Great Escapes In The Bible

Who escaped	Reference	What happened	What the escape ac-complished	Application for us
Jacob	Genesis 31:1-7 And he heard the words of Labans sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our fathers; and of that which was our fathers hath he gotten all this glory. [2] And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. [3] And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. [4] And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, [5] And said unto them, I see your fathers countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. [6] And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. [7] And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. See entire passage: Genesis 31:1-55	Left his father-in-law, Laban, after almost 20 years of service	Allowed Jacob to return home for Isaac's death and reconcil-iation with his brother, Esau	A time away from home often puts the really important things into perspective
Moses	Exodus 2:11-15 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. [12] And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. [13] And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? [14] And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. [15] Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.	Fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian task master oppressing a fellow Israelite	Began another part of God's training	God fits our mistakes into His plan
Israelites	Exodus 12:40-42 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. [41] And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. [42] It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations. See entire passage: Exodus 12:28-42	Escaped Egypt after 430 years, most of it in slavery	God confirmed His choice of Abraham's descend-ants	God will not forget His promises
Spies	Joshua 2:1-4 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlots house, named Rahab, and lodged there. [2] And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. [3] And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. [4] And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: See entire passage: Joshua 2:1-24	Hid in Rahab's house	Prepared to destroy Jericho, saved Rahab who became an ancestor of Jesus	God's plan weaves lives together beyond our under-standing
Ehud	Judges 3:15-19 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. [16] But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. [17] And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. [18] And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. [19] But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. See entire passage: Judges 3:15-30	Assass-inated the Moabite King Eglon, but escaped unde-tected	Broke the control of Moab over Israel and began 80 years of peace	Punish-ments by God are often swift and deadly
Samson	Judges 16:1-3 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. [2] And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. [3] And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.	Escaped a locked city by ripping out the gate and the posts it was hung on	Postponed Samson's destruct-ion because of his lack of self-control	Without depend-ance on God, great ability is wasted
Elijah	1 Kings 19:1-3 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. [2] Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. [3] And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. See entire passage: 1 Kings 19:1-18	Fled into the desert out of fear of Queen Jezebel	Elijah's life was preserved while displaying his human weakness	Even when most successful our personal weak-nesses remain our greatest challenge
Paul	Acts 9:23-25 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: [24] But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. [25] Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.	Lowered over the wall in a basket in order to get out of Damascus	Saved a new Christian for great service to God	God has a purpose for every life which may become a real adventure when a person is willing to cooperate
Peter	Acts 12:6-9 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. [7] And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. [8] And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. [9] And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. See entire passage: Acts 12:1-11	Freed from prison by an angel	Saved Peter for further plans God had for his life	God sometimes uses extra-ordinary means to carry our His plan
Paul and Silas	Acts 16:25-28 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. [26] And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every ones bands were loosed. [27] And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. [28] But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. See entire passage: Acts 16:22-40	Shackles fell off and prison doors opened by an earth-quake, yet no one escaped	Pointed out that man is power-less before God	When we focus on God instead of our problems, He is able to offer help in unexpect-ed ways

Parts of the above taken from the "Life Application Study Bible" KJV, 2004, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

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All Bible quotes given in the KING JAMES VERSION.