Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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conscientious regard felt by Laban for God's express prohibitions. As bad as he was he durst not injure one whom he saw to be the particular care of Heaven. Note, A great deal of mischief would be prevented if men would but attend to the caveats which their own consciences give them in slumberings upon the bed, and regard the voice of God in them.
28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Thou
hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your
father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore
longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
As a thief, Ge 31:30. Rather than own that he had given him any colour of provocation to depart, he is willing to impute it to a foolish fondness for his father's house, which made him that he would needs begone; but then (says he) wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? Foolish man! To call those his gods that could be stolen! Could he expect protection from those that could neither resist nor discover their invaders? Happy are those who have the Lord for their God, for they have a God that they cannot be robbed of. Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not, the common distress of oppressed innocency.
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, because I was afraid: for I
said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
Jacob's apology for himself. Those that commit their cause to God, yet are not forbidden to plead it themselves with meekness and fear.
1. As to the charge of stealing away his own wives he clears himself by giving the true reason why he went away unknown to Laban, Ge 31:31. He feared lest Laban would by force take away his daughters, and so oblige him, by the bond of his affection to his wives, to continue in his service. Note, Those