55 And early H7925 in the morning H1242 Laban H3837 rose up, H7925 and kissed H5401 his sons H1121 and his daughters, H1323 and blessed H1288 them: and Laban H3837 departed, H3212 and returned H7725 unto his place. H4725
And hast not suffered H5203 me to kiss H5401 my sons H1121 and my daughters? H1323 thou hast now done foolishly H5528 in so doing. H6213
Nevertheless the LORD H3068 thy God H430 would H14 not hearken H8085 unto Balaam; H1109 but the LORD H3068 thy God H430 turned H2015 the curse H7045 into a blessing H1293 unto thee, because the LORD H3068 thy God H430 loved H157 thee.
And G1161 when G5613 the barbarians G915 saw G1492 the venomous beast G2342 hang G2910 on G1537 his G846 hand, G5495 they said G3004 among G4314 themselves, G240 No doubt G3843 this G3778 man G444 is G2076 a murderer, G5406 whom, G3739 though he hath escaped G1295 G1537 the sea, G2281 yet vengeance G1349 suffereth G1439 not G3756 to live. G2198 And G3303 G3767 he shook off G660 the beast G2342 into G1519 the fire, G4442 and felt G3958 no G3762 harm. G2556
Surely the wrath H2534 of man H120 shall praise H3034 thee: the remainder H7611 of wrath H2534 shalt thou restrain. H2296
And they blessed H1288 Rebekah, H7259 and said H559 unto her, Thou H859 art our sister, H269 be thou H1961 the mother of thousands H505 of millions, H7233 and let thy seed H2233 possess H3423 the gate H8179 of those which hate H8130 them.
How H4100 shall I curse, H5344 whom God H410 hath not cursed? H6895 or how shall I defy, H2194 whom the LORD H3068 hath not defied? H2194
And Laban H3837 answered H6030 and said H559 unto Jacob, H3290 These daughters H1323 are my daughters, H1323 and these children H1121 are my children, H1121 and these cattle H6629 are my cattle, H6629 and all that thou seest H7200 is mine: and what can I do H6213 this day H3117 unto these my daughters, H1323 or H176 unto their children H1121 which they have born? H3205
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.