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Today's reading is from Beresheet (Genesis) chapter 31.

Beresheet 31:1-3 "Now Jacob heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, 'Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has acquired all this wealth.' And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. Then Yahuah said to Jacob, 'Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.'"

You know what Benjamin Franklin said, right? No? "Fish and visitors stink after three days." Jacob has been at Laban's place for much longer than three days and he was only a shepherd, but he made himself rich. He bred a lot of sheep to have spots and speckles, and therefore join his herd, and that is probably part of why Laban got ticked off at him, so now is a good time to leave. But return to his family? His brother wanted to kill him! His father had been tricked! His mother is the only one who helped him leave! Aside from his mother, who among his family would want him back?

Beresheet 31:4-9 "So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, and said to them, 'I see your father's countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the Elohim of my father has been with me. And you know that with all my might I have served your father. Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but Elohim did not allow him to hurt me. If he said thus: "The speckled shall be your wages," then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: "The streaked shall be your wages," then all the flocks bore streaked. So Elohim has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me."

Even though Jacob knew how to make the flocks had speckled or spotted lambs, there's likely no way to make sure that the lambs were all streaked or all spotted. Maybe spotted sheep can have streaked lambs or vice versa, but they were all exactly what he needed for his wages. The rest of the following paragraph is basically him explaining to his wives why the lambs were all streaked and spotted and why they had to leave and go back to his family; you can't exactly argue with Yahuah, even in dreams you won't win.

Beresheet 31:14-16 "Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, 'Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. For all these riches which Elohim has taken from our father are really ours and our children's; now then, whatever Elohim has said to you, do it.'"

Laban's daughters realize that there is no longer anything for them in Laban's house. therefore, if there's someplace better for them to go, they're happy to leave.

Beresheet 31:17-21 "Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. Ane he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father's. And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead."

What was Rachel thinking? Did she worship those idols? Was she hoping that by stealing them her father would realize that maybe there was something to Jacob's idea of one God? No matter what she was doing, stealing her dad's idols really wasn't very smart. Nowadays, that might be like stealing your dad's tv or computer or marble collection or just something he's really proud of. He probably doesn't worship those things, but they're likely still important to him.

Beresheet 31:22-24 "And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days' journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. But Elohim had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, 'Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.'"

Now why do you suppose Yahuah wants Laban to be neutral with Jacob? Less attachment, maybe? Minimize likelihood of violence?

Beresheet 31:25 "So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead."

Imagine a big chase scene in a movie, except subtract the Ferrari in San Fransisco or whatever and add camels in mountains. How often does the chaser catch the one being chased? What usually happens? Do you think this will follow that pattern?

Beresheet 31:26-30 "And Laban said to Jacob: 'What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing. It is in my power to do you harm, but the Elohim of your father spoke to me last night, saying, "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad." And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father's house, but why did you steal my gods?'"

I suppose frustration doesn't count as good or bad... Sort of neutral. Maybe. Laban wanted him gone, so he left without a word. The whole leaving without a word like a thief in the night thing is why Laban is so frustrated. He thought they were family, and family normally leaves with hugs and kisses and promises to spend holidays together and whatnot. Not usually sneaky.

Beresheet 31:31-32 "Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, 'Because I was afraid, for I said, "Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force." With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.' For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them."

This appears to be as good a time as any to say "Oh snap." I imagine all the color drained from Rachel's face at that. Jacob doesn't know what he's promising either, and that's always a risky thing to do. As we'll read later, there was a similar situation in which a father came back from war, promising to sacrifice to Yahuah the first thing he saw when he got home. Guess who he saw first... Yep, his daughter. The tension has increased, drama is at its peak, will Rachel live or die? If this was a TV show, I'd be saying, "Next time on CBS" or whatever, but no, there is no cliffhanger here.

Beresheet 31:33-35 "And Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the two maids' tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent. Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them. And she said to her father, 'Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.' And he searched but did not find the household idols."

Tricky Rachel! No wonder Jacob fell for her! She's about as tricky as he is! She sat on the idols and told her dad she couldn't get up because she's in the middle of her period! How sneaky is that! Her sister may have been able to rat her out though, since periods probably weren't very easy to hide way back when, but no, not a peep from Leah. How about that! I still don't approve of her stealing her dad's idols, but if she had to do it, at least she knew how to save her skin.

Beresheet 31:36-42 "Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: 'What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both! These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. Unless Elohim of my father, Elohim of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. Elohim has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.'"

Wow. Twenty years of frustration and anger at Laban is right there. Laban may have been ticked, but Jacob isn't exactly tickled peachy either. Laban was a harsh employer, apparently did not treat Jacob like family, and what business does Laban have chasing him down anyways?

Beresheet 31:43-44 "And Laban answered and said to Jacob, 'These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these daughters or to their children whom they have borne? Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.'"

Why do you suppose Laban wants to make a covenant? A covenant of peace? Let bygones by bygones, perhaps? Let's find out.

Beresheet 31:45-50 "So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. Then Jacob said to his brethren, 'Gather stones.' And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. And Laban said, 'This heap is a witness between you and me this day.' Therefore its name was called Galeed, also Mizpah, because he said, 'May Yahuah watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us - see, Elohim is witness between you and me!'"

Ah! I see! Laban wanted to make sure that once Jacob left, he wouldn't hurt Rachel and Leah. He would be good to them. Laban needed to know that he would no longer have to watch over his daughters, that they would be safe in Jacob's care. The only way he knew of to do that was to make that covenant.

Beresheet 31:51-55 "Then Laban said to Jacob, 'Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. The Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Nahor, and the Elohim of their father judge between us.' And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place."

It seems sort of strange that of all things to act as witnesses, rather than use their servants, but think about it this way; which is likely to survive longer? A man or a pile of rocks on a mountaintop? Probably the rocks. This is entirely speculation, but I'm guessing that they chose rocks to act as a witness because of the permanence.

Some homework: Find out what Jegar Sahadutha, Galeed, and Mizpah mean.

Next time: Beresheet (Genesis) chapter 32.