Genesis 31:55
in Genesis 31Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
KJV
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
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This verse in Genesis 31
Commentary
4 notes on this verseKissed his sons and his daughters - That is, his grandchildren, Jacob’s eleven sons with Dinah their sister, and their mothers Leah and Rachel. All these he calls his children, Gen 31:43. And blessed them - prayed heartily for their prosperity, though we find from Gen 31:29 that he came having bound himself by a vow to God to do them some injury. Thus God turned his intended curse into a blessing. The most important topics in this chapter have already been considered in the notes, and to those the reader is referred.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Do you see, dearly beloved, God's great wisdom in demonstrating his care for the good man, as well as at the same time deterring the other from his injustice and, by forbidding him from speaking evil against Jacob, conducting him gradually to the path of knowledge of God? Though Laban had been pacing about like a wild beast intent on snaring and destroying him, he made his excuses, kissed his daughters and their sons good-bye and returned home.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And early in the morning Laban rose up,....
Laban very affectionately kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them, and then went back in peace. Note, God is often better to us than our fears, and strangely overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם | vaiyashkem | and he rose early | H7925 → | 65 times |
| לָבָ֜ן | lavan | Laban | H3837 → | 55 times |
| בַּבֹּ֗קֶר | baboker | in the morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| וַיְנַשֵּׁ֧ק | vaynashek | and he kissed | H5401 → | 35 times |
| לְבָנָ֛יו | levanav | <to> sons his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְלִבְנוֹתָ֖יו | velivnotav | and <to> daughters his | H1323 → | 588 times |
| וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ | vayvarekh | and he blessed | H1288 → | 330 times |
| אֶתְהֶ֑ם | ʾethem | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ | vaiyelekh | and he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וַיָּ֥שָׁב | vaiyashov | and he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| לָבָ֖ן | lavan | Laban | H3837 → | 55 times |
| לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃ | limkomo | to own place his | H4725 → | 401 times |
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨םand he rose early
vaiyashkemH7925 →65 times
לָבָ֜ןLaban
lavanH3837 →55 times
בַּבֹּ֗קֶרin the morning
babokerH1242 →214 times
וַיְנַשֵּׁ֧קand he kissed
vaynashekH5401 →35 times
לְבָנָ֛יו<to> sons his
levanavH1121 →4930 times
וְלִבְנוֹתָ֖יוand <to> daughters his
velivnotavH1323 →588 times
וַיְבָ֣רֶךְand he blessed
vayvarekhH1288 →330 times
אֶתְהֶ֑ם<obj.> them
ʾethemH853 →10935 times
וַיֵּ֛לֶךְand he went
vaiyelekhH1980 →1546 times
וַיָּ֥שָׁבand he returned
vaiyashovH7725 →1056 times
לָבָ֖ןLaban
lavanH3837 →55 times
לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃to own place his
limkomoH4725 →401 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
Deuteronomy 23:5Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 7:7–8
The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Ephesians 2:4–5
But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
- Numbers 24:9
He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.
- Deuteronomy 7:7–8
Through
Genesis 33:4Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
it leads to
- Genesis 45:14–15
Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced.
- Psalms 34:4
I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
- Luke 15:20
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and…
- Genesis 45:14–15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 57.39; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.