“Jacob Returns”

For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
Romans 10:13

Jacob got ready to return home to Canaan, to see his father and mother again after being away so many years. He put his wives and children on camels, took everything that belonged to him, and started back toward the land of Canaan, driving his sheep and goats ahead of him.

Laban was away when Jacob left, for Jacob had kept it all a secret. But three days after Jacob was gone, someone told Laban about it. Laban quickly took off after him. He was angry, for he didn’t want Jacob to go. But that night, in a dream, God spoke to Laban and told him not to harm Jacob or even to speak roughly to him.

It took seven days for Laban to catch up with Jacob, for Jacob had gone a long way-across river and through a wide, lonely country-to a mountain called Gilead.

There Laban finally found him.

He asked Jacob why he had gone away secretly, taking his daughters Rachel and Leah and their children, without letting him know; for he wanted to kiss them good bye before they left.

Jacob said he had kept it a secret because he was afraid Laban wouldn’t let Rachel and Leah go. Then Jacob got angry. He reminded Laban of the twenty years he had worked for him taking care of his sheep and goats, day and night, winter and summer, in the heat and cold. And now, he said Laban would of sent him away without paying him a penny or all the work he had done.

Laban replied, “Your wives are my daughters, and your children are my grandchildren. I would never harm them. Let’s be friends and promise that we will never hurt each other.”

Jacob agreed, and they made a huge pile of stones as a monument to remind them of their promise. If they were ever angry and came to harm each other, they would see that heap of stones and, remembering their promise, would go back home again.

Jacob then built an altar and offered a sacrifice. Afterwards he and Laban and the men who were with him ate together that night.

Early the next morning Laban kissed Rachel and Leah and their children good bye and blessed them. He went back home and never saw them again.

As Jacob and his family travelled on toward Canaan, some angels met them. Perhaps God sent them to help Jacob, for soon he would be coming where his brother Esau lived. Esau might try to kill Jacob or stealing his birthright so long before.

Jacob sent a messengers to tell Esau about all that had happened during the twenty years he had been away. He was afraid. Though it had been twenty years since he lied to his father and stolen Esau’s blessing. Jacob still remembered his sin and was afraid of what Esau might do to him in revenge.

Jacob’s messengers returned with fearful news that Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men. Jacob’s heart sank. He divided all his flocks, herds, camels, and men into two groups. If Esau attacked one group, the other group might be able to escape.

Jacob prayed and asked God to save him from his brother Esau, for he was afraid Esau would kill him and his wives and his children. He thanked the Lord for being so very kind to him before. He admitted he did not deserve the good things God had given him. When he left Canaan twenty years before, he had owned only the staff he carried in his hand. But now, coming back, he had all these men with him, plus flocks and herds and camels. He had been very poor before, but God had made him very rich. He thanked God for this.

The next morning he sent some of his cattle as a present to Esau-220 goats, 220 sheep, and 30 camels with their colts, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 donkeys, and 10 donkey colts.

He didn’t send them all together, but put them into different flocks to send and sent the flocks one at a time.

His idea was that when Esau met the first flock, he would ask the man who is driving it. “Whose cattle are these, and where are you going?”

The man would say, “They are Jacob’s; he has sent them to you as a present.” The man driving the next flock would tell him the same thing, and this would continue until all the flocks had been given Esau.

Jacob hoped these gifts, given one at a time, would make Esau so happy that he wouldn’t hurt Jacob or his family or steal his flocks and herds.

Questions:

Why did Jacob keep it a secret when he left Laban?

What did God tell Laban in a dream?

How long did it take Laban to catch up?

Why was Jacob afraid of Esau?

What did Jacob send to Esau as a present?