13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.” (Gen. 29) 1Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.3Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
36Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged you that you hunt me down? ...38“I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. 40This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. 42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.” 43Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.” 48Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 49It was also called Mizpah, c because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.” So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. 54He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there. 55Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home. (Gen. 31).
Thoughts: Laban at first welcome Jacob. He offered his daughter in marriage in return for his labor for seven years. But he deceived him, tried to change his wages, and legally but unethically trick him time and again. God blessed Jacob despite these tricks, and Jacob heard God's call to leave. There was deception all around. Rachel indeed stole her father's valuable idols- but Jacob would later bury these (it was not worth it). In the end, Laban and Jacob reconciled- symbolized by a joint hospitality meal. They made promises to each other with the Mizpah benediction, "May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent one from another." It is asking God to protect but also keep us in line. This is all a lesson to continually be hospitable to family members not just when they first arrive. We should make efforts to preserve familial love.
Prayer: Lord watch between me and those I love when I am with them or apart from them.
Jacob and Laban and the heap of witness- Holman Bible
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