[Illustration: Meeting of Eliezer and the maiden who became Jacob's
mother.]

Jacob staid with Laban for a month, helping him with his flocks and
becoming more and more in love with Rachel. Then Laban asked him if he
would like to be his shepherd and if so what wages he would wish.
Jacob told Laban he would serve him seven years for his daughter Rachel
and so the bargain was made. We are told that, "Jacob served seven
years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love
he had to her."

But Laban was as crafty as Jacob had been when he obtained his
brother's birthright and robbed him of his blessing. He tricked Jacob
and made him work seven more years for Rachel.

After the second seven years had passed and Jacob had married Rachel,
he made another bargain with Laban and this time it was greatly to his
own advantage. He lived with Laban for a number of years and then God
appeared to him, saying, "I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst
the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee
out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred."

So, without letting Laban know anything about it, Jacob took his
family, his flocks and herds and all his possessions, and started for
his father's home in the land of Canaan. He had been gone three days
before Laban knew that he had left him. After seven days he overtook
Jacob camped on Mount Gilead.

When they met, Laban accused Jacob of carrying away some of his
possessions, and searched his tent for them; but after a while, not