In the Beginning:
The Book of Genesis
Lesson 18 Jacob Separates from Laban
the book of Genesis 31:1–55
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary)
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for the book of Genesis
cross references in the book of Genesis
next lesson: Jacob Wrestles at Penuel
This material coordinates with Lesson 18 on pages 101–105 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.”—the book of Genesis 1:31—2:2
welcome to our in-depth study of the book of Genesis
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson 
Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. 
These online study pages link to free lesson videos, an online glossary, and a list of cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, charts, illustrations, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis has been granted an imprimatur and can be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons on any online study page.
open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:
Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.
let’s review—the book of Genesis 29:1—30:43
In Lesson 17 Jacob & Rachel, Jacob meets Rachel at a well and agrees to work for her father Laban for seven years in order to marry her. After the seven years are up, however, Laban pulls a bait-and-switch; Jacob ends up married to Rachel’s older sister Leah instead. Laban agrees to allow the marriage to Rachel if Jacob will work for him for another seven years. Rachel appears barren, but Jacob fathers six sons and a daughter by Leah, two sons by Rachel’s maid Bilhah, and two sons by Leah’s maid Zilpah. Finally Rachel also conceives. Jacob wishes to return to the land of Canaan, but Laban persuades him to stay. Jacob’s flocks prosper despite Laban’s attempts to cheat him, and Jacob grows rich.
Rachel steals her father’s household gods
This illustration by Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino depicts Laban searching through Rachel’s belongings for his household gods while Jacob and Rachel look on. All the while, Rachel is seated on a saddle where the idols are hidden. The account of Rachel stealing her father’s household gods presents an unflattering side of Rachel that shows her to be her father’s daughter. Because Jacob is unaware that Rachel has stolen the items, he reacts with righteous indignation to Laban’s accusations. Although Laban believes that the household gods are with Jacob’s entourage, because he’s unable to locate them he’s forced to abandon his claim. Click on the illustration (right) to enlarge it. The original illustration is on page 104 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
benefits of the patriarchal blessing (15:02)
In the video overview for this lesson, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps 
discusses how Jacob falls out of favor with Laban, which prompts Jacob to decide to leave—but he consults his two wives before making a final decision. While Jacob has displayed some cunning in his dealings with his underhanded father-in-law, his wife Rachel steals her father’s household gods before the family sets off to return to the land of Canaan. It’s worth noting that scholars think that possession of these household gods indicated ownership. In taking them, Rachel essentially was making off with the 
title to her father’s property. The videos for this study are being redone and will be posted as they become available. The original videos will remain accessible until then.
The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study from Turning to God’s Word match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. You can follow along with the video overview as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 18, “Jacob Separates from Laban,” on pages 101–105 in the study book.
the sisters are in agreement for a change
Just as Esau and Jacob were at odds over the blessing, so Leah and Rachel compete for Jacob’s attention. In the book of Genesis 31:14–16, however, when they must decide whether to accompany Jacob when he returns to the land of Canaan, Leah and Rachel put aside their differences and agree to leave their father’s home to go with their husband. That Jacob asks his wives for input indicates he has regard for the opinion of each. That the maids Bilhah and Zilpah aren’t consulted points to their lower status in the household, even though they’re the mothers of four of Jacob’s sons.
God gets Jacob’s attention
In the book of Genesis 31:13, Jacob tells his wives that God is the one who’s told him to return to the land of Canaan. God does this in a very specific way, calling attention to the fact that he’s the same God who spoke to Jacob many years earlier in a dream at Bethel. Consider why it is that God introduces himself to Jacob in this way instead of as the God of Abraham or the God of Abraham and Isaac? What’s the deal that Jacob made with God after that previous encounter at Bethel?
what’s so important about those household gods?
Among other things, possession of the household gods referred to in the thirty-first chapter in the book of Genesis indicated that the holder also held legal title to the family estate, which explains why Laban is so eager to get them back. You can learn more by reading “household gods” on page 103 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. In some translations these items are called “idols.” Rachel’s theft of them may suggest she was attempting to ensure that she didn’t lose all rights to an inheritance from her father. Laban’s insistence on entering into a covenant with Jacob probably was his attempt to ensure that Jacob wouldn’t return to Paddam-Aram at some later date to lay claim to Laban’s possessions. Despite the underhanded way that Laban has treated him, Jacob has somehow has managed to stay within the letter of the law in his own actions. His behavior should have served as an example to others, but Rachel appears to have missed the distinction.
covenant—you could look it up in our archives
Covenants show up throughout the Bible. Some are initiated by God, others by groups who’ve been opposed to God’s people. Why might Laban want to enter into a covenant with Jacob? To learn more about the word “covenant,” read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.
WHAT DO YOU THINK about ‘the Fear of Isaac’?
People in the ancient world understood that to know a person’s name was to know the person. It comes as something of a surprise that Jacob, when speaking with Laban, refers to God as “the Fear of Isaac.”
? For what reason do you suppose it is that Jacob chooses this unusual way of speaking about God, who usually is referred to in the book of Genesis as “the God of Abraham,” “the God of Abraham and Isaac,” or “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”?
? What event or events in Isaac’s life involving God may have led Isaac to experience fear?
? Review the twentieth chapter in the book of Genesis, in which Abraham determines that
Abimelech has no fear of God. Do you think that Abraham is correct about this? Cite verses from the biblical text to support your point of view.
? Consider what it means to fear God. If necessary, refer to the Lost in Translation archives entry fear of the Lord.
? What point to you think that Laban is trying to emphasize when he bases his covenant with Jacob on the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor?
read the Catechism—why are we given these gifts?
Paragraphs 1830 and 1831 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church describe the purpose of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. How do you think it is that fear of the Lord can be considered a gift of the Holy Spirit?
1830 The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Can you name the other six gifts of the Holy Spirit without referring to paragraph 1831 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church? Which of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit do you think has figured the most prominently in your spiritual life?
the point of Bible study—what’s in it for you?
A good starting point when attempting to understand Scripture is to ask: What does the Bible tell me about God? The book of Genesis provides some excellent opportunities to learn about God because it records many instances in which God speaks directly to someone, or in which one of God’s angels speaks on God’s behalf. Identify these passages in thirty-first chapter in the book of Genesis. What do they tell you about God? Of what value is this information in your spiritual life?
a note about Galeed & Mizpah
In the thirty-first chapter in the book of Genesis, Galeed is the name of the location where Jacob and Laban enter into covenant, and Mizpah is the pillar the two men erect on the site. This pillar named Mizpah is not to be confused with the town of Mizpah, which will be located in the land eventually given to the descendants of Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son.
a good exercise for review of the book of Genesis so far
Go back through the first 30 chapters in the book of Genesis and identify every passage in which God speaks or an angel speaks on behalf of God. What do these passages tell you about God? Of what value is this information in your spiritual life? Which of God’s words do you find most meaningful?
the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the passage in this lesson from the book of Genesis 31:1–55.
ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out 
persons or places mentioned in the biblical text under more than one name or more than one spelling. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the biblical text for every lesson in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant 
cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. A link to that list can be found at the top of every online study page; the list features links to cross references in the primary biblical text in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.
ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. 
This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.
wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
the book of Genesis 31:1–55 (NIV)
close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s text from the book of Genesis.
O God, you spoke to Jacob and directed him
to return to the land of Canaan.
Grant that we may hear and respond to your voice
speaking to us in our present-day world.
We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ,
who came to show us the way to the Promised Land of heaven. Amen.
Lesson 19 Jacob Wrestles at Penuel—the book of Genesis 32:1—33:20
Lesson 17 Jacob & Rachel—the book of Genesis 29:1—30:43
you also may like our study of Scripture & the Rosary (digital only)
Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels, a 26-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, looks at the biblical foundations of the Rosary. The study includes lessons on Pope St. John Paul II’s Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary), the Apostles’ Creed, and the Luminous Mysteries as well as the original 15 Mysteries of the Rosary. Color photographs of stained glass windows depict key scenes in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Free digital lessons rotate throughout the year on our website.
start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in our study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. 
Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions and offer support. Contact us if you’d like to start a Turning to God’s Word study or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer
*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?
Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.
The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.
Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.
You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.