Sad happenings. Jacob’s having two wives brought much strife into the home. The friction and jealousy of the wives was passed on to the children. We shall see this in the days ahead, as we read on in the book.
V.25-26 When Joseph is born, Jacob had a desire to go back to “mine own place and my own country.” It is nice to see that he calls that land his. For though God had only promised it to him, he believed God, and considered it already his.
V.27 His cousin Laban is not happy with the idea. Unsaved relatives and friends don’t like us to separate.
V.28-43 Schemer against schemer. We may not be surprised at the trickery of Laban, for he was an idolater. But from Jacob we could expect better things than these. Jacob was the man who had met God, at Bethel, seen angels, and had made a serious agreement with God. But here we see Jacob back to worldly tricks and deception. When a believer goes back into worldly ways, it is very, very sad. Yet how patient and long-suffering God is! God patiently waits until His wayward “child” comes to the end of himself. God, in His lowly grace, often calls Himself “The God of Jacob.” This is the God we need to get to know more and more.