Genesis 31:43-44 - Exposition

And Laban answered and said unto Jacob ,—neither receiving Jacob's torrent of invective with affected meekness (Candlish), nor proving himself to be completely reformed by the angry recriminations of his "callous and hardened son-in-law (Kalisch); but perhaps simply owning the truth of Jacob's wants, and recognizing that he had no just ground of complaint (Calvin), as well as touched in his paternal affections by the sight of his daughters, from whom he felt that he was about to part for ever. These daughters —literally, the daughters (there)— are my daughters, and these (literally, the) children are my children, and these (literally, the) cattle are my cattle; and all that thou seest is mine . Not as reminding Jacob that he had still a legal claim to his (Jacob's) wives and possessions (Candlish), or at least possessions (Kalisch), though prepared to waive it, but rather as acknowledging that in doing injury to Jacob he would only be proceeding against his own flesh and blood (Calvin, Rosenmüller, Gerlach, Alford). And what can I do this day unto these my daughters,— literally, and as for (or to) my daughters , what can I do to these this day? The LXX ; connecting "and to my daughters" with what precedes, reads, καὶ πάντα ὅσα σὺ ὁρᾷς ἐμά ἐσι καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων μου — or unto their children which they have born ?—i.e. why should I do anything unto them An ego in viscera mea saervirem (Calvin). Now therefore literally, and now, νῦν ο}un ( LXX .)— come thou ,— לְכָה , imperf; of יָלַךְ —age, go to, come now (cf. Genesis 19:32 )— let us make a covenant ,—literally, let us cut a covenant , an expression which, according to partitionists (Tuch, Stahelin, Delitzsch, et alii ), is not used by the Elohist until after Exodus 14:8 ; and yet by all such authorities the present verse is assigned to the Elohist (cf. Keil's 'Introduction,' part 1. § 2; div. 1. § 27)— I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

HOMILETICS