Read with Me
Genesis 30:25-36 (HCSB)
After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so that I can return to my homeland. Give me my wives and my children that I have worked for, and let me go. You know how hard I have worked for you.”
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.” Then Laban said, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.”
So Jacob said to him, “You know what I have done for you and your herds. For you had very little before I came, but now your wealth has increased. The LORD has blessed you because of me. And now, when will I also do something for my own family?”
Laban asked, “What should I give you?”
And Jacob said, “You don’t need to give me anything. If you do this one thing for me, I will continue to shepherd and keep your flock. Let me go through all your sheep today and remove every sheep that is speckled or spotted, every dark-colored sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the female goats. Such will be my wages. In the future when you come to check on my wages, my honesty will testify for me. If I have any female goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not black, they will be considered stolen.”
“Good,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”
That day Laban removed the streaked and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats—every one that had any white on it—and every dark-colored one among the lambs, and he placed his sons in charge of them. He put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob. Jacob, meanwhile, was shepherding the rest of Laban’s flock.
Listen with Me
Jacob had worked for Laban for seven years for Rachel, only to have Leah foisted on him instead. Then he had worked seven additional years for Rachel. Now, his contractual time was up and he wanted to return home with his family. So, he went to his father-in-law to say goodbye.
But Lebanon was unwilling to let him go. Jacob was a good shepherd, knowledgeable and skilled. Laban had watched his flocks and herds multiply greatly under Jacob’s care, and through consulting a seer, he had learned that it was all because of Jacob. His solution was to offer to pay Jacob for his work.
But Jacob was looking forward even further. He didn’t just want to be a laborer for Laban the rest of his life. He wanted to build up a flock of his own that would support him and his large (and potentially still growing) family.
So, Jacob came up with a plan. Most sheep were white, and most goats black. But some were off-color, making their wool less valuable. Jacob’s proposal was for him to go through Laban’s flocks and herds that day, and to select for his own pay all the sheep that were black or speckled, and all the goats that were speckled or streaked with white. They would be his seed flock. And then, from that time forward, every sheep that wasn’t pure white and every goat that wasn’t pure black would be his wages. That deal carried with it a level of security, because at least his own flocks, consisting of black and speckled sheep and spotted or streaked goats, were quite likely to produce offspring like themselves.
Laben agreed to the deal. But before Jacob had a chance to go through the flocks to find those that would be his, Laban sent his own sons through the flocks to cull out those that would go to Jacob and move them a three day’s journey away. This ensured that Jacob would start with nothing, or very nearly nothing if his son’s missed a couple. It also ensured that the stock that would most likely produce offspring that would go to Jacob in the future according to the agreement wouldn’t be able to breed where Jacob could get them. By doing this, Laban planned to keep Jacob in the area and dependent on his good graces.
Pray with Me
Father, Laban really was a devious character. But Jacob had something that Laban couldn’t touch or manipulate: Your promise to be with Jacob, to grow his family, and to provide richly for his needs. Thank You, Lord, for the fact that You always keep Your promises, including the ones You have made to us today. Amen.