Laban frowned and coughed nervously. “I admit all that you say is true. I’ll even admit that since you have been here, I’ve prospered beyond anything I could have imagined. I checked with a fortune-teller in the market and she agrees, the blessings I’ve received are because of you. You are like a lucky stone. You bring people luck who have none in themselves.”
Jacob grew impatient. He ignored Laban’s fine words and interrupted him to say, “I must return home. Surely you can understand; I’ve not seen my mother or father for all these years.”
Here Laban fumbled with his walking stick and glanced nervously at Jacob. “If you leave now, you’ll go with only the clothes on your back, your wives and children. You’ll go home in poverty to meet your brother, Esau.”
At the mention of Esau, Jacob flinched. “The last word from my mother was that he has not forgotten his anger. He intends to kill me.”
“And you still want to go? You would expose my daughters and grandchildren to such danger?” Laban was beginning to feel confident that he would win in this struggle.
“I would have to rely on my God to protect me and my children.”
“Look,” Laban said, leaning over and clutching Jacob’s arm, “I’m ready to pay well for your services. What do you want? Just state your price.”
Jacob had already considered the weak position he would be in if he returned home as poor as he had been when he left. He was also alarmed that Esau was still carrying his grudge. “If you’ll do one thing, I’ll go back to work for you,” he said finally.
“And what would that be?” Laban asked, expecting something costly.
“Let me have any speckled, striped, or black sheep or goats from your flock and any lambs that are born speckled, striped, or black. These will be mine. I’ll ask nothing more for wages.”
Laban could hardly believe his ears. In the market it was the pure white wool that was prized. “How do you propose for our flocks to be kept apart?” Laban said.
Jacob thought quickly. “I’ll send my sons with a few older shepherds three days distance away with the flock you separate out for me.”
Laban was pleased. “And you will stay and tend my flocks.”
“Of course. I’ll claim only the spotted or striped animals,” Jacob assured him.
When Jacob got up to go, he could tell that Laban thought he had made an excellent bargain. How could he possibly lose? With a flock of all white sheep, how could there be any speckled or black lambs appearing?
At the same time Jacob felt he had just the chance he needed to become wealthy. Since he would be in charge of Laban’s flock of white sheep, he felt sure he could, with a few clever tricks, get some speckled and streaked lambs for himself.
He had been tricked in so many ways by Laban that he didn’t hesitate to make a few questionable plans. If they succeeded, he would be richly rewarded for his time.
Not all of his schemes worked, but within five years, Jacob had become very wealthy. He had not only managed to increase his flock, but by clever trading on the side, had become the owner of camels, donkeys, and many servants. This caused Laban’s sons to complain, “How can this cousin have prospered so quickly at our father’s expense?” Laban himself grew hostile.
At this same time Jacob received word that his mother was ill and perhaps even dying. He was terribly upset. It seemed to him that Laban and his schemes had robbed him of precious years with his own family. If his mother should die before he returned home, he would not be able to bear the pain.
For the first time he pictured his mother always waiting and listening for the message that he was at last coming home. Isaac was blind and could be no comfort to her and he knew that Esau, with his many pagan wives, was a constant frustration.
“I must go home.” The words kept drumming in his mind night and day, but he did not know how to manage it. Laban would certainly think up new ways to detain him, and his wives might refuse to leave the only home they had known.
In a most astonishing way, at this moment of real crisis, Elohim spoke to Jacob. “Return,” He said, “to the land of your fathers and to your own relatives, and I will be with you.”
Jacob felt encouraged though he was aware of many problems. Would his wives support him, or would they side with their father against him? And Laban, what would he try to do just to keep his daughters, grandchildren, and a good worker from leaving? He was not one to easily release someone who worked long hours and did disagreeable things for very little real wage.
He decided to send word to his mother that he was coming home. He could not say how soon, but at least the decision to go would have been made.