And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
Comment: Laban had a smooth tongue! Catching up with Jacob, Laban, using carefully weighed words, accused him of pirating away those whom he, Laban, would have liked to have partied with and sent off with his blessing to return to Jacob’s family’s area. Laban pleaded his hurt and presented himself as a man of great virtue and power. Laban acknowledged that Jacob’s God had spoken to him. Jacob stated that fear of Laban refusing to allow him to take his family with him made him slink away. I suspect that he was also worried about his animals! Jacob, knowing nothing of Rebekah and the gods, said that any thief caught would be killed and if Laban could find anything which was rightfully his he could have it back.
Prayer: Help me to live, as far as is possible, to live in peace with all my contacts.
As I read it! 