Genesis Chapter 31 Bible Study

Jacob heard about Laban’s sons’ complaints that he had taken everything that belonged to their father. Also, Laban was not as friendly as he had been earlier. The Lord told Jacob to go back to the land of his fathers and relatives and He would be with him. In his dream during the breeding season, Jacob saw the male goats mating that were striped, spotted and speckled, and the angel of God told Jacob that he made it happen because He had seen all that Laban was doing to him. He was also the God of Bethel where Jacob dedicated a stone as a memorial by pouring olive oil and making a vow. Finally, the angel told Jacob to get ready and go back to the land where he was born.

Rachel and Leah told Jacob that no inheritance was given from their father. He treated them as foreigners and has spent all that wealth that belonged to them and their children. 

Jacob went back to the land of Canaan after he got ready. He took his children and wives on the camels and drove his flocks ahead of him with everything from Mesopotamia. Rachel stole all the household gods that belonged to her father when Laban was absent. Jacob took everything he owned and left without telling Laban. He found out that Jacob had fled 3 days later so he took his men and caught him in the hill country of Gilead after searching for him for 7 days. That night, God came to Laban’s dream and told him not to threaten Jacob. Therefore, Laban didn’t harm him, even though he was very angry that Jacob deceived him and didn’t give him a chance to say goodbye to his daughters and grandkids. Also, he believed that Jacob stole his household gods, so he started to search everyone’s tent with Jacob’s confirmation that no one stole Laban’s belongings. Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen Laban’s gods. When Laban searched for Rachel’s tent, she sat on the camel’s saddle bag which was put over the gods and asked her excuse for not standing due to her monthly period. Eventually, Laban failed to find his household gods and it made Jacob lose his temper and told Laban, “I had spent 20 years with you and took care of your flocks, but you treated me badly by changing wages 10 times, not trusting my work and ignoring my sufferings, but God has seen my troubling work and gave His judgment in your dream.” 

Laban told Jacob that everything he saw there belonged to him, but he couldn’t keep them, so he was ready to make an agreement. After that, he told his men to gather and pile up the rocks and set them down for a delicious meal beside them. Laban gave the name of the place, Jegar Sahadutha, while Jacob named it Galeed. Laban said, “If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women, please remember that God is watching us. I will never go beyond this pile of stones to attack you and you shall do the same thing for me. The gods of Abraham and Nahor will judge between us.” 

Jacob vowed to keep the promise and kill the animal as a sacrifice on the mountain. After all had eaten the meal and spent the night on the mountain, Laban said goodbye to his children and daughters and left home early the next morning. 

Our PECS/Picture Exchange Communication System for Genesis Chapter 31

Questions

Where did Jacob go back to?
Where did Jacob go back to?
What did Laban tell Jacob?