Manipulation
Jacob, after 14 years of service in Haran, decides it is time to return home to Canaan with his family. But Laban, recognizing the prosperity Jacob has brought him, pleads for him to stay, offering new wages in exchange for continued service. Jacob cleverly negotiates, devising a strategy to claim the speckled and spotted cattle as his own, and over the next six years, he amasses immense wealth, outwitting Laban at every turn. As Jacob’s prosperity grows, envy and tension simmer within Laban’s household, setting the stage for an inevitable and dramatic conflict.
Major Characters
Minor Characters
Insignificant Characters
GENESIS
40%
JASHER
48%
JUBILEES
12%
Exposition
Jacob asked to return to his mother, Rebekah
Jasher 31:22-23
Rising Action
Jacob asks Laban if he can be released to go back home
Genesis 30:25-26, Jasher 31:24, Jubilees 28:25
Climax
Laban and Jacob discuss Jacob’s wages from the impure flocks
Genesis 30:27-34, Jasher 31:25-26, Jubilees 28:26-27
Falling Action
Jacob separates the flocks for his wages
Genesis 30:35-36, Jasher 31:27-28, Jubilees 28:28
Isaac’s servants leave Jacob while Deborah remains with him
Jasher 31:29-30
Resolution
Jacob schemes to increase his flock and decrease Laban’s flock
Genesis 30:37-43, Jasher 31:31-34, Jubilees 28:29-30
Jacob asked to return to his mother, Rebekah
Jasher 31:22-23
22 At that time Jacob’s mother, Rebecca, sent her nurse Deborah the daughter of Uz, and two of Isaac’s servants unto Jacob.
23 And they came to Jacob to Haran and they said unto him, Rebecca has sent us to thee that thou shalt return to thy father’s house to the land of Canaan; and Jacob hearkened unto them in this which his mother had spoken.
Jacob asks Laban if he can be released to go back home
Genesis 30:25-26
25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
Jasher 31:24
24 At that time, the other seven years which Jacob served Laban for Rachel were completed, and it was at the end of fourteen years that he had dwelt in Haran that Jacob said unto Laban, give me my wives and send me away, that I may go to my land, for behold my mother did send unto me from the land at Canaan that I should return to my father’s house.
Jubilees 28:25
25 And in the days when Joseph was born, Jacob said to Laban: ‘Give me my wives and sons, and let me go to my father Isaac, and let me make me an house; for I have completed the years in which I have served thee for thy two daughters, and I will go to the house of my father.’
Laban and Jacob discuss Jacob’s wages from the impure flocks
Genesis 30:27-28
27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
Jasher 31:25
25 And Laban said unto him, Not so I pray thee; if I have found favor in thy sight do not leave me; appoint me thy wages and I will give them, and remain with me.
Jubilees 28:26
26 And Laban said to Jacob: ‘Tarry with me for thy wages, and pasture my flock for me again, and take thy wages.’
Genesis 30:29-30
29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
Genesis 30:31-32
31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
Jasher 31:26
26 And Jacob said unto him, This is what thou shalt give me for wages, that I shall this day pass through all thy flock and take away from them every lamb that is speckled and spotted and such as are brown amongst the sheep, and amongst the goats, and if thou wilt do this thing for me I will return and feed thy flock and keep them as at first.
Genesis 30:33
33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
Genesis 30:34
34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
Jubilees 28:27
27 And they agreed with one another that he should give him as his wages those of the lambs and kids which were born black and spotted and white, (these) were to be his wages.
Jacob separates the flocks for his wages
Genesis 30:35
35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
Jasher 31:27-28
27 And Laban did so, and Laban removed from his flock all that Jacob had said and gave them to him.
28 And Jacob placed all that he had removed from Laban’s flock in the hands of his sons, and Jacob was feeding the remainder of Laban’s flock.
Jubilees 28:28
28 And all the sheep brought forth spotted and speckled and black, variously marked, and they brought forth again lambs like themselves, and all that were spotted were Jacob’s and those which were not were Laban’s.
Genesis 30:36
36 And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Isaac’s servants leave Jacob while Deborah remains with him
Jasher 31:29-30
29 And when the servants of Isaac which he had sent unto Jacob saw that Jacob would not then return with them to the land of Canaan to his father, they then went away from him, and they returned home to the land of Canaan.
30 And Deborah remained with Jacob in Haran, and she did not return with the servants of Isaac to the land of Canaan, and Deborah resided with Jacob’s wives and children in Haran.
Jacob schemes to increase his flock and decrease Laban’s flock
Genesis 30:37-42
37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s cattle.
41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.
Jasher 31:31-34
31 And Jacob served Laban six years longer, and when the sheep brought forth, Jacob removed from them such as were speckled and spotted, as he had determined with Laban, and Jacob did so at Laban’s for six years, and the man increased abundantly and he had cattle and maid servants and men servants, camels, and asses.
32 And Jacob had two hundred drove of cattle, and his cattle were of large size and of beautiful appearance and were very productive, and all the families of the sons of men desired to get some of the cattle of Jacob, for they were exceedingly prosperous.
33 And many of the sons of men came to procure some of Jacob’s flock, and Jacob gave them a sheep for a man servant or a maid servant or for an ass or a camel, or whatever Jacob desired from them they gave him.
34 And Jacob obtained riches and honor and possessions by means of these transactions with the sons of men, and the children of Laban envied him of this honor.
Genesis 30:43
43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
Jubilees 28:29
29 And Jacob’s possessions multiplied exceedingly, and he possessed oxen and sheep and asses and camels, and menservants and maid-servants.
Jubilees 28:30
30 And Laban and his sons envied Jacob, and Laban took back his sheep from him, and he observed him with evil intent.
No notes.
Exposition
Jacob asked to return to his mother, Rebekah
Jasher 31:22-23
At that time Jacob’s mother, Rebecca, sent her nurse Deborah the daughter of Uz, and 2 of Isaac’s servants to Jacob. And they came to Jacob to Haran and they said to him, “Rebecca has sent us to you that you will return to your father’s house to the land of Canaan;” and Jacob listened to them in this which his mother had spoken.
Rising Action
Jacob asks Laban if he can be released to go back home
Genesis 30:25-26, Jasher 31:24, Jubilees 28:25
And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph and it was at the end of 14 years that he had dwelt in Haran, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place, to my country, and let me go to my father Isaac, and let me make me a house. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served you, and let me go: for you know my service which I have done you.”
Climax
Laban and Jacob discuss Jacob’s wages from the impure flocks
Genesis 30:27-34, Jasher 31:25-26, Jubilees 28:26-27
And Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, do not leave me: for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake. Appoint me your wages, and I will give it.”
And Jacob said to him, “You know how I have served you, and how your cattle was with me. For it was little which you had before I came, and it is now increased to a multitude; and the Lord has blessed you since my coming: and now when will I provide for mine own house also?”
And Laban said, ?What will I give you?”
And Jacob said, “You will not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flock. I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such will be my hire. So will my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it will come for my hire before your face: everyone that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that will be counted stolen with me.”
And they agreed with one another that he should give him as his wages those of the lambs and kids which were born black and spotted and white. These were to be his wages.
Falling Action
Jacob separates the flocks for his wages
Genesis 30:35-36, Jasher 31:27-28, Jubilees 28:28
And Laban did so, and Laban removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and everyone that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep and gave them to him. And Jacob placed all that he had removed from Laban’s flock in the hands of his sons, and Jacob was feeding the remainder of Laban’s flock. And he set 3 days’ journey between himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Isaac’s servants leave Jacob while Deborah remains with him
Jasher 31:29-30
And when the servants of Isaac which he had sent to Jacob saw that Jacob would not then return with them to the land of Canaan to his father, they then went away from him, and they returned home to the land of Canaan. And Deborah remained with Jacob in Haran, and she did not return with the servants of Isaac to the land of Canaan, and Deborah resided with Jacob’s wives and children in Haran.
Resolution
Jacob schemes to increase his flock and decrease Laban’s flock
Genesis 30:37-43, Jasher 31:31-34, Jubilees 28:29-30
And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not to Laban’s cattle. And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.
And Jacob served Laban 6 years longer, and when the sheep brought forth, Jacob removed from them such as were speckled and spotted, as he had determined with Laban, and Jacob did so at Laban’s for 6 years, and the man increased abundantly and he had cattle and maid servants and men servants, camels, and donkeys. And Jacob had 200 drove of cattle, and his cattle were of large size and of beautiful appearance and were very productive, and all the families of the sons of men desired to get some of the cattle of Jacob, for they were exceedingly prosperous. And many of the sons of men came to procure some of Jacob’s flock, and Jacob gave them a sheep for a man servant or a maid servant or for a donkey or a camel, or whatever Jacob desired from them they gave him. And Jacob obtained riches and honor and possessions by means of these transactions with the sons of men, and the children of Laban envied him of this honor.
And Jacob increased exceedingly and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and donkeys.
And Laban and his sons envied Jacob, and Laban took back his sheep from him, and he observed him with evil intent.
This chart shows who was alive in years 2187-2205.
Years with question marks are estimates.