Genesis 30:26

26 "Give me my wives and my children 1for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you."

Genesis 30:26 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:26

Give [me] my wives
His two wives, Leah and Rachel, and the two maids, Bilhah and Zilpah, which he had given him for wives also; he desires leave not to have them, but to take them away with him: and my children;
his twelve children; he did not desire his father-in- law to take any of them, and keep them for him, but was desirous of having them with him: no doubt, for the sake of their education, though he had nothing of his own wherewith to support them; not doubting that God would make good his promise in giving him food and raiment, and returning him to his country; and which his faith applied to his family as well as to himself: for whom I have served thee;
not for his children, but for his wives, his two wives; and let me go;
free from thy service, and to my own country; for thou knowest my service which I have done thee:
how much and great it is, and with what diligence and faithfulness it has been performed, and that the time of it fixed and agreed upon was at an end.

Genesis 30:26 In-Context

24 She named him Joseph, saying, "May the LORD give me another son."
25 Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country.
26 "Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you."
27 But Laban said to him, "If now it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the LORD has blessed me on your account."
28 He continued, "Name me your wages, and I will give it."

Cross References 1

  • 1. Gen 29:18, 20, 27; Hosea 12:12

Footnotes 1

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.