THE RETURN TO CANAAN

One day while Laban was away from home, Jacob took his family and everything he owned and left for Canaan. Jacob had been gone for three days before Laban found out that he had left. This made Laban so angry he rushed to catch Jacob. He intended to force Jacob to return. But the Lord showed His mercy to Jacob. When Laban was about to catch up to Jacob, God gave Laban a dream. God told him not to speak good or bad to Jacob. This meant that Laban should not force Jacob to go back, nor should Laban try to get Jacob to return by making pleasing promises.SRme 1.325

When Laban met Jacob, he asked Jacob, "Why did you secretly run away and take my daughters with you as though they were captives taken in a battle?" Laban said, "'I have the power to do you harm, but last night the God of your father warned me not to threaten you in any way'" (Gen. 31:29, TEV).SRme 1.326

Then Jacob reminded Laban of the selfish way Laban had treated him. In every way Laban had tried to cheat him. Jacob said "'Whenever a sheep was killed by wild animals, I always bore the loss myself. I didn't take it to you to show that it was not my fault. You demanded that I make good anything that was stolen during the day or during the night. Many times I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was not able to sleep'" (Gen 31:39, 40).SRme 1.327

Jacob added, "'It was like that for the whole twenty years I was with you. For fourteen years I worked to win your two daughters--and six years for your flocks. And even then, you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac, had not been with me, you would already have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my trouble and the work I have done, and last night He gave His judgment'" (Gen 31:41, 42).SRme 1.328

Laban told Jacob he was interested in his daughters and their children, so he would do nothing to harm them. Laban suggested they make an agreement between themselves. After they made an agreement Laban said, "'Let us make a pile of stones to remind us of our agreement.' So Jacob got a stone and set it up as a memorial. He told his men to gather some rocks and pile them up. Then they ate a meal beside the pile of rocks" (Gen 31:44, 45).SRme 1.329

Then Laban said, "The Lord watch between you and me, when we are separated from one another."SRme 1.330

Laban continued, "If you mistreat my daughters or if you marry other women, even though I don't know about it, remember that God is watching us" (Gen. 31:50). Jacob promised that he would not marry other wives.SRme 1.331

Then Laban said, "'Here are the rocks that I have piled up between us, and here is the memorial stone. Both this pile and this memorial stone are reminders. I will never go beyond this pile to attack you, and you must never go beyond. . .[this pile] or beyond this memorial stone to attack me. The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor will judge between us.' Then, in the name of the God whom his father Isaac worshiped, Jacob solemnly vowed to keep this promise" (Gen. 31:51-53, TEV).SRme 1.332

Jacob continued on his way. While he was traveling, the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw the angels, he said, "This is God's army." He knew that the angels were camping about him to guard him.SRme 1.333

Jacob sent a humble, friendly message to his brother, Esau. "When the messengers came back to Jacob, they said, 'We went to your brother Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you. He has four hundred men with him" (Gen. 32:6).SRme 1.334

"Jacob was frightened and worried. He divided into two groups the people who were with him, and also his sheep, goats, cattle, and camels. He thought, 'If Esau comes and attacks the first group, the other [group] may be able to escape.'SRme 1.335

"Then Jacob prayed, 'God of my grandfather Abraham and God of my father Isaac, hear me! You told me, Lord, to go back to my land and to my relatives, and you would make everything go well for me. I am not worth all the kindness and faithfulness that you have shown me, your servant. I crossed the Jordan with nothing but a walking stick, and now I have come back with these two groups. Save me, I pray, from my brother Esau. I am afraid--afraid that he is coming to attack us and destroy us all, even the women and children. Remember that you promised to make everything go well for me and to give me more descendants than anyone could count, as many as the grains of sand along the seashore'" (Gen. 32:7-12).SRme 1.336