Genesis 31:42

Then 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.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

In Context

41I 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.”

43Then Laban said, “Your wives are my daughters. Your kids are my grand-kids. All these animals here, they belong to me, and everything else here belongs to me too. But I can’t get my daughters and my grand-kids back now. I know that they will go with you to your home country, and I will go back to my home country.

Read all of Genesis 31

Cross References

Genesis 16:11The angel said, “You are going to have a baby boy, and you will name him Ishmael, because that name means God listens. You see, God listened to you. He heard about your trouble, and he will help you.

Genesis 27:33Isaac got a big shock, and his body started to shake. Isaac said, “But another man already killed a wild animal and made food for me. He gave that food to me, and I ate it. I want to know, who was that man? I asked God to be good to him, as the next leader for our family, and I know for sure that God will do that.”

Genesis 31:5Jacob said to them, “I can see that your father isn’t friendly to me any more. But God is still with me. He is the one that looked after my father Isaac, and he is with me.

Genesis 31:24But that night, Laban had a dream, and he heard God talk to him in that dream. God said, “Be careful about the way you talk to Jacob. Don’t make trouble for him.”

Genesis 31:53I’m asking the gods of our grand-fathers to watch us and judge us. I’m asking the God of your grand-father Abraham, and the god of my grand-father Nahor and their father Terah. Those gods will keep on watching us, and they will know if one of us does the wrong thing.” Then Jacob made a strong promise to Laban. He said, “I promise that I will not go past these stones into your country, to hurt you. I’m making this promise with God listening. He is the one that my father Isaac respected.”

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 →

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