Genesis 31:43
Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Laban, facing the inevitable departure of his daughters and grandchildren, pivots from possessiveness ("all that you see is mine") to expressing helplessness. He acknowledges them as his own flesh and blood, implying he cannot bring himself to harm them or their children, shifting the focus from his rights to his paternal feelings.
After Jacob has fled with his family and possessions, Laban pursues him for seven days, eventually catching up to him on Mount Gilead. God intervenes, warning Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob. Though Laban initially confronts Jacob angrily, questioning why he fled secretly and stole his household gods, he ultimately shifts to a more conciliatory tone, acknowledging Jacob's family and possessions as his own flesh and blood, and proposing a covenant.
Laban lists everything he claims as his: daughters, children, flocks, possessions. What does this relentless 'mine' reveal about his heart?
In this pivotal moment, Laban's response isn't a strategic legal argument, but an emotional outburst. He rattles off everything he considers his property:
But then, he asks, 'what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?' This question, though seemingly heartfelt, is loaded. It’s not that he can't do anything; it's that he realizes his claims are dissolving. His possessiveness clashes with the reality that his daughters and grandchildren are leaving him, and he can't legally or morally stop them. His 'mine' is losing its grip.
Is Laban’s outburst genuine love, or a last-ditch effort to save face? How does fear and a shifting reality change his tune?
Laban's dramatic declaration, 'These daughters are my daughters... and what can I do this day unto these my daughters?' reveals a complex mix of emotions and motivations. The commentary suggests he's acting out of:
This dramatic confrontation reveals Laban's complex mix of avarice, paternal affection, and fear. His words acknowledge Jacob's success and his family's inseparable connection to Jacob, while also asserting his own (now relinquished) claim to everything.
c. 1700 BC
Jacob Enters Laban's Service
Jacob flees from his brother Esau and arrives in Haran, eventually working for his uncle Laban for fourteen years to marry Rachel and Leah.
c. 1686 BC
Jacob's Wealth Grows Dramatically
After his initial service, Jacob continues working for Laban for another six years. Through God's favor and shrewdness, Jacob's flocks and herds multiply significantly, causing Laban's sons to become jealous.
c. 1686 BC— this verse
Jacob's Secret Flight from Haran
Sensing Laban's hostility and driven by divine instruction, Jacob gathers his family and possessions and flees Haran without telling Laban.
c. 1686 BC
Laban Pursues Jacob
Laban is informed of Jacob's departure and pursues him with his kinsmen for seven days, eventually catching up to him in the hill country of Gilead.
This passage shows another instance where Abraham, facing a similar situation of potential deception and claiming a relationship, relies on a divine command, highlighting the recurring theme of God's guidance in complex familial and societal interactions.
Deuteronomy 21:15-17This law addresses the inheritance rights of the firstborn and the treatment of wives, providing a legal framework that contrasts with Laban's manipulative practices and Jacob's struggle for his family's rightful place.
Ruth 1:8-13Naomi's daughters-in-law face a choice between staying with their mother-in-law or returning to their own families, echoing the theme of familial ties and potential separation that is central to Laban's final plea.
Proverbs 13:11This proverb speaks about how ill-gotten gains diminish, which resonates with Laban's accumulation of wealth through what appears to be exploitation, and his eventual admission that Jacob's prosperity, though vast, is connected to his own lineage.
Malachi 4:6This verse speaks of the reconciliation of fathers and children, a theme that Laban touches upon in his final moments with Jacob, expressing a desire for peace between their families after years of conflict.
calvinGenesis 31:1-55: "And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory."
Si ita dicebat, Punctis parvis respersa erunt merces tua: pariebant omnes pecudes punctis parvis respersa: et si ita dicebat, Lineis distincta erunt merces tua: tunc pariebant omnes pecudes lineis distincta.
Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
Et abstulit Deus pecus p…
pooleGenesis 31:43: "And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?"
He pretends that to be an act of his natural affection and kindness which was indeed the effect of his fear.
Laban, facing the inevitable departure of his daughters and grandchildren, pivots from possessiveness ("all that you see is mine") to expressing helplessness. He acknowledges them as his own flesh and blood, implying he cannot bring himself to harm them or their children, shifting the focus from his rights to his paternal feelings.
After Jacob has fled with his family and possessions, Laban pursues him for seven days, eventually catching up to him on Mount Gilead. God intervenes, warning Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob. Though Laban initially confronts Jacob angrily, questioning why he fled secretly and stole his household gods, he ultimately shifts to a more conciliatory tone, acknowledging Jacob's family and possessions as his own flesh and blood, and proposing a covenant.
After Jacob has fled with his family and possessions, Laban pursues him for seven days, eventually catching up to him on Mount Gilead. God intervenes, warning Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob. Though Laban initially confronts Jacob angrily, questioning why he fled secretly and stole his household gods, he ultimately shifts to a more conciliatory tone, acknowledging Jacob's family and possessions as his own flesh and blood, and proposing a covenant.
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This leads him to shift from a stance of potential aggression to proposing a covenant. It's a recognition that his legal claims are void, and his only recourse is to try and secure some amicable separation, acknowledging the deep familial bonds he can no longer exploit.
c. 1686 BC
Covenant at Mizpah-Gilead
Instead of conflict, Laban and Jacob make a covenant, establishing a stone heap as a witness. They call the place Mizpah, entrusting their future relationship to God's watchfulness.
c. 1686 BC
Laban's Departure
After the covenant, Laban blesses his daughters and grandchildren and returns to his own place, parting from Jacob on seemingly amicable terms.
"Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they…" — Laban, facing the inevitable departure of his daughters and grandchildren, pivots from possessiveness ("all that you see is mine") to expressing helplessness. He acknowledges them as his own flesh an…
