DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum 2013 November 11
Image 1: Jacob Leading the Flocks of Laban (c. 1632)
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (1609-1664)
Baroque Style
Private Collection
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
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Image 2: Rachel Sitting on the Idols (1726-1728)
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770)
Baroque Grand Manner Style
Patriarchal Palace, Udine, Udine, Italy
Image Credit: Wikipedia
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Image 3: Jacob Reproaching Laban (1628)
Hendrick Terbrugghen (1588-1629)
Dutch Golden Age Baroque Style, Utrecht Caravaggism School
Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne, Germany
Image Credit: Bible-Library
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Image 4: The Alliance of Jacob and Laban (1630-1635)
Pietro da Cortona (1596 or 1597 - 1669)
Baroque Style
Musee du Louvre, Paris, France
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
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Image 5: Italianate Landscape with the Parting of Jacob and Laban (c. 1630)
Pieter Jansz Post (1608-1669)
Dutch Golden Age Baroque Style
Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem, Netherlands
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In Genesis 31 Jacob faced a life-changing crisis. This developed when Jacob lost the favor of Laban; in response, the LORD told him to return to his kindred and he would be with him (1-3). Jacob the shared the problem with his wives Rachel and Leah and told him of the vision he had received form God in which God told him that he had seen how Laban had constantly tried to trick him; and he revealed to Jacob that he caused the marked animals to mate with the unmarked animals to reverse Laban's schemes; Jacob's wives also encouraged Jacob to leave as God told him to do, because Laban had stolen from them as well and treated them like slave women (4-16). Acting upon these encouragements, Jacob left secretly for his own country; but unknown to him Rachel had stolen Laban's household idols (17-21). Three days later Laban discovered that Jacob was gone, and he overtook Jacob, but God warned him not to say either good or bad to Jacob (22-24). Laban then came to Jacob and asked him why he left secretly, saying that it was in his power to hurt Jacob except that God forbade him to do so, and asking him why he had stolen his household gods; but Jacob challenged him to search his belongings and find his gods and take his idols and put the thief to death (25-32). Laban searched but found nothing because Rachel had hidden them beneath the place where she was lying, claiming she could not rise because she was menstruating; this may have seemed reasonable to Laban because he believed that she would not defile sacred objects by sitting on them and defiling them while menstruating (33-35). Jacob then became angry with Laban for pursuing him, making false accusations, making him bear the losses among the flocks for twenty years, changing his wages frequently, and being willing to send him away empty if God had not intervened (36-42). In reply, Laban said that he could do nothing to anyone because these were his daughters and his grandchildren; so he asked for a covenant in which both Jacob and Laban pledged to do no harm to one another and to have the LORD watch between them (43-50). As a witness to the covenant, Laban erected a pillar, beyond which neither would pass to do harm to the other (51-54). So Laban arose the next morning, kissed his sons and daughters, blessed them, and returned home (55).
Genesis 31
1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.
2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.
20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
21 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.
22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
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 either good or bad.
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.
36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.
51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;
52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.
53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.
54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
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copyright 2013, Scott Souza
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