Genesis 31:55

Gen 31:55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

Ver. 55. Laban rose up.] Laban leaves him, Esau meets him, and both with a kiss. "When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him". {Pro 16:7}

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.

We see that there is ever some seed of the knowledge of God in the hearts of the wicked.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 55. Kissed his sons and his daughters] That is, his grandchildren, Jacob's eleven sons with Dinah their sister, and their mothers Leah and Rachel. All these he calls his children, Ge 31:43. And blessed them - prayed heartily for their prosperity, though we find from Ge 31:29 that he came having bound himself by a vow to God to do them some injury. Thus God turned his intended curse into a blessing.

THE most important topics in this chapter have already been considered in the notes, and to those the reader is referred. Jacob's character we have already seen, and hitherto have met in it little to admire; but we shall soon find a blessed change both in his mind and in his conduct. Laban's character appears in almost every instance to disadvantage; he does not seem to be what we commonly term a wicked man, but he was certainly both weak and covetous; and covetousness extinguished in him, as it does in all its votaries, the principles of righteousness and benevolence, and the very charities of human life. Provided he could get an increase of property, he regarded not who was wronged or who suffered. In this case he hid himself even from his own bowels, and cared not that his own children should lack even the necessaries of life, provided he could increase his own store! How watchful should we be against this destructive, unnatural, and degrading vice! It is impossible for a man who loves money to love either God or man; and consequently he must be in the broad way that leads to destruction.

For the difficulties in the chronology of Jacob's sojourning in Padan-aram, I beg leave to refer to the following remarks.

Remarks upon Ge 31:38, c., relative to the time spent by Jacob in the service of his father-in-law Laban, in Mesopotamia from Dr. Kennicott.

"If every reading which introduces but a single difficulty demands our attention, much greater must that demand be when several difficulties are caused by any one mistake, or any one mistranslation. Of this nature is the passage before us, which therefore shall be here considered more fully, especially as I have not already submitted to the learned any remarks upon this subject. Jacob's age at the time of his going to Laban, has (till very lately) been fixed, perhaps universally, at seventy-seven years. But I think it has been shown by the learned Mr. Skinner, in an excellent dissertation, (4to. 1765,) that the number seventy-seven cannot here be right.

"Jacob was one hundred and thirty when he went down (with sixty-six persons) into Egypt. Joseph had then been governor ten years; and when made governor was thirty; therefore Jacob could not be more than ninety at the birth of Joseph. Now, upon supposition that Jacob was seventy-seven at going to Laban, and that he had no son till he was eighty-five, and that he, with eleven sons, left Laban at ninety-seven, there will follow these amongst other strange consequences which are enumerated by Mr. Skinner page 11, c.:

1. Though Isaac and Esau married at forty, Jacob goes at seventy-seven to look for a wife, and agrees to marry her seven years after.

2. Issachar is born after the affair of the mandrakes, which Reuben finds and brings home when he (Reuben) was about four years old that is, if Issachar was born before Joseph, agreeably to Ge 30:18; Ge 30:25.

3. Judah begets Er at thirteen; for in the first of the following tables Judah is born in Jacob's year eighty-eight, and Er in one hundred and two.

4. Er marries at nine, and is destroyed for profligacy. Er, born one hundred and two, marries in one hundred and eleven. See also Ge 38:7.

5. Onan marries at eight; for Onan, born in one hundred and three, marries in one hundred and eleven.

6. Shelah, being grown at ten, ought to be married; for Shelah, born in one hundred and four, is marriageable, but not married to Tamar in one hundred and fourteen. See Ge 38:14.

7. Pharez kept from marrying while young, yet has a son at thirteen; for Pharez, born in one hundred and fifteen, had two sons at going to Egypt in one hundred and thirty.

8. Esau goes to Ishmael and marries his daughter, after Jacob went to Laban at seventy-seven; though Ishmael died when Jacob was sixty-three.

9. If Jacob had no son till he was eighty-five, and if Joseph was born when his father was ninety, then the eleven sons and Dinah were born in five years.

Lastly, if Jacob had no son till eighty-five, and he went to Egypt at one hundred and thirty, with sixty-six persons, only forty-five years are allowed for his family; whereas the larger sum of sixty-five years seems necessary for the births of so many children and grandchildren. On this subject Le Clerc has pronounced, Hisce in rebus occurrunt nodi, quos nemo hactenus solvit; neque porro, ut opinor, solvet. There are difficulties here which have never been explained, and in my opinion never can be explained. But upon the single principle of Mr. Skinner, that Jacob went to Laban at fifty-seven, (instead of seventy-seven,) these difficulties are solved. And it only remains to wish that some authority may be found to support this conjecture, thus strongly founded on the exigentia loci. The common opinion is formed by reckoning back from the age of Joseph, when governor of Egypt, to the time of his birth, and from the twenty years which Jacob was with Laban. This number, Mr. Skinner thinks, was originally forty; and I think that the Hebrew text as it now stands confirms the conjecture, and furnishes the very authority which is so much wanted.

"After Jacob had served Laban fourteen years for his two wives, where was Jacob to reside? Esau was still living; and Jacob might well be afraid of returning to him, till more years of absence had disarmed his resentment; and had the death of Esau happened, Jacob would then have been secure. But let us also remember that Isaac was still alive, and that Esau had determined to kill Jacob whenever their father should die. It would therefore be no wonder if Jacob should have desired to continue longer in Haran. And to carry this point more effectually, he might offer to take care of Laban's cattle, and to live in his neighbourhood, upon such terms of advantage to Laban as could not easily be withstood. Lastly, when the good effects to Laban from this connection had been experienced, without profit, nay with some losses, to Jacob, for twenty years, Jacob might naturally grow tired of thus assisting Laban without providing for his own growing family. Accordingly we find that Jacob covenants with Laban for six years of more close attendance and service in Laban's own house, for which the wages were expressly settled. Agreeable to the preceding possibilities seems to have been the fact, Jacob living in Haran forty years, and in this manner: -

14 years in Laban's house, a covenant servant his wives.

20 in Laban's neighbourhood, as a friend.

6 in Laban's house, a covenant servant cattle.

40 "Now the twenty concurrent years of neighbourly assistance, and the disjointed twenty of covenant service, seem both of them distinguished in the history itself. For upon Laban's pursuit of Jacob he mentions twenty years twice; which two sets of twenty, if really different, make forty. Each mention of the twenty years is introduced with the word זה zeh, which word, when repeated, is used by way of distinction; as when we say, this and that, the one or the other. Thus, Ex 14:20: So that the one came not near the other. Ec 6:5: This hath more rest than the other. And with the two words at a great distance, Job 21:23: One dieth; Job 21:25; and another dieth, c. So here, in Ge 31:38, Jacob says to Laban, זה עשרים שנה אנכי עמך zeh esrim shanah anochi immach, during the ONE set of twenty years I was with thee, c. meaning the time in which he lived, not in Laban's house, but in his neighbourhood not as a servant, but a friend; after he had served in Laban's house fourteen years for his daughters, and before he served six years for his cattle. But then, as to the other twenty, he tells Laban, at Ge 31:41, varying the phrase very remarkably זה לי עשרים שנה בביתך עבדתיך zeh li esrim shanah bebeithecha abadticha, during the other twenty years (ל li) FOR MYSELF (for my own benefit) IN THY HOUSE; I served thee fourteen years, and six years, c. And during this last period, though only six years, he charges Laban with changing his wages ten times. So that Jacob insists upon having well earned his wages through the twenty years when he served for hire but he makes a far greater merit of having, for another twenty years, assisted him without wages, and even with some losses; and therefore, with particular propriety, he reminds Laban of that set of twenty years in the first place.

The following Tables, taken chiefly from Mr. Skinner, will greatly elucidate the true chronology of Jacob:

TABLE 1. - On Jacob's being at Haran only twenty years.

0 Jacob (and Esau) born.

40 Esau marries two wives, Hittites...........Ge 26:34.

63 Ishmael dies, aged 137.....................Ge 25:17.

77 Jacob goes to Haran.

84 marries Leah and Rachel.................Gen 29:20; Gen 29:21; Gen 29:27; Gen 29:28.

85 REUBEN born of Leah *

86 SIMEON do. *.....................Ge 29:32-35.

87 LEVI do. *

88 JUDAH do. *

89 Dan born of Bilhah *

Naphtali do.

Gad born of Zilpah *

Asher do. ...............Ge 30:6-24.

ISSACHAR born of Leah *

ZEBULUN and Dinah do.

91 JOSEPH born of Rachel *

97 Jacob returns from Haran.

98 dwells in Succoth.

99 comes to Shalem, and continues there eight years.

101 Judah marries Shuah's daughter.

102 Er born,-103 Onan,-104 Shelah.

106 Shechemites destroyed by Simeon and Levi.

107 BENJAMIN is born, and Rachel dies.

108 Joseph sold when seventeen.................Ge 37:2.

111 Tamar married to Er, and immediately afterwards to Onan.

114 Tamar's incest with Judah.

115 Pharez and Zarah born to Judah.

120 Isaac dies, aged 180.......................Ge 35:28.

121 Joseph is made governor of Egypt...........Ge 41:46.

130 Jacob goes into Egypt............................Ge 47:9.

147 and dies................................Gen 47:28; Gen 49:33.

TABLE II .- On Jacob's being at Haran forty years.

0 Jacob (and Esau) born.

40 Esau marries two wives, Hittites...........Ge 26:34.

1 57 Jacob goes to Haran.

4 58 Esau goes to Ishmael, and marries his daughter.Ge 28:9.

y 63 Ishmael dies, aged 137...................Ge 25:17.

e 64 Jacob marries Leah and Rachel.................Gen 29:20; Gen 29:21; Gen 29:27; Gen 29:28.

a 65 Reuben born of Leah *

r 66 Simeon do. *...................Ge 29:32-35.

s 67 Levi do. *

68 Judah do. *

s Rachel, not bearing, gives Bilhah *

v 69 Dan born of Bilhah

c 71 Naphtali do.

Leah, not bearing, gives Zilpah

2 *...Ge 30:6-24.

0 72 Gad born of Zilpah *

y 74 Asher do.

r 78 Reuben at 13 finds the mandrakes

s 79 Issachar born of Leah

- 81 Zebulun do. 82 Dinah *

a 86 Judah at 18 marries Shuah's daughter.***

s 87 Er born, - 88 Onan, - 89 Shelah.

s 91 Joseph born of Rachel.

t

6 ..................years service for cattle.

97 Jacob comes from Haran to Succoth and Shalem.

Dinah defiled, and the Shechemites destroyed.

98 Benjamin is born, and Rachel dies.

103 Beriah, fourth son of Asher, born.

105 Tamar married to Er-106 to Onan.

108 Joseph, at seventeen, is carried into Egypt..Ge 37:2.

109 Shelah, at twenty, not given to Tamar.

110 Pharez and Zarah born of Tamar, by Judah.

120 Isaac dies, aged 180.....................Ge 35:28.

121 Joseph, at thirty, governor of Egypt.....Ge 41:46.

123 Beriah, at twenty, marries.

125 Heber-127 Malchiel-born to Beriah.

128 Pharez, at eighteen, marries.

129 Hezron-130 Hamul-born to Pharez.

130 Benjamin, at thirty-two, has ten sons.

Jacob goes to Egypt...........................Ge 47:9.

147 and dies............................Gen 47:28; Gen 49:33.

*** Not placed in order of time, Ge 38.

57-71 = 14 years' service.

72-91 = 20 years' assistance.

"Our translation now is, Ge 31:38: THIS TWENTY YEARS HAVE I BEEN WITH THEE; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. Ge 31:39. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.Ge 31:40. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.Ge 31:41. THUS HAVE I BEEN TWENTY YEARS IN THY HOUSE: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle; and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

"The alteration here recommended is this, Ge 31:38: DURING THE ONE TWENTY YEARS I WAS WITH THEE; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams, c., c.Ge 31:41. DURING THE OTHER TWENTY YEARS FOR MYSELF, IN THY HOUSE, I served, &c. The same distinction is expressed in Ge 30:29: Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me i.e., how I behaved during the time I was with thee as thy servant, and how thy cattle fared during the time they were with me as thy friend.

"It must not be omitted that Archbishop Usher and Bishop Lloyd ascribe sons to Jacob very soon after his coming to Laban nay, assert that he was married almost as soon as he came to Haran, instead of waiting seven years, as he most evidently did. And Mr. Jackson allows that some of the sons of Benjamin, who are expressly numbered as going into Egypt with Jacob, might be born in Egypt! From such distresses, and such contradictions, does the distinction of two sets of twenty years happily deliver us,"

Hoc temporis intervallo nemo concipere poterit

tot res contingere potuisse. SPINOSA.

In such a short space of time, it is impossible that so many transactions could have taken place.

I shall leave this subject with chronologers and critics, and shall not attempt to decide on either opinion. That of Dr. Kennicott I think the most likely, and to it I have adapted the chronology in those cases to which it relates; but there are difficulties in both cases. See Clarke on Ge 38:1.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

55. And blessed them. The character of the person is here to be noticed, because Laban, who had lapsed from true piety, and was a man of unholy and wicked manners, yet retained the habit of giving his blessing. For we are hereby taught, that certain principles of divine knowledge remain in the hearts of the wicked, so that no excuse may be left to them on the ground of ignorance; for the custom of pronouncing a blessing arises hence, that men are certainly persuaded that God alone is the author of all good things. For although they may proudly arrogate what they please to themselves; yet when they return to their right mind, they are compelled, whether they will or no, to acknowledge that all good proceeds from God alone.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

55. sons and … daughters] Cf. Gen_31:28; Gen_31:43. His grandchildren as well as his two daughters.

unto his place] i.e. his home in Haran; cf. Gen_18:33; Num_24:25.

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.

Night (de nocte) when it was just at an end, and day-light appeared. --- His daughters, with Dina, &c. Thus all ended well and in peace, by the divine interposition, after the most serious alarms. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

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.

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

And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, i.e. Rachel and Leah and their children. It does not appear that Laban kissed Jacob on taking final leave of him as he did on first meeting him (Gen_29:3-9) and blessed them: (cf. Gen_14:6 Gen_28:1) and Laban departed, and returned unto his place Padan-aram (cf. Gen_18:33 Gen_30:25)

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