65 Laban Confronts Jacob

The text makes a clear the distinction between the Israelite Jacob and the pagan Laban. In doing so the Genesis writer identifies Laban as a Syrian. God told Laban to stay neutral when confronting Jacob (“Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad”). Apparently he was just ready to confront Jacob with his anger and hurt him until God warned him not to do that. When he confronted Jacob he started the diatribe against him with his secret flight away from him. He said,” What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters as captives of the sword?” Then he let him know that he wanted to have a feast at his departing. Laban asked, “Wherefore didst thou flee 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.” Finally, in this first verbal attack Laban cites the third reason to pursue Jacob, that his feelings were supposedly wounded. He said he did not get to kiss his children. He said, “and didst not suffer me to kiss my sons and my daughters?” Now Laban concluded his verbal attack on Jacob by saying, “now hast thou done foolishly.” Interestingly, as Laban initially characterizes the situation as a theft he quick moves it from the legal to the personal by claiming to be hurt.