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.
