EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Genesis 31:1
1Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining about him. They were saying, ‘Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He has taken things from our father and he has become rich himself.’
Genesis 31:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.
- New International Version (NIV)Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, "Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.”
Context of Genesis 31:1
Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining about him. They were saying, ‘Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He has taken things from our father and he has become rich himself.’ 2And Jacob could see that Laban was not as nice to him as he had been before. 3Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Go back to the land where your father and grandfather lived. Go back to your relatives. I will be with you there.’
Read all of Genesis 31Genesis 31:1 word by word
וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֤י בְנֵֽי־לָבָן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לָקַ֣ח יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֑ינוּ וּמֵאֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔ינוּ עָשָׂ֕ה אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַכָּבֹ֖ד הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- of Laban’sלָבָןlâbân · LabanH3837
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- hath taken awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- our father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- hath he gottenעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: offerH6213
- all this gloryכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
Cross-references for Genesis 31:1
- Genesis 31:8Sometimes Laban said, “I will pay you with the animals that have different colours on their skin.” If he said that, all the animals gave birth to babies with different colours on their skins. Sometimes he said, “I will pay you with the animals that have marks on them.” Then all the animals gave birth to babies with marks on them.
- Job 31:31None of the people who work in my house have ever said, “Job has not welcomed strangers into his house. He has not shared his food with them.”
- Psalms 57:4My enemies are all round me, like hungry lions! I must lie down among wild animals, that want to eat me! They are men who use spears and arrows to bite like teeth. They use their tongues to hurt people, like sharp swords.
- Psalms 64:3Their tongues are like sharp swords that hurt people. Their cruel words are like arrows that they shoot at people.
- Psalms 120:3How will God punish you, you people who deceive others? He will punish you properly!
- Proverbs 14:30If you have peace in your mind, your body will be healthy. But if you are jealous, it will eat away your body.
- Proverbs 27:4An angry person does cruel things that can destroy people. But a jealous person is much worse.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4I also thought about the clever work that people do. I saw that people work hard because they are jealous of each other. They want to do better than other people. I realized that this has no purpose. It is like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
- Ezekiel 16:44Look! Everyone says that this proverb is true about you: A daughter will do the same things that her mother does.
- Genesis 45:13Tell my father about the authority that I have here in Egypt. Tell him about everything that you have seen here. Then bring my father here quickly.’
- Esther 5:11Haman told them how rich he was, and how many sons he had. He told them of all the things that the king had done to give him great honour. He told them that he was now more important than all the king's other rulers and officers.
- Job 31:24I have not trusted in money or in gold. I have never thought that they would make me strong.
- Psalms 17:14Lord, use your power to save me from them. They only think about this world, and they enjoy the good things that it gives them. So give them all that you have ready for them. Give them more than they want! May their children also have plenty, and enough left to give to their children too.
- Psalms 49:16If somebody becomes rich and he has more and more things, do not be afraid!
- Isaiah 5:14So the deep hole of death will be hungry! It will open wide to eat the people of Jerusalem. The leaders and the people will go down into it. It will eat up those who are happy at their wild parties in Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 9:23The Lord says, ‘Wise people should not be proud of their wisdom. Powerful people should not be proud of their power. And rich people should not be proud that they are rich.
Commentaries on Genesis 31:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1And he heard the words of Laban's sons - The multiplication of Jacob's cattle, and the decrease and degeneracy of those of Laban, were sufficient to arouse the jealousy of Laban's sons. This, with Laban's unfair treatment, and the direction he received from God, determined him to return to his own country. Hath he gotten all this glory - All these riches, this wealth, or property. The original word כבד signifies both to be rich and to be heavy; and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-55Verses 1-55 - Jacob‘s Flight from Haran 19. תרפים terāpı̂ym 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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Jacob departs secretly. (1-21) Laban pursues Jacob. (23-35) Jacob's complaint of Laban's conduct. (36-42) Their covenant at Galeed. (43-55) 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2Laban’s sons became more hostile toward Jacob because his flocks were growing faster than theirs. They were jealous because God was blessing Jacob. They were also afraid that he might take over everything they had.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-211. he heard the words of Laban's sons--It must have been from rumor that Jacob got knowledge of the invidious reflections cast upon him by his cousins; for they were separated at the distance of three days' journey.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 31:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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