Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;
Parallel translations
- KJV Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
- BSB Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps.
- NKJV Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp?
- NASB Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with tambourine and with lyre;
- NLT Why did you slip away secretly? Why did you deceive me? And why didn’t you say you wanted to leave? I would have given you a farewell feast, with singing and music, accompanied by tambourines and harps.
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
Laban protests that Jacob fled secretly, denying him a proper farewell with celebration. He casts himself as the aggrieved host.
Overview
Laban claims he would have sent Jacob off with joyful music had he known. Given Laban's track record, such warmth is doubtful, and Jacob's secrecy sprang from well-founded fear. The hollow complaint underscores the broken trust between the two men, which only God's restraint keeps from erupting into conflict.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Exod 15:20Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.
- Judg 6:27Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken to him. Because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, he could not do it by day, but he did it by night.
- Prov 26:23–26Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
- Job 21:11–14They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
- Gen 31:20–21Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away.
- Gen 24:59–60They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men.
- Gen 4:21His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.
- Gen 31:3–5Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
- Gen 31:31Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’
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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 31:27 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
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