Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp; and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.
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Genesis 31:26-28 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead. Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp; and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly. It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”
Parallel Translations
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Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?
Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;
and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.
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And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
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And Laban said to Jacob: 'What hast thou done, that thou hast outwitted me, and carried away my daughters as though captives of the sword?
Wherefore didst thou flee secretly, and outwit me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with tabret and with harp;
and didst not suffer me to kiss my sons and my daughters? now hast thou done foolishly.
Cross-references (36)
- Genesis 31:55 (v28) Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
- Exodus 15:20 (v27) Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with…
- Ruth 1:14 (v28) They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.
- 1 Samuel 30:2 (v26) and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They didn’t kill any, but carried them off, and went their…
- 1 Kings 19:20 (v28) Elisha left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” He said to…
Show all 36 cross-references
- Acts 20:37 (v28) They all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,
- Genesis 2:24 (v26) Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.
- Genesis 3:13 (v26) Yahweh God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
- Genesis 4:10 (v26) Yahweh said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.
- Genesis 4:21 (v27) His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.
- Genesis 12:18 (v26) Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?
- Genesis 20:9-10 (v26) Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and…
- Genesis 24:59-60 (v27) They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men. They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister,…
- Genesis 26:10 (v26) Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought…
- Genesis 29:13 (v28) When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house.…
- Genesis 31:3 (v28) Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
- Genesis 31:3-5 (v27) Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” Jacob sent and called Rachel and…
- Genesis 31:13 (v28) I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land…
- Genesis 31:16 (v26) For all the riches which God has taken away from our father are ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”
- Genesis 31:20-21 (v27) Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away. So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed…
- Genesis 31:24 (v28) God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
- Genesis 31:31 (v27) Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’
- Genesis 31:36 (v26) Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
- Genesis 34:29 (v26) and all their wealth. They took captive all their little ones and their wives, and took as plunder everything that was in the house.
- Exodus 4:27 (v28) Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him.
- Joshua 7:19 (v26) Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done!…
- Judges 6:27 (v27) Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken to him. Because he feared his father’s household and the men of the…
- Ruth 1:9 (v28) May Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their…
- 1 Samuel 13:13 (v28) Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh…
- 1 Samuel 14:43 (v26) Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done!” Jonathan told him, and said, “I certainly did taste a little honey with the end…
- 1 Samuel 17:29 (v26) David said, “What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”
- 2 Chronicles 16:9 (v28) For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward…
- Job 21:11-14 (v27) They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance. They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the…
- Proverbs 26:23-26 (v27) Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart. A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,…
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 (v28) Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are…
- John 18:35 (v26) Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v26 Or, conveyed thyself away privily.
Or, conveyed thyself away privily.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv26–28 Gen 31:26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast…
Gen 31:26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives [taken] with the sword?
Ver. 26. As captives taken with the sword.] No such matter; but that the old churl must have somewhat to say: for Jacob had their goodwills to go with him: and besides, they were now his more than Laban’s. Jacob had them in marriage, and not in bondage: he carried them not as his captives, but companions.
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.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv26, 28 By force and violence. A false accusation; for they…
By force and violence. A false accusation; for they freely consented, Gen 31:14-16.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv26–28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons…
And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters?.... Did not give him an opportunity of taking his farewell, which used to be done with a kiss, as it is with us at this day: by his sons he means his grandsons, and so the Targum of Jonathan, my daughters' sons; and by his daughters Rachel and Leah, and Dinah his granddaughter:
thou hast done foolishly in so doing: since, as he would have him believe that he was both a loser by this step he took, and exposed himself to danger, seeing it was in the power of Laban to do him hurt, as in Gen 31:29; but Jacob knew what he did, and that it was the wisest part to follow the direction of God.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v27 I might have sent thee away with mirth and…
I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with tabret and with harp - Not as Rebekah was sent away out of the same family above one hundred and twenty years before, with prayers and blessings, but with sport and merriment; which was a sign that religion was much decayed in the family.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v27 Verse 27. I might have sent thee away with…
Verse 27. I might have sent thee away with mirth] בשמחה, besimchah, with rejoicing, making a feast or entertainment on the occasion; and with songs, beshirim, odes either in the praise of God, or to commemorate the splendid acts of their ancestors; with tabret, bethoph, the tympanum used in the east to the present day, and there called [Arabic] diff, a thin broad wooden hoop, with parchment extended over one end of it, to which are attached small pieces of brass, tin, c., which make a jingling noise it is held in the air with one hand, and beat on with the fingers of the other. It appears to have been precisely the same with that which is called the tambourine and which is frequently to be met with in our streets. And with harp, בכנור bekinnor, a sort of stringed instrument, a lute or harp; probably the same as the Greek κινυρα kinura, a harp; the name being evidently borrowed from the Hebrew. These four things seem to include all that was used in those primitive times, as expressive of gladness and satisfaction on the most joyous occasions.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v27 Gen 31:27. I might have sent thee away with…
Gen 31:27. I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs — Not as Rebekah was sent away out of the same family above one hundred and twenty years before, with prayers and blessings, but with sport and merriment; which was a sign that religion was much decayed in the family.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v26 Laban said . . . What hast thou done?--Not…
Laban said . . . What hast thou done?--Not a word is said of the charge (Gen 31:1). His reproaches were of a different kind. His first charge was for depriving him of the satisfaction of giving Jacob and his family the usual salutations at parting. In the East it is customary, when any are setting out to a great distance, for their relatives and friends to accompany them a considerable way with music and valedictory songs. Considering the past conduct of Laban, his complaint on this ground was hypocritical cant. But his second charge was a grave one--the carrying off his gods--Hebrew, "teraphim," small images of human figures, used not as idols or objects of worship, but as talismans, for superstitious purposes.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv26–27 26. Laban said — Laban opens the controversy, and…
26. Laban said — Laban opens the controversy, and his speech, both here (Gen_31:26-30) and afterwards, (Gen_31:43-44; Gen_31:48-53,) and Jacob’s also, (in Gen_31:36-42,) read like the fragments of an ancient poem. They have the rhythm and passion of poetry, and should be put in the poetic form.
We render Laban’s speech thus: What hast thou done?
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And thou hast stolen my heart, And hast carried off my daughters As captives of the sword.
Why didst thou hide thyself to flee? And thou hast stolen me, And didst not inform me, And I would have sent thee away with joy, And with songs, with timbrel, and with harp. And thou didst not permit me To kiss my sons and my daughters, Now hast thou played the fool — to do! It is to the God of my hand To do with you an evil.
But the God of your father Yesternight said to me, saying, Guard thyself from speaking with Jacob From good to evil.
And now going thou hast gone; For longing thou hast longed For the house of thy father. — Why hast thou stolen my gods?
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv26–28 26. What hast thou done?] Cf. Gen_4:10. Laban’s reproach…
26. What hast thou done?] Cf. Gen_4:10. Laban’s reproach in Gen_31:26-30 is expressed in terms of forbearance and injured innocence: why had Jacob fled secretly? why not suffer himself to be dismissed with dignity? For the sake of the God of Isaac Laban will say no more, but he must protest against the theft of his household gods.
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.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv26, 28 (26-30) Laban said . . . —Laban reproaches Jacob,…
(26-30) Laban said . . . —Laban reproaches Jacob, first, for carrying away his daughters secretly, which was an affront to them (Gen_31:26) and an injury to his own feelings (Gen_31:28); secondly, he tells him that he should have punished him but for the Divine warning; lastly, he accuses him of stealing his teraphim.
Captives . . . —Heb., captives of the sword, women carried off in war as spoil.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v26 Vers. 26-30. And Laban (assuming a tone of injured…
Vers. 26-30. And Laban (assuming a tone of injured innocence) said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, literally, and (meaning, in that) thou hast stolen my heart ( vide supra, ver. 20; and cf. ver. 27)and carried away (vide ver. 18) my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? Literally, as captives of the sword, i.e. invitis parentibus (Rosenm language which, if not hypocritical on Laban"s part, was certainly hyperbolical, since he had already evinced the strength of his parental affection by selling his daughters to Jacob; and besides, so far as it concerned either Jacob or his wives, it was quite untrue, Rachel and Leah having voluntarily accompanied their husband in his flight. Wherefore didst thou floe away secretly, literally, wherefore didst thou hide thyself to flee away; abj; (niph.), with an inf. following, corresponding to the similar construction in Greek of lanqanein with a part, and being correctly rendered in English by an adverb (vide Gesenius, "Gram.," and steal away from me (literally, and steal me, ut supra); and didst not tell me, that I might (literally, and I would) have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, in Oriental countries those about to make a long journey are still sentaway cantionibus et musicorum instrumentorum concentu (Rosenm with tabret, the toph was a drum or timbrel, consisting of a wooden circle covered with membrane, and furnished with brass bells (like the modern tambourine), which Oriental women beat when dancing (cf. Exo_15:20; Jud_1:11:34; Jer_31:4) and with harp! For a description of the kinnor see Gen_4:21. And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons (i.e. the children of Leah and Rachel) and my daughters! It is perhaps judging Laban too severely to pronounce this complete hypocrisy and cant (Alford, Bush, Candlish, Gerlach), but equally wide of the truth is it to see in Laban"s conduct nothing but generosity of feeling (Kalisch); probably there was a mixture of both paternal affection and crafty dissimulation (Delitzsch). Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. The charge of folly in Old Testament Scriptures commonly carries with it an imputation of wrong-doing. (cf. 1Sa_13:13 2Sa_14:10) It is in the power of my hand so the phrase laelAvy, ydiy; (cf. Deu_28:32; Neh_5:5; Mic_2:1) is rendered by competent authorities (Gesenius, Furst, Rosenm Kalisch, Murphy, et alii), with which agree laxly, hJ ceir mou (LXX), and valet manus men (Vulgate), though the translation "My hand is for God," i.e. my hand serves me as God (cf. Job_12:6; Heb_1:11) is by some preferred (Keil, Knobel, Jacobus)to do you hurt: but the God of your father the use of this expression can be rightly regarded neither as a proof ofElohistic authorship (Tuch, Bleek, Colenso, Davidson) nor as a sign of Laban"s spiritual degeneracy (Hengstenberg, Wordsworth), since it is practically equivalent to Jehovah, (vide Gen_28:13) but is probably to be viewed as a play upon the sound and sense of the preceding clause, as thus: is in the El of my hand to do you evil, but the Elohim of your father spake to me." Another instance of this play upon the sound and sense is to be found in vers. 19, 20 stole the teraphim that were her father"s; and Jacob stole the heart of Laban the Syrian" (cf. Quarry on Genesis, p. 498)spake unto me yester night, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob literally, guard or keep thee for thyself (the pleon, pron. being added ut supra, ver. 24) from speaking with Jacob either good or bad (vide on ver. 24). And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone (literally, going thou didst go thou hast indeed gone), because thou sore longedst after thy father"s house (literally, because desiring thou didst desire. The verb psK to be pale (whence psK, silver, so called from its pale color), expresses the idea of pining away and languishing through strong inward longing), yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? Laban had probably gone to consult his teraphim and so discovered their loss. Augustine calls attention to this as the first Scripture reference to heathen gods, and Calvin probably supplies the right explanation of the sense in which they were so styled by Laban, non quia deitatem illie putaret esse inclusam, sed quia in honorem deorum imagines illas colebat; vel potius quod Deo sacra facturus, vertebat se ad illas imagines. (of Exo_32:4; 1Ki_12:28) "This complaint of Laban, that his "gods were stolen, show-eth the vanity of such idolatry" (Ainsworth). Cf. Jud_1:6:31 16:24; Jer_10:5, Jer_10:11, Jer_10:15.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v26 carried away my daughters like prisoners of war
carried away my daughters like prisoners of war
Laban speaks about Jacob taking his family with him back to the land of Canaan as if Jacob took them as prisoners after a battle and is forcing them to go with him. Laban is exaggerating because he is angry and is trying to make Jacob feel guilty for what he did. (See: Simile and Hyperbole and Generalization)
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flee secretly
"run away in secret"
with celebration
"with joy"
with tambourine and with harps
These instruments stand for music. AT: "and with music" (See: Metonymy)
tambourine
a musical instrument with a head like a drum that can be hit and with pieces of metal around the side that sound when the instrument is shaken (See: Translate Unknowns)
to kiss my grandsons
Here "grandsons" would include all grandchildren whether male or female. AT: "to kiss my grandchildren" (See: When Masculine Words Include Women)
Now you have done foolishly
"You have acted foolishly"
Now
This does not mean "at this moment," but is used to draw attention to the important point that follows.
translationWords
deceive
prison
harp
kiss
fool
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.