Jacob’s Wealth Increases
Jacob is experiencing some of God’s blessings.
Genesis 28:14-15 (NLT)
14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. 15 What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”
Note: God’s blessings were not a promise of an easy, carefree life.
Genesis 30:25-43 (NLT)
25 Soon after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Please release me so I can go home to my own country. 26 Let me take my wives and children, for I have earned them by serving you, and let me be on my way. You certainly know how hard I have worked for you.”
27 “Please listen to me,” Laban replied. “I have become wealthy, for the Lord has blessed me because of you. 28 Tell me how much I owe you. Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.”
29 Jacob replied, “You know how hard I’ve worked for you, and how your flocks and herds have grown under my care. 30 You had little indeed before I came, but your wealth has increased enormously. The Lord has blessed you through everything I’ve done. But now, what about me? When can I start providing for my own family?”
31 “What wages do you want?” Laban asked again.
Jacob replied, “Don’t give me anything. Just do this one thing, and I’ll continue to tend and watch over your flocks. 32 Let me inspect your flocks today and remove all the sheep and goats that are speckled or spotted, along with all the black sheep. Give these to me as my wages. 33 In the future, when you check on the animals you have given me as my wages, you’ll see that I have been honest. If you find in my flock any goats without speckles or spots, or any sheep that are not black, you will know that I have stolen them from you.”
34 “All right,” Laban replied. “It will be as you say.” 35 But that very day Laban went out and removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted or had white patches, and all the black sheep. He placed them in the care of his own sons, 36 who took them a three-days’ journey from where Jacob was. Meanwhile, Jacob stayed and cared for the rest of Laban’s flock.
37 Then Jacob took some fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled off strips of bark, making white streaks on them. 38 Then he placed these peeled branches in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, for that was where they mated. 39 And when they mated in front of the white-streaked branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 40 Jacob separated those lambs from Laban’s flock. And at mating time he turned the flock to face Laban’s animals that were streaked or black. This is how he built his own flock instead of increasing Laban’s.
41 Whenever the stronger females were ready to mate, Jacob would place the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of them. Then they would mate in front of the branches. 42 But he didn’t do this with the weaker ones, so the weaker lambs belonged to Laban, and the stronger ones were Jacob’s. 43 As a result, Jacob became very wealthy, with large flocks of sheep and goats, female and male servants, and many camels and donkeys.
Examine the Scriptures
Jacob’s Wealth Increases
Genesis 30:25-43 (NLT)
25 Soon after Rachel had given birth to Joseph,
- Jacob’s 14 year commitment to Laban had been fulfilled.
(Genesis 29-30 covers a time period of 20 years.)
Jacob said to Laban, “Please release me so I can go home to my own country.
Remember the reasons Jacob had traveled to Paddan-Aram.
Fleeing from Esau.
Looking for a wife as instructed by his father.
God had said to Jacob, “One day I will bring you back to this land. (Canaan).
Jacob appears to have a general understanding of God’s plan for his life.
- Jacob was ready to move back “home” to Canaan, the Promised Land.
26 Let me take my wives and children, for I have earned them by serving you, and let me be on my way. You certainly know how hard I have worked for you.”
Jacob is making an appropriate, respectful appeal.
27 “Please listen to me,” Laban replied. “I have become wealthy, for the Lord has blessed me because of you. 28 Tell me how much I owe you. Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.”
- Laban understood that he was becoming wealthy because the Lord was blessing Jacob.
Genesis 30:27 English Standard Version (ESV)
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.
Genesis 30:27 New International Version (NIV)
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”
The use of divination is sinful even though the information obtained is accurate.
Discover hidden knowledge by occult or supernatural means.
Laban knows that it is to his advantage for Jacob to continue working for him.
29 Jacob replied, “You know how hard I’ve worked for you, and how your flocks and herds have grown under my care. 30 You had little indeed before I came, but your wealth has increased enormously. The Lord has blessed you through everything I’ve done.
- Jacob also knew that Laban’s increased wealth was a direct result of the Lord’s blessing.
Note: God’s blessings were not a promise of an easy, carefree life.
Jacob worked hard for Laban.
- God’s blessings are not a promise of an easy, carefree life.
But now, what about me? When can I start providing for my own family?”
31 “What wages do you want?” Laban asked again.
Laban did not want Jacob to leave.
- Laban wanted Jacob to stay, so that he, Laban, would continue to benefit from God’s blessings to Jacob.
Jacob’s Proposal
Jacob replied, “Don’t give me anything. Just do this one thing, and I’ll continue to tend and watch over your flocks. 32 Let me inspect your flocks today and remove all the sheep and goats that are speckled or spotted, along with all the black sheep.
Give these to me as my wages. 33 In the future, when you check on the animals you have given me as my wages, you’ll see that I have been honest.
- Jacob professes to be honest with Laban.
If you find in my flock any goats without speckles or spots, or any sheep that are not black, you will know that I have stolen them from you.”
It would be obvious which animals were Jacob’s and which were Laban’s.
34 “All right,” Laban replied. “It will be as you say.”
- Laban verbally agreed to follow Jacob’s proposal.
- Jacob agreed to stay and work for Laban a little longer. (6 years)
Genesis 31:41 (NLT)
Yes, for twenty years I slaved in your house! I worked for fourteen years earning your two daughters, and then six more years for your flock.
35 But that very day Laban went out and removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted or had white patches, and all the black sheep. He placed them in the care of his own sons, 36 who took them a three-days’ journey from where Jacob was.
- Laban cheated Jacob from day one of this new arrangement.
Also, by removing the existing streaked and spotted male goats and the female goats that were speckled and spotted or had white patches, and all the black sheep from his flock Laban believed that he greatly reduced the probability of more of this type being reproduced.
Meanwhile, Jacob stayed and cared for the rest of Laban’s flock.
37 Then Jacob took some fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled off strips of bark, making white streaks on them. 38 Then he placed these peeled branches in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, for that was where they mated. 39 And when they mated in front of the white-streaked branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 40 Jacob separated those lambs from Laban’s flock.
Scholars differ as to how Jacob is using sticks with peeled white streaks in them to do this.
The NIV concordance explained this outcome “because of Jacob’s superstition”.
And at mating time he turned the flock to face Laban’s animals that were streaked or black. This is how he built his own flock instead of increasing Laban’s.
41 Whenever the stronger females were ready to mate, Jacob would place the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of them. Then they would mate in front of the branches. 42 But he didn’t do this with the weaker ones, so the weaker lambs belonged to Laban, and the stronger ones were Jacob’s.
Jacob practiced selective breeding.
- Jacob’s actions are somewhat questionable.
- God uses flawed people.
- God’s sovereignty supersedes manipulative or godless behavior.
43 As a result,
Genesis 31:9 (NLT)
In this way, God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.
- Jacob knew his prosperity came from God.
Jacob became very wealthy, with large flocks of sheep and goats, female and male servants, and many camels and donkeys.
- God blessed Jacob with large flocks of sheep and goats, female and male servants, and many camels and donkeys.
Summary/Review:
- God’s blessings are not a promise of an easy, carefree life.
- God uses flawed people.
- God’s sovereignty supersedes manipulative or godless behavior.
- God always does what He says He will do.
Genesis 28:15 (NLT)
What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”
Genesis 28:14 (NLT)
Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.
Psalm 89:34 (NLT)
No, I will not break my covenant;
I will not take back a single word I said.
Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)
… For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)
7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.
