Gen. 31:51-55; 32:9-12, Jacob and God

The relationship of Laban and Jacob is interesting. Here is a family tree.

	Terah
Nahor		Abraham
Bethuel
Laban, (Rebekah)		Isaac
Sons, (Leah, Rachel)		Jacob, Esau

·       31:1: Yes, Isaac and Jacob married cousins.  This was a means of maintaining the righteous line of Shem through Terah and onward.  Esau did not marry such a wife and was a disappointment to his parents (Gen. 28:6-9).  Note that it just says Laban had “sons.”  That’s all we know.  The only names we know are the two daughters, so at least we know he did have sons.

·       31:19,30,32,39ab: Again, yes! Rachel stole the family “gods” from her dad.  It’s the same word in vs. 20,26,27: Jacob stole away from Laban.  The “idols” are teraphim, referring to an image or idol used in the context of a family shrine of worship.  It is used in Judges 17-18 in the story of the Levite who was priest to a man and his family, and then became priest to the tribe of Dan.  It is also the image that Michal, the daughter of King Saul, placed in David’s bed so as to fool the soldiers when they came to deliver David to Saul.  King Josiah put them away along with the other “abominations” in Judah and Jerusalem.  Jacob, upon his return to Bethel, required the family to put away these images (Gen. 35:2).

·       31:53: Does Laban think that Abraham worshipped the same “god” as his older brother and dad?  We have talked about this, that Joshua indicated the family worshipped “other gods” when they lived beyond the River (Euphrates; Josh. 24:2).  Laban may think that Abraham still worshipped those gods but he has, of course, come to faith in one God (Gen. 15:6).  In this passage Jacob swears by the ”Fear of his father Isaac.”  Isaac, of course, worship the true God that his father had come to know and worship.  Jacob appears to understand that idolatry had crept into the family in Padan Aram, family that Abraham had left behind.

·       32:9-12: Between the two trips to Bethel Jacob grew significantly in his knowledge of the true God.  This prayer shows some positives in this growth.

o   It’s not the Fear of Isaac but the God of Isaac.  Jacob knows his grandfather worshipped the true God, the One who told him (Jacob) to return to Canaan.

o   He says, “I am not worthy.”  Maybe he is being hypocritical, although I don’t think so.  But at least we can say he knows the humility that is required to approach the true God.  Do I?

o   He is thankful for how God has blessed!  “I have become two companies.”

o   He is honest!  “I fear him.”

o   He is resting on God’s promise, given to him at Bethel (v12; 28:13-15).