A Daily Genesis

Genesis 31:51-54

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[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 31:51 . . And Laban said to Jacob: Here is this mound and here the pillar which I have set up between you and me:[/B]

Laban didn't set up anything. He only participated in dedicating the pillar. Jacob and his sons set it up with their own hands. And it was all their own idea, not his.

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 31:52 . . this mound shall be witness and this pillar shall be witness that I am not to cross to you past this mound, and that you are not to cross to me past this mound and this pillar, with hostile intent.[/B]

I think Laban was beginning to become just a little bit nervous because there was something different about Jacob. He wasn't acting like the quiet, humble, hard working hired hand Laban knew up in Paddan-aram. Jacob was acting more like a sheik. And I think Laban was just a little unraveled by that. He wasn't accustomed to that kind of a Jacob. And he knew it would be impossible to defeat Jacob while Jacob's god watched over him. And I think he was afraid that if Jacob ever did come up against him, Yhvh would make sure he won.

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 31:53a . . May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor-- their ancestral deities --judge between us.[/B]

Laban equated Abraham's God with Nahor's gods. Big mistake. Not all gods are equal. But to a man like Laban, one is as good as another.

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 31:53b . . And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.[/B]

No way was Jacob going to honor Nahor's gods with an oath. And speaking of that:

Here in the USA, the Federal constitution protects religious liberty. However, the constitution does not protect religious equality. So then, American citizens are not required by law to regard Islam just as worthy of respect as Christianity or Judaism-- and the first amendment grants us the freedom of speech to say so if we please. If Muslims controlled America, we would risk execution for disparaging Islam, while Muslims would retain the right to condemn other religions all they want without fear of reprisal.

Should American citizens apologize for burning Korans? No, we are a nation under Constitutional law; not Islamic law. Constitutional law does not require Americans to respect the holy books of what we sincerely believe to be satanic religions; but on the contrary, the law gives us the liberty to quite disrespect them: with extreme prejudice. The US Government accommodates Islam's feelings about its holy book because it is in the country's national interests to do so. But I'm not a politician, nor do I desire to be one if it means compromising my convictions.

Anyway, that ended the meeting and Laban went back to his own camp for the night.

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 31:54 . . Jacob then offered up a sacrifice on the Height, and invited his kinsmen to partake of the meal. After the meal, they spent the night on the Height.[/B]

Jacob's sacrifice wasn't an [I]'olah[/I] (o-law') which is incinerated to ashes. It was a [I]zebach[/I] (zeh'-bakh); which more resembles Passover, where the lamb is both an offering and a meal. So then, a biblical sacrifice isn't eo ipso something given up or destroyed, but essentially pertains to something dedicated; in this case: a festive dinner in Yhvh's honor.

You can bet that was a very happy occasion. Jacob's family was finally going to be rid of ol' MadDog Laban once and for all; and without violence too. Since a good part of the day was wrecked already, they stayed and planned on leaving the next day after an impromptu Thanksgiving dinner. Next hurtle: Big Red, a.k.a. Mr. Esau ben Isaac.

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