21 So he fled H1272 with all that he had; and he rose up, H6965 and passed over H5674 the river, H5104 and set H7760 his face H6440 toward the mount H2022 Gilead. H1568
Then Hazael H2371 king H4428 of Syria H758 went up, H5927 and fought H3898 against Gath, H1661 and took H3920 it: and Hazael H2371 set H7760 his face H6440 to go up H5927 to Jerusalem. H3389
And the name H8034 of the third H7992 river H5104 is Hiddekel: H2313 that is it which goeth toward H1980 the east H6926 of Assyria. H804 And the fourth H7243 river H5104 is Euphrates. H6578
And he took H3947 his brethren H251 with him, and pursued H7291 after him H310 seven H7651 days' H3117 journey; H1870 and they overtook H1692 him in the mount H2022 Gilead. H1568
And they sat down H3427 to eat H398 bread: H3899 and they lifted up H5375 their eyes H5869 and looked, H7200 and, behold, a company H736 of Ishmeelites H3459 came H935 from Gilead H1568 with their camels H1581 bearing H5375 spicery H5219 and balm H6875 and myrrh, H3910 going H1980 to carry it down H3381 to Egypt. H4714
And when Balaam H1109 saw H7200 that it pleased H5869 H2895 the LORD H3068 to bless H1288 Israel, H3478 he went H1980 not, as at other times, H6471 to seek H7125 for enchantments, H5173 but he set H7896 his face H6440 toward the wilderness. H4057
Now the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad H1410 had a very H3966 great H6099 multitude H7227 of cattle: H4735 and when they saw H7200 the land H776 of Jazer, H3270 and the land H776 of Gilead, H1568 that, behold, the place H4725 was a place H4725 for cattle; H4735
With whom the Reubenites H7206 and the Gadites H1425 have received H3947 their inheritance, H5159 which Moses H4872 gave H5414 them, beyond H5676 Jordan H3383 eastward, H4217 even as Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 gave H5414 them; From Aroer, H6177 that is upon the bank H8193 of the river H5158 Arnon, H769 and the city H5892 that is in the midst H8432 of the river, H5158 and all the plain H4334 of Medeba H4311 unto Dibon; H1769
And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto all the people, H5971 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 Your fathers H1 dwelt H3427 on the other side H5676 of the flood H5104 in old time, H5769 even Terah, H8646 the father H1 of Abraham, H85 and the father H1 of Nachor: H5152 and they served H5647 other H312 gods. H430 And I took H3947 your father H1 Abraham H85 from the other side H5676 of the flood, H5104 and led H3212 him throughout all the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 and multiplied H7235 his seed, H2233 and gave H5414 him Isaac. H3327
And Elijah H452 the Tishbite, H8664 who was of the inhabitants H8453 of Gilead, H1568 said H559 unto Ahab, H256 As the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 liveth, H2416 before H6440 whom I stand, H5975 there shall not be dew H2919 nor rain H4306 these years, H8141 but according H6310 to my word. H1697
They shall ask H7592 the way H1870 to Zion H6726 with their faces H6440 thitherward, H2008 saying, Come, H935 and let us join H3867 ourselves to the LORD H3068 in a perpetual H5769 covenant H1285 that shall not be forgotten. H7911
And G1161 it came to pass, G1096 when G1722 the time G2250 was come G4845 that he G846 should be received up, G354 G2532 he G846 stedfastly set G4741 his G846 face G4383 to go G4198 to G1519 Jerusalem, G2419 And G2532 sent G649 messengers G32 before G4253 his G846 face: G4383 and G2532 they went, G4198 and entered G1525 into G1519 a village G2968 of the Samaritans, G4541 to G5620 make ready G2090 for him. G846 And G2532 they did G1209 not G3756 receive G1209 him, G846 because G3754 his G846 face G4383 was G2258 as though he would go G4198 to G1519 Jerusalem. G2419
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.