Now notice verse 20, "...and Jacob stole away
unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he
told him not that he fled."
Now, he waited until Laban went out to
shear sheep.
Probably he went quite a few miles away
from home because the sheep grazed on a
very large area in that day, and they
still do for that matter.
It takes a great area to feed them.
And so this man Laban is away from
home.
While he is, Jacob just forgot to tell
him he was leaving, that he was going.
"...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.
And it was told Laban on the third
day that Jacob was fled.
And he took his brethren with him, and
pursued after him seven days' journey.
And they overtook him in the Mount Gilead."
You see, they are moving now quite a
distance.
They've come apparently all the way here to
Mount Gilead, which is just on the east
of the Jordan River.
And it means that Laban has really been
traveling fast, overtaking.
And Laban doesn't mean any good as far
as Jacob is concerned.
I'm of the opinion he was angry enough
to kill him, and would have killed him
had not God intervened.
Verse 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 neither good or bad."
In other words, you be very careful what
you say and do.
"...Then Laban overtook Jacob.
Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the
mount, and Laban with his brethren pitched in
the mount of Gilead."
And now listen to Uncle Laban.
He's a clever rascal, by the way.
Here he's been coming, breathing out fire and
brimstone, wanting to not only recover all these
possessions of Jacob and take them back, but
probably kill Jacob and take back his two
daughters and their children.
But God had to intervene to protect this
boy.