Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
Parallel translations
- WEB This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.
- BSB As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
- NKJV There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
- NASB This is how I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.
- NLT “I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights.
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 describes the harsh toll of his labor: scorching days, freezing nights, and sleepless vigilance over the flocks. It shows the real cost of his faithful service.
Overview
The shepherd's life in the hill country meant enduring extreme heat and cold while guarding the sheep through the night. Jacob's hardship makes Laban's exploitation all the more glaring. His endurance under suffering, sustained by God, models the perseverance Scripture commends to God's people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Exod 2:19–22And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
- Ps 78:70–71He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
- 1 Pet 5:2–4Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
- Luke 2:8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
- Exod 3:1Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
- John 21:15–17So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
- Heb 13:7Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
- Hos 12:12And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 31:40 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.