seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 31:4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I see that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.
10 “In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. 11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.’”
10 “In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted. 11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.’”
The commentaries are really no help with these verses. They don't even agree on the meaning of "my wages ten times". So I dug around some more and found a commentary in the easy English commentary.
Laban was getting old. Laban’s sons were now adults. The sons were afraid that they would not receive Laban’s wealth. They were afraid that Jacob might get it. But they were accusing Jacob of something that was not true. Jacob never stole Laban’s wealth. In fact, Laban became wealthy because Jacob was working for Laban (Genesis 30:27). And now God had made Jacob wealthy too.
Everyone knew that Laban did not like Jacob. That was because Jacob had become very rich. And Laban was jealous.
Jacob had a good reason to go away. Also, God had ordered him to go. In the Hebrew text, the writer says that Laban had ‘turned his face away from Jacob’. It means that Laban did not like Jacob. But God had ‘turned his own face’ towards Jacob. He was looking after Jacob.
Jacob wanted his wives to go with him. He did not want them to stay with Laban. He wanted to be sure about that. Jacob and his wives met together in a field. From that, we learn that they were just part of Laban’s household. They did not have their own home where they could be alone and safe.
Jacob did not force his wives to leave Laban. Jacob allowed them to choose.
‘10 times’ may be a way to say ‘many times’. It seems that the story in Genesis 30:25-43 was just an example of Jacob’s problems with Laban. In fact, Laban changed Jacob’s wages many times. Laban was not an honest employer.
In the Hebrew text, the writer says this: ‘God has rescued your father’s animals.’ God was guiding Jacob. An angel spoke to Jacob during the dream.
At Bethel, Jacob had made a promise to God. Jacob would obey God if God looked after him. Here, God is reminding him about that promise. Jacob should do as he had promised.
Everyone knew that Laban did not like Jacob. That was because Jacob had become very rich. And Laban was jealous.
Jacob had a good reason to go away. Also, God had ordered him to go. In the Hebrew text, the writer says that Laban had ‘turned his face away from Jacob’. It means that Laban did not like Jacob. But God had ‘turned his own face’ towards Jacob. He was looking after Jacob.
Jacob wanted his wives to go with him. He did not want them to stay with Laban. He wanted to be sure about that. Jacob and his wives met together in a field. From that, we learn that they were just part of Laban’s household. They did not have their own home where they could be alone and safe.
Jacob did not force his wives to leave Laban. Jacob allowed them to choose.
‘10 times’ may be a way to say ‘many times’. It seems that the story in Genesis 30:25-43 was just an example of Jacob’s problems with Laban. In fact, Laban changed Jacob’s wages many times. Laban was not an honest employer.
In the Hebrew text, the writer says this: ‘God has rescued your father’s animals.’ God was guiding Jacob. An angel spoke to Jacob during the dream.
At Bethel, Jacob had made a promise to God. Jacob would obey God if God looked after him. Here, God is reminding him about that promise. Jacob should do as he had promised.
