Genesis 31:22-42

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled,
23 then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days' journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
24 1God came to Laban the Aramean in a 2dream of the night and said to him, "3Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad."
25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead.
26 Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword?
27 "Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with 4timbrel and with 5lyre;
28 and did not allow me 6to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly.
29 "It is in my power to do you harm, but 7the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, '8Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.'
30 "Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house; but why did you steal 9my gods?"
31 Then Jacob replied to Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32 "10The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our kinsmen point out what is yours among my belongings and take it for yourself." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 So Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel's saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them.
35 She said to her father, "Let not my lord be angry that I cannot * 11rise before * you, for the manner of women is upon me." So he searched but did not find the 12household idols.
36 Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, "What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me?
37 "Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two.
38 "These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks.
39 "That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 "Thus I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.
41 "These twenty years I have been in your house; 13I served you fourteen * years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you 14changed my wages ten times.
42 "If 15the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. 16God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He 17rendered judgment last night."

Genesis 31:22-42 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 17

  • 1. Genesis 20:3; Genesis 31:29
  • 2. Genesis 20:3, 6; Genesis 31:11
  • 3. Genesis 24:50; Genesis 31:7, 29
  • 4. Exodus 15:20
  • 5. Genesis 4:21
  • 6. Genesis 31:55
  • 7. Gen 31:5, 24, 42, 53
  • 8. Genesis 31:24
  • 9. Genesis 31:19; Joshua 24:2; Judges 18:24
  • 10. Genesis 44:9
  • 11. Leviticus 19:32
  • 12. Genesis 31:19
  • 13. Genesis 29:27, 30
  • 14. Genesis 31:7
  • 15. Gen 31:5, 29, 53
  • 16. Genesis 29:32; Exodus 3:7
  • 17. Genesis 31:24, 29

Footnotes 15

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