Genesis 31:26

Then Laban went and talked to Jacob. Laban said, “You did a bad thing to me. You tricked me, and you took my daughters away. It’s like I’m your enemy and you came and stole my daughters from me.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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?

In Context

25The next day, Laban and his relatives caught up to Jacob. Jacob and his mob were in that hill country. That’s where they set up their tents. So Laban and his relatives, they set up their tents in that place too.

27Why didn’t you tell me that you wanted to leave? You tricked me, and you ran away. That was a stupid thing to do. I didn’t get to say goodbye to you properly. I wanted to have a party for you, with people singing and playing music on drums and harps. You didn’t even let me kiss my daughters and my grand-kids and say goodbye to them.”

Read all of Genesis 31

Cross References

Genesis 2:24That’s how God made a woman, he made her out of a man’s body. That is the reason why a man will leave his mother and father and marry a woman. The man and his wife will join with each other, and their bodies will be like one body.

Genesis 4:10God said to Cain, “You did a really bad thing. Your brother’s blood is on the ground. It’s like his blood is calling out to me. It is telling me you killed him.

Genesis 20:9Then Abimelek sent somebody to get Abraham, and Abraham came to that meeting. Abimelek said to Abraham, “Look, you have made trouble for me and my people. What did I do to you, so that you paid me back with this trouble? You have done a bad thing to us.

Genesis 31:36Then Jacob got very angry, and he talked strongly to Laban. Jacob said, “Listen, I didn’t do anything wrong to you. I didn’t do any bad thing. You came after me for no reason.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 31:26-36

Laban's Pursuit after Jacob. ( b. c. 1739.) 25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. 26 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? 27 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? 28… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 31:26