Jacob's Flocks Increase and Jacob Runs from Laban

Jacob's Flocks Increase and Jacob Runs from Laban

We are continuing through our Coloring through Genesis series featuring my Beautiful Word Coloring Bible.  When we last left off, Rachel had just given birth to Joseph.  After Joseph's birth, Jacob wanted to go back to Canaan, his homeland.  Jacob had worked for Laban for many years in order to marry Leah and Rachel.  Now he is ready to return, with his wives and children, to his own family. 

Jacob wishes to leave Laban and return to his own family.

Laban knows that the Lord has blessed him because of Jacob so he wants Jacob to stay.  He says to Jacob, "Name your wages and I will pay them."

Jacob tells Laban that his flocks have increased through the years that Jacob has worked for him.  Now he wants to do something for his own household.

Jacob and Laban made an agreement.  Jacob tells Laban:

"If you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them.  Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark colored lamb, and every spotted or speckled goat.  They will be my wages.  And my honesty will testify for me in the future whenever you check on the wages you have paid me.  Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted or any lamb that is not dark colored will be considered stolen." Genesis 30:31-33

 Laban agrees and then puts three days distance between himself and Jacob.  

Jacob takes fresh cut branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees and makes white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.  Then he places the peeled branches in all the watering troughs so that they are directly in front of the flocks when they come to drink.  The flocks mate in front of the branches and then bare young that are streaked, speckled, or spotted.  

Jacob separates his flocks from Laban's flocks but when the stronger females go into heat, he places the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they that mate near the branches.  If the animals are weak, he does not place the branches in the troughs.  The weak animals go to Laban and the strong animals stay with Jacob.  Jacob becomes prosperous and comes to own large flocks.  

Jacob separates his own flocks from Laban's flocks.

Jacob finds out that Laban's sons blame him for taking their father's flocks and gaining wealth from what belongs to their father.  He also notices that Laban's attitude toward him isn't what it once was.

The Lord tells Jacob:

"Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives and I will be with you." Genesis 31:3

Jacob's Flocks Increase and 

Jacob Runs From Laban 

Jacob sends for Leah and Rachel.  He tells them that God has taken away Laban's flocks because the young are born streaked or speckled so God has given them to Jacob.  Jacob, Rachel, and Leah all agree that they should leave.

Rachel steals her father's household gods and then Jacob flees to Canaan with his wives and all he owns.

Jacob flees with his family and all he owns without telling Laban he is leaving.

When Laban finds out that Jacob has fled, he pursues Jacob for 7 days.  He catches up with him but God tells Laban, in a dream, not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.

The next day, Laban confronts Jacob and asks him why he has fled without even allowing him to say goodbye to his daughters and grandchildren.  He wants to know why Jacob fled and why he stole his gods.

Laban confronts Jacob about his leaving without notice.

Jacob explains to Laban that he was afraid Laban might take away his daughters.  He adds that he has taken nothing from Laban's home but Laban can search and if he finds his god, whoever took it will be put to death.  Jacob has no idea that Rachel took the god.  

Laban searches but doesn't find the god because it is hidden beneath a saddle and Rachel is sitting on it.

Laban searches for his stolen god but does not find it.

Jacob is angry because he is falsely accused so he says to Laban:

"I have been with you for twenty years.  Your sheep and goats have not miscarried nor have I eaten rams from your flocks.  I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts.  I bore the loss myself.  And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night.  This was my situation.  The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night and sleep fled from my eyes.  It was like this for the twenty years that I was in your household.  I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks and you changed my wages ten times.  If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed.  But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands and last night, he rebuked you." - Genesis 31:38-42

Jacob is angry because he is falsely accused.

 Laban answers Jacob:

The women are my daughters.  The children are my children and the flocks are my flocks.  All you see is mine.  Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or about the children they have borne?  Come now and let's make a covenant and let it serve as a witness between us." Genesis 31:43-44

Laban and Jacob make a covenant:

Jacob takes a stone and sets it up as a pillar.  He tells his relatives to gather up stones.   They take the stones and pile them in a heap, and they eat there by the heap.  Laban calls the heap Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob calls it Galeed.  

Laban says that the heap is a witness between himself and Jacob on this day.  That is why it is called Galeed.  It is also called Mizpah, because he said:

"May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.  If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me." Genesis 31:49

Let's talk about this verse for a second.  When my husband was in the Marine Corps, this is a verse I claimed for us when we were apart. 

"May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other." 

This is a good verse to claim when we are separated from the ones we love but I realize now that in its original context, it was a prayer about asking God to make sure Jacob and Laban did right by each other when they were not together.  This verse was not a loving sentiment but a pact between two cheats. 

I thought this was and interesting observation so I wanted to include my thoughts about it. 

Jacob and Laban make a covenant.

 Laban goes on to say:

"Here is this heap and here is this pillar that I have set up between you and me.  this heap is a witness and this pillar is a witness that I twill not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me.  May the God of Abraham and God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." - Genesis 31:51-53

Jacob takes an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.  He offers a sacrifice there in the hill country and invites his relatives to a meal.  After they eat, they spend the night there.  The next morning, Laban kisses his grandchildren and his daughters and blesses them.  Then he leaves to go home.

Laban kisses his grandchildren and goes home.

Teach the Children

There really isn't a lot of content out there for this particular lesson for kids but I did find this one and it's a good one.  This lesson from Ministry-to-Children uses this Bible story to teach children that our God and His blessings are unstoppable.  There is a complete lesson plan with review questions and activities.

You'll find this lesson here at Ministry to Children.

God's Blessings are Unstoppable:  An Bible Lesson Activity for Kids

Here is a video of this lesson to watch and discuss with your kids.

 

Images from this Bible story are from Sweet Publishing via Free Bible Images.

New Printables!

I have added several new printables to my shop.  I hope you'll stop by Abundant Family Living on Etsy and take a peek.  

It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him. - Genesis 2:18

As long as the earth endures, seedtime & harvest, cold & heat, summer & winter, day & night will never cease - Genesis 8:22

I have set my rainbow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.  Genesis 9:13

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. - Genesis 6:9

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. - Genesis 28:15

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Jacob's Flocks Increase and Jacob Runs From Laban

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Isaac and Rebekah sent Jacob back to Rebekah's brother's house, the house of Laban, so that Jacob could find a wife.  Jacob arrives safely to his uncle's house . . . but little does he know what's in store for him.  As Jacob arrives, the shepherds were preparing to water their flocks at the well. Laban's younger daughter, Rachel, is a shepherd.  Jacob meets Rachel when she brings her flock to the well.  It's an emotional meeting as Jacob has now arrived at this destination after a long journey and has met Laban's younger daughter.  When Rachel learns who Jacob is, the son of Laban's sister, she runs to tell Laban.  Laban welcomes Jacob warmly.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

Jacob stays and works for Laban.  After a month, Laban tells Jacob,

Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing?  Tell me what your wages should be.  Genesis 29:15

Jacob loves Laban's younger daughter, Rachel.  Jacob tells Laban that he will work for him for 7 years in return for Rachel.  

I can't help but laugh at Laban's response:

It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Genesis 29:19

Jacob works for 7 years so that he can marry Rachel, but it doesn't seem like 7 years to him because he loves her.

So Jacob served 7 years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. Genesis 29:20

After 7 years of work, Jacob asks Laban for Rachel.  Laban throws a big feast that night, but instead of sending Rachel to Jacob, he sends Leah.

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Jacob doesn't realize he has been deceived until the next morning. In those days, it was common for brides to be sent in to their new husbands veiled, and the veils remained in place. This is why Jacob doesn't know it is Leah instead of Rachel until the next morning.

Jacob confronts Laban about his deception.  Laban explains that it is not customary to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older daughter.  He instructs Jacob to remain with Leah for one week, Leah's bridal week.  Then, he will give Rachel to Jacob in exchange for another 7 years of work.

After one week, Laban is true to his word as he gives Rachel to Jacob with the understanding that Jacob must stay and work for another 7 years.

Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah.

God sees that Leah is not loved as much as Rachel, so he blesses her with four sons:  Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.  (Jesus will be born through the bloodline of Judah, through Leah's bloodline, rather than Rachel's.)

Rachel is jealous of Leah because Leah has had children, but Rachel has not had any children.  Rachel gives her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob so that Bilhah can have children for Rachel.

Bilhah gives birth to Dan and Naphtali.

Leah realizes that she has stopped having children, so she gives her servant, Zilpah, to Jacob so that Zilpah can have children for her.  

Zipah gives birth to Gad and Asher.

Leah and Rachel get into a spat over mandrakes.  Leah's son, Reuben, had gone out to gather some and then brought them to his mother, Leah. Rachel goes to Leah and asks her to give her some of Reuben's mandrakes.  Leah says, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband?  Will you take my son's mandrakes too?"

Rachel tells Leah that she can have Jacob for the night in exchange for the mandrakes.  When Jacob returns home from the fields, Leah tells him about the deal.  Jacob stays with Leah.  Eventually, Leah gives Jacob two more sons:  Issachar and Zebulun

Leah also gives birth to a daughter, Dinah.

Finally, God remembers Rachel and gives her a son.  She names him Joseph.

Wow, what a story!  But out of this story comes 11 of the 12 tribes of Jacob.  Later on, these 12 tribes are called the 12 tribes of Israel because God eventually changes Jacob's name to Israel.

The following is a simple chart of all 12 of Jacob's sons and their mothers. It's a freebie for you. Simply right-click and save the image to your computer. (Benjamin is on the chart, but he has not been born to Rachel yet.)

You can read this story from the Bible in Genesis 29 - 30:24 at Bible Gateway here.

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Teach the Kids

Jacob's Rachel and Leah Craft from Jesus Without Language

7 Thought Provoking Review Questions for the Story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel from Bible Baton

Who am I? by Kids Korner

Jacob, Rachel, and Leah Pairs Game from Jesus Without Language

Download a PDF for Family Reading from Life Hope & Truth

12 Sons of Jacob Posters from Bible Fun for Kids

Rachel and Leah Coloring Page from Super Coloring

Jacob and Rachel Crossword from Sermons4Kids

Jacob and Rachel Bible Lesson from Children's Bible Lessons

Jacob Returns Home Maze from thecogmi.org

Games to Play When Teaching About Jacob, Rachel, and Leah from Jesus Without Language

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Jacob was deceived when Laban brought Leah to him instead of Rachel. That was tough, but remember that it was Jacob who deceived his father, Isaac, into giving him his brother's (Esau's) blessing. Our Bible patriarchs were far from perfect, but we learn so much from their stories.  

You can learn more about Jacob's deception in this post:  Jacob Takes Esau's Blessing

Jacob Takes Esau's Blessing

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7 Days of Creation Flip Book for Kids

7 Days of Creation Flip Book for Kids

Image Credit:  Free Bible Images

In Genesis 25, we learned how Esau traded his birthright to Jacob in exchange for a bowl of soup.  Now, we are going learn how Jacob takes Esau's blessing before his father's death.  We will find this story in Genesis 27.  

Jacob Takes Esau's Blessing

Isaac is now an old man whose eyes have grown weak so that he can no longer see.  Isaac believes he will not live much longer so he calls his oldest son, Esau, to him so that he can give Esau his blessing.  Isaac instructs Esau to go hunting to bring back food to prepare it the way he likes it.  Then when he has eaten the food he likes, he will give Esau his blessing.

Image Credit:  Free Bible Images

Rebekah, upon hearing the conversation between Isaac and Esau, waits for Esau to leave for the hunt.  Then she tells Jacob about the conversation.  She send Jacob after two goats so that she can prepare a meal as Isaac likes it.  She tells Jacob to take the food she cooks to Esau before Esau returns so that Isaac will offer Jacob the blessing instead.

Image Credit:  Free Bible Images

Jacob brings up the obvious differences between the two brothers.  Esau is a hairy man while Jacob has smooth skin.  He knows that if Isaac touches him, his father will know that he is Jacob and not Esau.  This would bring a curse on him rather than a blessing.

Rebekah tells Jacob to let the curse fall on her.  He is to do what she tells him.

Jacob brings back the goats.  Rebekah cooks the meat the way Isaac likes it.  Then she takes Esau's best clothes and gives them to Jacob to wear.  She covers Jacob's hands and his neck with goat skins so that he will appear as if he is Esau.

Jacob takes the food Rebekah has cooked to his father, Isaac.  He tells his father that he is Esau.  He tells Issac that he has brought him the food he asked for.  He tells Issac to eat the food and then to give him his father's blessing.

Image Credit:  Free Bible Images

Isaac wants to know how he found the food and cooked it so quickly.  Jacob tells him that God provided it.

Isaac asked Jacob to come closer so that he can touch him to make sure he is actually Esau.  Isaac notices that Jacob's hands are hairy like Esau but he hears the voice of Jacob. 

Isaac obviously has his doubts but he asks, "Are you really my son, Esau?"

Jacob lies again with is response, "I am."

NASB Life Application Study Bible

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In spite of Isaac's doubts, Jacob manages to successfully trick his father into believing he is Esau.  Isaac asks Jacob to bring him the food so that he may eat it and then give his blessing.  After eating, Isaac asked Jacob to come kiss him.  When Jacob kisses his father, his father smells Esau's clothing so he offers Jacob the blessing that would have been Esau's blessing.

"Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.  

May God give you Heaven's due and earth's richness and abundance of grain and new wine.  

May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you.  

Be lord over your brothers and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.  

May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed."

When Isaac finishes his blessing, Jacob barely has time to leave when Esau comes in.  Esau had prepared food for Isaac as he had been asked to do and brought it to his father.  Like his brother had just done, Esau asks Isaac to sit up and eat the food he has prepared for him so that he will then offer his blessing.

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Isaac asks, "Who are you?"

Esau tells Isaac that he is his son, Esau.

In Genesis 27:33, we are told that Isaac trembled violently asking, "Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me.  I ate it just before you came and I blessed him - and indeed he will be blessed."

Esau does not take the news well.  He cries for Isaac to bless him as well.  Isaac tells Esau that his brother, Jacob, had come in and deceitfully taken Esau's blessing. Esau tells Isaac that this is the second time Jacob has taken advantage of him.  He first took Esau's birthright and now he has taken Esau's blessing.  Esau again asks Issac if there is any blessing he has reserved for him?

Isaac tells Esau about the blessing he had unknowingly given to his bother, Jacob.

I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine.  So what can I possibly do for you, my son?

Genesis 12-33 The Father of Israel

Get your copy of Genesis 12-33 The Father of Israel by John MacArthur here.

Esau cries aloud, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too!"

Isaac answers:

Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of Heaven above.  

You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother.

But when you grow restless, you will throw his yolk from off your back. 

Esau holds a grudge against Jacob.  He plans to kill Jacob after Isaac dies.  

Someone tells Rebekah what Esau had said.  Rebekah sends Jacob to her brother, Laban.  She tells Jacob to stay there until Esau is no longer angry.  She tells Jacob that she will send for him when it is safe for him to come back.  Rebekah expresses to Jacob that she doesn't want to lose both of her sons in one day.

Rebekah tells Isaac that she is disgusted with Esau's Hittite wives.  She tells her husband that if her son, Jacob, takes a wife from the Hittite women, her life won't be worth living. 

Issac sends for Jacob, blesses him, and then tells him to go to his mother's father's land (where her brother, Laban, still lives.) He instructs Jacob to take a wife from his mother's brother's daughters.

Before sending Jacob on his way, he tells him:

"May God almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.  May He give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham so that you make take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham."

Esau somehow learns how his parents feel about his wives, that they displease Isaac and Rebekah so he goes to Ishmael (Isaac's half brother who was born to Hagar) and marries Mahalath, one of Ishmael's daughters.

You might be wondering, as I did, why Isaac did not somehow void his blessing to Jacob due to deception and give it to his older son, Esau.  You have to consider the culture of the times.  Also, these Old Testament men spoke from divine inspiration.  The Believer's Bible Commentary explains it this way.

When Esau returned and learned of the deception, he sought the blessing tearfully. But the blessing had been granted to Jacob and it couldn’t be retracted (Heb. 12:16, 17). However, Isaac did have a word for Esau, as follows:

Far from rich soil on earth shall you live, far from the dew of heaven on high; you shall live by the sword and serve your brother; but when you grow restive, his yoke you shall break (vv. 39, 40—Moffatt).

This suggests that the Edomites would live in desert places, would be warriors, would be subject to the Israelites, but would one day rebel against this rule. This latter prophecy was fulfilled in the reign of Joram, King of Judah (2 Kgs. 8:20–22). - Believer's Bible Commentary

Life Lesson From This Story:  Deception results in heartache.

Rebekah and Jacob's deception resulted heartache.

*Jacob's brother sought to kill him.

*Jacob had to leave his home and his parents to escape Esau's threat.

*Rebekah had to send her son (her favorite) away.

*Isaac trembled violently because his son had deceived him.

Teach the Kids

The best way to teach your children Biblical history is to read the stories to them straight from the Bible.  Make sure your kids know that these "stories" are not just stories like many other books they might read.  Be sure they know that these stories are actual events in Biblical history.

The Adventure Bible for Kids

Get your child a copy of The Adventure Bible for Kids here.

In addition to reading the Bible, your kids can do the following activities to enhance their learning experience. 

Cathy's Corner:  Jacob and Esau from Bible Fun for Kids

Activities for a Lesson On Jacob and Esau from Classroom

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Jacob Takes Esau's Blessing

Image Credit:  FreeBibleImages.org

As we enter Genesis 25, we say goodbye to Abraham.  Noted with the historical account of Abraham's death is the record of his sons from Keturah, another wife Abraham had taken.  There are 6 sons and their descendents recorded in Genesis 25:1-4.  Abraham had at least 6 sons by Keturah, Ishmael by Hagar, and Isaac by Sarah.  In verse 5, we are told that Abraham left all that he had to Isaac.  However, before he died, he gave gifts to his other sons and then sent them away to the east.  

Abraham died at the age of 175.  Isaac and Ishmael had him buried in the same cave as Sarah in the field of Ephron.  

The next account in Genesis 25:12 is a short paragraph giving the account of Ishmael's sons and their descendants.  Ishmael had 12 sons which became 12 tribal rulers.  

Ishmael died at the age of 137.  His descendants settled near the eastern border of Egypt.  We are told in Genesis 25:18 that Ishmael's descendants "lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them."

From there we move into the familiar story about Jacob, Esau, and the birthright.  

Jacob, Esau, and the Birthright

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah.  You'll recall that story from my last post from this Genesis series.  For the next 20 years, Rebekah had remained barren.  

This story picks up with Isaac praying for his Rebekah.  

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.  The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?"  So she went to inquire of the Lord. - Genesis 25:21

The Lord answered:

Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger. - Genesis 25:23

The two babies Rebekah is carrying will grow up to be the nations of Israel (Jacob) and Edom (Esau).

Life Lessons from Genesis by Max Lucado is available here.

Esau is born red and hairy.  Jacob is born next still holding onto Esau's heel.  By the time his twin sons were born, Isaac was 60 years old.

Esau grows up to be a skillful hunter, an outdoorsman but Jacob prefers to stay closer to home.  According to Genesis 15:28, Isaac loved Esau more, but Rebekah loved Jacob. more.   

Once after Esau had been out hunting, he comes home tired and hungry.  At the time, Jacob is cooking a stew.  Esau tells Jacob to give him some of the stew.  Jacob will only give Esau some stew if Esau agrees to give over his birthright to Jacob.  After Esau swears over his birthright to Jacob, Jaboc gives Esau bread and lentil stew.  Genesis 25:34 tells us that Esau despised his birthright.  

Genesis 12 - 33 The Father of Israel Bible Study is available here.

This historical account is important because the exchange here between these two brothers is significant in the fulfillment of prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus.  The firstborn son in those days, according to the Believer's Commentary, was entitled to a double portion of his father's estate and he eventually would become the family head.  This exchange left Jacob in the position to inherit the inheritance of the firstborn and to one day become the family head.  Eventually, Jesus is born through the line of Jacob, not Esau.  This short exchange between these two brothers, sons of Isaac, grandsons of Abraham, set Jacob up for his place in the bloodline of Jesus.

We can note that Jacob did swindle his brother out of his birthright but we can also note that Esau didn't care about it anyway, at least not enough to value it more than a pot of stew.

Teach the Kids

Here is a list of places where you'll find resources to help teach your children the story of Jacob and Esau.

Jacob, Esau, and the Birthright Coloring Flip Book for Kids by Me 😊 Download this cute little coloring flip book for your child to cut out, color, staple together, and read.

Jacob, Esau, and the Birthright Coloring Flip Book for Kids

This flip book is a condensed version of the Bible story for younger children so be sure to read the entire historical account with your child.  You'll find it in Genesis 25. 

Download a copy of Jacob, Esau, and the Birthright Coloring Flip Book for Kids here.

More Ways to Teach Your Child About Jacob, Esau, and the Birthright

Jacob, Esau, and the Birthright from Mission Bible Class

Jacob and Esau Word Search from Bible Pathway Adventures

Games to Play When Teaching Jacob and Esau from Jesus Without Language

Genesis Worksheets from Bible Fun for Kids

Jacob and Esau Emergent Reader from Becky Castle at The Barefoot Teacher (Teachers Pay Teachers)

Jacob - Free Bible Lesson for Children from Trueway Kids

Jacob Bible Crafts and Activities from Danielle's Place

Esau and Jacob:  Bible Lesson Introduction Activity for Kids from Bible Baton

Jacob and Esau Sunday School Lesson for Kids from Church House Collection

This post is part of my Coloring through Genesis series featuring my Beautiful Word Coloring Bible.  You can get your Beautiful Word Coloring Bible here.

Jacob, Esau, and the Birthright:  The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible

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