Genesis 30:31

31 dixitque Laban quid dabo tibi at ille ait nihil volo sed si feceris quod postulo iterum pascam et custodiam pecora tua

Genesis 30:31 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:31

And he said, what shall I give thee?
&c.] So said Laban to Jacob, still avoiding making any offer himself, but waiting for Jacob, and pressing upon him to fix his wages: and Jacob said, thou shalt not give me anything;
a speech Laban liked very well: his meaning is, that he should give him no certain settled salary, nor even of anything that Laban was now possessed of, and God had blessed him with for his sake he did not desire any part of it; but if thou wilt do this thing for me;
which he was about to mention, and does in ( Genesis 30:32 ) ; I will again feed [and] keep thy flock;
there is an elegance in the original; "I will return, I will feed, I will keep thy flock": it seems by this that Jacob had relinquished the care of the flock, upon the time of his servitude being out; but, upon the following condition, proposes to return to it, lead it out to the pastures, and feed it on them, and keep it night and day, as he had used to do.

Genesis 30:31 In-Context

29 at ille respondit tu nosti quomodo servierim tibi et quanta in manibus meis fuerit possessio tua

30 modicum habuisti antequam venirem et nunc dives effectus es benedixitque tibi Dominus ad introitum meum iustum est igitur ut aliquando provideam etiam domui meae

31 dixitque Laban quid dabo tibi at ille ait nihil volo sed si feceris quod postulo iterum pascam et custodiam pecora tua

32 gyra omnes greges tuos et separa cunctas oves varias et sparso vellere et quodcumque furvum et maculosum variumque fuerit tam in ovibus quam in capris erit merces mea

33 respondebitque mihi cras iustitia mea quando placiti tempus advenerit coram te et omnia quae non fuerint varia et maculosa et furva tam in ovibus quam in capris furti me arguent