Genesis 31:17-32 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Genesis 31:17-32. Let’s go!
Genesis 31:17-18 (NIV)
17 Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels,
18 and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
On verses 17-18: When Jacob first arrived at Paddan Aram, he was single and had nothing to his name except the clothes on his back. Now he is leaving and going back to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan a married and very wealthy man.
Genesis 31:19-23 (NIV)
19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
20 Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away.
21 So he fled with all he had, and crossing the River, he headed for the hill country of Gilead.
22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23 Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
On verses 19-23: While Jacob’s marital status and financial status had changed significantly between the time he first arrived at Paddan Aram and this time as he leaves, Jacob’s penchant for tricking others did not change that much. Jacob does not tell Laban that he is fleeing. Also Rachel steals the household gods of her father, who himself had used deceitful ways to trick Jacob.
What can we learn from this? When you act in deceitful and untrusting ways toward others, don’t be surprised if others act in deceitful and untrusting ways towards you.
Genesis 31:24-30 (NIV)
24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too.
26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.
27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of tambourines and harps?
28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-by. You have done a foolish thing.
29 I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s house. But why did you steal my gods?”
On verses 24-30: In verse 24 God speaks to Laban in a dream, warning Laban not to harm Jacob (v24). In verse 29 Laban acknowledges that it was the God of Isaac, Jacob’s father, who spoke to him. Yet Laban still clung to his own household gods (v30), which he probably used for divination purposes (see Genesis 30:27).
What can we learn from this? It is possible to acknowledge God and even experience God and still cling to idols. Unlike Laban, we mimght not necessarily bow down to a statue and worship it, but do we put anything ahead of God in our lives or cling to something more than we cling to God? If so, that thing we put ahead of God and that thing we cling to more than anything is really what we worship. That thing could be money, our own happiness, our status in the eyes of people, or another person. May we not worship anything other than God, for He alone is worthy of our worship and only worshiping Him alone satisfies in the end.
Genesis 31:31-32 (NIV)
31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.
32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, he shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.
On verse 32: Why would Rachel steal her father’s household gods? Various commentators have posited various theories. One theory is that the household gods were made of precious material and could be sold for a significant amount of money. Another theory is that whoever possessed the household gods had a claim to their father’s estate. Still another theory is that Rachel simply wanted to spite her father for not treating her and Leah as members of the family and not providing for them well. Whatever the reason, Rachel steals her father’s household idols and does not tell Jacob. Jacob makes a vow that if anyone in his camp is found to have stolen Laban’s gods, they would not live.
What can we learn from this? The fact that Rachel was going to take her father’s household gods with her reminds me of this truth: sometimes consciously and sometimes unconsciously, we can take with us the idols that the generation before us worshiped. For example, Jacob tells Laban that the reason he did not tell Laban he was leaving was because he feared that Laban would forcibly take away his wives Leah and Rachel from him. Although it is not exactly the same situation, this reminds me of how Isaac lied to Abimelech about whether he was married to Rebekah for fear that he would be killed (Genesis 26), or how Abraham lied to Abimelech about whether he was married to Sarah, also for fear of being killed (Genesis 20). It seems that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were each not forthright with others because they feared for their lives. So while the faith of Abraham certainly passed down to his son Isaac and to his grandson Jacob, so did their household idol of being deceitful to save their own skin. May we be careful to pass on our faith to the generation after us and to do away with any idols we might worship so that the generation after is not affected by them as much as possible.
God, You alone are worthy of my worship. May I not worship anything or anyone other than You. May the generations that come after me inherit my faith but not my fear, that they would be stronger, wiser, more blessed and more of a blessing than any previous generation that came before them. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
