Genesis 31:36
in Genesis 31Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast hotly pursued after me?
KJV
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
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This verse in Genesis 31
Commentary
4 notes on this verseAnd Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban - The expostulation of Jacob with Laban, and their consequent agreement, are told in this place with great spirit and dignity. Jacob was conscious that though he had made use of cunning to increase his flocks, yet Laban had been on the whole a great gainer by his services. He had served him at least twenty years, fourteen for Rachel and Leah, and six for the cattle; and some suppose he had served him twenty years besides the above, which is not unlikely: see the remarks at the conclusion of this chapter.
This site's exposition
Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban
on Genesis 31:36-37
Jacob becomes incensed and answers with his longest speech in Genesis, turning the empty search into his own evidence. He asks Laban to set whatever was found before both households and let them judge. Clarke notes the one charge Jacob knows nothing about.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban,....
His chiding with Laban, though it may admit of some excuse, was not justifiable, nor is it written for our imitation. Grievous words stir up anger, and commonly do but make bad worse. It is a very great affront to one that bears an honest mind to be charged with dishonesty, and yet even this we must learn to bear with patience, committing our cause to God.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּ֥חַר | vaiyichar | and it burned | H2734 → | 91 times |
| לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב | leyaako | to Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| וַיָּ֣רֶב | vaiyarev | and he quarreled | H7378 → | 67 times |
| בְּלָבָ֑ן | belavan | with Laban | H3837 → | 55 times |
| וַיַּ֤עַן | vaiyaan | and he answered | H6030 → | 331 times |
| יַעֲקֹב֙ | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְלָבָ֔ן | lelavan | to Laban | H3837 → | 55 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| פִּשְׁעִי֙ | pishi | [is] transgression my | H6588 → | 93 times |
| מַ֣ה | mah | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| חַטָּאתִ֔י | chatati | [is] sin my | H2403 → | 295 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| דָלַ֖קְתָּ | dalakta | you have hotly pursued | H1814 → | |
| אַחֲרָֽי׃ | ʾacharai | after me | H310 → | 715 times |
וַיִּ֥חַרand it burned
vaiyicharH2734 →91 times
לְיַעֲקֹ֖בto Jacob
leyaakoH3290 →350 times
וַיָּ֣רֶבand he quarreled
vaiyarevH7378 →67 times
בְּלָבָ֑ןwith Laban
belavanH3837 →55 times
וַיַּ֤עַןand he answered
vaiyaanH6030 →331 times
יַעֲקֹב֙Jacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
לְלָבָ֔ןto Laban
lelavanH3837 →55 times
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
פִּשְׁעִי֙[is] transgression my
pishiH6588 →93 times
מַ֣הwhat?
mahH4100 →752 times
חַטָּאתִ֔י[is] sin my
chatatiH2403 →295 times
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
דָלַ֖קְתָּyou have hotly pursued
dalaktaH1814 →
אַחֲרָֽי׃after me
ʾacharaiH310 →715 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 4:26“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,
it leads to
- James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Psalms 4:4
Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah
- Psalms 37:8
Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm.
- Ephesians 4:31–32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
- Ecclesiastes 7:9
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
- James 1:19
Through
Mark 3:5Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored.
it leads to
- Luke 6:10
And after looking around at all of them, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and it was restored.
- Luke 6:10
Through
Genesis 30:2Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
it leads to
- Genesis 16:2
So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice…
- Psalms 127:3
Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
- Genesis 16:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.