Obstructed
Jacob, after years of toil and deceit under Laban, finds himself accused of stealing Laban’s wealth and glory. In a dream, God commands Jacob to leave for his homeland, promising divine protection, and Jacob flees with his family and possessions. Laban, enraged by the sudden departure and the theft of his household gods, pursues Jacob, only to be warned by God to do no harm. When they finally confront each other on the mountain of Gilead, they make a tense truce, swearing a covenant of peace before the Lord, with ancient stones as their witness amidst a land once ruled by giants.
Major Characters
Minor Characters
Insignificant Characters
Watch an explainer video for the Obstructed chapter:
Genesis
65%
Jasher
22%
Jubilees
13%
Exposition
Jubilee: 46
Year: 2206
Laban’s sons look unfavorably toward Jacob
Genesis 31:1-2
Jasher 31:35-36
Rising Action
YHWH tells Jacob to return to Hebron
Genesis 31:3
Jasher 31:37
Jacob speaks with Rachel and Leah and tells them his dream
Genesis 31:4-16
Climax
Once Laban shears his sheep, Jacob leaves with his family
Genesis 31:17-18
Jasher 31:38
Jubilees 29:1-3
Rachel steals her father’s images
Genesis 31:19
Jasher 31:39-40
Jacob leaves with his family
Genesis 31:20
Jubilees 29:4
Instructions on how images are made and used
Jasher 31:41-43
Rachel attempted to prevent Laban from seeking information from his images but failed
Jasher 31:44-45
Month: 3
Day: 13
Laban pursues and catches up with Jacob
Genesis 31:21-23
Jasher 31:46
Jubilees 29:5
YHWH told Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob
Genesis 31:24
Jubilees 29:6
Falling Action
Laban confronts Jacob about leaving and stealing his images
Genesis 31:25-30
Jasher 31:47-48
Jacob reveals his fear of Laban and allows him to search for the images
Genesis 31:31-32
Jasher 31:49
Laban searches the tents for the images
Genesis 31:33-35
Jasher 31:50
Jacob chided with Laban
Genesis 31:36-43
Resolution
Day: 15
Jacob makes a covenant with Laban and they share in a feast with each other
Genesis 31:44
Jubilees 29:7
A pillar with a heap of stones is set up as a memorial of the covenant and they called the place Galeed (Gilead/Jegarsahadutha/Heap of Witness)
Genesis 31:45-50
Jasher 31:51-52
Jubilees 29:8
Jacob and Laban finish with the covenant
Genesis 31:51-53
This land used to belong to the Rephaim giants but was destroyed by YHWH
Jubilees 29:9-11
Jubilee: 46
Year: 2206
Laban’s sons look unfavorably toward Jacob
Genesis 31:1-2
1 And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.
2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
Jasher 31:35-36
35 And in the course of time 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 acquired all this glory.
36 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban and of his children, and behold it was not toward him in those days as it had been before.
YHWH tells Jacob to return to Hebron
Genesis 31:3
3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
Jasher 31:37
37 And the Lord appeared to Jacob at the expiration of the six years, and said unto him, Arise, go forth out of this land, and return to the land of thy birthplace and I will be with thee.
Jacob speaks with Rachel and Leah and tells them his dream
Genesis 31:4-16
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
Once Laban shears his sheep, Jacob leaves with his family
Jubilees 29:1-3
1 And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Laban went to shear his sheep; for they were distant from him a three days’ journey.
2 And Jacob saw that Laban was going to shear his sheep, and Jacob called Leah and Rachel, and spake kindly unto them that they should come with him to the land of Canaan.
3 For he told them how he had seen everything in a dream, even all that He had spoken unto him that he should return to his father’s house, and they said: ‘To every place whither thou goest we will go with thee.’
Genesis 31:17-18
17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
Jasher 31:38
38 And Jacob rose up at that time and he mounted his children and wives and all belonging to him upon camels, and he went forth to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac.
Rachel steals her father’s images
Genesis 31:19
19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.
Jasher 31:39-40
39 And Laban did not know that Jacob had gone from him, for Laban had been that day sheep-shearing.
40 And Rachel stole her father’s images, and she took them and she concealed them upon the camel upon which she sat, and she went on.
Jacob leaves with his family
Genesis 31:20-21
20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
Jubilees 29:4
4 And Jacob blessed the God of Isaac his father, and the God of Abraham his father’s father, and he arose and mounted his wives and his children, and took all his possessions and crossed the river, and came to the land of Gilead, and Jacob hid his intention from Laban and told him not.
Instructions on how images are made and used
Jasher 31:41-43
41 And this is the manner of the images; in taking a man who is the first born and slaying him and taking the hair off his head, and taking salt and salting the head and anointing it in oil, then taking a small tablet of copper or a tablet of gold and writing the name upon it, and placing the tablet under his tongue, and taking the head with the tablet under the tongue and putting it in the house, and lighting up lights before it and bowing down to it.
42 And at the time when they bow down to it, it speaketh to them in all matters that they ask of it, through the power of the name which is written in it.
43 And some make them in the figures of men, of gold and silver, and go to them in times known to them, and the figures receive the influence of the stars, and tell them future things, and in this manner were the images which Rachel stole from her father.
Rachel attempted to prevent Laban from seeking information from his images but failed
Jasher 31:44-45
44 And Rachel stole these images which were her father’s, in order that Laban might not know through them where Jacob had gone.
45 And Laban came home and he asked concerning Jacob and his household, and he was not to be found, and Laban sought his images to know where Jacob had gone, and could not find them, and he went to some other images, and he inquired of them and they told him that Jacob had fled from him to his father’s, to the land of Canaan.
Month: 3
Day: 13
Laban pursues and catches up with Jacob i
Genesis 31:22-23
22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
Jasher 31:46
46 And Laban then rose up and he took his brothers and all his servants, and he went forth and pursued Jacob, and he overtook him in mount Gilead.
Jubilees 29:5
5 And in the seventh year of the fourth week Jacob turned (his face) toward Gilead in the first month, on the twenty-first thereof. [2135 A.M.] And Laban pursued after him and overtook Jacob in the mountain of Gilead in the third month, on the thirteenth thereof.
YHWH told Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob
Genesis 31:24
24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
Jubilees 29:6
6 And the Lord did not suffer him to injure Jacob; for he appeared to him in a dream by night. And Laban spake to Jacob.
Laban confronts Jacob about leaving and stealing his images
Genesis 31:25
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
Genesis 31:26-28
26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
Jasher 31:47-48
47 And Laban said unto Jacob, What is this thou hast done to me to flee and deceive me, and lead my daughters and their children as captives taken by the sword?
48 And thou didst not suffer me to kiss them and send them away with joy, and thou didst steal my gods and didst go away.
Genesis 31:29-30
29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
Jacob reveals his fear of Laban and allows him to search for the images
Genesis 31:31-32
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
Jasher 31:49
49 And Jacob answered Laban, saying, Because I was afraid lest thou wouldst take thy daughters by force from me; and now with whomsoever thou findest thy gods he shall die.
Laban searches the tents for the images
Genesis 31:33-34
33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
Jasher 31:50
50 And Laban searched for the images and he examined in all Jacob’s tents and furniture, but could not find them.
Genesis 31:35
35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.
Jacob chided with Laban
Genesis 31:36-43
36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
Day: 15
Jacob makes a covenant with Laban and they share in a feast with each other
Genesis 31:44
44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
Jubilees 29:7
7 And on the fifteenth of those days Jacob made a feast for Laban, and for all who came with him, and Jacob sware to Laban that day, and Laban also to Jacob, that neither should cross the mountain of Gilead to the other with evil purpose.
A pillar with a heap of stones is set up as a memorial of the covenant and they called the place Galeed (Gilead/Jegarsahadutha/Heap of Witness/Mizpah)
Genesis 31:45
45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
Genesis 31:46-48
46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
Jasher 31:52
52 And they took stones and made a heap, and Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee, therefore he called the name thereof Gilead.
Jubilees 29:8
8 And he made there a heap for a witness; wherefore the name of that place is called: ‘The Heap of Witness,’ after this heap.
Genesis 31:49
49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
Genesis 31:50
50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.
Jasher 31:51
51 And Laban said unto Jacob, We will make a covenant together and it shall be a testimony between me and thee; if thou shalt afflict my daughters, or shalt take other wives besides my daughters, even God shall be a witness between me and thee in this matter.
Jacob and Laban finish with the covenant
Genesis 31:51-53
51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:
52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.
53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.
This land used to belong to the Rephaim giants but was destroyed by YHWH
Jubilees 29:9-11
9 But before they used to call the land of Gilead the land of the Rephaim; for it was the land of the Rephaim, and the Rephaim were born (there), giants whose height was ten, nine, eight down to seven cubits.
10 And their habitation was from the land of the children of Ammon to Mount Hermon, and the seats of their kingdom were Karnaim and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, and Misur, and Beon.
11 And the Lord destroyed them because of the evil of their deeds; for they were very malignant, and the Amorites dwelt in their stead, wicked and sinful, and there is no people to-day which has wrought to the full all their sins, and they have no longer length of life on the earth.
Notes
i
Jubilees 29:5 says it took Laban 7 weeks to catch up with Jacob whereas Genesis 31:23 says it took 7 days.
Exposition
Jubilee: 46
Year: 2206
Laban’s sons look unfavorably toward Jacob
Genesis 31:1-2
Jasher 31:35-36
Jacob overheard Laban’s sons saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father, and from what was our father’s, he’s gained all this wealth.”
Jacob also noticed that Laban and his sons didn’t look at him the same way they used to.
Rising Action
YHWH tells Jacob to return to Hebron
Genesis 31:3
Jasher 31:37
At the end of the 6 years, the Lord appeared to Jacob and said, “Get up, leave this land, and return to the land where you were born. I’ll be with you.”
Jacob speaks with Rachel and Leah and tells them his dream
Genesis 31:4-16
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah and brought them out to the field where his flock was. He said to them, “I can see that your father no longer looks at me the way he used to, but the God of my father has been with me. You both know that I’ve worked hard for your father with all my strength. But he’s deceived me and changed my wages 10 times. Still, God didn’t allow him to harm me. Whenever he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ all the animals gave birth to speckled offspring. And when he said, ‘The striped ones will be your wages,’ all the animals gave birth to striped offspring. So God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.
When the animals were mating, I looked up and saw in a dream that the rams mounting the flock were striped, speckled, and spotted. Then the angel of God spoke to me in a dream, calling, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he said, ‘Look up and see—all the rams mounting the flock are striped, speckled, and spotted. I’ve seen everything Laban has done to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a vow to me. Now get up, leave this land, and return to your family.’”
Rachel and Leah replied, “Is there any portion or inheritance left for us in our father’s house? Doesn’t he treat us like strangers? He sold us and has spent all the money. Everything God has taken from our father belongs to us and our children. So go ahead and do whatever God told you.”
Climax
Once Laban shears his sheep, Jacob leaves with his family
Genesis 31:17-18
Jasher 31:38
Jubilees 29:1-3
After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Laban went out to shear his sheep, which were a 3-day journey away. Seeing this, Jacob called Leah and Rachel and spoke kindly to them, encouraging them to go with him to Canaan. He shared how he’d seen all of it in a dream—everything God had said to him about returning to his father’s house. They responded, “Wherever you go, we will go with you.”
So Jacob got up, placed his sons and wives on camels, and took all the livestock and possessions he had acquired in Padan-aram. He was heading to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Rachel steals her father’s images
Genesis 31:19
Jasher 31:39-40
Laban didn’t know Jacob had left, as he was still out shearing sheep that day. Meanwhile, Rachel stole her father’s images. She hid them on the camel she was riding and left.
Jacob leaves with his family
Genesis 31:20
Jubilees 29:4
Jacob gave thanks and blessed the God of Isaac, his father, and the God of Abraham, his grandfather. Without telling Laban, he quietly left. He fled with everything he owned, crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
Instructions on how images are made and used
Jasher 31:41-43
Here’s how those images were made: They would kill a firstborn man, shave his head, salt it, and anoint it with oil. Then they’d make a small copper or gold tablet, write a name on it, and place it under the tongue of the head. The head was then placed in a house, with lights lit in front of it, and people would bow to it. When they bowed, it would speak to them about whatever they asked, through the power of the name written on the tablet.
Others made images shaped like humans, out of gold or silver, and visited them at specific times. These figures would receive the influence of the stars and tell the future. These are the types of images Rachel had stolen from her father.
Rachel attempted to prevent Laban from seeking information from his images but failed
Jasher 31:44-45
Rachel stole her father’s images to stop him from using them to find out where Jacob had gone. When Laban got home, he asked around about Jacob and his family, but no one knew where they were. Then he tried to use his images to find them, but couldn’t, because they were missing. So he turned to some other images, and those told him that Jacob had run away to his father’s land in Canaan.
Month: 3
Day: 13
Laban pursues and catches up with Jacob
Genesis 31:21-23
Jasher 31:46
Jubilees 29:5
In the 7th year of the 4th week, on the 21st day of the 1st month, Jacob set out toward Gilead. Laban pursued him and caught up with him in the mountains of Gilead, on the 13th day of the 3rd month—7 days later.
YHWH told Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob
Genesis 31:24
Jubilees 29:6
God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream that night and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, good or bad.”
Falling Action
Laban confronts Jacob about leaving and stealing his images
Genesis 31:25-30
Jasher 31:47-48
Laban caught up to Jacob, who had pitched his tent in the mountains. Laban and his brothers set up camp nearby.
Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done—sneaking away and taking my daughters like captives taken in war? Why did you leave secretly and deceive me? You didn’t even give me a chance to send you off with celebration—with songs, tambourine, and harp. You didn’t even let me kiss my sons and daughters goodbye. What you did was foolish. I could hurt you if I wanted, but the God of your father warned me last night, saying, ‘Don’t say anything to Jacob, good or bad.’ Even if you had to go because you missed your father’s house so much, why did you steal my gods?”
Jacob reveals his fear of Laban and allows him to search for the images
Genesis 31:31-32
Jasher 31:49
Jacob replied, “I was afraid. I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force. But if you find your gods with anyone here, they won’t live. Go ahead and look in front of our relatives—if you find anything that belongs to you, take it.”
Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen the images.
Laban searches the tents for the images
Genesis 31:33-35
Jasher 31:50
Laban searched Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s, then the tents of the 2 maidservants, but found nothing. Then he went into Rachel’s tent. Rachel had hidden the images in the camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched the entire tent but didn’t find them.
Rachel said to her father, “Please don’t be upset that I can’t stand up for you—the way of women is upon me.”
So he searched, but didn’t find the images.
Jacob chided with Laban
Genesis 31:36-43
Jacob got angry and argued with Laban. He said, “What wrong have I done? What sin have I committed that you’d chase after me like this? You’ve gone through all my things—did you find anything that belongs to you? Put it here in front of our relatives and let them decide between us.
For 20 years I’ve been with you—your ewes and female goats never miscarried, and I never ate a single ram from your flock. If something was killed by wild animals, I didn’t bring it to you—I took the loss myself. You made me pay for anything stolen, whether it happened in the day or at night. I dealt with scorching heat during the day and freezing cold at night, and I lost sleep. I’ve served you 20 years—14 for your 2 daughters, and 6 for your flocks—and you changed my wages 10 times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac hadn’t been with me, you would’ve sent me away with nothing. But God saw my suffering and hard work and rebuked you last night.”
Laban answered, “These daughters are mine. These children are mine. The livestock is mine. Everything you see is mine. But what can I do today for my daughters or their children whom they’ve borne?”
Resolution
Day: 15
Jacob makes a covenant with Laban and they share in a feast with each other
Genesis 31:44
Jubilees 29:7
“Come now,” Laban said, “let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”
On the 15th day, Jacob held a feast for Laban and everyone with him. Jacob and Laban both swore not to cross over the mountain of Gilead toward each other with harmful intentions.
A pillar with a heap of stones is set up as a memorial of the covenant and they called the place Galeed (Gilead/Jegarsahadutha/Heap of Witness)
Genesis 31:45-50
Jasher 31:51-52
Jubilees 29:8
Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. He told his brothers, “Gather some stones.” They did, and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap.
Laban called it Jegarsahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed. Laban said, “This heap is a witness between us today.”
So the place was named Galeed (Gilead), and also Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me while we are apart. Let this covenant be a witness between us. If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives besides them—even though no one is with us—remember, God is a witness between you and me.”
Jacob and Laban finish with the covenant
Genesis 31:49-53
Laban said to Jacob, “Look at this heap and pillar I’ve set between us. They are witnesses that I won’t cross over to you, and you won’t cross over to me, to do harm. May the God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and their father’s God judge between us.”
And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
This land used to belong to the Rephaim giants but was destroyed by YHWH
Jubilees 29:9-11
This land was once called the land of the Rephaim because that’s who lived there—giants ranging in height from 10 to 7 cubits. Their territory stretched from the land of the Ammonites to Mount Hermon. Their kingdom’s main cities were Karnaim, Ashtaroth, Edrei, Misur, and Beon. But the Lord destroyed them because of their great wickedness. Then the Amorites took over the land. They too were evil and sinful, and no nation has ever matched their sins. Now they no longer exist or have any life on the earth.