Laban's hostility and his wives' encouragement motivated Jacob to return to Canaan. When Laban overtook Jacob in Gilead, Jacob defended his own actions and accused Laban of deceit. This silenced Laban and led him to request a peace treaty with Jacob.
God had been faithful in blessing Jacob as He had promised Abraham and Isaac. Moses recorded the testimony to that fact in this section. Jacob acknowledged that God was responsible for his prosperity. God's goodness and His command to return to the Promised Land (v. 3), as well as Laban's growing hostility (v. 5), motivated Jacob to leave Paddan-aram.
It is unclear from what Jacob reported to his wives when the Angel of God appeared to him in the dream (vv. 10-13). This may have occurred before or at the same time as the revelation referred to earlier in this passage. It seems likely, however, that this was the same revelation, God's second to Jacob.
In this revelation Jacob learned that God had been responsible for his becoming richer (v. 12). Jacob credited God with this and with his own survival (vv. 5, 7).
The increasing antagonism of Laban's household encouraged Jacob to obey God's command to return to the Promised Land (vv. 1-2).
31:1-16 "The true character of Laban is clearly seen from the fact that his daughters entirely sided with Jacob against their own father . . . . They too had experienced their father's selfishness and greed, and were ready to approve of their husband's project and to go with him."716
31:17-21 "Rachel's theft of her father's idols [teraphim] . . . reflects the Hurrian custom of keeping household gods. . . . Nevertheless, the real significance of what she did, and perhaps the reason for the theft, lies in the fact that according to the Nuzi tablets he who possessed the household gods was the legitimate heir."717
Other writers, however, dispute this significance of the household gods at this time as well as Rachel's motivation.
"The supposed role of the teraphim . . . as constituting the title-deeds to inheritances . . . seems also to be fallacious; . . . . Rachel simply took them for her own protection and blessing."718
These gods were usually small figurines (two to three inches long), sometimes carried on the body as charms, many of which archaeologists have discovered. They may have represented departed ancestors or gods that their makers venerated.719Rachel may also have hoped they would make her a fruitful mother.720
"It is curious that Rachel, and not Leah should have almost always turned out to be Jacob's greatest hindrance in life."721
The writer identified Jacob's deception as such when he fled from Paddan-aram (v. 20).
God had promised to be with Jacob and to return him to Canaan (28:15). We see God doing this, in spite of Laban's opposition, in this section.
"It was only by divine prospering and protection (24) that Jacob brought anything, even his life, back from exile."722
31:22-42 God revealed Himself to people other than the patriarchs in these days (v. 29; cf. Abimelech in 20:3).
The teraphim were already nothing gods, but they became unclean and suffered humiliation when Rachel, who claimed to be unclean, sat on them (vv. 34-35; cf. Lev. 15:20).
Under traditional ancient Near Eastern law, a shepherd was not held responsible for losses to his master's flocks due to attacking wild beasts and, in some cases, thieves.723Yet Jacob had borne these losses (v. 39). Laban had cheated Jacob.
"God has corked the bottle of his [Laban's] aggressiveness."724
"Each of the three patriarchs had to be ingloriously extricated from some adventure."725
Jacob believed that he was innocent until proved guilty, but Laban felt he was guilty until proved innocent. "The fear of Isaac"(vv. 42, 53) is the God whom Isaac feared. Jacob's words in verse 42 summarize his whole life in Harran.
31:43-55 Jacob and Laban made a parity covenant, set up a stone pillar (Heb. misbah, standing stone) to mark the spot, and ate a meal together as part of the rite involved in establishing a covenant (vv. 44-48). They may have erected the heap of stones (Heb,. gal, cairn, v. 46) both as a table for the meal and as a memorial of the event.726
Galeed (v. 47) is the name from which Gilead came. Gilead became a common name for this mountainous area east of the Jordan River between the Sea of Galilee (Cinnereth, Hebrew for "lyre"denoting the shape of the lake) and the Dead (Salt) Sea (cf. vv. 21, 23, 25).
The so-called "Mizpah blessing"was not really a promise between friends but a warning between antagonists who did not trust each other (v. 49). They called on God to keep each other true to the terms of the covenant they had just made. They could not check on each other themselves.
"This covenant also might be called a nonaggression pact."727
"It is impossible to avoid noticing the curious misconception of the term mizpah' which characterizes its use today. As used for a motto on rings, Christmas cards, and even as the title of an organization, it is interpreted to mean union, trust, fellowship; while its original meaning was that of separation, distrust, and warning. Two men, neither of whom trusted the other, said in effect: I cannot trust you out of my sight. The Lord must be the watchman between us if we and our goods are to be kept safe from each other.'"728
Those who are obediently following God's call and are experiencing His blessing can be confident that He will protect them.
