Genesis 31:26-42

26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.
27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps?
28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing.
29 I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?”
31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.
32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.
35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” So he searched but could not find the household gods.
36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged you that you hunt me down?
37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.
38 “I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks.
39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night.
40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
41 It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.
42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.”

Genesis 31:26-42 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 46

  • 1. S Genesis 12:18
  • 2. S Genesis 27:36
  • 3. Genesis 34:29; 1 Samuel 30:2-3
  • 4. ver 20
  • 5. Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34; 1 Samuel 10:5; 2 Samuel 6:5; Psalms 68:25; Isaiah 24:8; Jeremiah 31:4
  • 6. S Genesis 4:21
  • 7. ver 55; S Genesis 27:27; Ruth 1:14; Acts 20:37
  • 8. S ver 7; S Genesis 26:29
  • 9. S ver 5; ver 53
  • 10. S Genesis 24:50
  • 11. S Genesis 28:15; Job 29:2
  • 12. Genesis 44:8
  • 13. S ver 19; Judges 18:24
  • 14. S Genesis 20:11
  • 15. Genesis 44:9
  • 16. S ver 19
  • 17. Genesis 24:67
  • 18. S Genesis 16:1
  • 19. ver 37
  • 20. S ver 19
  • 21. S Genesis 24:63-64
  • 22. ver 37; Genesis 44:12
  • 23. Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 19:3,32; Deuteronomy 21:18; Deuteronomy 27:16; Jeremiah 35:18
  • 24. Leviticus 15:19-23
  • 25. ver 19
  • 26. 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 20:32
  • 27. 1 Samuel 23:23; 1 Samuel 24:11
  • 28. ver 33
  • 29. ver 23
  • 30. Deuteronomy 1:16; Deuteronomy 16:18
  • 31. S Genesis 27:44
  • 32. S Genesis 30:27
  • 33. Genesis 30:33
  • 34. Exodus 22:13
  • 35. Psalms 132:4; 2 Corinthians 11:27
  • 36. S Genesis 27:44
  • 37. Genesis 29:30
  • 38. S Genesis 30:32
  • 39. S Genesis 29:15
  • 40. S ver 7
  • 41. S ver 5; S Exodus 3:15; 1 Chronicles 12:17
  • 42. S Genesis 24:12
  • 43. ver 53; Genesis 46:1; Isaiah 8:13
  • 44. S Genesis 21:22; Psalms 124:1-2
  • 45. S Genesis 3:17; Genesis 29:32
  • 46. S Genesis 24:50
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