done ours to them. (2.) How unfaithfully their father had dealt with
him v. 7. He would never keep to any bargain that he made with him,
but, after the first year, still as he saw Providence favour Jacob with the
colour agreed on, every half year of the remaining five he changed it for some
other colour, which made it ten times; as if he thought not only to deceive
Jacob, but the divine Providence, which manifestly smiled upon him. Note,
Those that deal honestly are not always honestly dealt with. (3.) How God had
owned him notwithstanding. He had protected him from Laban's ill-will: God
suffered him not to hurt me. Note, Those that keep close to God shall be
kept safely by him. He had also provided plentifully for him, notwithstanding
Laban's design to ruin him: God has taken away the cattle of your father,
and given them to me, v. 9. Thus the righteous God paid Jacob for
his hard service out of Laban's estate; as afterwards he paid the seed of
Jacob for their serving the Egyptians, with their spoils. Note, God is not
unrighteous to forget his people's work and labour of love, though men be so,
Heb. vi. 10. Providence has ways of making those honest in the event that are
not so in their design. Note, further, The wealth of the sinner is laid up
for the just, Prov. xiii. 22. (4.) He told them of the command God had
given him, in a dream, to return to his own country (v. 13), that they
might not suspect his resolution to arise from inconstancy, or any
disaffection to their country or family, but might see it to proceed from a
principle of obedience to his God, and dependence on him.
2. His wives
cheerfully consented to his resolution. They also brought forward their
grievances, complaining that their father had been not only unkind, but
unjust, to them (v. 14-16), that he looked upon them as strangers, and
was without natural affection towards them; and, whereas Jacob had looked upon
the wealth which God had transferred from Laban to him as his wages, they
looked upon it as their portions; so that, both ways, God forced Laban to pay
his debts, both to his servant and to his daughters. So then it seemed, (1.)
They were weary of their own people and their father's house, and could easily
forget them. Note, This good use we should make of the unkind usage we meet
with from the world, we should sit the more loose to it, and be willing to
leave it and desirous to be at home. (2.) They were willing to go along with
their husband, and put themselves with him under the divine direction: Whatsoever
God hath said unto thee do. Note, Those wives that are their husband's
meet helps will never be their hindrances in doing that to which God calls
them.
17
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 Padan-aram, 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.
Here is, I.
Jacob's flight from Laban. We may suppose he had been long considering of it,
and casting about in his mind respecting it; but when now, at last, God had
given him positive orders to go, he made no delay, nor was he disobedient to
the heavenly vision. The first opportunity that offered itself he laid hold
of, when Laban was shearing his sheep (v. 19), that part of his flock
which was in the hands of his sons three days' journey off. Now, 1. It is
certain that it was lawful for Jacob to leave his service suddenly, without
giving a quarter's warning. It was not only justified by the particular
instructions God gave him, but warranted by the fundamental law of
self-preservation, which directs us, when we are in danger, to shift for our
own safety, as far as we can do it without wronging our consciences. 2. It was
his prudence to steal away unawares to Laban, lest, if Laban had known, he
should have hindered him or plundered him. 3. It was honestly done to take no
more than his own with him, the cattle of his getting, v. 18. He
took what Providence gave him, and was content with that, and would not take
the repair of his damages into his own hands. Yet Rachel was not so honest as
her husband; she stole her father's images (v. 19) and carried
them away with her. The Hebrew calls them teraphim. Some think they
were only little representations of the ancestors of the family, in statues or
pictures, which Rachel had a particular fondness for, and was desirous to have
with her, now that she was going into another country. It should rather seem
that they were images for a religious use, penates, household-gods,
either worshipped or consulted as oracles; and we are willing to hope (with
bishop Patrick) that she took them away not out of covetousness of the rich
metal they were made of, much less for her own use, or out of any
superstitious fear lest Laban, by consulting his teraphim, might know
which way they had gone (Jacob, no doubt, dwelt with his wives as a man of
knowledge, and they were better taught than so), but out of a design hereby to
convince her father of the folly of his regard to those as gods which could
not secure themselves, Isa. xlvi. 1, 2.
II. Laban's
pursuit of Jacob. Tidings were brought him, on the third day, that Jacob had
fled; he immediately raises the whole clan, takes his brethren, that is, the
relations of his family, that were all in his interests, and pursues Jacob (as
Pharaoh and his Egyptians afterwards pursued the seed of Jacob), to bring him
back into bondage again, or with design to strip him of what he had. Seven
days' journey he marched in pursuit of him, v. 23. He would not have
taken half the pains to have visited his best friends. But the truth is bad
men will do more to serve their sinful passions than good men will to serve
their just affections, and are more vehement in their anger than in their
love. Well, at length Laban, overtook him, and the very night before he came
up with him God interposed in the quarrel, rebuked Laban and sheltered Jacob,
charging Laban not to speak unto him either good or bad (v. 24),
that is, to say nothing against his going on with his journey, for that it
proceeded from the Lord. The same Hebraism we have, ch. xxiv. 50. Laban,
during his seven day's march, had been full of rage against Jacob, and was now
full of hopes that his lust should be satisfied upon him (Exod. xv. 9); but
God comes to him, and with one word ties his hands, though he does not turn
his heart. Note, 1. In a dream, and in slumberings upon the bed, God has ways
of opening the ears of men, and sealing their instruction, Job xxxiii.
15, 16. Thus he admonishes men by their consciences, in secret whispers, which
the man of wisdom will hear and heed. 2. The safety of good men is very much
owing to the hold God has of the consciences of bad men and the access he has
to them. 3. God sometimes appears wonderfully for the deliverance of his
people when they are upon the very brink of ruin. The Jews were saved from
Haman's plot when the king's decree drew near to be put in execution, Esth.
ix. 1.
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Laban's Pursuit after Jacob.
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B. C. 1739.
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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. 33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent,
and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went
he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 34 Now
Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat
upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise
up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched,
but found not the images.
We have here the
reasoning, not to say the rallying, that took place between Laban and Jacob at
their meeting, in that mountain which was afterwards called Gilead, v.
25. Here is,
I. The high
charge which Laban exhibited against him. He accuses him,
1. As a renegade
that had unjustly deserted his service. To represent Jacob as a criminal, he
will have it thought that he intended kindness to his daughters (v. 27,
28), that he would have dismissed them with all the marks of love and honour
that could be, that he would have made a solemn business of it, would have
kissed his little grandchildren (and that was all he would have given them),
and, according to the foolish custom of the country, would have sent them away
with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp: not as Rebekah
was sent away out of the same family, above 120 years before, with prayers and
blessings (ch. xxiv. 60), but with sport and merriment, which was a
sign that religion had very much decayed in the family, and that they had lost
their seriousness. However, he pretends they would have been treated with
respect at parting. Note, It is common for bad men, when they are disappointed
in their malicious projects, to pretend that they designed nothing but what
was kind and fair. When they cannot do the mischief they intended, they are
loth it should be thought that they ever did intend it. When they have not
done what they should have done they come off with this excuse, that they
would have done it. Men may thus be deceived, but God cannot. He likewise
suggests that Jacob had some bad design in stealing away thus (v. 26),
that he took his wives away as captives. Note, Those that mean ill themselves
are most apt to put the worst construction upon what others do innocently. The
insinuating and the aggravating of faults are the artifices of a designing
malice, and those must be represented (though never so unjustly) as intending
ill against whom ill is intended. Upon the whole matter, (1.) He boasts of his
own power (v. 29): It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt.
He supposes that he had both right on his side (a good action, as we
say, against Jacob) and strength on his side, either to avenge the
wrong or recover the right. Note, Bad people commonly value themselves much
upon their power to do hurt, whereas a power to do good is much more valuable.
Those that will do nothing to make themselves amiable love to be thought
formidable. And yet, (2.) He owns himself under the check and restraint of
God's power; and, though it redounds much to the credit and comfort of Jacob,
he cannot avoid telling him the caution God had given him the night before in
a dream, Speak not to Jacob good nor bad. Note, As God has all wicked
instruments in a chain, so when he pleases he can make them sensible of it,
and force them to own it to his praise, as protector of the good, as Balaam
did. Or we may look upon this as an instance of some conscientious regard felt
by Laban for God's express prohibitions. As bad as he was he durst not injure
one whom he saw to be the particular care of Heaven. Note, A great deal of
mischief would be prevented if men would but attend to the caveats which their
own consciences give them in slumberings upon the bed, and regard the voice of
God in them.
2. As a thief, v.
30. Rather than own that he had given him any colour of provocation to depart,
he is willing to impute it to a foolish fondness for his father's house, which
made him that he would needs begone; but then (says he) wherefore hast thou
stolen my gods? Foolish man! to call those his gods
that could be stolen! Could he expect protection from those that could neither
resist nor discover their invaders? Happy are those who have the Lord for
their God, for they have a God that they cannot be robbed of. Enemies may
steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things
that he knew not, the common distress of oppressed innocency.
II. Jacob's
apology for himself. Those that commit their cause to God, yet are not
forbidden to plead it themselves with meekness and fear. 1. As to the charge
of stealing away his own wives he clears himself by giving the true reason why
he went away unknown to Laban, v. 31. He feared lest Laban would by
force take away his daughters, and so oblige him, by the bond of his affection
to his wives, to continue in his service. Note, Those that are unjust in the
least, it may be suspected, will be unjust also in much, Luke xvi. 10. If
Laban deceive Jacob in his wages, it is likely he will make no conscience of
robbing him of his wives, and putting those asunder whom God has joined
together. What may not be feared from men that have no principle of honesty?
2. As to the charge of stealing Laban's gods he pleads not guilty, v.
32. He not only did not take them himself (he was not so fond of them), but he
did not know that they were taken. Yet perhaps he spoke too hastily and
inconsiderately when he said, "Whoever had taken them, let him not
live;" upon this he might reflect with some bitterness when, not long
after, Rachel who had taken them died suddenly in travail. How just soever we
think ourselves to be, it is best to forbear imprecations, lest they fall
heavier than we imagine.
III. The diligent
search Laban made for his gods (v. 33-35), partly out of hatred to
Jacob, whom he would gladly have an occasion to quarrel with, partly out of
love to his idols, which he was loth to part with. We do not find that he
searched Jacob's flocks for stolen cattle; but he searched his furniture for
stolen gods. He was of Micah's mind, You have taken away my gods, and what
have I more? Judg. xviii. 24. Were the worshippers of false gods so set
upon their idols? did they thus walk in the name of their gods? and shall not
we be as solicitous in our enquires after the true God? When he has justly
departed from us, how carefully should we ask, Where is God my Maker? O
that I knew where I might find him! Job xxiii. 3. Laban, after all his
searches, missed of finding his gods, and was baffled in his enquiry with a
sham; but our God will not only be found of those that seek him, but they
shall find him their bountiful rewarder.
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.
See in these
verses,
I. The power of
provocation. Jacob's natural temper was mild and calm, and grace had improved
it; he was a smooth man, and a plain man; and yet Laban's unreasonable
carriage towards him put him into a heat that transported him into some
vehemence, v. 36, 37. His chiding with Laban, though it may admit of
some excuse, was not justifiable, nor is it written for our imitation.
Grievous words stir up anger, and commonly do but make bad worse. It is a very
great affront to one that bears an honest mind to be charged with dishonesty,
and yet even this we must learn to bear with patience, committing our cause to
God.
II. The comfort
of a good conscience. This was Jacob's rejoicing, that when Laban accused him
his own conscience acquitted him, and witnessed for him that he had been in
all things willing and careful to live honestly, Heb. xiii. 18. Note, Those
that in any employment have dealt faithfully, if they cannot obtain the credit
of it with men, yet shall have the comfort of it in their own bosoms.
III. The
character of a good servant, and particularly of a faithful shepherd. Jacob
had approved himself such a one, v. 38-40. 1. He was very careful, so
that, through his oversight or neglect, the ewes did not
cast their young. His piety also procured a blessing upon his master's effects
that were under his hands. Note, Servants should take no less care of what
they are entrusted with for their masters than if they were entitled to it as
their own. 2. He was very honest, and took none of that for his own eating
which was not allowed him. He contented himself with mean fare, and coveted
not to feast upon the rams of the flock. Note, Servants must not be dainty in
their food, nor covet what is forbidden them, but in that, and other
instances, show all good fidelity. 3. He was very laborious, v. 40. He
stuck to his business, all weathers; and bore both heat and cold with
invincible patience. Note, Men of business, that intend to make something of
it, must resolve to endure hardness. Jacob is here an example to ministers;
they also are shepherds, of whom it is required that they be true to their
trust and willing to take pains.
IV. The character
of a hard master. Laban had been such a one to Jacob. Those are bad masters,
1. Who exact from their servants that which is unjust, by obliging them to
make good that which is not damaged by any default of theirs. This Laban did, v.
39. Nay, if there has been a neglect, yet it is unjust to punish above the
proportion of the fault. That may be an inconsiderable damage to the master
which would go near to ruin a poor servant. 2. Those also are bad masters who
deny to their servants that which is just and equal. This Laban did, v.
41. It was unreasonable for him to make Jacob serve for his daughters, when he
had in reversion so great an estate secured to him by the promise of God
himself; as it was also to give him his daughters without portions, when it
was in the power of his hands to do well for them. Thus he robbed the poor
because he was poor, as he did also by changing his wages.
V. The care of
providence for the protection of injured innocence, v. 42. God took
cognizance of the wrong done to Jacob, and repaid him whom Laban would
otherwise have sent empty away, and rebuked Laban, who otherwise would have
swallowed him up. Note, God is the patron of the oppressed; and those who are
wronged and yet not ruined, cast down and yet not destroyed, must acknowledge
him in their preservation and give him the glory of it. Observe, 1. Jacob
speaks of God as the God of his father, intimating that he thought himself
unworthy to be thus regarded, but was beloved for the father's sake. 2. He
calls him the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac; for Abraham was dead, and
had gone to that world where perfect love casts out fear; but Isaac was yet
alive, sanctifying the Lord in his heart, as his fear and his dread.
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Jacob's
Covenant with Laban.
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B. C. 1739.
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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 Jegar-sahadutha: 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.
We have here the
compromising of the matter between Laban and Jacob. Laban had nothing to say
in reply to Jacob's remonstrance: he could neither justify himself nor condemn
Jacob, but was convicted by his own conscience of the wrong he had done him;
and therefore desires to hear no more of the matter He is not willing to own
himself in a fault, nor to ask Jacob's forgiveness, and
make him satisfaction, as he ought to have done. But,
I. He turns it
off with a profession of kindness for Jacob's wives and children (v.
43): These daughters are my daughters. When he cannot excuse what he
has done, he does, in effect, own what he should have done; he should have
treated them as his own, but he had counted them as strangers, v. 15.
Note, It is common for those who are without natural affection to pretend much
to it when it will serve a turn. Or perhaps Laban said this in a vain-glorious
say, as one that loved to talk big, and use great swelling words of vanity:
"All that thou seest is mine." It was not so, it was all Jacob's,
and he had paid dearly for it; yet Jacob let him have his saying, perceiving
him coming into a better humour. Note, Property lies near the hearts of
worldly people. They love to boast of it, "This is mine, and the other is
mine," as Nabal, 1 Sam. xxv. 11, my bread and my water.
II. He proposes a
covenant of friendship between them, to which Jacob readily agrees, without
insisting upon Laban's submission, much less his restitution. Note, When
quarrels happen, we should be willing to be friends again upon any terms:
peace and love are such valuable jewels that we can scarcely buy them too
dearly. Better sit down losers than go on in strife. Now observe here,
1. The substance
of this covenant. Jacob left it wholly to Laban to settle it. The tenour of it
was, (1.) That Jacob should be a good husband to his wives, that he should not
afflict them, nor marry other wives besides them, v. 50. Jacob had
never given him any cause to suspect that he would be any other than a kind
husband; yet, as if he had, he was willing to come under this engagement.
Though Laban had afflicted them himself, yet he will bind Jacob that he shall
not afflict them. Note, Those that are injurious themselves are commonly most
jealous of others, and those that do not do their own duty are most peremptory
in demanding duty from others. (2.) That he should never be a bad neighbour to
Laban, v. 52. It was agreed that no act of hostility should ever pass
between them, that Jacob should forgive and forget all the wrongs he had
received and not remember them against Laban or his family in after-times.
Note, We may resent an injury which yet we may not revenge.
2. The ceremony
of this covenant. It was made and ratified with great solemnity, according to
the usages of those times. (1.) A pillar was erected (v. 45), and a
heap of stones raised (v. 46), to perpetuate the memory or the thing,
the way of recording agreements by writing being then either not known or not
used. (2.) A sacrifice was offered (v. 54), a sacrifice of
peace-offerings. Note, Our peace with God is that which puts true comfort into
our peace with our friends. If parties contend, the reconciliation of both to
him will facilitate their reconciliation one to another. (3.) They did eat
bread together (v. 46), jointly partaking of the feast upon the
sacrifice, v. 54. This was in token of a hearty reconciliation.
Covenants of friendship were anciently ratified by the parties eating and
drinking together. It was in the nature of a love-feast. (4.) They solemnly
appealed to God concerning their sincerity herein, [1.] As a witness (v.
49): The Lord watch between me and thee, that is, "The Lord take
cognizance of every thing that shall be done on either side in violation of
this league. When we are out of one another's sight, let his be a restraint
upon us, that wherever we are we are under God's eye." This appeal is
convertible into a prayer. Friends at a distance from each other may take the
comfort of this, that when they cannot know or succour one another God watches
between them, and has his eye on them both. [2.] As a Judge, v. 53. The
God of Abraham (from whom Jacob descended), and the God of Nahor
(from whom Laban descended), the God of their father (the common
ancestor, form whom they both descended), judge betwixt us. God's
relation to them is thus expressed to intimate that they worshipped one and
the same God, upon which consideration there ought to be no enmity between
them. Note, Those that have one God should have one heart: those that agree in
religion should strive to agree in every thing else. God is Judge between
contending parties, and he will judge righteously; whoever does wrong, it is
at his peril. (5.) They gave a new name to the place, v. 47, 48. Laban
called it in Syriac, and Jacob in Hebrew, the heap of witness; and (v.
49) it was called Mizpah, a watch-tower. Posterity being included in
the league, care was taken that thus the memory of it should be preserved.
These names are applicable to the seals of the gospel covenant, which are
witnesses to us if we be faithful, but witnesses to us if we be faithful, but
witnesses against us if we be false. The name Jacob gave this heap (Galeed)
stuck by it, not the name Laban gave it. In all this rencounter, Laban was
noisy and full of words, affecting to say much; Jacob was silent, and said
little. When Laban appealed to God under many titles, Jacob only swore by
the fear of his father Isaac, that is, the God whom his father Isaac
feared, who had never served other gods, as Abraham and Nahor had done. Two
words of Jacob's were more memorable than all Laban's speeches and vain
repetitions: for the words of wise men are heard in quiet, more than the
cry of him that ruleth among fools, Eccl. ix. 17.
Lastly,
After all this angry parley, they part friends, v. 55. Laban very
affectionately kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them, and
then went back in peace. Note, God is often better to us than our fears, and
strangely overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have
expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.
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