1 Jacob, displeased with the envy of Laban and his sons, departs secretly.
19 Rachel steals her father's images.
22 Laban pursues after him, and complains of the wrong.
34 Rachel's stratagem to hide the images.
36 Jacob's complaint of Laban.
43 The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed.

Jacob. 8,9 Job 31:31 Ps 57:4 64:3,4 120:3-5 Pr 14:30 27:4 Ec 4:4 Eze 16:44 Tit 3:3

glory. 'Glory' is here used for 'wealth,' riches, or property; since those who possess riches, generally make them the subject of glory. The original word cavod, signifies both 'glory' and 'weight.'

45:13 Es 5:11 Job 31:24,25 Ps 17:14 49:16,17 Ec 4:4 Isa 5:14 Jer 9:23 Mt 4:8 1Ti 6:4 1Pe 1:24

2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.

countenance. 4:5 De 28:54 1Sa 18:9-11 Da 3:19

it was. 30:27

as before. Heb. as yesterday and the day before. Ex 4:10 De 19:4 1Sa 19:7 *marg:

3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

Return. 28:15,20,21 *etc: 32:9 35:1 46:2,3 50:24 Ps 46:1 50:15 90:15

land. 13,18 13:15 26:3-5 28:4,13,15 30:25

with thee. 21:22 26:24 28:15 32:9 Isa 41:10 Heb 13:5

4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

I see. 2,3

the God. 3,13,42,53 32:9 48:15 50:17

6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

38-42 30:29 Eph 6:5-8 Col 3:22-25 Tit 2:9,10 1Pe 2:18

7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

ten times. The Hebrew, asereth monim, is literally, as Aquila renders, 'ten numbers;' and Symmachus, 'ten times in number;' which probably implies an indefinite number: see ver. 41.

Le 26:26 Nu 14:22 Ne 4:12 Job 19:8 Isa 4:1 Zec 8:23

God. 29 20:6 Job 1:10 Ps 37:28 105:14,15 Isa 54:17

8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ring-streaked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ring-streaked.

9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

1,16 Es 8:1,2 Ps 50:10 Pr 13:22 Mt 20:15

10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled.

a dream. 24 20:6 28:12 Nu 12:6 De 13:1 1Ki 3:5

rams. or, he-goats. ringstraked. 30:39

grisled. The original word, beroodim, from barad, 'hail' means marked with white spots like hail; to which our word grisled, from the old french gresle, now grele, hail, perfectly agrees; hence gresle, spotted with white on a dark ground.

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

the angel. 5,13 16:7-13 18:1,17 48:15,16

Here am I. 22:1 Ex 3:4 1Sa 3:4,6,8,16 Isa 58:9

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

Lift up. 30:37-43

I have seen. 42 Ex 3:7,9 Le 19:13 De 24:15 Ps 12:5 139:3 Ec 5:8 Ac 7:34 Eph 6:9

13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

the God. 28:12-22 35:7

return. 3 32:9

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?

Rachel. Ru 4:11

yet any. 2:24 29:24,29

15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

sold us. 41 29:15-20,27-30 30:26 Ex 21:7-11 Ne 5:8

16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

which God. See on ver. 1,9 30:35-43

whatsoever. Ps 45:10

17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

upon camels. 24:10,61 1Sa 30:17

18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

for to go. 27:1,2,41 28:21 35:27-29

19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

images. Heb. teraphim. 30,32 35:2 Jos 24:2 Jud 17:4,5 18:14-24,31 1Sa 19:13 Eze 21:21 Ho 3:4 These might have been images devoted to superstitious or idolatrous purposes, as they are termed gods by Laban, in ver. 30. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it, tzalmanaya, 'images;' the LXX. and Theodoret, [eidolon <1497,] 'idols;' Aquilla, [morphomata,] 'figures;' and the Persian, asterlabha, 'astrolabes.'

20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.

unawares to Laban. Heb. the heart of Laban. See references on ver. 27. 20

21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

passed. 2:14 15:18 Jos 24:2,3

set his. 46:28 Nu 24:1 2Ki 12:17 Jer 50:5 Lu 9:51-53

Gilead. 23 Nu 32:1 De 3:12 Jos 13:8,9 Jud 10:18 1Ki 17:1

22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

30:36 Ex 14:5 *etc: Job 5:12,13

23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

13:8 24:27 Ex 2:11,13

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

the Syrian. 28:5 De 26:5 Ho 12:12

dream. 10,29 20:3 40:5 41:1 Nu 12:6 22:20,26 1Ki 3:5 Job 33:15-17,25 Mt 1:20 2:12 27:19

Take heed. 42 24:50 Nu 24:13 2Sa 13:22 Ps 105:14,15 Isa 37:29

either good or bad. Heb. from good to bad.

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.

12:8 33:18 Heb 11:9

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?

What. 36 3:13 4:10 12:18 20:9,10 26:10 Jos 7:19 1Sa 14:43 17:29 Joh 18:35

carried. 16 2:24 34:29 1Sa 30:2

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?

Wherefore. 3-5,20,21,31 Jud 6:27

steal away from me. Heb. hast stolen me. 20 *marg:

that I. Pr 26:23-26

with mirth. 24:59,60 Job 21:11-14

tabret. Ex 15:20

28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

kiss. 55 29:13 Ex 4:27 Ru 1:9,14 1Ki 19:20 Ac 20:37

foolishly. 3,13,24 1Sa 13:13 2Ch 16:9 1Co 2:14

29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

the power. Ps 52:1 Joh 19:10,11

the God. 42,53 28:13 Jos 24:2,3 2Ki 19:10 Da 2:47 3:28 6:20,26

yesternight. 24

Take. Ac 5:38,39 9:5

30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

my gods. 19 Ex 12:12 Nu 33:4 Jud 6:31 18:24 1Sa 5:2-6 2Sa 5:21 Isa 37:19 46:1,2 Jer 10:11 43:12

31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

Because. 26,27 20:11 Pr 29:25

32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

whomsoever. This was rash, and might have produced fatal effects; but Jacob was partial to Rachel, and did not suspect her; and he was indignant at being accused of a crime which he deeply abhorred. Scott.

19,30 44:9-12

before. 23 13:8 19:7 30:33 1Sa 12:3-5 2Co 8:20,21 12:17-19

For Jacob. 1Sa 14:24-29

33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.

Leah's. 24:28,67

34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

had taken. 17,19

furniture. The word, car, rendered 'furniture,' properly denotes 'a large round pannier,' placed one on each side of a camel, for a person, especially women, to ride in. It is a hamper, like a cradle, having a back, head, and sides, like a great chair. Moryson describes them as 'two long chairs like cradles, covered with red cloth, to hang on the two sides of the camel.' Hanway calls them kedgavays, which 'are a kind of covered chairs, which the Persians hang over their camels in the manner of panniers, and are big enough for one person to sit in.' Thevenot, who calls then counes, says that they lay over them a cover, which keeps then both from the rain and sun; and Maillet describes them as covered cages, hanging on each side of a camel. The late Editor of Calmet has furnished a correct delineation of these cars, as seen on one side of a camel, copied from Dalton's Prints of Egyptian Figures.

searched. Heb. felt.

35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.

my lord. 18:12 Ex 20:12 Le 19:3 Eph 6:1 1Pe 2:18 3:6

rise up. Le 19:32 1Ki 2:19

custom. 18:11 Le 15:19

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?

was wroth. 30:2 34:7 49:7 Nu 16:15 2Ki 5:11 13:19 Pr 28:1 Mr 3:5 Eph 4:26 Jas 1:19,20

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.

set it here. 32 Jos 7:23 1Sa 12:3,4 Mt 18:16 1Co 6:4,5 1Th 2:10 Heb 13:18 1Pe 2:12 3:16

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.

twenty. 41

ewes. 30:27,30 Ex 23:26 De 28:4

the rams. Eze 34:2-4

39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

torn of. Ex 22:10,31 Le 22:8 1Sa 17:34,35 Joh 10:12,13

I bare. Ex 22:10-13

or stolen. Lu 2:8

40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

Ex 2:19-22 3:1 Ps 78:70,71 Ho 12:12 Lu 2:8 Joh 21:15-17 Heb 13:7 1Pe 5:2-4

41 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.

fourteen. 38 29:18-30 30:33-40 1Co 15:10 2Co 11:26

ten times. See on ver. 7

42 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 labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

Except. 24,29 Ps 124:1-3

fear. 53 27:33 Ps 76:11,12 124:1 Isa 8:13

hath seen. 12 11:5 16:11,13 29:32 Ex 3:7 1Ch 12:17 Ps 31:7 Jude 1:9

43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?

44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

let us. 15:18 21:22-32 26:28-31 1Sa 20:14-17

a witness. 48,52 21:30 De 31:19,21,26 Jos 22:27 24:25-27 God can put a bridle into the mouth of wicked man to restrain their malice; and then, though they have no love for his people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Scott.

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

28:18-22

46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

brethren. 23,32,37,54

Gather. Jos 4:5-9,20-24 7:26 2Sa 18:17 Ec 3:5

an heap. The word gal, rendered 'heap,' properly signifies a round heap or circle; probably like the Druidical remains in this country, which have been traced in India, Persia, Western Asia, Greece, and Northern Europe. These usually consist of irregular circles of large stones, with a principal one in the midst; the former probably being used for seats, and the latter for an altar; corresponding to the stone set up as a pillar by Jacob, and the heap of stones collected by his brethren. They appear to have been used, as Gilgal undoubtedly was, (Jos. 4:5; Ju. 2:1; 3:19; ch. 20. 1Sa. 7:16; 10:8, 17; 11:15; 13:7; 15:33. 2Sa. 19:15, 40. 2Ki. 2:1.) as temples, and as places for holding councils, and assembling the people. For a satisfactory elucidation of this subject, consult the Fragments to Calmet, Nos. 156, 735, 736.

47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

Jegar-sahadutha. i.e., the heap of witness. Chald. Galeed. i.e., the heap of witness. Heb. Heb 12:1

48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;

This heap. Jos 24:27

Galeed. or, Gilead. 23 De 2:36 3:16 Jos 13:8,9

49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.

Mizpah. i.e., a beacon, or watch-tower. Jud 10:17 11:11,29

Mizpeh. 1Sa 7:5 1Ki 15:22 Ho 5:1

50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

afflict. Le 18:18 Mt 19:5,6

God. Jud 11:10 1Sa 12:5 Jer 29:23 42:5 Mic 1:2 Mal 2:14 3:5 1Th 2:5

51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee:

I have cast. For yarithi, 'I have set up,' we may read yaritha, 'Thou hast set up,' with one Heb. and one Sam. MS: see ver. 45.

51

52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.

See on ver. 44,45,48

53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

God of Abraham. 11:24-29,31 17:7 22:20-24 24:3,4 Ex 3:6 Jos 24:2

their father. For avihem, 'Their father,' several MSS. read avichem, 'Your father,' for Terah was an idolater: see Jos 24:2.

judge. 16:5

sware. 14:22 21:23,24 24:3 26:28-31

fear. 42 De 6:13

54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

offered sacrifice. or, killed beasts. did eat. 21:8 26:30 37:25 Ex 18:12 2Sa 3:20,21

55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

and kissed. 28 33:4 Ru 1:14

blessed. 24:60 28:1 Nu 23:5,8,11 De 23:5 Pr 16:7

returned. 18:33 30:25 Nu 24:25 De 32:36 Ps 76:10 Ac 28:4,5