And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
With all my power, both of my mind and body, as I would have done for myself, as became a faithful servant to do.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. ye know that . . . I have servedyour fatherHaving stated his strong grounds of dissatisfactionwith their father’s conduct and the ill requital he had got for allhis faithful services, he informed them of the blessing of God thathad made him rich notwithstanding Laban’s design to ruin him; andfinally, of the command from God he had received to return to his owncountry, that they might not accuse him of caprice, or disaffectionto their family; but be convinced, that in resolving to depart, heacted from a principle of religious obedience.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And ye know, that with all my power I have served your father. With all faithfulness and uprightness; with all diligence and industry; with all wisdom and prudence; with all my might and main, contriving the best methods, and sparing no pains by day or night to take care of his flocks, and increase his substance: of this his wives had been witnesses for twenty years past, and to them he appeals for the truth of it; so that there was no just reason for their father’s behaviour towards him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
: the original form of the abbreviated , which is merely copied from the Pentateuch in Exo 13:11, Exo 13:20; Exo 34:17.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Gen 31:6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
Ver. 6. With all my power I have served. ] The word translated power signifieth that natural moisture of the body that maketh it lively and lusty, vigorous and valorous to do service. So it is used, Gen 49:3 Psa 22:15 . Now if Jacob served Laban with all his might, should not we the Lord, a far better Master? Baruch “repaired earnestly”. Neh 3:20 Caleb “fulfilled after God”. Num 14:24 Nehemiah traded every talent with which divine providence had trusted him: he worketh, warreth, watcheth, commandeth, encourageth, threateneth, punisheth, &c. “David danced with all his might,” 2Sa 6:14 and did all the wills of God to his dying day; painfully serving out his time to the last. Happy is he that can say, in a spiritual sense, as it was said of Moses, that, after a long profession of religion, he remits not of his zeal; “his sight is not waxed dim, nor his natural” heat or “force abated”; Deu 34:7 that he is “not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”. Rom 12:11
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
your father: repeated at beginning of next verse by the Figure of speech Anadiplosis.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Gen 31:38-42, Gen 30:29, Eph 6:5-8, Col 3:22-25, Tit 2:9, Tit 2:10, 1Pe 2:18
Reciprocal: Gen 30:26 – for thou Eph 6:7 – good
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS
With all my power I have served your father: and your father bath deceived me.
Gen 31:6-7
I. There is a reason for every step in our education, whether we see it or not, and, though Jacob could not have guessed it at the time, yet, as we look back, we can easily understand why his residence at Haran was suddenly closed, and his home broken up, and he driven across the desert, as a fugitive, hotly pursued, much as he had been years before, only in the reverse direction.
II. In point of fact, Jacob was becoming too contented in that strange land. Like Ulysses and his crews, he was in danger of forgetting the land of his birth, the tents of his father, and the promises of which he was the heir. He was fast losing the pilgrim spirit, and settling into a citizen of that far country. His mean and crafty arts to increase his wealth were honeycombing his spirit, and eating out his nobler nature, prostituting it to the meanest ends. His wives, infected with the idolatry of their fathers house, were in danger of corrupting the minds of his children; and how then would fare the holy seed, destined to give the world the messages of God? It was evident that his nest must be broken up in Haran, that he must be driven back into the pilgrim-life, to become a stranger and a sojourner, as his fathers were. And this was another step nearer the moment when he became an Israel, a prince with God. This may be your destiny, my hearer; and, if it be, accept meekly the discipline which forces you towards it. It is the hand that was pierced with nails that breaks up the nest of the past, and beckons you to the untried but blessed realities in front.
III. He who had said Return, had pledged Himself to be with His servant as he obeyed Him. When we are on Gods plan, we may always count upon Him, and when He is with us we are invulnerable. If Jacob had realised this, he would not have needed to resort to stealth and subterfuge in getting away from Laban. The fear of man always breeds a snare, and robs the child of God of that noble upright bearing which commands the respect even of men of the world. The straightforward course is always the wisest and safest. To steal away is only to excite pursuit and angry recriminations. But even though Jacob had acted so meanly and unworthily, there was no slackening in Gods love or care. He said to Laban, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. Though we believe not, yet He remaineth faithful, He cannot deny Himself. Our unbelief cannot make His promises of none effect.
Illustration
(1) There are many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification, and sometimes it is difficult to know the voice of the Lord. But the more truly we partake of the nature of His own sheep, the more unerringly shall we detect the voice of the Good Shepherd. If you are not quite sure, wait till you are. It is the Shepherds business to make His presence and wish understood by the timid and perplexed in His flock. The only necessity is to be willing to do His will so soon as it is clearly seen. If you are in doubt, wait in faith, till every other door is shut, and one path lies open before you, and you are able to say: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake.
(2) Jacob was an erring and unworthy child, but God did not leave or forsake him. He does not love us (as we so often falsely tell little children) because we are good, but to make us so. As He does not set his love on us because of our deserts, so He does not turn it away from us because of our sins. He hates our sin, but His love surrounds us, as the warm summer ocean laps about the iceberg, which has drifted into its midst, until it melts it into streams of crystal clearness. Thus He was able to throw His protection round His erring child, and this was part of the loving discipline which was leading Jacob to a goal of which he never dreamed.
(For outline on Gen 31:38, see page 118.)