# 39 - Jacob's Escape - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, Jacob finally breaks free from his deceitful father-in-law, Laban, in a dramatic tale of divine intervention and human cunning. As Jacob prepares to return home, he must navigate the complexities of family loyalty, wealth, and God's promise, ultimately trusting in God’s guidance to lead him back to his ancestral land.
Episode 39 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Psalm 139:7, “Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?”
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Show Notes:
(1:58) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(3:02) Jacob's Escape - Cinematic Retelling
(26:36) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen people.
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Speaker 2: I'll serve you for seven more years. That should be
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Speaker 2: more than enough for your youngest daughter, Rachel's and in marriage.
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Speaker 3: Oh yes, well, I suppose it's better I give her
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Speaker 3: to you. A kinsman and another dog from another clan
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Speaker 3: wanted to swap rocks and land. You have yourself a deal.
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Speaker 1: It had been seven years since his agreement with Larbon.
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Speaker 1: He had worked tirelessly, expanding Larbin's flocks sevenfold.
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Speaker 2: Leah, what are you doing here?
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Speaker 4: I was with you last night, Jacob. Don't you remember
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Speaker 4: that treacherous snake They betricked me?
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Speaker 3: Jacob, Jacob, you know better. I knew you wouldn't take
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Speaker 3: Lee I for a bride price of seven years. I
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Speaker 3: did what I had to do. This way, I get
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Speaker 3: to marry off my eldest daughter, and you worked my
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Speaker 3: fields for far more years than she's war It's a
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Speaker 3: win win. Well by that, of course, I mean that
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Speaker 3: I win twice.
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Speaker 1: Jacob sobered immediately. He understood who he was dealing with.
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Speaker 1: Now they were cut from the same cloth. The trickster
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Speaker 1: had been tricked. Jacob was angry, but he couldn't avoid
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Speaker 1: the irony. Jacob expanded his lineage larger than his forefathers
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Speaker 1: could ever imagine eleven sons to bear the promise given
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Speaker 1: to Abraham and Isaac. Yet the house of Jacob had
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Speaker 1: a foundation built on pettiness, favoritism, and jealousy. Jacob did
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Speaker 1: nothing to thwart the coiling weeds of discord choking out
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Speaker 1: the life of his wives and children.
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Speaker 5: A shepherd in Biblical pastors, He's trying to make life
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Speaker 5: for himself despite his flaws and because of his faith.
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Speaker 5: His story is the story of us. All shallo, my
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Speaker 5: friends from here in the holy Land of Israel i'm
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Speaker 5: l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
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Speaker 5: Welcome to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a
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Speaker 5: dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled with timeless
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Speaker 5: lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life. Through
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Speaker 5: Israel's story, we find this truth that we are all
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Speaker 5: chosen for something great. Let's begin. Jacob is a flawed
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Speaker 5: man who strives, and he is faithful man who is chosen.
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Speaker 5: In Jacob's life, we find a labrinth of choices, each
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Speaker 5: one's still echoing through the ages. Let's dive into this
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Speaker 5: dramatic story inspired by Genesis thirty twenty five to thirty one.
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Speaker 1: Jacob reclined at the table opposite Larban. His father in
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Speaker 1: law's voice nearly shook the earth when he spoke. Jacob
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Speaker 1: could feel the base of Laban's laughter deep in his chest.
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Speaker 1: At first, Laban's charisma was charming to Jacob, but over
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Speaker 1: the years and four wives later, Jacob grew tired of
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Speaker 1: the show. Larban took up too much space for Jacob
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Speaker 1: to truly grow. He longed to be in the land
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Speaker 1: of his forefathers and to seize the birthright he won
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Speaker 1: from Esau. Leaving Haroon wouldn't be easy. Larban had a
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Speaker 1: tight grip on his daughter's even after Jacob had married them. Furthermore,
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Speaker 1: Larban's wealth had increased nearly tenfold since Jacob arrived. Larban
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Speaker 1: considered him something of a good luck charm. Jacob had
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Speaker 1: to be discreet and clever if he was to leave peacefully.
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Speaker 3: Jacob, tomorrow, I'd like you to take the flocks past
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Speaker 3: the western hills. We have guests coming to Grays from
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Speaker 3: the east, and I prefer not to confuse our sheep
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Speaker 3: with theirs.
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Speaker 2: That sounds reasonable, I'll have the shepherd boys prepare first
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Speaker 2: thing in the morning.
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Speaker 3: Ah, excellent, my dear boy. Now tell me how are
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Speaker 3: my sweet daughters and grandchild?
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Speaker 2: Chaotic and unpredictable? As usual?
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Speaker 1: Jacob shrugged. His household was overflowing with tears, broken bones,
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Speaker 1: and spilled milk. His twelve children, mostly boys, were all
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Speaker 1: under eighteen. The boys fought with their fists, the wives
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Speaker 1: fought with their tongues, and his sweet daughter Dinah would
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Speaker 1: rarely cease crying because of it all. It was a
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Speaker 1: messy life, but it was Jacob's life. Nonetheless, in the
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Speaker 1: back of his mind, Jacob blamed Laban for all of it.
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Speaker 1: All he had wanted was to marry Rachel, enjoy a
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Speaker 1: few years of peace, then returned to Canaan. But Larban's
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Speaker 1: tricks created a domino effect of backbiting chaos and an
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Speaker 1: endless flow of children. Jacob now had wealth, four wives,
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Speaker 1: and twelve children, but no actual property to sustain it. All,
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Speaker 1: all orchestrated by jolly old Laban, his dear father in law.
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Speaker 3: You should thank me for having so many sons. Without
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Speaker 3: our little agreement with Leah, you'd only have one son
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Speaker 3: to your name. Look at how blessed you are now.
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Speaker 2: Yes, blessed. Indeed, speaking of which, Laban, I have something
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Speaker 2: I want to discuss.
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Speaker 1: Larban leaned back and sipped his cup. His eyes arrowed
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Speaker 1: and his wide smile shrank into a slight smirk.
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Speaker 2: I'd like to return home to my home country. Allow
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Speaker 2: me to leave with my wives and children. I've served
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Speaker 2: you the full fourteen years of our arrangement, and then
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Speaker 2: more to build enough of my own wealth here. Now
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Speaker 2: that Rachel has borne a child, I feel this season
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Speaker 2: of our lives has ended.
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Speaker 1: Larban drew a long, deep breath and pondered. Jacob studied
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Speaker 1: his eyes. Laban rarely betrayed his inner thoughts, but Jacob
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Speaker 1: had become adept at reading him. Jacob knew that Larban
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Speaker 1: was calculating the loss. The big man leaned forward, calp
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Speaker 1: twirling in hand.
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Speaker 3: In the past twenty years, my live stock has increased,
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Speaker 3: my family's wealth has double, and the land has been
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Speaker 3: rich with crops ha It almost seems too good to
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Speaker 3: be true. So I found some gods. I sought to
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Speaker 3: know the answer through divination. A seer revealed the answer
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Speaker 3: to me in the dark sands and bone.
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Speaker 2: And what did this divination reveal to you?
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Speaker 3: That your God has blessed me because of your presence.
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Speaker 3: All I have gained in these past two decades are
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Speaker 3: because of you, My dear Laban.
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Speaker 2: You didn't need the occult to show you such things.
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Speaker 2: That was the blessing given to my grandfather Abraham. Whoever
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Speaker 2: blesses me will be blessed.
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Speaker 3: Indeed, it's true. So, dear Jacob, because I owe you
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Speaker 3: a debt of gratitude, name your wages and I will
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Speaker 3: get it.
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Speaker 1: Was it that easy? Jacob wondered at Labin for a moment.
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Speaker 1: It was in his nature to be agreeable at first
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Speaker 1: and then dastardly in the margins between promises made and
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Speaker 1: promises kept. Jacob needed to be sent off with his
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Speaker 1: family as peacefully as possible.
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Speaker 2: You know, I've put the most effort into your lifestyle.
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Speaker 2: You only had a little before I came, but it's
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Speaker 2: increased tenfold since then. All I ask is that you
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Speaker 2: provide me with enough for my household to start.
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Speaker 3: So what's I give you?
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Speaker 2: You don't need to give me anything. I will pass
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Speaker 2: to your flock and remove all the blemished ones from
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Speaker 2: the herd. I'll take the spotted sheep that with the
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Speaker 2: black lambs and the speckled ghosts. They'll be my wages.
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Speaker 2: This serves you in two ways. First, you'll know I'm
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Speaker 2: dealing honestly with you, since the animals will be easy
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Speaker 2: to identify. Second, you'll have purer herds left for you
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Speaker 2: when I leave. It'll increase the value of your herd tremendously.
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Speaker 3: Ah, yes, this is good. Let it be as you
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Speaker 3: have said.
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Speaker 1: Larbin reached out his arm and linked it with Jacob's.
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Speaker 1: Jacob hid his smile. Larban wrongly assumed that the trick
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Speaker 1: with Leo was water under the bridge. It wasn't, and
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Speaker 1: Jacob was determined to remind Larviin who the real trickster was.
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Speaker 1: Larbin removed all the black, blemished, spotted, and striped livestock
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Speaker 1: from his flocks. He counted each of them, insuring none
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Speaker 1: were left unaccounted for. He then put them in the
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Speaker 1: care of his sons while Jacob led Larban's herd for
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Speaker 1: one final graze. He left a three days journey between
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Speaker 1: himself and Larban, ensuring there was no chance for the
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Speaker 1: flocks to intermingle. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were with Jacob
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Speaker 1: padding behind him like pups. Jacob led them to a
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Speaker 1: far off pasture beside a dense forest.
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Speaker 2: Boys, I want you to go into the forest and
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Speaker 2: retrieve some branches for me. I need fresh sticks from poplar,
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Speaker 2: almond and plane trees.
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Speaker 1: The boys did as they were told, running deep into
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Speaker 1: the forest, tripping each other along the way. They returned
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Speaker 1: with the branches. Jacob observed them, nodded in approval, and
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Speaker 1: began breaking them into smaller pieces.
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Speaker 2: Your grandfather, Layban has been close to this city for
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Speaker 2: too long. He's forgotten some of the finer art and husbandry.
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Speaker 2: It isn't just about keeping the sheep safe and fed.
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Speaker 2: You must be intentional without them bread. You need to
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Speaker 2: understand when they're in heat, how they choose mates, and
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Speaker 2: what makes them fertile.
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Speaker 1: As Jacob explained these things, he tossed the branches into
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Speaker 1: the sheep's watering trough.
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Speaker 2: I've spent years preparing every sheep in Layban's flock. I
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Speaker 2: know which traits skip generations, and how to make certain
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Speaker 2: sheep breed with those hidden traits. Soon, this flock will
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Speaker 2: multiply with spotted, freckled, and striped sheep, all for us
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Speaker 2: to take back home. Currently, our flock back at camp
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Speaker 2: is half the size of Layban's. By the time we leave,
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Speaker 2: it'll be double.
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Speaker 1: The sheep came to drink, and a satisfied grin curled
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Speaker 1: on Jacob's face.
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Speaker 2: Another thing Laban does not realize is that I have
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Speaker 2: the favor of God passed down to me from my
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Speaker 2: father and his father. He revealed this plan to me
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Speaker 2: in a dream. God's guidance and man's diligence. This is
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Speaker 2: the way of our people. Watch and learn myself, Uns
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Speaker 2: when we returned to Canaan, you'll need to know all
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Speaker 2: these things. Here he's a snake in the grass.
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Speaker 3: Jacob's been taking from our father, right under our noses.
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Speaker 1: Jacob leaned against the low walls separating him from Lavian's men.
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Speaker 1: They were young and fiery, worried that Jacob's increased wealth
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Speaker 1: was due to theft.
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Speaker 2: I haven't stolen anything. It's Laban's foolishness that's caught him
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Speaker 2: into trouble. I can't have the hatred boiling until it's
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Speaker 2: too late. It's time to leave now.
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Speaker 1: Then everything narrowed, The sounds of the people muted, and
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Speaker 1: the smells of fire and filled pots disappeared. Everything was
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Speaker 1: silent still. Then in the deep chambers of Jacob's heart.
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Speaker 1: The voice of his god echoed, Return to the land
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Speaker 1: of your father's and your kin, go, for I will
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Speaker 1: be with you. All Jacob's senses returned. Jacob stealed his
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Speaker 1: will and slipped back to his camp, unnoticed by Lavin's men.
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Speaker 1: He gathered Rachel and Leah to himself, pacing back and
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Speaker 1: forth as he worked up the courage to speak.
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Speaker 2: Ever since I told your father about my intentions to leave,
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Speaker 2: he's grown cold. I fear his men are fueling his
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Speaker 2: eye toward me.
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Speaker 6: He has grown quite agitated as of late.
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Speaker 4: It may have something to do with all those sheep Jacob,
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Speaker 4: You've provoked him.
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Speaker 2: The god of my father has been with me. That
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Speaker 2: is why our wealth has increased. While I am shrewd
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Speaker 2: with my resources. Your father has exhausted his and spent
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Speaker 2: frivolously Hu.
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Speaker 6: He's spent a great deal of money on those shrines
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Speaker 6: of his. They're his tools for divination. All of the
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Speaker 6: inheritance that was owed to Leah and me was wasted
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Speaker 6: on those silly statues.
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Speaker 2: He's unhinged and unpredictable. You know, I've served your father
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Speaker 2: with all my strength, yet he's cheated me ten times over.
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Speaker 2: He's changed the terms of our agreement too many times
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Speaker 2: to count. Each time I've ended up gaining more.
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Speaker 4: How is that exactly? How have you outsmarted our father?
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Speaker 2: I haven't out smarted him. God has. And now it's
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Speaker 2: time we leave with the land he's promised to me.
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Speaker 2: Will you go with me? Are we in this together?
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Speaker 1: Leah and Rachel looked at each other. The situation demanded
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Speaker 1: they agree for the first time in nearly two decades.
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Speaker 1: Rachel and Leah exchange looks of understanding.
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Speaker 6: There's nothing left for us here. Our father has regarded
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Speaker 6: us as foreigners. He has left us nothing.
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Speaker 4: Whatever you've gained is our gain. To whatever God asks
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Speaker 4: you to do, we will follow.
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Speaker 1: Jacob wanted to hug and kiss them both, but decided
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Speaker 1: not to. There were moments when the strangeness of their
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Speaker 1: situation dawned on him, and now was one of those moments.
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Speaker 1: He shook the awkward feeling, then commanded some men to
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Speaker 1: mount their camels. Leah and Rachel prepared the children, while
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Speaker 1: Zilpah and Bellah gathered all their belongings. The clouds parted
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Speaker 1: like curtains to give moonlight to Jacob's camp, Jacob hustled,
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Speaker 1: collapsing every last tent and locking every last chest. Bags
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Speaker 1: were loaded onto wagons, and camels were loaded with his
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Speaker 1: children's belongings. Every child had a camel, all but Joseph
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Speaker 1: tied securely to Rachael's chest. In the flurry of preparation,
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Speaker 1: Rachel meandered into her father's room. He had been gone
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Speaker 1: for the night for shearing. There, sitting atop a wooden
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Speaker 1: shrine with the idols of divination, contempt for her father
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Speaker 1: boiled deep within her. Those idols were a symbol of
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Speaker 1: Laban's indifference towards his children and the vain cultish beliefs
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Speaker 1: he'd become enslaved too. In defiance, Rachel swiped the idols
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Speaker 1: from the altar and put them in her bag. With
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Speaker 1: a torch in one hand and the reins of his
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Speaker 1: camel in another, Jacob turned to his wives, children, servants,
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Speaker 1: and men. Looking at all gathered in one place made
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Speaker 1: him realize how vast his wealth had become. He had
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Speaker 1: a loyal caravan of family and friends ready to follow
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Speaker 1: him into the Negev.
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Speaker 2: None of you have seen what I have seen. None
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Speaker 2: of you know the riches of Canaan or the nectar
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Speaker 2: of the Lamb. You've never met my father Eisen, nor
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Speaker 2: have you heard of Abraham. But you've seen me. You've
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Speaker 2: seen how my God has blessed me. Some of you
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Speaker 2: know all too well that my God has blessed me
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Speaker 2: despite my own foolishness and pride.
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Speaker 1: Jacob stole a glance at his wives, who knew intimately
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Speaker 1: Jacob's follies and failures. They had bore witness to his floors,
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Speaker 1: but had seen God work despite them, which fueled their trust.
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Speaker 2: My grandfather Abraham once left the comforts of these lands
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Speaker 2: to Canaan. He embarked on an adventure into the unknown,
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Speaker 2: beckoned by a faint promise whispered in stars and tonight,
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Speaker 2: we've been given that same call to adventure. We're asked
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Speaker 2: to leave this land and step into the unknown. Hear me, Claham, Jacob.
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Speaker 2: Here is my declaration that God will be with us,
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Speaker 2: just as he was with my father's Isaac and Abraham.
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Speaker 1: The crowd erupted in cheers. Jacob raised his torch high
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Speaker 1: into the air. Chills covered his body. He finally felt
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Speaker 1: like a leader. He felt like he had the potential
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Speaker 1: for greatness. He pulled at the reins of his camel
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Speaker 1: and turned toward the Euphrates. His course was set toward
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Speaker 1: the hill country of Gilead. Larban was only a day's
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Speaker 1: journey behind Jacob, breathing threats of death into the cold
00:17:00
Speaker 1: as he galloped over the sands with a small army
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Speaker 1: behind him.
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Speaker 3: I'll have that trader's head. On a hike, he took
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Speaker 3: my tarters, I will and my gods.
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Speaker 1: His men were gaining on them, and settled for one
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Speaker 1: more night in the desert.
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Speaker 3: Tomorrow, I'll have my revenge.
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Speaker 1: Larban fell asleep under the stars, head heavy on his pillow,
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Speaker 1: fantasizing about driving a spear through Jacob's throat. However, in
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Speaker 1: the dead of night, the god of Jacob appeared to
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Speaker 1: Laban in a dream. Laban saw visions of Jacob and
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Speaker 1: his grandchildren huddled in a circle, and Laban's men closed
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Speaker 1: in with spears. Then the stars in the sky fell
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Speaker 1: upon Laban, and a voice that sounded like thunder boomed.
00:17:48
Speaker 3: Be careful how you deal with Jacob. Mind your words,
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Speaker 3: whether good or bad.
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Speaker 1: Laban awoke in fright.
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Speaker 3: It lay up and around him.
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Speaker 1: It was only a dream, but Labin realized that harming
00:18:04
Speaker 1: Jacob would come at a great cost to him. Jacob
00:18:08
Speaker 1: woke in a panic. The braying of camels and the
00:18:11
Speaker 1: clamoring of men caused Jacob to leap out of his
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Speaker 1: tent with his sword drawn. His men were awake as well,
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Speaker 1: swords of the ready dawns. Candescent glare beamed behind the intruders,
00:18:22
Speaker 1: hiding their faces, but Jacob could see the glimmering of
00:18:25
Speaker 1: their spears. He squinted, straining to get a gauge on
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Speaker 1: the situation, but everything became clear when he heard a
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Speaker 1: shouting voice, Jacob, you.
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Speaker 2: Ah lay been, keep your swords drawn.
00:18:42
Speaker 1: Laban dismounted his camel. His broad chest was puffed out
00:18:46
Speaker 1: in rage, he postured himself as he skulked forward. Jacob
00:18:51
Speaker 1: returned the posture, standing straight with his shoulders back. People
00:18:56
Speaker 1: rarely thought of Jacob as a large man, but he
00:18:59
Speaker 1: was a man of wit first, but when push came
00:19:02
Speaker 1: to shove, he'd fight. His grandfather had taught him that
00:19:06
Speaker 1: there were moments when you couldn't run, you had to
00:19:09
Speaker 1: face your enemy's head on. When Jacob was younger, he
00:19:13
Speaker 1: would have shifted his feet to flee, but now with
00:19:16
Speaker 1: his family behind him. Jacob readied himself.
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Speaker 2: Leave Laban.
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Speaker 3: Now, why have you done this to me? After all
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Speaker 3: I have done for you? This is how you repay me.
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Speaker 3: You've tricked me.
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Speaker 2: It's no more than you deserve.
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Speaker 3: Laban, you denied me a chance to kiss my daughters
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Speaker 3: and grandchildren goodbye. I could have sent you away with
00:19:41
Speaker 3: songs and feasts. You were a fool to leave the
00:19:46
Speaker 3: way you did. It is my right to do your
00:19:49
Speaker 3: harm for what you've done.
00:19:51
Speaker 1: Laban stepped forward, and all of Jacob's men readied themselves.
00:19:56
Speaker 1: Jacob gripped his sword tightly and planted his feet and
00:20:00
Speaker 1: looked around. His brow was furrowed with a mixture of
00:20:03
Speaker 1: rage and heart.
00:20:05
Speaker 3: I should cure you, Jacob, but the god of your
00:20:09
Speaker 3: father spoke to me last night in a dream.
00:20:12
Speaker 2: She warned me not to harm you, so I won't.
00:20:18
Speaker 2: That's a wise choice.
00:20:20
Speaker 3: I understand why you fled the way you do, but
00:20:23
Speaker 3: why take my household? Gods, what are they to you?
00:20:28
Speaker 3: Why steal from me more than you already have.
00:20:32
Speaker 1: Jacob cocked his head to the side in confusion. He
00:20:35
Speaker 1: looked around, scanning the faces of his men. He turned
00:20:39
Speaker 1: back to Laban with a confused.
00:20:41
Speaker 2: Look, Laban, I fled because I was afraid you would
00:20:45
Speaker 2: take your daughter's back by folks. Judging by the spears
00:20:48
Speaker 2: pointed at me, it seems my fears were warranted. But
00:20:52
Speaker 2: as for your idols, I don't know what you're talking about.
00:20:56
Speaker 2: If any of my men have stolen your gods, their lives,
00:20:58
Speaker 2: are yours to take? Search all our tents.
00:21:02
Speaker 1: Rachel's eyes widened. The idols were in her pack, right
00:21:06
Speaker 1: underneath her. Larban stepped forward, face to face with Jacob,
00:21:11
Speaker 1: his nostrils flared like a bull's.
00:21:14
Speaker 3: Very well, let's have a look.
00:21:16
Speaker 1: Then Larban started with Jacob's tent. He rummaged through all
00:21:21
Speaker 1: his belongings, paying little attention to putting things back where
00:21:24
Speaker 1: they belonged. No idols. He went into Lea's tent and
00:21:29
Speaker 1: found nothing. He did the same with Rachel's and all
00:21:32
Speaker 1: the others. When he passed by Rachel, she was sitting,
00:21:35
Speaker 1: not standing. He grunted, you.
00:21:39
Speaker 3: Won't even stand for your own father.
00:21:41
Speaker 6: Forgive me, father, the way of the woman is upon me.
00:21:45
Speaker 6: I fear if I stand to greet you, it would
00:21:48
Speaker 6: be a mess. If you'd like, I can stand here, let.
00:21:53
Speaker 3: Me ah, I know my gods are somewhere around your Jacob,
00:21:56
Speaker 3: You're a thief and a coward.
00:21:58
Speaker 1: Larban pushed Judorous to get into his tent, but Jacob
00:22:02
Speaker 1: stopped him and shouted.
00:22:04
Speaker 2: Enough, Layban, you surround me like I'm a criminal, but
00:22:07
Speaker 2: I want you to list an actual offense against me.
00:22:10
Speaker 2: What is my sin? You felt through all my goods
00:22:13
Speaker 2: and found nothing?
00:22:15
Speaker 3: Yes, but don't interrupt me.
00:22:17
Speaker 2: You're in my camp and I will speak.
00:22:20
Speaker 1: Everyone fell silent. Jacob's voice suddenly seemed deeper and more palpable.
00:22:26
Speaker 1: He was tired of being underestimated and pushed around by Larban.
00:22:30
Speaker 1: For years, he had endured Larban's nonsense on behalf of
00:22:33
Speaker 1: his family, but no longer.
00:22:36
Speaker 2: For nearly twenty years, I've been with you, your yous
00:22:39
Speaker 2: and female ghats, have never miscarried, and I haven't eaten
00:22:42
Speaker 2: a single ram from your flock. I never told you
00:22:45
Speaker 2: when a predator took one of your flock. Instead, I
00:22:49
Speaker 2: took from my own flock to replace what you lost.
00:22:52
Speaker 1: Did you know that, Layman Larban was silent, simmering in
00:22:56
Speaker 1: a mixture of embarrassment and rage. Jacob continued, now circling Laban.
00:23:02
Speaker 2: Gave no mercy while I was working under you. If
00:23:05
Speaker 2: something was stolen from me, day and night, you required
00:23:08
Speaker 2: me to pay it back. So there I stood, day
00:23:12
Speaker 2: and night, ever watchful for you. The heat of the day,
00:23:16
Speaker 2: consumably the cold of the night, shook my bones. I
00:23:20
Speaker 2: served you for fourteen years, for your two daughters, six
00:23:24
Speaker 2: years for your flock. You changed my wages six times
00:23:28
Speaker 2: because you were in mountains of debt. If the God
00:23:31
Speaker 2: of my fathers had not been on my side, you
00:23:33
Speaker 2: would have already sent me away with nothing. But God
00:23:38
Speaker 2: is with me.
00:23:38
Speaker 1: Amen.
00:23:40
Speaker 2: You know this because he rebuked you last night. If
00:23:44
Speaker 2: he can carve his way into your dreams and make
00:23:46
Speaker 2: me rich despite your cruelty, what else do you think
00:23:50
Speaker 2: he's capable of.
00:23:52
Speaker 1: Laban looked around. His men had lowered their spears in
00:23:56
Speaker 1: submission to Jacob. His daughters were behind him, looking at
00:24:00
Speaker 1: him like a monster. Laban's body uncoiled, and he rolled
00:24:05
Speaker 1: his shoulders back with an unclenched jaw. Laban threw his
00:24:10
Speaker 1: spear onto the ground and extended an arm to Jacob.
00:24:15
Speaker 3: We have ward you and I. We've struggled against each other,
00:24:21
Speaker 3: but but now I see that we have everything in common.
00:24:31
Speaker 3: Your wives, my daughters. Your children are my grandchildren. Your
00:24:35
Speaker 3: flocks came from my flocks. Our lives have grown intertwined. Ah,
00:24:40
Speaker 3: I propose a covenant between us. Let everyone bear witness
00:24:45
Speaker 3: that we can be unified and at peace.
00:24:47
Speaker 1: Jacob peered at Larban, searching his eyes for his true intentions.
00:24:52
Speaker 1: He seemed genuine, and, although Jacob loath to admit it,
00:24:57
Speaker 1: their lives were indeed bound to each other. Jacob turned
00:25:01
Speaker 1: to his men and shouted.
00:25:03
Speaker 2: Gather stones. My people establish monuments to remember events like these.
00:25:09
Speaker 2: Will gather stones as a testament to our covenant.
00:25:14
Speaker 1: Jacob's men and his oldest sons gathered and stacked stones
00:25:18
Speaker 1: between Jacob and Labin. With each stone, the anger between
00:25:22
Speaker 1: the two quelled.
00:25:24
Speaker 3: My people call this place jaigar sahadutha.
00:25:29
Speaker 2: My people call this place killiad. It's new names shall
00:25:34
Speaker 2: be the lead and misper May God most High judge
00:25:38
Speaker 2: between us today.
00:25:40
Speaker 3: If you abuse my daughters or take wives besides my daughters,
00:25:45
Speaker 3: God will be a witness between us, and I vow
00:25:48
Speaker 3: to not cross the threshold of this pillar to pursue
00:25:52
Speaker 3: or harm you.
00:25:53
Speaker 1: The two placed their hands on the pillars and swore
00:25:55
Speaker 1: by the God of Abraham. They made a sacrifice on
00:25:59
Speaker 1: the hill and enjoyed a meal together. In the morning,
00:26:03
Speaker 1: Laban kissed his grandchildren goodbye and went his way. Jacob
00:26:08
Speaker 1: watched Laban disappear into the sun soaked horizon, his face
00:26:13
Speaker 1: aglow from dawn's light. Jacob nodded and turned back to Canaan.
00:26:19
Speaker 1: He wasn't sure what the future held, no doubt Esau
00:26:23
Speaker 1: was somewhere out there, stronger and more vengeful. Jacob chose
00:26:28
Speaker 1: to step forward in faith that the God of his
00:26:31
Speaker 1: forefathers would protect him.
00:26:38
Speaker 2: Wow.
00:26:39
Speaker 5: What an incredible story, an ancient tale from a time
00:26:43
Speaker 5: when livestock and labor were the currency of life. There's
00:26:47
Speaker 5: Jacob trying to carve out a living and a future
00:26:50
Speaker 5: amid the chaos. And there's his father in law, Laban,
00:26:55
Speaker 5: holding on to power and control, reluctant let go of
00:26:58
Speaker 5: the man who brought him from prosperity. And then there's God,
00:27:02
Speaker 5: the silent architect, behind the scenes, guiding, providing, shaping destinies.
00:27:09
Speaker 5: I can't help but see myself in Jacob, striving, struggling
00:27:13
Speaker 5: and always hoping. His ingenuity and his resourcefulness are a
00:27:19
Speaker 5: mix of human cunning and divine blessing. Don't you think
00:27:24
Speaker 5: it's a story we've heard before and that we'll hear again.
00:27:28
Speaker 5: It's a story of flawed humans and a faithful God
00:27:31
Speaker 5: who loves them. Is about a God who chose flawed humans.
00:27:37
Speaker 5: It's our story. Let's look into Jacob's story a little
00:27:41
Speaker 5: bit deeper. Let's leave the bustling world of ancient transactions
00:27:46
Speaker 5: and step into the serene pastors of shepherds. In Jacob's time,
00:27:51
Speaker 5: shepherding was more than an occupation. It was a symbol
00:27:55
Speaker 5: of leadership, of provision, and of our responsibility to care
00:27:58
Speaker 5: for others. When Jacob cleverly influenced the breeding of his flocks,
00:28:04
Speaker 5: he wasn't just doing a job, and he wasn't even
00:28:07
Speaker 5: just securing his future. He was engaging in an act
00:28:11
Speaker 5: that balances human effort and divine blessing. In the worldview
00:28:16
Speaker 5: of the Bible, shepherding and body's leadership that cares and
00:28:22
Speaker 5: guides and nurtures. Can you think of someone else in
00:28:26
Speaker 5: the Bible who as a shepherd? Well, soon we'll talk
00:28:29
Speaker 5: about the shepherd King David, whose early experiences in the
00:28:33
Speaker 5: fields shaped his heart for his people. You see, our
00:28:37
Speaker 5: modern perspectives can often miss the depth of the Bible's
00:28:41
Speaker 5: pastoral imagery. We see shepherding through a quaint, nostalgic lens
00:28:48
Speaker 5: instead of as a dynamic, spiritual calling of the Bible,
00:28:53
Speaker 5: which asks us this, do we lead with integrity or
00:28:57
Speaker 5: do we let deceit corrode the trust that binds us?
00:29:02
Speaker 5: You see, Jacob's story isn't just about Jeffarding. It's once
00:29:05
Speaker 5: again a story of human schemes and divine favor. And
00:29:09
Speaker 5: we might ask ourselves, just why does God bless Jacob
00:29:14
Speaker 5: when Jacob has been a bit deceitful. Here's the thing.
00:29:19
Speaker 5: God's favor isn't tied to our perfection. In Jacob's story
00:29:23
Speaker 5: and throughout the Bible, we see a God who blesses
00:29:26
Speaker 5: humans not because of our schemes, but often in spite
00:29:30
Speaker 5: of them. Jacob, with all of his trickery, well, maybe
00:29:35
Speaker 5: I should say despite all of his trickery, becomes a
00:29:39
Speaker 5: part of God's grand plan. Jacob deceives and he manipulates,
00:29:45
Speaker 5: and yet God's promise to him stands firm. Isn't that amazing?
00:29:51
Speaker 5: God's plans are so resilient and so unshakable that they
00:29:55
Speaker 5: even incorporate our mistakes. But Let's not be mistaken. Jacob's
00:30:01
Speaker 5: actions bring significant consequences. Jacob doesn't walk away unscathed. His
00:30:08
Speaker 5: life is marred by tension and strife, from his complicated
00:30:13
Speaker 5: relationship with his brother Esau to the conflicts with his
00:30:16
Speaker 5: father in law Laban. He flees his home, He lives
00:30:20
Speaker 5: in fear of retribution. He endures years of hard labor
00:30:25
Speaker 5: under Laban's manipulation. It's not easy. His family life is
00:30:31
Speaker 5: frau with discord, rivalry, and sorrow. Jacob's story reminds us
00:30:36
Speaker 5: that while God's grace can work through our flaws, it
00:30:40
Speaker 5: doesn't actually take away the consequences of our actions. Jacob's
00:30:45
Speaker 5: journey is one of learning, often the hard way, about
00:30:49
Speaker 5: the importance of integrity and trust in God. It's the
00:30:54
Speaker 5: story of Jacob, a shepherd among the Bible's many shepherds
00:30:59
Speaker 5: who learn to trust in God, his shepherd above a shepherd,
00:31:06
Speaker 5: a flawed human, a patriarch. Jacob is so many things,
00:31:13
Speaker 5: and as I mentioned earlier, he's also Laban's manipulated and
00:31:17
Speaker 5: tormented son in law. And there's a lesson right there
00:31:21
Speaker 5: in that story that I want to leave you with
00:31:25
Speaker 5: you see, in all the years that Laban deceived and
00:31:27
Speaker 5: cheated Jacob. Jacob never once reacted in anger, and then,
00:31:33
Speaker 5: of course, finally twenty years of pent up feelings about
00:31:36
Speaker 5: Laban's underhanded dealings found their outlet in Jacob's outburst. But
00:31:43
Speaker 5: in those two decades of Jacob tmpering his anger, we
00:31:47
Speaker 5: see the importance that God places and self control. Anger
00:31:52
Speaker 5: should be deferred until the last possible moment, until there's
00:31:57
Speaker 5: no other alternative. If there there's another way to deal
00:32:02
Speaker 5: with a hard situation, deal with it that way. Anger
00:32:06
Speaker 5: is a last resort. This kind of thinking seems to
00:32:10
Speaker 5: go against what society tries to tell us, doesn't it.
00:32:14
Speaker 5: The world tells us to get angry, to get vengeful,
00:32:17
Speaker 5: and anything that we are upset about, we should let
00:32:20
Speaker 5: it out. That we have a right to express our
00:32:23
Speaker 5: rage at every imagined slight. But Jacob's ability to hold
00:32:28
Speaker 5: back should be a blessing and an inspiration and a
00:32:32
Speaker 5: teaching to us all to be as the Psalmist rights
00:32:38
Speaker 5: quote slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness end quote.
00:32:45
Speaker 5: And so with love, I send you off with a
00:32:48
Speaker 5: final blessing. Yeva hashem vishmerechra Yeah heer hashempanave ele Ysa Hashempanavelera, Yes, Salon.
00:33:02
Speaker 5: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the
00:33:04
Speaker 5: Lord make his face shine upon you. May he be
00:33:07
Speaker 5: gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face towards
00:33:10
Speaker 5: you and give you peace.
00:33:13
Speaker 2: Amen.
00:33:14
Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with the Isle
00:33:17
Speaker 1: Eckstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the prey
00:33:21
Speaker 1: dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
00:33:25
Speaker 1: made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
00:33:30
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive
00:33:34
Speaker 1: producers of the Chosen People with Yaile Eckstein, Edited by
00:33:38
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Caltefianu. Characters are voiced by
00:33:43
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
00:33:48
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
00:33:52
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
00:33:56
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paulineer, Robin van Ettin,
00:34:01
Speaker 1: kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
00:34:05
Speaker 1: of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
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