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[312]
But Laban, after one day's time, being acquainted with Jacob's and
his daughters' departure, was much troubled, and pursued after them, leading
a band of men with him; and on the seventh day overtook them, and found
them resting on a certain hill; and then indeed he did not meddle with
them, for it was even-tide; but God stood by him in a dream, and warned
him to receive his son-in-law and his daughters in a peaceable manner;
and not to venture upon any thing rashly, or in wrath to but to make a
league with Jacob. And he him, that if he despised their small number,
attacked them in a hostile manner, he would assist them. When Laban had
been thus forewarned by God, he called Jacob to him the next day, in order
to treat with him, and showed him what dream he had; in dependence whereupon
he came confidently to him, and began to accuse him, alleging that he had
entertained him when he was poor, and in want of all things, and had given
him plenty of all things which he had. "For," said he, "I
have joined my daughters to thee in marriage, and supposed that thy kindness
to me be greater than before; but thou hast had no regard to either thy
mother's relations to me, nor to the affinity now newly contracted between
us; nor to those wives whom thou hast married; nor to those children, of
whom I am the grandfather. Thou hast treated me as an enemy, driving away
my cattle, and by persuading my daughters to run away from their father;
and by carrying home those sacred paternal images which were worshipped
by my forefathers, and have been honored with the like worship which they
paid them by myself. In short, thou hast done this whilst thou art my kinsman,
and my sister's son, and the husband of my daughters, and was hospiably
treated by me, and didst eat at my table." When Laban had said this,
Jacob made his defense - That he was not the only person in whom God had
implanted the love of his native country, but that he had made it natural
to all men; and that therefore it was but reasonable that, after so long
time, he should go back to it. "But as to the prey, of whose driving
away thou accusest me, if any other person were the arbitrator, thou wouldst
be found in the wrong; for instead of those thanks I ought to have had
from thee, for both keeping thy cattle, and increasing them, how is it
that thou art unjustly angry at me because I have taken, and have with
me, a small portion of them? But then, as to thy daughters, take notice,
that it is not through any evil practices of mine that they follow me in
my return home, but from that just affection which wives naturally have
to their husbands. They follow therefore not so properly myself as their
own children." And thus far of his apology was made, in order to clear
himself of having acted unjustly. To which he added his own complaint and
accusation of Laban; saying, "While I was thy sister's son, and thou
hadst given me thy daughters in marriage, thou hast worn me out with thy
harsh commands, and detained me twenty years under them. That indeed which
was required in order to my marrying thy daughters, hard as it was, I own
to have been tolerable; but as to those that were put upon me after those
marriages, they were worse, and such indeed as an enemy would have avoided."
For certainly Laban had used Jacob very ill; for when he saw that God was
assisting to Jacob in all that he desired, he promised him, that of the
young cattle which should be born, he should have sometimes what was of
a white color, and sometimes what should be of a black color; but when
those that came to Jacob's share proved numerous, he did not keep his faith
with him, but said he would give them to him the next year, because of
his envying him the multitude of his possessions. He promised him as before,
because he thought such an increase was not to be expected; but when it
appeared to be fact, he deceived him.
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