JACOB KNEW NOT THAT RACHEL HAD STOLEN THEM – Genesis 31:32
Genesis 31:32 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.
Jacob had left the home of Laban without informing Laban. Once Laban heard that Jacob had left to go back to his father’s place, Laban took off after Jacob. Laban caught up with Jacob and one of the first things he inquired about is why Jacob had stolen his false gods. Jacob swore that he did not take anything that belonged to Laban and that whomever had taken the gods could be killed by Laban.
Jacob did not know that Rachel was the one who has taken the false gods. This passage indicates that had Jacob known that it was Rachel, he would not have rendered a death sentence upon whomever had taken the possessions of Laban. Jacob apparently believed that if someone had taken the false gods, it was probably one of the servants.
While Laban never found the gods, this story illustrates an important lesson about being careful about what we say. Jacob would not have said what he did if he knew the truth. However, had the gods been found, it would have created a very difficult situation for Laban and Jacob. Jacob is supposed to protect his wife, yet by his careless words, he placed her in a position that he could not protect her. Jacob would have been force to plead upon the mercy of Laban to spare Rachel. Laban could have used this as an opportunity to obtain several more years of free labor out of Jacob.
Jacob is not the only person in the Bible who spoke quickly and did not realize the consequences that it would have on his family. Jephthah was a man who asked God to bless him in a battle. Jephthah made an oath that if God blessed him, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. Upon God blessing Jephthah, he was horrified to see his daughter be the first to come and welcome him upon his return. Jephthah’s hasty words had an effect upon those whom he loved so much.
David is another man who ended up pronouncing a curse on his own family. Shortly after David had committed adultery with Bath-sheba and had killed her husband, Nathan the prophet came to see David. Nathan told David a story about a man and his sheep. Upon the end of the story, David pronounced that the man who had killed his neighbor’s sheep should pay four fold. David pronounced judgment upon his own family and four of his sons ended up dead as a result.
Jacob spoke quickly because he was offended that Laban would think that he took anything from him. Jacob was slow to think and quick to speak. Jacob knew that he did not take the gods, but he forgot that his wives and his children all would have had access to the house of Laban. God protected Jacob from his stupidity, but it would have been better to not be so hasty to speak.
Jacob was so concerned about his reputation that he forgot that there were others under his care that may have sinned. As Christians, we need to be slow to speak. Rather than focus only upon ourselves, we should make sure that the words that we speak do not drastically affect those whom we love. By adding temperance to our life, we will exercise the self-control that God desires us to demonstrate and we can hold our judgment until God shows us all of the facts. A little self-control in our life will help keep us from getting in trouble with our tongue.