Genesis 31:37-47

37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household-stuff? set [it] here before my brethren, and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

38 These twenty years [have] I [been] with thee: thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

39 That which was torn by beasts, I brought not to thee; I bore the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, [whether] stolen by day, or stolen by night.

40 [Thus] I was; in the day the drouth consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes.

41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely thou hadst now sent me away empty. God hath seen my affliction, and the labor of my hands, and rebuked [thee] yesternight.

43 And Laban answered, and said to Jacob, [These] daughters [are] my daughters, and [these] children [are] my children, and [these] cattle [are] my cattle, and all that thou seest [is] mine; and what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children which they have borne?

44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up [for] a pillar.

46 And Jacob said to his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made a heap: and they ate there upon the heap.

47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed:

Genesis 31:37-47 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 31

This chapter relates how that Jacob observing that Laban and his sons envied his prosperity, and having a call from God to return to his own country, acquaints his wives with it; and reports to them Laban's ill usage of him, and the wonderful appearance of God to him, and for him, and his orders to him to depart from thence, Ge 31:1-13; to which they agreed, knowing full well their father's unkindness, and that they had nothing to expect from him, and therefore judged it best to go off with what they had got through the gift of God unto them, Ge 31:14-16; upon which Jacob set out privately, with all he had, towards his own country, while Laban was shearing his sheep, Ge 31:17-21; three days after, Laban, being informed of it, pursued after Jacob, and overtook him at Mount Gilead; but was warned by the way to be cautious what he said to him, Ge 31:22-25; yet nevertheless he warmly expostulated with him about his secret flight, not giving him the opportunity of taking his leave of his children, and especially for taking away his gods, Ge 31:26-30; to which Jacob gave an answer, Ge 31:31-35; and in his turn was warm likewise, and chided Laban severely for his hot pursuit of him, his charge of stealth, when he could find nothing on him, his hard labour for the space of twenty years with him, and his ill requital of him for it, Ge 31:36-42; however, upon the whole, an amicable agreement was made between them, and they parted in a friendly manner, Ge 31:43-55.