Genesis 31:36 Commentary and Bible Study

When Laban’s search finds nothing, Jacob is indignant. He possibly believes that the accusation of theft has been fabricated by Laban and is a further example of his trickery, but he is incorrect. Nevertheless, what he thinks is false accusation riles him, and he now says more than he has said before in his complaint to Laban. He goes back over the entire history of the last twenty years and all the unfairness he has suffered, and it all pours out. This is the fullest account of his grievances anywhere in the Book of Genesis. He ‘chode’ with Laban, he strove or contended with him. Jacob says, you have falsely accused me, and you have searched through my belongings in a humiliating way as if I had been stealing from you, and you have found nothing. He presses the point: bring forth the evidence if you have found anything, says Jacob, knowing that Laban has found nothing. Set it before my brethren and your brethren, taunts Jacob, that is, before those who are in each of our two parties, so that they can judge the matter and decide who is at fault.Now Jacob rehearses the injustices he has faced during his whole time in Padanaram at Laban’s hand. He defends himself and protests that he has been scrupulously honest, and Laban cannot deny what he says. These twenty years, says Jacob – referring back to what has been an exasperating period in his life – I have been with you. Jacob had served Laban faithfully, honestly, not taking advantage of his position, but constantly seeking Laban’s interest as if it was his own. If an animal died, Jacob had somehow been required to make good for the loss, rather than doing what was normal practice and charging it to Laban’s account. Laban seems unfairly to have expected this procedure from Jacob. Laban was consistently a man on the make. Jacob had done his job in all weathers, staying out with the flocks and herds to ensure their safety, and, on occasions, depriving himself of rest. He had constantly gone the extra mile for Laban. The further details of his service establish the chronology of his time in Padanaram. All this integrity in his work, he believes, is now being rewarded with false accusation. This is what provokes his outburst.But in spite of Laban’s constant chicanery, Jacob acknowledges that the Lord has protected him. God has intervened to prevent Laban succeeding, and this, again, is the explanation for the flocks and herds coming into Jacob’s possession, not any now-unknown breeding techniques. Jacob is chosen by God. He has served these twenty years with remarkable patience. Laban would happily have used his labour for twenty years and had him go away empty-handed, but God did not allow it. Jacob calls God by the name by which he made himself known to him at Bethel, ‘the God of Abraham’ (Genesis 28:13), but he uses an unusual term – ‘the fear of Isaac’ – instead of ‘the God of Isaac’. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, says Solomon, but here the word fear is made a name of God to show how deep reverence was characteristic of Isaac’s relationship with God. Because Jacob has conducted himself quietly and honestly, God has defended him. This is the true explanation, says Jacob, for the dream Laban has reported having the night before they met, when God warned him not to harm his servant. If Laban had not been acting justly, God would not have needed to reprove him.