5 and saith to them, 'I am beholding your father's face—that it is not towards me as heretofore, and the God of my father hath been with me, 6 and ye—ye have known that with all my power I have served your father, 7 and your father hath played upon me, and hath changed my hire ten times; and God hath not suffered him to do evil with me. 8 'If he say thus: The speckled are thy hire, then bare all the flock speckled ones; and if he say thus: The ring-straked are thy hire, then bare all the flock ring-straked; 9 and God taketh away the substance of your father, and doth give to me. 10 'And it cometh to pass at the time of the flock conceiving, that I lift up mine eyes and see in a dream, and lo, the he-goats, which are going up on the flock, 'are' ring-straked, speckled, and grisled; 11 and the messenger of God saith unto me in the dream, Jacob, and I say, Here 'am' I. 12 'And He saith, Lift up, I pray thee, thine eyes, and see—all the he-goats which are going up on the flock 'are' ring-straked, speckled, and grisled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to thee; 13 I 'am' the God of Bethel where thou hast anointed a standing pillar, where thou hast vowed a vow to me; now, arise, go out from this land, and turn back unto the land of thy birth.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 31:5-13
Commentary on Genesis 31:1-21
(Read Genesis 31:1-21)
The affairs of these families are related very minutely, while (what are called) the great events of states and kingdoms at that period, are not mentioned. The Bible teaches people the common duties of life, how to serve God, how to enjoy the blessings he bestows, and to do good in the various stations and duties of life. Selfish men consider themselves robbed of all that goes past them, and covetousness will even swallow up natural affection. Men's overvaluing worldly wealth is that error which is the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil. The men of the world stand in each other's way, and every one seems to be taking away from the rest; hence discontent, envy, and discord. But there are possessions that will suffice for all; happy they who seek them in the first place. In all our removals we should have respect to the command and promise of God. If He be with us, we need not fear. The perils which surround us are so many, that nothing else can really encourage our hearts. To remember favoured seasons of communion with God, is very refreshing when in difficulties; and we should often recollect our vows, that we fail not to fulfil them.