Genesis 31:41

I worked for you like that for 20 years. First, I worked for you for 14 years so that I could marry your 2 daughters. Then I worked for you for 6 years, so that you would give me some of your sheep and goats. You kept promising to give me things for working for you, but then you kept changing your mind. That’s not fair.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

40And I had a really hard time when I worked for you. In the day time, it was really hot. And in the night time, it was really cold. It was so cold that I couldn’t sleep.

42Then Jacob said to Laban, “I know that you wanted to send me away with nothing. But God was with me, and he helped me. He is the one that looked after my grand-father Abraham. And my father Isaac respected him properly too. Yes, God helped me. He saw that I worked very hard for you, and he saw that you gave me trouble. So last night, he talked strongly to you, and he showed you that you did the wrong thing.”

Read all of Genesis 31

Cross References

Genesis 31:6You both know that I worked really hard for your father.

Genesis 31:38Then Jacob said to Laban, “I worked hard for you for 20 years, and I looked after your sheep and goats really well. They had lots of babies, and none of those babies died. And I never took any of your sheep for my food, not even your male sheep.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 31:37-43

36 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? 37 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. 38 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. 39 That which was torn of beasts I… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 31:41