And Laban said to Jacob, What have you done, that you have stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
Read Chapter 31
John Chrysostom
AD 407
See how the command from God repressed [Laban’s] great rage and restrained his anger. Hence Laban directs his words to [Jacob] with extreme mildness, almost apologetically, and shows signs of fatherly affection for him. In fact, whenever we enjoy providence from on high, we not only succeed in avoiding the schemes of wicked people, but should we even encounter untamed beasts, we would suffer no harm. You see, the Lord of all gives evidence of the abundance of his characteristic power by transforming the nature of the beasts and turning it into the gentleness of sheep, not by removing their animal characteristics but, while leaving these in their nature, causing the beasts to appear as sheep. You could observe this not only in wild beasts but also in the elements themselves; at his will the very elements forget their power, and not even fire shows the characteristics of fire.
