Genesis 31:8

_IF HE SAID THUS, THE SPECKLED SHALL BE THY WAGES; THEN ALL THE CATTLE BARE SPECKLED: AND IF HE SAID THUS, THE RINGSTRAKED SHALL BE THY HIRE; THEN BARE ALL THE CATTLE RINGSTRAKED._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

1-21 The affairs of these families are related very minutely, while (what are called) the great events of states and kingdoms at that period, are not mentioned. The Bible teaches people the common duties of life, how to serve God, how to enjoy the blessings he bestows, and to do good in the various stations and duties of life. Selfish men consider themselves robbed of all that goes past them, and covetousness will even swallow up natural affection. Men's overvaluing worldly wealth is that error which is the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil. The men of the world stand in each other's way, and every one seems to be taking away from the rest; hence discontent, envy, and discord. But there are possessions that will suffice for all; happy they who seek them in the first place. In all our removals we should have respect to the command and promise of God. If He be with us, we need not...

- 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 always in the plural number. The root does not appear in Biblical Hebrew. It perhaps means “to live well,” intransitively (Gesenius, Roedig.), “to nourish,” transitively (Furst). The teraphim were symbols or representatives of the Deity, as Laban calls them his gods. They seem to have been busts (προτομαί _protomai_, Aquila) of the human form, sometimes as large as life 1 Samuel 19:13. Those of full size were probably of wood; the smaller ones may have been of metal. In two passages...

EXPOSITION GENESIS 31:1 AND HE—Jacob had now served twenty years with Laban, and must accordingly have been in his ninety-seventh or seventy-seventh year (_vide_ Genesis 27:1)—HEARD THE WORDS OF LABAN'S SONS,—who were not at this time only small youths about fourteen years of ago (Delitzsch), since they were capable of being entrusted with their father's flocks (Genesis 30:35)—SAYING (probably in a conversation which had been over. heard by Jacob), JACOB HATH TAKEN AWAY (by fraud is what they meant, an opinion in which Kalisch agrees; but it is not quite certain that Jacob was guilty of dishonesty in acting as he

IF HE SAID THUS, THE SPECKLED SHALL BE THY WAGES,.... Sometimes Laban would say to Jacob, only the speckled lambs which the ewes shall bring forth shall be thine hire, and not the spotted; or the ringstraked, or the brown, which according to the bargain should have been his, the one and the other: THEN ALL THE CATTLE BARE SPECKLED; that season, God ordering it so in his providence, that Laban might be disappointed, and Jacob might have his full hire; that is, the greatest part of the cattle bore such, as Ben Melech observes: AND IF HE SAID THUS, THE RINGSTRAKED SHALL BE THINE HIRE; observing the cattle to bring forth only speckled, or the greatest part such, then he changed his hire, and would have it be not the speckled, nor the brown, only the ringstraked, there being none or few of that colour the last yeaning time: THEN BARE ALL THE CATTLE RINGSTRAKED; or the greatest part of them...

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 (Genesis 31:17) 4. Laban warned (Genesis 31:22) 5. Laban's accusation (Genesis 31:25) 6. Jacob's answer (Genesis 31:31) 7. The covenant between Jacob and Laban ...

JACOB'S FLIGHT. This section is, for the most part, from E, Genesis 31:1; Genesis 31:3 are from J, Genesis 31:18 (after cattle) from P. Jacob realises from the words of Laban's sons (J) and the altered demeanour of Laban himself (E) that his enrichment at Laban's expense is deeply resented. Yahweh also bade him return (J). To his wives he complains of the treatment he has received from their father, which God has nevertheless overruled for his advantage, the God of Bethel who is now summoning him home. They side with Jacob, embittered by Laban's meanness in giving them no part of the bride-price (_mg.)._ So, with their warm encouragement, he sets out with family, flocks, and property, outwitting Laban, who was shee

_If he said thus_ Applying to Laban the proposal made by Jacob in Genesis 30:32....

_5. Jacob's Preparation for Flight_ (Genesis 31:1-16). The complete success that Jacob achieved excited the envy and jealousy of Laban's sons, who were evidently old enough to be entrusted with the care of their father's flocks (cf. Genesis 30:35), whose conduct as described here shows that the selfish disposition peculiar to this family was as fully developed in them as in Laban himself. It must have been from rumor that Jacob obtained knowledge of the invidious reflections cast on him by these cousins (Genesis 31:1), as evident from the fact that they were separated from him at a distance of three days-' journey (a journey measured obviously by the movement of the animals involved). Jacob had also sensed a grow

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, and Laban had given them no share in the profits he had made through their husband's labours. They agree to leave their home....