Gen 31:1 | Clarke | STEP | Laban and his sons envy Jacob, , ; on which he is commanded by the Lord to return to his own country, . Having called his wives together, he lays before them a detailed statement of his situation in reference to their father, ; the services he had rendered him, ; the various attempts made by Laban to defraud him of his hire, ; how, by God's providence, his evil designs had been counteracted, ; and then informs them that he is now called to return to his own country, . To the proposal of an immediate departure, Leah and Rachel agree; and strengthen the propriety of the measure by additional reasons, ; on which Jacob collects all his family, his flocks and his goods, and prepares for his departure, , . Laban having gone to shear his sheep, Rachel secretes his images, . Jacob and his family, unknown to Laban, take their departure, , . On the third day Laban is informed of their flight, ; and pursues them to Mount Gilead, . God appears to Laban in a dream, and warns him not to molest Jacob, . He comes up with Jacob at Mount Gilead, ; reproaches him with his clandestine departure, ; and charges him with having stolen his gods, . Jacob vindicates himself, and protests his innocence in the matter of the theft, , . Laban makes a general search for his images in Jacob's, Leah's, Bilhah's, and Zilpah's tents; and not finding them, proceeds to examine Rachel's, . Rachel, having hidden them among the camel's furniture, sat upon them, ; and making a delicate excuse for not rising up, Laban desists from farther search, . Jacob, ignorant of Rachel's theft, reproaches Laban for his suspicions, , ; enumerates his long and faithful services, his fatigues, and Laban's injustice, ; and shows that it was owing to God's goodness alone that he had any property, . Laban is moderated, and proposes a covenant, , . Jacob sets up a stone, and the rest bring stones and make a heap, which Laban calleth Jegar-Sahadutha, and Jacob Galeed, . They make a covenant, and confirm it by an oath, . Jacob offers a sacrifice; they eat together; and Laban and his companions, having lodged in the mount all night, take a friendly leave of Jacob and his family next morning, and depart, , . Verse 1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons - The multiplication of Jacob's cattle, and the decrease and degeneracy of those of Laban, were sufficient to arouse the jealousy of Laban's sons. This, with Laban's unfair treatment, and the direction he received from God, determined him to return to his own country. Hath he gotten all this glory - All these riches, this wealth, or property. The original word כבד signifies both to be rich and to be heavy; and perhaps for this simple reason, that riches ever bring with them heavy weight and burden of cares and anxieties.

Genesis 31:1

Introduction

Laban and his sons envy Jacob, Gen 31:1, Gen 31:2; on which he is commanded by the Lord to return to his own country, Gen 31:3. Having called his wives together, he lays before them a detailed statement of his situation in reference to their father, Gen 31:4-5; the services he had rendered him, Gen 31:6; the various attempts made by Laban to defraud him of his hire, Gen 31:7; how, by God's providence, his evil designs had been counteracted, Gen 31:8-12; and then informs them that he is now called to return to his own country, Gen 31:13. To the proposal of an immediate departure, Leah and Rachel agree; and strengthen the propriety of the measure by additional reasons, Gen 31:14-16; on which Jacob collects all his family, his flocks and his goods, and prepares for his departure, Gen 31:17, Gen 31:18. Laban having gone to shear his sheep, Rachel secretes his images, Gen 31:19. Jacob and his family, unknown to Laban, take their departure, Gen 31:20, Gen 31:21. On the third day Laban is informed of their flight, Gen 31:22; and pursues them to Mount Gilead, Gen 31:23. God appears to Laban in a dream, and warns him not to molest Jacob, Gen 31:24. He comes up with Jacob at Mount Gilead, Gen 31:25; reproaches him with his clandestine departure, Gen 31:26-29; and charges him with having stolen his gods, Gen 31:30. Jacob vindicates himself, and protests his innocence in the matter of the theft, Gen 31:31, Gen 31:32. Laban makes a general search for his images in Jacob's, Leah's, Bilhah's, and Zilpah's tents; and not finding them, proceeds to examine Rachel's, Gen 31:33. Rachel, having hidden them among the camel's furniture, sat upon them, Gen 31:34; and making a delicate excuse for not rising up, Laban desists from farther search, Gen 31:35. Jacob, ignorant of Rachel's theft, reproaches Laban for his suspicions, Gen 31:36, Gen 31:37; enumerates his long and faithful services, his fatigues, and Laban's injustice, Gen 31:38-41; and shows that it was owing to God's goodness alone that he had any property, Gen 31:42. Laban is moderated, and proposes a covenant, Gen 31:43, Gen 31:44. Jacob sets up a stone, and the rest bring stones and make a heap, which Laban calleth Jegar-Sahadutha, and Jacob Galeed, Gen 31:45-47. They make a covenant, and confirm it by an oath, Gen 31:48-53. Jacob offers a sacrifice; they eat together; and Laban and his companions, having lodged in the mount all night, take a friendly leave of Jacob and his family next morning, and depart, Gen 31:54, Gen 31:55.

Verse 1

And he heard the words of Laban's sons - The multiplication of Jacob's cattle, and the decrease and degeneracy of those of Laban, were sufficient to arouse the jealousy of Laban's sons. This, with Laban's unfair treatment, and the direction he received from God, determined him to return to his own country.

Hath he gotten all this glory - All these riches, this wealth, or property. The original word כבד signifies both to be rich and to be heavy; and perhaps for this simple reason, that riches ever bring with them heavy weight and burden of cares and anxieties.