Then Jacob answered, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock have thrived under my care.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to him, “You know how I have served you, and how your livestock have fared with me.
- KJV And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
- NKJV So Jacob said to him, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me.
- NASB But Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you and how your livestock have fared with me.
- NLT Jacob replied, “You know how hard I’ve worked for you, and how your flocks and herds have grown under my care.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jacob reminds Laban how well he has served him and how Laban's livestock thrived under his care. He establishes his faithful track record before negotiating.
Overview
Jacob points to the evident growth of Laban's flocks as proof of his diligence and of God's blessing. This appeal to his proven service strengthens his bargaining position. It also sets up the contrast between Jacob's faithful work and Laban's repeated exploitation, with God ultimately vindicating Jacob.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Gen 31:6You know that I have served your father with all my strength.
- Gen 31:38–40I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.
- 1 Pet 2:18Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable.
- Titus 2:9–10Slaves are to submit to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,
- Col 3:22–25Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.
- Gen 30:5and Bilhah conceived and bore him a son.
- Matt 24:45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
- 1 Pet 2:15For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.
- Eph 6:5–8Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 30:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.