And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
And Laban saith, `Lo, O that it were according to thy word;'
And Laban said, Well, let it be according to thy word.
Genesis — The book of beginnings. Creation, fall, flood, covenant, election, providence — eleven generational seams stitch one unbroken story from heaven-and-earth to a coffin in Egypt.
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
Voices2
And Laban said,....
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)reformed
Laban was willing to consent to this bargain, because he thought if those few he had that were now speckled and spotted were separated from the rest, which was to be done immediately, the body of the flock which Jacob was to tend, being of one colour, either all black or all white, would produce few or none of mixt colours, and so he should have Jacob's service for nothing, or next to nothing.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765evangelical
The walk8
Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first — the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.
Through
1 Corinthians 7:7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
leads to
“Not everyone can accept this word,” He replied, “but only those to whom it has been given.
Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;
Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.
There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
Through
Numbers 22:29Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
leads to
A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.
Through
1 Corinthians 14:5I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the…
leads to
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
The whole web at once: see the Arc.
The verses this one reaches4
As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!
I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.
