Génesis 31:29

29 Poder hay en mi mano para haceros mal; mas el Dios de vuestro padre me habló anoche diciendo: Guárdate que no digas a Jacob ni bueno ni malo

Génesis 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.

Génesis 31:29 In-Context

27 ¿Por qué te escondiste para huir, y me hurtaste el corazón, y no me hiciste saber, para que yo te enviara con alegría y con canciones, con tamborín y vihuela
28 Que aun no me dejaste besar mis hijos y mis hijas. Ahora locamente has hecho
29 Poder hay en mi mano para haceros mal; mas el Dios de vuestro padre me habló anoche diciendo: Guárdate que no digas a Jacob ni bueno ni malo
30 Y ya que te ibas, porque tenías deseo de la casa de tu padre, ¿por qué me hurtaste mis dioses
31 Y Jacob respondió, y dijo a Labán: Porque tuve miedo; pues dije, por ventura me robarías tus hijas

Título en Inglés – The Jubilee Bible

(De las Escrituras de La Reforma)

Editado por: Russell M. Stendal

Jubilee Bible 2000 – Russell Martin Stendal

© 2000, 2001, 2010