Read Genesis 31:4-24 at Bible Gateway.
Hebrew paragraph division
Gen 28:10-32:2 {p} God fulfills His promise to Jacob (wives + children + flocks)
Gen 31:4-24 chiastic structure
1a) Gen 31:4-5a Jacob called Rachel + Leah: “I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before;
1b) Gen 31:5b-18 Jacob gathered his wives + children + flocks/ fled from Laban to go to Isaac his father;
1a) Gen 31:5b-9 How God caused Laban’s livestock to come to Jacob as wages;
1a) Gen 31:5b But the God of my father has been with me;
1b) Gen 31:6-7a With all my power I have served your father/ he has mocked me + changed my wages ten times;
central axis) Gen 31:7b But God suffered him not to hurt me;
2b) Gen 31:8 If he said, ‘The speckled shall be your wages;’ then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said, ‘The streaked shall be your wages;’ then bore all the flock streaked;
2a) Gen 31:9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father, and given them to me;
1b) Gen 31:10-13 Jacob’s dream: the angel of God commands him to return to Canaan;
1c) Gen 31:14 Rachel + Leah: Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
central axis) Gen 31:15 Are we not accounted by him strangers? For he has sold us, and has also quite devoured our price;
2c) Gen 31:16a All the riches which God has taken away from our father, that is ours + our children’s;
2b) Gen 31:16b Now then, whatever God has said to you, do;
2a) Gen 31:17-18 Jacob carried away all his livestock which he had gained as wages;
1a) Gen 31:17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons + his wives on the camels;
1b) Gen 31:18a And he carried away all his livestock + all his substance which he had gathered;
central axis) Gen 31:18b The livestock he had gained;
2b) Gen 31:18c Which he had gathered in Paddan-aram;
2a) Gen 31:18d To go to Isaac his father to the land of Canaan;
central axis) Gen 31:19 Now Laban was gone to shear his sheep. And Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s;
2b) Gen 31:20-24a Jacob fled with all that he had/ Laban’s pursuit;
1a) Gen 31:20 Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, in that he told him not that he fled;
1b.1) Gen 31:21a So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the River;
1b.2) Gen 31:21b And set his face toward the mountain of Gilead;
central axis) Gen 31:22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled;
2b.1) Gen 31:23a He took his brethren with him + pursued after him seven days’ journey;
2b.2) Gen 31:23b And he overtook him in the mountain of Gilead;
2a) Gen 31:24 God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night, and said to him;
2a) Gen 31:24b “Take heed to yourself that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad.”
The 2B pair contains a sign of Messiah: on the third day, the sign of resurrection and life, it was told Laban that Jacob had fled. In other words, Jacob being released from Laban’s service was new life to him, as Laban had changed his favorable opinion of Jacob, and as a result Jacob’s service had become oppressive; a pit and a trap. Laban was using Jacob, manipulating Jacob, and trying to control Jacob for his own benefit, but God did not let him hurt him.
The larger Messianic prophecy is one of life from death on the third day. Notice also that once Jacob was freed from Laban, his destination is the Promised Land!!
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