And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
31. I was afraid ] Jacob’s defence is brief: (1) he fled because he could not trust Laban, who, he thought, would keep his daughters by force; (2) as to the teraphim, he was innocent; if any of his party had stolen them, they should be punished by death.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
31, 32. Jacob said, . . . Withwhomsoever thou findest thy gods let him not liveConscious ofhis own innocence and little suspecting the misdeed of his favoritewife, Jacob boldly challenged a search and denounced the heaviestpenalty on the culprit. A personal scrutiny was made by Laban, whoexamined every tent [Ge 31:33];and having entered Rachel’s last, he would have infallibly discoveredthe stolen images had not Rachel made an appeal to him whichprevented further search [Gen 31:34;Gen 31:35].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, because I was afraid,…. That he would have done all he could to have hindered him from going away himself; and not only so, but would have prevented his taking his daughters with him; and especially would have detained his cattle; but of this last Jacob makes no mention, only of the former:
for I said; either within himself, or to his wives;
peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me; which of right belonged to him; for though they were Laban’s daughters, they were Jacob’s wives; and being given in marriage to him, he had a right unto them, and to take them with him; nor had Laban any right to detain them, which Jacob feared he would have attempted to have done, had he known his design; and this must have been done by force if done at all; for neither Jacob nor his wives would have agreed that they should stay with Laban upon his departure: what Laban charges Jacob with, in going away with his wives, he himself would have done, namely, using force to them. Laban’s charge was false, but there was much reason for Jacob’s suspicion.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The first, Jacob met by pleading his fear lest Laban should take away his daughters (keep them back by force). “ For I said: ” equivalent to “for I thought.” But Jacob knew nothing of the theft; hence he declared, that with whomsoever he might find the gods he should be put to death, and told Laban to make the strictest search among all the things that he had with him. “ Before our brethren, ” i.e., the relations who had come with Laban, as being impartial witnesses (cf. Gen 31:37); not, as Knobel thinks, before Jacob’s horde of male and female slaves, of women and of children.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
31. And Jacob answered. He briefly refutes each head of the accusation: with respect to his secret departure, he modestly excuses himself, as having been afraid that he might be deprived of his wives. And in this way he takes part of the blame to himself, deeming it sufficient to exonerate himself from the malice of which he was thought to be guilty. He does not dispute, as a casuist, whether it was lawful to depart by stealth; but leaves it undetermined whether or not his fear was culpable. Let all the children of God learn to imitate this modesty, lest through an immoderate desire to vindicate their own reputation, they should rush into contentions: just as we have seen many raise tragic scenes out of nothing, because they will not endure that any censure, however trifling, should be cast upon them. Jacob, therefore, was content with this excuse, that he had done nothing wickedly. His defense on the other charge follows, in which Jacob shows his confidence, by adjudicating the person to death, with whom the things stolen should be found. (97) He speaks, indeed, from his heart; but if the truth had then been discovered, he must, of necessity, have been ashamed of his rashness. Therefore, though he was not conscious of guilt, he yet singled through excessive haste, in not having diligently inquired before he pronounced concerning a doubtful matter. He ought to have called both his wives and his children, and to have inquired of each how the affair stood. He was, indeed, persuaded, that his family was so well conducted, that no suspicion of the theft had ever entered into his mind; but he ought not so to have relied upon his own discipline, as to be free from fear when a crime is alleged against his family. Wherefore, let us learn to suspend our judgment in matters of which we are ignorant, lest we should repent too late of our temerity. We may add, that hence it happened, that the pollution which he might have exterminated immediately, continued still longer in the family of Jacob.
(97) “Jacob might cover himself with the shield of his own innocence; but it was not large enough to cover all others, not even his most beloved wife, whom he, in ignorance, adjudicates to death, and incautiously gives sentence against her.” — Rivetus in Gen, p. 657.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(31, 32) Jacob answered.Jacob gives the true reason for his flight; after which, indignant at the charge of theft, he returns, in his anger, as rash an answer about the teraphim as Josephs brethren subsequently did about the stolen cup (Gen. 44:9).
Let him not live.The Rabbins regard this as a prophecy, fulfilled in Rachels premature death. Its more simple meaning is, I yield him up to thee even to be put to death.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
31. Take by force He feared that the man who forced him to marry, contrary to his desire and agreement, would be as likely to add other high-handed acts of wrong .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said ‘lest you should take your daughters from me by force’.” ’
This is the answer to ‘why did you flee secretly?’ (verse 27). Jacob had rightly feared that if he left openly it would have been with very little. The daughters were seen as belonging to the tribe and his service for them had clearly not been seen as sufficient to recompense the tribe for their loss. Nor was their protection sufficiently catered for outside the tribe.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 31:31. Because I was afraid, &c. To the first part of Laban’s charge Jacob answers, that he fled privately, because he feared him; to the latter part he answers, by giving him free leave to search for his goods, and exposing to death whoever should be found guilty of the theft; whence it seems to follow, that theft in those days was frequently punished with death; see ch. Gen 44:9.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Observe the diligence with which Laban sought after his false gods. Reader! may it provoke you and me to a greater earnestness in seeking for the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. How charming Job’s desire! Job 33:3 . How delightful David’s earnestness! Psa 42:1-2 . How encouraging that promise! Heb 11:6 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 31:31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
Ver. 31. Because I was afraid. ] Note the patriarch’s simplicity and veracity, without cunning or colouring. Truth is like our first parents; most beautiful when naked. It was sin covered them; and so this, for the most part.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Because: Gen 31:26, Gen 31:27, Gen 20:11, Pro 29:25
Reciprocal: Gen 30:26 – my wives
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 31:31-32. Jacob clears himself by giving the true reason why he went away unknown to Laban; he feared lest Laban should by force take away his daughters, and so oblige him to continue in his service. As to the charge of stealing Labans gods, he pleads not guilty. He not only did not take them himself, but he did not know that they were taken. Let him not live This was rashly said, and might have produced fatal effects.