Laban Pursues Jacob (Genesis 31)Reading with your child.....
On the third day after Jacob and his family fled from Laban, Laban found out. Laban took his children with him and went after Jacob. During one of the nights when Laban was traveling the Lord spoke to Laban in a dream telling him not to speak to Jacob, good or bad. Laban continued in his journey and it took him 7 days to catch up with Jacob.
When Laban caught up to Jacob he went to him and said, "Why have you lied to me and taken my daughters away like captives? If I had known you were leaving I could have sent you away with a celebration. You didn't even allow me to kiss my daughters good-bye! It is completely within my power to hurt you, but your God spoke to me in a dream and told me to not speak to you, good or bad. Now, I know you left because you miss your father and home, but why did you steal my gods?"
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, "I left because I was afraid you would take your daughters away from me by force. And, if you find anyone here who has your gods will not live." Jacob did not realize that Rachel had taken them from her father. So Laban went through all the tents - through Jacob's, Leah's, the servants and finally Rachel's. But Rachel had hidden the idols in the saddle on her camel and sat on them and did not get off her camel to address her father, so Laban did not find them.
After watching Laban search through all their tents Jacob became angry with Laban and confronted him saying, "What have I done wrong here that you have come after me? I have been with you for 20 years and served you and if it was not for God you would have sent me away with nothing, even for all of that service! God has seen what you have done to me and allowed me to leave!"
Your child's insights.....
- What do you think God meant when He told Laban to say nothing to Jacob, good or bad?
- Why did Laban go ahead and talk to Jacob?
- Do you think Rachel really got away with taking the gods?
- Do you think God sees you when people treat you badly?
Ideas for prayer with your child.....
- Pray that they would trust in God even when they are treated unfairly.
- Pray that they would be open to hearing what God wants from them and to obey Him.
- Pray that they would act with integrity always.
Your considerings.....
- I don't get why Laban went right up to Jacob and started talking even though God told him to say nothing, good or bad!
- I felt like my heart fluttered a little for Leah in this passage because Jacob tells Laban he didn't want his wives to be taken from him. If he didn't care about Leah, he could have easily left her behind.
- What do you think of this passage?
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