Laban and Jacob, Junior - I, Lesson - 6

JUNIOR

AGE: 10 - 11 YEARS

STANDARD/GRADE: V & VI

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LESSON – 6

LABAN AND JACOB

 

Isaac, the son of Abraham and his wife Rebekah had twin sons named Jacob and Esau. Something interesting happened when Rebekah gave birth to the twins. Jacob was born holding Esau’s heels. That’s why he was named Jacob which meant “heel catcher or supplanter”. Esau was reddish with his body covered with hair, while Jacob was smooth-skinned. Esau was a skilled hunter but Jacob was a tent dweller.

 

As the firstborn son of Isaac, Esau was given the birthright but Jacob made Esau sell that for a pot of stew. Later Jacob cheated his father and received Esau’s other blessings also. This made Esau furious and he wanted to kill Jacob. Jacob ran away from his brother and went to a place called Haran, where his mother’s brother Laban lived. 

Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Leah was the oldest and Rachel was the youngest. Rachel was very beautiful.  Jacob told Laban that he would work for him for seven years if he could marry Rachel. Laban agreed. For seven years Jacob took care of Laban’s flock. After the seven years, Jacob asked to marry Rachel. But Laban tricked Jacob and got him married to Leah. Jacob was very angry. Laban said, “It is not our custom to let the younger daughter get married before the older one”.  Laban told Jacob that he could marry Rachel too, but he had to work for seven more years. Jacob, the supplanter whose cheating forced him to leave his father’s home was now tricked by his uncle. This happened thousands of years ago when it was common for a man to have more than one wife. Jacob married Rachel also. 

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Jacob had 12 sons and a daughter named Dinah. He had to work hard to earn wealth for his family. Laban agreed to give Jacob all the striped and spotted sheep and goats as wages for his work. Soon Laban found that the number of striped and spotted sheep in his flock were increasing. Laban decided to change Jacob’s pay. He changed Jacob’s pay ten times. God was building a character of integrity in Jacob and dealt with his serious flaw of deceit in usurping his brother Esau’s blessings through Laban’s dealings with him.  God helped Jacob however, and Jacob’s wealth increased even though Laban tried to cheat Jacob.

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After twenty years of working for Laban, Jacob decided to return to his father. Laban's sons were complaining that Jacob became rich with their father's wealth and there was increasing strain with Laban also. Once when Laban had gone to another city to shear the sheep, Jacob took his wives, children, servants and flocks and left Haran unannounced, since Jacob feared that Laban would not let them leave. (Shearing is the process of cutting / shaving the wool off the sheep. This wool would be used to make woollen clothes, blankets etc.). When they were leaving, Rachel stole her father's idols. 

Shearing of sheep

On the third day, Laban was told that Jacob had left Haran, so he followed Jacob. In the night, God appeared to Laban and warned him not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad. When Laban found Jacob, he accused him of stealing his idols. Jacob got angry with Laban and told him to search all the tents. Rachel took the idols, hid it under a saddle and sat on it. Laban couldn’t find his idol.

Idols that were worshipped during the time of the Patriarchs. The idols that were stolen by Rachel from Laban would have been similar to these. The Bible Lands Museum, Israel

Laban called for a peace covenant between them. Jacob and Laban made a peace treaty between them not to harm each other. That place was called Mizpah. After that Laban went on his way and Jacob continued his journey back home. 

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After many years, Jacob went to a place called Bethel to build an altar to worship God. But before they started their journey to Bethel, Jacob told his family members to throw away all the idols and buried them under an oak tree.

God changed Jacob’s nature during his sojourn in Haran through his dealings with Laban. Even though, Jacob had a lot to complain because of his constant struggle with Laban, God had other plans - to change his nature and to bless him. Jacob came empty-handed to Haran but left with a family of his own, many children who would later become the 12 tribes of Israel and great wealth and his relationship with his brother Esau was also restored.

 

Bible Reference: Genesis 29 - 31

Memory Verse: Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Galatians 6: 7, 8)

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

Fill in the blanks:

1. Jacob told Laban that he would work for him for ................. years if he could marry Rachel. 

2. Laban changed Jacob’s pay .................. times

3. Jacob and Laban made a peace treaty at a place called .........................

4. The name “Jacob” meant “.......................................”

Give short answers:

1. Why did Esau want to kill Jacob?

 

2. Why did Laban change Jacob’s pay?

 

3. Why did Jacob want to return home to his father?

 

4. What did Jacob do when Laban went to shear the sheep?

 

Answer in brief:

1. What did Laban do when he found that Jacob had fled Haran?