21. So he fled with all he had, and crossing the River, he headed for the hill country of Gilead.
22. On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23. Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
24. Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
25. Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too.
26. Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You've deceived me, and you've carried off my daughters like captives in war.
27. Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of tambourines and harps?
28. You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-by. You have done a foolish thing.
29. I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'
30. Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father's house. But why did you steal my gods?"
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2 comments:
Interesting how God tells Laban not to say anything good or bad to Jacob. I could understand not saying anything bad but why not good also?
Did Laban really went after Jacob because of his "gods" were stolen? Would Laban happily let Jacob return to his father's lands if Jacob hadn't ran away secretly? I would think that Laban would've tried to put wage to keep Jacob again.
Again God's promise to protect Jacob is shown here.
This story is interesting because it shows the intertwining relationships between family politics (Jacob's respect for his father-in-law Laban, Rachel's and Leah's competition for Jacob's attention in bearing male children), shared wealth (labor as compensation for Rachel and Leah, deception of the spotted/streaked goats, grumblings from Laban and his sons regarding Jacob's accumulated wealth, Rachel and Leah's expectations of their inheritance share from their father), and religious obedience (Jacob's obedience to God's commands, Laban's respect for Jacob's God despite his possession of false gods). I find this story very realistic in how it portrays the "messiness" of real life. But at the same time, I find it hard from a Christian perspective to see how God can accept (even encourage) what appear to be deceptive activities committed by Jacob.
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