A Growing Family and Flock

Jacob was happy to be married to Rachel. But he still had a promise to keep: to work for Laban for another seven years.

So he kept caring for the flocks.

Every morning, he went out into the fields. He found grass for the sheep and water for them to drink. When a little lamb wandered away, he went to find it.

There were very hot days.

And very cold nights.

The work was hard, but Jacob kept going.

Meanwhile, his family was growing. Children were born, and the home filled with new voices.

Leah had several children. But Rachel went a long time without having a baby, and that made her feel sad.

God saw her sadness.

In time, Rachel had a son and named him Joseph.

How happy she was to hold him!

Jacob now had a big family to care for. He also began to think about the land where he had grown up.

He wanted to go home.

When he finished the years he had promised to work, he spoke to Laban.

“Let me return to my homeland with my family.”

But Laban wanted him to stay. His flocks had grown a lot while Jacob cared for them.

“Stay,” he asked. “Jacob, what would you like to receive for your work?”

Until then, Jacob had cared for his uncle’s animals. Now he needed his own flock to provide for his family.

So they made a new agreement.

As payment, Jacob would receive certain sheep and goats of different colors: some dark and others with spots.

Laban agreed.

Jacob kept working.

More years passed, and many little animals were born. Jacob’s flock grew bigger.

Some goats had little spots.

Others had big spots.

And new little lambs ran among the sheep.

God was caring for Jacob and his family.

But Laban was not always fair to him. Several times, he changed what he had promised to give Jacob for his work.

That was hard for Jacob. When he made an agreement, he needed to be able to trust that it would be kept.

Laban’s sons also began to complain.

They said Jacob had taken what belonged to their father.

Jacob noticed that his uncle no longer treated him as he had before.

Then God spoke to him.

“Return to the land of your family. I will be with you.”

It was time to go home!

Jacob called Rachel and Leah to speak with them in the field, near the flock.

“I have worked with all my strength for your father,” he explained. “But he has changed many times what he promised to pay me. Even so, God has cared for me.”

Then he told them what God had said.

Rachel and Leah agreed to leave.

“Do what God has asked you to do,” they said.

The decision was made: the family would return to Jacob’s homeland. The years of work lay behind them, and now they needed to care for the children and animals together on the journey.

Jacob could be thankful for what he had received and remember who had stayed beside him. Before taking the next step, he had listened to God and talked with his family. Now they began preparing to return.