Jacob sent and called Rachel, &c.— Determined to depart secretly from Laban, he appointed his wives to meet him in the field, that he might communicate his design more unreservedly to them. Rachel is named first, as being, properly speaking, his first, and certainly his best-loved wife. He calls God the God of his father, Genesis 31:5 to remind them of God's goodness and promises to Abraham and his family. When he says, Genesis 31:7 your father hath changed my wages ten times, this is to be understood indefinitely for many times, as the phrase is frequently used in Scripture, prophane authors, and common conversation. See the references in the margin of our Bibles. It is very evident that the hand of God was in this transaction; because, how frequently soever Laban changed the terms of agreement, they always turned out advantageously to Jacob. No art could effect this; therefore true is Jacob's assertion: God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me, Genesis 31:9.
To illustrate this subject we may still further observe, that, besides those who live wholly in tents, numbers of the eastern people spend part of the year in them, particularly in Mesopotamia. "In that country," Dr. Pococke tells us, vol. 2: p. 158. "he fell in with a summer-village of country people, whose huts were made of loose stones, covered with reeds and boughs; their winter-village being on the side of a hill at some distance, consisting of very low houses; and that they chose this place for the convenience of being with their cattle, and out of the high road." Five pages after he observes, that many of the Curdeens live honestly in Mesopotamia as well as Syria, removing in summer to some places at a distance from their village, where they live under tents, generally in places retired from the road, to avoid the injuries of the soldiery and of the people of the Pasha.
May not this circumstance serve to explain the passage in question, where it is said, that Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock; that he there told them of his design of returning from Mesopotamia to his native country; and that, upon their consenting to go with him, he set out upon this journey so silently, that Laban had no notice of it until the third day after? Yet it appears that he had all his effects with him, and tents for the accommodation of his family; and that Laban, who pursued him, had tents also for his company.
Here one is surprized to find both parties so suddenly equipped with tents for their accommodation in travelling, and is naturally led to inquire why Jacob sent for his wives to his flock? Bishop Patrick's account of the last circumstance, that it was for greater secrecy, and perhaps on account of the danger of being seized upon by Laban and his sons, will hardly be thought satisfactory. Could not the husband speak to his wives with sufficient privacy in Laban's house? Were matters come to such an extremity that Jacob durst not venture himself within the doors of his uncle's house, for fear of being seized upon and made a prisoner? And, in fact, Jacob seems actually to have communicated his intention to Rachel in her father's house; for, when he sent for his wives, she brought her father's teraphim with her, which she would by no means have done, had she been unapprised of the design.
The case seems to have been thus: While Laban and his daughters dwelt in a house, they who tended the flocks had tents for their accommodation. Laban's flocks were in two parcels; one under the care of Jacob, the other committed to the care of his sons, three days journey off. At the time of shearing sheep it is reasonable to suppose more and better tents were erected for the reception and entertainment of their friends, that being a time of great feasting among them, see 1 Samuel 8:22 to which they were wont to invite their friends, 2 Samuel 13:24.; and the feasts being held at a distance from their own houses, in the places where the sheep were fed, as appears from the passage last cited, and also from Genesis 38:12.—Laban then went with his relations, at the time of sheep-shearing, to his flocks; see Genesis 38:19. Jacob, at the same time, shore his own sheep, and sent to his wives to come to the entertainment, with all those utensils of his which they had with them which would be wanted, having before communicated his intention to Rachel his beloved wife. This was a fair pretence for the having all his household stuff brought to him, which (if we may judge from the present eastern mode) we may believe was very portable, beds not excepted; and having then told Leah his views, in the company of Rachel, and both assenting to go with him, he had every thing ready for his journey, and decamped immediately, taking his flocks and herds along with him. Somebody, upon this, immediately went to inform Laban of Jacob's having withdrawn himself; but Laban, being at considerable distance, did not receive the news till the third day.
This accounts, at once, in the most simple and natural way, for Jacob's sending for his wives to his flock; for his being able to get his goods together without jealousy; and for his and his father-in-law's being furnished with tents for the journey.