After six years, the LORD instructed Jacob to return home, significantly “to the land of their fathers”, that is, Abraham and Isaac, for God had promised to give it to them.
Jacob did all he could to benefit Laban, but Laban did all he could to ensure Jacob received little or no reward for his labour, changing the agreement their ten times, but God intervened so that Jacob was always blessed.
Jacob’s wives wholeheartedly agreed to do what God had told him and leave their father and go with him to Canaan.
Rachel took away her father’s idols. We are not told her motivation for this but, most likely, it was to deprive him of these images as she was a worshipper of the one true God, “The God of Abraham, Nahor and their father (Terah)”. In due course these idols were destroyed (Genesis 35:2).Genesis 35:2XWaiting for response
Laban pursued Jacob in fury but again God intervened on Jacob’s part, warning Laban not to harm Jacob.
The two men entered into a covenant, symbolised by a pillar calling it “a heap of witness” in both their languages, and also “Mizpah”, meaning “watchtower”, calling upon God to watch over them in the keeping of their covenant.
Jacob faithfully kept both the covenant he had made with the LORD and the agreement he made with Laban, and is set forth as an example of faithfulness and of endurance under trial and false accusation.