Genesis 31:23

23 so Laban took his brothers with him, chased Jacob for seven days, and caught up with him in the mountains of Gilead.

Genesis 31:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 31:23

And he took his brethren with him
Some of his relations, the descendants of his father's brethren, the sons of Nahor, of whom there were seven, besides Bethuel; and who all perhaps lived in Haran the city of Nahor, see ( Genesis 22:20-24 ) ; or some of his neighbours and acquaintance whom he might call to: and pursued after him seven days' journey;
which must be reckoned, not from Jacob's departure from Haran, but from Laban's; for Laban being three days' journey from thence, whither he had to return, after he received the news of Jacob being gone; Jacob must have travelled six days before Laban set out with his brethren from Haran; so that this was, as Ben Gerson conjectures, the thirteenth day of Jacob's travel; for Laban not having cattle to drive as Jacob, could travel as fast again as he, and do that in seven days which took up Jacob thirteen: and they overtook him in the mount Gilead;
said to be three hundred and eighty miles from Haran ^F5.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Bunting's Travels, p. 72.

Genesis 31:23 In-Context

21 So Jacob and his entire household left. He got up, crossed the river, and set out directly for the mountains of Gilead.

22 Three days later, Laban found out that Jacob had gone,

23 so Laban took his brothers with him, chased Jacob for seven days, and caught up with him in the mountains of Gilead.

24 That night, God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and said, "Be careful and don't say anything hastily to Jacob one way or the other."

25 Laban reached Jacob after Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains. So Laban and his brothers also pitched theirs in the mountains of Gilead.