In the biblical narrative, the relationship between Laban and Jacob is a poignant example of ingratitude, highlighting the complexities of familial bonds and the consequences of deceit. Laban, the brother of Rebekah and uncle to Jacob, is introduced in Genesis as a man of considerable influence and wealth. His interactions with Jacob, however, reveal a pattern of ingratitude and manipulation.

Jacob's Arrival and Service

Jacob arrives at Laban's household after fleeing from his brother Esau. Upon meeting Rachel, Laban's daughter, Jacob agrees to serve Laban for seven years in exchange for her hand in marriage. The Berean Standard Bible records Jacob's dedication: "So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her" (Genesis 29:20). Despite Jacob's faithful service, Laban deceives him by substituting Leah, Rachel's older sister, as the bride. This act of ingratitude is compounded by Laban's insistence that Jacob serve an additional seven years for Rachel, exploiting Jacob's love and labor for personal gain.

Continued Deception and Exploitation

Laban's ingratitude is further demonstrated in his treatment of Jacob's wages. After Jacob fulfills his fourteen years of service, he negotiates with Laban to work for a portion of the flock. Laban agrees but repeatedly changes the terms of their agreement, as Jacob later recounts: "You have changed my wages ten times" (Genesis 31:41). Despite Jacob's diligent work, Laban's ingratitude manifests in his continual attempts to undermine Jacob's prosperity.

Divine Intervention and Departure

God's favor upon Jacob becomes evident as his flocks multiply despite Laban's attempts to cheat him. Recognizing the growing tension and Laban's ungratefulness, God instructs Jacob to return to his homeland. Jacob's departure is marked by a clandestine escape, underscoring the breakdown of trust between him and Laban. When Laban pursues Jacob, he is warned by God in a dream not to harm him, illustrating divine protection over Jacob despite Laban's ingratitude.

Resolution and Covenant

The encounter between Laban and Jacob culminates in a covenant at Mizpah, where they agree to part ways peacefully. Laban's final words to Jacob reflect a begrudging acknowledgment of God's presence with Jacob: "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other" (Genesis 31:49). This resolution, while marking the end of their contentious relationship, underscores the enduring impact of Laban's ingratitude and the divine justice that prevails.

The account of Laban and Jacob serves as a cautionary tale about the destructive nature of ingratitude and deceit, reminding believers of the importance of integrity and gratitude in their relationships.Genesis 31:1
And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob has taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's has he gotten all this glory.
Nave's Topical Index

Jeroboam
... Jacob laboured night and day, and therefore he prospered ... under Laban, unjust and
exacting though Laban was ... 1. His ingratitude to his benefactor was a disgrace to ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/jeroboam.htm

Against Rash and Vain Swearing.
... Laban had good experience of Jacob's fidelity; yet that ... So did Jacob make Joseph
swear that he would ... is a most unnatural abuse, a horrid ingratitude toward Him ...
/.../sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/against rash and vain swearing.htm

Exposition of the Moral Law.
... an impression strong in proportion to the detestation in which ingratitude is held ...
was of a public nature, that by which Jacob and Laban bound themselves ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 8 exposition of the.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

Hymns of Christian Devotion and Experience.
... Let past ingratitude Provoke our weeping eyes. ... darkest clouds withdraw, Prayer climbs
the ladder Jacob saw ... linked with the words as Lowell Mason's "Laban" (1830 ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter iii hymns of christian.htm

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day ...
... True, we find that solemn worship was performed by the saints that then lived: for
both Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, sacrificed unto God (Genesis 4:4, 8 ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/questions about the nature and.htm

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