Genesis · WEB
Genesis
31
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Jacob heard Laban’s sons’ words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.” See also: Ecclesiastes 4:4Ezekiel 16:441 Timothy 6:4Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. See also: Daniel 3:19Genesis 4:51 Samuel 18:9-11The LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” See also: Genesis 28:15Hebrews 13:5Genesis 32:9Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock, and said to them, “I see the expression on your father’s face, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. See also: Genesis 31:2-3Genesis 31:42Genesis 48:15You know that I have served your father with all of my strength. See also: Genesis 30:29Ephesians 6:5-8Genesis 31:38-42Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me. See also: Numbers 14:22Genesis 31:41Zechariah 8:23If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore streaked. See also: Genesis 30:32Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock, and given them to me. See also: Genesis 31:1Genesis 31:16Proverbs 13:22During mating season, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled. See also: Deuteronomy 13:1Numbers 12:6Genesis 30:39The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ See also: Genesis 31:13Isaiah 58:9Genesis 18:17He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you. See also: Exodus 3:7Genesis 31:42Deuteronomy 24:15I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’” See also: Genesis 31:3Genesis 32:9Genesis 28:12-22Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? See also: Genesis 2:24Ruth 4:11Genesis 29:29Aren’t we considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money. See also: Genesis 29:15-20Nehemiah 5:8Genesis 31:41For all the riches which God has taken away from our father are ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.” See also: Genesis 31:9Psalms 45:10Genesis 30:35Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels, See also: 1 Samuel 30:17Genesis 24:10Genesis 24:61and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan. See also: Genesis 28:21Genesis 35:27-29Genesis 27:41Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s. See also: 1 Samuel 19:13Hosea 3:4Genesis 31:30Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away. So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead. See also: 2 Kings 12:17Genesis 37:25Joshua 24:2-3Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. See also: Exodus 14:5-31Job 5:12-13Genesis 30:36He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead. See also: Genesis 24:27Exodus 2:11Exodus 2:13God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.” See also: Genesis 24:50Genesis 31:29Genesis 20:3Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead. See also: Hebrews 11:9Genesis 33:18Genesis 12:8Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? See also: 1 Samuel 30:2Genesis 4:101 Samuel 14:43Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp; See also: Exodus 15:20Genesis 24:59-60Proverbs 26:23-26and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. See also: Genesis 31:55Acts 20:371 Kings 19:20It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ See also: Genesis 31:53Genesis 31:42Genesis 28:13Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?” See also: Jeremiah 10:11Judges 18:24Genesis 31:19Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’ See also: Proverbs 29:25Genesis 31:26-27Genesis 20:11Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them. See also: Genesis 31:23Genesis 31:30Genesis 31:19Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. See also: Genesis 24:67Genesis 24:28Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them. See also: Genesis 31:19Genesis 31:17She said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim. See also: Leviticus 19:32Exodus 20:121 Peter 3:6Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? See also: Ephesians 4:26James 1:19-20Genesis 30:2Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two. See also: 1 Peter 2:12Hebrews 13:181 Thessalonians 2:10“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks. See also: Ezekiel 34:2-4Genesis 30:27Genesis 30:30That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. See also: Exodus 22:31Luke 2:8Leviticus 22:8This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes. See also: 1 Peter 5:2-4Exodus 3:1Hebrews 13:7These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. See also: Genesis 31:71 Corinthians 15:102 Corinthians 11:26Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.” See also: Psalms 31:7Isaiah 8:13Genesis 31:53Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne? Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be for a witness between me and you.” See also: Joshua 24:25-271 Samuel 20:14-17Deuteronomy 31:19Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. See also: Genesis 28:18-22Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap. See also: Ecclesiastes 3:5Genesis 31:32Joshua 4:5-9Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. See also: Hebrews 12:1Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed See also: Joshua 24:27Deuteronomy 3:16Deuteronomy 2:36and Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another. See also: Judges 11:29Judges 10:171 Samuel 7:5-6If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.” See also: Jeremiah 42:5Jeremiah 29:23Judges 11:10Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you. May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. See also: Genesis 31:48Genesis 31:44-45The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac. See also: Genesis 31:42Genesis 16:5Genesis 11:24-29Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain. See also: Exodus 18:12Genesis 21:82 Samuel 3:20-21Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place. See also: Genesis 31:28Genesis 30:25Genesis 18:33
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Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)23 notes
Notes in English 19th-century Catholic commentary by Fr. George Leo Haydock, shown as published.
These notes keep the polemics of their time: some speak harshly of the Jewish people or of other Christians. The Church teaches otherwise today. The Jewish people may not be blamed for the death of Christ (Nostra Aetate 4; Catechism 597–598), and Christians of other communities are our brothers and sisters in the Lord (Unitatis Redintegratio 3). Christian unity
Genesis 31:1
Ver. 1. After that six years were expired, and calumnies and il -
will attended Jacob in Laban's family, God ordered him to retire, v. 3. H.
↑ 1Genesis 31:7
Ver. 7. Ten times. Very often, or perhaps this exact number of times, v. 41.
↑ 7Genesis 31:8
Ver. 8. All, or the far greatest part, so that I was exceedingly enriched. M. --- The Sept. here agrees with the Vulg. But the Heb. and other versions, instead of white ones, read of divers colours, or ring-streaked, which takes away th intended opposition. C.
↑ 8Genesis 31:12
Ver. 12. Are of divers colours. Their fancy was strongly impressed with thee various colours, in consequence of the pilled rods, which they beheld: and which Jacob was directed by the angel to place in the troughs. --- I have seen with displeasure, the injustice of Laban; (H.) and therefore, I, the Lord of all things, authorize thee to act in this manner. By this vision, the justice of Jacob would appear; and the authority for removing, given in a second vision, would suffice to induce the two principal wives of Jacob to give their consent to leave their father's house, and to begin a long journey. During the last six years, Providence had given no increase of family, that the little children might be no impediment to the removal. H.
↑ 12Genesis 31:15
Ver. 15. Eaten up. Laban kept for himself the dowry paid by Jacob for his wives, though he ought to have allotted it to them, with the addition of something more, in proportion to his immense wealth. M.
↑ 15Genesis 31:18
Ver. 18. Gotten. Heb. expresses over again, the cattle of his getting, &c. which is omitted in one MS. as well as in the Sept.
Syr. and Arab. versions, though yet used in the Samarit. copy.
Kennicott. --- To Isaac, who was still living, though he had apprehended death was at hand 20 years before. He continued to live other 20 years after. Salien. --- Jacob spent about 10 years at Sichem and at Bethel, before he went to dwell with Isaac. M.
↑ 18Genesis 31:19
This 19th-century note uses polemical language; read it in the light of the note at the top of this panel.
Ver. 19. Her father's idols. By this it appears that Laban was an idolater: and some of the fathers are of opinion, that Rachel stole away these idols, to withdraw him from idolatry, by removing the occasion of his sin. Ch. --- Others think she was herself infected with this superstition, until Jacob entirely banished it from his family in Chanaan. C. xxxv. 2. T. --- The Heb. Teraphim, is translated images by the Protestants in this place, though it certainly denotes idols. But Ose. ii . 4, they leave it untranslated, lest they should be forced to allow that images pertain to religious service, as well as sacrifice, &c.
which are mentioned together, (W.) though they now indeed have images in the same verse of Osee for what the Vulgate renders altar. These teraphims are consequently taken in a good as well as in a bad sense. They were, perhaps, made of rich metal, and taken by Rachel and Lia to indemnify them for the want of a dowry. This, however, was wrong, and done without the participation of their husband. H.
↑ 19Genesis 31:20
Ver. 20. Away. Heb. "Jacob stole the heart of Laban,"
concealing his flight from him. M.
↑ 20Genesis 31:21
Ver. 21. The river Euphrates. --- Galaad, as it was called afterwards, v. 48. M.
↑ 21Genesis 31:22
Ver. 22. Third day. He was gone to shear his sheep, distant three days' journey.
↑ 22Genesis 31:24
Ver. 24. Speak not. Laban did not comply exactly, but he used no violence. H.
↑ 24Genesis 31:32
Ver. 32. Slain. Homer says, "the father judges his children and wives;" and thus Jacob pronounces sentence. The Rabbins pretend it and its effect soon after in the death of Rachel. C.
xxxv. 18. C.
↑ 32Genesis 31:35
Ver. 35. Vain. For who would imagine, that a woman should treat in this manner the objects of her father's adoration? C. ---
It would hence appear, that she did not herself adore them, unless fear overcame her religion. H.
↑ 35Genesis 31:36
Ver. 36. Angry. He was extremely quiet. But patience abused, turns to fury. M.
↑ 36Genesis 31:39
Ver. 39. Exact it. Laban acted in opposition both to custom and to justice, (C.) while Jacob forebore to claim what he might have done, agreeably to both. H.
↑ 39Genesis 31:42
Ver. 42. The fear of Isaac; or of that God, whom Isaac fears, on account of the danger to which he is exposed of losing his friendship; a thing which, Abraham being now departed in peace, has not to dread. C.
↑ 42Genesis 31:43
Ver. 43. Are mine, or proceed from me originally; so that if I were to injure them, I should disregard the dictates of nature.
M.
↑ 43Genesis 31:47
Ver. 47. Testimony. Heb. makes Laban give this etymology, Jegar-saha-dutha; while Galaad means the hill or the witness.
The Syrian language had now begun to deviate some little from the Hebrew of Jacob. --- Each, &c. This is added by the Vulgate. C.
↑ 47Genesis 31:49
Ver. 49. Behold. Heb. "and Mitspah," or "Hammitspah," the watch-tower, whence God will see us. C.
↑ 49Genesis 31:50
Ver. 50. Over them. A wise precaution, which the rich Turks still observe when they give their daughters in marriage. Busbeq.
ep. 3.
↑ 50Genesis 31:51
Ver. 51. I have, &c. One Sam. copy reads very properly, "thou hast set up," (yarithi), v. 45. Kennicott.
↑ 51Genesis 31:53
Ver. 53. God of Nachor. Heb. uses Elohim, which is often applied to idols, such as Nachor worshipped along with the true God. C. --- Jacob swears by the one only God, whom his father revered. M. --- The God of their father, is omitted in the Sept. and is deemed an interpolation by Kennicott. The Sam.
reads again the God of Abraham. H.
↑ 53Genesis 31:55
Ver. 55. Night (de nocte) when it was just at an end, and day-light appeared. --- His daughters, with Dina, &c. Thus all ended well and in peace, by the divine interposition, after the most serious alarms. H.
↑ 55License: Notes by Fr. George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), from the Douay-Rheims Bible with Haydock's commentary (first ed. Thomas Haydock, Manchester/Dublin, 1811–1814; New York: Edward Dunigan & Brother, 1859); New Testament notes compiled with Fr. Benedict Rayment. Public domain. Digital text: "The Haydock Bible", Internet Archive (archive.org/details/TheHaydockBible), uploaded 2011 under the Public Domain Mark. · Credits and licenses