Genesis 31

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:14

And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him ,.... One after another, and their answers agreeing, are put together; it may be Rachel answered in the name of Leah, and for herself, since she is mentioned first, and the verb is singular. The Targum of Jonathan is, Rachel answered with the consent of Leah: is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house ? it was what might have been justly expected, as they were his children, that they should have been used as such,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:15

Are we not accounted of him strangers ?.... He had not treated them as children, nor even as freeborn persons; but as if they were foreigners that he had taken in war, or bought of others; or at least, that they were born bondmaids in his house, and so had a right to sell them as he had: for he hath sold us ; he had sold them to Jacob for fourteen years' service, as if they had been his slaves, instead of giving dowries with them as his children: and hath quite devoured also our money... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:16

For all the riches which God hath taken from our father ,.... And given to Jacob for his labour: that is ours, and our children's ; it belonged to us by the law of nature, before it came into thine hands; and our right unto it is still more manifest, and is confirmed by the service thou hast done for it, by which means it came into thy possession; and therefore it is no point of conscience with us, nor need it be any with thee especially, to go off with it: now then, whatsoever God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:17

Then Jacob rose up ,.... And went with them to Laban's house, where his children were, as is plain from Rachel's theft, Genesis 31:19 , and set his sons and his wives upon camels ; which were his own, see Genesis 30:43 ; creatures fit for travelling; on these he set his wives, Rachel and Leah, and his concubine wives, Bilhah and Zilpah; for these went with him, as appears from Genesis 33:6 ; and "his sons", or rather "his children": for they were not all sons, there was one... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:18

And he carried away all his cattle ,.... His sheep, camels, and asses: the Jews say F25 Pirke Eliezer, c. 37. fol. 41. he had 5,500 head of cattle: and all the goods which he had gotten : all the rest besides his cattle; his menservants, and maidservants, and all his gold and his silver, and whatsoever else he had: the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram : or Mesopotamia: this seems to be purposely observed, to show that he took nothing but what was his own... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:19

And Laban went to shear his sheep ,.... Which were under the care of his sons, and were three days' distance from Jacob's flocks; this gave Jacob a fair opportunity to depart with his family and substance, since Laban and his sons were at such a distance, and their servants with them also: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's ; afterwards called gods, which he made use of in an idolatrous and superstitious manner, one way or other: they seem to be a kind of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:20

And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian ,.... Went away without his knowledge, or giving him any notice of it; he was too cunning for Laban the Syrian; notwithstanding his astrology and superstitious arts, which the Syrians are addicted to, he had no foresight of this matter: or he "stole away the heart of Laban" F2 יגנב־את לב "furatus est cor", Tigurine version, Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Vatablus, Drasius, Cartwright. , that which his heart was set upon; not his gods,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:21

So he fled with all that he had ,.... His wives, his children, cattle and substance: and he rose up, and passed over the river ; the river Euphrates, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it, which lay between Mesopotamia and Canaan: and set his face toward the mount Gilead : he travelled and bent his course that way: this, was a mountain on the border of the land of Canaan, adjoining to Lebanon, near which was a very fruitful country, which had its name from it: it is so called here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:22

And it was told Laban on the third day, that Jacob was fled. Three days after Jacob was gone he had the report of it, by some means or another; by some of his neighbours, or servants left at home, and sooner he could not well have it, since the flock he went to shear was three days' distance from Jacob's, Genesis 30:36 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:23

And he took his brethren with him ,.... Some of his relations, the descendants of his father's brethren, the sons of Nahor, of whom there were seven, besides Bethuel; and who all perhaps lived in Haran the city of Nahor, see Genesis 22:20 ; or some of his neighbours and acquaintance whom he might call to: and pursued after him seven days' journey ; which must be reckoned, not from Jacob's departure from Haran, but from Laban's; for Laban being three days' journey from thence, whither... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:23

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