提要
在美索不達米亞拉班的家中渡過了漫長的二十年，終於是回家的時候了。雅各聽見上帝的聲音要他回父家之地，上帝確認自己就是那位從前在夢中向他顯現的「伯特利的上帝」，並再次肯定祂與雅各所立的約。上帝的聲音也提醒了雅各他曾發的誓，上帝為雅各所做的已超過了他所求，因為他不僅有衣有食，還有龐大的財富和一個大家庭。拉班和他的兒子都對雅各產生敵意，所以，是雅各離開的時候了。當人過於重視錢財，錢財就會成為貪婪、嫉妒和萬惡之根（提前6：10）。
雅各與他的妻子商量，她們都同意和他一起走，因為她們的父親也對她們不公（31：15）。雅各捉住機會悄悄的離開巴旦亞蘭。拉班回來發現他們不告而別，便召集了一批人，在基列山上就追上了雅各。拉班不只氣他們潛逃，也氣家中的神像被偷。他本可傷害他們，奪走牲畜，但上帝在夢中警告他：「不可與雅各說好說歹」（31：24）。
加增雅各財富的上帝現在來保護他和他的財產。他們看見拉班不止貪婪、愛欺騙人，也很善於偽裝，他說：「我可以歡樂、唱歌……送你回去」（31：27）。
拉結偷走的神像在希伯來又叫「特拉非明」（Teraphim）。它們的用途為何並不清楚，但有可能是與繼承權有關的重要傳家之寶。拉結可能覺得她撇下了一切在父家，因此應該配從他父親得著一部分產業（參31：14），而那些神像是很有價值的。拉結像她丈夫和父親一樣，很擅長欺騙，所以拉班搜遍他的帳棚也找不著「特拉非明」。 雅各和拉班立了一個約，但並不是由於他們之間的友誼，而是因他們彼此懼怕。他們立石為記，且以石為界，約定雙方不能越界傷害對方。
雅各兩手空空的離開迦南地，但我們看到上帝如何幫助他，使他在異鄉發達昌盛，又賜給他許多孩子。當雅各離開巴旦亞蘭時，他有十一個兒子和一個女兒，還有許多的僕婢及牲畜。
雅各實在沒有理由怕拉班，因為上帝指示雅各離開母舅家時，也應許必與他同在（31：3）。上帝確實保護他免受拉班的傷害，因上帝總是信守諾言，這是雅各還沒學會的事。現在雅各真正的恐懼是面對一直想要殺他的哥哥以掃。當我們跟隨上帝，遵行祂的命令時，上帝能叫人尊敬我們。我們需要完全相信我們慈愛的上帝。「所以你們要自卑，服在上帝大能的手下，到時候他必叫你們升高。你們要將一切的憂慮卸給神，因為他顧念你們。」（彼前5：6~7）
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Overview
Finally, after 20 years in Mesopotamia among the household of Laban, it was time to go home. Jacob hear from the Lord that he was to go back to the land of his fathers, and God identified Himself as the “the God of Bethel”, the same God who appeared to him in a dream and reaffirmed the covenant with him. In doing this, the Lord also reminded him of the vows he had made, and thus far God had done as Jacob had asked and even more, for he not only had food and clothes, but great wealth and a lard family. It was a good time for him to leave, since Laban and his sons showed animosity toward Jacob. When people put too much importance on gaining wealth, this becomes the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil (1 Timothy 6:10).
Jacob consulted his wives and they agreed to leave with him since their father had treated them unfairly as will (31:15). He took the first opportunity to secretly leave. When Laban returned and heard of their sudden departure, he gathered a group together and overtook Jacob in the hill country of Gilead. Laban was very angry, not only about their sneaking away, but also about the missing household idols. He could have caused them harm and taken away the livestock, but God spoke to him in a dream warning to “speak to Jacob neither good nor bad” (31:24).
The same God who interacted in increasing Jacob’s wealth was now protecting him and his possessions. We can see that Laban was not only greedy and a deceiver, but a hypocrite as will, “I might have sent you away with joy and songs…” (31:27).
The house hold idols that Rachel stole are called “teraphim” in Hebrew. It is not clear what their purpose was but it has been suggested that they were important family heirlooms involving the inheritance. Possibly Rachel felt that since she was leaving everything, she deserved some part of the inheritance from her father (cf. 31:14), and these would have been very valuable. Like her husband and father, she was a clever deceiver, so her father did not find the teraphim.
Jacob and Laban made a treaty, not out of friendship but out of fear for each other. They put up a pile of stones as a sign and a border, agreeing they would not cross it to harm each other.
Jacob had left Canaan empty-handed, but we have seen how God helped him to prosper in the foreign land, and blessed him with many children so that at the time of his departure he had eleven sons and a daughter along with many servants and livestock.
Jacob’s fear of Laban was unfounded, for after God Had given him the direction to leave, He promised that He would be with Jacob (31:3). God did indeed protect him form Laban, for He always keeps His promises. This was something Jacob had yet to learn. But now the real fear for Jacob was to face his brother Esau, who had wanted to hill him. God can turn people to our favor when we follow Him and do as He commands. We need to trust fully in our loving God. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6, 7).
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