Genesis 31:40

Work Exhaustion

³⁸ I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.

³⁹ I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.

As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

⁴¹ Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!

⁴² If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”

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: As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
KJV: Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
WEB: This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.
ASV: Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
DARBY: Thus it was with me: in the day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
BLB: [There] I was: In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost in the night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.

ÅB: Slik hadde jeg det: Om dagen fortærtes jeg av hete og av kulde om natten, og søvnen flyktet fra mine øyne.
OTB: Dette var min situasjon: Hete fortærte meg om dagen og frost om natten, og søvnen flyktet fra mine øyne.
B1930: Slik hadde jeg det: Om dagen fortærtes jeg av hete og av kulde om natten, og søvnen flydde fra mine øine.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 78:70–71
He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
Read in context
Luke 2:8
And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
Read in context
Exodus 2:19–22
“An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they replied. “He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”
Read in context
John 21:15–17
When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”
Read in context
Hebrews 13:7
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Read in context
Hosea 12:12
Jacob fled to the land of Aram and Israel worked for a wife— for a wife he tended sheep.
Read in context
Exodus 3:1
Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Read in context
1 Peter 5:2–4
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
Read in context