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†. Gen 31:51 . . And Laban said to Jacob: Here is this mound and
here the pillar which I have set up between you and me:
Laban didn't set up anything. He only participated in dedicating the pillar.
Jacob and his sons set it up with their own hands. And it was all their own
idea, not his.
†. Gen 31:52 . . this mound shall be witness and this pillar shall be
witness that I am not to cross to you past this mound, and that you
are not to cross to me past this mound and this pillar, with hostile
intent.
I think Laban was beginning to become just a little bit nervous because
there was something different about Jacob. He wasn't acting like the quiet,
humble, hard working hired hand Laban knew up in Paddan-aram. Jacob was
acting more like a sheik. And I think Laban was just a little unraveled by
that. He wasn't accustomed to that kind of a Jacob. And he knew it would be
impossible to defeat Jacob while Jacob's god watched over him. And I think
he was afraid that if Jacob ever did come up against him, Yhvh would make
sure he won.
†. Gen 31:53a . . May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor--
their ancestral deities --judge between us.
Laban equated Abraham's God with Nahor's gods. Big mistake. Not all gods
are equal. But to a man like Laban, one is as good as another.
†. Gen 31:53b . . And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
No way was Jacob going to honor Nahor's gods with an oath. And speaking
of that:
Here in the USA, the Federal constitution protects religious liberty. However,
the constitution does not protect religious equality. So then, American
citizens are not required by law to regard Islam just as worthy of respect as
Christianity or Judaism-- and the first amendment grants us the freedom of
speech to say so if we please. If Muslims controlled America, we would risk
execution for disparaging Islam, while Muslims would retain the right to
condemn other religions all they want without fear of reprisal.
Should American citizens apologize for burning Korans? No, we are a nation
under Constitutional law; not Islamic law. Constitutional law does not require
Americans to respect the holy books of what we sincerely believe to be
satanic religions; but on the contrary, the law gives us the liberty to quite
disrespect them: with extreme prejudice. The US Government
accommodates Islam's feelings about its holy book because it is in the
country's national interests to do so. But I'm not a politician, nor do I desire
to be one if it means compromising my convictions.
Anyway, that ended the meeting and Laban went back to his own camp for
the night.
†. Gen 31:54 . . Jacob then offered up a sacrifice on the Height, and
invited his kinsmen to partake of the meal. After the meal, they
spent the night on the Height.
Jacob's sacrifice wasn't an 'olah (o-law') which is incinerated to ashes. It was
a zebach (zeh'-bakh); which more resembles Passover, where the lamb is
both an offering and a meal. So then, a biblical sacrifice isn't eo ipso
something given up or destroyed, but essentially pertains to something
dedicated; in this case: a festive dinner in Yhvh's honor.
You can bet that was a very happy occasion. Jacob's family was finally going
to be rid of ol' MadDog Laban once and for all; and without violence too.
Since a good part of the day was wrecked already, they stayed and planned
on leaving the next day after an impromptu Thanksgiving dinner. Next
hurtle: Big Red, a.k.a. Mr. Esau ben Isaac.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
†. Gen 31:51 . . And Laban said to Jacob: Here is this mound and
here the pillar which I have set up between you and me:
Laban didn't set up anything. He only participated in dedicating the pillar.
Jacob and his sons set it up with their own hands. And it was all their own
idea, not his.
†. Gen 31:52 . . this mound shall be witness and this pillar shall be
witness that I am not to cross to you past this mound, and that you
are not to cross to me past this mound and this pillar, with hostile
intent.
I think Laban was beginning to become just a little bit nervous because
there was something different about Jacob. He wasn't acting like the quiet,
humble, hard working hired hand Laban knew up in Paddan-aram. Jacob was
acting more like a sheik. And I think Laban was just a little unraveled by
that. He wasn't accustomed to that kind of a Jacob. And he knew it would be
impossible to defeat Jacob while Jacob's god watched over him. And I think
he was afraid that if Jacob ever did come up against him, Yhvh would make
sure he won.
†. Gen 31:53a . . May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor--
their ancestral deities --judge between us.
Laban equated Abraham's God with Nahor's gods. Big mistake. Not all gods
are equal. But to a man like Laban, one is as good as another.
†. Gen 31:53b . . And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
No way was Jacob going to honor Nahor's gods with an oath. And speaking
of that:
Here in the USA, the Federal constitution protects religious liberty. However,
the constitution does not protect religious equality. So then, American
citizens are not required by law to regard Islam just as worthy of respect as
Christianity or Judaism-- and the first amendment grants us the freedom of
speech to say so if we please. If Muslims controlled America, we would risk
execution for disparaging Islam, while Muslims would retain the right to
condemn other religions all they want without fear of reprisal.
Should American citizens apologize for burning Korans? No, we are a nation
under Constitutional law; not Islamic law. Constitutional law does not require
Americans to respect the holy books of what we sincerely believe to be
satanic religions; but on the contrary, the law gives us the liberty to quite
disrespect them: with extreme prejudice. The US Government
accommodates Islam's feelings about its holy book because it is in the
country's national interests to do so. But I'm not a politician, nor do I desire
to be one if it means compromising my convictions.
Anyway, that ended the meeting and Laban went back to his own camp for
the night.
†. Gen 31:54 . . Jacob then offered up a sacrifice on the Height, and
invited his kinsmen to partake of the meal. After the meal, they
spent the night on the Height.
Jacob's sacrifice wasn't an 'olah (o-law') which is incinerated to ashes. It was
a zebach (zeh'-bakh); which more resembles Passover, where the lamb is
both an offering and a meal. So then, a biblical sacrifice isn't eo ipso
something given up or destroyed, but essentially pertains to something
dedicated; in this case: a festive dinner in Yhvh's honor.
You can bet that was a very happy occasion. Jacob's family was finally going
to be rid of ol' MadDog Laban once and for all; and without violence too.
Since a good part of the day was wrecked already, they stayed and planned
on leaving the next day after an impromptu Thanksgiving dinner. Next
hurtle: Big Red, a.k.a. Mr. Esau ben Isaac.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=