1: And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's has he gotten all this glory." (=Heb. wieght=wealth, the effect [i.e. the burden or weight] being put for that which caused it)
2: And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him, as yesterday and the before.
3: And the Lord (Yehovah) said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers, and to your kindred; and I will be with you."
4: And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock,
5: And said to them, "I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God (Elohim) of my father has been with me.
6: And you all know that with all my power I have served your father.
7: And your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God
(Elohim) suffered him not to hurt me (do me evil).
8: If he said thus, 'The speckled shall be your wages;' then all the cattle bare speckled:' and if he said thus, 'The ringstraked shall be your hire;' then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9: Thus God (Elohim) has taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
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 ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11: And the Angel of God (Elohim) spoke to me in a dream (v.13 called by Himself, "I am the God of Beth-el", El of Beth-el. Cp. 28:12,13 and 48:16), saying, 'Jacob:' And I said, 'Here am I'.
12: And He said, 'Lift up now your eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked (cp. Ps.50:10), speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban does to you.
13: I am the GOD (El) of Beth-el, where you anointed the pillar, and where you vowed a vow to Me: now arise, get you out from this land, and return to the land of your kindred.' " (Do you think he left the stone there? See 35:9-15)
14: And Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?
15: Are we not counted of him strangers? for he has sold us, and has quite devoured also our money.
16: For all the riches which God (Elohim) has taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God (Elohim) has said to you, do."
17: Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
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 the plains of Syria, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19: And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. (A kind of household god, showing that idolatry of Babylonia still clung to Laban's family, in spite of his protestations in v.20, 30:27. Cp. v.30, 35:2)
20: And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian (=stole the heart. Fig. Transfer of the part, heart being put for knowledge. p. v.27. Rachel stole Laban's idols; and Jacob stole Laban's heart), in that he told him not that he fled.
1739 B.C.
21: So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the Euphrates, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. (=perpetual fountain. Cp. Num.32:1,39. Deut.3:12-16; 34:1)
22: And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
23: And he took his brethren (Fig.Transfer, of species, one relationship put for a general one) with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
24: And God *Elohim) came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, "Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or 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.
26: And Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, that you have stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
27: Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and did not tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth (Laban adds hypocricy, covetousness, and averice, to idolatry) , and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
28: And have not suffered me to kiss my grandsons and my daughters? you have now done foolishly in so doing.
29: It is in the power of my hand (=in my power) to do you hurt: but the God (Elomim) of your father (in 30:27,30 Laban had spoken of the Lord = Yehovah; now he has sunk so low as to say "your" God, and calls the teraphim "my gods") spoke to me yesternight, saying, 'You take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad.'
30: And now, though you would necessarily be gone, because you sore longed (Heb.=with longing you have longed) after your father's house, yet why have you stolen my gods?" (cp. v.29)
31: And Jacob answered and said to Laban, "Because I was afraid: for I said, Perhaps you would take by force your daughters from me.
32: With whomsoever you find your gods, let him not live (this was in strict accordance with the "Code", but in contrast with the Mosaic Law): before our brethren discern you what is yours with me, and take it to you." For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
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.
34: Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture (=saddle), and sat upon them. And Laban searched (felt with his hands) all the tent, but found them not.
35: And she said to her father, "Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you; for the custom of women is upon me." (Laban's deciet begets deciet) And he searched, but found not the images.
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 you have so hotly pursued after me?
37: Whereas you have searched all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both.
38: This twenty years (#20=disappointed expectancy) have I been with you; your ewes and your she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of your flock have I not eaten.
39: That which was torn of beasts I brought not to you; I bare the loss of it; of my hand did you require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
40: Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me (effect put for the burning heat which it caused. Contrast with cold produced by frost), and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes. (The Eastern shepherd often away from home for weeks at a time)
41: Thus have I been twenty years in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your cattle: and you have changed my wages ten times.
42: Except the God (Elohim) of my father, the God (Elohim) of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely you would have sent me away now empty. God (Elohim) has seen my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked you yesternight."
43: And Laban answered and said to Jacob, "These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that you see is mine: and what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children which they have born?
44: Now therefore you come, let us solemnize a covenant, I and you; and let it be for a witness between me and you."
45: And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. (cp. 28:18)
46: And Jacob said to his brethren, "Gather stones;" and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat of the covenant sacrifices there upon the heap. (Cp.26:30, Ex.24:5,11)
47: And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha (Chaldeic=witness heap): but Jacob called it Galeed. (Hebrew, same meaning)
48: And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between me and you this day." Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
49: And Mizpah (=watch-tower); for Laban said (so that he knew Heb. as well as Chaldee), "The Lord (Yehovah) watch between me and you, when we are absent (=hidden) one from another. (Laban also used the name Yehovah. It is used by all speakers in Gen. except Nachash-[chapter 3], Abimilech [when speaking to Abraham, not to Isaac], the sons of Heth, Pharoah, Joseph's brethren, and Joseph himself)
50: If you shall afflict my daughters, or if you shall take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God (Elohim) is witness between me and you."
51: And Laban said to Jacob, "Behold this heap, and behold this pillar (distinct from the "Heap". Cp. vv.45,46), which I have cast between me and you;
52: This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you shall not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
53: The God (Elohim) of Abraham, and the God (Elohim) of Nahor, the God (Elohim) of their father, judge between us." And Jacob sware by the reverence of God (Elohim) of his father Isaac.
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.
55: And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned to his place.
f l 32:3-5. Reconciliiation desired. m 32:6. Approach of Esau announced. n o 32:7,8. The Present resolved on. p 32:9-12. Prayer. n o 32:13-23. The present prepared. p 32:24-32. Prayer. m 33:1-. Approach of Esau seen. l 33:-1-17. Reconciliation effected.
3: And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4: And he commanded them, saying, "Thus shall you all speak to my lord Esau; 'Your servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
5: And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in your sight.' "
1738 B.C
6: And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and also he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him."
(note in vv.7-34 that Jacob alternately uses means as though there were no such thing as prayer; and then prays as though there were no such thing as means. We may use means, but not trust in them)
7: Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed (the many "ands" shows the care with which he prepared): and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
8: And said, "If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape."
9: And Jacob said, "O God (Elohim) of my father Abraham, and God (Elohim) of my father Isaac, the Lord (Yahaveh) Which said to me (Jacob's first prayer acknowledges both Elohim and Yahaveh) 'Return to your country, and to your kindred, and I will deal well with you:' (cp. v.12 and 31:13. Not an exact qoute)
10: I am not worthy of the least of all Your mercies, and of all the truth, which You have showed to your servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan
(Having nothing and deserving nothing but chastisement. Hence, the God Who met him there, the God of Beth-el, is "the God of Jacob", and is "the God of all grace"-1 Pet.5"10. Cp. Ps.146:5); and now I am become two bands.
11: Deliver me, I pray You, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. (As though sons slain first and mothers falling upon them)
12: And You said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.' " (cp. v.9 and 28:13-15 another mis-qoute)
13: And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present (=a meal offering. See Lev.2:1) for Esau his brother;
14: Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
15: Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
16: And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put a space between drove and drove."
17: And he commanded the foremost, saying, "When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, saying, 'Whose are you? and to which place do you go? and whose are these before you?'
18: Then you shall say, 'They are your servant Jacob's; it is a present (meal offering) sent to my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.' "
19: And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, "On this manner shall you all speak to Esau, when you all find him.
20: And say you all moreover, 'Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.' " For he said, "I will appease him (=I will hide my offence from him) with the present (meal offering) that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept of me."
21: So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the camp.
22: And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok (=pouring out, or emptying).
23: And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
24: And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a Man (called "God"-vv.28,30, an "Angel", and the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim), Hos.12:4,5) with him until the breaking of the day.
25: And when He saw that he prevailed not against him (not that God was weak, He was just playing with him), He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as He wrestled with him.
26: And He said, "Let me go, for the day breaks". And he said, "I will not let you go, except You bless me."
27: And He said to him, "What is your name?" (Fig. of Speech, for He knew his name) And he said, "Jacob."
28: And He said, "Your name shall be called no more Jacob (=contender-25:22. Used of the Natural seed), but Israel (="God commands, orders, or rules". Man attempts it but always, in the end, fails. Out of of some 40 Hebrew names compounded with "el" or "jah", God is always the Doer of whatever the verb means. Cp. Dani-el=God judges): for as a prince (here used not to dignify but to reproach. Cp. Gen.12:15, princes=courtiers; 26:26 chief of soldiers; 39:1 officer; 40:2 chief, 3 jailor; 47:6 herdsmen; Ex.1:11 task-masters, &ct., here commader, order) have you power (=contended. Jacob had contended with Esau in the womb, and thus got his name Jacob, which is referred to here in reproach, not in eulogy) with God (Elohim) and with men, and have prevailed." (=succeded. He had contended for his bithright and succeeded. He had contended for the blessing of Abraham and succeeded. He had contended with Laban and succeeded. He had contended with "men" and succeeded. Now he contends with God-and fails. Hence his name was changed to Isra-el=God commands, to teach him the greatly needed lesson of dependence upon God.)
29: And Jacob asked Him, and said, "Tell me, I pray You, Your name." And he said, "Why is it that you do ask after My name?" And He blessed him there.
30: And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel (=God's face): "for I have seen (cp.16:13) God face to face, and my life is preserved."
31: And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. (=he limped. Emphatic to call attention to the fact that he was not only late but limping. The sign that it is God Who commands, and has real power to overcome. Typical of the National humiliation required before entering on the blessing)
32: Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, to this day: because He touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew (=the ligamet of the hip joint) that shrank.
33)
1: And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men.
And he divided the children to Leah, and to Rachel, and to the two handmaids.
2: And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
3: And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4: And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
5: And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, "Who are those with you?" And he said, "The children which God (Elohim) has graciously given your servant."
6: Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
7: And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
8: And he said, "What do you mean by all this drove which I met?" And he said, "These are to find grace in the sight of my lord."
9: And Esau said, I have plenty, my brother; keep that you have to yourself."
10: And Jacob (refused and) said, "No, I pray you, if now I have found grace in your sight, then receive my meal offering at my hand: for therefore I have seen your face, as though I had seen the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me.
11: Take, I pray you, my blessing that is brought to you; because God (Elohim) has dealt graciously with me, and because I have abundance." And he urged him, and he took it.
12: And he said, "Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before you."
13: And he said to him, "My lord knows that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
14: Let my lord, I pray you, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that go before me and the children be able to endure, until I come to my lord to Seir."
15: And Esau said, "Let me now leave with you some of the folk that are with me." And he said, "Why have anything? let me find grace in the sight of my lord."
16: So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
1737 B.C.
17: And Jacob journeyed to Succoth (=booths, a hut or lair), and built him a house (the first we read of a house in connection with the Patriarchs), and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18: And Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem (=back or shoulder), which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from the plains of Syria; and pitched his tent before the city.
1736 B.C.
19: And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor (probably a title like Abimelech and Pharaoh), Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.
20: And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel. (="GOD - the God-of-Israel", but not the place for this altar. Cp. 35:1.)
34)
1732 B.C.
1: And Dinah (=judged, aqquited) the daughter of Leah (cp. 30:21, and own sister of Simeon and Levi, 29:33,34), which she bare to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
2: And when Shechem (=back or shoulder) the son of Hamor (=an ass) the Hivite (=villagers), prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled (humbled) her.
3: And his soul (himself) clave to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spoke kindly to the damsel. (=on her heart as though making an impression on it)
4: And Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this damsel to wife."
5: And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
6: And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to commune with him.
7: And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel (the first occ. in a collective sense) in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
8: And Hamor communed with them, saying, "The soul (Fig.Transfer of part, and Redundancy, to emphasise the intensity of longing) of my son Shechem longs for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
9: And make you all marriages with us, and give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to you.
10: And you all shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade you all therein, and get you possessions therein."
11: And Shechem said to her father (i.e. Jacob) and to her brethren, "Let me find grace in your eyes, and what you all shall say to me I will give.
12: Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as you shall say to me: but give me the damsel to wife."
13: And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully (Jacob's character his own scourge. The first and only occ. in Gen.), and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
14: And they said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach to us:
15: But in this will we consent to you: If you all will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;
16: Then will we give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
17: But if you will not listen to us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone."
18: And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.
19: And the young man deferred (=procrastinated) not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.
20: And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
21: "These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
22: Only herein will the men consent to us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
23: Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us."
24: And to Hamor and to Shechem his son listened to all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
25: And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
26: And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge (Heb. mouth) of the sword (the acts of Jacob and his sons at Shechem may be contrasted with those of Abraham 12:6, and of Joshua-Josh.24:1-7, and of Christ-John 4:5), and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.
27: The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
28: They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
29: And all their wealth (=strength, put for wealth which it acquires), and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
30: And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You all have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites (=decendants of the Nephilim. See 12:6) and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house." (I....I, to emphasise Jacob's perturbance)
31: And they said, "Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?"