Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:40
40. Drought… frost Comp . Psalms 121:6; Jeremiah 36:30. The extremes of heat and cold between day and night in the East are evidenced by all travellers . read more
40. Drought… frost Comp . Psalms 121:6; Jeremiah 36:30. The extremes of heat and cold between day and night in the East are evidenced by all travellers . read more
42. Fear of Isaac He whom Isaac feared . Laban closed his speech with allusion to his gods, (Genesis 31:30,) and now Jacob, more nobly, appeals to the intervention of the God of his fathers, who had rebuked Laban as an adversary. read more
43. Laban answered Whether awed by Jacob’s words, or convinced of the folly of attempting to change his plans or purposes, he hastens to propose a covenant, to which Jacob readily agrees . Laban’s words may be rendered as follows: The daughters my daughters, And the sons my sons, And the flock my flock, And all which thou seest Mine it is! And to my daughters, what shall I do to them to-day? Or to their sons, which they have borne? And now come, let us cut a covenant, I and thou; And let... read more
47. Jegar-sahadutha… Galeed The Aramaic and Hebrew words, respectively, for heap of witness . יגר yegar, or gar, is a dialectic variation of גל , gal, rendered heap in Genesis 31:46. This incidental notice of the naming of their stone memorial shows that already, in Jacob’s time, the dialectical differences between the Aramaic and Hebrew tongues were noticeable . This was probably the origin of the name Gilead, applied to the whole range of mountains running north and south on... read more
48. Laban said The following verses appear more like an antique song than formal narrative, and may be regarded as an ode composed upon this occasion, or soon after . We may regard the whole passage as the words of Laban, and translate, literally, thus: And Laban said, This heap, a witness, Between me and thee to-day. Therefore he called its name Galeed, And the Watch-Tower, as he said: Let Jehovah watch between me and thee. For we are hidden, a man from his fellow, If thou afflict my... read more
54. Jacob offered sacrifice He slew of the lambs of his flock, offered a solemn offering to his God, and made a sacrificial meal, and called his brethren to eat. It was the solemn evening of the last separation and farewell between the chosen seed and their “fathers on the other side of the flood.” Joshua 24:14. Henceforth they diverge more and more widely, and none of Jacob’s sons go back to take wives in that eastern land. read more
55. Rose… kissed… blessed… departed… returned There is something most touching and impressive in this affectionate farewell . The bad passions of the previous day and the wrongs of former years are all forgotten, and the two parties separate; the one to be the chosen people of God, the depositary of his oracles, the religious teachers of the world; the other to be lost from history . read more
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 31:36
36. Chode with Laban Contended with him in wordy war . Jacob’s speech (Genesis 31:36-42) is still more pointed and vigorous than Laban’s . Render as follows: What my trespass, What my sin, That thou hast been burning after me? For thou hast been feeling all my vessels, What hast thou found of all the vessels of thy house? Place here Before my brethren and thy brethren, And let them decide between us two. This twenty year I with thee, Thy ewes and thy goats have not been bereft, And the... read more