Genesis 31:7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 31:1-16

Jacob is here taking up a resolution immediately to quit his uncle's service, to take what he had and go back to Canaan. This resolution he took up upon a just provocation, by divine direction, and with the advice and consent of his wives. I. Upon a just provocation; for Laban and his sons had become very cross and ill-natured towards him, so that he could not stay among them with safety or satisfaction. 1. Laban's sons showed their ill-will in what they said, Gen. 31:1. It should seem they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 31:7

And your father hath deceived me ,.... In the bargain he had made with him about his wages for keeping his cattle the six years past, after the fourteen years' servitude were ended: and changed my wages ten times ; that is, either very often, many times, as the number ten is sometimes. Used for many, see Leviticus 26:26 ; or precisely ten times, since he repeats it afterwards in the same form to Laban's face, Genesis 31:41 ; he had now served him six years upon a new bargain; that he... 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 31:1-21

Jacob's flight from Laban. I. THE HOMEWARD DESIRE . The longing to revisit Canaan, which six years previously Laban's exactions and Joseph's birth ( Genesis 30:25 ) had combined to inspire within the heart of Jacob, returned upon him with an intensity that could no longer be resisted. Accelerated in its vehemence partly by the interposed delay to which it had been subjected, partly by his further acquaintance with the meanness and craft of his uncle, and partly by his own rapidly-... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 31:7

And your father hath deceived me ,— הֵתֵל , the hiph. of תָּלַל , means to rob or plunder (Furst), or to cause to fall, as in the cognate languages, whence to deceive (Gesenius)— and changed my wages ten times ;— i . e . many times, as in Numbers 14:22 ; Job 19:3 (Rosenmüller, Bush, Kalisch, Lange); as often as possible, the number ten expressing the idea of completeness (Keil, Murphy)— but God (Elohim, Jacob purposing to say that he had been protected, not by human... 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

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 31:7-8

Genesis 31:7-8 . Hath changed my wages ten times That is, oft-times, as is often the signification of the number ten. It appears that Laban, through envy and covetousness, often broke his agreement made with Jacob, and altered it as he thought fit, and that Jacob patiently yielded to all such changes Then all the cattle bare speckled This seems to put it out of doubt, that, as Jacob says in the following verse, it was indeed God who ordered this matter; for it can scarcely be supposed... 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 31:7

suffered him not. Figure of speech Idioma. Hebrew did not give him to do me evil. hurt. Hebrew. ra'a' . See App-44 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 31:4-13

"And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah unto the field unto his flock, and said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as beforetime; but the God of my father hath been with me. And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the flocks bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstreaked... read more

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