Chapter 31:
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Revelation Exodus
Genesis 31
Jacob was in general, a man of devotion and integrity; yet
he had more trouble than any of the patriarchs. Here is,
I. His resolution to return, ver. 1-16.
II. His clandestine departure, ver. 17-21.
III. Laban's pursuit of him in displeasure, ver. 22-25.
IV. The hot words that passed between them, ver. 26-42.
V. Their amicable agreement at last, ver. 43-55.
Verse 1. It should seem they said it in Jacob's hearing. The last chapter
began with Rachel's envying Leah; this begins with Laban's sons
envying Jacob. He has gotten all his glory - And what was this
glory? It was a parcel of brown sheep and speckled goats, and
some camels and asses. Jacob has taken away all that was our
fathers - Not all, sure; what was become of those cattle which
were committed to the custody of Laban's sons, and sent three
days journey off?
Verse
3. The Lord said unto Jacob, Return and I will be with thee -
though Jacob had met with very hard usage, yet he would not quit
his place 'till God bid him. He came thither by orders from
heaven, and there he would slay 'till he was ordered back. The
direction he had from heaven is more fully related in the account
he gives of it to his wives, where he tells them of the dream he
had about the cattle, and the wonderful increase of those of his
colour; and how the angel of God in that dream instructed him
that it was not by chance, nor by his own policy, that he obtained
that great advantage but by the providence of God, who had taken
notice of the hardships Laban had put upon him, and in
performance of his promise.
Verse
4. And Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to the field - That he might
discourse with them more privately.
Verse
9. God hath taken away the cattle of your father and given them to
me - Thus the righteous God paid Jacob for his hard service out of
Laban's estate; as afterwards he paid the seed of Jacob for their
service of the Egyptians with their spoils.
Verse
16. Whereas Jacob looked upon the wealth which God had passed
over from Laban to him as his wages, they look upon it as their
portions; so that both ways God forced Laban to pay his debts,
both to his servant and to his daughters.
Verse
19. Laban went to shear his sheep - That part of his flock which
was in the hands of his sons, three days journey off. Now,
1. It is certain it was lawful for Jacob to leave his service
suddenly: it was not only justified by the particular instructions
God gave him, but warranted by the fundamental law of self-
preservation which directs us, when we are in danger, to shift for
our own safety, as far as we can do it without wronging our consciences.
2. It was his prudence to steal away unawares to Laban, lest if
Laban had known, he should have hindered him, or plundered
him.
3. It was honestly done to take no more than his own with him,
the cattle of his getting. He took what providence gave him, and
would not take the repair of his damages into his own hands. Yet
Rachel was not so honest as her husband; she stole her father's
images, and carried them away. The Hebrew calls them Teraphim.
Some think they were only little representations of the ancestors
of the family in statue or picture, which Rachel had a particular
fondness for, and was desirous to have with her now she was
going into another country. It should rather seem they were
images for a religious use, penates, household gods, either
worshipped, or consulted as oracles; and we are willing to hope,
that she took them away, not out of covetousness much less for
her own use, or out of any superstitious fear lest Laban, by
consulting his teraphim, might know which way they were gone;
(Jacob no doubt dwelt with his wives as a man of knowledge, and
they were better taught than so) but with a design to convince her
father of the folly of his regard to those as gods which could not
secure themselves.
Verse
23. He took his brethren - That is, his relations, and pursues Jacob
to bring him back into bondage, or, to strip him of what he had.
Verse
24. Speak not, either good or bad - That is, say nothing against his
going on with his journey, for the thing proceedeth from the Lord.
The same Hebraism we have, chap. xxiv, 50. The safety of good
men is very much owing to the hold God has of the consciences of
bad men, and the access he has to them.
Verse
27. I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with
tabret and with harp - Not as Rebekah was sent away out of the
same family above one hundred and twenty years before, with
prayers and blessings, but with sport and merriment; which was a
sign that religion was much decayed in the family.
Verse
29. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt - He supposeth
that he had both right on his side, and strength on his side, either
to revenge the wrong, or recover the right. Yet he owns himself
under the restraint of God's power; he durst not injure one of
whom he saw to be the particular care of heaven.
Verse
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.
Verse
31. Jacob clears himself by giving the true reason why he went
away unknown to Laban; he feared lest Laban would by force
take away his daughters and so oblige him to continue in his
service. As to the charge of stealing Laban's gods, he pleads not
guilty. He not only did not take them himself, but he did not know
that they were taken.
Verse
42. Jacob speaks of God as the God of his father, intimating that
he thought himself unworthy to be thus regarded, but was beloved
for his father's sake. He calls him the God of Abraham and the
fear of Isaac: for Abraham was dead, and gone to that world
where there is no fear; but Isaac was yet alive, sanctifying the
Lord in his heart as his fear and his dread.
Verse
43. All his mine - That is, came by me.
Verse
44. Let us make a covenant - It was made and ratified with great
solemnity, according to the usages of those times.
1. A pillar was erected, and a heap of stones raised, to perpetuate
the memory of the thing, writing being then not known.
2. A sacrifice was offered, a sacrifice of peace-offerings.
3. They did eat bread together, jointly partaking of the feast upon
the sacrifice. This was in token of a hearty reconciliation.
Covenants of friendship were anciently ratified by the parties
eating and drinking together.
4. They solemnity appealed to God concerning their sincerity
herein;
(1.) As a witness, ver. 49. The Lord watch between me and thee -
That is, the Lord take cognizance of every thing that shall be done
on either side in violation of this league.
(2.) As a judge, The God of Abraham, from whom Jacob was
descended, and The God of Nahor, from whom Laban was
descended, the God of their father, the common ancestor from
whom they were both descended, judge betwixt us. God's relation
to them is thus expressed, to intimate that they worshipped one
and the same God, upon which consideration there ought to be no
enmity betwixt them. Those that have one God should have one
heart: God is judge between contending parties, and he will judge
righteously, whoever doth wrong it is at their peril.
5. They gave a new name to the place, ver. 47, 48. Laban called it
in Syriac, and Jacob in Hebrew, The heap of witness. And ver. 49,
it was called Mizpah, a watch-tower. Posterity being included in
the league, care was taken that thus the memory of it should be
preserved. The name Jacob gave this heap stuck by it, Galeed, not
the name Laban gave it.
Verse
54. And Jacob swear by the fear of his father Isaac - The God
whom his father Isaac feared, who had never served other gods, as
Abraham and Nahor had done.
Chapter 31:
| Calvin
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Revelation Exodus
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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