15. Jacob Returns with His Family to Canaan: Does he know the hardships that will come after moving?

“Suffering makes life patient; endurance breeds character, character gives rise to hope.” [Romans 5:3]

As the sun sank in the west, clouds—resembling flocks of sheep—lay at rest across the blue pastures atop the peaks of Mount Gilead, which rise over a thousand meters high. The mountain breeze was crisp. Rachel sat on a camel, brushing his tousled black hair, tightening the veil on his head. His eyes sparkled like black grapes floating in clear water. He looked back at her husband walking behind, who was busy leading the lead sheep, with the flock silently following. Her gaze passed over her husband, and she saw the Euphrates River she had crossed during the day, flowing south like a white ribbon running through the foot of the mountain.

She looked eastward again, where she had left her hometown, unable to see anything, not even on the high mountaintop. It’s been 10 days since I left, and as soon as I could, I had traveled hundreds of miles.

Rachel once again cast a loving gaze upon her husband. Her husband loved him most, and she loved him deeply. Time flies! Twenty years ago, on that afternoon, she returned from herding sheep in the wild, drove the flock to the well outside the city to drink, and met him by the well, covered in dust and looking dejected. He held her and cried out loud, as if he was about to pour out all his grievances on her. Terrified, she ran home and brought her father, Laban, calling him ‘uncle’ and asking him to take him in.

When his father learned that his mother was Rebekah, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply. Back then, Rebekah also met Abraham’s old steward at this well. Unexpectedly, decades later, his sister’s son met his daughter again in the same place. The flower of love quietly blossomed at that moment by the well.

Jacob fell deeply in love with Rachelle, the bright-eyed and graceful shepherdess, who in turn admired his quiet but hardworking cousin. Jacob pleaded with his uncle Laban to herd cattle and sheep for seven years as a bride price to marry Rachel. The shrewd Laban immediately agreed. Jacob was overjoyed; seven years of waiting felt like days. He worked hard for his uncle, and finally, at the end of the seven, the wedding night arrived.

Thinking of this, Rachel’s eyes swept over the clear surface of a lake like dark clouds, tears streaming down her delicate face. She couldn’t help but look hatefully at her sister Leah sitting on the camel in front, and also looked back at her hometown in the east, where her father, brothers, and relatives lived, but she never wanted to see them again. She waited seven whole years for that wedding night.

On the night when seven years of longing were about to end, her father actually locked her in a room and dressed her sister Leah as Rachel. After everyone got Jacob drunk, he personally escorted Jacob and Leah into the bridal chamber.

Thirteen years had passed. Thinking of that night’s bone-deep pain, Rachel couldn’t help but tremble all over again. That night, she cried her face, but for the sake of her pride, she gritted her teeth and didn’t cry out loud. She hated her sister for being so scheming and quiet, partnering with their father to deceive her. She hated her father deeply. To take up Jacob’s labor, he actually asked Jacob to work for him for another seven years on the day after the wedding, to raise the full dowry for Rachel, and promised to marry Jacob and Rachel in seven days.

Those seven days were so agonizing, longer than the previous seven years. But Rachel’s pain was only just beginning. Leah gave birth to four sons for Jacob in a row, while she herself remained infertile. In despair, she pushed her husband into her maid’s tent. The two sons born to the maiden were all registered under her name, washing away her shame. Unexpectedly, her sister did the same—not only did she have two sons herself, but her maid also bore two sons.

Rachel had her tears drained. How could love at first sight by the well bring such long, deep pain? She lost her temper with her husband, pleaded with God, waited and waited, and finally gave birth to her own son, named Joseph (meaning ‘to be willing’), but he was ranked as the eleventh son.

A crisp gust of wind blew again, blowing away the tears on Rachel’s cheeks. She saw Jacob had come to her side, looked at her with concern, then smiled sweetly, wiped away her tears, and gently said to her husband, “The wind is so strong, it’s making me cry.” ”

Jacob grabbed Rachel’s hand, looking at her apologetically. His wife had been pampered since childhood, and these past few days, in order to escape Laban, she had been traveling through the air and wandering everywhere, rushing along for ten days and covering 500 li. Not only were the people tired, but the cattle and sheep were even more exhausted. Jacob, however, dared not relax in his heart. He kept looking back, fearing that his uncle Laban would come after him with his men.

To marry Rachel, Jacob worked for his uncle for fourteen years. When the time came, the uncle still refused to let Jacob go home, because he saw God’s blessing for Jacob and the great profits James brought him, and wanted to keep him as a laborer indefinitely. Jacob fell into despair. Twenty years had passed, his parents were thousands of miles away, no news at all, and his fate unknown. His father’s final words still echoed in his ears, but his own strength was gradually declining. Meanwhile, his uncle treated him as a hostage and cut his wages ten times over the next six years.

In despair, Jacob cried out to God, and God said to him, “Go back to your hometown and your relatives!” I will be with you. Jacob called Leah and Rachel over and told them about his secret plan to leave. They unanimously agreed, “Let’s go, our father’s estate doesn’t belong to us.”

Ever since he married us to you, he’s treated us like outsiders. He sold us out, trading our worth for fourteen years of hard labor and swallowing it all. God has not abandoned us; He has given us sons, cattle, and sheep.

Now just do as God commands! “On the morning of his departure, Jacob was three days away from Laban’s pasture. But the rumors will definitely spread. He dragged his sons and daughters, driving cattle and sheep, while his uncle could easily lead people and fast horses to chase after him. So he traveled ten days in a row to cross the Euphrates and climb the Mount Gilead mountains, because once he crossed, he would leave his uncle’s tribe and be safe. Thinking this, Jacob quickened his pace, as it was getting dark and he needed to start looking for a suitable camping spot.

Rachel’s hand, held by him, suddenly trembled. He looked up at her, but she was turning to look at her, her expression tense. Jacob followed her gaze and looked back, stunned. At the foot of the mountain, a pair of people and horses moved swiftly through the rocks, forest, and grass, chasing after them like a swarm of locusts. Jacob clearly saw his uncle Laban’s snow-white hair and beard fluttering in the wind like banners on horseback. The men behind him wore grim expressions, weapons in hand, brimming with murderous intent.