Genesis 30:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.

NIV: But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you."

NASB: But Laban said to him, 'If it pleases you at all, stay with me; I have determined by divination that the Lord has blessed me on your account.'

CSB: But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor with you, stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you."

NLT: Please listen to me,' Laban replied. 'I have become wealthy, for the Lord has blessed me because of you.

KJV: And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.

NKJV: And Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.”

Jacob has met the terms of the agreement he had with Laban to work a total of fourteen years for his wives Rachel and Leah (Genesis 29:18–30). In that time, at least 11 children have been added to Jacob's family. Now Jacob wants to go home. He has demanded that Laban, whom he has served as an indentured servant and slave, now release him, along with his wives and children.

Laban's response here does not contain a yes or a no. Instead, he politely asks Jacob to stay. Laban reveals that he knows he is prospering because of the Lord's blessing of Jacob.

Scholars seem to disagree about exactly what is meant by Laban's statement about divination. It's possible that he looked for good omens or performed a ritual to determine the Lord's blessing. Or the language may simply mean that Laban "divined" the truth, figured it out, from the fact that he had grown so wealthy.

In any case, Laban says he has a lot to lose, financially, if Jacob leaves.

Genesis 30:25-43 describes Jacob's struggle to convince Laban to allow him to return to his own people with his wives and children, even though the 14 years of Jacob's contracted service have ended. Laban asks Jacob to name new wages to continue to work for him. Laban knows he has grown wealthy due to the Lord's blessing on Jacob. Jacob asks to own all the new off-color sheep and goats that will be born to Laban's flock. Laban agrees and quickly tries to cheat Jacob. Nevertheless, the Lord blesses Jacob's unusual breeding practices, causing so many off-color animals to be born in the flock that Jacob becomes a wealthy man in his own right. Soon he will leave Laban behind for good.

God alone gives children. He causes babies to be born. He even determines what color baby sheep and goats will be. Genesis 30 describes the urgent desire of Rachel and Leah to have sons for Jacob and how God hears and grants their prayers in His own time. In addition, God blesses Jacob's unusual breeding practices with Laban's flocks to finally allow Jacob to overcome his father-in-law's schemes to keep Jacob under his service.

In the previous chapter, Laban tricked Jacob both into marrying Leah along with Rachel and into working for him as a servant for a total of fourteen years. God blessed unloved Leah by allowing her to bear four sons to Jacob. As this chapter opens, Rachel remains barren while Leah and both of their servant women continue to bear sons. Finally God answers Rachel's prayer, allowing her to bear Joseph. His contract completed, Jacob demands Laban send him away to his own people. Laban refuses, asking Jacob to set new terms for his service. Jacob's deal, along with the Lord's blessing and his unusual breeding practices with the flocks, results in Jacob becoming a wealthy man in his own right. This wealth and power will enable him to finally break free and return home.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 11/23/2024 11:51:05 AM