Genesis chapter 31

After reading chapter 31:

*Laban's attitude toward Jacob began to change when he noticed Jacob was getting rich from him,  go figure. Conveniently, Yahweh told Jacob it was time to go back to Canaan. So, Jacob tried to get his wives on his side by telling them some story about how Laban cheated him, but Yahweh was helping Jacob the whole time and was responsible for his newfound wealth. Can Jacob help it if a God likes him better?

*Jacob then told his wives about an obviously manufactured dream in which God sides with Jacob against Laban, and then tells Jacob to go back to his native land. Rachel and Leah were quite satisfied with the wealth Jacob had  acquired at their father's expense and have no problem with leaving. So everyone and everything was loaded up on camels to go to Canaan. They left without telling Laban.

*Laban chased after them. When he reached their camp, he said he was miffed because he didn't get to throw a going away party. He thought about getting angry, but Jacob's God told him it wouldn't be a good idea. So, why did Jacob leave without saying good bye? And why did he take Laban's household idols? (Jacob didn't know Rachel had taken them. )

*Jacob said  he left without notice because he was afraid Laban would try to keep his daughters from going. He said he didn't have a single thing that belonged to Laban. Jacob told Laban to search and volunteered to kill the person who was found with the idols, because stealing little statues is a crime worthy of death. So, Laban searched all the tents and found nothing. When he got to Rachel's tent she was sitting on a camel's saddle which had the idols hidden inside. She excused herself from standing because she was menstruating. Laban did not find anything that belonged to him.

* After the search, Jacob was mad. He told Laban off by reminding him of his twenty years of hard labor, 14 for his wives, 6 for his flock. He also reminded Laban that he had a god on his side. Laban said everything Jacob had belonged to him. In spite of that, he would make an agreement with Jacob. So they gathered a pile of rocks and ate next to it.  The rock pile was a witness to their agreement never to harm each other and to stay on their own sides of the land. Their respective family gods were invoked and then Jacob had a barbecue (sacrifice) and invited everyone to the meal. The next morning everyone left with hugs and kisses all around.