In today’s reading we have the final confrontation between
Jacob and his (two-fold) father-in-law Laban.
Jacob is trying to make a fast get away from Laban. He doesn’t trust Laban to let him leave for
his homeland with what Jacob feels is his due – the wages he has earned for twenty
years of labour. This includes Laban’s
two daughters and their children as well as the flocks that he won by some
dubious means. Laban catches up with the
fleeing Jacob – it is rather hard to make a hasty get away with hundreds if not
thousands of sheep and goats after all.
In any case we have the two men expressing their indignation and
astonishment at the other’s actions.
Laban at first expresses his hurt feelings and anger at
Jacob’s actions, “26 Laban said to Jacob, “What
have you done? You have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like
captives of the sword. 27 Why did you flee secretly and deceive me
and not tell me? I would have sent you away with mirth and songs, with
tambourine and lyre.28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons
and my daughters farewell? What you have done is foolish.” Right after this he answers his own
question, “29 It is in my power to do you harm; but the God of your
father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Take heed that you speak to Jacob
neither good nor bad.’” He is unable to
see that this is exactly why Jacob did what he did – Laban had the power to do
Jacob harm and apparently would have if he hadn’t received the message from God
which apparently came in a dream.
Now it is Jacob’s turn to show his indignation. He angrily states his position and tries to
justify his actions claiming innocence, “36 Then
Jacob became angry, and upbraided Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my
offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Although
you have felt about through all my goods, what have you found of all your
household goods?” Thrown into the mix is
Rachael’s dubious actions –stealing Laban’s household gods and concealing them
successfully from the search. Rachael is
certainly suited to be Laban’s daughter and Jacob’s wife. It turns out she can be just as much of a
trickster as her father and husband.
What we have in all this is the tangled web
woven over twenty years of deceit and underhanded dealing within the family - trick
upon trick and resentment upon resentment that has finally come to a head in a full-
blown confrontation. However, we also
have a resolution once things are out in the open. Laban makes the first move at reconciliation
– perhaps due to the intervention of God in the matter, 43 Then
Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children
are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But
what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about their children whom
they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and
let it be a witness between you and me.”
There is a reconciliation which leaves it in the hands of the God of
each man,” 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor”—the God
of their father—“judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear[g] of his
father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice on the height and
called his kinsfolk to eat bread; and they ate bread and tarried all night in
the hill country.”
This passage is for me a wonderful example
of the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about inspiration that leads to
reconciliation of seemingly irreconcilable differences brought about by the
desire for the Ego to be in charge. It
is truly an example of the grace of God which at bottom passes all
understanding.
