Genesis 31:23

23 So he took his kinsfolk with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with 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.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Bunting's Travels, p. 72.

Genesis 31:23 In-Context

21 So he fled with all that he had; starting out he crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23 So he took his kinsfolk with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, "Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad."
25 Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsfolk camped in the hill country of Gilead.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.