Jacob Leaves Laban

Jacob heard Laban’s sons saying that he had taken what belonged to their father, and he saw that Laban was no longer friendly towards him. Then Yahweh told Jacob to return to the land of his fathers and relatives, with the promise that God would be with him.

Jacob called Rachel and Leah out to the field near his flock. He told them how he had served Laban with all his strength, yet Laban had deceived him and changed his wages again and again. He said God had seen it and had told him to leave. Rachel and Leah agreed that he should do what God had said.

So Jacob put his wives and children on camels and gathered all his livestock and possessions to go to Isaac in Canaan. He left without telling Laban. Rachel stole her father’s household gods. When Laban heard on the third day that Jacob had fled, he pursued him and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.

Before Laban reached him, God warned Laban in a dream to be careful how he spoke to Jacob. Laban complained that Jacob had left secretly and asked why his household gods had been stolen. Jacob answered that he had been afraid Laban would take his daughters away by force. Laban searched the tents, but he did not find the gods.

Then Jacob became angry and spoke about the twenty years he had worked for Laban. He had cared for the flocks, borne losses himself, and endured hard days and sleepless nights, while Laban changed his wages many times. Jacob said that God had seen his trouble and had rebuked Laban. Laban then proposed a covenant, and Jacob set up a pillar while the family gathered stones into a heap.

Laban and Jacob gave names to the stone heap and used it as a witness between them. Laban said the heap and the pillar stood between them so neither would cross over to harm the other, and he warned Jacob not to mistreat his daughters or take other wives besides them. Jacob swore an oath, offered a sacrifice, and they ate together. In the morning Laban blessed his children and grandchildren and returned home.