Bible Study Online Article
Jacob had set the record straight in reminding Laban about the successful job that he had done for him during the past twenty years. The promise bearer would also share and inform Laban about the endurable hardships that came with the job of tending Laban's flocks successfully. We find that Laban did not argue or debate against Jacob's talking points. I'm assuming that he had a brief moment of conviction. It's possible... Actually there was no way that he could without looking foolish. For the mere fact that Jacob had left from his household unannounced was the only slimmer of hope that he had when it came to turning and blaming this whole ordeal on Jacob. Instead Laban did what he does best, he offered Jacob another proposal. "The women are my daughters, the children are my children and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? Come now, let's make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us," Laban proposes. Note: Laban did the right thing by finally laying claim to what was rightfully his - Rachel and Leah his daughters and their kids which are his grandchildren. For before he had treated them all as strangers and this is why they were so upset with their father to begin with. But he makes a claim that was not true: "...the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine." This is simply not true. For the flocks that Jacob had and everything else that accompanied him, all belong to Jacob. The promise bearer work hard and paid dearly for all that he had acquired. Jacob being the mild and calm tempered person that he was did not put up a fuss. The promise bearer took a stone and set it up as a pillar, in which he asked his family to gather some more stones. They would gather those stones and pile them up in a heap, and soon after Jacob and his brethren would unite in agreement by breaking bread together. Note: The pillar and the heap of rocks were their way of recording and documenting their proposed friendship covenant with each other. Now Laban would call this place Jegar-sahadutha (A word in the Syrian Language) and Jacob called the place Galeed (A word in the Hebrew Language). Both names mean the same, but as I've pointed out are presented in two different languages. The meanings of these two words... means - (a heap of witness) Laban's oath to this covenant: "This heap is a witness between you and me today. May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other, if you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even tough no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me. Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." Soon after, Laban was finished with his oath, Jacob followed by agreeing to the terms of this friendship covenant in the fear of his father Isaac. Jacob would then offer up a sacrifice which was a peace-offering, while there in the hill country and invited all his relatives to a feast. The feast was a way of paying tribute and confirming the reconciliation of their friendship through this particular covenant. Everyone would spend the night after they had eaten. Early in morning Laban would awaken and right before he left to return home, he would kiss his grandchildren along with his daughters while blessing them.
Start at: Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty 56) Rachel the Thief 57) Jacob's Mistake 58) Laban's Pursuit 59) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 62) Jacob & Esau - The Reconciliation 63) Dinah the Daughter of Israel  CrossDaily.com Web Search where you can VOTE FOR THIS SITE & other great ones. Christian search engine, directory & voting index. You'll find Bible, chat, churches, jobs, music, reviews, software, theology, & more. See the best sites!
|
