He took his relatives with him, and he chased after him, a seven day journey.
The Ohr Hachaim asks, why did Yaakov not have his customary Kefitzas Haderech? Why did a seven day trip take seven days for him? Usually, Tzadikim do not have to go through the entire journey, as we see with Eliezer and other Tzadikim.
This occasion, when Yaakov was being chased by Lavan, would be the perfect time for the Kefitzas Haderech to happen.
The Ohr Hachaim suggests that Hashem told Yaakov that there was no need to escape, because even if Lavan reached him, he would have no power over him. If he would use his powers to escape, it would seem like he was scared of an open war with Lavan, as though he could not win him if he met him. Hashem showed great power, that even though Lavan was a human being, with free will, Hashem could stop him choosing to fight with Yaakov.
Another benefit from this meeting between Yaakov and Lavan was the treaty that they made between each other. Klal Yisroel, many years later, needed this treaty. When they lived in Eretz Yisroel under the Judges, they had many wars with the nations around them. The first war that they had was with a King called Kushan Rish’asayim, with whom Asniel ben Kenaz waged war and won. The possuk doesn’t tell us much about this person or this war, but the Gemara tells us that this king was Lavan.
The treaty between them, on which Kushan reneged, caused Klal Yisroel to win, even though they had done aveiros.
Another reason that Yaakov did not merit Kefitzas Haderech was in order that Rachel be buried on the roadside, not in a real cemetery. This was of great use to Klal Yisroel when they left Eretz Yisroel for galus. As Rashi tells us, Rachel was buried on the side of the road, because that was the road taken by Klal Yisroel when they left Yerushalayim and Eretz Yisroel to go to Galus in Bavel. As they saw their matriarch’s grave, they davened to Hashem that they be redeemed from their exile, and Rachel cried along with them. Hashem exhorts her to dry her tears and promises to redeem her children.
