Genesis 30:26

Gen 30:26 Give [me] my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

Ver. 26. Let me go.] Here Jacob was too hasty; as Moses was, in doing justice before his time, and therefore fled for it. {Exo 2:11-14}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. my wives and my children] Jacob’s request implies that Laban as the head of the family possessed control over his married daughters and their children, who were included in Jacob’s wages.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For it was little which thou hadst before I came,.... Perhaps but a single flock, and that not a very large one, since Rachel, his youngest daughter, had the care of it:

and it is now increased unto a multitude; or "broke forth" (m), spread itself over the fields and plains, hills and mountains adjacent, so that they were covered with his sheep, these bringing forth thousands and ten thousands, Psa 144:13,

and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming; or "at my foot" (n); ever since he set foot in his house. Aben Ezra observes it as a proverbial saying, such an one has a good foot, a lucky one, wherever he comes a blessing or success goes with him; or the meaning may be, wherever Jacob went or led his flock, and fed it, it prospered, the blessing of God going with him. Onkelos renders it, "for my sake"; and so it is the same with what Laban had observed and owned, Gen 30:27,

and now, when shall I provide for mine own house? suggesting it was his duty to do it, and it was high time he did it, since he had a large family to provide for; see Ti1 5:8.

(m) "erupit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius. (n) "ad pedem meum", Montanus, Piscator, Drusius, Schmidt.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

26. Thou knowest my service — Jacob is not afraid to reckon on the value of his labours, and Laban had, doubtless, profited greatly by them —as he at once acknowledged. Gen_30:27.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Give me (suffer me to take) my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go (literally, and I will go): for thou knowest my service which I have done thee implying that he had faithfully implemented his engagement, and that Laban was aware of the justness of his demand to be released from further servitude.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

תנה את נשי וגו GIVE ME MY WIVES etc. — I have no wish to go away except with your permission.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

תנה, seeing that all my belongings are still in your house.

אשר עבדתי אותך, for whom I have served you. Yaakov meant that Lavan had no legal right to detain them seeing Yaakov had served for them, i.e. had paid for them in full. He wanted to take them home with him.

בהן, the word refers to the word נשי earlier in the verse.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.