that during succeeding years Laban frequently altered this original agreement when it turned out that Jacob’s flocks were increasing greatly. At length, Laban’s attitude toward Jacob changed, and at Jehovah’s direction Jacob decided to return to his homeland with his family and flocks.—Gen. 31:1-5, 13, 17, 18.

On the third day after Jacob’s secret departure, Laban learned of it and pursued Jacob, catching up with him in the mountainous region of Gilead. However, a warning from God prevented Laban from harming Jacob. (Gen. 31:19-24) When they met, Laban and Jacob quarreled. Jacob pointed to his twenty years of faithful service and hard work and showed how Laban had dealt with him unfairly, changing his wages ten times.—Gen. 31:36-42.

Laban was very concerned about retrieving the teraphim or household idols, which Rachel, unknown to Jacob, had stolen. These he was unable to find, for Rachel kept them concealed. (Gen. 31:30-35) Laban may have been influenced in his religious ideas by the moon-worshiping people among whom he dwelt and this may be indicated by his use of omens and his possession of teraphim. However, it should be noted that reasons more than merely religious ones likely made Laban so anxious to locate and retrieve the teraphim. Tablets unearthed at Nuzi near Kirkuk, Iraq, reveal that, according to the laws of patriarchal times in that particular area, possession of such household idols by a woman’s husband could give him the right to appear in court and claim the estate of his deceased father-in-law. Hence, Laban may have thought that Jacob himself stole the teraphim in order later to dispossess Laban’s own sons. This may explain why, on failing to locate the household gods, Laban was anxious to conclude an agreement with Jacob that would ensure that Jacob would not go back with the household gods after Laban’s death to deprive his sons of their inheritance.

Laban made a covenant of family peace with Jacob, and, to memorialize it, a stone pillar and a heap of stones were set up. Using Hebrew, Jacob called the heap Galeed, meaning “Witness heap.” Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, using an Aramaic or Syrian expression having the same meaning. It was also called “The Watchtower.” (Gen. 31:43-53) After bidding his grandchildren and daughters farewell, Laban returned home, and the Bible record makes no further mention of him.—Gen. 31:54, 55.

2. A place mentioned at Deuteronomy 1:1 in relation to the “desert plains in front of Suph.” The exact location of Laban is unknown.

LABDANUM

There is some uncertainty as to what is designated by the Hebrew word n^ekhoʼthʹ, an item carried by a caravan of Ishmaelites to whom Joseph was sold and one of the fine products that Jacob told his sons to take as a gift to one who was ruler in Egypt. (Gen. 37:25; 43:11) N^ekhoʼthʹ has been variously rendered “spicery” (AS, AV), “gum” (AT, RS), “tragacanth” (Da), “resin” (Mo) and, as defined in a recent Hebrew and Aramaic lexicon by Koehler and Baumgartner, “labdanum.” (NW) Labdanum is a soft, dark-brown or black gum that exudes from the leaves and branches of several varieties of Cistus or rockrose, a bushy little plant with large five-petal flowers resembling the wild rose. The gum has a bitter taste but a fragrant odor. It is used in perfumes and, at one time, was also extensively employed in medicine. With reference to this substance the ancient Greek historian Herodotus (Book III, sec. 112) writes: “It is itself most fragrant; for it is found sticking like gum to the beards of he-goats, which collect it from the wood. It is useful for many ointments, and the Arabians burn it very generally as a perfume.”

LABOR PAINS

God expressed to the first woman, Eve, after she had sinned, what the result would be as to childbearing. If she had remained obedient, God’s blessing would have continued upon her and childbearing would have been an unadulterated joy, for, “the blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it.” (Prov. 10:22) But now, as a general rule, the imperfect functioning of the body would bring pain. Accordingly God said (as often the things that he permits are said to be done by him): “I shall greatly increase the pain of your pregnancy; in birth pangs you will bring forth children.”—Gen. 3:16.

The Hebrew expression in this passage of Scripture is, literally, “your pain and your pregnancy,” and is rendered by some translations “thy sorrow and thy conception.” (AV; Yg) But the grammatical form used is called “hendiadys,” wherein two words are connected by “and” though one thing is meant. Modern translations render the expression accordingly. (AT; Mo; RS) So it is not stated that conception would necessarily increase, but that the pain would.

It is true that the pain of pregnancy and childbearing may be relieved by medical treatment, and even prevented to some extent by care and preparatory methods. But, generally, childbirth remains a physically distressing experience. (Gen. 35:16-20; Isa. 26:17) Despite such labor pains associated with childbearing, there is happiness attendant upon the birth of a child. When Jesus Christ spoke intimately with his apostles on the evening before his death, he used this circumstance as an illustration. He explained to them that he was going to leave them, then went on to say: “Most truly I say to you, You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; you will be grieved, but your grief will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is giving birth, has grief, because her hour has arrived; but when she has brought forth the young child, she remembers the tribulation no more because of the joy that a man has been born into the world. You also, therefore, are now, indeed, having grief; but I shall see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”—John 16:20-22.

This painful period did come upon them for parts of three days, when they doubtless wept and ‘afflicted their souls’ by fasting. (Luke 5:35; compare Psalm 35:13.) But early on the morning of the third day, Nisan 16, the resurrected Jesus appeared to certain of the disciples, and for forty days after that. Imagine their joy! On the day of Pentecost, fifty days from Jesus’ resurrection, God’s holy spirit was poured out upon them and they became joyful witnesses of his resurrection, first in Jerusalem and later in distant parts of the earth. (Acts 1:3, 8) And no one could take their joy away.

AS REPRESENTING DISTRESS

The psalmist described a gathering of kings as they viewed the splendor and magnificence of God’s holy city Zion, with its towers and ramparts of strength. He says: “They themselves saw; and so they were amazed. They got disturbed, they were sent running in panic. Trembling itself took hold of them there, birth pangs like those of a woman giving birth.” (Ps. 48:1-6) The psalm appears to describe an actual occurrence in which enemy kings were panic-stricken in a projected attack on Jerusalem. While there are several conjectures as to what occasion is here meant, no certain identification has been made.

Jeremiah, in prophesying defeat to come upon mighty Babylon, told of a people from the north, the report about whom would cause the king of Babylon to have severe pains, like a woman giving birth. This was fulfilled when Cyrus came against Babylon and particularly when the mysterious handwriting appeared on the wall at Babylonian King Belshazzar’s feast. This the prophet Daniel interpreted to Belshazzar as portending the immediate fall of Babylon