Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

Genesis 31

Genesis 31:1

GENESIS CHAPTER 31 Jacob observing Laban's envy, on God's command and promise, with the consent of his wives, departs secretly, GENESIS 31:1. Laban pursues him; God in a dream warns him not to treat Jacob ill; he overtakes him on Mount Gilead; taxes him sharply for his secret departure, and with ste... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:4

RACHEL is first named here, as also RUTH 4:11, because she was his chief, and, by right, his first and only designed wife. And therefore it is observable, that in the enumeration of Jacob's wives and children, GENESIS 46:1, LEAH is only mentioned by her name, GENESIS 46:15, but _Rachel_ is called _J... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:5

Either, 1. Hath blessed me; hath stood constantly by me, when your father hath failed and deceived me. Or, 2. Hath appeared unto me, as GENESIS 31:13.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:7

TEN TIMES, i.e. ofttimes, as that certain number is commonly used, as LEVITICUS 26:26 NUMBERS 14:22 1 SAMUEL 1:8 JOB 19:3, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:8

ALL THE CATTLE. _All_ is here, as oft elsewhere, put for the greater or the better part, as appears from GENESIS 31:1,8. Or, for all that Jacob desired to be such. THE RING-STRAKED SHALL BE THY HIRE; hence it appears that Laban through envy and covetousness did break his agreement made with Jacob, a... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:13

WHERE THOU VOWEDST A VOW UNTO ME; of which see GENESIS 28:19,20. And this God here mentions to show his acceptance of that action of Jacob s, his mindfulness even of the past and forgotten services of his people, and his purpose now to fulfil the promise there made to him.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:14

We can expect no further benefit from him, but deceit, and oppression, and injury, and therefore are willing to leave him. This was the fruit of his unnatural and unworthy carriage to them, that it did eat out their natural affection to him.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:15

ARE WE NOT CONFUTED OF HIM STRANGERS? as if we had no more right to his estate than strangers? Instead of a good part of his estate, which by the law of God and nature belongs to us, 2 CORINTHIANS 12:14, wherewith he should have endowed us upon our marriage, he hath made sale of us for this fourteen... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:16

THAT IS OURS; not only by God's special gift, but by the natural right which children have to a share in his estate, and upon the account of thy faitithful and laborious service.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:19

QUEST. 1. What were those _teraphim_ or _images?_ ANSW. They were images made in the shape of men, 1 SAMUEL 19:13,16, which the Gentiles worshipped as subordinate gods, GENESIS 31:30,32, to which they committed the protection of their families, 1 SAMUEL 19:13, which they used to consult about secret... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:20

Heb. _Stole away the heart of_ Laban, to wit, his daughters, his cattle, and his gods, upon which his heart was vehemently set, as Micah's was, JUDGES 18:24. But if this had been meant, it had been imputed to Rachel, and not to Jacob, who knew nothing of the gods. Or rather, _stole away from the hea... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:21

THE RIVER Euphrates, which lay between Mesopotamia and Chaldea, GENESIS 15:18, which for its largeness and famousness is oft called the river emphatically, as EXODUS 23:31 JOSHUA 24:2,3, &c. AND SET HIS FACE, i.e. resolutely directed his course. See JEREMIAH 50:5 LUKE 9:51,53. MOUNT GILEAD, a very h... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:22

That he heard of it no sooner must be ascribed to the great distance which Laban had put between his and Jacob's flocks, GENESIS 30:36, and to the care and art which Jacob used to prevent a sooner discovery.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:24

Neither persuading him by flattering promises and cunning artifices, nor compelling him by threatenings, to return. For so these general words must be limited, as is evident from God's design in them, and from the following relation. So this is a synecdochical expression.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:28

To kiss my sons and my daughters, as was usual at the parting of friends. SEE POOLE ON "GENESIS 29:11". But indeed Jacob took the wisest course for the security of his person and estate, especially having the direction and protection of God in it.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:29

THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER, Isaac or Abraham, by which he disowns him for his God, and tacitly reproacheth him with the novelty of his religion, which was first brought in by his father. Compare GENESIS 31:53.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:30

Laban could not be so senseless as to take those for true gods which could be stolen away; but he called them _gods, _ because they were the means or representations whereby he worshipped his gods.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:35

QUEST. How could that occasion hinder her from rising up to her father? ANSW. 1. It might be attended in her, as it was and is in some other women, especially in those hot countries, with a great flux of blood, or with more than ordinary infirmity and sickness; and this Laban might know to be usual... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:38

THY SHE-GOATS HAVE NOT CAST THEIR YOUNG, which thou owest in a great measure to my care and diligence in ordering them, and principally to God's blessing given to thee for my sake, by thy own confession, GENESIS 30:27.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:39

Which was unjust and unreasonable, except where it fell out through the shepherd's default. See EXODUS 22:13. QUEST. How could Jacob pay these losses, seeing he came empty from his father's house, and got nothing by his service, for the first fourteen years, but his wives? ANSW. Either, 1. He had s... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:42

THE FEAR OF ISAAC, i.e. the God whom my father Isaac worships with reverence and godly fear, as appears by comparing GENESIS 31:53. The act is here put for the object, as it frequently is; and particularly God is called our _fear,_ ISAIAH 8:13. And _fear_ is one of God's names amongst the rabbins. H... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:44

Both to our own consciences of our mutual obligations, and to God against either of us who shall break it, that he may severely punish us for it.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:46

To wit, afterwards, GENESIS 31:54, though it be here mentioned by anticipation. THEY DID EAT THERE UPON THE HEAP, or rather _by_ or _beside the heap, _ as the Hebrew particle _al_ is oft understood, as PSALMS 23:2, PSALMS 81:7.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:47

Both names signify the same thing, _a heap of witness; _ only Laban gives the name in the Syrian language; but Jacob, though he had been long conversant in Syria, and understood that language, yet he chose to give it in Hebrew, which was both a secret renouncing of the Syrian manners and religion, t... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:50

The curse is here understood, as it commonly is, to maintain a greater reverence for oaths, and to beget a greater dread of the curse belonging to the violaters of it. NO MAN IS WITH US, i.e. here _is_ now _no_ man _with us, _ who when we are parted can witness and judge between us, and punish the t... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:53

THE GOD OF NAHOR, THE GOD OF THEIR FATHER. He joins idols with the true God, and secretly chargeth the religion of Jacob and Abraham with novelty, and prefers his own as the most ancient religion. See JOSHUA 24:2. Whence we may learn that antiquity of itself is no certain argument of the true church... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 31:54

THEN JACOB OFFERED SACRIFICE; either to give God thanks for the great mercies and deliverances vouchsafed to him, or to beg God's blessing upon the present treaty, and upon their whole family. But it is not so probable that Jacob would choose that time for the offering of sacrifices when Laban was p... [ Continue Reading ]

Continues after advertising