Genesis 31:1
Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”
2 And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.
3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”
- 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.
- WEB
- Jacob heard Laban’s sons’ words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.”
- ASV
- 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.
- DARBY
- And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and of what was our father's he has acquired all this glory.
- BLB
- And [Jacob] heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying, “Jacob has taken away everything that belonged to our father, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.”
- ÅB
- Så fikk han høre at Labans sønner hadde sagt: Jakob har tatt alt det som vår far eide, og av det som vår far eide, har han lagt seg til all denne rikdom.
- OTB
- Jakob hørte Labans sønner si: «Jakob har tatt alt som tilhørte vår far, og fra det som tilhørte vår far har han fått all denne rikdommen.»
- B1930
- Så fikk han høre at Labans sønner hadde sagt: Jakob har tatt alt det som vår far eide, og av det som vår far eide, har han lagt sig til all denne rikdom.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ecclesiastes 4:4
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Read in contextPsalms 17:14
from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.
Read in contextProverbs 27:4
Wrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
Read in contextProverbs 14:30
A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Read in context1 Peter 1:24
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,
Read in contextGenesis 45:13
Tell my father about all my splendor in Egypt and everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
Read in contextEzekiel 16:44
Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’
Read in contextGenesis 31:8–9
If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore streaked offspring.
Read in context