Genesis 31:23

23 so he gathered his relatives and began to chase him. After seven days Laban found him in the mountains 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 Jacob and his family left quickly, crossed the Euphrates River, and traveled toward the mountains of Gilead.

22 Three days later Laban learned that Jacob had run away,

23 so he gathered his relatives and began to chase him. After seven days Laban found him in the mountains of Gilead.

24 That night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and said, "Be careful! Do not say anything to Jacob, good or bad."

25 So Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had made his camp in the mountains, so Laban and his relatives set up their camp in the mountains of Gilead.