CHAPTER 31

31:1-8 And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory. 2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, 5 And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. 6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen. 31:2) “Jacob noticed that Laban was no longer looking at him the day before and two days before.” It is a very familiar phrase to sacred writers, to say "the day before and the day before yesterday" to express a time spent in general. [Locutions]

JEROME OF STRIDON. 31:7-8 YOUR FATHER DECEIVED ME; HE CHANGED TEN TIMES THE CONDITION OF THE PACT, AND GOD DID NOT ALLOW IT TO HARM ME. WHEN HE SAID, THE PRODUCTS OF DIFFERENT COLOR WILL BE YOUR REWARD, THEY WERE ALL BORN OF DIFFERENT COLOR; WHEN HE KNOWS, YOU WILL HAVE THOSE OF ONE COLOR, THEY ARE ALL BORN OF ONE COLOR. — Instead of what we say, he has changed the condition of the pact ten times. The Septuagint put: He gave me ten lambs, led by some idea, since the Hebrew word MONI expresses rather the number that the meaning of lambs. Besides, what follows corroborates our interpretation and proves that Laban changed the condition to each agreement of the offsprings. If he saw children of different colors born: ‘I want’, said he, ‘these to be mine in the future.’ Then when he saw them being born only or wholly black, because Jacob, thus informed, had not put a rod in the troughs, he said: ‘Next time, those who will be born will be reserved for me.’ In a word, the condition of the pact, that is, of Jacob, was changed ten times by Laban. When the latter assumed the products would be in one way, they were born of the other. No one should be surprised that in six years we speak of ten terms of generation. Virgil mentions "sheep twice in gestation" in one year. It is also known that the sheep of Italy and Mesopotamia are of the same species. [Hebrew Questions on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. But still consider the envy that springs from there against him. Laban heard the words of his sons who said: Jacob has taken all the wealth of our father, and it is from the good of our father that he has risen. (Gen. 30:1) See how jealousy has led them to ingratitude, and only lion them, but Laban himself. Jacob, saith the Scripture, saw the face of Laban, and behold, he was not with him as the day before and the day before. (Gen. 30:2) The words of his children had moved his soul, and made him forget what he had said to Jacob before, The Lord blessed me because of your coming. He had given thanks to the sovereign Master, because he had made his wealth grow because of the presence of the righteous; and now the words doses of children have changed his heart; envy is kindled in him, and apparently because he has seen the righteous in a great abundance, he does not want to show it to him as before. And Jacob, saith the scripture, saw the face of Laban, and behold, he was not with him as he had been the day before and the day before. Do you see the sweetness of the righteous, and the ingratitude of his brothers-in-law? unable to restrain their jealousy, they disturbed their father's mind. Now consider the ineffable goodness of God, and what condescension he uses, when he sees that we do what depends on us.

Seeing the just exposed to their desire, he said to Jacob: Go back to your father's country, and to your family, and I will be with you. (Gen. 31:4) It is enough to dwell on foreign land. What I promised you by saying to you, I will bring you back to your land, I will now fulfill it. Return, therefore, nothing to fear, for I will be with you. So that the righteous man would not hesitate to make this journey, but boldly set out on his way to his homeland, he said to him: I will be with you, who until now have governed your affairs, who have fled your family, it is I who will still be with you later. The righteous having heard these words of God, did not delay, but immediately prepared to obey him. He sent, says the Scripture, Rachel and Lia to the plain where he grazed his flocks, 1 and told them. He wishes to make known to his wives the journey which he has resolved, and to communicate to them the order of God, as well as the jealousy of their father against him. He said to them, "I see that your father's face is not with me as yesterday and the day before yesterday. But my father's God was with me. You yourself know that I served your father with all my power. Your father has even used me to deceive; he has changed my reward into ten lambs, but God has not allowed him to harm me. When he said, "The mixed-colored animals will be your reward, all who were born were varied; and when he said unto me, The white animals shall be your reward, and all that the sheep put were white, and God took the cattle out of your father, and gave it to me. (Gen. 31:5-9) See how he instructs them of their father's ingratitude to him, and of the devotion which he himself showed him while he was serving him. You know, he told them, that I served your father with all my power. And he makes them understand the manifest care God has had of him, showing them that it is the help from above that has led everything and passes Laban's abundant wealth into his hands. It is God, he tells them, who took the cattle out of your father and gave it to me. [Homilies on Genesis]

31:9-20 So God has taken away all the cattle of your father, and given them to me. 10And it came to pass when the cattle conceived and were with young, that I beheld with mine eyes in sleep, and behold the he-goats and the rams leaping on the sheep and the she-goats, speckled and variegated and spotted with ash-coloured spots. 11And the angel of God said to me in a dream, Jacob; and I said, What is it? 12And he said, Look up with thine eyes, and behold the he-goats and the rams leaping on the sheep and the she-goats, speckled and variegated and spotted with ash-coloured spots; for I have seen all things that Laban does to thee. 13I am God that appeared to thee in the place of God where thou anointedst a pillar to me, and vowedst to me there a vow; now then arise and depart out of this land, depart into the land of thy nativity, and I will be with thee. 14And Rachel and Lea answered and said to him, Have we yet a part or inheritance in the house of our father? 15Are we not considered strangers by him? for he has sold us, and quite devoured our money. 16All the wealth and the glory which God has taken from our father, it shall be our's and our children's; now then do whatsoever God has said to thee. 17And Jacob arose and took his wives and his children up on the camels; 18and he took away all his possessions and all his store, which he had gotten in Mesopotamia, and all that belonged to him, to depart to Isaac his father in the land of Chanaan. 19And Laban went to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole her father's images. 20And Jacob hid the matter from Laban the Syrian, so as not to tell him that he ran away.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen. 31:10) "I saw with my eyes in a dream," though the eyes of the body are closed in sleep.

(Gen. 31:13) Ego sum Deus, qui apparui tibi in loco Dei (I am the God who appeared to you at place of God). Here we see a phrase; should the words Deus in loco Dei (God in the pace of God) not be taken in the same sense as Pluit Dominus a Domino (The Lord rained on the part of the Lord [Gen. XIX, 24]), where is indicated the generation of the Son by the Father? [Locutions]

JEROME OF STRIDON. 31:19 RACHEL STOLE THE IDOLS OF HER FATHER. For idols, we read in Hebrew THERAPHIM, which Aquila renders by μορφωματα, that is to say, figures, images. We know what THERAPHIM means in the Book of Judges. (17:5) [Hebrew Questions on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. You see that it was the force from above that had done everything and that rewarded the righteousness of his labors. When Laban becomes ungrateful to Jacob, the Liberal Master magnificently rewards this righteous man: I saw, he said, all that Laban. you did. We learn from this that if we support injustice with moderation and mildness, we receive from above a greater and more liberal protection: So do not resist those who want to harm us, but bear all with courage, knowing that the Master of all will not forget us, provided that we ourselves show our gratitude and kindness. Vengeance belongs to me, and I will do it, says the Lord. (Rom. 12:19, and Deut. 32:35) This is why Jacob said: God has not allowed him to wrong me; because he wanted to deprive me of the reward of my labors. The Sovereign Master has shown so much his kindness to us, that he has passed through all the wealth of Laban. God saw that I had performed my service with dedication and that Laban had not behaved to me as he should, and that is why he showed his favor for me so vividly. I do not speak thus without motive, recklessly and on the adventure, I have God as witness of what your father did to me. For I have seen, says he, all that Laban has done to you; he has not only deprived you of your reward, but he changes your disposition towards you; his feelings were altered: I am your God, whom you saw in Bethel, where you consecrated me, anointing him with oil a column. (Gen. 31:13-19) God wants to remind him of the memory of what he has promised, saying to him: I will multiply you; and I kept you to take you back to your country. (Gen. 28:14-15) So now that you have seen and made promises to you, now that the time has come, I do what I have promised you and I order you to to return to you without alarm. Because I will be with you. I am the God whom you saw in the place where you anointed the column, and where you made a vow to me. He reminds him of his wish and the promise he made to her. And what was this wish? Here it is: From what you give me, I will pay you tithing. (Gen. 27:20-22) This vow that Jacob had made when he traveled as a fugitive and devoid of all, God reminded him and said: When I appeared to you you made a wish to me saying: From what you give me, I will pay you tithing; By this vow and this promise, you have confessed in advance my sovereign power; you have glimpsed by the eyes of faith your future abundance; now that what I have, says is fulfilled, the time has come for you to fulfill also your vow. Return then; Rise up and come out of this land to return to the land of your birth, and I will be with you. I will accompany you everywhere, I will make your journey easy, and no one will harm you, because my right will spread all over you to protect you, Rachel and Lia, having heard this speech, said to him: Do we have our share in the inheritance and in the house of our father; Have not we been treated by him as strangers? Because he sold us and he ate our price. And all the riches and all the honor that God has taken from our father, He has given to you, Now do all that God has told you. (Gen. 31:14-16)

See them follow the will of God and produce unanswerable reasoning: is it not true that we have nothing in common with our father? he gave us for your. days. And the wealth and honor that God has taken from him and given you will belong to us and to our children. Do not delay, therefore, do not differ, but do what God has commanded you. Now, do all that the Lord has told you. When Jacob heard these words, he got up, took his wives and children, put them on camels, and took everything that belonged to him and the crew he had procured in Mesopotamia and all that was to him, to return to Isaac his father. (Gen. 31:16-18)

Examine the strength of the soul of this righteous man and how, setting aside all fear and alarm, he obeys the command of the sovereign Master. For when he saw that Laban's feelings were bad, he did not bother to question him as before, but to fulfill the order of the Sovereign Master, and, taking his wives and children, he started up. Laban, says the Scripture, went to mow his sheep. And Rachel stole the idols of her father. (Gen. 31:18) It is not without reason that these words are added, but so that we know how they still held to the custom of their father, and showed a great veneration for the idols. Understand this passion of Rachel who takes nothing from her father's house anything but idols, and this without the knowledge of her husband, because he would not have allowed it. [Homilies on Genesis]

31:21-30 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? 27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? 28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen. 31:30) THE GODS OF THE GENTILES NAMED FOR THE FIRST TIME. — Concerning what Laban says: Why have you stolen my gods? Perhaps you should think of the fact that he had said that he was making augury and that his daughter had spoken of good fortune. It should be noted that from the beginning of the book we find here for the first time the mention of the gods of the Gentiles. In the previous texts of the Scripture only God is mentioned. [Questions on Genesis, 94]

JEROME OF STRIDON. 31:21 HE CROSSED THE RIVER AND CAME TO THE MOUNTAIN OF GILEAD. Not at that time this mountain bears the name of Gilead; but in anticipation, as we have said, the name was given to it and was received later. [Hebrew Questions on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. Jacob, says the Scripture, hid Laban the Syrian, 1 and did not let him know that he was running away. he fled with all his possessions, and crossed the river, and hastened to the mountains of Gilead. (Gen. 31:21) Admire here again the providence of God, who until this righteous was far removed, did not allow Jacob's departure to come to Laban's knowledge. Three days having passed, says the text, Laban became aware of it. And taking with him all his brethren, he pursued him seven days, and overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. (Gen. 31:22-23)

See again the ineffable care that God takes from Jacob. He said to him, Return to your land, and I will be with you, and now he shows him a special providence. Knowing that Laban is pursuing this just with great indignation and wants to do justice to this furtive retreat, he shows himself to Laban at night, during his sleep. God, says the Scripture, came to Laban the Syrian during the night, and told him. See the condescension of God, and how, by the care he takes of this righteous man, he addresses himself to Laban, in order to throw terror into his soul and turn him away from his plans against Jacob. Take care never to give Jacob bad speeches. (Gen. 31:24) The goodness of the Sovereign Master is very great. As he saw that he was running in battle and wanted to rise up against this righteous man, he tears him up to his resolution by this word: "Take care never to give Jacob bad speeches. Do not try, even in words, to afflict Jacob, but watch over you, contain your guilty impetuosity, soothe his heart, repress your feelings of anger, and abstain from afflicting him, even in words. Consider therefore the love of God for man. He did not order Laban to return home; he only told her to say nothing to that just painful and hateful thing. Why and for what purpose? so that this righteous one learns by the effects and acts of what tenderness he was judged worthy of God. If indeed Laban had returned, how would Jacob and his women have known this fact? Laban allows him to go away after confessing with his own mouth what God has said to him, so that the righteous may have greater ardor for his journey and a firmer confidence; and that his wives, on hearing what tenderness God gives to Jacob in everything, be taken away from their father's error, zealously imitate the righteous, and be sufficiently instructed in the knowledge of God. For Jacob's speeches were less persuasive to them than Laban's, still plunged into the darkness of idolatry. In fact, the testimonies of unbelievers and enemies of religion always have more force to make the truth known. And it is the work of the industrious wisdom of God, when he makes the enemies of truth witnesses to the truth, and their own mouth becomes the auxiliary of our cause.

Laban reached Jacob. Jacob pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban placed his brothers in the mountains of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, Why did you do that? (Gen. 31:25-26) Consider how God's order calmed the heat of his anger and put a brake on his heart. That is why he speaks to her with great gentleness, making almost excuses and showing him paternal tenderness. For when we are favored by Providence, not only can we avoid the machinations of the wicked, but the ferocious beasts themselves, if we meet them, can not harm us. Indeed the Master of all things, showing his sovereign power, transforms the nature of ferocious animals and gives them the sweetness of the sheep; not that it deprives them of their fierce, rude mood, leaving them to their own nature, 378 it makes them act like sheep. And this we can see, not in ferocious beasts only, but in the elements themselves. When it wants, the elements are stripped of their properties and fire no longer has the effects of fire. We can learn from the story of the three children and Daniel. The latter, surrounded by lions, does not experience more harm than if he were surrounded by sheep, because the will from on high contains their ferocious naturalness. These animals remained without witnessing their cruelty, as the facts proved to those who were more ferocious than animals without reason.

And this was done to make those who, honored by the gift of reason, surpassed ruthless brutes, wilt more. They learned through the event that the providence of the Sovereign Master made the righteous man respect the ferocious animals, who did not dare to touch him; while they were worse for him than these animals. And they could not think that it was a mere whim, seeing what was happening to the men thrown since into the pit; they saw that if, in respect of the righteous, the lions had imitated the sweetness of the sheep and concealed their naturalness, they showed their ferocity towards those who were threw after them. Likewise, in the fiery furnace. The three Hebrews who were in the midst of the fire were respected by this element whose activity was suspended and hindered, so that it left intact the bodies of these children and dared not even touch their hair, as if he had received the defense of showing his natural action; and yet he devoured those who were out of the furnace, showing by these two effects the infinite power of God, sparing those he enveloped and reaching others. Thus, when we are supported by the force from on high, we not only escape the pitfalls of those who wish to harm us, but when we fall into the claws of ferocious beasts, we would not experience any harm. For the hand of God has greater strength than anything; it surrounds us with a sure defense and makes us invincible, as it happened to this righteous man.

Indeed, Laban, who so passionately wanted to reach Jacob and take revenge for the departure of this family, not only does not address a harsh and hateful word to him, but converses with him like a father with his child and gives him a sweet speech, saying to him, Why do so? Why are you running away secretly? (Gen. 31:26-27) Consider what a change, and indeed he who had the fury of a wild beast imitates the sweetness of the sheep. "Why escape you secretly, strip me, take away my daughters like captives conquered by the sword? (Gen. 31:26) Why, he says, do so? what was your thought? why this stealthy departure? For if you had informed me of it, I would have escorted you with honor and joy to take leave of you; if I had known, I would have made you, at first, accompanied by musicians with drums and. zithers. You did not consider me worthy of kissing my daughters; you have just acted without wisdom. (Gen. 31:27-28) See how he then condemns himself and admits from his own mouth that he was preparing to harm the righteous, but that God's providence broke his passion. My hand, he says, is strong enough to hurt you; but the God of your father said to me yesterday, "Do not ever talk to Jacob about bad speeches. (Gen. 31:29) Understand what consolation these words brought to this righteous man, and consider how his father-in-law confessed to him what he had meditated against him, for what purpose he had wished to attain it, and how the fear of God prevented him from carrying out his hostile designs. "The God of your father," he said. See how much Laban himself takes advantage of this event, since he recognizes the sovereign manifestation of the power of God in the words he addressed to him. But, said he, since you have had this design and God takes such care from you. You are gone, because you have desired a great desire to return to your father's house. But why did you rob me of my gods? (Gen. 31:30) Either, he says, you have thought fit, you have resolved to return to your father's house; but why steal my gods? O folly of madness! Are your gods such that they can be stolen? Are you not ashamed to say, Why did you steal my gods? See what an excess of madness he loves wood and stone, as if reason could worship them. And your gods, Laban, could not defend themselves when they were stolen! How, indeed, could they, since they were of stone? But the God of the righteous, and without the righteous knowing him, stopped your passion. And you do not understand (379) not the magnitude of your bewilderment, but you just blame theft. For why would he have been able to steal what he abhorred, and especially what he knew to be insensible stones? [Homilies on Genesis]

31:31-40 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid; for I said, Lest at any time thou shouldest take away thy daughters from me, and all my possessions. 32And Jacob said, With whomsoever thou shalt find thy gods, he shall not live in the presence of our brethren; take notice of what I have of thy property, and take it; and he observed nothing with him, but Jacob knew not that his wife Rachel had stolen them. 33And Laban went in and searched in the house of Lea, and found them not; and he went out of the house of Lea, and searched in the house of Jacob, and in the house of the two maid-servants, and found them not; and he went also into the house of Rachel. 34And Rachel took the idols, and cast them among the camel's packs, and sat upon them. 35And she said to her father, Be not indignant, Sir; I cannot rise up before thee, for it is with me according to the manner of women. Laban searched in all the house, and found not the images. 36And Jacob was angry, and strove with Laban; and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my injustice, and what my sin, that thou hast pursued after me, 37and that thou hast searched all the furniture of my house? what hast thou found of all the furniture of thine house? set it here between thy relations and my relations, and let them decide between us two. 38These twenty years have I been with thee; thy sheep, and thy she-goats have not failed in bearing; I devoured not the rams of thy cattle. 39That which was taken of beasts I brought not to thee; I made good of myself the thefts of the day, and the thefts of the night. 40I was parched with heat by day, and chilled with frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen 31:31) Respondens autem Jacob dixit ad Laban Dixi enim, ne forte au feras filias tuas à me, et omnia mea (Jacob answered Laban: I was afraid that you would come back to take back your daughters, and take away everything I own).

(Gen 31:33) "Laban went into Lia's house to do some enquiry.” It is astonishing that Lia's house is in question here, since it was in the middle of the road that Jacob's family was joined by Laban. Perhaps it is a use of the sacred tongue, to give the name of a house to a room or tent, as when it is spoken of the houses of the maidservants.

(Gen 31:37) Jacob said to Laban, "You have examined with the utmost care all the things that are in my house.” Now it is no longer a question of a single house composed of the houses of Jacob's women and concubines: which proves that this name here designates rooms or tents, or, if you will, pavilions. [Locutions]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. Jacob answers him with great gentleness, and at first justifies the accusations he has just heard; he urges him to seek his gods. I told you not to take away your daughters and all that I possess (Gen. 31:31); because I thought you were ill disposed for me, I trembled that you would undertake to take away your daughters and what belongs to me, to deprive you of my good, as you have already done. This is the motive and the fear that led me to secretly carry out this journey: Besides, the one you find possessor of your gods, will not live in front of our brothers. (Gen. 31:32) Jacob, you see, did not know the larceny committed by Rachel, see, indeed, duel rigorous punishment he threatens the one who will be convinced to have committed the robbery: The one you find possessor of your gods will not live before our brothers. Not only because he stole them, but because this fact is clear evidence of his own misguidance. Examine whether there is something with you that is yours and take it back. (Gen. 31:33) Look, he said, if I took something that did not belong to me. You can not reproach anything other than having gone away secretly; and that I did not do it willingly, but because I suspected an injustice and feared that you would not take away your daughters and all my wealth. And he did not recognize anything. Jacob did not know that Rachel his wife had stolen his gods. And Laban, having entered the tent of Lia, searched without finding anything. He also entered Rachel's. But Rachel taking the idols, put them under the harness of the camels, and, sitting on it, she said to her. father: Do not offend yourself, father, I can not get up in front of you: I am a woman and inconvenienced like women. Laban searched all his tent and found nothing. (Gen. 31:32-35)

It was great prudence by which Rachel was able to deceive Laban. Let them sell those who are rooted in error and are so fond of idol worship. She placed them, said the text, under the harness of the camels and sat on it. What's more pleasant? Those who, honored by the gift of reason and judged worthy of such pre-eminence by divine goodness, resolve to worship insensible gods, do not conceal them, and are not preoccupied with such extravagance, but herds, drive by their habit. This is why Paul said in his epistles: "You know how, when you were kind, you let yourself be led to idol idols. (I Cor. 12:2) He did say dumb. You who have the word, who know how to hear and converse, are led like brutes to insensible beings. What indulgence can obtain such men! But let us see how this just expresses himself, now confirmed in his confidence by the confessions of Laban, who, moreover, has not found against him any reasonable cause for blame.

Jacob was angry and disputed with Laban, and said to him: "See how he shows in this dispute the virtue of his soul: In what manner have I been unjust and guilty that you have pursued me? (Gen. 31:36) Why, he tells you, have you pursued me so ardently? What injustice, what fault can you accuse me of? And not only that, but you have insulted me to scrutinize my home. What did you find that I brought from your home? Expose this in front of your brothers and my brothers and that they judge between us two. (Gen. 31:37) After all this research, have you been able to find something that does not belong to me and in which I have done you wrong! If you have found it produce it, so that those who accompany me and those who accompany you decide the dispute. Seeing that he was a reproach to the eyes of all, he now speaks with boldness, and counting the duration of the affection which he has always shown to her, he says to her And twenty years have passed since I am with you. After so many years of work, did I deserve this outrage? "And here is the price of these twenty years! Today I have twenty years of service in your home. Your sheep and goats have not been sterile; I did not eat your rams; I have not allowed it to be removed by ferocious beasts. I compensated you for petty larceny and petty theft. I endured the heat of the day and the freezing cold of the night, and sleep went away from the eyes. (Gen. 31:38-40) Have you forgotten, he tells him, the labors I endured in grazing your sheep and goats! You can not blame me that they have been (380) sterile. See how he shows him the great goodness of God, spread on the house of Laban because of his presence. For this is what he said above: God blessed you at my coming. Nobody would ask that of a shepherd; it does not depend on him or any man. That is why he puts him above all else and testifies to the divine Providence who took care of these flocks. I did not eat your rams. You can not say I ate one, as so many shepherds often do. I did not let any of them be taken by ferocious beasts. I have not eaten them, nor allowed to be removed by the animals. Do you not see every day those who keep flocks bring back to their masters the remains of the sheep that ferocious beasts have eaten? But you can not blame me for anything; you can not claim that nothing like this has happened in twenty years. What do I say, taken away by ferocious beasts? But, even if there were any petty theft, as it was to happen, I did not give you notice of it, but I compensated you for it, whether they had arrived by day or by night. I endured endlessly and courageously the ardor of the warmth and the rigor of the cold of the nights, to preserve your herds from all harm; finally, sleep itself was. removed from my eyes by so many worries.

Do you see the eves of a shepherd? Do you see the anxious ardor of his zeal? What an excuse, then, may those who are confined to herds endowed with reason, and who show so much carefreeness; who every day, according to the word of the Prophet, slaughter some and see others in prey to ferocious beasts, or to plunder, and who will take no care? However, the pastor's fatigue is less here, and his vigilance easier; for it is the soul that must be taught; there, fatigue was great for the soul and for the body.

Now consider what Jacob says: I endured the fires of the day and the freezing cold of the night, and sleep went away from my eyes. Who now could say that, for the salvation of his flock, he has accepted perils and penalties? No one of our contemporaries would dare to claim it. Paul alone has the right to say it with confidence, and the doctor of the whole world alone has the right to say more. And where did Paul say, did he endure that? Listen to him: Who is weak without me being with him? who is scandalized without me burning? (I Cor. 11:29) O tenderness of the pastor! The falls of others, he says, do not take place without my feeling the blow; the scandals of others make me feel the pains of a furnace. Let all those strive to be like him, to whom is entrusted the authority over reasonable sheep, and let them not descend below him who, to keep a flock without reason, has betrayed himself, for so many years, to such vigilance. There, indeed, some negligence would not have caused harm; here only reasonable sheep, one is lost, or becomes the prey of the wolves, the penalty is great, the immense damage, the inexpressible punishment. For if our Master has not refused to shed his own blood for her, what pardon will be worthy of him who dares to neglect souls so highly esteemed by the Master, and who does not fulfill all that is dependent on him for the care of the Lord. his sheep? [Homilies on Genesis]

31:41-55 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. 42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. 43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? 44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. 45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. 47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. 50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. 51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; 52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. 55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen 31:41) ON THE CONDUCT OF LABAN TO JACOB IN RELATION TO THE HERDS. — What does it mean what Jacob says to his father-in-law, and you did falsely rate my wages for ten lambs? For the Scripture does not say when or where this was done. But obviously what Jacob mentions did happen. He even told his wives, when he made them come to the country, complaining about their father, he says among other things: "And he changed my wages to ten lambs (Gen. 31:7)." It happened, therefore, that in each of the times the lambs were born.  When Laban saw that the offspring that was agreed upon that they belonged to Jacob, Laban fraudulently changed the agreement and said that Jacob would have as payment other colored lambs that would be born in the future. Jacob no longer the varying shades, but there were no spotted offspring, but only one-color offspring, which Jacob took under the new agreement. When Laban became aware of this, he again fraudulently changed the agreement so that the spotted lambs belonged to Jacob. And the spotted lambs were born because Jacob had put out those branches. Then what Jacob says to his wives: "He changed my pay into ten lambs”, and then to Laban: “You took away from my wages ten lambs.” Jacob therefore does not wish to make it understood that this disloyalty benefited his father-in-law, for he says that God helped him against Laban to prevent this result. But he wagered ten lambs or ten young lambs to indicate the ten times that the sheep he kept had offspring for a six-year term. They gave birth twice a year. However, the first year he dealt with Laban, and he agreed to keep the flocks for the agreed reward, the sheep only gave lambs once at the end of the year, the first litter having already come, when the commitment was contracted. The same thing happened in the sixth and last year. When the sheep had given a first litter, it was necessary for Jacob to leave, before they had given the second. Thus, as the first year and the last year had only two births, that is, each year one, and, on the other hand, the four years in between had two in each one, they make a total of ten births.  It is not surprising that he designates these ten seasons by the names of the lambs which came at these times; It is as if one said: during so many harvests, during so many harvests, to mark the number of years. Thus a poet said (Virgil, Ecl. 1, 70), "After a few ears," hearing the harvest, and the harvests of the years. As to the fertility of the herds of this country, it is such that they give, as in Italy, two litters in a year. [Question 95]

(Gen 31:45) WHY MONUMENTAL STONES WERE ERECTED. — And Jacob having taken a stone set it up for a monument. It is necessary to pay close attention to the fact that they erected these monuments in memory of anything; And not to worship them as divinities, but to signify something through them. [Question 96]

(Gen 31:47-48) HEAP OF STONES RAISED BY LABAN AND JACOB. — Those who know the Syriac and Hebrew language say that it is due to the properties of each one of them that Laban and Jacob called differently the pile of stones which they had erected among them, for Laban called it Acervum testimonii “Heap of Testimony” and Jacob Acervum testem “Witness Heap”. It happens sometimes, indeed, that a language does not express with a single word what another language can express, and so one word receives its name because it has a close meaning.  In fact, afterwards it is said: It is for this reason that this place has been called "the heap testifies" (Acervus testatur). This expression is half-way, so that it can satisfy one and another: one of which says “Heap of Testimony” (Acervus testimonii) other which says “Witness Heap.” (Acervus testis) [Question 97]

(Gen 31:48-49) REVERSE WORD ORDER. — What do the words that Laban say to Jacob mean: this heap witnesses, and this monument witnesses; therefore its name was called, the Heap witnesses. And the vision of which he said, Let God look to it between me and you?" Perhaps the order must be: “and the vision, which God said, look to it between me among you.” Because God had told him in a vision not to hurt Jacob. [Question 98]

(Gen 31:50) WHAT DOES IT MEAN: NO ONE IS WITH US? — Why does Laban say, Look, no one is with us? It may be that there was no stranger with them, or he has said it in the light of the testimony of God. When they had him, they should consider that there was no one else, whose testimony could be added to his. [Question 99]

(Gen 31:53-55) FEAR OF ISAAC. — And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. From the fear, evidently, with which he feared God, a fear that he also mentions before, when he says: The God of my father Abraham and the fear of my father Isaac (Gen. 31:43). [Questions on Genesis, 100]

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen 31:42) "If the God of my father Abraham, and the God whom Isaac feared, would not have helped me.” Jacob thus gives to his grandfather the name of father, following in this the example. that he had received from his father Isaac.

JEROME OF STRIDON. 31:41 YOU CHANGED MY REWARD INTO TEN LAMBS. Same mistake as before; it's the number of times, not the lambs.

31:46-47 AND JACOB SAID TO HIS BROTHERS, LET US GATHER STONES. AND WHEN THEY HAD GATHERED THE STONES, THEY MADE A HEAP AND ATE UPON IT; AND LABAN CALLED IT THE HEAP OF TESTIMONY, AND JACOB CALLED IT THE HEAP IS A WITNESS. In the Hebrew language heap is pronounced gal, and testimony as aad. Then in the Syrian language heap is called igar, and evidence sedutha. Therefore Jacob called it the Heap of Testimony, that is, Galaad, in the Hebrew language; but Laban called it the very same thing, that is, the Heap of Testimony, igar sedutha, in the language of his own people. For he was a Syrian, and he had exchanged the ancient language of his ancestors for the tongue of the province in which he was dwelling. [Hebrew Questions on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. But let's go back to the text: Twenty years ago, said Jacob, during which I am serving in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for sheep, and you defrauded me by giving me ten lambs for pay. If the God of Abraham, my father, and the God of Isaac had not been with me, you would send me away now stripped of everything. God saw my humiliation and fatigue and yesterday reproached you. (Gen. 31:40-42) See how the confessions of Lebanon emboldened this righteousness and the frankness of his accusations. You know, he said, how I have served you twenty years, fourteen for your daughters and the rest for sheep; and yet you have wanted to defraud me on my salary; yet I have not accused you. But according to your own confession, I know that if the God of Abraham and Isaac had not helped me, you would send me back today alone and empty-handed; you would have taken everything away from me, you would have executed the black project you had formed. But God knows my lowering and my fatigues. What does he mean by these words? "God knew with what affection I have served you, and the hardships I endured in grazing your sheep, the vigilance that I have brought there day and night; that is why that, a master full of goodness, reproached you yesterday; that is why he repressed your injustice against me and your unreasonable fury.

Jacob sufficiently justified himself before Lebanon, and, after having reproached him for his injustice, made him a list of his benefactions. So Laban, penetrated with shame by his words, becomes timid and wants to ask peace to this just. See the work of divine protection. He who had prepared for the attack and set himself so eagerly in pursuit of Jacob, has become so timid that he seeks peace. And Laban, saith the scripture, having heard this answer, said to Jacob, Your daughters are my daughters, and your sons are my sons, and your flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine and my daughters. What will I do today for them and their children? (Gen. 31:43) I know, he says, that these are my daughters, and all you have come from my home? What will I do today for them and their children? Let's make peace here, and there will be a testimony between you and me. (Gen. 31:44) Let us make peace, and he will testify between you. and me, as proof and as a sign. He said to him, "If anyone tries to violate our conventions, there is none with us; but may God be a witness between us two.

Consider how Laban is gradually led to the knowledge of God. He who reproached the righteous for having stolen his gods and looked for them with so much care, says now: Since no one can, if it happens later any incident, be between us witness what we are going to do, may God be witness between you and me. He is present, he sees everything, nothing can escape him, he knows everyone's thoughts. And Jacob, said the text, having taken a stone, set it up, and made you piles of stones where they ate. Then Caban said to him: This pile of stones will be a testimony between you and me. (Gen. 31:45-48) What is it? it is as if he had said: The words spoken on this hill, we will always remember. And he called it the mound of the testimony. May God lower his gaze between you and me! (Gen. 31:49) Consider that Laban again invokes the righteousness of God. May God, he says, lower his look between you and me, because we are going to separate from each other! (Gen. 31:50) Now, he said, we are going away. You will return to your country and I will return to my home. If you humiliate my daughters, if you take other women than they do, see, no look is interposed between us; our witness is God. (Gen. 31:50) See a first time, a second, and more often, he invokes God as a witness. In fact, the Providence who accompanies Jacob has taught him what is the power of the sovereign Master; he knows now that he can not escape an eye that never sleeps. That is why he says: "Let us separate ourselves and let no one else be able to testify among us, He who is present everywhere will be our witness. By each of his words, he manifests that God is sovereign over all the earth.

And Jacob said to him, Behold, this stone which I have set up will itself be a testimony. Lebanon says again, That I may not go beyond you toward this hill, that ye may not go beyond me, coming to me with evil design, and this heap, and that stone, that the God of Abraham, and the God of Nachor, judge between us two! (Gen. 31:51-53) You see it: he gathers the names of the father and the grandfather, brother of the patriarch and his grandfather to himself. May the God of Abraham and the God of Nachor be judge between us! And Jacob swore by the fear of the God of his father Isaac, and offered a sacrifice on the mountain; and he called his brothers; they ate and drank, and slept on the mountain. (Gen. 31:53-54) He offered a sacrifice on the mountain and thanked God for what had happened. They ate and drank and slept on the mountain. Laban having risen at daybreak, kissed his children and daughters, and blessed them. And going back he came to his house. (Gen. 31:54-55) You have seen, my beloved, how great is the divine wisdom, manifested here by his providence concerning this righteous, preserving him from the injustice tempted against him; You have seen that by prescribing to Laban not to speak threatening words against Jacob, she has, by this very fact, gradually conveyed to the knowledge of God. He who ran to Jacob like a ferocious beast to reach him and kill him, apologizes and kisses him, his daughters and their children, and then returns to his home. We may have extended this speech a great deal; but the story has necessarily led us to it.

Finishing here, therefore, urge your charity to make every effort to attract benevolence from above. For if we have a propitious God, everything will be sweet and easy: nothing in the present life will be able to grieve us, however distressing it may seem. For such is the immensity of the power of God, that he changes, when he wills, sufferings into pleasures. So Paul, in his tribulations, rejoiced and glorified himself raised to the sky by waiting for the rewards that were reserved for him. (Romans 5:2-3) For this reason the prophet also said: In tribulation you have dilated my heart (Ps. 4:2); by which we learn that in the tribulation itself God made him enjoy consolation and assurance. Then, then, that we have such a Master, so powerful and so skillful, so wise and so good, manifest his works and make great esteem of virtue, in order to obtain temporal goods and future goods, by the grace and kindness of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be to the Father, glory and power, with the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and in all ages and ages. Amen. [Homilies on Genesis]