Genesis - 31:40



40 This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Genesis 31:40.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
Day and night was I parched with heat, and with frost, and sleep departed from my eyes.
Thus it was with me: in the day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
Thus I was; in the day the drouth consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes.
I have been thus: in the day consumed me hath drought, and frost by night, and wander doth my sleep from mine eyes.
This was my condition, wasted by heat in the day and by the bitter cold at night; and sleep went from my eyes.
Day and night, I was burned by heat and by frost, and sleep fled from my eyes.
Ita fui ut interdiu consumeret me aestus, et gelu in nocte, et recedebat somnus meus ab oculis meis.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night - The being exposed to the heat by day, and frost by night, is made part of the heaviest punishment of Promethus by Aeschylus.
Σταθευτος δ' ἡλιου φοιβῃ φλογι, Χροιας αμευψεις· ασμενῳ δε σοι
Ἡ ποικιλεμων νυξ αποκρυψει φαος·
Παχνην θ' ἑῳαν ἡλιος σκεδᾳ παλιν.
Aeschyl. Prom. Vinc., v. 22.
Opposed to the sun's most fervid beam, The hue of beauty changed; till parch'd by heat The night with spangled stole shall hide its light From thee rejoicing, but again the sun Chases the hoar frost from thy harass'd form - J. B. B. C.

Thus I was,.... In such a situation, as well as in the following uncomfortable plight and condition:
in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night: the violent heat in the daytime scorched him, and the severe frosts in the night pinched him: that is, in the different seasons of the year, the heat of the day in the summertime, and the cold of the night in the wintertime; for it cannot well be thought that there should be excessive heat in the day and sharp frosts in the night, in the same season of the year: it looks as if Laban did not allow Jacob the proper conveniencies of clothes, and of tents to secure him from the inclemency of the weather, which other shepherds usually had:
and my sleep departed from mine eyes; through diligent care and watchfulness of the flocks in the night season, which on some occasions were necessary; see Luke 2:8.

in the day the drought . . . and the frost by night--The temperature changes often in twenty-four hours from the greatest extremes of heat and cold, most trying to the shepherd who has to keep watch by his flocks. Much allowance must be made for Jacob. Great and long-continued provocations ruffle the mildest and most disciplined tempers. It is difficult to "be angry and sin not" [Ephesians 4:26]. But these two relatives, after having given utterance to their pent-up feelings, came at length to a mutual understanding, or rather, God influenced Laban to make reconciliation with his injured nephew (Proverbs 16:7).

"I have been; by day (i.e., I have been in this condition, that by day) heat has consumed (prostrated) me, and cold by night" - for it is well known, that in the East the cold by night corresponds to the heat by day; the hotter the day the colder the night, as a rule.

*More commentary available at chapter level.


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