Genesis 31:35

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 31:25-35

We have here the reasoning, not to say the rallying, that took place between Laban and Jacob at their meeting, in that mountain which was afterwards called Gilead, Gen. 31:25. Here is, I. The high charge which Laban exhibited against him. He accuses him, 1. As a renegade that had unjustly deserted his service. To represent Jacob as a criminal, he will have it thought that he intended kindness to his daughters (Gen. 31:27, 28), that he would have dismissed them with all the marks of love and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:35

And she said to her father ,.... As he approached nearer to her, having searched her tent all over: let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee : she addresses him with great honour and respect; calling him her lord, being her father, though an unkind one, and entreats him not to be displeased that she did not rise up and yield that obeisance to him which was due from her to a father: for the custom of women is upon me ; her menstrues; which before the law of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:35

The custom of women is upon me - This she knew must be a satisfactory reason to her father; for if the teraphim were used to any religious purpose, and they seem to have been used in this way, as Laban calls them his gods, he therefore could not suspect that a woman in such a situation, whose touch was considered as defiling, would have sat upon articles that were either the objects of his adoration, or used for any sacred purpose. The stratagem succeeded to her wish, and Laban departed... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 31:22-44

Laban's pursuit of Jacob. I. THE HOSTILE PREPARATION . Learning of his son-in-law's departure, Laban at once determines on pursuit; not alone for the purpose of recovering his household gods, but chiefly with the view of wreaking his pent-up vengeance on Jacob, whom he now regarded as the spoiler of his fortunes, and if possible to capture and detain the much-coveted flocks and herds which he considered had been practically stolen by his nephew. Mustering his kinsmen by either force... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 31:35

And she said to her father, —"covering theft by subtlety and untruth" (Kalisch), and thus proving herself a time daughter of Laban, as well as showing with how much imperfection her religious character was tainted— Let it not displease my lord —literally, let it not burn with anger ( יִחַר , from חָרָה , to glow, to burn) in the eyes of my lord (Adoni)— that I cannot rise up before thee ;—Oriental politeness required children to rise up in the presence of their parents ( vide ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 31:1-55

- Jacob’s Flight from Haran19. תרפים terāpı̂ym, Teraphim. This word occurs fifteen times in the Old Testament. It appears three times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the Pentateuch. It is always in the plural number. The root does not appear in Biblical Hebrew. It perhaps means “to live well,” intransitively (Gesenius, Roedig.), “to nourish,” transitively (Furst). The teraphim were symbols or representatives of the Deity, as Laban calls them his gods. They seem to have been busts... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:1-55

Jacob flees from Laban (31:1-55)As Laban and his sons became increasingly hostile to him, Jacob prepared to leave for Canaan without delay (31:1-13). Leah and Rachel agreed, for they too were angry with Laban. He had used them to make himself rich, but apparently had no intention of giving them a share in the inheritance (14-16). Therefore, when they fled, Rachel stole her father’s household idols, for according to Mesopotamian custom possession of these gave her some right to the inheritance... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 31:35

my lord. Hebrew the eyes of my lord. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia. App-6 . custom. Laban's deceit begets deceit. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 31:33-35

"And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two maid-servants; but he found them not. And he went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the camel's saddle, and sat upon them. And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not. And she said to her father, Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee; for the manner of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 31:22-42

God revealed Himself to people other than the patriarchs in these days (Genesis 31:29; cf. Abimelech in Genesis 20:3). Many scholars believe that Job also lived in the patriarchal period."Jacob and Rachel are again two of a kind. This time both almost bring ruin on the family by their risk taking: she by her rash theft, he by his rash vow ([Genesis 31:32] cf. his sons’ rash vow in Genesis 44:6-12)." [Note: Waltke, Genesis, p. 430.] The teraphim were already "nothing gods," but they became... read more

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