Laban’s Greed

Laban’s Greed

Genesis 30: ³¹ So he said, “What shall I give you?”

 

And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks: ³² Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages. ³³ So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me.”

 

³⁴ And Laban said, “Oh, that it were according to your word!” ³⁵ So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons. ³⁶ Then he put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.

 

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When Abraham’s servant came to the place where Abraham grew up, he prayed for a wife for Isaac and Rebekah showed up. Bethuel was her father, but she ran and told her mother and Laban. Years later, Jacob shows up. Laban, Jacob’s uncle, is in control of a vast estate of lambs, cattle, goats, camels and many other animals. When Jacob asked to leave, Laban asked about the parting wages.

 

My Observations:

• Laban was a deceiver who may have followed the ways of those who worshipped idols.
• Terah was Abraham’s father who also had Haran and named the city after him when he died.
• Laban lived in Haran and may have picked up values that included greed and human possession.

 

Being wealthy and greedy, Laban saw an opportunity to get over on Jacob again. When Jacob gave the parameters of the parting wages, Laban went through the flocks and herds and chose the best animals for himself. He separated the animals with three days’ journey between him and Jacob.

 

Little did Laban know, that GOD was in control of the situation. It’s hard to see how GOD would use a deceiver like Jacob, but HE had a larger plan. Possibly there was no one who would even mention GOD, living at that time. Maybe it was similar to the time of Noah, where he was the only believer on earth. Regardless, GOD showed grace to Jacob.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about the conversation between Laban and Jacob?
• Have you ever done something wrong and wondered if GOD would leave you?
• Can you make a decision today to stand firm with the LORD despite any sin you did in the past?