In yesterday's passage the Lord told Jacob it was time to go home to Canaan. Jacob took his family and everything he owned and sneaked away while Laban was away from home shearing sheep. The Lord would have protected him if he'd boldly announced his departure and had openly taken his leave, but Jacob was frightened of his dishonest, scheming father-in-law. He stole away at a time when he knew he'd get a good head start.
"On the third day Laban was told Jacob had fled. Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead." (Genesis 31:22-23) Since Jacob had already been gone three days when Laban found out, it took seven days to catch up with him.
One night on the road, the Lord speaks to Laban in a dream. "Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'" (Genesis 31:24) I think Laban has worked himself up into a rage and intends to lash out at Jacob when he finds him. The Lord would have to intervene if Laban lifted a hand to Jacob, so He warns Laban he'd better calm down before he says or does anything. The Lord doesn't want to have to strike this man down but He will if he becomes violent toward Jacob.
"Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. Then Laban said to Jacob, 'What have you done? You've deceived me, and you've carried off my daughters like captives in war. Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrel and harps? You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing. I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.' Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father's household. But why did you steal my gods?'" (Genesis 31:25-30) Laban puts on the wounded father act for Jacob. He says, "Why did you take my beloved daughters and precious grandchildren away like this without even letting me say goodbye? I would have thrown you a going away party! I would have loaded you down with supplies for the journey. I would have sent you away with many blessings."
I doubt Laban would have done any of these things. I think the Lord would have prevented him from stopping Jacob and the family from leaving, but Laban isn't a generous man. I don't think he'd have spent money on a party or that he'd have supplied them for the journey. Up til now he's had no concern at all for his daughters. Because he cares little for his daughters, it's doubtful he's spent a lot of time building a relationship with their children. He hasn't been a good father or a good father-in-law. It's unlikely he's a good grandfather either.
Rachel took her father's idols from the house but Jacob doesn't know it. He explains why he left in secret and then professes his innocence in regard to the gods. "Jacob answered Laban, 'I was afraid, because I thought you'd take your daughters away from me by force. But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.' Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods." (Genesis 31:31) Jacob speaks boldly because he knows he hasn't stolen anything and he doesn't believe it would ever cross the minds of his wives or children to commit thievery.
Jacob has overestimated Rachel's honesty. He's always been blinded to her faults because of his enormous love for her. But we can see what's brought her to the point of thieving from her father. She's been angry and resentful toward Laban for many years. She knows her father cares little about her or about her sister Leah. She knows her father has used and deceived Jacob and has profited greatly by Jacob's hard work without wanting to give him anything in return. Jacob isn't even going to be Laban's heir now, so to spite her father she grabbed up his gold-plated idols on the way out of the house as a way to get back at him and to give Jacob things she feels he is entitled to possess. The heir would have inherited the household idols. She believes Jacob should have been the heir and she takes what she feels is rightfully his.
Jacob has spoken rash words by saying that whoever has stolen the idols will die. In tomorrow's passage Laban will go through everything at the campsite looking for his idols. If Rachel wasn't able to come up with a clever lie to keep them hidden, she might have lost her life, but she's her father's daughter. He's set a bad example for her and she follows it.
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