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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:10

And it came to pass, at the time that the cattle conceived ,.... Whether in spring or in autumn cannot be said, for it seems this was twice a year; this probably was at the beginning of the six years' servitude, or just before the agreement was made between Laban and Jacob, and was an instruction to the latter how to make his bargain with the former: that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream ; in a vision of the night, so things were represented to his fancy and imagination: and,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:11

And the Angel of God spake unto me in a dream ,.... In the same dream before related, and to direct him to observe what was presented to him, and to confirm what he saw, and lead him to the design and use of it. This was not a created angel, but the eternal one, the Son of God, and who is afterwards called God, and to whom Jacob had made a vow, which he would never have done to an angel; but to God only, as Ben Melech observes: saying , Jacob; and I said, here am I ; the Angel called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:12

And he said, lift up now thine eyes, and see ,.... This was all visionary, Jacob was still in a dream; but it was so impressed upon his mind, that he was spoke to, and bid to observe, and take notice, as follows: that all the rams that leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled , and grisled ; thereby assuring him, that such would be those the ewes would bring forth, which would be right in him to agree with Laban for as his hire; and it is probable that there was some distance... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:13

I am the God of Bethel ,.... The same Angel that appeared to Jacob in a dream, at the beginning of his six years' servitude, now appeared to him at the close of it, declaring himself to be the God of Bethel; or that God that manifested himself to him at Bethel, as Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase the words; for this is a distinct vision from that in the preceding verses, concerning the rams of different colours, and are both put together for the sake of brevity, and because they belong to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:1

And he heard the words of Laban's sons - The multiplication of Jacob's cattle, and the decrease and degeneracy of those of Laban, were sufficient to arouse the jealousy of Laban's sons. This, with Laban's unfair treatment, and the direction he received from God, determined him to return to his own country. Hath he gotten all this glory - All these riches, this wealth, or property. The original word כבד signifies both to be rich and to be heavy; and perhaps for this simple reason, that... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:3

And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return - and I will be with thee - I will take the same care of thee in thy return, as I took of thee on thy way to this place. The Targum reads, My Word shall be for thy help, see Genesis 15:1 . A promise of this kind was essentially necessary for the encouragement of Jacob, especially at this time; and no doubt it was a powerful means of support to him through the whole journey; and it was particularly so when he heard that his brother was coming to meet... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:4

Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah - He had probably been at some considerable distance with the flocks; and for the greater secrecy, he rather sends for them to the field, to consult them on this most momentous affair, than visit them in their tents, where probably some of the family of Laban might overhear their conversation, though Laban himself was at the time three days' journey off. It is possible that Jacob shore his sheep at the same time; and that he sent for his wives and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:7

Changed my wages ten times - There is a strange diversity among the ancient versions, and ancient and modern interpreters, on the meaning of these words. The Hebrew is מנים עשרת asereth monim , which Aquila translates δεκα αριθμους ten numbers; Symmachus, δεκακις αριτμῳ , ten times in number; the Septuagint δεκα αμνων , ten lambs, with which Origen appears to agree. St. Augustine thinks that by ten lambs five years' wages is meant: that Laban had withheld from him all the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:11

The angel of God spake unto me in a dream - It is strange that we had not heard of this dream before; and yet it seems to have taken place before the cattle brought forth, immediately after the bargain between him and Laban. If we follow the Samaritan the difficulty is at once removed, for it gives us the whole of this dream after Genesis 30:36 ; of the preceding chapter, read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:12

Grisled - ברדים beruddim ; ברד barad signifies hail, and the meaning must be, they had white spots on them similar to hail. Our word grisled comes from the old French, gresl , hail, now written gràle; hence greslé , grisled, spotted with white upon a dark ground. read more

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