וַיַּשֵּׂ֥ג לָבָ֖ן אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְיַעֲקֹ֗ב תָּקַ֤ע אֶֽת־אָהֳלוֹ֙ בָּהָ֔ר וְלָבָ֛ן תָּקַ֥ע אֶת־אֶחָ֖יו בְּהַ֥ר הַגִּלְעָֽד׃
At inabutan ni Laban si Jacob. Itinayo noon ni Jacob ang kanyang tolda sa bundok; at si Laban, kasama ang kanyang mga kamag-anak, ay nagtayo rin ng tolda sa bundok ng Gilead.
Aggadat Bereshit
[2] Another interpretation: "A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains..." (Psalms 121:1) This refers to the time when Jacob fled from Laban, and he went and settled in the mountains. Laban pursued him and caught up with him, as it says, "And Laban caught up with Jacob, and Jacob pitched his tent on the mountain" (Genesis 31:25). Laban intended to kill Jacob, as Moses says, "An Aramean sought to destroy my father" (Deuteronomy 26:5). And who was that Aramean but Laban, who sought to destroy our forefather Jacob? Jacob began saying, "I lift up my eyes to the mountains," and God apparently revealed Himself to the wicked Laban and made himself Laban's emissary in order to fulfill Jacob's needs, as it says, "And God came to Laban...and did not permit him to harm him [Jacob]" (Genesis 31:24). And Jacob was later afraid of Esau, as it says, "And Jacob was greatly afraid" (Genesis 32:8). He said, "Whoever saved you from Laban will save you from me," as it says, "Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord..." (Deuteronomy 33:29).
Bereshit Rabbah
“And Laban caught up with Jacob, and Jacob pitched his tent on the mountain, and Laban with his brethren pitched on the mountain of Gilad” (Genesis 31:25).
“And Laban said to Jacob: What did you do, that you misled me, and you carried away my daughters as though they were captives taken by sword?” (Genesis 31:26).
“Why did you flee surreptitiously and deceive me and you did not tell me? I would have sent you with joy and with songs, with drum and with harp” (Genesis 31:27).
“Why did you flee surreptitiously…and you did not tell me? I would have sent you…” – he said:17Laban thought to himself, that if he spoke in this manner maybe Jacob would reconsider. Perhaps he will reconsider.
“You did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters; now you have acted foolishly” (Genesis 31:28).
“You did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters” – he said to him: ‘Even now you intend to leave.’18And you are not reconsidering. The difficulty here is why does Laban say: “Now you have acted foolishly,” when he is speaking about the past?
“It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father said to me last night, saying: Beware of speaking with Jacob, good or bad” (Genesis 31:29).
“It is in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father said to me last night, saying” – he [Laban] said: ‘It is not from Him.’19It is not because God told me not to harm you that I am not harming you; it is my own decision (Yefe Toar).
“Now you have gone because you longed for your father's house, why did you steal my gods?” (Genesis 31:30).
“Now you have gone because you longed for your father's house, why did you steal my gods?” – you desired to go to your father’s house, why did you steal my gods? Rabbi Aivu said: When the tribes heard this, they said: ‘We are ashamed of you, our mother’s father. In the time of your old age,20You should be thinking logically and intelligently, not about your idols. you say: “Why did you steal my gods”?’
“And Laban said to Jacob: What did you do, that you misled me, and you carried away my daughters as though they were captives taken by sword?” (Genesis 31:26).
“Why did you flee surreptitiously and deceive me and you did not tell me? I would have sent you with joy and with songs, with drum and with harp” (Genesis 31:27).
“Why did you flee surreptitiously…and you did not tell me? I would have sent you…” – he said:17Laban thought to himself, that if he spoke in this manner maybe Jacob would reconsider. Perhaps he will reconsider.
“You did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters; now you have acted foolishly” (Genesis 31:28).
“You did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters” – he said to him: ‘Even now you intend to leave.’18And you are not reconsidering. The difficulty here is why does Laban say: “Now you have acted foolishly,” when he is speaking about the past?
“It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father said to me last night, saying: Beware of speaking with Jacob, good or bad” (Genesis 31:29).
“It is in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father said to me last night, saying” – he [Laban] said: ‘It is not from Him.’19It is not because God told me not to harm you that I am not harming you; it is my own decision (Yefe Toar).
“Now you have gone because you longed for your father's house, why did you steal my gods?” (Genesis 31:30).
“Now you have gone because you longed for your father's house, why did you steal my gods?” – you desired to go to your father’s house, why did you steal my gods? Rabbi Aivu said: When the tribes heard this, they said: ‘We are ashamed of you, our mother’s father. In the time of your old age,20You should be thinking logically and intelligently, not about your idols. you say: “Why did you steal my gods”?’