Bereshis 31

1 1 And he heard the divrei Bnei Lavan, saying, Ya’akov hath taken away all that belonged to avinu; and of that which belonged to avinu hath he gotten all this kavod.

2 And Ya’akov beheld the countenance of Lavan, and, hinei, it was not toward him as before.

3 And Hashem said unto Ya’akov, Shuv el Eretz Avoteicha! And to thy moledet; and I will be with thee.

4 And Ya’akov sent and called Rachel and Leah to the sadeh unto his tzon,

5 And said unto them, I see penei avichen, that it is not toward me as before; but Elohei Avi is with me.

6 And ye know that with all my koach I have served avichen.

7 And avichen hath deceived me, and changed my sachar aseret monim but Elohim allowed him not to harm me.

8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy sachar; then all the tzon bore speckled; and if he said thus, The streaked shall be thy sachar; then bore all the tzon streaked.

9 Thus Elohim hath taken away the mikneh of your av, and given them to me.

10 And it came to pass at the time that the tzon breed, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a chalom, and, hinei, the male goats mounting the tzon were streaked, speckled, and spotted.

11 And the Malach HaElohim spoke unto me in a chalom saying, Ya’akov: And I said, Hineni.

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the male goats leaping upon the tzon are streaked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Lavan doeth unto thee.

13 I am HaEl Beit-El, where thou anointedst a matzevah (pillar), and where thou vowedst a neder (vow) unto Me: now arise, get thee out from HaAretz Hazot, and return unto thy eretz moledet.

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any chelek or nachalah for us in bais avinu?

15 Are we not regarded by him nokhriyyot (foreigners, strangers)? For he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our kesef.

16 For all the oisher Elohim hath taken from avinu, that belongs to us and baneinu; so then, whatsoever Elohim hath said unto thee, do.

17 Then Ya’akov rose up, and set his banim and his nashim upon the gemalim;

18 And he drove all his mikneh, and all his goods which he had gotten, the mikneh of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan Aram, for to go to Yitzchak aviv in Eretz Kena’an.

19 And Lavan went to shear his tzon; and Rachel had stolen the terafim that belong to her av.

20 Unawares to Lavan HaArami, Ya’akov stole away, in that he told him not that he was fleeing.

21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the Nahar [i.e. the Euphrates], and set his face toward Har Gil’ad.

22 And it was told Lavan on Yom HaShlishi that Ya’akov was fled.

23 And he took his achim with him, and pursued after him derech shivat yamim; and they overtook him at Har Gil‘ad.

24 And Elohim came to Lavan HaArami in a chalom halailah, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Ya’akov either tov or rah.

25 Then Lavan overtook Ya’akov. Now Ya’akov had pitched his ohel on the har; and Lavan with his achim encamped in Har Gil‘ad.

26 And Lavan said to Ya’akov, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my banot, like shevuyot (captives) taken with the cherev?

27 Why didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with simchah, and with shirim (songs), with tof (timbrel, tambourine) and with kinnor (harp)?

28 And hast not allowed me to kiss my banim (grandchildren) and my banot? Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

29 It is in the power of my yad to do you rah; but Elohei Avichem spoke unto me emesh (last night), saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Ya’akov either tov or rah.

30 And now, though thou had to go, because thou greatly longedst after bais avicha, yet why hast thou stolen elohai?

31 And Ya’akov answered and said to Lavan, Because I was afraid; for I said, Thou wouldest take by force thy banot from me.

32 With whomsoever thou findest eloheicha, let him not live; before acheinu discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Ya’akov knew not that Rachel had played the ganav with them.

33 And Lavan went into the ohel Ya’akov, and into the ohel Leah and into the ohel shtei ha’amahot; but he found them not. Then went he out of the ohel Leah, and entered into the ohel Rachel.

34 Now Rachel had taken the terafim, and put them in the saddle of the gamal, and sat upon them. And Lavan searched all the ohel, but found them not.

35 And she said to her av, Let it not displease adoni that I cannot rise up in thy presence; for the derech nashim is upon me. And he searched but found not the terafim.

36 And Ya’akov was in wrath, and upbraided Lavan: and Ya’akov answered and said to Lavan, What is my peysha? What is my chattat, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

37 Whereas thou hast searched through all that I own, what hast thou found of all thy kelei bais? Set it here before my achim and thy achim, that they may judge between us both.

38 These esrim shanah have I been with thee; recheleicha (thy ewes) and thy female goats have not miscarried, and the rams of thy tzon have I not eaten.

39 That which was terefah (torn of beasts) I brought not unto thee; I bore the loss of it; of my yad didst thou require it, whether stolen by yom, or stolen by lailah.

40 Thus I was; in the yom the chorev (heat) consumed me, and the kerach (cold) by lailah; and my sheynah (sleep) departed from mine eyes.

41 Thus have I been esrim shanah in thy bais; I served thee arba-esreh shanah for thy two banot, and shesh shanim for thy tzon: and thou hast changed my sachar aseret monim.

42 Except Elohei Avi, Elohei Avraham, and the Pachad of Yitzchak had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty handed. Elohim hath seen mine oni and the toil of my palms, and rebuked thee emesh (last night).

43 And Lavan answered and said unto Ya’akov, These banot are my banot, and these banim are my banim, and this tzon is my tzon, and all that thou seest is mine; yet what can I do today about these my banot, or about their banim which they have born?

44 Now therefore come thou, let us cut a brit, I and thou; and let it be for an ed between me and thee.

45 And Ya’akov took an even, and set it up for a matzevah (pillar).

46 And Ya’akov said unto his achim, Gather avanim; and they took avanim, and made a gal (heap, mound); and they did eat there upon the gal.

47 And Lavan called it Yegar Sahaduta; but Ya’akov called it Gale’ed ("Heap of Witness").

48 And Lavan said, This gal (heap, mound) is an ed (witness) between me and thee this day. Therefore was shmo called Gale’ed;

49 And Mitzpah (Watch); for he said, Hashem watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

50 If thou shalt afflict my banot, or if thou shalt take nashim besides my banot, no man is with us; see, Elohim ed beini uveinecha (Elohim is witness between me and you).

51 And Lavan said to Ya’akov, Hinei this gal (heap, mound), and hinei the matzevah (pillar), which I have cast between me and thee;

52 This gal (heap, mound) be ed (witness), and this matzevah (pillar) be edah (witness), that for ra’ah I will not pass over this gal to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this gal and this matzevah unto me.

53 The Elohei Avraham, and Elohei Nachor, Elohei Avihem judge between us. And Ya’akov swore by the Pachad Aviv Yitzchak.

54 Then Ya’akov offered zavach upon the har, and called his achim to eat lechem; and they did eat lechem, and tarried all night on the har.

55 And early in the boker (morning) Lavan rose up, and kissed his banim and his banot, and made on them a brocha; and Lavan departed, and returned unto his makom.

Bereshis 31 Commentary

Chapter 31

Jacob departs secretly. (1-21) Laban pursues Jacob. (23-35) Jacob's complaint of Laban's conduct. (36-42) Their covenant at Galeed. (43-55)

Verses 1-21 The affairs of these families are related very minutely, while (what are called) the great events of states and kingdoms at that period, are not mentioned. The Bible teaches people the common duties of life, how to serve God, how to enjoy the blessings he bestows, and to do good in the various stations and duties of life. Selfish men consider themselves robbed of all that goes past them, and covetousness will even swallow up natural affection. Men's overvaluing worldly wealth is that error which is the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil. The men of the world stand in each other's way, and every one seems to be taking away from the rest; hence discontent, envy, and discord. But there are possessions that will suffice for all; happy they who seek them in the first place. In all our removals we should have respect to the command and promise of God. If He be with us, we need not fear. The perils which surround us are so many, that nothing else can really encourage our hearts. To remember favoured seasons of communion with God, is very refreshing when in difficulties; and we should often recollect our vows, that we fail not to fulfil them.

Verses 22-35 God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Foolish Laban! to call those things his gods which could be stolen! Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not. Those who commit their cause to God, are not forbidden to plead it themselves with meekness and fear. When we read of Rachel's stealing her father's images, what a scene of iniquity opens! The family of Nahor, who left the idolatrous Chaldees; is this family itself become idolatrous? It is even so. The truth seems to be, that they were like some in after-times, who sware by the Lord and by Malcham, ( Zepheniah 1:5 ) ; and like others in our times, who wish to serve both God and mammon. Great numbers will acknowledge the true God in words, but their hearts and houses are the abodes of spiritual idolatry. When a man gives himself up to covetousness, like Laban, the world is his god; and he has only to reside among gross idolaters in order to become one, or at least a favourer of their abominations.

Verses 36-42 If Jacob were willingly consumed with heat in the day, and frost by night, to become the son-in-law of Laban, what should we refuse to endure, to become the sons of God? Jacob speaks of God as the God of his father; he thought himself unworthy to be regarded, but was beloved for his father's sake. He calls him the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac; for Abraham was dead, and gone to that world where perfect love casts out fear; but Isaac was yet alive, sanctifying the Lord in his heart, as his fear and his dread.

Verses 43-55 Laban could neither justify himself nor condemn Jacob, therefore desires to hear no more of that matter. He is not willing to own himself in fault, as he ought to have done. But he proposes a covenant of friendship between them, to which Jacob readily agrees. A heap of stones was raised, to keep up the memory of the event, writing being then not known or little used. A sacrifice of peace offerings was offered. Peace with God puts true comfort into our peace with our friends. They did eat bread together, partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice. In ancient times covenants of friendship were ratified by the parties eating and drinking together. God is judge between contending parties, and he will judge righteously; whoever do wrong, it is at their peril. They gave a new name to the place, The heap of witness. After this angry parley, they part friends. God is often better to us than our fears, and overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.

Chapter Summary

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.