And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, [Is there] yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
14. Is there yet ] i.e. “we have no reason any longer to expect.” Leah and Rachel had both been alienated from their father by his disregard of their feelings and by his mean grasping policy.
portion or inheritance ] A proverbial phrase: see 2Sa 20:1; 1Ki 12:16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 31:14
Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our fathers house
Inheritance for us
So asked Rachel and Leah of Jacob.
And we see how suggestive these historical touches in Old Testament story are, when vitalized by the spirit of the gospel. We think at once of the Saviour, who is the open door to the great Fathers house. There are multitudes who have lost their portions, and some are very sad and weary. Prodigal meets prodigal, and recounts the story of the painful way. Ruins always touch us with sadness; and human hearts get ruinous in so much less time than stone walls do!
I. THE CRY IS PERSONAL. Men do not ask, Is there hope for the lost–the profligate, the vile? but, Is there hope for me? The soldier lying wounded in the battle-field thinks of the home harvest-fields far away, and the soul amid its wounds and woes whispers, I will arise and go to my Father. There is a home-returning way for me!
II. THE CRY IS ANXIOUS. Is there yet? Once the soul was ready to surmise there might be! But is there now? when sin has consolidated into habit, when the door has been shut so often in the marred face of the Man of Sorrows! My sin is ever before me, is the great cry of conscience. We sympathize with human anxiety. We watch with moistened eyes the widow who asks, Is there yet a table in the wilderness for me and my little ones? In reply to the yet, let us answer, Though thy sins be as scarlet, He shall make them white as wool; He shall blot out thy transgressions as a cloud, and thine iniquities as a thick cloud; He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him.
III. THE CRY IS CHILDLIKE. My Fathers house! For we are, in one sense, all of us Gods offspring. True, we have lost likeness to Him and peace with Him; and only by faith can we become the spiritual sons of God. But there is memory of the lost estate in every heart. Man was made for God, and He is the only home of the soul. God gave us our earthly homes and relationships, to be parables of that great central truth. No word thrills us like home; no picture on Academy walls touches us like Proviss interiors. And this is natural. For let home be dark or deserted, let the dove of peace leave that, let those sweet sanctities be desecrated, and no outside joys, no travels, no pursuits can make compensation! And to know the value of a home, you must lose one.
IV. THE CRY IS ANSWERED. Yes! in many parables, in many promises, in deeds of love and sacrifice. Faith leads all along the way, from justification to glory. But it were wrong to conceive of the inheritance as all future. Heaven does begin on earth, because the heavenly principles, purposes, and pleasures may be ours now. CONCLUSION. We close with the remembrance that there is welcome for us, room for us, reward for us. Have you ever stood outside a flower-show in the summer-time, and seen carriage after carriage drive up, with rustling silks and dazzling liveries and crested panels, pride and pomp entering in; and then caught the wistful face of a poor child at the gate, with another child in her arms, shut out from seeing Gods beautiful flowers? The poor, the blind, the maim, the halt, the prodigals of every type are welcome. What, does He want me? does He wait for me? has He asked for me? (W. M. Statham, M. A.)
A worldly-spirited reply
We have seen some things in the history of these women which have induced us to hope well of them, notwithstanding their many failings; but though in this case it was their duty to comply with the desire of their husband, and to own the hand of God in what had taken place between their father and him; yet there is something in their manner of expressing themselves that looks more like the spirit of the world, than the spirit which is of God. A right spirit would have taught them to remember that Laban, whatever was his conduct, was still their father. They might have felt it impossible to vindicate him; but they should not have expatiated on his faults in such a manner as to take pleasure in exposing them. Such conduct was but too much like that of Ham towards his father. And as to their acknowledging the hand of God in giving their fathers riches to their husband, this is no more than is often seen in the most selfish characters, who can easily admire the Divine providence when it goes in their favour. The ease, however, with which all men can discern what is just and equitable towards themselves, renders the love of ourselves a proper standard for the love of others, and will sooner or later stop the mouth of every sinner. Even those who have no written revelation have this Divine law engraven on their consciences: they can judge with the nicest accuracy what is justice to them, and therefore cannot plead ignorance of what is justice from them to others. (A. Fuller.)
Lessons
1. It becometh wives, especially in good families, to listen unto advice of husbands from God.
2. God can make them that disagree in a family sweetly to concur to do His work.
3. It is unnatural for children to find no portions in their fathers house, when they abound.
4. Such brands of cruelty are left upon unnatural fathers by the Spirit (Gen 31:14).
5. It is cruel for fathers to use their children as slaves and make merchandize of them.
6. It is savage for parents to consume the substance of children for whom they should provide.
7. Such unnatural dealings, in Gods justice, alienate hearts of children from parents (Gen 31:15).
8. It is fit to consider how God recompenseth cruelties of unnatural parents in depriving them of their children.
9. What God giveth to parents and children may be justly owned by them.
10. Good women will be free and helpful to their husbands to go and do whatever is the will of God unto them (Gen 31:16). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
We can expect no further benefit from him, but deceit, and oppression, and injury, and therefore are willing to leave him. This was the fruit of his unnatural and unworthy carriage to them, that it did eat out their natural affection to him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. Rachel and Leah answeredHavingheard his views, they expressed their entire approval; and fromgrievances of their own, they were fully as desirous of a separationas himself. They display not only conjugal affection, but piety infollowing the course described”whatsoever God hath said untothee, do” [Ge 31:16].”Those that are really their husbands’ helpmeets will never betheir hindrances in doing that to which God calls them” [HENRY].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him,…. One after another, and their answers agreeing, are put together; it may be Rachel answered in the name of Leah, and for herself, since she is mentioned first, and the verb is singular. The Targum of Jonathan is, Rachel answered with the consent of Leah;
[is there] yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? it was what might have been justly expected, as they were his children, that they should have been used as such, and have had children’s portions given them; but by the whole of Laban’s attitude towards them, both at their marriage, and ever since, it was plain he never intended to give them anything; but kept all he had to himself, or designed it for his sons, and therefore it was in vain for them to hope for anything; signifying to Jacob hereby, that they were willing to leave their father’s house, and go with him when he pleased, since they could expect nothing by their stay here.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The two wives naturally agreed with their husband, and declared that they had no longer any part or inheritance in their father’s house. For he had not treated them as daughters, but sold them like strangers, i.e., servants. “ And he has even constantly eaten our money, ” i.e., consumed the property brought to him by our service. The inf. abs. after the finite verb expresses the continuation of the act, and is intensified by “ yes, even.” in Gen 31:16 signifies “so that,” as in Deu 14:24; Job 10:6.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
14. And Rachel and Leah answered. Here we perceive that to be fulfilled which Paul teaches, that all things work together for good to the children of God. (Rom 8:28.) For since the wives of Jacob had been unjustly treated by their father, they so far act in opposition to the natural tenderness of their sex, that at the desire of their husband, they become willing to follow him into a distant and unknown region. Therefore, if Jacob is compelled to take many and very bitter draughts of grief, he is now cheered by the most satisfying compensation, that his wives are not separated from him by their attachment to their father’s house: but rather, being overcome by the irksome nature of their sufferings, they earnestly undertake to join him in his flight. “There is nothing,” they say, “which should cause us to remain with our father; for daughters adhere to their fathers, because they are esteemed members of his family; but what a cruel rejection is this, not only that he has passed us off without dowry, (92) but that he has set us to sale, and has devoured the price for which he sold us?” By the word money (Gen 31:15), I understand the price of sale. For they complain that, at least, they had not received, instead of dowry, the profit which had been unjustly extorted from their husband, but this gain also had been unjustly suppressed by their covetous father. Therefore the particle גם ( gam) is inserted, which is used for the purpose of amplification among the Hebrews. For this increased not a little the meanness of Laban, that, as an insatiable whirlpool, he had absorbed the gain acquired by this most dishonorable traffic. And it is to be noted, that they were then devoted to their husband, and were therefore free to depart from their father; especially since they knew that the hand of God was stretched out to them. There is also no doubt, seeing they were persuaded that Jacob was a faithful prophet of God, but that they freely embraced the heavenly oracle from his mouth; for at the close of their reply, they show that they did not so much yield to his wish as to the command of God.
(92) The word in the original is harsh, “ prostituit.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
And is not this the language of all gracious hearts, when divorced from the love of creature enjoyments: and when united by faith and love to the Lord Jesus? Psa 45:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 31:14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, [Is there] yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
Ver. 14. Is there yet any portion, ] q.d., We have all we are like to have. In setting forth their father’s ill usage of them, they offend not in some respect – viz., in that they speak the truth. Only herein they were to blame, that they speak the truth with more passion, and with less respect to their father than was fit.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Is there yet, &c. ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rachel: Rth 4:11
yet any: Gen 2:24, Gen 29:24, Gen 29:29
Reciprocal: 2Co 12:14 – for the Eph 6:4 – ye
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 31:14-15. Is there any portion Any hope of benefit; for us in our fathers house? They both agree in acknowledging that his behaviour had been extremely ungenerous and sordid, even to them, his own children. Are we not counted of him strangers? Dealt with as strangers, rather than children: for he hath sold us To thee for fourteen years service. And hath quite devoured (wholly converted to his own use) our money That which in equity was due to us for our portions, and for our husbands service. Whereas Jacob looked upon the wealth which God had transferred from Laban to him as his wages, they look upon it as their portions; so that, both ways, God forced Laban to pay his debts, both to his servant and to his daughters.