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Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

Genesis 31:30

Wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? Foolish man! to call those his gods that could be stolen! Could he expect protection from them that could neither resist nor discover their invaders? Happy are they who have the Lord for their God. Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God.

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See also Genesis 31:30 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Jacob’s Flight from Haran 19. תרפים _t__e__rāpı̂ym_, Teraphim. This word occurs fifteen times in the Old Testament. It appears three times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the Pentateuch. It is...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 31 JACOB'S SERVITUDE ENDED AND FLIGHT FROM LABAN _ 1. Laban's behavior and God's commandment (Genesis 31:1)_ 2. The dream vision to return to the land (Genesis 31:11) 3. Jacob's flight (Gen...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 31:22 TO GENESIS 32:2. AFTER MUTUAL RECRIMINATIONS, JACOB AND LABAN MAKE A COVENANT TO REFRAIN FROM AGGRESSION ON EACH OTHER'S TERRITORIES. The analysis is uncertain; Gunkel assigns Genesis 31...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SORE LONGEDST. Hebrew with longing thou hast longed. Figure of speech _Polyptoton._ MY GODS. Compare on Genesis 31:29....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Pursuit of Laban, &c. 23. _his brethren_ i.e. the men of his kindred and clan, as in Genesis 31:25_; Genesis 31:32_. Jacob is similarly attended; cf. Genesis 31:37;...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    though _thou wouldest needs be gone_ Lit. "thou art actually gone." _my gods_ "My _Elohim_, or god," here in the sense of the figures of the household gods, as in Judges 18:24, and possibly in Exodus...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART FORTY-TWO THE STORY OF JACOB: HIS RETURN TO CANAAN (Genesis 31:17 to Genesis 33:20) 1. _The Covenant in Gilead: The Biblical Account_ (Genesis 31:17-55)_._ 17 Then Jacob rose up, an

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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?_ Laban said ... What hast thou done? Not a w...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB'S RETURN FROM HARAN 4-13. Jacob attributes his prosperity to God's favour. 14-16. Rachel and Leah point out that their father had no claim on them, since Jacob had won them by his services, an...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    MY GODS] see on Genesis 31:19....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 31 GOD TELLS JACOB TO RETURN V1 Laban’s sons said, ‘Jacob has taken all that belonged to our father. He has gained all his wealth from our father...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    (For ‘my gods’ see verse 19 and the comment.) V31 Jacob answered Laban, ‘I went because I was afraid. I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.’ V32 Jacob did not know that Rach...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (26-30) LABAN SAID... — Laban reproaches Jacob, first, for carrying away his daughters secretly, which was an affront to them (Genesis 31:26) and an injury to his own feelings (Genesis 31:28); secondl...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS. Abraham begat Isaac — The _Tôldôth_ in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his des...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ עַתָּה֙ הָלֹ֣ךְ הָלַ֔כְתָּ כִּֽי ־נִכְסֹ֥ף...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE DISPUTE BETWEEN LABAN AND JACOB Genesis 31:22 These Chapter s afford a remarkable insight into God's forbearance. He knew what was in Jacob's heart, and could see all its weakness and deceit. The...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In the midst of Jacob's success the second divine communication came to him, commanding him to return to the land of his fathers and giving him the promise, "I will be with thee." Thus, after at least...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    LABAN PURSUES JACOB AND HIS FAMILY After three days, Laban was told of Jacob's departure. He and his men finally overtook Jacob's company on the seventh day in the mountains of Gilead. The night befo...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    What sorry gods must those be which are capable of being stolen, or hid away. For the contrast to this, see Psalms 146:5....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    30._Wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? _(96) The second head of accusation which is alleged against Jacob is, that he had not departed through love to his country, nor for any just and probable cause...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 29 THROUGH 35. I have no doubt that in the two wives, as I have said, we have the Gentiles and Israel: Rachel first loved on the earth, but not possessed; but...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND NOW, [THOUGH] THOU WOULDEST NEEDS BE GONE,.... Or, "in going wouldest go" i, was determined upon it, and in haste to do it: BECAUSE THOU SORE LONGEDST AFTER THY FATHER'S HOUSE, or "desiring didst...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And now, [though] thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, [yet] wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? Ver. 30. _Why hast thou stolen my gods?_] Goodly gods tha...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Iacob vpon displeasure departeth secretly. 19 Rachel stealeth her fathers images. 22 Laban pursueth after him, 26 and complaineth of the wrong. 34 Rachels policie to hide the images. 36 Iacobs...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? Laban means to say that there is some explanation for Jacob's...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Laban Scolds Jacob...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    FOURTH SECTION _Jacob’s flight. Laban’s persecution. The covenant between the two on the mountain of Gilead. Departure._ GENESIS 31:4 TO GENESIS 32:2 , 4And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB'S SECRET DEPARTURE The prosperity of Jacob could not but awaken the envy of Laban's sons. Jacob had gained all of this through his caring for their father's sheep: now the majority of the sheep...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    22-35 God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to ma...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    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....

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    These Chapter s present to us the history of Jacob at least, the principal scenes in that history. The Spirit of God here sets before us the deepest instruction, first, as to God's purpose of infinite...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 31:30 surely H1980 (H8800) gone H1980 (H8804) greatly H3700 (H8736) long H3700 (H8738) fathers...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jacob's resolution to return. Laban's hot pursuit; their quarrel and final agreement. CHARACTERS: Laban, Jacob, Rachael, Leah. CONCLUSION: The safety of believers under trying circumstance...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 31:1. _He heard the words of Laban's sons._ Three causes are assigned for Jacob's abrupt removal: first, the bitter reproaches of Laban's sons: secondly, the consequent change in the countenan...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, .. . ?_ LABAN’S EXPOSTULATION WITH JACOB, AND JACOB’S DEFENCE I. LABAN’S EXPOSTU...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 31:26 THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. Although Laban acknowledges that God has spoken to him (see v. Genesis 31:24), he refuses to acknowledge Go

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 31:19 Fearful that Laban will prevent him from leaving Paddan-aram, Jacob escapes when his father-in-law is away shearing sheep. When Laban discovers what has happened, he purs...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 31:34. The camel’s furniture.] “This was a packsaddle, in the recesses of which articles might be deposited, and on which was a seat or couch for the rider.” (_Murphy._)— GEN...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 31:22, GENESIS 31:23 AND IT WAS TOLD LABAN ON THE THIRD DAY—_i_._e_. the third after Jacob's departure, the distance between the two sheep-stations being a three days' journey (_vi...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and all that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory (Genesis 31:1). In other words, they...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    my gods. Genesis 31:19 Exodus 12:12 Numbers 33:4 Judges 6:31 Judges 18:24

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? — Foolish man! to call those his gods that could be stolen! Could he expect protection from them that could neither resist nor discover their invaders? Happy are th...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    How could God bless Rachel when she stole Laban’s idols and then lied to him about it? PROBLEM: Genesis 31:32 makes the statement that Jacob did not know that “Rachel had stolen” Laban’s idols. Howev...

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