[Thus] I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
40. drought frost ] The extremes of midday heat and midnight frost. For the variations of temperature, cf. Jer 36:30.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 40. In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night] The being exposed to the heat by day, and frost by night, is made part of the heaviest punishment of Promethus by AEschylus.
‘ ,
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AEschyl. Prom. Vinc., v. 22.
Opposed to the sun’s most fervid beam,
The hue of beauty changed; till parch’d by heat
The night with spangled stole shall hide its light
From thee rejoicing, but again the sun
Chases the hoar frost from thy harass’d form.
J. B. B. C.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Through my extraordinary thoughtfulness and care about thy cattle, especially in cases of danger.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
40. in the day the drought . . . andthe frost by nightThe temperature changes often in twenty-fourhours from the greatest extremes of heat and cold, most trying to theshepherd who has to keep watch by his flocks. Much allowance must bemade for Jacob. Great and long-continued provocations ruffle themildest and most disciplined tempers. It is difficult to “beangry and sin not” [Eph 4:26].But these two relatives, after having given utterance to theirpent-up feelings, came at length to a mutual understanding, orrather, God influenced Laban to make reconciliation with his injurednephew (Pr 16:7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[Thus] I was,…. In such a situation, as well as in the following uncomfortable plight and condition:
in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night: the violent heat in the daytime scorched him, and the severe frosts in the night pinched him: that is, in the different seasons of the year, the heat of the day in the summertime, and the cold of the night in the wintertime; for it cannot well be thought that there should be excessive heat in the day and sharp frosts in the night, in the same season of the year: it looks as if Laban did not allow Jacob the proper conveniencies of clothes, and of tents to secure him from the inclemency of the weather, which other shepherds usually had:
and my sleep departed from mine eyes; through diligent care and watchfulness of the flocks in the night season, which on some occasions were necessary; see Lu 2:8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“ I have been; by day (i.e., I have been in this condition, that by day) heat has consumed (prostrated) me, and cold by night ” – for it is well known, that in the East the cold by night corresponds to the heat by day; the hotter the day the colder the night, as a rule.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(40) The frost by night.From September to May the nights in the East are usually cold, and the change from great heat by day to a freezing temperature as soon as the sun sets is very trying to health.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
40. Drought frost Comp . Psa 121:6; Jer 36:30. The extremes of heat and cold between day and night in the East are evidenced by all travellers .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 31:40. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night Thus Jacob complains of the weather in Mesopotamia. Accordingly Rawwolff, speaking of his going down the Euphrates, gives us to understand that he was wont to wrap himself up in a frize coat in the night-time to keep himself from the frost and dews, which are very frequent and violent there. See Ray’s Travels, p. 155, 156. The heat or drought of the day might well be equally complained of by Jacob; for Thevenot tells us, par. 2: p. 52. that when he travelled in this country of Mesopotamia the heat was so excessive, that though he wore upon his head a great black handkerchief, which he could see through, after the manner of the eastern people when they travel, yet he had many times his forehead so scorched as to swell exceedingly, and so as to have even the skin come off; and that his hands also were continually parched.
REFLECTIONS.It is now Jacob’s turn to chide, when Laban cannot make good the least of his accusations, nor find a thread which he can justly claim. Note; Though he had reason to expostulate, he did wrong to be angry: no provocation can excuse that. He could appeal to Laban for his honesty, carefulness, and fidelity; and every instance he produces of the uprightness of his service, reflects upon Laban as an unjust and unreasonable master. Note; Though it be one’s unhappy case to have such a master as Laban, a good servant, like Jacob, will not be less faithful and industrious. We must leave the matter with God, and then we shall have Jacob’s blessing.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
And are not all seals of the covenant in ordinances, like these stones, witnesses for or against the use, or abuse, of them?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 31:40 [Thus] I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
Ver. 40. Thus I was; in the day, &c. ] Nonresidents do none of all this, those idol, and idle shepherds: they cry out, as he, Pan curet oves, oviumque magistros; a being herein not only worse than this good shepherd in the text, but also than Ulysses’ swineherd, in Homer, who would not lie from his charge, b
a Virg.
b O H . – Odyss., xiv. 525.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Thus I was. Figure of speech Ellipsis = “Thus (wherever) I was”.
droughts heat. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), effect put for the burning heat which caused it. Contrast with cold produced by the frost.
my sleep. The Eastern shepherd often away from home for weeks at a time.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Exo 2:19-22, Exo 3:1, Psa 78:70, Psa 78:71, Hos 12:12, Luk 2:8, Joh 21:15-17, Heb 13:7, 1Pe 5:2-4
Reciprocal: Gen 30:39 – brought forth Deu 26:5 – ready Job 24:7 – no covering Pro 31:18 – her candle Ecc 8:16 – there is that Son 5:2 – my head Jer 36:30 – and his Joh 10:11 – giveth