Gen 31: Jacob returning home and being chased by Laban

Jacob went through more suffering than his ancestors. He was forced from his father's house, went to his uncle and was mistreated, and hence decided to flee home.

• v1: Laban and his sons had become ill-natured towards Jacob in what they said. They said that "Jacob has taken everything our father owned", a gross exaggeration. What happened to all the cattle that were committed to the custody of Laban's sons and sent a three days journey away? (Gen 30:35-36)
• v2: Laban, filled with envy that Jacob was so blessed by God, changed his attitude toward Jacob.
• v3: The reason Jacob left was not because he was mistreated, but because God told him to. He remained in a place of hardship for twenty years because he had been told to go there, and remained until God guided him back.
• v4-13: He left with his wives' consent, and explained to them everything that had happened. Prov 13:22 - "a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous" - perhaps illustrated by the fact that much of Laban's wealth and flock went to Jacob year after year despite Laban dishonestly changing Jacob's wages ten times.
• v14-16: Laban also mistreated his daughters, looking upon them as strangers.
• v17-18: Jacob did not take anything that was not his along - he took what God gave him and would not take the repair of his damages into his own hands
• v19: Rachel, on the other hand, was not as honest - she stole her father's household gods/images (Hebrew = teraphim). The reason she took them is unclear - it could be that she coveted the precious metal they were made of, or had a superstitious fear that Laban could consult his 'household gods' and know where they had gone, or to convince her father of the folly of his regard to idols.
• v22-24: Laban, upon hearing that Jacob had gone, raised his clan, and pursued Jacob to bring him back into bondage. The night before Laban came into contact with Jacob God intervened and rebuked Laban.
• v26-28: Laban accused Jacob as a renegade that had deserted his service, intimating that he intended kindness to his daughters and would have wanted to send them away with joy and singing. Rebekah, 120 years before, was sent away out of the same family with prayers and blessing.
• v29: Laban, even though rebuked by God, continued to boast of his own power
• v30: He accused Jacob of being a thief, and yet the things that Jacob supposedly stole were just downright ridiculous. How could Laban worship and call gods things that could be stolen?
• v31-32: Perhaps Jacob spoke too hastily when he said "if you find anyone who has your gods, he shall not live", not knowing that Rachel had stolen them. We read on to find that Rachel died in childbirth not long later.
• v33-35: Laban made a diligent search for his gods, indicating his lack of trust in Jacob, and also out of love to his idols. If people who seek after false gods can seek them with such diligence, with how much more passion and intention should we seek God our maker?
• v36-37: Jacob, a naturally mild tempered and calm man, was made angry by Laban, because it was a great affront to an honest person to be charged with dishonesty.
• v38-40: Jacob had been a good and faithful servant. He was honest, hardworking and pious.
• v39-42: Laban was an unjust master - he punished above the proportion of the fault, denied Jacob what was just, and robbed the poor.
• v43-44: Laban had nothing to say in reply to Jacob. He was unable to justify himself nor condemn Jacob, yet he did not want to admit his fault or ask Jacob's forgiveness. He hence pretended to profess kindness for Jacob's wives and children, finally acknowledging them as his own. He loved words of vanity, saying that "All that you see is mine" even though this was completely untrue.
• v45-53: The covenant was made and ratified according to the customs of the times:
  a pillar was erected and a heap of stones raised to perpetuate the memory
  a sacrifice of peace offerings was offerred.
  they ate together, jointly partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice. Covenants of friendship were ratified by the parties involved eating and drinking together
  they solemnly appealed to God as a witness and as a judge
• Jacob only swore by the fear of his father Isaac i.e. the God whom his father Isaac feared. The two words of Jacob's were more memorable than al of Laban's long speeches and repetitions, because the "quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools"（Eccl 9:17)