Genesis 31:29

29 Und ich hätte wohl so viel Macht, daß ich euch könnte Übles tun; aber eures Vaters Gott hat gestern zu mir gesagt: Hüte dich, daß du mit Jakob nicht anders als freundlich redest. {~}

Genesis 31:29 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 31:29

It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt
Jacob and his family, wives, children, and servants, who were not able to stand against Laban and the men he brought with him; and so the Jerusalem Targum paraphrases it,

``I have an army and a multitude;''
a large force, which Jacob could not withstand: or, "my hand could have been for a god" F8 to me: you could have no more escaped it, or got out of it, or withstood me, than you could God himself: such an opinion had he of his superior power and strength, and that this would have been the case: but the God of your father spoke unto me yesternight;
the night past, or the other night, some very little time ago, since he came from home at least: by his father he means either his father Isaac, or his grandfather Abraham, whose God the Lord was, and who came to Laban and told him who he was. This serves to strengthen the opinion that Laban was an idolater, and adhered to the gods of his grandfather Terah, from whom Abraham departed, and which Laban may have respect to; intimating that he abode by the religion of his ancestors at a greater remove than Jacob's: however, though he does not call him his God, he had some awe and reverence of him, and was influenced by his speech to him; saying, take heed that thou spake not to Jacob either good or bad:
this, though greatly to Jacob's honour, and against Laban's interest, yet his conscience would not allow him to keep it a secret; though, doubtless, his view was to show his superior power to Jacob, had he not been restrained by Jacob's God.
FOOTNOTES:

F8 (ydy lal vy) "esset mihi pro deo manus mea", Schmidt.

Genesis 31:29 In-Context

27 Warum bist du heimlich geflohen und hast dich weggestohlen und hast mir's nicht angesagt, daß ich dich hätte geleitet mit Freuden, mit Singen mit Pauken und Harfen?
28 Und hast mich nicht lassen meine Kinder und Töchter küssen? Nun, du hast töricht getan.
29 Und ich hätte wohl so viel Macht, daß ich euch könnte Übles tun; aber eures Vaters Gott hat gestern zu mir gesagt: Hüte dich, daß du mit Jakob nicht anders als freundlich redest. {~}
30 Und weil du denn ja wolltest ziehen und sehntest dich so sehr nach deines Vaters Hause, warum hast du mir meine Götter gestohlen?
31 Jakob antwortete und sprach zu Laban: Ich fürchtete mich und dachte, du würdest deine Töchter von mir reißen. {~}
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