It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spoke unto me last night, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
29. in the power of my hand ] A Hebrew idiom occurring in Deu 28:32, Neh 5:5, Pro 3:27, Mic 2:1. The word “power” is “ l,” usually rendered “God”; in this idiom it denotes “power” or “might” in the abstract.
the God of your father ] Laban’s conscience smites him, as is implied by the vision recorded in Gen 31:24.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 29. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt] Literally, My hand is unto God to do you evil, i.e., I have vowed to God that I will punish thee for thy flight, and the stealing of my teraphim; but the God of YOUR father has prevented me from doing it. It is a singular instance that the plural pronoun, when addressing an individual, should be twice used in this place – the God of your father, abichem, for abicha, thy father.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The God of your father, Isaac or Abraham, by which he disowns him for his God, and tacitly reproacheth him with the novelty of his religion, which was first brought in by his father. Compare Gen 31:53.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt,…. Jacob and his family, wives, children, and servants, who were not able to stand against Laban and the men he brought with him; and so the Jerusalem Targum paraphrases it,
“I have an army and a multitude;”
a large force, which Jacob could not withstand: or, “my hand could have been for a god” h to me: you could have no more escaped it, or got out of it, or withstood me, than you could God himself: such an opinion had he of his superior power and strength, and that this would have been the case:
but the God of your father spoke unto me yesternight; the night past, or the other night, some very little time ago, since he came from home at least: by his father he means either his father Isaac, or his grandfather Abraham, whose God the Lord was, and who came to Laban and told him who he was. This serves to strengthen the opinion that Laban was an idolater, and adhered to the gods of his grandfather Terah, from whom Abraham departed, and which Laban may have respect to; intimating that he abode by the religion of his ancestors at a greater remove than Jacob’s: however, though he does not call him his God, he had some awe and reverence of him, and was influenced by his speech to him;
saying, take heed that thou spake not to Jacob either good or bad: this, though greatly to Jacob’s honour, and against Laban’s interest, yet his conscience would not allow him to keep it a secret; though, doubtless, his view was to show his superior power to Jacob, had he not been restrained by Jacob’s God.
h “esset mihi pro deo manus mea”, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
: “ there is to God my hand ” (Mic 2:1; cf. Deu 28:32; Neh 5:5), i.e., my hand serves me as God (Hab 1:11; Job 12:6), a proverbial expression for “the power lies in my hand.”
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
29. It is in the power of my hand. The Hebrew phrase is different, “my hand is to power;” yet the meaning is clear, that Laban declares he is ready to take vengeance. Some expound the words thus: “my hand is to God;” but from other places it appears that the word אל ( el) is taken for power. But Laban, inflated with foolish boasting, contradicts himself; for whereas he had been forbidden by God to attempt anything against Jacob, where was the power of which he boasted? We see, therefore, he precipitates himself by a blind impulse, as if, at his own pleasure, he could do anything against the purpose of God. For when he perceives that God is opposed to him, he yet does not hesitate to glory in his own strength; and why is this, unless he aimed at being superior to God? Finally; pride is always the companion of unbelief; so that unbelievers, although vanquished, yet cease not impetuously to rise up against God. To this they add another sin, that they complain of being unjustly oppressed by God.
But the God of your father. Why does he not also acknowledge God as his own God, unless because Satan had so fascinated his mind already, that he chose rather to wander in darkness than to turn to the light presented before him? Willingly or unwillingly, he is compelled to yield to the God of Abraham; and yet he defrauds him of the glory which is due, by retaining those fictitious deities by which he had been deceived. We see then that the ungodly, even when they have had proof of the power of God, yet do not entirely submit themselves to his authority. Wherefore, when God manifests himself to us, we must also seek from heaven the spirit of meekness, which shall bend and subdue us to obedience unto himself.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(29) It is in the power of my hand.This is the rendering here of all the versions, and is confirmed by Deu. 28:32; Neh. 5:5; Mic. 2:1; but Keil and Knobel wish to translate, My hand is for God. This comes to the same thing in an impious way, as the sense would be, My hand is an El, a god, for me, and enables me to do what I will.
The speech of Laban is half true and half false. He would have wished not to part with Jacob at all, but to have recovered from him as much as he could of his property. But if he was to go, he would have liked outward appearances maintained; and, probably, he had an affection for his daughters and their children, though not so strong as to counterbalance his selfishness. His character, like that of all men, is a mixture of good and evil.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
29. Power of my hand Or, to the God of my hand . Laban, leavened with the notions of idolatry, contrasts the God of his hand that is, the God for whom he lifts his hand with the God of Jacob’s father .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 31:29. It is in the power of my hand, &c. And it appears very plainly, that it was as much in the inclination of his heart to do him hurt, had not God interposed, as indeed he himself confesses. Nothing can be more strongly marked than the hypocrisy of Laban, Gen 31:27 after he found that the Almighty restrained him from doing any harm to Jacob: Speak neither good nor bad; i.e.. attempt neither to threaten nor persuade, Gen 31:24. From Haran to Mount Gilead was above two hundred and fifty miles, so that both Jacob and Laban must have travelled expeditiously.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 31:29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
Ver. 29. It is in the power of my hand. ] It was, he might have said, till God forbade him: though indeed it never was (as our Saviour told Pilate, upon a like bravado, Joh 19:10-11 ), further than “given him from above.” “To God belong the issues of death,” Psa 68:20 whatever tyrants dream they can do. Rideo, dicebat Caligula, Consulibus, quod uno nutu meo iugulare vos possim, et uxori tam bana cervix, simul ac iussero, demetur . And Caesar told Metellus, that he could as easily take away his life, as bid it to be done. But what saith our Saviour? “Fear not them that kill the body”; Mat 10:28 to wit, by divine permission. He saith not, them that can kill the body, have power to do it at their own pleasure: for that is a royalty belongs to God only.
But the God of your father spake unto me, &c.
a Aug., De Verb. Apost., ser. 21.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hand. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), hand put for the whole person, “in my power”.
you and your are plural. God of your father. In Gen 30:27, Gen 30:30, Laban had spoken of the LORD = Jehovah; now he has sunk so low as to say’ your” God, and calls the teraphim “my gods”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the power: Psa 52:1, Joh 19:10, Joh 19:11
the God: Gen 31:42, Gen 31:53, Gen 28:13, Jos 24:2, Jos 24:3, 2Ki 19:10, Dan 2:47, Dan 3:28, Dan 6:20, Dan 6:26
yesternight: Gen 31:24
Take: Act 5:38, Act 5:39, Act 9:5
Reciprocal: Gen 24:50 – we Gen 31:7 – God Gen 32:9 – O God 2Sa 13:22 – neither good 1Ch 16:21 – He suffered Pro 3:27 – in the Mic 2:1 – because Mat 27:19 – his
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 31:29. The God of your fathers spake to me yesterday We find here that Laban, whatever his disposition was, and how great soever his anger, paid regard to the heavenly vision. For though he supposed that he had both right and strength on his side, either to revenge the wrong or recover the right, yet he owns himself under the restraint of Gods power; he durst not injure one whom he saw to be the particular care of Heaven. It seems probable that God, who can change the heart in a moment, effected a sudden alteration in his disposition toward Jacob.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
31:29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the {g} God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
(g) He was an idolater and therefore would not acknowledge the God of Jacob for his God.