Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: Genesis 31

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Chapter 31

And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.

Jacob

8,9 Job 31:31 Psalms 57:4 64:3,4 120:3-5 Proverbs 14:30 27:4 Ecclesiastes 4:4 Ezekiel 16:44 Titus 3:3

glory

"Glory" is here used for "wealth," riches, or property; since those who possess riches, generally make them the subject of glory. The original word cavod, signifies both "glory" and "weight."

45:13 Esther 5:11 Job 31:24,25 Psalms 17:14 49:16,17 Ecclesiastes 4:4 Isaiah 5:14 Jeremiah 9:23 Matthew 4:8 1 Timothy 6:4 1 Peter 1:24

And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

countenance

4:5 Deuteronomy 28:54 1 Samuel 18:9-11 Daniel 3:19

it was

30:27

as before

Heb. as yesterday and the day before.

Exodus 4:10 Deuteronomy 19:4 1 Samuel 19:7 *marg:

And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

Return

28:15,20,21-29 32:9 35:1 46:2,3 50:24 Psalms 46:1 50:15 90:15

land

13,18 13:15 26:3-5 28:4,13,15 30:25

with thee

21:22 26:24 28:15 32:9 Isaiah 41:10 Hebrews 13:5

And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

I see

2,3

the God

3,13,42,53 32:9 48:15 50:17

And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

38-42 30:29 Ephesians 6:5-8 Colossians 3:22-25 Titus 2:9,10 1 Peter 2:18

And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

ten times

The Hebrew, asereth monim, is literally, as Aquila renders, "ten numbers;" and Symmachus, "ten times in number;" which probably implies an indefinite number: see ver. 41.

Leviticus 26:26 Numbers 14:22 Nehemiah 4:12 Job 19:8 Isaiah 4:1 Zechariah 8:23

God

29 20:6 Job 1:10 Psalms 37:28 105:14,15 Isaiah 54:17

If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

30:32

Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

1,16 Esther 8:1,2 Psalms 50:10 Proverbs 13:22 Matthew 20:15

And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

a dream

24 20:6 28:12 Numbers 12:6 Deuteronomy 13:1 1 Kings 3:5

rams

or, he-goats. ringstraked.

30:39

grisled

The original word, beroodim, from barad, "hail" means marked with white spots like hail; to which our word grisled, from the old french gresle, now grele, hail, perfectly agrees; hence gresle, spotted with white on a dark ground.

And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

the angel

5,13 16:7-13 18:1,17 48:15,16

Here am I

22:1 Exodus 3:4 1 Samuel 3:4,6,8,16 Isaiah 58:9

And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

Lift up

30:37-43

I have seen

42 Exodus 3:7,9 Leviticus 19:13 Deuteronomy 24:15 Psalms 12:5 139:3 Ecclesiastes 5:8 Acts 7:34 Ephesians 6:9

I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

the God

28:12-22 35:7

return

3 32:9

And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?

Rachel

Ruth 4:11

yet any

2:24 29:24,29

Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

sold us

41 29:15-20,27-30 30:26 Exodus 21:7-11 Nehemiah 5:8

For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

which God

1,9 30:35-43

whatsoever

Psalms 45:10

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

upon camels

24:10,61 1 Samuel 30:17

And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

for to go

27:1,2,41 28:21 35:27-29

And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

images

Heb. teraphim.

30,32 35:2 Joshua 24:2 Judges 17:4,5 18:14-24,31 1 Samuel 19:13 Ezekiel 21:21 Hosea 3:4 These might have been images devoted to superstitious or idolatrous purposes, as they are termed gods by Laban, in ver. 30. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it, {tzalmanaya,} "images;" the LXX. and Theodoret, "idols;" Aquilla, [morphomata] "figures;" and the Persian, {asterlabha,} "astrolabes."

And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

unawares to Laban

Heb. the heart of Laban. See references on ver. 27.

So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

passed

2:14 15:18 Joshua 24:2,3

set his

46:28 Numbers 24:1 2 Kings 12:17 Jeremiah 50:5 Luke 9:51-53

Gilead

23 Numbers 32:1 Deuteronomy 3:12 Joshua 13:8,9 Judges 10:18 1 Kings 17:1

And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

30:36 Exodus 14:5-31 Job 5:12,13

And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

13:8 24:27 Exodus 2:11,13

And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

the Syrian

28:5 Deuteronomy 26:5 Hosea 12:12

dream

10,29 20:3 40:5 41:1 Numbers 12:6 22:20,26 1 Kings 3:5 Job 33:15-17,25 Matthew 1:20 2:12 27:19

Take heed

42 24:50 Numbers 24:13 2 Samuel 13:22 Psalms 105:14,15 Isaiah 37:29

either good or bad

Heb. from good to bad.

Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

12:8 33:18 Hebrews 11:9

And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

What

36 3:13 4:10 12:18 20:9,10 26:10 Joshua 7:19 1 Samuel 14:43 17:29 John 18:35

carried

16 2:24 34:29 1 Samuel 30:2

Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

Wherefore

3-5,20,21,31 Judges 6:27

steal away from me

Heb. hast stolen me.

20 *marg:

that I

Proverbs 26:23-26

with mirth

24:59,60 Job 21:11-14

tabret

Exodus 15:20

And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

kiss

55 29:13 Exodus 4:27 Ruth 1:9,14 1 Kings 19:20 Acts 20:37

foolishly

3,13,24 1 Samuel 13:13 2 Chronicles 16:9 1 Corinthians 2:14

It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

the power

Psalms 52:1 John 19:10,11

the God

42,53 28:13 Joshua 24:2,3 2 Kings 19:10 Daniel 2:47 3:28 6:20,26

yesternight

Take

Acts 5:38,39 9:5

And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

my gods

19 Exodus 12:12 Numbers 33:4 Judges 6:31 18:24 1 Samuel 5:2-6 2 Samuel 5:21 Isaiah 37:19 46:1,2 Jeremiah 10:11 43:12

And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

Because

26,27 20:11 Proverbs 29:25

With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

whomsoever

This was rash, and might have produced fatal effects; but Jacob was partial to Rachel, and did not suspect her; and he was indignant at being accused of a crime which he deeply abhorred. Scott.

19,30 44:9-12

before

23 13:8 19:7 30:33 1 Samuel 12:3-5 2 Corinthians 8:20,21 12:17-19

For Jacob

1 Samuel 14:24-29

And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.

Leah's

24:28,67

Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

had taken

17,19

furniture

The word, car, rendered "furniture," properly denotes "a large round pannier," placed one on each side of a camel, for a person, especially women, to ride in. It is a hamper, like a cradle, having a back, head, and sides, like a great chair. Moryson describes them as "two long chairs like cradles, covered with red cloth, to hang on the two sides of the camel." Hanway calls them kedgavays, which "are a kind of covered chairs, which the Persians hang over their camels in the manner of panniers, and are big enough for one person to sit in." Thevenot, who calls then counes, says that they lay over them a cover, which keeps then both from the rain and sun; and Maillet describes them as covered cages, hanging on each side of a camel. The late Editor of Calmet has furnished a correct delineation of these cars, as seen on one side of a camel, copied from Dalton's Prints of Egyptian Figures.

searched

Heb. felt.

And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.

my lord

18:12 Exodus 20:12 Leviticus 19:3 Ephesians 6:1 1 Peter 2:18 3:6

rise up

Leviticus 19:32 1 Kings 2:19

custom

18:11 Leviticus 15:19

And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

was wroth

30:2 34:7 49:7 Numbers 16:15 2 Kings 5:11 13:19 Proverbs 28:1 Mark 3:5 Ephesians 4:26 James 1:19,20

Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

set it here

32 Joshua 7:23 1 Samuel 12:3,4 Matthew 18:16 1 Corinthians 6:4,5 1 Thessalonians 2:10 Hebrews 13:18 1 Peter 2:12 3:16

This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

twenty

ewes

30:27,30 Exodus 23:26 Deuteronomy 28:4

the rams

Ezekiel 34:2-4

That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

torn of

Exodus 22:10,31 Leviticus 22:8 1 Samuel 17:34,35 John 10:12,13

I bare

Exodus 22:10-13

or stolen

Luke 2:8

Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

Exodus 2:19-22 3:1 Psalms 78:70,71 Hosea 12:12 Luke 2:8 John 21:15-17 Hebrews 13:7 1 Peter 5:2-4

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

fourteen

38 29:18-30 30:33-40 1 Corinthians 15:10 2 Corinthians 11:26

ten times

Verse 42

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

Except

24,29 Psalms 124:1-3

fear

53 27:33 Psalms 76:11,12 124:1 Isaiah 8:13

hath seen

12 11:5 16:11,13 29:32 Exodus 3:7 1 Chronicles 12:17 Psalms 31:7 Jude 1:9

Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

let us

15:18 21:22-32 26:28-31 1 Samuel 20:14-17

a witness

48,52 21:30 Deuteronomy 31:19,21,26 Joshua 22:27 24:25-27 God can put a bridle into the mouth of wicked man to restrain their malice; and then, though they have no love for his people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Scott.

And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

28:18-22

And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

brethren

23,32,37,54

Gather

Joshua 4:5-9,20-24 7:26 2 Samuel 18:17 Ecclesiastes 3:5

an heap

The word gal, rendered "heap," properly signifies a round heap or circle; probably like the Druidical remains in this country, which have been traced in India, Persia, Western Asia, Greece, and Northern Europe. These usually consist of irregular circles of large stones, with a principal one in the midst; the former probably being used for seats, and the latter for an altar; corresponding to the stone set up as a pillar by Jacob, and the heap of stones collected by his brethren. They appear to have been used, as Gilgal undoubtedly was, (Jos 4:5; Jud 2:1; 3:19; ch. 20. 1 Sa 7:16; 10:8, 17; 11:15; 13:7; 15:33. 2 Sa 19:15, 40. 2 Ki 2:1.) as temples, and as places for holding councils, and assembling the people. For a satisfactory elucidation of this subject, consult the Fragments to Calmet, Nos. 156, 735, 736.

And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

Jegar-sahadutha

i.e., the heap of witness. Chald. Galeed. i.e., the heap of witness. Heb.

Hebrews 12:1

And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

This heap

Joshua 24:27

Galeed

or, Gilead.

23 Deuteronomy 2:36 3:16 Joshua 13:8,9

And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Mizpah

i.e., a beacon, or watch-tower.

Judges 10:17 11:11,29

Mizpeh

1 Samuel 7:5 1 Kings 15:22 Hosea 5:1

If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

afflict

Leviticus 18:18 Matthew 19:5,6

God

Judges 11:10 1 Samuel 12:5 Jeremiah 29:23 42:5 Micah 1:2 Malachi 2:14 3:5 1 Thessalonians 2:5

And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;

I have cast

For yarithi, "I have set up," we may read yaritha, "Thou hast set up," with one Heb. and one Sam. MS: see ver. 45.

This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

44,45,48

The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

God of Abraham

11:24-29,31 17:7 22:20-24 24:3,4 Exodus 3:6 Joshua 24:2

their father

For avihem, "Their father," several MSS. read avichem, "Your father," for Terah was an idolater: see Jos 24:2.

judge

16:5

sware

14:22 21:23,24 24:3 26:28-31

fear

42 Deuteronomy 6:13

Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

offered sacrifice

or, killed beasts. did eat.

21:8 26:30 37:25 Exodus 18:12 2 Samuel 3:20,21

And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

and kissed

28 33:4 Ruth 1:14

blessed

24:60 28:1 Numbers 23:5,8,11 Deuteronomy 23:5 Proverbs 16:7

returned

18:33 30:25 Numbers 24:25 Deuteronomy 32:36 Psalms 76:10 Acts 28:4,5