Bible Discussion Thread

.......explaining she is having her monthly period, Jacob pretty much lights in to Laban, recounting how Laban did not treat him in good faith and Jacob had not done Laban wrong all these 20 years., recounting how well the flocks have prospered under his shepherding. He attests that God, who was his grandfather's God and his father's God (the Fear of Isaac is a name for God) has been with him none of that would have happened. He didn't claim God as his own at this time.

Then Laban has his turn at speaking to Jacob, claiming that the wives and children belong to him, along with the flock. he is unwilling to let go and keep his end of the bargain. He obviously wanted Jacob to stay in Haran and keep his family near him, though he had other sons. So Laban suggests a covenant. Laban seems to make the terms of the covenant, having Jacob vow to treat his wives well and not add any wives. Then he vows that the pillar will be a boundary that neither will cross to harm the other. He calls God, (Abraham's, Naho's, and Terah) to be the judge or witness between them. Jacob swears by the same God as Laban (the Fear of Isaac, by name) Jacob offers a sacrifice to God (makes me wonder why Laban had household idols?) The share a meal, that evening and part ways in the morning on good terms.

After hearing Jacob's words to him, perhaps Laban realized that he had mistreated Jacob and therefore relented. Or maybe Jacob's sons were much older and stronger than Laban's sons, and he assessed the situation and made the wise choice to let Jacob leave. Maybe, having heard from God, Laban was beginning a journey with the True God then.

So, we shall see how the rest of the story turns out. I'm curious about the idols Rachel stole and kept hidden from Jacob?

In reference to Laban's idols, apparently they were not as rare an occurrence that might be supposed. The word in Hebrew for 'image' in Genesis 31:19 is 'terapim', or 'teraphim'. And there have been evidences of their possession by the 'God-fearing' (see Judges 17:5 (Micah); 1 Samuel 19:13 (Michal); Hosea 3:4 (Israel)). They're often connected with the 'ephod' & 'urim', so one could suppose that in the absence of the urim & ephod (which were used to learn God's Mind & direction to take), that the teraphim were kept by some to do likewise. So the teraphim (also referred to as 'gods' - Genesis 31:30), were probably not used so much for worship, but in some way to look into the future or for impartation of household blessing. Though the use of idols, images, etc. were condemned ( 2 Kings 23:24), images & teraphim apparently were still kept as a 'rabbit's foot' in households.

Now the fact that Rachel stole her father's teraphim is interesting. Either she wanted to rid them from his house as worthless idols or maybe fearing that they might have some impact on alerting Laban as to where Jacob & his family had fled to, she took them to prevent that happening. Or yet, she may have wanted to take something to remember her father by (no photos in those days) or even to take something of value ( Genesis 31:14,15). By her hiding them (obviously they were very small objects) under the camel's accoutrements, indicates that she held little value to them as objects of worship, or else she wouldn't be sitting on them. But one could be justifiably concerned that Rachel might have given those teraphim some undeserved regard.