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The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:11
And the angel of God—literally, the angel (or Maleach) of Elohim, i.e. of the God who was with me and protecting me, though himself continuing unseen—spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I (vide…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:12
And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. Since all the parti-colored animals had already been removed (Genesis 30:35), this vision mus…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:13
I am the God of Bethel,—the angel here identifies himself with Jehovah (vide Genesis 28:13). Contrary to usual custom, הָאֵל, though in the construct, state, has the art.—where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:14-16
And Rachel and Leah (vide on Genesis 31:4) answered and said unto him (Kalisch overdoes his attempt to blacken Jacob's character and whitewash Laban's when he says that Rachel and Leah were so entirely under their husba…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 31:17-24
Here is, I. Jacob's flight from Laban. We may suppose he had been long considering of it, and casting about in his mind respecting it; but when now, at last, God had given him positive orders to go, he made no delay, no…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:19
And Laban went—or, Now Laban had gone, probably,to the other station, which was three days journey from Jacob's flocks (vide Genesis 30:36; and cf. Genesis 31:22)—to shear his sheep. In this work he would probably be de…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:20
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian,—literally, stole the heart of Laban the Syrian, he deceived his mind and intelligence, like κλέπτειν νόον, Horn; ' II.,' 14. 227 (el. Genesis 31:26, Genesis 31:27); h…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:21
So (literally, and) he fled with (literally, and) all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river,—i.e. the Euphrates, which was called by preeminence the river (cf. 1 Kings 4:21; Ezra 4:10, Ezra 4:16)—and se…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 31:22-35
God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. F…
The Pulpit Commentary on 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…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:22-44
EXPOSITION Genesis 31:22, Genesis 31:23 And it was told Laban on the third day—i.e. the third after Jacob's departure, the distance between the two sheep-stations being a three days' journey (vide Genesis 30:36)—that Ja…
Laban's Pursuit after Jacob. (b. c. 1739.)
LABAN'S PURSUIT AFTER JACOB. (B. C. 1739.) 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, Genesis 31:2…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:26-30
And Laban (assuming a tone of injured innocence) said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me,—literally, and (meaning, in that) thou hast stolen my heart (vide supra, Genesis 31:20; and…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:33
And Laban went into Jacob's taut, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maid-servants' tents;—the clause affords an interesting glimpse into the manners of the times, showing that not only husbands and wives, but also…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:34
Now Rachel had taken the images (teraphim), and put them in the camel's furniture,—the camel's furniture was not stramenta cameli (Vulgate), "the camel's straw" (Luther), but the camel's saddle (LXX; Onkelos, Syriac, Ca…
The Pulpit Commentary on 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…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 31:36-42
If Jacob were willingly consumed with heat in the day, and frost by night, to become the son-in-law of Laban, what should we refuse to endure, to become the sons of God? Jacob speaks of God as the God of his father; he…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 31:36-42
See in these verses, I. The power of provocation. Jacob's natural temper was mild and calm, and grace had improved it; he was a smooth man, and a plain man; and yet Laban's unreasonable carriage towards him put him into…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:36-42
And Jacob was wroth,—literally, and it burned, sc. with indignation (same word as used by Rachel, Genesis 31:35), to Jacob, i.e. he was infuriated at what he believed to be Laban's unjustifiable insinuation about his lo…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 31:43-55
Laban could neither justify himself nor condemn Jacob, therefore desires to hear no more of that matter. He is not willing to own himself in fault, as he ought to have done. But he proposes a covenant of friendship betw…
Jacob's Covenant with Laban. (b. c. 1739.)
JACOB'S COVENANT WITH LABAN. (B. C. 1739.) We have here the compromising of the matter between Laban and Jacob. Laban had nothing to say in reply to Jacob's remonstrance: he could neither justify himself nor condemn Jac…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:45-55
EXPOSITION
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:45
And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar—or Matzebah, as a memorial or witness of the covenant about to be formed (Genesis 31:52); a different transaction from the piling of the stone-heap next referred to (of…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 31:45-55
Galeed and Mizpah, or the covenant of peace. I. THE COVENANT MEMORIALS. 1. The pillar of remembrance. The erection of the stone slab appears to have been the act of Jacob alone, and to have been designed to commemorate…