12 And he said, H559 Lift up H5375 now thine eyes, H5869 and see, H7200 all the rams H6260 which leap H5927 upon the cattle H6629 are ringstraked, H6124 speckled, H5348 and grisled: H1261 for I have seen H7200 all that Laban H3837 doeth H6213 unto thee.
And the LORD H3068 said, H559 I have surely H7200 seen H7200 the affliction H6040 of my people H5971 which are in Egypt, H4714 and have heard H8085 their cry H6818 by reason H6440 of their taskmasters; H5065 for I know H3045 their sorrows; H4341
And Jacob H3290 took H3947 him rods H4731 of green H3892 poplar, H3839 and of the hazel H3869 and chesnut tree; H6196 and pilled H6478 white H3836 strakes H6479 in them, and made the white H3836 appear H4286 which was in the rods. H4731 And he set H3322 the rods H4731 which he had pilled H6478 before H5227 the flocks H6629 in the gutters H7298 in the watering H4325 troughs H8268 when the flocks H6629 came H935 to drink, H8354 that they should conceive H3179 when they came H935 to drink. H8354 And the flocks H6629 conceived H3179 before the rods, H4731 and brought forth H3205 cattle H6629 ringstraked, H6124 speckled, H5348 and spotted. H2921 And Jacob H3290 did separate H6504 the lambs, H3775 and set H5414 the faces H6440 of the flocks H6629 toward H413 the ringstraked, H6124 and all the brown H2345 in the flock H6629 of Laban; H3837 and he put H7896 his own flocks H5739 by themselves, and put H7896 them not unto Laban's H3837 cattle. H6629 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger H7194 cattle H6629 did conceive, H3179 that Jacob H3290 laid H7760 the rods H4731 before the eyes H5869 of the cattle H6629 in the gutters, H7298 that they might conceive H3179 among the rods. H4731 But when the cattle H6629 were feeble, H5848 he put them not in: H7760 so the feebler H5848 were Laban's, H3837 and the stronger H7194 Jacob's. H3290 And the man H376 increased H6555 exceedingly, H3966 H3966 and had much H7227 cattle, H6629 and maidservants, H8198 and menservants, H5650 and camels, H1581 and asses. H2543
Except H3884 the God H430 of my father, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 and the fear H6343 of Isaac, H3327 had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away H7971 now empty. H7387 God H430 hath seen H7200 mine affliction H6040 and the labour H3018 of my hands, H3709 and rebuked H3198 thee yesternight. H570
Now therefore, behold, the cry H6818 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 is come H935 unto me: and I have also seen H7200 the oppression H3906 wherewith the Egyptians H4714 oppress H3905 them.
Thou shalt not defraud H6231 thy neighbour, H7453 neither rob H1497 him: the wages H6468 of him that is hired H7916 shall not abide H3885 with thee all night until the morning. H1242
For the oppression H7701 of the poor, H6041 for the sighing H603 of the needy, H34 now will I arise, H6965 saith H559 the LORD; H3068 I will set H7896 him in safety H3468 from him that puffeth H6315 at him.
Thou compassest H2219 my path H734 and my lying down, H7252 and art acquainted H5532 with all my ways. H1870
If thou seest H7200 the oppression H6233 of the poor, H7326 and violent H1499 perverting of judgment H4941 and justice H6664 in a province, H4082 marvel H8539 not at the matter: H2656 for he that is higher H1364 than the highest H1364 regardeth; H8104 and there be higher H1364 than they. H5921
I have seen, G1492 I have seen G1492 the affliction G2561 of my G3450 people G2992 which G3588 is in G1722 Egypt, G125 and G2532 I have heard G191 their G846 groaning, G4726 and G2532 am come down G2597 to deliver G1807 them. G846 And G2532 now G3568 come, G1204 I will send G649 thee G4571 into G1519 Egypt. G125
And, G2532 ye masters, G2962 do G4160 the same things G846 unto G4314 them, G846 forbearing G447 threatening: G547 knowing G1492 that G3754 your G5216 G846 Master G2962 also G2532 is G2076 in G1722 heaven; G3772 neither G2532 G3756 is there G2076 respect of persons G4382 with G3844 him. G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 31
Commentary on Genesis 31 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 31
Jacob was a very honest good man, a man of great devotion and integrity, yet he had more trouble and vexation than any of the patriarchs. He left his father's house in a fright, went to his uncle's in distress, very hard usage he met with there, and now is going back surrounded with fears. Here is,
Gen 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.
Gen 31:17-24
Here is,
Gen 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, v. 25. Here is,
Gen 31:36-42
See in these verses,
Gen 31:43-55
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 Jacob, but was convicted by his own conscience of the wrong he had done him; and therefore desires to hear no more of the matter He is not willing to own himself in a fault, nor to ask Jacob's forgiveness, and make him satisfaction, as he ought to have done. But,
Lastly, After all this angry parley, they part friends, v. 55. Laban very affectionately kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them, and then went back in peace. Note, God is often better to us than our fears, and strangely overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.