Genesis 31:6-16

6 And ye know that with all my strengths I have served your father;
7 but and your father hath deceived me, and changed my meed ten times; and nevertheless God suffered not him to harm me. (but your father hath deceived me, and changed my reward ten times; but God hath not allowed him to harm me.)
8 If he said any time (If any time he said), Diverse(ly)-coloured sheep shall be thy meed, all the sheep brought forth diverse(ly)-coloured lambs; forsooth when he said, on the contrary, Thou shalt take all the white for thy meed, all the flocks brought forth white beasts;
9 and God took away the substance of your father (and so God took away your father's property), and gave it to me.
10 For after that the time of conceiving of sheep came, I raised [up] mine eyes, and saw in sleep males diverse, and spotty, and of diverse colours, going up on females. (For when the time of conceiving for the sheep came, I raised up my eyes, and saw in my sleep males diverse, and spotted, and of diverse colours, going up on the females.)
11 And the angel of the Lord said to me in sleep, Jacob! and I answered, I am ready (I am here).
12 Which said, Raise [up] thine eyes, and see all [the] males (that be) diverse, [and] besprinkled, and spotty (and spotted), going [up] on [the] females; for I have seen all things which Laban hath done to thee;
13 I am (the) God of Bethel, where thou anointedest a stone, and madest a vow to me. Now therefore rise thou (up), and go out of this land, and turn again into the land of thy birth (and return to the land of thy birth).
14 And Rachel and Leah answered, Whether we have anything residue, or left, in the chattels, and heritage of our father? (And Rachel and Leah asked, Is there anything left here for us, among our father's possessions, yea of our inheritance?)
15 Whether he areckoned not, or held, us (as) aliens, and sold (us), and ate our price? (Did he not treat us like foreigners, or like strangers, and sell us, and then eat up all the money that was paid for us?)
16 But God took away the riches of our father, and gave those to us, and to our sons; wherefore do thou all things which God hath commanded to thee.

Genesis 31:6-16 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.