Laban's Counterfeit Send-Off With Tambourines and Harps

Midrash Aggadah Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Genesis 31:27 View source

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 23, 2025

Once the angel had clipped his wings, Laban arrived the next morning wearing the mask of a wounded host. Why didst thou hide from me that thou wouldst go, and steal my knowledge, and not tell me? he asked (Genesis 31:27). If thou hadst told me, I would have sent thee away with mirth, and with hymns, and with tambourines, and with harps.

Targum Pseudo-Jonathan preserves the whole performance. Music. Songs. Percussion. Strings. The send-off Laban describes is so elaborate it almost sounds sincere — which is, of course, the point. A cheater always imagines himself as the generous one who was denied his chance to be generous.

But Jakob knew. He had not been shown the music beforehand because the music was never there. It existed only in Laban's present-tense imagination, conjured after the fact as an accusation: you robbed me of the chance to be gracious.

The Maggid teaches: beware of people who describe in vivid detail the kindness they would have shown you if only you had given them the chance. The harp and tambourine they claim were tuned and ready never existed. Their absence was the warning you were right to heed.

Themes

Speech Ethics Wisdom

Biblical References

Genesis 31:27

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