Chapter 31 - Jacob overheard the words of Laban's sons, that he had taken away all that was their fathers for his own glory. (Guess almost
all the animals born were spotted and paid to Jacob)
Laban didn't look at Jacob the way he used to before. (Angry now? haha)
In a dream, and angel of God told Jacob to return to the land he came from, and that God would be with him.
So Jacob met up with his 2 wives and told them of these things. And that he had served their father as best he could, even though Laban deceived Jacob and changed his pay numerous times.
Jacob also told them that God protected him from Laban, and that God had taken away Laban's cattle and given them to Jacob.
If Laban had paid Jacob in spotted cattle, all the newly born cattle would have been spotted.
If Laban had paid Jacob in ringstraked cattle, all the newly born cattle would have been ringstraked. (Ah, that explains it!)
So his wives told him that there was nothing left for them there, and that he should do as God told him and return home.
The next time Laban left to shear sheep, Jacob gathered up all that he owned, sons and wives and flocks and servants, and loaded them onto camels and left for Isaac his father's home.
He did not tell Laban he was leaving either
Rachel stole her father's images before they left. (Not sure what images are. Pictures?)
3 days later Laban found out that Jacob had left. He gathered up his brethren and pursued them and caught up to them 7 days later at Mt. Gilead.
That night, God warned Laban not to speak to Jacob either good or bad. (Huh?)
Laban confronted Jacob and demanded to know what he was doing.
Why he left without saying anything and took his daughters away like prisoners.
Jacob replied that he was afraid that Laban would take his daughters from Jacob by force.
Then Laban accused Jacob of stealing his gods. (what?)
Jacob replied that whoever was found to have stolen them, let them be killed. And that if his people found them, they would be returned to Laban.
Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen them.
(Images are gods? maybe small statues of them)
Laban searched all through Jacob's camp, and before he arrived in Rachel's tent, she hid them in some camel's furniture and sat on them.
She told her father to not be angry that she couldn't rise to greet him, for she was having her period.
He didn't find the images.
Jacob was extremely angry and asked Laban what his trespass was, what sin he committed that he was pursued so hotly.
He told him he had served him faithfully for 20 years. Nothing in his camp belonged to Laban that was not promised to Jacob.
That if not for the fear of God and of Isaac, Laban would have long ago sent out Jacob with nothing at all.
Laban answered that everything in the camp that day was his, but in the face of his daughters and their children, what could he do.
So they both piled up a heap of stones which Jacob named Galeed, and forged an agreement.
Laban said that if Jacob mistreated his daughters, or took another wife beside his daughters, that God would know even if no one else witnessed it.
Laban also swore to never cross the rock to harm Jacob, and Jacob to never cross the rock to harm Laban.
Then there was a feast, and the next morning Laban hugged, kissed, and blessed his daughters and the children and then went home.
Chapter 32 - The angels of God met Jacob on his way home. He named the place Mahanaim.
He sent messengers ahead to his brother Esua into the lad of Seir in the country of Edom.
He commanded them to tell his brother that his servant Jacob was done staying with Laban and that he would like to see him again.
They returned and said that Esau wished to see him also and was coming with 400 men.
