Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Laban » Outwitted by jacob
Meanwhile, Jacob kept tending the rest of Laban's flock. Jacob took branches from white poplar trees, freshly cut almond trees, and some other trees, stripped off their bark to make white streaks, and uncovered the white part inside the branches. Then he placed the branches that he had stripped bare in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He placed the branches in front of the flock, and they went into heat as they came to drink. When the flocks mated in front of the branches, they would bear offspring that were striped, speckled, or spotted. read more.
Jacob kept the lambs separate, facing the striped and entirely black ones that belonged to Laban's flock. He set his own herd by itself and would not let them be with Laban's flock. Whenever the more vigorous of the flock came into heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the flock to make them mate by the branches. But he didn't put the branches in front of any of the feeble members of the flock. As a result, the feeble ones belonged to Laban, but the stronger ones belonged to Jacob. Therefore the man Jacob prospered so much that he had large flocks, female and male servants, as well as camels and donkeys.
Jacob kept the lambs separate, facing the striped and entirely black ones that belonged to Laban's flock. He set his own herd by itself and would not let them be with Laban's flock. Whenever the more vigorous of the flock came into heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the flock to make them mate by the branches. But he didn't put the branches in front of any of the feeble members of the flock. As a result, the feeble ones belonged to Laban, but the stronger ones belonged to Jacob. Therefore the man Jacob prospered so much that he had large flocks, female and male servants, as well as camels and donkeys.
Now Jacob used to listen while Laban's sons kept on complaining, "Jacob has taken over everything our father owns! He made himself wealthy from what belongs to our father!" Jacob also noticed that the way Laban had been looking at him wasn't as nice as it had been just two days earlier. Then the LORD ordered Jacob, "Go back to your father's territory and to your relatives. I'll be with you." read more.
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to come out to the field where his flock was and informed them, "I've noticed that the way your father has been looking at us hasn't been as nice as it was just two days ago. But my father's God has been with me. You know I've been serving your father with all my heart. Even so, your father has cheated me. He broke our wage agreement ten times. However, God didn't allow him to harm me. "When Laban said, "The speckled ones will be your wages,' then all the flock gave birth to speckled ones. Then when he said, "The streaked ones will be your wages,' all the flock gave birth to streaked offspring. "So God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me. As it was, when it was time for the livestock to breed, I once looked up in a dream, and the male goats that were mating with the flock were producing streaked, speckled, and spotted offspring. "Later, the angel of God spoke to me in a dream, "Jacob.' ""Here I am,' I replied ""Look around!' he said. "Go ahead, look! All the male goats have been mating with the flock, producing offspring that are streaked, speckled, and spotted, because I've been watching everything that Laban has done to you. I am the God of Bethel, the place where you consecrated that stone and made a vow to me. Now get up, leave this territory, and return to your native land.'" Then Rachel and Leah asked him, "Do we have anything left of inheritance remaining in our father's house? He's treating us like foreigners. He sold us and spent all of the money that rightfully belonged to us. Furthermore, all of the wealth that God has stripped away from our father belongs to us now and to our children. So do everything that God tells you to do." So Jacob got up, seated his children and wives on camels, and drove all his livestock ahead of him, with everything that belonged to him, including the livestock that he had bought and accumulated in Paddan-aram, intending to deliver them to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Meanwhile, Laban had been out shearing his sheep. While he was away, Rachel stole her father's personal idols. Moreover, Jacob had deceived Laban the Aramean, because he had never told him that he was intending to leave. Jacob fled, taking everything that he owned. He got up, crossed the river, and headed to the hill country of Gilead.
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to come out to the field where his flock was and informed them, "I've noticed that the way your father has been looking at us hasn't been as nice as it was just two days ago. But my father's God has been with me. You know I've been serving your father with all my heart. Even so, your father has cheated me. He broke our wage agreement ten times. However, God didn't allow him to harm me. "When Laban said, "The speckled ones will be your wages,' then all the flock gave birth to speckled ones. Then when he said, "The streaked ones will be your wages,' all the flock gave birth to streaked offspring. "So God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me. As it was, when it was time for the livestock to breed, I once looked up in a dream, and the male goats that were mating with the flock were producing streaked, speckled, and spotted offspring. "Later, the angel of God spoke to me in a dream, "Jacob.' ""Here I am,' I replied ""Look around!' he said. "Go ahead, look! All the male goats have been mating with the flock, producing offspring that are streaked, speckled, and spotted, because I've been watching everything that Laban has done to you. I am the God of Bethel, the place where you consecrated that stone and made a vow to me. Now get up, leave this territory, and return to your native land.'" Then Rachel and Leah asked him, "Do we have anything left of inheritance remaining in our father's house? He's treating us like foreigners. He sold us and spent all of the money that rightfully belonged to us. Furthermore, all of the wealth that God has stripped away from our father belongs to us now and to our children. So do everything that God tells you to do." So Jacob got up, seated his children and wives on camels, and drove all his livestock ahead of him, with everything that belonged to him, including the livestock that he had bought and accumulated in Paddan-aram, intending to deliver them to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Meanwhile, Laban had been out shearing his sheep. While he was away, Rachel stole her father's personal idols. Moreover, Jacob had deceived Laban the Aramean, because he had never told him that he was intending to leave. Jacob fled, taking everything that he owned. He got up, crossed the river, and headed to the hill country of Gilead.
Leah » Flees with jacob
So Jacob got up, seated his children and wives on camels,
Then Rachel and Leah asked him, "Do we have anything left of inheritance remaining in our father's house?
Then he positioned the women servants and their children first, then Leah and her children next, and then Rachel and Joseph after them. Then he went out to meet Esau, passing in front of all of them, and bowed low to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him. Then he fell on his neck and kissed him. And they wept. read more.
When Esau eventually looked around, he saw the women and the children. "Who are these people with you?" he asked. "The children, whom God has graciously given your servant," he answered. Then the women servants approached, accompanied by their children, and bowed low. Leah also approached, and she and her children bowed low. After this, Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed low.
When Esau eventually looked around, he saw the women and the children. "Who are these people with you?" he asked. "The children, whom God has graciously given your servant," he answered. Then the women servants approached, accompanied by their children, and bowed low. Leah also approached, and she and her children bowed low. After this, Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed low.
Rachel » Steals the household images (teraphim, legal deed) of her father
Then Rachel and Leah asked him, "Do we have anything left of inheritance remaining in our father's house? He's treating us like foreigners. He sold us and spent all of the money that rightfully belonged to us. Furthermore, all of the wealth that God has stripped away from our father belongs to us now and to our children. So do everything that God tells you to do." read more.
So Jacob got up, seated his children and wives on camels, and drove all his livestock ahead of him, with everything that belonged to him, including the livestock that he had bought and accumulated in Paddan-aram, intending to deliver them to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Meanwhile, Laban had been out shearing his sheep. While he was away, Rachel stole her father's personal idols.
So Jacob got up, seated his children and wives on camels, and drove all his livestock ahead of him, with everything that belonged to him, including the livestock that he had bought and accumulated in Paddan-aram, intending to deliver them to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Meanwhile, Laban had been out shearing his sheep. While he was away, Rachel stole her father's personal idols.
So Laban entered Jacob's tent, Leah's tent, and the tents of the two maid servants, but he didn't find them. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent. Meanwhile, Rachel had taken the idols, placed them inside the saddle of her camel, and sat on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but found nothing. Then Rachel told her father, "Sir, please don't be angry that I cannot stand up in your presence. It's that time of the month." So Laban searched for the idols, but never did find them.
Wife » Loyal
Then Rachel and Leah asked him, "Do we have anything left of inheritance remaining in our father's house? He's treating us like foreigners. He sold us and spent all of the money that rightfully belonged to us. Furthermore, all of the wealth that God has stripped away from our father belongs to us now and to our children. So do everything that God tells you to do."