Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Genesis, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God, Humanity, and Creation
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises
The Role of Women
Summary
Analysis
Jacob hears that Laban’s sons are upset about the wealth he’s gained at their father’s expense; he also sees that Laban is no longer so fond of him. Then the LORD tells Jacob to return to his homeland. So Jacob summons his wives and tells Rachel and Leah that he has served Laban well for a long time, but that now Laban has tried to cheat him. However, God didn’t let that happen; he made sure that when Laban offered certain animals as wages, whether speckled or striped, that kind of animal increased.
The story turns back toward Canaan, the land God has promised to Abraham’s descendants. As he explains the situation to Rachel and Leah, Jacob emphasizes God’s blessing and the desire to rely on God’s provision instead of remaining dependent on Laban.
Themes
Continuing his explanation to Rachel and Leah, Jacob says that once, while the flock was mating, he dreamed that all the male goats were speckled, spotted, or mottled. In the dream, the angel of God calls to Jacob and says that he is causing these animals to mate with the flock, because he sees that Laban is trying to cheat Jacob. Then he tells Jacob to return to his own land. Jacob’s wives agree to this; there is nothing left for them in their father’s house anyway. So Jacob gathers his household, flocks, and possessions and sets out from Paddan-aram to Canaan. He doesn’t tell Laban they’re leaving.
Jacob attributes his flocks’ successful breeding to God’s guidance and protection—a shift from depending on his own cleverness and ability to trick others. Jacob’s character has matured as has learned to trust in God’s promises (and perhaps as he’s been the victim of tricks himself). His wives, too, are ready to leave their homeland and trust in God’s provision instead of their father’s.
Themes
Meanwhile, Rachel has stolen her father Laban’s household gods. Three days after Jacob’s household sets out, Laban’s household pursues Jacob’s. When Laban overtakes Jacob, he accuses Jacob of deceiving him and fleeing without giving him a chance to say goodbye. He also accuses Jacob of stealing his gods. Jacob denies this, so Laban searches among the tents. Rachel hides the gods in a camel saddle and sits on it. When Laban comes in to search for the gods, Rachel claims she can’t get up to greet him because of her menstrual period. So Laban doesn’t find the hidden gods.
The meaning of the Hebrew term for “gods” is unclear, but it may refer to small images or idols. Rachel’s motive for taking her father’s gods is also puzzling, but it’s unlikely that she wanted to worship them; her concealment of the gods in a saddle suggests their powerlessness. Laban’s anger about the missing gods suggests that he does believe in them, in contrast to Jacob’s belief in the God of his people. His accusation also ignores the fact that he recently tried to cheat Jacob.
Themes
Jacob gets angry about his father-in-law’s intrusion. He reminds Laban of all the good fortune he’s brought him over the past 20 years. Laban offers to make a covenant with Jacob, so they gather a heap of stones as a witness between them. Laban says that God will be witness between them if Jacob mistreats Rachel and Leah or takes any additional wives. Jacob swears accordingly, and they eat bread together. Early the next morning, Laban blesses his daughters and grandchildren and leaves.
Jacob defends himself against Laban’s accusations. In biblical times, treaties were understood to require divine witnesses; the heap of stones represents God’s witnessing of the covenant Jacob and Laban have made. Having done this, Jacob and his household can finally return to Canaan, leaving Laban’s influence (and his belief in other gods) behind.
Themes
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