Verses 22–35
God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not
change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to
make a merit of necessity. Foolish Laban! to call those things his gods which could be stolen!
Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he
knew not. Those who commit their cause to God, are not forbidden to plead it themselves with
meekness and fear. When we read of Rachel's stealing her father's images, what a scene of iniquity
opens! The family of Nahor, who left the idolatrous Chaldees; is this family itself become idolatrous?
It is even so. The truth seems to be, that they were like some in after-times, who sware by the Lord
and by Malcham, Zep 1:5; and like others in our times, who wish to serve both God and mammon.
Great numbers will acknowledge the true God in words, but their hearts and houses are the abodes
of spiritual idolatry. When a man gives himself up to covetousness, like Laban, the world is his
god; and he has only to reside among gross idolaters in order to become one, or at least a favourer
of their abominations.
Verses 36–42
If Jacob were willingly consumed with heat in the day, and frost by night, to become the
son-in-law of Laban, what should we refuse to endure, to become the sons of God? Jacob speaks
of God as the God of his father; he thought himself unworthy to be regarded, but was beloved for
his father's sake. He calls him the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac; for Abraham was dead,
and gone to that world where perfect love casts out fear; but Isaac was yet alive, sanctifying the
Lord in his heart, as his fear and his dread.
Verses 43–55
Laban could neither justify himself nor condemn Jacob, therefore desires to hear no more of
that matter. He is not willing to own himself in fault, as he ought to have done. But he proposes a
covenant of friendship between them, to which Jacob readily agrees. A heap of stones was raised,
to keep up the memory of the event, writing being then not known or little used. A sacrifice of
peace offerings was offered. Peace with God puts true comfort into our peace with our friends.
They did eat bread together, partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice. In ancient times covenants
of friendship were ratified by the parties eating and drinking together. God is judge between
contending parties, and he will judge righteously; whoever do wrong, it is at their peril. They gave
a new name to the place, The heap of witness. After this angry parley, they part friends. God is
often better to us than our fears, and overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we
could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.
Chapter 32