Genesis 31:23

23 And Laban took his brethren [with him], and pursued him seven days, and [over]took him in the hill of Gilead. (And Laban took his kinsmen with him, and pursued Jacob for seven days, and finally overtook him in the hill country 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 and when he had gone, as well he as all things that were of his right, and when he had passed [over] the water, and he went against the hill of Gilead, (and so when he had gone forth, he as well as all of the things that were rightfully his, and when he had crossed over the Euphrates River, and had gone toward the hill country of Gilead,)

22 it was told to Laban, in the third day, that Jacob fled. (Laban learned, on the third day, that Jacob had fled.)

23 And Laban took his brethren [with him], and pursued him seven days, and [over]took him in the hill of Gilead. (And Laban took his kinsmen with him, and pursued Jacob for seven days, and finally overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.)

24 And Laban saw in sleep the Lord saying to him, Beware that thou speak not anything sharply against Jacob.

25 And then Jacob had stretched forth the tabernacle in the hill; and when Laban had followed Jacob with his brethren, Laban set a tent in the same hill of Gilead; (And Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead; and when Laban and his kinsmen caught up to him, Laban pitched his tent on the same hill;)